Chapter 209: Adopting a Sister
It was already dark when we returned to the mansion!
"Grandpa is back. Is it time to eat?" Little Bird came over and said.
"No need, I've already eaten in the barracks! Qingwen, have someone prepare some hot water, I want to take a bath!"
After playing with Xiao Que'er and Xiangling for a while, Qingwen came to invite Jia Cong to take a bath. The master and servant played in the water together and washed away their fatigue.
The next morning, Xue Ke came to ask for a meeting!
When Jia Cong arrived at the front hall, Xue Ke immediately bowed to the ground and said, "Thank you for your help, Lord. The Mei family has already taken the initiative to cancel the engagement. If it weren't for Lord, I really don't know how my sister would face it in the future!"
"Get up, it's not a big deal!" Jia Cong said with a smile, "I said before that I want to recognize Baoqin as my sister. I wonder if you, my brother, have any complaints."
Xue Ke hurriedly shook his head and said, "If we can marry the Marquis, it will be a blessing for Baoqin and the Xue family. I'm just afraid that we are marrying too high... Mom wanted to come and thank the Marquis in person, but her illness has not yet fully recovered , so it's not possible for her to come."
"Why should we have different opinions when we are one family? If that's the case, there's no need to look for another day! Just ask my aunt and all the brothers and sisters to be witnesses, and let Baoqin offer me a cup of tea."
"Respect the words of the Marquis!"
"Well, go tell my aunt first and have someone take a letter to invite all the sisters to come. I will be there later."
Upon hearing this, Xue Ke hurried away.
After returning to Ningzheng Hall, Jia Cong chose a jade bracelet and asked Xiangling to make it. Then several maids followed Jia Cong to the West Mansion.
He first went to the old lady's room to stay with her for a while, and then went straight to Lixiangyuan.
When Jia Cong arrived at Lixiang Courtyard, he saw that all the sisters and Baoyu had arrived.
"My son, you haven't been here for a while!" Aunt Xue came forward happily. "My sister-in-law should have come in person, but she is still not well. Let us host her today and have fun together."
"How is Auntie these days?"
"Well, well, well, that evil creature has improved a lot with Tadpole's help, and rarely goes out to cause trouble."
Afterwards, Jia Cong greeted Baochai, Daiyu and other girls.
"Hey, Second Brother Bao didn't go to the clan school today?" Jia Cong said with a smile.
"You black-hearted person! The clan school is on holiday today, why should I go?" Baoyu said unhappily.
Jia Cong laughed loudly, and then sat down next to Baochai and Daiyu! Baoyu was unhappy. He wanted to sit in that seat just now, but Baochai said that the seat was reserved for today's protagonist, Sister Baoqin. He could only sit next to Tanchun in dismay.
But now, the third brother Cong actually sat down, and neither Daiyu nor Baochai objected?
"Daughter, why don't you invite your sister out?" Aunt Xue said to Baochai.
Baochai nodded and went into the inner room. Not long after, she led Baoqin out slowly! Then Aunt Xue said, "Originally, we should invite the parents of both parties to witness this matter, but according to Cong'er's wishes, everything should be kept simple. There is no need for anything else. Baoqin will offer Cong'er a cup of tea, and then this matter will be settled. How about it?"
"Everything is up to you, aunt!" Baoqin said as she bowed to Aunt Xue.
Aunt Xue smiled and asked Tongxi to bring the teacup over. Baoqin took it with both hands and then Aunt Xue said, "Baoqin, why don't you serve the tea?"
Baoqin came to Jia Cong, bowed slightly and offered the teacup with both hands, "My Lord, please have some tea!"
"Sister, do you still call me Marquis?" Jia Cong asked with a smile.
Baoqin blushed and immediately changed her words, "Sister, please have tea with me, brother!"
"Hahaha!" Jia Cong laughed and picked up the teacup and drank it all. Then he took the wooden box from Qingwen's hand and opened it to reveal a emerald green jade bracelet!
"This is a gift from my brother. From now on, you will be my sister, Jia Cong, just like my second and fourth sisters! In addition to your own home, Ningguo Mansion is also your home. I have prepared a yard for you in the mansion, which is next to my fourth sister's yard. When you are free, you can live in the mansion with my fourth sister and the others."
"Whatever happens, I will let my brother take care of it for you."
Baoqin took it gratefully and bowed again, saying, "Thank you, brother!"
Qingwen and several other maids also bowed to Baoqin and said, "Greetings, Miss Qin!"
Although the title is the same as before, the meaning is different. Baoqin was only a guest before, but now she is half their master.
Tongxi brought up another tray. Baoqin took the three brocade bags on it and gave them to Xiangling and the others personally. This simple ceremony ended there.
All the girls gathered around to congratulate Baoqin. Although Baoqin had called off the engagement, she now had a brother like this, so she didn't have to worry about anything else and was naturally very happy.
Afterwards, Aunt Xue hosted a banquet, and Jia Cong dragged Baoyu directly to the front hall to eat with the two brothers Xue Pan and Xue Ke! After eating, Jia Cong did not stay for long. He greeted all the sisters, then went back to the East Mansion to change his clothes and went to the Beijing Camp outside the city again.
Since he has taken over the Beijing camp, there are a lot of trivial matters to deal with, so Jia Cong is probably very busy these days and has to come here every day.
After Jia Cong left, Baoyu returned to the room and played with his sisters, but all the sisters surrounded Baoqin. Baochai and Daiyu ignored his words and did not pay any attention to him.
Baoyu was feeling depressed and went straight to the front yard to find Xue Pan, and then went out to have a drink!
Because of Xue Pan's big mouth, the news of Baoqin recognizing her brother had spread before the two of them even arrived at the restaurant.
In a small courtyard with two entrances in Taipingfang, a servant quickly entered the front hall and said to an old man in Confucian clothes who was sitting upright, "Master...something bad has happened."
The old man frowned, "Why are you so flustered?"
"Master, the second daughter of the Xue family who just broke off the engagement with the young master a few days ago, today acknowledged the Marquis of Guanjun as her sworn brother. I heard that she has made her way to a bright future."
"What?"
This old man was none other than Mei Hanlin. If Baoqin married him, he would be Xue Baoqin’s father-in-law.
Originally, the Mei family and the Xue family were engaged. Firstly, Baoqin's father was a good friend of Mei Hanlin, and Baoqin's father had donated a lot to the Mei family. Secondly, although the second branch of the Xue family was not a high-ranking family, it was quite wealthy!
How can being an official not cost money? If you want to get a real position, you have to spend at least several thousand taels of silver! However, he was just a noble Hanlin scholar before, so even if he wanted to use connections, he had no chance. Although the second branch of the Xue family is not as rich as the first branch, it has at least 300,000 or 200,000 yuan of wealth. Just a little bit of it will be enough for the Mei family to spend.
Therefore, the Mei family took the initiative to propose marriage to the second branch of the Xue family!
After all, the Mei family was a family of officials, and their status was much higher than that of merchants. Naturally, Baoqin's father agreed without hesitation.
