The next day, the Mei family really did send someone to return Baoqin's marriage proposal.
Bao Qin put away the Golden Talisman, which was wrapped in a red silk thread, and felt relaxed. His whole body seemed to glow even more brightly.
She hated matchmaking and her parents' orders the most. She had to be the one in charge of her own life.
After leisurely strolling around the garden for the whole day, Baoqin's brother, Xue Wu, came back from the village outside the city in the afternoon.
He was an imposing young man with handsome features and a gentle temperament. He didn't look like the son of a merchant family, but rather had a scholarly aura.
When Baoqin casually mentioned that her marriage proposal with the Mei family had been canceled, Baoqin was surprised that he didn't get angry.
Xue Wu sighed softly. He sat by the west window and looked at his sister, saying, "Well, I see Lady May's attitude towards you. If you marry over, I'm afraid you won't have a good life.
That's fine too. My sister is such a talent, she will definitely find a good marriage.
Don't be sad … "Not only was he not angry, but he was also worried that Baoqin would be sad, so he said a lot of comforting words.
Baoqin listened to his long-winded words, and a warm feeling gradually rose in her heart.
Although she didn't have parents, it seemed that it wasn't bad to have a brother like this.
While Baoqin and her brother were cultivating their relationship, on the other side, in the Mei family's old house that had been in disrepair for a long time, people were talking about them.
Miss Mei still had a face full of anger when she mentioned Xue Baoqin after so many days. "Mother, I was slapped by that vixen from the Xue family that day. Are we just going to let it go like this?"
Lady May looked at her daughter, and her eyes were full of resentment for her daughter's failure to live up to her expectations. "What else can we do?
Go to their door and slap them back?
If you hadn't gone forward, you wouldn't have been slapped. "
"Is this all my fault?"
Miss Mei glared at her mother angrily. "If she hadn't gone overboard, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
Lady May waved her hand as if she had a headache. "Fine, fine. You always have your reasons. I can't win against you.
Now that the marriage between our family and the Xue family has been annulled, you don't have to take their family's matter to heart. If others know that our family haggles over every ounce with a run-down merchant family, it's really embarrassing. "
Seeing that her daughter was still grumbling unhappily, she continued, "Xue family has always been kind to our family. Slapping you can be considered to have ended this kindness.
In the future, our family won't have to worry about anything.
Do you feel better now that you think of it this way? "
Upon hearing this, Miss Mei thought for a moment and became happy. "Hmph, now that things have come to this, it can be considered that our family and their family are even.
In the future, when she bumps into me again, see how I'll deal with her! "
Not only did she hold a grudge against Xue Baoqin for slapping her, but she also held a grudge against Xue Baoqin's stunning beauty.
When she was in the capital, she had seen many noble young ladies, but in terms of appearance and aura, none of them could compare to Xue Baoqin.
Such beauty was wasted on a merchant's daughter!
As the daughter of a dignified Hanlin Academy, how can my appearance be so ordinary?
The more she thought about it, the more unbalanced she felt. In her heart, Miss Mei had already listed Xue Baoqin as her number one enemy.
Lady May looked at her daughter who had an ordinary appearance and an even more ordinary mind. She frowned and warned, "Don't think about Xue family anymore. Think about your own matters!
At the beginning of next year, the new emperor will be selecting consorts. You should hurry up with your rules and talents. "
Miss Mei thought about the new emperor that she had caught a glimpse of. That young and handsome face and elegant temperament, she couldn't help but blush. "Mother, didn't you say that with our family's background, it wouldn't be difficult to be selected?"
Lady May said, "It's not difficult to be selected, but to be favored, do you think you can rely on your family's background?
If you don't live up to expectations, then even if your family is powerful, it will be useless! "
Miss Mei unwillingly pursed her lips. "It's said that the new emperor doesn't like beauty. His first empress isn't someone with outstanding looks …"
Lady May sneered when she heard this. "He doesn't like beauty?
Let me tell you, there isn't a man in this world who doesn't like beauty!
They just wanted both beauty and reputation. Who would like to be known as a pervert?
Also, when the new emperor married his first wife, it wasn't because of her beauty. It was because of her virtuous reputation and noble family background.
Right now, the most favored Consort Xian by his side, isn't she a peerless beauty?
Marrying a virtuous wife and taking in a concubine is the norm for men in this world.
His Majesty is no exception … "
Not to mention that the Mei family and their daughter were busy preparing for next year's selection, Baoqin had been bored in her room for too long. She kept pestering Xue Wu to take her out to play.
Xue Wu couldn't persuade her, so he could only bitterly smile and agree. In the end, he said, "When you go out, younger sister should still wear that veiled hat as usual to prevent others from gossiping."
Xue Baoqin didn't want to wear a hat to cover her face when she went out to play. How depressing would that be?
If such beauty wasn't allowed to appear in the world, wouldn't that be a waste of God's gift?
"No, older brother. Wearing that hat makes me feel stuffy. I don't have the patience to wear it."
Xue Wu was a sis-con, so when he saw Baoqin acting coquettishly, he hesitated. "But, if you show your face in public like this, people will gossip …"
Baoqin said, "Whoever wants to talk about it, let them. Do we live in the world just for other people's mouths?
Isn't it tiring to live like this? "
When Xue Wu heard this, he had no choice but to agree.
So the next day, the brother and sister left the mansion and took a carriage to the famous Jinbo Lake in the city.
Compared to the world-famous West Lake in Hangzhou, this lake's scenery wasn't much worse. It was just not as famous.
Moreover, Hangzhou was in the Jiangnan area. It was the richest and most prosperous place in the world. It was naturally more famous than other places.
At this time, the sky was clear and the air was cool. The yellow leaves by the lake stretched to the sky. Together with the rippling water, it was as charming as a painting.
Pleasure boats and light boats coexisted on the lake. The laughter of the tourists and the music of the musical instruments floated in the air.
Seeing this scene, Xue family also rented a boat and boarded it. They began to swim on the lake.
When Xue Baoqin boarded the boat, it just so happened that a boat full of young students was sailing towards them. Just as they were about to reach the shore, they suddenly saw a young girl standing on the deck facing the wind. Her beautiful black hair and yellow dress fluttered in the wind. It was really a beautiful scene.
However, no matter how beautiful the scenery was, it would lose its color when compared to this woman's face.
Even if she didn't say anything or smile, she was still amazingly beautiful.
That beauty was like poisonous wine. Even if one knew that one would die if he drank it, he couldn't help but want to taste the ultimate beauty in this world at the cost of his life …
Xue Baoqin was thinking about something in a daze. Suddenly, he heard the sound of someone falling into the water. When he looked up, he saw that all the young men on the boat next to him had fallen into the water!
Fortunately, they were close to the shore and the lake wasn't deep. Otherwise, they would have shouted for help.
Xue Baoqin asked curiously, "What's going on?" Why did all the people on the boat fall into the water?
Xiao Luo pursed her lips and smiled, "Miss, you don't know. That boatman saw you in a daze and used the wrong amount of strength, causing the boat to tilt.
Those people were also the same. They were looking at you so much that they forgot about their belongings. No one noticed, so all the people on the boat fell into the water … "As she spoke, the little girl couldn't hold it in anymore and giggled.
Xue Baoqin smiled when he heard this and then ordered the boatman to start the boat. An exquisite pleasure boat gradually moved away from the shore and towards the middle of the lake.
The beauty was already far away, but those students were still in the water. They stared blankly and didn't care that they were already soaked.
After a long time, one of them said, "Such a beauty, I don't know which family she belongs to.
If I find out, I'll send someone to propose marriage. With her by my side, I won't be a scholar in vain … "
A person beside him shook his head and said, "Brother Chen, don't even think about it. We also shouldn't think about it.
Such a stunning beauty, how could an ordinary family be able to bear it?
Next spring will be the new emperor's first selection. In my opinion, I'm afraid that the girl will be sent to the palace by her family to fight for her future … "
The student who was called Brother Chen sighed and said, "How can that delicate girl bear the internal strife in the palace?
What a pity, what a pity! "
"That might not be the case."
Another person said, "This kind of beauty is hard to find in the world. When we see her, we all turn into silly geese. The new emperor is also a man, so he might not be an exception.
With His Majesty's favor, the days in the palace might not necessarily be difficult … "
Xue Baoqin naturally didn't know about the discussions here.
She stood on the deck and looked at the scenery for a while. Then she walked into the cabin and sat down.
After drinking half a cup of hot tea and eating a few snacks, Xue Baoqin saw that Xue Wu, who was sitting across from her, had a worried expression. She asked, "Brother, is there something on your mind?"
Hearing this, Xue Wu hurriedly squeezed out a smile and replied, "It's nothing. Sister, just focus on playing."
Xue Baoqin lowered her long black eyelashes and looked at the enamel bowl with a gold-plated lid on the round mahogany table in front of her. She slowly said, "Brother, I know even if you don't tell me. Another one of our family's shops closed down, right?"
Xue Wu sighed and said, "I originally told them to hide it from sister. I didn't think that they would dare to disobey me!"
Xue Baoqin said, "Brother, don't blame them. They are servants after all, and I am their master.
I forced them to say it, so how could they dare to not say it?
We brother and sister rely on each other for survival. When something this big happened, brother still wants to hide it from me. It really makes me angry. "