The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Qin Nanyan immediately snapped out of her anger, her clenched fists loosened, the hatred in her eyes dissipated, and she was replaced by a look of grievance.

Crystalline tears rolled down her cheeks like a broken string, making her already beautiful face appear even more pitiful. "Third sister, we are blood sisters, how could you... how could you think of me like this?"

Shilan crossed her arms; from her perspective, she had already seen Gu Yankai approaching, but she made no attempt to conceal her gaze, continuing to coldly observe Qin Nanyan, her clear voice filled with undisguised sarcasm:

"Oh, sister, you cry so beautifully. Should I go and call a few more people over so we can all see what real tears look like? Am I wrong, little sister? Don't you covet that share of the family fortune that you don't deserve? Instead, you plan to prepare your dowry like an ordinary daughter of an official in the capital, without emptying the family coffers, and instead consider the well-being of us younger siblings?"

Every word and phrase was like a sharp needle, piercing Qin Nanyan's heart.

Qin Nanyan sobbed, her voice broken but clear enough: "I... how could I abandon my younger brother and sister? Zhengyang is our own brother, how could I..."

However, she didn't mention a word about the dowry.

"That's good!" Shilan wasn't about to let her off the hook. "Since you, sister, are so understanding and righteous, and coincidentally, Young Master Gu is here as well, then I'll swear right here! That when you, Qin Nanyan, marry, you will not take a single penny of the family property that you shouldn't have, that your dowry will be comparable to that of an ordinary noblewoman, and that you will never empty the family coffers or abandon us! Otherwise..." Shilan's eyes sharpened, "you will be deceiving heaven and earth, and will surely be struck by lightning, die alone, and have no children to see you off!"

"You... Shilan, you..." Qin Nanyan seemed shocked by this vicious vow. Her slender body swayed, her face instantly turned ashen, and her breathing became rapid. She clutched her chest, as if unable to bear the immense blow and humiliation. Her eyelashes trembled, and her body slumped to the side.

"Nanyan!" Gu Yankai's expression changed, and he took a step forward, steadily catching the delicate body that was about to fall to the ground in his arms.

The weight of the feather when he held it made his heart tighten.

He raised his head and looked at the aggressive Shilan and the silent Qin Zhengyang with hostility.

Qin Zhengyang: I'm innocent! I had no idea what my third sister was planning to do. Every word she said was completely unexpected!

Shilan was "startled" by his cold, sharp gaze and immediately hid behind her brother Qin Zhengyang, only peeking out half her head. She retorted sharply, deliberately raising her voice, "What are you looking at! Gu Yankai, did you hear that? My sister just said it herself: she would never abandon us, her own brother and sister. So, when she gets married, no matter who she marries, her dowry will only be comparable to that of ordinary noblewomen. She will never be greedy and take advantage of the family fortune! If she breaks this vow, she will die without a son to see her off!"

She spoke very quickly, like pearls falling on a jade plate, and settled the matter in the blink of an eye.

After saying that, she pulled Qin Zhengyang, who was still a little dazed, and said, "Second brother, now that we've gotten eldest sister's approval, let's not keep her from expressing her feelings. Let's go."

Before she finished speaking, she grabbed Qin Zhengyang and left the plum garden like a gust of wind, leaving Gu Yankai holding the "unconscious" Qin Nanyan with a gloomy face.

Only after the footsteps of the two people completely disappeared did Qin Nanyan in his arms slowly "wake up".

Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes, which were even more watery than before. She found herself being held by Gu Yankai. Two blushes appeared on her pale cheeks. She struggled to stand up, but was too weak due to her "frailty" and could only turn her head away, her tears flowing even more fiercely.

"Mr. Gu... I'm so sorry you had to see this..." Her voice was hoarse from crying, filled with embarrassment and self-loathing. "It was just some trivial family matter, nothing to offend your ears..."

Gu Yankai carefully helped her sit down on a chair nearby, but he didn't leave. He half-squatted in front of her and softened his voice: "Nanyan, what exactly happened? Why is your sister... forcing you like this?"

Qin Nanyan raised her tearful eyes, hesitated to speak, and finally let out a long sigh.

She shook her head gently, as if she had a thousand unspeakable troubles: "It's not Shilan's fault, she... she's young and doesn't understand. Perhaps... perhaps it's because I've always been frail, so my parents inevitably pampered me and paid more attention to me, which cost the family a lot of money... I never expected that it would cause my younger siblings to harbor resentment, which they still can't let go of..."

As she spoke, her eyes were filled with endless self-blame and sorrow, her voice as soft as a whisper: "It's all my fault. If it weren't for my frail body burdening my parents... if it weren't for the fact that I hold the title of eldest daughter but am powerless to support the family, my younger siblings wouldn't have to live such a hard life, having to worry about everything..."

Sometimes I really think, maybe... I shouldn't have come into this world at all. Or maybe I should have left sooner...

"Nonsense!" Gu Yankai's heart ached terribly. Looking at her, like a delicate flower swaying in the wind and rain, as if she would fall to the ground at any moment, a powerful protective instinct overwhelmed his reason. He suddenly grasped her slightly cool hand and blurted out, "I won't allow you to talk about yourself like that! Nanyan, you're wonderful, better than anyone else! I understand your suffering!"

His gaze was intense, filled with the sincerity and fervor unique to young people: "I will go back and inform my father and mother, and ask them to come to our mansion to propose marriage! I, Gu Yankai, am willing to marry you, protect you for the rest of my life, and never let you suffer such injustice again!"

He looked at Qin Nanyan's startled, tearful eyes and added earnestly, almost pleadingly, "Nanyan, when the time comes... when the time comes, please promise me!"

Qin Nanyan was stunned by his sudden confession. She forgot to cry for a moment and just stared at him blankly, her face flushed and pale, a complex and indescribable expression.

In the shadows behind the moon gate not far from here, Shilan, who had returned, stood silently with Qin Zhengyang, having heard every word of Gu Yankai's heartfelt marriage proposal.

She couldn't help but smile, her eyes gleaming with a sly gleam of triumph, almost bursting with joy.

Become!

On the way back, Qin Zhengyang asked her, puzzled, "Qin Nanyan has climbed up the social ladder, what's there to be happy about?"

Shilan glanced at him with a half-smile, and replied in a good mood, "They are a match made in heaven, and I am naturally happy."

Qin Zhengyang still didn't understand. After all, he couldn't imagine what Qin Nanyan could do after marriage. How much silver did the seemingly prosperous Ningyuan Marquis's mansion owe to the imperial court?

When the reckoning comes, what kind of tragic end will this seemingly perfect couple take?

"Listen to me, don't worry about who Qin Nanyan marries. All we want is for her to make sure she doesn't set her sights on the family business when she leaves home. Otherwise, when it's your turn to get married, our Marquis's mansion will be an empty shell."

When the time came, he would have no choice but to marry that short-sighted and stingy woman from a poor family. The couple would conspire together, spending their days calculating the meager amount of money they could earn, thus missing out on the truly important matters, which led to the complete downfall of the Dongchang Marquis's mansion, and they couldn't even keep their title.

Yes, although Qin Zhengyang was also one of the perpetrators who persecuted the original owner, Shilan did not intend to treat him the same way she treated Qin Nanyan.

Even when she was still Nian Shilan, she knew how much help her accomplished father and brothers could provide.

Even if Qin Zhengyang is a good-for-nothing, at least he can inherit the title. As long as the plaque of the Dongchang Marquis's Mansion is still there, her status as the legitimate daughter will remain unchanged.

No matter who she marries in the future, she will feel more confident.

Besides, she had been observing Qin Zhengyang with a cold eye these past few days, and he wasn't entirely a hopeless case.

At least in polo lessons, he made rapid progress, and some tactics, though rudimentary, came easily to him.

When interacting with other noblemen, he was very quick-witted. He not only remembered most people's names, identities, and the connections between their families, but also, after spending time with them once or twice, he could remember their general likes and dislikes.

He's a passable young master.

After some subtle probing, Shilan discovered that Qin Zhengyang's reputation as a good-for-nothing was actually thanks to Qin Nanyan.

The Qin family had few descendants and no branches, so there was no clan school. Qin Zhengyang received his early education at home.

Initially, Qin Zhengyang was full of anticipation for starting his studies.

Because he had always disliked his older sister who had been competing with him for his parents' attention since childhood, he finally managed to get to the age of seven and move to the front yard to start his education with his father, so that he could finally avoid his older sister.

Unexpectedly, Qin Nanyan insisted on sharing the teacher her father had hired for her at great expense.

In class, he made no attempt to hide his brilliance, leaving Qin Zhengyang breathless.

Qin Zhengyang tried to complain, but this was Qin Nanyan's forte. After a series of sophistry and twisted arguments, Qin's parents not only did not blame Qin Nanyan, but instead helped her suppress Qin Zhengyang even more.

Over time, Qin Zhengyang grew completely fed up with studying and only wanted to go out and have fun. He gradually became known as an unambitious playboy.

Although he had fallen behind in his studies, Qin Zhengyang was the only male heir of the Marquis's mansion and did not need to take any exams to obtain official titles. He only needed to shed the labels of "spoiled brat" and "good-for-nothing" and properly safeguard the family business.

More importantly, after spending these days together, Shilan discovered that Qin Zhengyang was gradually developing some brotherly and sisterly feelings for her, and the two became much closer.

Just like now, after hearing Shilan's words, Qin Zhengyang was deeply moved. If it weren't for his third sister's reminder, he would never have imagined that his parents would go to such lengths to send Qin Nanyan off to a grand wedding.

After all, he is the male heir of the Qin family and the one who will inherit the title in the future. The entire Marquis's estate should rightfully belong to him!

But his third sister spoke with absolute certainty, and even showed him the treasury that had been mostly emptied, as well as a large stack of pawn tickets in his mother's room, which finally convinced him.

After disappointment, anger, and confusion, he accepted the new truth:

In this family, the father and mother only had eyes for Qin Nanyan, while he and his third sister were both pitiful creatures whom no one wanted.

If they don't rely on each other for survival now, who knows what kind of impoverished and destitute fate awaits them after Qin Nanyan gets married.

He's twelve this year. Which young master from a prominent family his age doesn't have a concubine arranged by his mother? Some are even favored, and I've heard that their parents have already secretly inquired about potential wives for them, and even prepared betrothal gifts.

Unlike him.

Apart from his three younger sisters, who were only ten years old, no one had ever made any plans for him.