Pregnant with My Late Husband's Brother's Child

[Steadfast, honest widow of the elder brother x seemingly gentle but secretly twisted younger brother]

The war in the north had been put down, and Yuan Shiheng waited for her husband, the general who had led the troops to quell the rebellion, to return home.

She waited from morning till night, nearly wearing out her eyes, but the one who came back was her younger brother-in-law, Li Xunyi.

The first thing Li Xunyi said to her was, "Sister-in-law, my brother isn't coming back."

Yuan Shiheng twisted the handkerchief in her hands, at a loss for what to do.

A defenseless woman left without her husband's protection in a time of turmoil, and descended from a condemned official of the previous dynasty besides, could only dread the terrible fate awaiting her.

Perhaps noticing her panic, Li Xunyi gently took hold of her wrist, his thumb stroking the fine, close-set scars on her forearm. He spoke softly beside her ear. "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you in my brother's place."

Yuan Shiheng nodded through tear-filled eyes, believing every word.

She had watched her younger brother-in-law grow up. Now he was a refined, courteous gentleman, as well as a renowned strategist with broad experience. He would never hurt her.

In these chaotic times, she was grateful that he would protect her despite her background, and so she obeyed him in everything.

Her brother-in-law told her that her late husband had never intended to marry her or give her a proper title, and she cried inconsolably in his arms all night.

Her brother-in-law told her he was also a member of the Li family, and that if she wanted to continue the Li bloodline, there was nothing wrong with bearing his child. Though astonished, she still blushed and lowered the bed curtains as he asked.

Her brother-in-law told her she had never married her late husband, so she was technically still unmarried, and marrying him would not count as incest. After much thought, she touched her slightly rounded belly and agreed.

But she never imagined she would one day overhear Li Xunyi talking with someone else.

It turned out that her late husband's death in battle was a lie. He had really just wanted to take his sister-in-law for himself.

Reading Guide:

1. The heroine is a virgin, the hero is not. One-on-one romance. The heroine was never married to the hero's elder brother. A melodramatic, trope-filled story written to indulge the author's tastes. Fictional setting, with a mix of dynasties warning.

2. The heroine is a timid, honest woman. Let me have a bite of that married-woman fantasy, please. (clasps hands)

Please check out my upcoming forced-marriage romance, Three Marriages to My Childhood Friend:

Yang Zhi was abducted three days after her husband's death.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Song Zhao, her childhood friend whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

By then, he was powerful and influential, having risen to the position of chief minister. She couldn't imagine what a common woman like her could have to do with the chief minister.

Before she could speak, the man stripped off her mourning clothes and irritably gripped her cheeks, scolding her. "Yang Zhi, do you think I'm dead?"

For her first marriage, she married a scholar, saying she liked how well-read he was.

For her second, she married a county magistrate, saying she coveted his wealth and power.

For her third... she was forced to marry her childhood friend.

He didn't love her. She was sure of it.

When she was stirred by his kisses and wanted to go further, Song Zhao would step back with a smile, repeatedly bringing up her first two late husbands.

When she clung to him in bed and asked him to give her a child, Song Zhao would pull away, his face taut as he told her he would never give her what she wanted again.

When she asked to go up the mountain to pay respects to her parents, he broke with his usual habits and followed her closely, gripping her hand and refusing to let go, saying she could forget about using the opportunity to pay respects to her late husband.

Fine. She couldn't win against him, so she packed her things and escaped the Song residence while he was at court.

She took plenty of silver, hired a coachman, and planned to get as far away as possible.

The carriage rocked, and she started to doze. When she opened her eyes again, she was back at the Song residence.

Her childhood friend, Song Zhao, stood below the carriage with his hands behind his back, gazing at her quietly, his eyes crinkled into slits with laughter. He called out loudly to the servants beside him, "Madam must be exhausted from her journey. Why haven't you helped her back to her room to rest?"

"..." Yang Zhi couldn't help wondering: could a lunatic really become chief minister?

Theme: Someone will love you just as you are. You don't need to hide who you are