The tangled sorrows gradually overshadowed the drunkenness.
Ning Fengchen's expression shifted smoothly. From the initial helpless infatuation, it turned into the usual private gloom and malevolence.
In the quiet small mansion, all the servants had gone to sleep.
Only the old gatekeeper, Zhang, yawned in surprise. "Why has the master come?"
Ning Fengchen ignored him and rushed into the house in a hurry.
But in a moment, he quickly walked out again, with all his calmness gone. "Has anyone come after I left?"
The brocade box on the desk was still there, but the painting scroll inside was gone.
In its place was an ordinary landscape painting.
Old Zhang shook his head. "No one has come since you and the madam left."
As a mere servant, he didn't know the real relationship between Ning Fengchen and Liu Ruyi.
Madam?
Liu Ruyi?
Ning Fengchen's face darkened. It must be her!
She had been extremely curious at first yesterday, but Ning Fengchen hadn't paid much attention to it at that time.
Deep in his heart, he thought that Liu Ruyi didn't have the guts!
Unexpectedly, she really did!
Clenching his fist tightly, Ning Fengchen slammed it hard on the doorframe, startling Old Zhang into stammering, "Mas...master?"
Glancing casually at Old Zhang, Ning Fengchen instructed, "Watch the house well. Don't let anyone in, no matter who it is!"
"What about the madam?"
Old Zhang swallowed nervously, but Ning Fengchen's cold glare was even sharper. He quickly replied anxiously, "Master, don't worry. I'll surely keep a tight watch. No one will be allowed in!"
Ning Fengchen stayed in the small mansion for a long time. It was not until dawn that he left in a hurry.
His destination was, naturally, the Yongning Marquis Mansion not far from the small mansion.
In the past, Ning Fengchen and Ning Fengnian had been very close. It was quite normal for him to visit early in the morning.
But since Ning Fengnian got married, he had consciously avoided suspicion on the surface and only came in the afternoon.
However, today, he was so anxious about the painting scroll that he somewhat forgot about the etiquette.
But Ning Fengnian also got up early today.
He was sipping tea listlessly in the living room, as if waiting for someone to come.
When he saw Ning Fengchen, he even showed a look of "as expected".
Ning Fengchen was startled. Could it be that Ning Fengnian was waiting for him?
He looked around furtively like a guilty person. The servants in the Yongning Marquis Mansion were the same as usual.
The maids were coming and going to serve tea and snacks, and the servants were cleaning the courtyard. Everything was in good order, without any sign of mess.
It didn't seem like they had made any prior preparations.
Soon, Ning Fengchen suddenly realized.
It should be that Ning Fengnian found it hard to face Liu Ruyi and was waiting for him to come and rescue him.
"Brother."
Although Ning Fengchen had always hidden his true intentions, he had always been polite on the surface.
This was also the reason why Ning Fengnian hadn't discovered his true nature over the years.
After all, who could have thought that the person who was usually respectful and close would be hiding such evil intentions.
Ning Fengnian squinted his eyes. If it weren't for Wanwan showing him that painting scroll, he would never have believed that Ning Fengchen had been hiding such malice.
Not getting a response from Ning Fengnian, Ning Fengchen naturally wouldn't keep bowing. He straightened up naturally.
"Seeing that brother looks troubled, could it be that you're not happy with the beauty in your arms?"
He thought Yuan Qingrong was still in the heir's mansion, so the "beauty" he mentioned was Liu Ruyi.
Ning Fengchen deliberately teased. According to the usual Ning Fengnian, he wouldn't have cared about such a joke at all.
But today, Ning Fengnian's face darkened. "This marquis is indeed in a difficult situation, but it's not because of a woman."
"Then what is brother troubled about? Tell me, and I'll discuss it with you."
Ning Fengchen was even more curious about what had made Ning Fengnian so solemn.
Especially since Ning Fengnian never referred to himself as "this marquis" in private. His attitude today was really strange.
But no matter how determined Ning Fengchen was usually, he couldn't have guessed that Liu Ruyi's hasty attempt to rise in status had been exposed.
"What this marquis is troubled about is that the good cousin who grew up with me and supported me has stabbed me in the back and is coveting everything in the Yongning Marquis Mansion."
Ning Fengchen was stunned. He looked innocent on the surface. "What does brother mean? We've been brothers for so many years. You know what kind of person I am best."
"What kind of person are you?" Ning Fengnian sneered. "This marquis really can't see clearly."
If Ning Fengchen hadn't come today, he might really have thought that both he and Wanwan had misunderstood Ning Fengchen.
But Ning Fengchen just came at this critical moment. Recalling their conversation carefully, it was still mainly about Ning Fengchen's probing as usual.
Ning Fengnian became more determined. Usually, he didn't care. But after careful consideration today, he realized that there were flaws everywhere.
Ning Fengchen knelt down in panic. "I really don't know who's slandered me in front of brother, but I've never been the least bit disrespectful to brother."
"Liu Ruyi has already been punished. You still don't admit it!"
The teacup was slammed heavily on the table. The "clank" sound was ear - splitting.
Ning Fengchen naturally didn't admit it. "What did Liu Ruyi say to frame me? She must have been instigated by others to sow discord between me and cousin."
"No wonder this marquis has never seen your true face clearly." Ning Fengnian smiled bitterly, regretting for misjudging the person. "You're so glib and good at shifting the blame. You keep coming up with one scheme after another."
"Brother, believe me. I don't have the guts."
Ning Fengchen pretended to tremble slightly and buried his head.
Soon, something was thrown violently in front of him. It was exactly what he came for.
The painting scroll that he thought had been taken away by Liu Ruyi.
"This marquis didn't know that you've been hiding your thoughts for so many years."
Many years ago, Ning Fengchen came to the capital for help and even said that he had been helped by a fairy.
From then on, he had been thinking about her day and night and couldn't sleep well.
As his cousin, Ning Fengnian even sent people to inquire about her from many sources.
But there was no news.
Last night, before Wanwan left, she gave him a painting scroll.
When he unfurled the scroll, he was shocked at first sight. There was no other reason. The woman in the painting was shy and charming, extremely stunning.
She bore a slight resemblance to the current Ning Yuwan.
But Ning Yuwan was still so young.
Then, when he saw the name "Wanrou" in the lower - right corner of the scroll, he finally understood that the woman Ning Fengchen loved was actually his wife.
The mistress of the Yongning Marquis Mansion, Yuan Qingrong.
At night, Ning Fengnian secretly probed. Yuan Qingrong had no impression of Ning Fengchen.
When he mentioned whether she had saved a young man on a snowy night, Yuan Qingrong had only a faint impression.
But at that time, she was very sleepy and just mumbled, "I thought he was pitiful at that time, so I sent him to the medical clinic."
In Yuan Qingrong's eyes, Ning Fengchen was just a poor boy, and helping him was just a simple act of kindness.
In Ning Fengchen's eyes, the "Wanrou" girl was like a fairy descending from the sky. She had brightened his heart for decades, and he could never forget her since then.
If Ning Fengnian had only scolded him for his evil intentions, Ning Fengchen would have had more ways to refute.
But Ning Fengnian threw out the painting scroll, and Ning Fengchen finally knew that Ning Fengnian knew everything.
He carefully picked up the painting scroll, blew off the dust, and then carefully put it back into his bosom. Then he looked up and said, "After all these years, has the Yongning Marquis really not known who the Wanrou I mentioned is?"
When Ning Fengnian met his eyes, he suddenly understood in his heart.
He had suspected before.
Not long after they got married, he had a night talk with Yuan Qingrong. The latter mentioned a minor incident.
When she was a child, she had met a highly - skilled person. The person had calculated that she was short of water in her destiny. If she wanted to be wealthy and safe for a lifetime, her name needed to have the element of water.
So her parents changed her name to "Qingrong", and her original name became a nickname in the boudoir.
At that time, Yuan Qingrong had mentioned that her nickname was Wanrou, and he had indeed suspected.
But when Ning Fengchen saw Yuan Qingrong, he didn't seem to show any special reaction.
He had thought...
He had thought that the "Wanrou" in Ning Fengchen's mouth was not Yuan Qingrong.