The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Ruyi bent down and kowtowed properly. Just as she was about to get up and leave, a sneer that was not at all concealed suddenly came from the side.

Ruofu: "What are you babbling about? A false accusation is a false accusation, and a mistake is a mistake. You can request to be confined to the cold palace, but do you still want to keep your rank as a concubine? There are only four concubine ranks in total. Do you think you can become the head of a palace in the cold palace? You're dreaming!"

The lingering sadness and tenderness in the hall were instantly shattered.

Everyone seemed to suddenly detach themselves from that play about deep affection but shallow fate.

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes as she served tea, a hint of a smile flashing across her face once more.

Hongli's previously complex and unspeakable expression paused for a moment, and he slowly nodded: "The Empress is right."

Ruyi's figure stiffened instantly. The air of detachment and world-weariness she had just exuded was completely shattered by those two sentences.

She transformed from a heartbroken woman who left sadly after being betrayed by her lover back into a guilty concubine who falsely accused the empress, allowed her servants to cause chaos in the palace, and was now kneeling on the cold floor of Cining Palace, waiting to be punished.

Hongli looked at her, his gaze even more complex than before: "Ruyi, I think you're wrong. You are not Lady Li, never have been. And I am not Pei Shaojun! Lady Li disregarded her reputation, eloped with someone, hid in the back garden for seven years without a name or status, gave birth to a son and a daughter, and waited until the very end for Pei Shaojun to give her a legitimate status. But what about you?"

After the Ulanara clan's power waned, it was I who personally went to Father Emperor to beg you to become a secondary consort. After entering the palace, you had no children, but I still gave you the rank of concubine and gave you dignity.

You say I've changed, that I'm no longer the young man I once was, but when have I ever allowed you to follow me for seven years without any title or status?

A watery look slowly appeared in Ruyi's eyes.

As Hongli looked at her, the lingering regret, past affection, and melancholy stirred up by the opera gradually dissipated with each word she uttered.

"Moreover, Miss Li did not fabricate anything out of thin air, make unfounded accusations, or frame others, causing unrest throughout the entire household."

Hongli paused for a moment, then finally looked directly into her eyes: "Father is right. Perhaps I shouldn't have forced it from the beginning."

Ruyi was shocked. These words were like a knife, completely severing her last bit of self-deceiving old dreams.

Her lips moved, and tears finally welled up uncontrollably in her eyes, but she couldn't make a sound for a long time.

Hongli didn't wait for her to say anything more, but took a deep breath: "Ulanara Ruyi, without any evidence, falsely accused the Empress, disrupted the six palaces, and her virtue is lacking; she is unfit for the position of Consort. Effective immediately, she is demoted to commoner status and moved to the Cold Palace... Without an imperial edict, she is not allowed to leave!"

Tears blurred her vision, but Ruyi still stubbornly held on, looking at Hongli.

Hongli turned to Rong Pei, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust: "As for Rong Pei, as a palace maid in charge, instead of advising her master, she instigated trouble, spoke ill of the Empress, insulted the imperial physicians, disregarded palace rules, and acted arrogantly and rudely. She shall be given thirty strokes of the cane, and after she recovers, she shall be expelled from the palace and never employed again."

Rong Pei suddenly raised her head: "This servant accepts the punishment! But now that Master is going to the Cold Palace, there will be no one to take care of her. This servant is willing to stay and not take any allowance from the palace. I only beg Your Majesty to allow this servant to go to the Cold Palace with Master and continue to serve her!"

Ruyi finally turned to look at her. Her face, which had been pale from Hongli's words, finally showed a genuine emotion and relief.

Hongli frowned, about to say something, when Ruofu waved her hand from the side: "Go if you want, anyway, let's make it clear first, when you get to the Cold Palace, I will only give you the rations of a commoner, not a single copper coin more. If you insist on coming with me, and you go hungry and cold, don't come out and say that I am mistreating you."

The Empress Dowager picked up her teacup again, and Fu Jia quickly frowned and looked out the window.

Hongli remained silent for a moment, expressionless, before finally saying, "Granted. You may all leave. Go back to Yanxi Palace and pack your belongings. You will be moved to the Cold Palace today."

Those who were to receive a reward expressed their gratitude, and those who were to be punished accepted their punishment. The people who had been kneeling in the hall finally withdrew one after another.

As Ruofu watched Ruyi and Rongpei's figures disappear outside the door, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "They say a ruler's word is law, but these two, the master and servant, are different. One minute they're kicking them out, the next they insist on keeping them. Even imperial edicts are useless now."

The Empress Dowager paused slightly as she placed the teacup down, then casually touched the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief.

Hongli naturally heard this, and his expression became increasingly indescribable.

The Empress Dowager, mindful of her status as the only Empress Dowager, couldn't bear to see her son in such a predicament. She coughed lightly and said calmly, "Alright, it's good that things have been clarified. In the end, it was Ruyi who judged others by her own standards, mistaking suspicion for truth and conjecture for justice. She only believed what she thought and refused to look at the facts. However, with her as a comparison, it's even more important that the Empress keeps evidence of everything. With this matter settled, there will likely be far fewer people in the palace who spread rumors and cause trouble with gossip."

Ruo Fu praised without reservation: "Empress Dowager understands things best."

The Empress Dowager smiled slightly, then rubbed her temples, saying that she was really tired today and that everyone should go back and rest early.

Ruofu immediately smiled and replied, "Your Majesty should also rest. It's rare that those naughty kids aren't in the palace these days, so you can have a few days of peace and quiet. Once they come back from the garden, they'll be as noisy as the last one, and Your Majesty won't be able to have any peace and quiet then."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's smile became much more genuine, and she asked, "Aren't they all mischievous little devils? Now that they've gone to the garden, I'm afraid they'll all be having so much fun they won't want to leave."

Ruofu then casually mentioned who had refused to take a nap a few days ago and who had secretly led people to go fishing. The originally solemn and cold atmosphere instantly became more homely and warm.

Hongli, who was sitting to the side, immersed in his eight-year-old relationship, was gradually brought back to his senses as he listened, and occasionally managed to interject a word or two.

Thus, the last lingering effects of Ruyi's severing of ties completely dissipated.

After the Emperor and Empress both took their leave, the Empress Dowager, supported by Fu Jia, returned to her bedchamber to rest, and the main hall of Cining Palace fell silent once more.

Within an hour, news that Ulanara had been stripped of her imperial concubine status, demoted to a commoner, and banished to the cold palace spread throughout the six palaces.

Inside Xianfu Palace, Gao Xiyue listened to Shuangxi's excited report and was still in a daze for a long time. She even forgot to put the pastry she had just picked up into her mouth: "Really demoted? Really banished to the Cold Palace? Is the Emperor really willing to do that?"

Mo Xin confirmed from the side, "It's true, he's been demoted. The imperial edict has been issued, and they're packing up at Yanxi Palace. They have to move there today."

Shuangxi was overjoyed, clapping her hands and exclaiming, "Heaven has eyes! No, no, no, it's Her Majesty the Empress who is mighty! No, no, it's His Majesty the Emperor who is wise!"

Everyone in the room burst into laughter at his comical appearance.

Shuangxi then shared something even more exciting: "I heard Rongpei is going too!"

Mo Xin was taken aback: "Going where, to the Cold Palace? I really didn't realize she was so loyal."