The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Hailan thought for a moment: "There is indeed someone named Ling Yunche. Does Your Majesty know him?"

Ruof did not answer immediately, but only narrowed his eyes.

In the original story, Ling Yunche later became close friends with Ruyi, like some rare confidant. But from Wang Ruofu's perspective, which she had lived a whole life, that boy didn't seem to be completely innocent at all.

Originally, Ruyi was framed by Jin Yuyan and others, and she was responsible for the deaths of two imperial heirs. Hongli was useless. He knew she was innocent, but he didn't dare to protect her openly. He also couldn't find any evidence to clear her name, so he simply locked her up in the Cold Palace, saying that this way he could at least save Ruyi's life.

Listen to this: the mighty emperor, in order to protect the woman he loves, has to be locked up in the cold palace and suffer.

It's laughable!

Getting back to the main point, Hongli dared not openly favor Ruyi, so he could only have Yuhu secretly arrange for Ling Yunche to protect Ruyi in the Cold Palace.

Since Hongli had clearly given prior notice, Ling Yunche had essentially taken on a second job. Yet, he neither told his colleagues nor Ruyi, letting her believe that she was in her most wretched state when she unexpectedly encountered a kind-hearted guard who helped her regardless of his status.

Upright?

The more Fu thought about it, the more disdainful he became.

Later, Ruyi and Suxin made needlework in the Cold Palace and sold it. That boy never returned the money he actually earned from the sales; instead, he exchanged it for food, fabric, and needlework to continue sending them in.

Once the people inside have eaten and used the food, they will naturally have to continue working next time!

So, no one can say for sure how much the goods cost or how much they were sold for after passing through his hands!

With this kind of behavior of keeping things from both sides and trying to please both, how dare they call themselves upright?

She just doesn't believe it!

Whether Hongli secretly instructed Ling Yunche to take care of her in the future or not, she didn't know. But one thing she was clear about was that someone like Qingying, who was used to never lifting a finger, couldn't possibly think of a way to make a living by doing needlework so quickly.

Most likely, there's still a 'master' guiding them.

Ruofu suddenly laughed and said, "It's a good thing to earn a living with your own hands. The fewer idle people the palace can support, the better."

Ruofu put down the golden chrysanthemum in her hand and earnestly instructed, "Here's what we'll do: go back and ask around in all the palaces, whether it's the embroidery room or the flower room. If there are any odd jobs like making ribbons, tying knots, sewing sachets, separating petals, or sorting silk threads, you can assign some to the Cold Palace. The late emperor was only in his fifties when he passed away, so I imagine that not all the concubines who were imprisoned before were seventy or eighty years old. As long as they still have hands and feet and are willing to do it, they can all be allowed to take on the job."

She thought for a moment, then added, "However, the accounts must be kept clear. Everyone must write down who received how much, how many finished products were returned, and how much wages were paid for each item. The money must not pass through the hands of the guards, nor can any manager take a cut. It should be distributed monthly after being audited and settled by the Shanggong Bureau. Once they receive their money, they can buy more fabric or food as they wish, as long as it is permitted by palace rules. There's no need to stop them. People need something to do and something to look forward to; it's better than sitting under the wall all day going crazy."

Hailan was taken aback at first, but then she understood completely, and a smile couldn't help but appear in her eyes: "Your Majesty is wise. In this way, it not only gives those who are still sober in the Cold Palace a way to live, but also prevents Ulanara from standing out from the crowd."

Ruo Fu gave her an appreciative look: "That's the point. If there are benefits, everyone should share them. Don't make it seem like she needs someone to open a door for her wherever she goes."

As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze suddenly stopped on Hailan's forehead, and the smile on her face vanished instantly.

There was a faint red mark near the hairline, and although it had scabbed over, you could still tell from a close look that it had been scratched by a fingernail.

Ruo Fu frowned more and more as she looked at him, and said irritably, "You, now that you're the Palace Attendant, you're an official, no less. Why do you have to charge ahead when you're messing around with someone like Rong Pei who's like a mad dog? Are all those people below just there to watch? You know she's always ruthless, otherwise Shuangxi from Xianfu Palace wouldn't still be so furious about her. And you, you're just offering your face up for her to scratch."

Hailan lowered her head as she was scolded, but couldn't help but smile.

Ruo Fu frowned even more: "Still laughing? Have you applied any medicine? Your forehead is right next to your face, and the skin there is so delicate; it's very easy for a scar to form. If she really ruins your beautiful face, you won't even have time to cry."

"It's nothing serious," Hailan said softly. "The imperial physician has already examined me and applied medicine. It's just a superficial wound that will heal in a few days. Your Highness need not worry about me."

"No." Ruofu interrupted her without hesitation: "Don't run around these days. Let Xinxin and Lianxin help you with your work. Just sit and look at the accounts, and don't go into crowds anymore. We'll talk about it again when this injury is completely healed."

Hailan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and her eyes unconsciously welled up with tears, but she still smiled brightly: "Your Majesty, I'm really fine. I know my own body and won't let this little injury cause any problems."

Ruofu looked at her for a while, and finally just patted her hand: "You are a good person, I know that in my heart. Just do your job well, don't be afraid of anything else, I'll take care of everything."

Hailan felt a lump in her throat, took a step back, and solemnly bowed down: "This servant thanks Your Highness."

The days passed quietly for a few more days.

Rong Pei received thirty lashes, which were quite severe. She lay in bed for a long time until her wounds finally scabbed over and she was able to get out of bed with some help. She refused to wait a moment longer and insisted on packing her few belongings to go to the Cold Palace.

Along the way, she thought many times about what her mistress must be like now, whether she had suffered all kinds of bullying, whether the dilapidated cold palace was cold and desolate, and whether she could not even get a hot meal. The more she thought about it, the more heartbroken she felt, and her steps became a little faster than usual.

But when the heavy palace gates of the Cold Palace were finally opened, she walked in step by step, supporting herself against the wall, and froze on the spot.

Contrary to her expectations of a lifeless and desolate place, there were quite a few people sitting in the courtyard. Some were leaning against the wall sorting through a basket of dried flower petals, while others were bent over making knots. Two older former palace maids were cutting coarse cloth sent from the embroidery workshop into small pieces. On the other side, someone was even haggling with others while winding thread, saying that they had made three extra sachets today and that they should at least have a bowl of hot soup tonight.

The courtyard was bustling with activity, resembling a small market.

Meanwhile, the man she longed for was in a corner, being scolded by someone pointing a finger at him:

"How many times have I told you? You can't wear protective gear when doing this kind of delicate work! You can't wear protective gear! If you rub those two sharp things against the silk, it's no wonder it snags!"