Chapter 29: A Family of Oddities

“Are you going to sign or not? You useless, ugly wretch—your fate has always been to be trampled underfoot, to be bullied by others. Stop dreaming so high, stop clinging to your pride and refusing to face the truth! I, this royal prince, never wish to have any connection with you as long as I live! It's enough that you are humiliated alone; why should I, a prince of noble birth, be dragged into ridicule by association with you?”

Ever since news spread that Bai Li Tianchang had returned, the Fourth Prince’s brothers had not missed a single chance to mock him. His fifth brother, in particular, made a point of ridiculing the black swallowtail mark on Bai Li Tianchang’s face, claiming he had wanted to see for himself just how hideous she was—only to miss the chance. He even told the Fourth Prince that once he married Bai Li Tianchang, he must first bring her by so he could judge whether she truly was the ugliest woman in the realm.

The Fourth Prince could not bear such humiliation!

He was no less than any of his siblings. How could he allow himself to be demeaned and ridiculed by others, all because of Bai Li Tianchang?

“Yes, Bai Li Tianchang, the Fourth Prince speaks the truth. His status is so exalted—how could he possibly be entangled with someone like you?” Qian Yue Shuang, seeing that the Fourth Prince had not openly rejected her proposal, began to foster hopeful illusions; perhaps the prince might truly take a liking to her own daughter.

With this thought, she immediately began to lavish flattery on the Fourth Prince, desperate to curry favor.

“Bai Li Tianchang, hurry up and sign this annulment letter. Don’t anger the prince any further. His time is precious—how could it be wasted on a useless, ugly girl like you? Do you even realize how the black swallowtail on your face is considered a dire omen in the royal family? Especially black—the most inauspicious color of all. Don’t let your pride or your reputation end up ruining the prince’s entire life!”

As she spoke, Qian Yue Shuang snatched the annulment letter from the prince’s hand and thrust it before Bai Li Tianchang.

“Come, listen to your mother. Sign it at once. Understand this: you have no talent, you are ugly, and you are a bringer of misfortune. You must not, for your own sake, jeopardize the prince’s future. Just think—since you returned, the bitch in our household died in childbirth, and then both your sisters suffered misfortune and fell ill. You have already brought calamity to dogs and people alike before even marrying out; if you were to wed the prince, who knows what disaster would follow? Our general’s estate cannot stand idly by and watch you ruin the prince’s life.

Don’t worry; don’t fret over what will happen to you after the engagement is broken. Your life is already tragic enough—could it really get any worse?”

Listen to her—just listen. Did Qian Yue Shuang sound like she was offering comfort? Her words, though spoken in a gentle tone, landed blow after blow.

Yet Bai Li Tianchang felt not the slightest pang of sorrow or pain.

Bringing calamity to dogs and people—what a laughable excuse.

“You unfilial girl! Why are you still standing there? Your mother is right—sign the annulment at once! You’ve already caused enough trouble for the prince; don’t anger him further or waste any more of his precious time!”

Bai Li Gang, far from disagreeing with Qian Yue Shuang’s words, instead appeared...