After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 40 A marriage contract is required

Madam Hu then smiled and said, "Is it about Master Huang?"

Bai Wanqing nodded and relayed the demands that Master Huang had made of the Bai family to Madam Hu.

Madam Hu frowned: "I didn't expect that Master Huang would be so determined to marry you. You know, although he has married concubines before, each of them agreed to it."

"This is the first time I've been forced to do this, which is quite strange."

This is also what Bai Wanqing can't understand. If Master Huang is really as Bai Qinglian said, unable to have sex, why would he force her to marry him and make her agree?

"Then how do you want me to help you?" Madam Hu asked Bai Wanqing tentatively.

Bai Wanqing naturally understood what Madam Hu meant by asking this question. "Madam Hu, Wanqing hopes that you can persuade Old Master Cui to step in and make Master Huang give up his idea of ​​marrying me."

Madam Hu smiled slightly, "Wanqing, since you've asked, I will definitely help. However, although my father is a county magistrate, his authority is limited. Marriage is not a matter for the county magistrate, so even if he intervenes, don't have too high hopes."

Bai Wanqing stood up and bowed slightly to Madam Hu. "Madam Hu, I am already extremely grateful that you asked Old Master Cui to intervene. I would not ask for anything more."

Madam Hu looked at Bai Wanqing and nodded in satisfaction, but in her heart she felt sorry for herself. Why didn't she let such a good girl become the daughter-in-law of the Hu family?

Perhaps if I had become the daughter-in-law of the Hu family, everything would have been different.

After leaving the Hu residence, Bai Wanqing returned to the Bai family home. She first went to visit her father, Bai Chenming, but he wasn't there. Uncle Liu said he had gone out to try to find a solution.

Chen stayed by Bai Qinglian's side without leaving her side, afraid that Bai Qinglian would do something to hurt herself again.

Furong was frightened by what had happened in the past few days and still had a fever. When Bai Wanqing came to her room, her face was flushed red.

"Big sister!" Bai Furong managed a weak smile when she saw that it was Bai Wanqing.

"How are you feeling now, Furong? Are you still in pain?" Bai Wanqing placed her hand on Furong's forehead and found it was burning hot. This kind of shock wouldn't heal in a short time.

"Big sister, I'm fine!" Bai Furong said, raising her little face.

Bai Wanqing smiled with relief, "Then I'll go get you some medicine, and the maid will brew it for you in a bit. You have to drink it obediently!"

Bai Furong nodded blankly, "Furong can drink!"

Bai Wanqing then left Furong's courtyard with peace of mind. She then instructed Ruixin to take some pastries from the small kitchen to the clinic and then bring back medicine for Furong.

Ruixin received the instructions and immediately went to carry them out.

No sooner had she left than Uncle Liu arrived. When Bai Wanqing saw Uncle Liu, she assumed something had happened to her father and immediately became tense.

"Miss, don't be nervous, Master is fine!" Uncle Liu saw through Bai Wanqing's thoughts and comforted her repeatedly.

Bai Wanqing finally relaxed. "That's good!"

"It's Young Master Du. He's at the side gate right now, saying he wants to see the Second Miss." Uncle Liu was quite troubled. It was against the rules for Young Master Du to suddenly come to see an unmarried young lady.

However, since the other party was the young master of the Du family, Uncle Liu couldn't refuse directly. If the Du family really intended to arrange the marriage, the Bai family couldn't afford to offend them first and ruin the second young lady's good match.

Young Master Du is here? Bai Wanqing was taken aback at first, but when she thought of how he had admitted his feelings for Furong in front of everyone in the main hall a couple of days ago, she felt that he was quite frank, and her impression of him improved a lot.

"Uncle Liu, Furong is currently ill. I'll go see Young Master Du!" Bai Wanqing said.

Bai Wanqing led Uncle Liu to the side gate of the side courtyard. There weren't many people coming and going here, which was obviously a place that Young Master Du had chosen on purpose. His consideration for Bai Furong's reputation made Bai Wanqing feel less resentful towards him. Perhaps the rumors about his fondness for brothels were just that—rumors.

When Du Huan saw Bai Wanqing come out, he seemed a little disappointed, but he still politely clasped his hands in a fist salute to Bai Wanqing and said, "Miss Bai, I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Bai Wanqing gently shook her head, "How could that be! It was Young Master Du who was very thoughtful."

Du Huan blushed slightly. He knew that coming to see Furong at this time would probably put her in a difficult position, but ever since he left the Bai family that day and saw how frightened Furong was, he had been unable to eat or sleep. He wanted to ask her if it was alright.

"Is Furong alright?" Du Huan thought that he was used to being around girls all the time, so he had long since stopped blushing and feeling shy.

However, he overestimated his abilities. At this moment, his face burned intensely whenever the word "Hibiscus" was mentioned. Not only that, but his palms were also sweaty, and his shyness and nervousness were clearly visible.

Looking at Du Huan's expression, Bai Wanqing felt happy for Furong. It was clear that this young master Du was sincere towards Furong.

I just don't know how long this sincerity can last.

Bai Wanqing's expression remained aloof, but not distant. "Furong was frightened a couple of days ago and has a fever, so she's resting in her room and it's not suitable for her to see you." Sick? Young Master Du's face immediately showed concern, as if he were more distressed than if he himself were sick.

"Have you seen a doctor? Have you taken any medicine? If there's any medicine you don't have, the Du family has it. Miss Bai, just ask, and I'll go back to the Bai family to get it right away!" Young Master Du looked anxious.

"The doctor has examined you, and the medicine has been prescribed! Young Master Du, you and Furong are not yet officially together. Do you know what kind of disaster this will bring to Furong by so eagerly expressing your feelings?" Bai Wanqing felt compelled to offer a few words of advice to Young Master Du.

Du Huan was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head. "Miss Bai is right. I will go back now and tell my aunt that I want to marry Furong."

"But you still don't know Furong's feelings! You don't even understand Furong. Are you really sure you can treat her well for the rest of your life?" Bai Wanqing looked at Du Huan probingly.

Du Huan was stunned. His fondness for Furong stemmed from that fleeting glance that day, a glance he could never forget. "Miss Bai, I know that Furong and Young Master Zhang were engaged, but I don't care. I also know that Furong is different from ordinary women, but I don't care either. On the contrary, I think that's her most beautiful quality."

Du Huan's tone was very firm, and Bai Wanqing could see the determination in his eyes.

"Okay!" Bai Wanqing suddenly said.

Du Huan looked somewhat bewildered, and Bai Wanqing explained, "If you can win over Furong's heart, I believe neither I nor my father will object."

Du Huan was overjoyed to receive the agreement. He would make Fu Rong notice him and use his sincerity to win her over.

Young Master Du skipped and hopped away.

"Young Miss, Young Master Du, he..."

"He's sincere! But whether he can win Furong's heart is up to him!" Bai Wanqing took a deep look at Du Huan's back. "By the way, Uncle Liu, find two people to go to Mufeng Pavilion and see what kind of reputation this young master Du has, and whether he really has a lover in the brothel!"

Uncle Liu nodded, accepted the order, and left.

Bai Wanqing went to Furong's courtyard and told Furong that Young Master Du wanted to see her. "Furong, you won't blame your elder sister for meddling, will you?"

"Big sister is only doing this for Furong's own good. Furong is silly, but Furong's big sister is not silly!" Bai Furong was still thinking about Young Master Zhang, and she had no impression of Young Master Du at all.

If it weren't for his brazen declaration in the front hall a couple of days ago that he wanted to marry her, Furong would never have given Du Huan a proper look.

But after looking at him closely, she was somewhat surprised. Such a gentle and refined man actually said he liked her. Young Master Du was completely different from Second Young Master Zhang. Second Young Master Zhang would always ask her to stay away whenever he saw her and would never take the initiative to talk to her. But this Young Master Du, whenever she looked at him, his face would turn red, like the red carp she raised in the pond in the summer, very beautiful.

"Furong, it seems that Young Master Du is sincere towards you. The Du family's background and Young Master Du's talent are obvious to all. If you are interested, I'm sure your father won't refuse you," Bai Wanqing said gently.

Furong blushed even more, pursed her lips, and nodded.

Young Master Du. Young Master Du. No longer Young Master Zhang.

Bai Wanqing, who had been chatting with Furong for a long time, returned to the courtyard in the evening. As soon as she entered, she learned from Ruixin that Madam Hu wanted her to go to the Hu residence the next day.

"Miss, it seems there's been a reply from Madam Hu," Ruixin guessed. "It's just that the maid who delivered the message didn't reveal anything, otherwise we could have made plans earlier!"

“The maid is just here to deliver a message, so naturally she wouldn’t know everything. Since Madam Hu has come to tell me, she must have reached some conclusions. We’ll know for sure when we go to the Hu residence tomorrow.” Bai Wanqing was also feeling uneasy. Today, she learned from Uncle Liu that her father still hadn’t found anything. The power and influence of this Master Huang had far exceeded their imagination.

"By the way, Ruixin, let's go to the small kitchen to make some snacks. Madam Hu loves them, so let's take some with us when we go tomorrow." Bai Wanqing said, then got up and went to the small kitchen.

The next day, Bai Wanqing didn't linger and arrived at the Hu residence early. It was the same steward, and the same flower hall in the backyard.

Madam Hu was still sitting in the flower hall drinking tea, but for some reason Bai Wanqing felt that the atmosphere in the mansion had become somewhat oppressive.

"Madam Hu!" Bai Wanqing greeted her, then took out the pastries she had made from Ruixin's hands. "I've only tasted your pastries before, Madam Hu. Today, I'd like you to try my cooking as well."

Madam Hu looked at the pastries Bai Wanqing brought with delight, "I didn't expect you to have such skills, these pastries are really exquisite."

Madam Hu obliged and took a bite, while Bai Wanqing sat quietly to the side, waiting for Madam Hu to speak.

After eating a pastry, Madam Hu's smile widened. "Wanqing, my father went to see Master Huang yesterday."

Bai Wanqing raised her eyes, her face calm, but her heart was in turmoil.

"At first, Master Huang refused to give up on you, saying that he was just an ordinary commoner, and did the county magistrate have to interfere if he wanted to take a concubine?"

“My father naturally shook his head, saying that he was not interfering, but only offering advice, and that the final decision on whether to marry him was entirely up to him.”

"Perhaps Master Huang had never seen my father so assertive before, which is why he relented and said that as long as you have a marriage contract and the betrothal is arranged, he will no longer force you."

(End of this chapter)