The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

She slowly stood up, supporting her lower back, and couldn't help but hiss.

Shen Guang bent down to tidy up the clothes she had changed out of last night, but his shoulders trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Ruof immediately glared at him: "What are you laughing at?"

"This servant did not laugh."

"You're still young, you don't understand." Ruofu rubbed his lower back while trying to save face. "It's good for a man to be strong, it's better than not being strong at all. You'll understand when you get married."

Shen Guang's face flushed red, and he lowered his head even further.

Ruofu took a few slow steps, then couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's just too much force, and a bit tiring."

"It has to be a young person..."

She paused, then, after much painful reflection, made a summary.

"Next time, don't use the provocation tactic too hard."

Just then, Zhaoying walked in, pretending not to have heard anything, and bowed her head to report: "Madam, the concubine and the two princesses have arrived and are waiting in the main hall to pay their respects."

"understood."

Ruo Fu sat up straight again and let Shen Guang straighten her clothes.

Zhao Ying smiled again and said, "Gege Gao even brought her pipa today, saying she wants to play a tune for the Fujin."

Ruof's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great!"

This Ms. Gao is truly sensible.

He has been in the household for half a month, and he is never late to pay his respects every day. Every now and then, he will send some small gifts, which may not all be expensive, but the sentiment is genuine.

What's even more remarkable is his sweet talk; every time he comes to the main courtyard, he always manages to find something new to say to make her happy.

Yesterday morning, she casually mentioned that she had heard a pipa master would be invited to the family banquet, and Gao Xiyue immediately said that she had also studied pipa for many years and that her husband had personally praised her. She also said that if Gao Xiyue didn't mind, she would play for her today.

Ruo Fuyuan thought she was joking, but he never expected that she would actually come with a pipa.

Why didn't she ever meet such a well-behaved, sensible, and capable young lady in her past life?

No, no matter how incompetent Hongli is, he is still a prince and will inherit the throne in the future. It is normal for the women in his harem to be more sensible and obedient.

It's all Sheng Hong's fault for being so useless!

Yes, it's all his fault!

After finishing her thoughts, Ruofu instructed, "Make sure to divide the cold noodles that the kitchen made yesterday into several portions and send them to each courtyard later."

"Give Princess Gao another pot of osmanthus wine. It's not a cold wine, but it's better to drink it warm. Although she's not very healthy, a few cups won't hurt her."

Zhao Ying smiled and agreed.

-

After paying her respects, Qingying quietly returned to her own courtyard.

The sound of the pipa still echoed in her mind, along with the sounds of Gao Xiyue and her wife talking about everything from pipa music to snacks in the capital, from playing polo to horseback riding, filling the room with laughter.

Back in her room, she took a basket of fresh vegetable leaves and sat by the window, picking them one by one.

When A'Ruo recalled Gao Xiyue's fawning manner, she couldn't help but sneer: "Gege Gao really knows how to flatter people! She eagerly carried her pipa over and played it until her hands were almost broken, just to get a few words of praise from the Fujin."

Qingying plucked a vegetable leaf, her expression indifferent: "Madam Gao likes liveliness, and the Fujin also likes to be flattered. It's only natural that the two get along so well."

"Our master disdains to do such things."

Qingying paused for a moment, then sighed, "If people have to rely on a song or a pot of wine to maintain their relationship, it's far too superficial."

A'Ruo immediately chimed in, "That's right! Your Highness and the Prince are of one mind; how can anyone else compare?"

A faint smile appeared on Qingying's lips: "There's no need for me to deliberately try to please Brother Hongli."

Before the master and servant could exchange more than a few words, a greeting suddenly came from outside.

Emperor Hongli has arrived.

Qingying's eyes lit up instantly, and she didn't even bother to pick the vegetable leaves from her hands before quickly standing up to greet him.

When Hongli went into the washroom to bathe and change, she leaned close to Qingying, covering her mouth and giggling, "Did you see, Master? After returning to the manor, the Prince didn't even change his clothes before coming straight here. In the end, the person he values ​​most is still you."

Qingying blushed and gently scolded, "Shut up."

But she just couldn't bring herself to suppress the urge to smile.

She immediately ordered someone to prepare lunch, adding all of Hongli's favorite dishes.

Hongli indeed stayed for lunch.

He didn't leave in the afternoon; instead, he sat by the window with Qingying and played chess.

Qingying gradually calmed down, and even the unpleasantness of last night faded away.

As dusk approached, Hongli showed no sign of leaving, and Qingying's shyness became even more pronounced.

Everyone knows he'll most likely stay tonight.

Just then, a shout suddenly came from outside:

"The Prince and his concubine are talking inside. Who gave you permission to barge in? Don't you know the rules?"

It was Wang Qin's voice.

Qingying sensed something and immediately raised her head, calling out, "Eunuch Wang, is someone from the embroidery workshop here? I instructed them to let her in directly."

There was a moment of silence outside the door.

Soon, a slender figure walked in carrying a tray.

Aruo recognized her at a glance; she was the same embroiderer from last time.

"This servant greets Your Highness and the Consort."

Qingying glanced at Hongli subconsciously.

Hongli kept his head down, looking at the chessboard, as if he hadn't noticed who the newcomer was at all.

Qingying thought to herself, "Just as I thought," and her smile became even more genuine.

Get up.

She asked the embroiderer to bring the item forward, and then personally unfolded a corner to carefully examine the stitches.

"The embroidery is very beautiful. Did you make that nightgown for us last time too?"

"Yes, Consort."

"What's your name?"

The embroiderer replied softly, "This servant is Hailan."

Qingying read it aloud softly and praised, "It's a good name."

Qingying seemed to suddenly remember that Hongli was still beside her, so she handed over the embroidered garment: "Brother Hongli, take a look, isn't the embroidery exquisite?"

Hongli then looked up and glanced at it casually.

His gaze swept over the embroidered clothes, and then, seemingly unintentionally, swept over Hailan's face.

He then casually returned the chessboard to its original position.

"If you like, just ask them to make a few more sets."

Qingying smiled even more upon hearing this, but tilted her head and said, "How can that be? As a concubine, my monthly allowance is already set. If I ask for more, the principal wife will be in a difficult position. For the sake of harmony in the inner quarters, Brother Hongli, you can't spoil me too much."

As she spoke, she asked Aruo to bring Hailan a bowl of chilled mung bean soup, so that she could drink it before going back.

Hailan was filled with gratitude and quickly knelt down to express her thanks.

The light summer shirt accentuated her graceful figure as she moved.

Aruo stood to the side, but felt something was off, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She could only quickly take Hailan outside to get some soup.

After the two left, Qingying sat back down in front of the chessboard.

She deliberately moved closer, holding a white chess piece and gesturing its name above the board: "Brother Hongli, you didn't take back your move when I wasn't looking, did you?"

Hongli snapped out of his daze: "When did I ever take back my move?"

"Who knows?"

Qingying tilted her head and smiled charmingly: "When you were little, if you lost a game of chess, you would always secretly move your pieces while I went to get some snacks."

"How many years ago was that?"

"No matter how many years pass, I will remember."

-

It was more than half a month later when Ruofu learned that Hongli had privately asked Wang Qin to investigate the name and background of the embroiderer.

What made her so nauseous she almost vomit was not that Hongli had set his sights on a seamstress, but that the time he ordered Wang Qin to investigate her happened to be the day after he consummated his marriage with Qingying.

Men really are all the same.

The night before, they were still embracing their childhood sweetheart, pouring out their hearts to each other, saying that their affection was unmatched by anyone else.

The next day, after getting dressed and going out, he couldn't stop thinking about the pretty maid he had just met!

Of course, Ruofu's nausea this time wasn't entirely due to his disgust.

In early September, a torrential downpour washed away the sweltering heat that had lingered in Beijing for months, and the weather quickly cooled down.

That morning, just as Ruofu got out of bed, his vision suddenly went black, his legs gave way, and he almost fell back onto the bed.

Shen Guang was right next to her, and his face turned pale with fright. He quickly helped her up.

"Madam!"

"I'm fine."

Ruo Fu stood for a while, holding onto the bedpost, and the dizziness gradually subsided, but then a wave of nausea suddenly rose in his stomach.

She covered her mouth, but a slight thought stirred within her.

These days, her period seems to be late.

She had always been healthy in both her lives, her periods were always regular, and she rarely experienced abdominal pain. She could eat and sleep well, and rarely even had headaches or fevers. Her sudden condition today was clearly abnormal.

Ruofu dared not be careless and immediately ordered someone to fetch the prefectural physician.

The physician examined the patient for a long time through a handkerchief, then stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and beamed with joy.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations! You are about a month pregnant!"

If you don't pause.

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in delighted congratulations.

Shen Guang and Zhao Ying were so happy that their eyes turned red, and all the maids and nannies in the room knelt down in unison.

Congratulations, Madam!

"Congratulations, Madam!"

Ruo Fu was stunned for a while before suddenly looking down at his lower abdomen, his eyes gradually brightening.

"Got it?"

The physician smiled and said, "Although the princess's pulse is still weak, it can be confirmed that there is no problem. However, the fetus is not stable in the first three months, so she needs to rest and recuperate. She also needs to pay more attention to her diet and daily life."

Ruofu instantly beamed with joy: "A reward!"

"Everyone in the main hospital will receive a three-month stipend, and the prefectural physicians will also receive a generous reward!"

She gently placed one hand on her still flat stomach, tears welling up in her eyes.

Hua'er!

This must be her Hua'er!

It had been many years since she had last seen Hualan.

Although Hua Lan was also in the capital in her previous life, after a woman gets married, she has her own husband's family and children. Even though she was in the capital, the number of times she could return to her parents' home and the two of them could reunite was still small.

During their last meeting, Hua Lan kept talking about her youngest son's marriage.

Ruof listened at the time, occasionally offering a few words of response, but he couldn't come up with any useful ideas.

She lived most of her life, and only in her old age did she truly realize that her foolishness and impatience in the first half of her life had been a far greater burden than a benefit to her children.

She has a fiery temper and can never escape Lin Qinshuang's schemes. She also doesn't know how to speak softly and is not liked by Sheng Hong.

As a result, Hua Lan and Chang Bai learned to read people's expressions and scheme at a young age, and learned to maintain the airs of legitimate children to protect themselves amidst their father's favoritism and the machinations of his concubine.

Later, when the children encountered difficulties, besides getting angry, anxious, and banging on the table, she often couldn't help them with anything.

When she first arrived at that mysterious space, she thought she was in the underworld after death, looking back on her life.

The more I look at it, the more frustrated I feel.

She couldn't help but cry as she told Langhua that in her entire life, apart from her youngest daughter Rulan and the uncles and aunts who had loved her since childhood, there was probably no one else in the world who truly loved her.

She genuinely believed that if Hua Lan and Chang Bai had a choice, they would definitely not choose a useless mother like her who only caused trouble.

But after seven years in this world, reliving each day as she came back to life, she gradually came to understand.

Why is she making a fuss over something that she had no other choice about?

The deities in the space clearly stated that the child had chosen his mother.

Even though she and Langhua swapped bodies, those little brats still wanted to come back and be her children.

That means that Heaven had long ago bound the mother and her children together!

This is fate; no one can escape it.

Since that's the case, no one owes anyone anything.

She only cared about giving birth, raising children, and giving them the best she could.

As for the rest of the journey, let fate decide, and let them decide for themselves.

If they are happy to be her children, the whole family will gather together and enjoy the joy of family life.

If you feel that she is still not a good enough mother, then wait until you have grown your wings and fly away on your own.

She didn't stop her.

In this life, she has the Fucha family as her backing, as well as the management of the royal household and the future position of empress.

What she can give her child is far more than what she gave in her previous life.

That's more than enough for them!

Ruofu became increasingly clear-headed and joyful as he thought about it, so he instructed Shenguang to collect the reward money again and distribute it to everyone in the main courtyard.

But this joy lasted less than half a day before she heard that Hongli was secretly investigating Hailan.

The nausea that had been suppressed in my stomach suddenly rose up again.

Ruo Fu drank half a cup of warm water before he could suppress his discomfort.

"He really is a man."

She leaned back on the soft couch and gave a cold laugh.

Sheng Hong kept saying that he had a deep affection for Lin Qinshuang, but when he met the young, beautiful, and gentle Wei Shuyi, he still took her into his room with half-hearted resistance, and they had one child after another.

Even Emperor Hongli couldn't escape it.

But even if she can't escape, she can't expect to suffer any longer.

We need to think of a way to properly treat him!

Ruo Fu's eyes darted around, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, and a plan formed in his mind.