The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

After Hailan finished speaking, she left calmly with several maids.

Ruyi stood there, her eyes already slightly red, but she gritted her teeth and forcefully suppressed the tears that were about to well up.

He bent down and helped Rongpei up. The two, mistress and servant, supported each other and walked silently toward Yanxi Palace.

Only after they had completely turned the corner to the end of the long street did a head slowly peek out from behind a palace wall.

Wang Qin craned his neck to look for a while, clicked his tongue, turned around and jogged back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He beckoned Li Yu over and lowered his voice, "Go and find out why Miss Hailan and Consort Xian are at odds again?"

Li Yu blinked. What do you mean by "again"?

He was puzzled, but he cleverly said, "Master, there's no need to ask. I was there at the time."

Then he recounted the events that had occurred in the Ruyi Pavilion from beginning to end.

The matter was not complicated, and he recounted it in a straightforward manner without embellishment.

But when he talked about Su Xin wearing the Empress's auspicious robes, he suddenly had an image of himself in a dragon robe, standing side by side with Su Xin at that time.

A sudden warmth welled up in my heart, a secret joy I dared not dwell on.

"That Rong Pei, he deserves to die!"

Wang Qin suddenly cursed.

Li Yu suddenly snapped back to reality, only to see that her master Wang Qin's face was extremely ugly: "She dares to hit someone close to the Empress! Does she really think that just because Consort Xian is favored, she can act with impunity?"

Wang Qin glanced around again and said coldly, "Regarding what happened on the long street today, if His Majesty doesn't ask, no one should utter a word. Don't bring up every little thing before His Majesty and annoy His Majesty! If His Majesty asks..."

He paused for a moment, then squinted and replied, "You must also tell the truth. It was Rong Pei who hit someone first without cause, and it also involved disrespect for the Empress, so she should be punished according to palace rules. No embellishment is allowed, and no one is allowed to cover for anyone."

The eunuchs immediately bowed their heads in unison and replied, "Yes, sir."

Li Yu quickly bowed his head and agreed.

But I couldn't help thinking about how popular Aunt Rongpei was...

It's really not just bad, it's exceptionally bad.

-

When Ruyi and Rongpei returned to Yanxi Palace, it was already getting dark.

Yuanxin was tidying up the things outside with two young palace maids when she looked up and saw Rongpei's cheeks were swollen and red, and she almost didn't recognize her: "What happened?"

Ruyi's expression was not good, and she was unwilling to say more. She simply helped Rongpei walk inside, saying, "Don't ask anymore. Go and get the medicine to reduce swelling and bruising."

Yuanxin glanced at the two of them, said nothing more, and quickly went to comply.

When the medicine arrived, Ruyi took the ointment herself and had Rongpei sit by the couch to apply it for her.

Ruyi continued working with her hands and said, "I'm sorry you had to suffer today. It's also my fault. I'm surrounded by enemies in this palace. I can bear to suffer myself, but I have to drag someone like you, who has followed me wholeheartedly, into this mess and make you suffer for me."

Rong Pei looked up at her and saw that her expression was sincere and her words were earnest. The knot in her heart caused by her own mistakes and the burden she had to bear was finally eased.

When she recalled the scene of the two of them relying on each other on the way back, and now, she was humbly applying medicine to her, the bumps gradually disappeared.

All that remained was a bellyful of resentment and indignation: "What are you saying, Master? This has nothing to do with you! It was clearly those people who took advantage of the situation and were rude to you first. They're so wicked, they'll get their comeuppance sooner or later!"

She had previously thought that the two women in Changchun Palace were gentle and refined, and knew how to speak and act appropriately, so it was a real pity that they were following the Empress.

Now it seems that all that gentleness and grace was just a facade when she was bullying others. In the end, she was just the Empress's lackey, biting people on her behalf!

Hearing this, Ruyi felt a sense of relief, as if the pent-up anger in her heart had finally eased. She gently applied the ointment to the other woman's skin and said, "It's good that you understand."

Yuanxin came back in to serve her at this time. Ruyi put the things back into the medicine box one by one and said casually, "By the way, keep brewing the fertility medicine sent from home."

Yuanxin paused for a moment while tidying up the medicine bottles, but quickly resumed her casual conversation as if nothing had happened: "Didn't the master say that once the medication is stopped, the relationship with children and relatives will depend on God's grace?"

"I was just feeling troubled and overthinking things these past few days," Ruyi said calmly. "Besides, I heard that the first child born after the new emperor ascended the throne is a so-called child of great nobility, blessed with abundant fortune and an extraordinary destiny. The Empress and the Consort are not far along in their pregnancies yet, and once the mourning period ends next month, the palace will rearrange the emperor's bedchamber arrangements. I don't want to sit idly by any longer, so it's best to continue taking this medicine."

As she spoke, she gently placed her hand on her stomach, seemingly with self-mockery, yet also with a hint of faint expectation: "What if? What if it works out?"

Rong Pei immediately chimed in, "Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune and has such a kind heart. Heaven has eyes and will surely grant Your Majesty's wish."

Yuanxin smiled and whispered, "Yes, the master will definitely have one."

Ruyi nodded in satisfaction and then instructed her to continue with the same amount of food the next day, without any negligence.

Yuan Xin agreed to everything, and once the work in the room was almost done, she took her medicine box and left.

As soon as the curtain fell, Rong Pei couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "My lady, are you really planning to spread the news of the precious child? But the Imperial Concubine is already pregnant. What if the Empress is really carrying a princess, but the Imperial Concubine is carrying a prince? Wouldn't we be creating momentum for her for nothing?"

Whenever Gao Xiyue was mentioned, the image of the short, chubby Shuangxi from earlier that day would resurface in her mind. After hitting her right in one fell swoop, Shuangxi's round face was full of smugness, which made her so angry that her teeth itched.

Consort Gao is no better! She's raised such a mad dog and doesn't even know how to control her. She's just like the Empress!

Ruyi gently shook her head, her expression calm as if she had already made up her mind: "Why should we spread rumors?"

Rong Pei was taken aback.

Ruyi said, "What kind of place is the Imperial Observatory? Bribing the Imperial Observatory to spread rumors is already a violation of palace rules. Moreover, I have offended them today, and in the days to come, who knows how many eyes and ears are watching Yanxi Palace, looking for our faults. I'm afraid that as soon as we do the bribery, Changchun Palace will use the rules to slap me in the face."

As she said this, a faint sneer appeared on her lips: "I have no intention of arguing with them about anything, nor do I want to use this so-called noble son as a ladder to success for anyone. What I want has always been just the truth and justice."

Rong Pei hurriedly asked, "Does Master mean your wish?"

"good."

Ruyi lowered her eyes and poured herself a cup of tea: "If Yuanxin is truly the Empress's person, she will naturally not remain indifferent upon hearing that I might be pregnant, or even carrying a so-called noble child. At that time, she will definitely find a way to go out and inform the Empress. All I want is for her to go and find her."

She raised her head, her eyes revealing a confident air of complete control: "Once I obtain evidence that the Empress instructed Yuanxin to tamper with the medicine, I will hand everything over to the Emperor. It will also allow the Emperor and the entire harem to see whether our Empress is truly as gentle and virtuous as she appears in public."

Rong Pei's eyes lit up, and she felt a little sorry for her: "Your Highness is too kind-hearted. If it were anyone else, after suffering such a great loss, would they simply hand over the evidence to the Emperor and wait for him to make the decision?"

Ruyi's expression grew increasingly serene, yet her back involuntarily straightened: "I only ask that I have a clear conscience."

She drank the tea in her cup in one gulp, then stood up and said, "Go cut some paper and grind the ink."

Rong Pei was stunned upon hearing this: "What does Master want to write?"

Ruyi raised her chin slightly: "Palace rules."

Rong Pei was even more confused.

Ruyi glanced at her and kindly smiled as she explained, "Since they keep using palace rules to pressure me, I can't afford to give them any leverage. As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.' If I memorize the palace rules and can recite them fluently, they will naturally find it difficult to find fault with me."

At this point, her gaze deepened slightly: "Besides, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. If they can use palace rules to punish my people today, I can naturally use the same palace rules to teach them what it means to reap what you sow."

Rong Pei listened with eyes full of admiration: "My master is wise!"

Ruyi smiled slightly.