“Rebirth: I Married My Ex-Husband's Brother and Let Him Rot in Regret”

Shen Qingtan dies in the flames of a private courtyard, having been betrayed by her childhood fiancé Zhao Jue and the Marquis of Cheng'en's family. In her past life, she was raised as the beloved eldest daughter of the Marquis, only to discover upon the return of her twin sister, Shen Mingzhu, that she was actually a swapped orphan. The family kept her identity secret to secure a political marriage alliance with the powerful Zhao family, but when the swap was exposed, they blamed her for the scandal. Zhao Jue locked her away, claimed she died of illness, and eventually burned her alive to eliminate her as a threat to his claim on the Duke's title. Upon waking, Shen Qingtan finds herself back on her wedding day, sitting in a bridal sedan chair. She realizes she has been reborn and is about to marry Zhao Yi, the sickly but brilliant second son of the Duke's household, instead of Zhao Jue. Recognizing this as a second chance, she resolves to reclaim her life and exact revenge on those who wronged her.

As the sedan arrives, Shen Qingtan sees a pale hand with a distinctive mole reach out to help her down. In her previous life, she mistook this for Zhao Jue's hand and caused a scene, leading to the bride swap. This time, she recognizes the hand belongs to Zhao Yi. She calmly accepts his help, stepping into the wrong wedding with composure. Inside the bridal chamber, she reveals to Zhao Yi that she knows he is not her intended groom. Rather than being angry, Zhao Yi is intrigued by her intelligence and calm demeanor. He understands the political implications of the swap and the Duke's family's scheme to sideline him by marrying him to a woman with no backing. Shen Qingtan explains that the maid switch was deliberate, revealing her awareness of the conspiracy. Zhao Yi decides to keep the marriage, recognizing Shen Qingtan as a strategic ally and the woman he secretly desired, and informs her that the Old Madam has accepted their union.

The following morning, Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi attend the tea ceremony with the elders. Shen Mingzhu and Zhao Jue arrive as the newly married couple of the second branch, but the Old Madam forces them to serve tea to Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi first, asserting Shen Qingtan's status as the legitimate eldest daughter-in-law. During the ceremony, Shen Qingtan outmaneuvers the Second Madam, who attempts to insult her by wishing her no children given Zhao Yi's poor health. Shen Qingtan counters by asking the Second Madam to light a lotus lamp at the temple, a task that requires significant time and piety, effectively trapping her in a public vow. She then reveals that she and Shen Mingzhu privately agreed to swap engagements to protect the family's reputation, forcing the Second Madam to return the dowry that was originally intended for Shen Qingtan but given to Shen Mingzhu.

Shen Qingtan retrieves her dowry but discovers that the valuable items, including paintings and jewelry, have been swapped for fakes by the Second Branch. She realizes they intend to use her dowry to fund Zhao Jue's military grain procurement mission, a task that could secure his position as heir. Instead of confronting them immediately, she plays along, maintaining a facade of ignorance. She contacts her true father, Merchant Qin, who is a powerful figure in the grain trade, to gather information and prepare for a counter-strategy. Meanwhile, Zhao Jue visits Merchant Qin to secure the grain, unaware that Shen Qingtan has cut ties with him. The story follows Shen Qingtan as she navigates the treacherous household politics, strengthens her alliance with Zhao Yi, and prepares to dismantle the schemes of the Marquis's family and the Second Branch of the Zhao household.