It was the night of the Mid - Autumn Festival.
Some were overjoyed, like the Ning couple who renewed their vows under the moon. The entire Yongning Marquis Mansion was also filled with jubilant atmosphere, celebrating the beautiful reunion of their master and mistress.
Some felt aggrieved. Yan Zhao, who was jealous, used the strategy of retreating to advance and sought a promise from Ning Yuwan for an eternal bond.
There was also someone who, facing the full moon in the sky, drank the bitter wine straight. He kept whispering, "Wanrou, if you were by my side, how wonderful it would be!"
It was Ning Fengchen, who had been having an affair with Liu Ruyi the previous day. After being driven out of the Yongning Marquis Mansion by Ning Fengnian, he didn't know that Liu Ruyi had been arrested.
Suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Ning Fengchen smiled confidently. "Wanrou, soon you will be mine." He gulped down the wine in his cup. The darkness in his eyes covered up all his thoughts.
After finishing a pot of wine, Ning Fengchen instinctively reached into his sleeve to take out the scroll, hoping to admire the beauty and tenderness of "Wanrou" again. But to his surprise, his hand touched nothing. Anxiety immediately showed on his face. "Wanrou, where have you gone?"
He searched all over his body but couldn't find the scroll that he usually played with many times. Ning Fengchen frowned deeply and carefully recalled the last time he took out the scroll. He suddenly remembered that he had left the scroll in the small house where he had the affair with Liu Ruyi.
He could have gone back to get it the next day, but he didn't hesitate to set off in the middle of the night. It seemed that without the scroll, he couldn't sleep through the night.
The moonlight was streaming down. Ning Fengchen walked alone in the night. Although he was wearing moon - white clothes, he was hidden by the darkness and completely blended into it. Just like his heart, which was dark and gloomy.
Ning Fengchen kept whispering, "Wanrou, wait for me. I'll take you home right away." As if drunk, vaguely he seemed to see "Wanrou" leaning against the door, looking at him tenderly. He rushed forward a few steps and reached out to grab "Wanrou"'s sleeve, but caught only emptiness.
Ning Fengchen knew in his heart that it was not real, but he still didn't want to give up. Stumbling a few times, he slumped on the threshold. He let out a few laughs and then looked up at the full moon in the sky.
"Wanrou, we first met on a night like this when the moon was full."
What a coincidence!
Truly a coincidence!
God plays tricks on people. Why did you finally marry Ning Fengnian? Clearly, I was the one who met you first...
A few small clouds gradually covered the full moon, leaving only a thin ray of moonlight through the gap. Ning Fengchen couldn't help but close his eyes and recall his encounter and acquaintance with "Wanrou".
It was just the beginning of winter that year, but it was extremely cold. The vegetables and grains that hadn't been harvested in time were frozen to death. Ning Fengchen's parents used to make a fortune from farming, but overnight, they lost all their wealth.
The whole family couldn't even afford enough food and warm clothes. They had to go to the capital to seek refuge with their clan - the Yongning Marquis Mansion. The journey was long and difficult. Ning Fengchen's parents died of hunger one after another, leaving only a thin pancake for him.
But as soon as Ning Fengchen entered the capital, he was targeted by some beggars. They not only robbed his pancake but also deliberately kicked and injured one of his legs.
Hungry, he fainted on the street. When he woke up again, he was in a small medical clinic. The wound on his leg had been well - bandaged, and there was also a bowl of hot sweet potato porridge on the table.
The doctor said that the kind - hearted person who sent him to the clinic had just left. Ning Fengchen didn't eat immediately. Instead, he chose to chase after. But he only saw a stunning side profile of a gentle and charming girl.
It seemed that she felt his burning gaze. She looked back from afar and blinked with a smile. At that moment, Ning Fengchen felt his heart pounding and his face flushed.
After inquiring from the doctor, he learned that the girl's name was "Wanrou" and she was extremely kind - hearted. Since winter began, she had been giving out porridge and providing warmth to the common people in the city.
Ning Fengchen remembered it carefully and only waited to thank her the next day. But unexpectedly, he waited the whole day and didn't see "Wanrou". He was told that the previous day was the last day of her porridge - giving.
Although he was angry in his heart, having no money, food or clothes, he had to choose to go to the Yongning Marquis Mansion for help first.
Fortunately, he and Ning Fengnian were close in their childhood. It was just that in recent years, since Ning Fengnian had just inherited the title of Yongning Marquis, he had become busier and they had become a bit estranged.
Learning that Ning Fengchen was the only descendant of the side branch of the Ning family, Ning Fengnian naturally took good care of him. The two cousins were like real brothers, eating, living and going out together.
Ning Fengnian also knew that Ning Fengchen had a girl in his heart, but he only knew her name. The capital was so big, and there were so many noble ladies. How could they be easily seen by an outsider?
Ning Fengchen searched for a year but couldn't find her. He even deliberately learned painting in order to find "Wanrou".
One day, just as he finished painting and was about to go to see Ning Fengnian with his painting, he happened to see Ning Fengnian getting engaged. The bride - to - be was so familiar that it shocked him.
It was exactly the "Wanrou" he had been looking for for a year. But now her name was Yuan Qingrong. No wonder he couldn't find her anywhere. It turned out that her real name was Yuan Qingrong.
Ning Fengchen's heart darkened. Especially when Ning Fengnian asked him who the person in the painting was, he was so embarrassed that he tore up the painting.
"Just a random painting. My skills are not good enough."
In fact, this was the beautiful face of a fairy that he had spent a whole day and night painting, but he didn't dare to say it out.
The wind was strong that day. Ning Fengchen tried his best to hear his own broken voice in the wind.
Ning Fengnian was his cousin and had given him countless helps. And Yuan Qingrong was completely a stranger to him. It seemed that that smile on that night was just an accident.
Ning Fengchen pinched his palm. He shouldn't have revealed everything. Maybe suppressing his emotions was what he should do most.
Soon, Ning Fengnian and Yuan Qingrong got married. They were a loving and harmonious couple.
On that very night, Ning Fengchen painted another portrait of "Wanrou", carefully framed it and put it in a brocade box.
In order to forget Yuan Qingrong, Ning Fengchen even married a charming wife. He thought he could forget Yuan Qingrong this way.
But unexpectedly, after getting married, when facing his gentle and charming wife, all he could think about was Yuan Qingrong's smiling look when she looked back. His heart only beat faster for that one person.
Ning Fengchen went to the Yongning Marquis Mansion more frequently. On the surface, he was discussing important matters with Ning Fengnian, but secretly he was always staring at his gentle sister - in - law.
The restlessness in his heart became stronger and stronger every day, and it even faintly overshadowed the brotherly affection.
Slowly, a plan began to form in his mind. It was a plan to sow discord between Ning Fengnian and Yuan Qingrong.
However, he was young and impulsive after all, and his plan was not well - thought - out. Although Ning Fengnian was not very steady, he was more decisive than him.
Even though Liu Ruyi managed to get into Ning Fengnian's bed, Ning Fengnian never thought of taking her as a concubine. He just wanted to send her away. Liu Ruyi was completely an accident when he was drunk.
Even though Ning Fengchen secretly fanned the flames, Ning Fengnian was firmly committed to only one person. He almost even showed a cold face and cut off their brotherly relationship.
Ning Fengchen naturally backed off. Because of his failure, he behaved himself for a few years.
But as Yuan Qingrong became more charming, the evil in his heart grew even stronger. And as time passed, he lost the impetuosity and recklessness of his youth. His plan became more perfect.
He wanted more. He not only wanted Yuan Qingrong to remarry him but also the huge wealth of the Yongning Marquis Mansion!