The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

After Shilan and her family left the Sheng residence, Gu Tingye also solemnly bid farewell to Sheng Hong and his wife. To express his apology, he specially revealed his real name and repeatedly thanked them for saving his life and taking him in.

Sheng Hong responded politely and expressed his understanding.

After seeing Gu Tingye off, Sheng Hong didn't dare to delay and went to find Yuan Wenchun to formally propose annulment of the engagement.

No matter how Yuan Wenchun tried to persuade him with both soft and hard tactics, his attitude remained firm, and he even subtly brought up the Jingbian Marquis's mansion to exert pressure.

Yuan Wenchun was at a loss and could only watch helplessly as Sheng Hong took the marriage certificate and left in a huff.

Back at his lodging, Yuan Wenchun slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups jump. He turned and vented his anger on his wife, Zhang: "It's all your fault! You had to stir up trouble in front of Mother! That Sheng family girl is just a low-ranking official; even if she married into the family, what could she possibly do to you? You had to create trouble, to give her a hard time! Now look what's happened! We traveled a thousand miles to propose, only to be rejected in public by a mere sixth-rank prefect! If this gets back to the capital, our Yuan family will be a laughingstock. What good marriage prospects will my second brother have in the future?!"

Zhang felt wronged and thought she was being unfairly blamed. It was her mother-in-law who looked down on the Sheng family, and the decision not to come to present the betrothal gifts in person was agreed upon by the whole family. How could it all be her fault?

But seeing her husband's ashen face, she dared not argue and could only lower her head and weep silently.

In the end, the Yuan family could only pack their bags in disgrace and return home defeated.

The pair of live geese were also dejected and looked like they wouldn't survive, so the Yuan family threw them into the river on the day they set off.

After finishing their business in Yangzhou, Shilan and her family leisurely enjoyed a few more days of sightseeing in the city before boarding their boat again and continuing south along the canal to their next destination, where they could leisurely enjoy the pleasures of nature.

The Sheng family then enjoyed a few days of peace and quiet.

However, on this day, Sheng Hong once again came to the main courtyard at dinner time. After having his meal, he shamelessly suggested a plan to Madam Hai after much deliberation: "Madam, you see... Mother is getting older, and her children are becoming increasingly lonely. Mo'er is a clever and well-behaved child with a quiet nature. I was thinking, why not send her to Shou'an Hall so that Mother can raise and educate her herself? This way, she can keep Mother company in our place and fulfill our filial duty."

Hai Shi maintained her tea-drinking posture, not even lifting her eyelids, and calmly said, "Is the master trying to use the old lady's status as the only daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi to elevate Mo Lan's status, so as to add leverage when arranging a marriage for her in the future?"

His thoughts were instantly exposed, and Sheng Hong felt a little embarrassed, but he forced a smile and said, "Of course not. Do you think I am such a calculating person in my wife's eyes?"

Hai put down her teacup and said softly, "Whether it is or not, it won't work anyway."

Sheng Hong was somewhat unconvinced: "My lady, may I ask what's wrong with this? Don't forget, our dynasty governs the world with filial piety—"

"A good question. Then I would also like to ask my lord: even ten fingers are not all the same length. How should brothers and sisters who are not born of the same mother be raised so that they can truly be of one heart and mind, and share the same breath, rather than being outwardly harmonious but inwardly calculating?"

Sheng Hong didn't take it to heart: "Our children are all sensible."

"Precisely because they are all sensible and good children, we must not favor one over the other." Madam Hai's tone became more serious. "If Mo Lan goes to Shou'an Hall and is separated from her sisters for a long time, estrangement is inevitable. The Old Madam comes from a distinguished family and has broad knowledge. If Mo Lan follows her, her horizons and abilities will naturally improve. But what about the other children? They are all your daughters. Why should the Old Madam's teachings be enjoyed only by Mo'er? What are the other children lacking?"

Sheng Hong was taken aback, then quickly said, "The children you raise will surely be excellent."

"Your opinion doesn't count," Lady Hei said without hesitation. "People inevitably yearn for paths they haven't walked. Perhaps the children I raise simply can't compare to those raised by the old lady in certain aspects? If they grow up together, learning the same rules and principles, and each has their own strengths and weaknesses as adults, it can be attributed to their limited talents and temperaments, and no one else can be blamed. But if they are raised separately from a young age, and one becomes exceptionally outstanding while the others are mediocre, do you think that, my lord, the sisters will harbor resentment at that time?"

"They are all sensible children..." Sheng Hong repeated weakly.

"Since they are sensible children, they deserve to be treated fairly." Hai Shi retorted, "The old lady raised Mo Lan, and I raised Ming Lan and Wei Lan. Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; over time, the depth of affection naturally varies. When it comes to crucial moments, how can we truly be impartial? We expect the children to remember that they are all daughters of the Sheng family, sharing joys and sorrows, rising and falling together, yet we give them different resources and education based on their temperament, appearance, and even their birth mothers, constantly differentiating between close and distant relatives. Then, when they grow up, we expect them to be as close as one, advancing and retreating together. Isn't that a joke?"

His words were clear and logical, each word piercing to the heart, completely refuting Sheng Hong's hidden selfishness and wishful thinking.

He felt a burning sensation on his face, and after a long silence, he stammered, "Then... we should give Mother an explanation..."

Madam Hai said loudly, "If Mother feels her children are lonely, she can have her four daughters visit Shou'an Hall every day to pay their respects and keep her company. If she feels that all four going together is too noisy, the four daughters can take turns going every other day. But one thing is certain: whatever the old lady wants to give the children—whether it's a reward, instruction, or even punishment—it must be given equally to all four of them. There must be no favoritism!"

Sheng Hong said with difficulty, "Mother... Mother wouldn't..."

"That would be best." Mr. Hai picked up his teacup again and said no more.

Sheng Hong was defeated by the calm yet oppressive atmosphere inside the room and almost fled in panic, completely unaware that behind the pillar, there was a little Minglan who covered her mouth and eavesdropped on the whole thing.

Looking at her father's defeated expression and recalling the conversation she had just overheard, especially what her mother had said, she vaguely touched upon some things she had never thought about before.

Her thirst for knowledge and desire to share suddenly surged, and she couldn't wait to run back to the yard and chatter to her sisters about what she had heard.

Wei Lan, simple-minded and finding it amusing, clapped her hands and laughed, "Father went and provoked Mother again, and got scolded again, didn't he? He really doesn't learn his lesson!"

These were words that Hai often used to say about her playfulness and trouble-making, but now she put them into practice.

Mo Lan was deeply shaken after hearing this.

She was older than her sisters and was better able to understand the deeper meaning and underlying intentions of her stepmother's words.

She composed herself, pulled Minglan aside, and said sternly, "Sixth Sister, you must never eavesdrop on our parents' conversations again. This is not something a respectable young lady should do. If you are discovered, it will damage your reputation, do you understand?"

Minglan stuck out her tongue and replied, "I know, Fourth Sister." But after waiting for a long time, she still didn't hear her Fourth Sister say anything more. Her curiosity was not satisfied, so she couldn't help but tell her birth mother, Wei Xiaoniang, the whole story.

Even if she doesn't get any further explanation, it would be good if it could dispel her mother's idea of ​​letting her live in her grandmother's courtyard.

She truly couldn't bear to part with the lively atmosphere of living with her sisters.

After listening, Wei Xiaoniang remained silent for a long time.

For the first time, she clearly realized the gap between herself and the eldest daughter-in-law, not only in their backgrounds, but also in their minds and perspectives.

She felt embarrassed by her own petty, unseemly thoughts, but more than that, she felt relieved and fortunate.

She took her daughter's hand and said softly but with utmost seriousness, "Ming'er, it's our blessing to have met such a lady. From now on, you must respect her even more and listen to her far more than you would to me. Understand?"

Minglan still seemed to understand but not quite, but she nodded obediently.

Never mind, she'll understand when she's older.

On the other side, after hearing that Sheng Hong had returned defeated, Wei Lan's birth mother, Ping Xiao Niang, could only sigh softly and said to her trusted maid, "That's it. If even invoking the old lady couldn't achieve this, what hope do we have?"

Even so, she felt much better.

As the saying goes, it's not scarcity that's worrisome, but inequality. She knew that both she and her daughter held the lowest status in the Sheng family's backyard.

The eldest daughter-in-law is the principal wife, holding a high position and coming from a powerful family; Lin Qinshuang is adept at flattery and favored, making her the lord's darling. Although Lady Wei is rigid and uninteresting, she possesses overwhelming beauty.

Her only daughter, Weilan, was a simple-minded little fool who only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun, and was not as clever as her other sisters.

As long as the eldest daughter-in-law can uphold justice as she said and not let her Wei'er fall too far behind her sisters, that will be the best future for her.