After Marrying My Ex-Fiancé’s Younger Brother

Torrential rain poured down on Jinjiang like a deluge from the heavens. The raindrops, as large as beans, pounded against the rocky cliffs like the heavy hammers of raging celestial soldiers, their deafening crashes echoing through the valley.

Liu Chuirong was still shaken. The thunderous downpour made her delicate body tremble uncontrollably. She stumbled, nearly losing her footing once again.

Like a drowning person grasping at straws, she clung tightly to Lvzhu’s arm. Her face was as pale as rice paper, and it took all her strength just to barely steady herself.

“Who’s there?” Lvzhu, despite the fear gripping her heart, mustered all her courage. She resolutely shielded her mistress behind her, raising her voice to question the darkness. Though her voice trembled, it carried unwavering determination.

From the shadows, a man slowly emerged. Before Lvzhu could react, a gleaming silver dagger flashed and pressed against Liu Chuirong’s slender neck. The cold blade, like a venomous snake’s tongue, sent a chilling sensation straight into her skin.

“Speak. Who sent you?” The man’s voice was weak yet sharp, like a harbinger of death from the depths of hell.

Shen Jingzhi knew that there must be a traitor within the Cold Bureau. He had only just arrived in Qingzhou when he was ambushed. There were undoubtedly deep and dangerous secrets hidden within this place.

The two women before him were highly suspicious. If he could extract information from them about their true backers, all the better. If not, he absolutely could not let them leave alive.

Narrowing his eyes like a lurking viper, Shen Jingzhi scrutinized Liu Chuirong and her maid.

Seeing the dagger nick her mistress’s skin, Lvzhu was frantic. She nearly fell to her knees to plead for mercy but swallowed her words when she met Liu Chuirong’s gaze.

Liu Chuirong dared not reveal her identity as the daughter of a government official. At such a critical moment, her status might not serve as a shield but rather a liability.

Suppressing the terror in her heart, she spoke gently, “I am Liu Chuirong, and this is my maid, Lvzhu. We are traveling from Qingzhou to the capital to visit relatives.”

The flickering fire within the cave cast shadows across her face, making her look all the more delicate and pitiful—like a fragile flower battered by the storm.

“Why are the two of you here?”

Liu Chuirong’s heart tightened. Her eyes darted nervously, but she forced herself to remain calm. In a trembling yet resolute voice, she said, “Young master, you may not know this, but we encountered bandits on the road. They were ruthless and vicious, not only trying to rob us but also…”

She deliberately paused, her face filled with shame and indignation, as if recalling an unspeakable humiliation. Like a flower ravaged by the storm, she was a vision of sorrow and fragility. Unconsciously, she twisted the handkerchief in her hands.

Lvzhu quickly picked up the tale, sobbing, “Those bandits tried to violate my mistress, but she refused to submit, so we had no choice but to leap off the cliff to escape!”

Shen Jingzhi glanced outside the cave. This was indeed an unfrequented path—not an official road. If they had taken this shortcut to reach the capital faster, it made sense.

“Visiting relatives in the capital?” Shen Jingzhi flipped his dagger and lifted Liu Chuirong’s chin, his voice as cold as ice.

“Yes, our family is related to the Ding’an Marquis Estate. My cousin is soon to be married, and we were invited to attend the wedding,” Liu Chuirong answered, her voice trembling but resolute.

“Ding’an Marquis Estate?”

“Yes.”

Shen Jingzhi carefully observed her. This woman had no traces of internal energy, nor any signs of combat training on her fingers.

Slowly, he withdrew his dagger. The assassins after him were unlikely to have come from the capital.

If these two were lying, they wouldn’t have known such a minor detail about the Ding’an Marquis Estate’s eldest daughter’s wedding. Their story seemed credible.

Liu Chuirong, realizing she had escaped death, let out a long breath. Her body went limp, as if all the strength had drained from her bones. She collapsed onto the ground, her heart still pounding. That was far too close. Hopefully, this nightmare would soon pass.

Lvzhu rushed to her mistress’s side, holding her tightly and inspecting her for injuries. Thankfully, aside from a shallow cut on her neck, she was unharmed.

Shen Jingzhi remained silent, his gaze deep and unreadable. He seemed to be weighing her words, digesting her story.

The cave fell into stillness, broken only by the occasional crackle of the fire—a rhythmic sound, like the heartbeat of the night itself.

Liu Chuirong stole a glance at Shen Jingzhi. Even in the dim light, his tall, imposing figure exuded an inescapable pressure, like an unshakable mountain that loomed over all.

He wore a silver robe, its sleeves and collar embroidered with intricate dark patterns. In the flickering firelight, the designs shimmered faintly, like stars hidden in the night sky.

A jade belt cinched his waist, from which hung a piece of the finest mutton-fat jade—clear and flawless, a mark of nobility.

His long hair was secured with a simple white jade hairpin. His sharp brows, piercing eyes, straight nose, and tightly pressed lips gave him a cold, distant air—like a flower atop a high peak, untouchable and unapproachable.

After a long silence, Shen Jingzhi finally clasped his hands in a formal salute and spoke, his tone carrying a hint of apology.

“I am Shen Jingzhi, an assistant official under the Prefect of Hanzhou. I was on a mission to deliver official documents to Qingzhou when I encountered bandits. I apologize for my rudeness, and I ask for your forgiveness.”

Far away in Hanzhou, Lin Qizheng sneezed several times in a row. Feeling the chill outside, he quickly shut the window and muttered to himself, Could someone be talking about me?

Meanwhile, Shen Jingzhi was deep in thought. If Mother finds out how I treated a distinguished guest from the Ding’an Marquis Manor, she’ll probably drag me over to apologize in person.

What’s more, his mother had recently sent word that his eldest brother was engaged to the second daughter of the Ding’an Marquis. Now, the only thing left was… Wait. A thought struck him, and he lifted his gaze, scrutinizing Liu Chuirong once again.

He had heard that the second daughter of the Ding’an Marquis was frail and had been raised in Qingzhou at her maternal grandmother’s home. Could it be that the woman before him was his future sister-in-law?

Frowning slightly, Shen Jingzhi shifted his gaze away, his mind filled with doubt.

Liu Chuirong could tell that he wasn’t being entirely truthful, but she had no energy to pursue the matter further. Her attention was drawn to the dark cloud-patterned brocade at his right shoulder, now soaked in blood—a shocking bloom of red against the fabric.

After a brief hesitation, she extended her handkerchief toward him and said softly, “You’re bleeding. Press this against it for a while.”

Her hand still trembled slightly, but she stubbornly held out the handkerchief.

Shen Jingzhi hesitated for a moment before accepting it. As the fabric neared his nose, he caught a faint scent of lilies, lingering at his nostrils for a fleeting moment, momentarily clouding his thoughts.

He quickly regained his composure, looked at Liu Chuirong with a complicated expression, and said, “Thank you, Miss.”

The Ding’an Marquis Manor had long since declined. The marquis’ two sons were nothing remarkable, and without the late old marquis’ title to shield them, they would likely struggle even to secure minor official posts. Since the marquis’ passing five or six years ago, much of the family’s wealth had dissipated.

Everyone could see that the marriage alliance between the Duke of Wei’s household and the Ding’an Marquis Manor was more beneficial to the marquis’ family.