The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

The second brother, Qin Zhengyang, who was waiting outside, was leaning against the archway, his breath steaming in the air. He seemed to be lost in thought, with a silly grin on his face.

Hearing Shilan's footsteps approaching, he quickly sat up, seemingly to hide his unease, and preemptively asked, "So soon? Nobody's rushing you. Why don't you stay inside a little longer? It's so cold, there's nothing to do if you go home early—wait, what?"

Before he could finish speaking, Shilan had already passed him like a gust of wind, grabbed his sleeve, and hurried toward the Moon Gate.

Qin Zhengyang stumbled as she pulled him, all his thoughts vanishing: "Where are you going? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Shilan didn't turn her head, but her voice was filled with indescribable joy: "Hurry up, or Qin Nanyan will elope with most of our family fortune to some other man."

Qin Zhengyang was taken aback at first, then his eyes suddenly lit up with an astonishing light. Instead of struggling, he grabbed Shilan's wrist and almost ran away, shouting, "Which way? Which way!"

"Which way did you go? That way!"

Shilan stomped her foot in anger, grabbed the person, and pointed to a certain place.

Qin Zhengyang's eyes were burning with intensity. He pulled her along and ran wildly for a while, his clothes billowing high with his movements, stirring up the snow on both sides of the corridor.

Deep within the plum garden.

Red plum blossoms like fire, white snow like cotton, two figures standing in the shade of plum trees.

The heir of the Marquis of Ningyuan, Gu Yankai, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his dark cloak making his face even more handsome.

Opposite him, Qin Nanyan wore a moon-white cloak, snowflakes falling on her black hair, making her look ethereal and otherworldly.

Shilan spotted the two early on and quickly pulled the excited Qin Zhengyang aside. The two of them slipped into the artificial hill and secretly observed them.

"Is this some kind of stranger? Isn't this the heir apparent of the Marquis of Ningyuan?"

Qin Zhengyang grumbled to her, dissatisfied.

Both were founding heroes, but unlike the Qin family, which was declining day by day, the Gu family had each generation of patriarchs who held real military power and were deeply trusted by the emperor. They were the most prestigious and respectable family in Bianjing.

Qin Nanyan had actually gotten involved with the heir of the Marquis of Ningyuan, and anyone with eyes could see that Gu Yankai was clearly infatuated with that consumptive man's good looks.

...If Qin Nanyan becomes the wife of the Marquis of Ningyuan, or even the wife of the Marquis, wouldn't I be overshadowed by her for the rest of my life?

It's heartbreaking to even think about it.

Shilan ignored him and looked directly at Gu Yankai not far away.

It must be admitted that Gu Yankai is indeed born with a handsome appearance.

I also heard that he went to the army for training the year before last. Although he had his family to take care of him, he lived and ate with the ordinary soldiers and received the same training without any compromise.

Compared to other noble families whose sons either idled away their days or frequented taverns and brothels, they had become far more accomplished.

If she hadn't already known the eventual outcome, she really wouldn't have been willing to let Qin Nanyan have her way.

At this point, the two had clearly finished their conversation.

After all, neither of them was married, and they were having a private rendezvous in someone else's backyard. No matter how much they fell in love at first sight, they still had to abide by proper etiquette.

Qin Nanyan, who painstakingly cultivated her "goddess" image, understood best that modesty was a woman's best bargaining chip before marriage.

After giving a gentle bow, Qin Nanyan turned and left without looking back.

Feeling the undisguised, burning gaze following her from behind, she lowered her eyes and smiled softly, a mixture of girlish shyness and barely concealed smugness.

The Ningyuan Marquis's Residence...

Their family background wasn't particularly high, but compared to my family, they were a good match.

It's a pity, a pity she was born at the wrong time. There were only so many eligible young men of her age in the capital. Apart from the stupid ones, the ugly ones, and the really bad ones, there were only a handful of suitable candidates left.

Gu Yankai was the best choice among them.

What a pity, what a pity for her weak body.

They don't even have the qualifications to try their luck in the most prestigious places in the world.

However, she didn't want to settle down with Gu Yankai so quickly. Marriage is a lifelong matter, and she had to choose someone who was excellent in every way.

Then, I'll have my parents prepare a large dowry for me to take with me.

To avoid those two nemesis parents squeezing every last drop of blood from my parents after I get married, leaving me with nothing.

Thinking about how they had become increasingly treacherous and collusive over the past six months, taking turns moving their parents' private money and targeting their younger siblings, Qin Nanyan felt a headache coming on, and most of the shyness in her eyes and brows disappeared.

Just as she was feeling indignant, she looked up and saw that Shilan and Qin Zhengyang had somehow ended up blocking her way. The two siblings stood on either side of her, arms crossed, their eyes gleaming with the same playful light, which made Qin Nanyan's heart tighten.

Enemy road is narrow.

These four words popped into Qin Nanyan's mind.

But she quickly reverted to her usual caring older sister demeanor, a gentle smile curving her lips: "Second brother, third sister, what are you doing here? Are Father and Mother preparing to return home?"

Shilan covered Qin Zhengyang's mouth, preventing him from responding to Qin Nanyan's words.

He then looked up and glanced behind Qin Nanyan.

Gu Yankai walked slowly towards him.

Shilan raised her voice: "I don't know if Father and Mother are preparing to leave. I came here because I heard that Sister's old habit of being sentimental has relapsed, and she's reciting poems to the plum blossoms. What's wrong, Sister? Have you found your ideal husband? Let me see, oh, it's the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion? Not bad, not bad. In that case, it saves the family from having to sell our property to raise money for your dowry."

"After all, in the capital, who doesn't know that you, sister, are frail? Which wealthy and powerful family would be willing to marry a sickly woman as their matriarch? If your parents don't prepare a proper dowry for you, it will be difficult to even find a suitable marriage."

"Now things are much better." Shilan smiled as she looked at Qin Nanyan's suddenly pale face. "If you, sister, can find a good family with your heavenly beauty, it would be best if you didn't bring a large dowry to show off. It would also leave more inheritance for us younger brothers and sisters. After all—"

She paused deliberately, her gaze both innocent and cruel: "We're all still young, and we'll need money for many things in the future."

Qin Nanyan's hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, and the gentle smile on her face finally froze completely.

The gaze fixed on Shilan seemed to be frozen in ice.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Gu Yankai's expression also turned extremely ugly.