A Proud Lady Hidden in Her Boudoir (Reborn)

[An honest but very bold heroine x a brother-in-law who reads too much into things]

*

Before the mourning period for Third Master Qi of the Duke's Estate had even ended, word came from the palace: Dowager Consort Li wanted to choose a young, childless widow from among the noble families and send her to the imperial mausoleum to accompany her daughter, who had died young.

Anyone with eyes could see that this was a deadly assignment with little chance of returning. Unfortunately, Third Young Madam Wei Yulan was a bride who had married far above her station. Her birth family was no help, and her mother-in-law blamed her for her son's death, believing she had brought him bad luck, and refused to stand up for her.

Through two windows, the servants' hushed whispers carried clearly: "Third Young Madam has been pretending to be ill and hiding for nearly half a month, but all under heaven belongs to the emperor. There's nowhere she can hide!"

Inside, the powerful Master Qi chuckled at their words. His tall figure reclined languidly to one side, long fingers dangling as he leisurely traced the voluptuous curves of the person in his arms.

"Don't listen to them. You can hide here with me."

*

In her previous life, after the imperial decree ordering her to enter the mausoleum arrived at the estate, Wei Yulan ran away.

The result was her miserable death, and her younger sister and closest confidant were implicated as well.

Given another life, she decided to take a different path.

So when that scroll of imperial-yellow silk appeared before her again, Wei Yulan covered her stomach, retched, and answered calmly, "I already carry Yuanming's posthumous child. I'll spend the rest of my life faithfully honoring his memory, so I'm afraid I must decline the Dowager Consort's generous offer."

The whole estate was thrown into an uproar. Some were shocked, others delighted; some rushed to support her, while others called for the imperial physician. Amid the clamor, only Master Qi, usually solemn, aloof, and untouchable, went rigid. Beneath his sleeves, his fingers clenched into a fist. After a long moment, he crumpled the list of betrothal gifts he had carefully prepared for Wei Yulan to remarry.

*

A little scene:

The requirement for entering the imperial mausoleum: a widow with no children.

Wei Yulan: Got it. I need to have a child.

Qi Huai: Got it. I need to stop being a widow.

Wei Yulan: ?

Qi Huai: ...?

Theme: To be determined.