The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Qingying's red veil was made extremely long, hanging heavily in front of her knees. If one wanted to lift it from the front, one would have to bend down and hook the layers of brocade.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't be considered a difficult task.

Emperor Hongli was used to riding horses and shooting arrows, so he had a straight back and was still a young man. How could he care about a small veil?

But he forgot that he had been so stubborn last night that he was about to get up at dawn, and his back was already aching when he got up this morning. Just now, in front of Lady Fucha, in order to prove that he was strong and healthy, he had straightened his back straighter than a door, and refused to even let Wang Qin secretly offer him a hand to help him.

Now, as he bent down with a smile, his fingers had just touched the edge of the red veil when he suddenly felt a tendon in his waist being pulled hard.

The pain came on suddenly and fiercely.

Hongli's face suddenly turned pale, and his body froze completely in mid-air.

Qingying couldn't see his expression through the veil, but the light and shadow in front of her suddenly stopped. She couldn't help but ask softly, "Brother Hongli?"

Hongli forced out a sentence through gritted teeth: "It's nothing."

Even so, a fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped from his forehead.

He tried to take a slow breath and struggled to get up, but the pain suddenly intensified as soon as he moved an inch. Hongli's vision went black, and he instinctively braced his hands on the bedpost, letting out a very soft groan.

"Wang Qin!"

The urgent and panicked cry startled Wang Qin, who was standing under the eaves outside.

"Master?"

"Get in here!"

Wang Qin heard the suppressed pain in the voice, and without thinking, he pushed open the door and rushed in.

At a glance, one could see Hongli standing in front of the bed in an extremely strange posture, his face frighteningly pale, and he was still clutching Qingying's half-lifted veil in his hand.

Wang Qin nearly lost his soul.

"Sir! What's wrong?"

Wang Qin hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, but as soon as his hand touched Hongli's arm, Hongli gasped and nearly fell on him.

Even Qingying couldn't sit still any longer: "Brother Hongli!"

"Quickly, summon the imperial physician!" Wang Qin instantly realized what was happening and shouted in a shrill voice, "And send someone to the palace to fetch the imperial physician! I've strained my back!"

His shout was so loud and clear that he seemed afraid no one in the entire palace would hear it.

Hongli's vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness!

The new house was instantly thrown into chaos.

The maids were busy moving chairs, the eunuchs were busy carrying soft couches, some went to fetch the family doctor, some ran to the front yard to get medicine, and some didn't know what to do and could only wander around the room.

Qingying stood to the side, her shyness and sweetness long gone, leaving only worry and confusion.

How could you strain your back just by lifting the veil?

-

In Gao Xiyue's courtyard, however, the atmosphere was much quieter.

The maidservant, Dai, had just returned from gathering news outside and said cautiously, "Princess, the Prince has already gone to the concubine's courtyard."

Gao Xiyue sat on the edge of the bed, her red veil obscuring her vision, and remained silent for a moment upon hearing this.

There was certainly a sense of loss.

Although she was only entering the manor as a princess today, it was still a once-in-a-lifetime day for her. However, before she left, her father repeatedly told her that Ulanara and the prince had a different relationship, and that the prince would most likely go there first tonight. He told her not to act impulsively, and even more so not to show any dissatisfaction in front of the primary wife and secondary wife.

She originally thought she had figured it out.

But when she heard that the prince had gone to someone else's room, she still felt a pang of sadness.

It was only for a moment.

Gao Xiyue quickly took a deep breath, lifted the red veil herself, and tossed it aside neatly: "It's only right."

She seemed to be speaking to someone beside her, or perhaps to herself: "The concubine's rank is higher than mine, and she has known the prince for a long time. What's so strange about the prince going to her first? I am just a princess today, but that doesn't mean I'll be a princess forever. I have a long life ahead of me."

Seeing that she was so open-minded, Granny Dai breathed a sigh of relief and quickly echoed with a smile, "You're absolutely right, Princess. You're young and beautiful, and the Master is highly valued by the Emperor. Your good fortune is sure to continue!"

Gao Xiyue nodded, her mood quickly brightening: "I'm hungry, go find some food quickly."

Granny Dai suppressed a laugh and quickly ordered someone to fetch pastries and hot soup.

While waiting, Gao Xiyue looked down and saw the brocade box next to her wrist. Remembering that it was a gift that Ruofu had just given her, she immediately perked up.

She opened the box and took out the gold bracelet inlaid with white jade.

The bracelet was quite heavy, with a gold base carved with intertwined crabapple blossoms and several round white jade beads inlaid in the center of the blossoms. It was both exquisite and luxurious. Gao Xiyue liked it more and more as she looked at it, and couldn't wait to put it on her wrist and hold it up to the light to examine it from all angles.

"It's so beautiful."

Her eyes crinkled with laughter: "Your Highness has excellent taste. The gifts you give are truly valuable. Unlike some people who only give flashy but impractical gifts, spouting sweet nothings but never actually delivering anything."

Xingxuan smiled and said, "Gege has fair skin, this bracelet fits her perfectly."

Gao Xiyue admired the gifts with delight for a while, then suddenly remembered something: "My wife gave me such nice things, shouldn't I reciprocate tomorrow? Do we have anything decent in our dowry?"

Xingxuan thought about it carefully: "I heard that when the Princess was still a young lady, she liked playing Chuiwan (a type of Chinese polo) and archery. Among the dowry that the master prepared for the princess was a set of Chuiwan canes inlaid with gold and silver. It was made by a skilled craftsman from Jiangnan. The head of the cane was wrapped with rhinoceros horn and the handle was inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It was both sturdy and valuable."

Gao Xiyue's eyes lit up: "I'll give you this!"

The items were practical and not cheap, which suited her perfectly.

Although she was not yet truly familiar with Ruofu, she already vaguely sensed that this primary consort was different from others. If she only gave her a handkerchief and a box of face powder, it would seem stingy, but if she gave her a purely decorative jade vase, she was afraid that she would find it uninteresting.

"I'll send it over first thing tomorrow morning."

Just as Gao Xiyue finished giving her instructions, Granny Dai remembered something else: "Your Highness, the person the Princess Consort sent to teach etiquette has arrived. She's a young maid named Moxin. Would you like to see her today, or wait until tomorrow?"

At this time, the pastries were also delivered.

Gao Xiyue picked up a piece of jujube and yam cake, took a bite, and mumbled, "Since she was sent by the Fujin (wife of the Fujin), how can we let her wait outside? Bring her in now."

Before long, a little girl dressed in a light green dress walked into the room.

At the age of thirteen or fourteen, she was pretty with delicate features and a somewhat childish face. After entering the room, she knelt down properly and kowtowed to Gao Xiyue.

"This servant, Moxin, greets Your Highness."

Gao Xiyue looked her up and down and couldn't help but exclaim, "She's a real beauty."

Mo Xin was clearly not expected that her new mistress's first words would be this, and her cheeks immediately turned red: "Your Highness is too kind, this servant does not deserve it."

"What's there to be ashamed of? If you're good-looking, you're good-looking. Do you think I'd condemn you just because I'm praising you?"

Gao Xiyue smiled and waved her hand: "Don't kneel. Since the Princess Consort has assigned you to me, we're on the same side from now on. Have you eaten yet? There are some pastries over there. If you haven't, take one first."

Mo Xin was slightly taken aback, and a hint of emotion appeared in her eyes.

However, she hadn't forgotten her duty. Mo Xin shook her head and respectfully said, "Thank you, Your Highness. But the Princess Consort has something for me to convey. I wonder if Your Highness has a moment to explain the rules of the household?"

Gao Xiyue nonchalantly took a bite of half a pastry: "Go ahead and say it."

Mo Xin responded, and then she took a deep breath.

"According to the newly established regulations by the Fujin, the Gege and the Consort may pay their respects to the main courtyard at the beginning of each morning. On the first and fifteenth of the month, they must arrive fifteen minutes earlier. If they are feeling unwell, they can send someone to report it and need not force themselves to go, but the physician of the manor must register it afterward."

Gao Xiyue slowed down her chewing of the pastry.

Mo Xin continued, "The meals for each household are supplied by the main kitchen according to the allotted portions. Each princess can have four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and two soups daily. Snacks and fruits are charged separately. If there are any additional needs, a list can be sent to the main kitchen one day in advance. If a princess wishes to set up a small kitchen, she can also report to the Fujin (principal wife). However, the ingredients required must still be purchased through the household purchasing department, and servants are not allowed to go out of the household to purchase them on their own."

"The clothing, spices, charcoal, medicine, etc., issued to each courtyard shall be distributed on a monthly basis according to a register. If there is a shortage, the reason may be explained and additional funds shall be obtained. Servants in each courtyard shall not exchange their rations without authorization, nor shall they take their masters' belongings to give to others."

Gao Xiyue had forgotten to put the pastries in her hands into her mouth.

Mo Xin: "In addition, the Prince's mansion is divided into front and back courtyards. Servants in the back courtyard are not allowed to enter the front courtyard without a warrant from the Princess or the Prince. Eunuchs from each courtyard may only go to the head eunuch's office to hand over their duties at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM each day. Their destination and time must be registered. Maids and servants are not allowed to linger outside the courtyards without duties. They are also not allowed to visit each other's courtyards at will, and they are not allowed to deliver private letters, jewelry, spices, or food for others."

"If relatives or friends come to visit, they must inform the chief physician in advance and have their identities verified before they are allowed to enter the residence..."

All items received by each courtyard, whether clothing, jewelry, food, or medicine, must first be registered by the head matron.

Everything that enters the kitchen is inspected, and medicines are examined by the royal physician before being served to the masters.

"Servants in each courtyard must not exchange gifts privately, must not gamble or drink alcohol together, must not gossip about their masters behind their backs, and must not spy on news from the front courtyard."

If anyone is found to be inquiring about the Prince's whereabouts without cause, or spreading information about the Prince's residence, the first offense will result in a fine of one's monthly allowance; the second offense will result in expulsion from the estate. If there is any suspicion of plotting against the Prince or damaging the Prince's reputation, the matter will be reported directly to the authorities for handling.