CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44 I DON’T WANT SUCH GOOD FORTUNE 2

Bai Anning could be said to be good in every way, except for one flaw.

She was gentle, kind, and intelligent, with adept hands, and she managed household affairs exceptionally well.

But unfortunately, she was born with a large birthmark on her face, and by the time she reached adulthood, the birthmark had not faded but grown larger and larger, covering half of her face with a red mark, which was quite frightening to look upon.

Because of this, even though Bai Anning had myriad virtues and talents, no one wanted to marry her.

She remained unwed until someone came to propose when she was eighteen.

The one who proposed was Scholar Qian from Yuqian Village, not far from Baijia Gully.

This Scholar Qian’s name was Qian Du, and he had lost his father at a young age, raised solely by his widowed mother.

Qian Du was smart and quick-witted from a young age, having passed the examination for Scholar at sixteen, which was considered quite an achievement for someone so young.

However, Qian Du’s family was extremely poor, and after becoming a Scholar, he needed to attend the rural examination in the Prefecture City, which would require a substantial amount of silver. In addition, with his mother advanced in years, there needed to be someone to take care of both indoor and outdoor family affairs.

The Qian Family needed a large amount of silver, and they also needed a capable mistress.

But there weren’t many rich families within ten miles, and even if there were, they were unwilling to marry their daughters into the Qian Family to endure hardships.

With no other options, the Qian Family thought hard, and Mrs. Qian pressured Qian Du to seek marriage with Bai Anning.

The Bai family had some wealth, and in addition to the silver saved over the years from the fine melons Bai Desheng had grown, Bai Anning was their only daughter. If Qian Du married Bai Anning, wouldn’t the Bai family’s fortune then belong to the Qian Family?

Originally, Qian Du was reluctant, but under pressure and with no other choice, he went to the Bai family to propose.

Bai Desheng was already worried about Anning’s marriage, and with Qian Du’s arrival, after some consideration and finding Qian Du to be quite capable, he agreed to the marriage. A few months later, Anning, with a considerable dowry, married into the Qian Family.

After that, Qian Du had the money to participate in the rural examination.

This time, he achieved great success, ranking tenth and becoming a scholar.

Later, taking advantage of the momentum, Qian Du asked Anning for more silver to participate in the Imperial Examination in the Capital and, whether by luck or skill, he succeeded and became an Advanced Scholar.

Having become an Advanced Scholar, Qian Du’s ambitions grew.

He started to disdain Anning for her low birth, and for her ugliness, and he wrote a letter of divorce, sending Bai Anning back to her family home.

It was just when Anning returned that Bai Anning was divorced by the ungrateful scoundrel, which left both Bai Desheng and Zhang Yue Mei infuriated.

They were both angry and regretful; angry that Qian Du had no integrity, and regretful that they had not looked more closely at Qian Du’s character and had too hastily promised their daughter to him.

The two sat in Anning’s room, gazing at the bedridden Anning, sighing deeply, now cursing Qian Du, now regretting.

Zhang Yue Mei tugged at Bai Desheng’s clothes: "Old Bai, please go and fetch another doctor. Our Ningning can’t go on like this."

Bai Desheng sighed: "Alright, I will go and ask Old Yu from Huichun Hall to come and examine Ningning."

He had just stood up when Anning woke.

"Father, no, there’s no need to fetch a doctor, I am fine."

She struggled to sit up, and Zhang Yue Mei hurriedly went over to help her: "Be careful, you’ve been lying down for several days now, your body is weak, don’t overexert yourself."

Anning gave a faint smile: "I really am fine, it’s just, just that I couldn’t get over that hurdle in my heart before, I was being stubborn, not seeing things clearly."

Anning gripped Zhang Yue Mei’s hand: "Mother, don’t worry, from now on I will take good care of myself."

Bai Desheng moved closer, he took a careful look at Anning and noticed her expression had indeed improved a lot, and she no longer had the deathly aura of the previous days, relieving his heart greatly: "It’s good to let it go, good to let it go. It’s just a man. If he doesn’t want us, we don’t need him either. From now on, just stay at home. As long as your mom and dad are here, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of."

Zhang Yue Mei turned away to secretly wipe her tears: "Ningning, are you hungry? Mom will cook for you."

After Zhang Yue Mei went out, Bai Desheng sat for a while and then followed her out.

The two entered the kitchen, Bai Desheng started the fire, and Zhang Yue Mei cooked the food.

As she cooked, she sighed: "Our Ningning really has a harsh fate; I didn’t expect her to encounter such a bastard."

Bai Desheng clenched his teeth: "We’ll have to work even harder from now on, we’ll work well to save more money for Ningning, so that even if we are gone, she won’t have to suffer."

"Mhm."

Zhang Yue Mei nodded: "I’ll take more embroidery work in the future."

Bai Desheng said: "I will plant more melons."

Anning, lying in the room recuperating, was at this moment sorting through Bai Anning’s memories and pondering her wishes.

According to Bai Anning’s memories, it should be a little over a month later when Qian Du came back to the Bai family to beg for forgiveness, kneeling in the melon field asking Bai Anning to pardon him.

Qian Du, an Advanced Scholar, kneeling in the melon field, truly caused a sensation; the villagers from Baijia Gully all came to watch the excitement.

Most people were advising Bai Anning to forgive Qian Du, speaking of how a day as husband and wife entails a hundred days of grace, and saying that a prodigal returning is more precious than gold.

The majority of the young ladies and married women in the village were especially envious of Bai Anning’s good fortune, having a husband who had become an Advanced Scholar, and moreover, this husband knelt down to appease her; Bai Anning should be content.

So many people were persuading Bai Anning to reconcile with Qian Du, every word hammering the notion of her good fortune, that she was blessed with a good fate, leaving Bai Anning completely bewildered.

Moreover, Qian Du had a way with words, could even make the dead sound alive, which somewhat prompted Bai Anning to forgive him in her heart.

Additionally, Bai Anning considered that Qian Du, after all, was an Advanced Scholar destined for high office; if she did not forgive him, offending him thoroughly, it might even bring trouble upon her parents.

It can be said that Bai Anning was driven to forgive Qian Du by public opinion and fear, and thus she returned with him to the Qian home.

But what about after that?

After Qian Du was appointed to office and took Bai Anning with him, he became extremely indifferent to her, confined her to the inner court without allowing her to go out, did not let her meddle in managing affairs, and even the household servants didn’t heed her commands.

Later, Qian Du brought back his female cousin as a concubine; a year later, this cousin bore him a son, and the three of them appeared affectionate and loving, while Bai Anning was left alone and single.

She had no one to talk to, no one who paid her any attention, she ate almost the same as the servants, wore old clothes, and died in the cold, lonely confines of the inner court, utterly isolated and helpless.

It was not until after Bai Anning died that she learned why Qian Du, despite everything, was willing to kneel to remarry her.

It turns out, after Qian Du had passed the Imperial Examination, he had been unable to receive an official appointment and his luck had been particularly terrible.

One day, Qian Du met a Taoist who told him that Bai Anning carried great good fortune; the reason he could pass the Scholar and Imperial Examinations was that he had married Bai Anning, and now that he had abandoned Bai Anning, naturally this good fortune was lost as well.

Thinking back to the peculiar good fortune he had experienced after marrying Bai Anning, Qian Du believed the Taoist’s words, then did everything possible to get Bai Anning to forgive him.

But after Bai Anning really returned home with him, he despised her for her looks and did not want to see her.

Letting her go was impossible, true affection was out of the question, so Qian Du coldly left Bai Anning in the inner court, just keeping her as Lady Qian in name, giving her nothing more.

And he took the woman he truly liked as a concubine, living a life filled with love and happiness with that woman.

Furthermore, Qian Du, afraid that Bai Desheng and Zhang Yue Mei would learn of Bai Anning’s sufferings and cause trouble, soon after his appointment found a way to bring about the death of those two elderly people.

Bai Anning, secluded in the inner residence and cut off from news, only learned of her parents’ deaths after she herself had died.