The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

As she watched her second brother enter the examination hall, the heavy vermilion gate slowly closed. Shilan breathed a long sigh of relief, looked up at the rare clear sky, and silently wished him well.

Qin Muchuan coughed lightly, covering his mouth. Shilan quickly took out a silver fox fur cloak that had been prepared from the carriage and personally draped it over her father's shoulders.

Shilan's voice was gentle yet concerned: "It's almost time to take your medicine, Father. Why don't you go back to the manor to rest first? The daylight is still nice today, and I'd like to go for a stroll in the streets with my sister Ruofu. We'll go back later."

Upon hearing this, Qin Muchuan's eyes revealed a gentle smile.

Looking at his graceful daughter, he felt both proud and guilty.

If it weren't for her eldest daughter, with Shilan's looks, talent, and character, why would she still be unmarried?

"Alright." He nodded, his voice a little hoarse. "You young ladies should go out more. Take your guards and come back soon."

Shilan curtsied in agreement, then instructed the servant accompanying her to take good care of her father. She watched the carriage of the Marquis of Dongchang slowly drive away before turning to Wang Ruofu, who had been waiting beside her.

Wang Ruofu could no longer contain herself. As soon as Shilan's father left, she immediately resumed her excited demeanor: "Sister Shilan, I heard that a new silk shop has opened in the south of the city, and the patterns are all the latest styles from Jiangnan; the pastries at Babaozhai in the west of the city have also launched new products..."

"Go, everyone, go!"

It's a rare opportunity to go out, and on such a fine day, Shilan wanted to indulge herself.

Wang Ruofu cheered, casually said something to her mother and sister, and then got into the Qin family carriage without looking back. Her personal maid, Liu Changjian, followed suit.

Their movements were so skillful it was heartbreaking.

---

"Mother, look at her! Where is the demeanor of a young lady from an official family?"

Wang Ruoyu's voice carried undisguised contempt:

"She spends all her time following that Qin family girl around, learning accounting and household management like a merchant. Today, she even went so far as to give her brother some kind of amulet in public. Those who know the family say it's because the two families are on good terms, but those who don't would think our Wang family's young lady is desperately trying to curry favor with the Marquis's mansion, selling herself into servitude as their housekeeper!"

Madam Wang frowned, but did not immediately reprimand her eldest daughter.

The eldest daughter's words were unpleasant to hear, but they weren't entirely without reason.

She did have ulterior motives in agreeing to let Ruofu, who had just been brought back from his hometown, associate with Qin Shilan.

Ruofu had been raised in the countryside for ten years. Although she was not uncouth, she was not as well-educated and skilled as the noble ladies in the capital.

She worried that her youngest daughter would be ridiculed when she first entered the social circles of the capital, so she thought that if she could befriend the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dongchang, people would be more polite to her because of Shilan's status and position.

Everything went smoothly at first.

Although Shilan was proud, she was very protective of her own. What was even more remarkable was that she got along well with Ruofu, so she often invited Ruofu to her home to play, and even personally taught her how to manage the household and handle social interactions.

If Fu were to prove herself, within just six months, her speech and manners would greatly improve, and she would even be able to manage her small courtyard very well when she returned home.

But who could have predicted that the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ningyuan, Lady Qin, would be such a foolish person, turning a match made in heaven into a laughing stock in the entire capital, casting a shadow over the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion as well.

In the past two years, she watched coldly as the Dongchang Marquis's mansion, which had been showing some signs of improvement, became increasingly desolate.

Although Qin Muchuan still has good relationships with people, and Shilan herself is beyond reproach, that's just how reality is in the elite circles.

With the Qin family's precious treasures as a precedent, and this Marquis's mansion gradually declining, who would be willing to get involved easily?

Madam Wang had calculated privately that Shilan was already fifteen years old this year, and in principle, someone should have come to propose marriage long ago, but so far she had not heard of any decent family coming to the door of the Dongchang Marquis's mansion.

On the other hand, Ruofu, though half a year younger than Shilan, has already started to receive inquiries from other ladies—after all, her master is increasingly favored by the emperor, and has done quite well in the past two years, with a bright future ahead.

unless……

She glanced at the gate of the examination hall.

Qin Erlang was able to pass the imperial examination with flying colors.

But that's easier said than done.

"If you're willing, say less," Madam Wang finally spoke, her voice weary. "She is, after all, your sister."

Madam Wang sighed inwardly.

She had advised her youngest daughter to distance herself from Shilan, just like the girls from the Sun and Wu families, to avoid being implicated in the future.

They're both at the age where they should be getting married, so it's best for them to stay at home as much as possible. Even if others find out, they won't say anything.

But that boy, Ruof, though seemingly innocent, was incredibly stubborn at heart; once he made up his mind, nothing could sway him.

The Queen Mother knew that today's public display of good fortune was something her youngest daughter had deliberately staged for her.

"Mother spoils her too much," Wang Ruoyu said coolly from the side. "If you ask me, she should be firm and put her in confinement, cutting off all ties with the Qin family. Our Wang family is an upright family; why should we get involved in that mess?"

Madam Wang didn't reply, only gazing in the direction the carriage had gone. She thought to herself that she would wait until the day the results were announced. If Qin Erlang failed, and the Qin family seemed to have no chance of recovery, she would decide not to allow Ruofu to visit the Qin family again.

-

Wang Ruofu had no idea about her mother's and sister's many thoughts.

The Qin family carriage passed through the bustling Imperial Street, turned into a relatively quiet street, and finally stopped in front of a three-story teahouse built by the water.

Shilan and Wang Ruofu put on their veils and, with the help of their maids, got off the carriage.

As soon as you enter, you hear the storyteller's loud voice recounting the most popular chivalrous tales of the time, interspersed with occasional cheers from the tea drinkers, creating a lively yet not too noisy atmosphere.

The two went up the wooden stairs to the second floor.

The private room faces the street. Pushing open the carved wooden window, you can not only overlook the street scene below, but also gaze at the majestic halls and eaves of the Xiangguo Temple in the distance.

The maids deftly removed the veils from the two men and then ordered the waiter to bring out some fresh tea and fruit.

As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, a gentle knock sounded on the door of the private room.

"Go in," Shilan said calmly.

A young man dressed in a moon-white brocade robe walked in. He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with handsome features and naturally smiling eyes. He exuded a friendly aura even before he spoke.

He entered without looking to the side, and respectfully bowed in the direction of Shilan, saying, "Greetings, young lady."

Wang Ruofu waited for a while, and seeing that the young man seemed completely oblivious to her, she couldn't help but speak up: "Big brother, can't you see me? Why don't you greet me too?"

The young man then turned around and said irritably, "Oh, isn't this my esteemed sister, Busy Ruofu? Greet her, come here, come to me."

Wang Ruofu stuck out her tongue. She wasn't stupid; she just wanted to vent her frustration and didn't want to get beaten up.

So he stepped back behind Shilan, making sure the distance was safe enough, before raising his chin:

"Why not?"

Wang Shinian choked.

Seeing that the brother and sister were about to engage in another round of verbal sparring, Shilan, having had enough of the spectacle, simply gestured for them to sit down: "Alright, do you still want to go to the south of the city to see the new offerings, or to the west of the city to try the new pastries? Time is running out, let's get down to business—"

Before she could finish speaking, a woman's piercing cries suddenly came from downstairs: "Let me go! I didn't steal anything! Help—"

All three of them were taken aback.

Wang Ruofu reacted the fastest, immediately getting up, opening the window facing the street, and peering down.

Shilan and Wang Shinian also walked to the window.

A crowd of onlookers had gathered on the street in front of the teahouse.

In the center of the crowd, several men who looked like servants were dragging a young woman dressed in plain white mourning clothes. The woman's hair was disheveled, her face was covered in tears, and she was struggling desperately.

A young gentleman dressed in a royal blue brocade robe and wearing a jade crown stood to one side, waving a folding fan, his expression arrogant and a frivolous smile on his lips.

His servant was shouting loudly, "...This woman was originally a laundry maid in our household. A few days ago, she stole a Hetian jade thumb ring from the young master's room and ran away! Now that she's been caught, she'll naturally be brought back to the manor for questioning!"

The woman cried out, "I didn't! I've always been dutiful in my work here, and the head maid searched me before I left! You're wronging an innocent person!"

"Injustice?" The young man in the brocade robe sneered, using his fan to lift the woman's chin, looking at her tear-streaked face, a lewd glint in his eyes.

"I say you stole, so you stole. Take you away!"

Wang Ruofu was furious, her fists clenched: "It's that scoundrel, the Prince of Yong's heir again! He's always been so arrogant and domineering in Bianjing, relying on his status as a member of the imperial family! Abducting a woman in broad daylight—is there no law left?!"

Shilan also recognized the man: Zhao Jue, the heir of the Prince of Yong, the current emperor's nephew, a true member of the royal family with a noble status.

"This isn't the first time he's done something like this," Wang Shinian said in a low voice, his brows furrowed. "Last month, he forcibly took the daughter of the owner of a tavern on West Street, and the month before that, he trampled an old farmer in the street with his horse... The Censorate impeached him several times, but the Prince of Yong's mansion suppressed them all."

Shilan watched the farce downstairs with a cold eye, her heart unmoved.

That's how it is in elite circles. They look glamorous on the outside, but there are countless dirty secrets inside. After all, for most people in power, everyone below them is just an ant.

Downstairs, the woman had already been dragged a few steps, crying her heart out, her liver and intestines breaking.

Although the onlookers looked reluctant, no one dared to step forward to stop them.

"Wait!"

A reprimand suddenly rang out.

Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and the servant who was grabbing the woman screamed and threw her away, instantly freeing the woman.

Zhao Jue's face instantly darkened, and he looked at the newcomer with an unfriendly expression.

A boy of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a simple indigo narrow-sleeved brocade robe, dismounted. He had a handsome face and his eyes revealed a sharpness unique to young people.

A flicker of apprehension crossed Zhao Jue's eyes: "Zhang Yun, is that you?"

The young man, Zhang Yun, bowed respectfully: "Your Highness, this lady is the niece of Granny Li, the head housekeeper in my household. Granny Li has served us for twenty years and is extremely cautious and dutiful. Her relatives are certainly clean-cut. If Your Highness has truly lost something, it would be best to investigate further to avoid wrongly accusing an innocent person while letting the real villain go free. If the investigation is unclear—" He paused, looking at Zhao Jue with a half-smile: "I, Zhang, am not talented, but I am willing to lend Your Highness a hand."

If he couldn't figure out a few words, he would say something very meaningful.

Zhao Jue couldn't help but grit his teeth.

Upstairs, Wang Ruofu couldn't help but clap his hands and exclaim, "Good! Everything has its counter! This time, the Prince of Yong has met his match!"

Shilan's gaze, however, remained fixed on the boy in blue.

"Who is he?" Shilan asked, seizing the opportunity.

This is the boy who played against her at the polo field last autumn.

Even though a long time has passed, she still remembers his superb horsemanship, his sharp ball skills, and the exhilarating feeling of playing with him.

He wore a red outfit then, flamboyant as a flame; today he wears blue, yet he remains dazzling.

Wang Shinian chimed in, "Zhang Yun, the second son of the Duke of Ying's mansion, whose courtesy name is Mingyuan, is said to have been disobedient as a child. He was sent to his second uncle's home at the border for several years before returning to the capital last year."

Wang Ruofu clapped his hands: "That's it! I've heard my father mention this before. In a way, I'm somewhat similar to him—we were both sent to our second uncle's house to be raised when we were young. However, my second uncle was in our hometown in the countryside, while his second uncle was in the Longxi Army. It's a world of difference."

Shilan looked as if she had just realized something.

British Duchy.

In the original work, there are a few aristocratic families that have maintained firm control of the military for generations.

Unlike the Dongchang Marquis's Mansion, which only had titles and idle official positions, the Duke of Ying's Mansion had direct descendants who settled on the frontier in every generation, earning military merits through real fighting.

Therefore, their favor with the emperor never waned, making them a truly powerful and wealthy family.

In the original story, even more than twenty years later when the new emperor ascended the throne, he still tried to win over and give important positions to the Zhang family.

This kind of heritage is incomparable to that of ordinary nobles.

Downstairs, Zhao Jue and Zhang Yun were locked in a stalemate for a moment, but Zhao Jue eventually gave in.

The Duke of Yingguo's mansion is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor. Zhang Yun's elder brother was just promoted to Vice Minister of the Privy Council at the beginning of the year, and his father, the Duke of Yingguo, is deeply trusted by the Emperor. Although the Prince of Yong's mansion is a member of the imperial family, they still have to think twice before acting in the face of real power.

Zhao Jue forced a smile: "Second Brother Zhang is right. Since you're vouching for me, it must be a misunderstanding."

He turned to the servants and berated them, "You fools must have made a mistake!"

They kicked and cursed as the group gradually walked away.

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Zhang Yun bent down to help the woman up, whispered a few words to her, and then took out some loose silver and gave it to her.

The woman thanked her profusely and left in a hurry.

Zhang Yun stood still, seemingly sensing something, and suddenly looked up at the second floor of the teahouse.

Shilan was standing by the window, their eyes meeting.

A gentle breeze blew by, lifting a few strands of hair from her cheek.

Outside the window, the distant sound of the bell from Daxiangguo Temple resonated deep within one's heart.