bookcurios Chapter 339 Luckily I Met You
Chapter 339 Luckily I Met You
As dawn broke, things were different from before. This century-old mansion was no longer shrouded in that suffocating oppression—the Ye family's conspiracies and schemes were all swept away as the truth came to light. The pain had not disappeared; it had settled in everyone's eyes, but it was no longer distorted or deformed.
The Ning Clan Ancestral Hall was brightly lit with candles. All the male members of the Ning clan had gathered inside the hall, while all the women waited outside.
In front of the ancestral tablets, Ning Dechang handed over the jade seal symbolizing his status as the head of the family and a key to Ning Haochen.
This once decisive and efficient patriarch now has graying temples, but his eyes are clearer than ever.
"The Ning family is now in your hands."
Ning Haochen knelt down, lifted his clothes, and accepted the jade seal and key with both hands. He then kowtowed to the Ning family ancestor.
From that moment on, Ning Haochen became the head of the Ning family. He was not taking over power, but rather a tremendous responsibility—a family that needed to be rebuilt from ruins.
Ning Dechang looked at Ning Haoqian, who was sitting in a chair, eating pastries and seemingly oblivious to the world's troubles. He occasionally let out a childlike chuckle. Without the control and humiliation of the Ye family, this simple-minded eldest son relaxed his brows, as if he had been freed from invisible shackles.
In the past few days, Ning Haoqian and his younger brother Ning Haochen have grown even closer. Whenever he gets something delicious, he always thinks of saving some for Ning Haochen. Little does he know that all this food is carefully prepared for him by Ning Haochen.
Ning Haochen even hired teachers to teach him both books and martial arts. Every morning, he practiced martial arts to strengthen his body, and in the afternoon, he read and wrote.
Years later, the eldest son of the Ning family no longer enjoyed eating and drinking, but instead became obsessed with calligraphy, painting and martial arts. He was a genius in both literature and martial arts, and became a legendary figure in Jiangzhou. He even opened his own school. However, he was simple-minded and ignorant of the ways of the world. He loved to pester Ning Haochen to show him paintings and practice swordsmanship with him.
Ning Haochen was so entangled with him that he chose a virtuous and gentle lady from a respectable family as his wife. Unexpectedly, the two fell in love and lived a life of mutual support. They even gave birth to three smart and studious sons for the Ning family, upholding the family's reputation.
From then on, the Ning family prospered again. But that's another story.
Qin was extremely grateful to Ning Haochen; she, as his mother, was not even as grateful as Ning Haochen.
In the past, she was ashamed to mention her eldest son and paid him no attention whatsoever. In this family, however, Ning Haochen was the one who cared for him the most. Regardless of whether he was mentally challenged or not, he respected him as an elder brother and gave him ample respect!
Qin Shi is now too ashamed to face Ning Haochen and his mother! The past grievances and grudges make her afraid to speak.
After that sudden turn of events, Qin was already heartbroken and prepared to accept the worst possible outcome. But instead of a letter of divorce, she received her husband's sincere apology and invitation to live with him on the estate.
At that moment, the mental defenses she had built up for half her life suddenly cracked open.
What more could I ask for in this life!
She never received her husband's love in her life, so let them be each other's only family for the rest of their lives!
Looking back, standing beside Ning Dechang, that gentle woman simply held his hand, offering him the greatest comfort without saying a word!
This is Ning Dechang's true love, Hui Niang—now the second wife of the Ning family and Ning Haochen's birth mother.
Tomorrow, Ning Dechang will leave Jiangzhou with his two wives to recuperate at their estate in the south. Ning Dechang needs time to heal his wounds, and the Ning family needs space to welcome a new beginning.
“It’s alright,” Ning Dechang said softly to Hui Niang, more like he was saying to himself, “It’s fortunate that I met you.”
He turned to look at Ning Haochen, who was patiently explaining the pastries to his brother, and a look of relief appeared in his eyes. "The Ning family still has hope."
Especially now—Ning Haochen has firmly established himself beside Crown Prince Yun Qing. This is not only the hope of the Ning family, but perhaps the beginning of an even greater transformation.
Inside the Jiangzhou government office, Yun Qing had just finished reviewing the last military report.
The grain and provisions provided by the Ning family have been deposited into the treasury, giving him more confidence to oversee Jiangzhou.
Yun Qing rubbed her temples and picked up a stack of letters from the table—the top one still had fresh ink.
Since Mu Qingcheng and Su Qingyan went to Shouchun to visit relatives, he would write letters every day, no matter how busy he was. Sometimes it was about government affairs in Jiangzhou, sometimes about what he saw on the street, and sometimes it was just a sentence like, "The peach blossoms are blooming in the south of the city today, which reminds me of the velvet flower in your hair!"
"My lord! Your letter today."
Mo Yu presented the bamboo tube, her expression somewhat wooden, the dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion.
Yun Qing took the bamboo slip and chuckled, "What's wrong? Did you run yourself ragged again?"
Mo Yu's lips twitched slightly: "Master, if you write two fewer letters, our horses can live two more years."
Yun Qing picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and began today's letter: "The little black ones are all complaining, saying I miss you so much I'm thin and my mane is long. Nuan Nuan, when will you return?"
The moonlight outside the window was like a ribbon, and he missed her raised eyebrows and smiling face.
Upon hearing that Ning Dechang was leaving Jiangzhou, Yunqing personally came to the ferry to see him off.
The river surface is shrouded in morning mist, with the gentle sound of oars.
Ning Dechang and his party had simple luggage. Two blue-curtained carriages were parked on the shore, and servants were carrying trunks onto the passenger ship.
"Your Highness's personal presence is an honor I cannot accept." Ning Dechang was about to bow when Yun Qing stopped him.
"Lord Ning has rendered meritorious service in Jiangzhou, and personally... Haochen is my right-hand man, so it is only right that I see him off."
Hui Niang and Qin Shi got off the carriage behind them intimately.
Today, Hui Niang wore a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and her hair was styled with only a single gold hairpin, a very simple outfit.
Qin Shi was even more plain, with no ornaments on her head except for a hairband, as if she wanted to sever all the ties of the first half of her life and start anew.
Qin helped Hui Niang up, and the two of them bowed to Yun Qing together.
Yun Qing nodded in return, and Hui Niang's gaze lingered on Yun Qing's face before suddenly stopping. Her eyes flickered between joy and sorrow, her expression shifting between light and dark. Her lips began to tremble, and she gripped Qin Shi's arm tightly, her knuckles turning white.
She stared intently at Yun Qing's face, examining every inch from her brow bone to her jawline, as if trying to identify an ancient painting that had been lost for many years.
“So much like…so much like…” she murmured, her voice as soft as broken spider silk.
Ning Dechang sensed something was amiss: "Hui Niang?"
Hui Niang didn't answer. Her eyes quickly reddened, and large tears rolled down her cheeks without warning. Then, her body went limp, and she fell forward.
"Huiniang!" Qin exclaimed in surprise.
Ning Dechang rushed forward and caught Hui Niang before she fell to the ground. Hui Niang, in his arms, was as pale as paper, with tears streaming down her face, soaking the cloud pattern on his sleeves.
"Quickly summon a doctor!" Yun Qing said in a deep voice.
"No...no need..." Hui Niang opened her eyes, reaching out to grab the hem of Yun Qing's clothes tightly, her nails almost digging into the brocade: "Your Highness...let me see you...let me see you again..."
Ning Dechang and the Qin family looked at each other in bewilderment.
Ning Haochen rushed over and was stunned when he saw what was happening: "Mother?"
Hui Niang struggled to stand up straight, but still refused to let go of Yun Qing. Her gaze was fixed on his face, her eyes filled with overwhelming grief, burning guilt, and a wild, almost maddening possibility.
“I have something to say…” she gasped, each word seeming to be ripped from the depths of her heart, “I must tell His Highness… now… right now…”