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

Chapter 43 The Dilapidated Lin Family

Having received Lin Yunche's promise, Bai Wanqing rode her horse back to the Bai family.

Bai Chen knew that Bai Wanqing had gone out on horseback alone that night, and he was extremely worried.

Bai Wanqing cannot be allowed to get into trouble. He even decided that he would fight against the Bai family and the Huang family to the end to protect Bai Wanqing.

Bai Chenming instructed Ruixin to keep watch in the backyard and to notify him immediately upon Bai Wanqing's return. If Bai Wanqing did not return by nightfall, he would send someone to look for her.

So when Bai Wanqing dismounted in the backyard, Ruixin, who heard the noise, opened the back door and, upon confirming it was her young mistress, immediately burst into tears, "Miss, where have you been! I was so worried!"

Ruixin's thoughts were not unreasonable. Earlier today, her mistress had said she would marry her off, but then she disappeared without a trace. She was terrified, afraid that if something really happened to her mistress, she would never be able to forgive herself. She knew her mistress was sad, but she hadn't taken good care of her.

"I'm sorry for making you worry!" Bai Wanqing felt bad looking at Ruixin, who was crying so hard she was almost out of breath. She did have some inappropriate thoughts flash through her mind. "But I'm back now, aren't I?"

Ruixin nodded, then gripped Bai Wanqing's arms tightly with both hands, afraid that she would leave silently again.

Ruixin told Bai Wanqing about Bai Chenming's worries. Bai Wanqing coaxed Ruixin to go back first, while she went to her father's courtyard.

"Father!" Bai Wanqing knocked softly on the door.

Upon hearing Qing'er's voice, Bai Chenming immediately ran over to open the door, exclaiming, "You! Are you trying to drive your father crazy with worry?"

"I'm sorry, I made Father worry." Bai Wanqing lowered her head.

Bai Chenming sighed and let Bai Wanqing go inside first. "I know you're suffering. Father hasn't agreed to this yet, has he?"

"We can go back on the three-day agreement, can't we?"

"You should try to think more positively about everything! People have to live, and only by living can life change for the better!"

Bai Chenming was earnestly trying to persuade her, but Bai Wanqing interrupted him, "Father, someone is willing to be engaged to your daughter!"

Bai Chenming didn't hear Bai Wanqing's words clearly, "What did you say?"

"Father, someone is willing to be engaged to your daughter!" Bai Wanqing repeated, but Bai Chenming's face showed little joy.

"Qing'er, you...you didn't go to become someone's ghost wife, did you? That won't do! Father can't just watch you ruin yourself."

As Bai Chenming spoke, tears streamed down his face.

A ghost wife? My father's thought process is really a bit strange. But it's not surprising. Not long ago, the young master of the Cai family fell critically ill. They were looking everywhere for a woman of marriageable age to marry him and bring him good luck. However, many families' daughters disagreed. In the end, they bought a girl from somewhere in the countryside. But the young master of the Cai family died only two days after the wedding.

The young girl became a widow at the tender age of sixteen. The Cai family was kind enough to give her a divorce decree, but the girl was a stubborn person. She said that she was born a member of the Cai family and would die a member of the Cai family. In the middle of the night, she went with the young master of the Cai family.

"Father, what are you thinking! He's perfectly healthy!" Bai Wanqing forcefully suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

Bai Chenming breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Bai Wanqing's words. "Which family is that? Is it in Huai'an County?"

Bai Wanqing took a sip of tea. "Yes, it's a family in Linjia Village."

"Lin Family Village? That village with only twenty households?" Bai Chenming frowned. It's strange, Lin Family Village was only established in the last thirty years.

It's called a village, but it's not really a village at all. It's just a few households living at the foot of the snow-capped Cangbai Mountain. Their living conditions are much harsher than in other places around the area.

“Yes! It’s that Lin Family Village. I found the boy with the maple leaves my mother received back then, and he agreed to marry me and we got engaged.” Bai Wanqing briefly told Bai Chenming what had happened.

Bai Chenming felt sorry for his daughter, but Qing'er was the best choice at the moment.

"That person seems reliable. Should I send someone to Linjia Village tomorrow to investigate his background?" Bai Chenming asked with some concern.

“Father, this time we asked them for help, and it’s not appropriate for us to investigate their background!” Bai Wanqing felt it was unnecessary; she had already met Lin Yunche several times.

Lin Yunche had helped her and her second sister, and had even saved her when Bai Qinglian framed her last time. His character was impeccable.

As for the rest, this is a cooperation agreement, so there's nothing to worry about.

But Bai Wanqing didn't tell Bai Chenming any of this, afraid that her father would worry if he knew so much. "So we're just going to get married without knowing anything?" Bai Chenming clearly didn't agree. His precious daughter had already experienced a failed marriage. If this happened again... how could he face Zirou after his death? If that were the case, he might as well fight the Huang family to the bitter end.

“How could I not know? Father, I have already met him and visited his home! Now, Wanqing feels that I would rather accept the Lin family than the Huang family!” Bai Wanqing’s eyes were clear, and Bai Chenming could see that Bai Wanqing had made up her mind.

He couldn't say anything more, since he didn't have a better solution at the moment.

"Alright, since you think it's feasible, then let's do it this way! But could you still have him come to the Bai family once so that Father can meet him?" Bai Chenming's tone was noticeably weaker, his eyes filled with concern for his daughter.

Bai Wanqing nodded, "Okay! I'll have Uncle Liu invite him over tomorrow."

"Oh right, this is the engagement token he gave to his daughter!" Bai Wanqing took out the jade pendant that Lin Yunche had given her.

Bai Chenming could tell at a glance that the jade pendant was of murky quality and not a valuable item. But for a place like Linjia Village to give such a thing was a thoughtful gesture, so he felt a little better.

“Then shouldn’t we return the favor tomorrow? Once we’ve returned the favor and things are clear, Master Huang won’t be able to say anything more!” Bai Chenming said, taking out a piece of fine jade from his cabinet and handing it to Bai Wanqing.

“Father, no, this is a token of your and Mother’s love, I can’t accept it!” Bai Wanqing did not accept it. “Father, you don’t need to worry about this return gift. Wanqing already has a plan in mind.”

Bai Chenming was indeed reluctant to part with it, so he didn't insist any further.

Bai Wanqing left her father's courtyard. Bai Chenming looked at the jade pendant and murmured, "Zirou, I hope our daughter has met a good man this time. If you are watching over her from heaven, please bless her!"

The next day, when Uncle Liu arrived at Linjia Village, Lin Yunche was tending the fire in the kitchen. Uncle Liu knew that the houses in Linjia Village were dilapidated when he came as instructed by the young lady.

But when I actually got there, I was still shocked by what I saw: a house made of dry grass and yellow mud, and what was called a yard didn't even have a proper fence.

Uncle Liu thought he had gone to the wrong place, but after looking around, there were indeed no other villages around.

"Excuse me, is Young Master Lin Yunche from this family?" Uncle Liu was still suspicious when he said the name. Shouldn't people from families like this usually have names like Big Head, Two Heads, or Three Oxen?
But the name of this young master Lin sounds more like that of a noble young master.

Lin Yunche heard someone calling him from outside the door. He wiped his sweat, his hands still covered in ash from the stove, and went to greet the person.

When Lin Yunche and Uncle Liu met, they sized each other up. Lin Yunche had met Uncle Liu before and knew that Uncle Liu was the steward of the Bai family, so he was not surprised.

On the contrary, Uncle Liu was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth. This man looked quite handsome and had an extraordinary temperament, but his tattered clothes, while not able to hide his original temperament, made him look somewhat less impressive.

In Liu Bo's mind, he had already made a preliminary judgment about Lin Yunche's family: they were poor.

However, Uncle Liu was not the kind of person who would bully others by relying on his power. He knew Bai Wanqing's current predicament, so he was very polite to this future son-in-law.

"Young Master Lin, I apologize for disturbing your cooking! I am the steward of the Bai family, surnamed Liu." Uncle Liu greeted him first. Lin Yunche disliked this kind of formality of bowing to each other, so he simply nodded to Uncle Liu and asked, "May I ask what brings Steward Liu here today?"

"If your young lady changes her mind and wants to break off the engagement, I have no objection," Lin Yunche said casually.

Liu Bo had three black lines on his forehead. His previous impression of Lin Yunche, which was not bad, was now completely gone.

This man doesn't seem to want to marry the eldest daughter of the Bai family. Sigh! If the Huang family hadn't suddenly turned against the Bai family, the eldest daughter wouldn't have had to marry into such a family, into such a man!
Uncle Liu felt indignant for Bai Wanqing, but he didn't show it on his face at all, still wearing a polite smile.

"No, no, no! Young Master Lin, you've misunderstood. Our Bai family has no intention of breaking off the engagement. On the contrary, we've invited Young Master Lin to our Bai family to exchange tokens." Uncle Liu took out Bai Wanqing's letter.

She hesitated when she was about to hand it to Lin Yunche. Was the young lady really sure that this farmer could read?
Lin Yunche glanced at the signature on the envelope, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What? Isn't this a letter from your young lady? You don't want to give it to me?"

Uncle Liu waved his hand and handed over the letter. Through this back and forth, Uncle Liu knew that the new son-in-law had a bad temper and could shut someone up with a single sentence.

Lin Yunche read Bai Wanqing's letter without any hesitation. However, he looked back at the millet porridge on the stove and felt it would be a waste not to drink it, so he pulled Uncle Liu into the house.

"Butler Liu, my porridge is just cooked. It would be such a waste to leave now. Why don't you join me and finish your porridge before you go?" Lin Yunche said without waiting for Butler Liu's reply.

She pressed him down onto the table first, then ran to the kitchen to get some porridge.

Uncle Liu was sitting on pins and needles in his chair. When he saw Lin Yunche bring in the porridge, he immediately jumped up from his chair.

"Young Master Lin, you absolutely mustn't!"

(End of this chapter)