The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Just before they left, Anjie and Guifen, the two sleepy little ones, woke up.

Upon learning that her parents were going to the Sheng family's house, she immediately insisted on going with them.

When they were in the capital, the only ones they got along with were each other and occasionally Rujin. But Rujin was younger, so they always had to be more accommodating and coaxing towards her.

It's truly rare to find a family like the Shengs with three sisters of similar age, each with a different temperament, yet all intelligent and adorable.

In particular, the eldest, Mo Lan, has the demeanor of an older sister and knows how to take care of others;

The youngest, Minglan, is quirky and lovable.

Wei Lan is just like Ru Jin, both charming and adorable. They miss each other quite a bit after not seeing each other for so long.

In short, the aunt and niece had a very good impression of the Sheng family girls and naturally did not want to miss the opportunity to play.

Shilan, unable to resist their persistent requests, finally agreed.

When the group arrived at the Sheng residence, Sheng Hong, having learned of Gu Tingye's identity, anticipated that Zhang Yun would come, so he put aside all official business and waited at home.

Seeing that Zhang Yun and his family had indeed come to visit, and even brought two young ladies with them, he was overjoyed and hurriedly welcomed them inside.

Upon hearing that the two young guests had asked about the sisters of the Sheng family as soon as they entered, Sheng Hong smiled broadly and instructed his servants to lead the two young ladies to the backyard. He then hurriedly invited Hai Shi to come out and entertain Shi Lan.

The women chatted and laughed as they headed to the backyard, while Zhang Yun followed Sheng Hong to a side courtyard where they met Gu Tingye.

Although the boy had changed into clean clothes and his wounds had been treated, he still looked somewhat disheveled. Upon seeing Zhang Yun, he immediately lowered his head and called out guiltily, "Uncle Zhang."

Sheng Hong, being very perceptive, immediately found an excuse and quietly slipped away.

As soon as the door closed, Zhang Yun's face darkened: "Gu Tingye, you've really grown some guts."

Gu Tingye lowered his head even further, but his voice was stubborn: "My maternal grandfather was seriously ill, sending two or three letters home every month... That damned gatekeeper had been instructed that anything from the Bai family had to go through the fourth and fifth branches first! If that idiot Gu Tingbing hadn't let it slip, I would still be in the dark! I was afraid... afraid that if I came too late, I wouldn't even be able to see my maternal grandfather one last time, that's why..."

Only then did they hurriedly pack their belongings and rush south.

He paused, then defended himself, "Besides, I'm not alone; I'm on the Zhongqin Earl's boat."

Zhang Yun scoffed, "If you were truly thoughtful and had a well-thought-out plan, would you have ended up in this sorry state, lying unconscious on the roadside?"

These words struck a nerve with Gu Tingye, who retorted defiantly, "How was I supposed to know that the Bai family members would dare to be so audacious!"

"Your Bai family is incredibly wealthy. Your maternal grandfather only had your mother as a daughter, and now you are his only direct grandson. If it weren't for you, that immense wealth would be theirs for the taking. Tell me, what reason do they have not to be audacious?"

Gu Tingye was speechless when asked the question. Knowing that he was in the wrong, he sullenly stopped talking.

Seeing his expression, Zhang Yun's anger dissipated, turning into a sigh: "Alright, you were ultimately acting out of filial piety. After all, you did see your grandfather one last time, and it was a close call. Let it go this time. But Ye-ge'er, you must remember, next time you encounter something, you must think it over more carefully, and it's best to discuss it with your elders before making a decision. No matter how clever and resourceful you are, you are still young, and there will always be things you haven't considered regarding the dangers of this world."

Gu Tingye's heart skipped a beat.

These words were earnest and sincere, unlike the reprimands he had received from his biological father, Gu Yankai; they were filled with concern.

An indescribable bitterness instantly welled up in my heart.

If he had the same good fortune as Chengbai and Fuge, having a father who was both responsible and loving, he wouldn't have to shoulder everything on his own and take risks.

After a long silence, Gu Tingye finally couldn't hold back and revealed the plan that had been swirling in his mind for so long: "Uncle Zhang, after we finish arranging my maternal grandfather's funeral... I... I don't plan to return to the Gu family. I want to join the Western Army."

Zhang Yun was taken aback: "You want to join the army?"

Gu Tingye nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with an unprecedented determination: "My elder brother returned to his hometown but refused to come home. He... he treats me like a thief, and he doesn't believe I have no interest in his title. I'm too lazy to continue this pretense and torment. I can't concentrate on my studies anymore. Rather than being stuck in the capital as a lazy nobleman, I'd rather go to the border and make a name for myself. Once I've achieved something, I'll establish my own household and bring my mother out to support her."

What Gu Tingye didn't say was that over the years, since his elder brother Gu Tingyu left the capital and returned to his hometown, the conflict between his parents had not only failed to ease but had intensified.

Gu Yankai was convinced that the mother and son had secretly used tricks to force his older brother to refuse to return home. Therefore, he still loathed his younger brother and did nothing about him.

The mother, Bai, had also completely given up on that man and was too lazy to argue anymore.

He was especially furious when he discovered that the fourth and fifth wives were deliberately leading him astray, trying to entice him into indulging in pleasure and developing bad habits. He simply relinquished his position as housekeeper, stopped subsidizing the expenses of the two wives, moved with him to the side courtyard, closed the door, and lived a quiet life on his own.

As he grew up over the past two years, his mother found both his literary and martial arts teachers through hard work.

However, given her background as a merchant, she had limited connections and couldn't find a truly top-notch mentor.

Fortunately, Zhang Yun was generous and allowed him to frequently visit the Duke of Ying's mansion to practice martial arts with Fu Ge'er;

He took Chengbai's class for the literature course.

Cheng Bai's maternal grandfather was honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and enjoyed a very high reputation among the Qingliu literati. The tutor he hired was naturally far superior to anyone the Bai family could find.

Through all this, Gu Tingye understood more and more that the difference in social status in this world was like an insurmountable chasm.

The slight resentment I felt in my early years because I was ignorant and thought that my mother, a merchant, insisted on marrying into a noble family, has long since vanished. In its place is my heartache and understanding for my mother's painstaking efforts to secure a better life for me.

He didn't want to disappoint his mother, so he worked hard to learn both literature and martial arts, and his results were quite good.

A few days ago, the fourth wife incurred huge gambling debts and urged Gu Yankai to shamelessly beg for money. Seeing that he was getting older and had reached the age to find a wife, his mother intended to use this matter to have Gu Yankai find him a respectable marriage, so she took the money.

Unexpectedly, Gu Yan took the money but did not do the job. In the end, the person he was assigned to was a distant relative of the Marquis of Fu'an's family, surnamed Peng, who was also a merchant.

The mother was naturally unhappy.

Gu Yankai coldly replied, "If he weren't surnamed Gu, if he weren't my son, Gu Yankai, even if he were from the Peng family, he wouldn't be a family that someone of your social standing could aspire to!"

Seeing his resentful expression in the corner, Gu Yankai continued, "Do you think that just because you hang out with the Qin and Zhang family lads every day, you're the same kind of people as them? Let me tell you the truth, even this friendship is only thanks to the legacy left by Dalang's mother! If you and your son had any self-awareness, you should understand that the family I've found for you is the most suitable for you. Don't push your luck any further!"

Even so, Gu Tingye clearly saw a fleeting look of pleasure in Gu Yankai's eyes.

He immediately understood that Gu Yankai was using this method to retaliate against the old grudge of being forced to marry a merchant's daughter and being unable to hold his head high in front of his in-laws.