The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Yonghuang's face instantly fell.

Hua Lan burst out laughing on the spot.

Wei Yanwan was also holding another box of pastries, and she almost trembled as well.

Yonghuang looked at Changbai with a mournful expression: "Big brother, didn't you just say I passed the test?"

"The travelogue has passed inspection." Changbai said without changing his expression, "The food review is another matter."

...Yonghuang understood a truth today: there are indeed no free pastries in this world.

After the group had gone far away, Xiefang Hall became quiet again. Changbai rested for a while and then returned to his study to continue studying.

The window was half open, and the early autumn sunlight slanted in from outside. The boy sat at his desk, one hand pressing down on the pages of a book, and the other occasionally picking up a pen to jot down a couple of lines beside him, his expression focused.

When Wei Yanwan came to add hot water as ordered, she glanced at him from afar across the corridor and couldn't help but whisper, "The eldest prince is really hardworking."

The palace maid, who worked alongside her and was two years older than her, was counting the teacups. Hearing this, she followed her gaze and nodded, "Who says otherwise?"

After exchanging their answers, the two fell silent and focused on their work.

Since the two had only known each other for a short time, they naturally wouldn't speak carelessly about their master's affairs, lest they bring trouble upon themselves with their words.

Wei Yanwan's gaze involuntarily drifted towards the study again.

This eldest prince is not very old, but he always acts with an inexplicable composure.

He rarely spoke loudly, and he would never scold people. But whether it was Xiao Luzi by his side, Hua Lan who was older than him, or even an old man who had come to Xiefang Hall to talk to him about books last time, they would usually listen quietly whenever he opened his mouth.

Wei Yanwan couldn't help but wonder if people would start speaking like this once they had read enough books and understood enough.

Without raising your voice or losing your temper, others will naturally be willing to listen.

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she couldn't help but think of her younger brother, Zuo Lu.

After my father passed away, it was as if a pillar of support had collapsed in the family. My mother's most frequent question was "What should we do?" She was always at a loss, no matter what happened.

Even after she finally managed to get a way into the palace to do official business, her mother never smiled again.

She couldn't help but wonder, if Zuolu went to school, learned to read, and understood some principles, would he be able to support a family like the eldest prince?

Even if I can never compare to a royal prince, as long as my mother feels that there is still someone in the family she can rely on, it's still better than now.

From that day on, Wei Yanwan became even more serious about her work than before.

How much water should be used for which type of tea, and how long should it be steeped for the best flavor?

Which type of pastry is the most fragrant when it's fresh out of the oven, and which becomes softer and more fluffy when it cools down?

Since she was illiterate, she initially relied on colors, shapes, and placement to remember things. When she returned to her room at night, she would use a twig to trace the characters she had seen that day on the ground. If she encountered a palace maid she was on good terms with, she would shamelessly ask her.

She remembered what someone had taught her once, and tried not to ask the second time they met.

Over time, she learned more and more, and her work became smoother and smoother.

Before we knew it, early winter had arrived.

"Oh, the tea here always seems better than usual."

The weather was already a bit chilly that day, and charcoal was lit in the Xiefang Palace.

Hua Lan, Heng Ti, and Yong Huang were all there. Even Fu Heng, who usually lived outside the palace and rarely came in, happened to be in the palace with his elders. The children, who were close in age, simply gathered at Chang Bai's place to talk.

Hua Lan took a sip of the tea and couldn't help but praise it.