But when Ling Zhenfei saw the girl in the pavilion across the lake, he suddenly froze. The girl was sitting sideways in the pavilion, drawing the orchids by the lake, silent and still as if she were the most beautiful painting in the world.
Ling Zhenfei was astonished by the girl across from him. Such a beautiful girl, if not a fairy then what is she? Ling Zhenfei couldn't help but be srized.
If he wasn't mistaken, this girl was Lu Huanong. A beautiful na for an even more beautiful person. Ling Zhenfei had never imagined that Chen Qian had such a beautiful little junior.
"Clouds desire the shape of clothes and blossoms yearn for beauty, Spring Breeze brushes the door revealing a lavish Hua Nong, If not seen atop the mountain amongst a crowd of jade, then eting must occur below the moon at a jade terrace."
Ling Zhenfei couldn't help but recall Li Bai's Song of Everlasting Regret. Wasn't the artistic conception of this poem exactly like the current mont? Perhaps Li Bai had the sa thoughts when he wrote this exquisite poem.
Legend has it that Li Bai wrote this Song of Everlasting Regret in Chang'an when he was at the Hanlin Academy. Once, Emperor Tang Ming and Yang Guifei were at Chenxiang Pavilion admiring the peonies; the flowers were beautiful and the lady even more so. Taken by a sudden whim, Emperor Tang Ming commanded Li Bai to compose three Song of Everlasting Regret.
Li Bai effortlessly produced eternal lines. Ling Zhenfei felt that Li Bai, like him, must have seen Yang Guifei from a distance in the pavilion, her beauty striking as a fairy, which inspired such poetry.
As he mused, Ling Zhenfei unconsciously recited the Song of Everlasting Regret aloud. Hearing the sound, Lu Huanong in the pavilion turned her head towards Ling Zhenfei and smiled gently upon seeing him.
That smile was even more beautiful, truly a smile that could captivate the hearts of cities. Lu Huanong's smile had such charm that it made Ling Zhenfei's heart race.
"Hello, you must be Mr. Ling. Co over and let's talk," Lu Huanong said to Ling Zhenfei with a smile.
Ling Zhenfei didn't dare to delay, he hurriedly quickened his pace around the cloister to the opposite pavilion. Getting closer to Lu Huanong, he could better appreciate her stunning beauty. Indeed, she wore ancient attire that swayed with the wind, almost as if she exuded an aura of immortal qi.
"Hello, are you Miss Lu Huanong? Chen Qian asked to find you," Ling Zhenfei said, sowhat nervously.
Lu Huanong smiled and replied, "My senior brother had already told ahead of ti. Please have a seat."
Ling Zhenfei sat across from Lu Huanong. He could now see what she had been painting: a light ink orchid that with just a few strokes captured the spirit of the flower, truly the work of a master.
"Miss Lu, your painting is really quite remarkable. It has the charm of Zhao ngfu," Ling Zhenfei couldn't help but praise.
"Does Mr. Ling also study traditional Chinese painting?" Lu Huanong asked, slightly surprised.
Ling Zhenfei quickly waved his hand and said, "I rely like it, it's not really a study."
Lu Huanong laughed, "Mr. Ling is too modest. My orchid painting is indeed imitating Zhao ngfu's ink orchids. The fact that you can see that shows you do have an understanding."
Ling Zhenfei was astonished. He had indeed studied traditional Chinese painting when he was in university, which is why he could recognize that Lu Huanong's painting resembled the style of Zhao ngfu.
Ling Zhenfei could only laugh awkwardly, "Miss Lu flatters . I did study traditional Chinese painting for a period during university, but that was many years ago. I was just making a casual remark just now, it really was showing off in front of an expert."
"Please, Mr. Ling, you're being too polite. My senior brother called saying you were starting a business together in Binyang. My unreliable senior brother hasn't troubled you, has he?" Lu Huanong changed the subject to ask Ling Zhenfei.
"Not at all. Brother Chen is exceptionally talented and thoughtful in his actions. How could he be unreliable?"
Ling Zhenfei asked Lu Huanong in a very strange manner. Ling Zhenfei could tell that although Lu Huanong was younger than him, she spoke and conducted herself with remarkable composure, like a very quiet young lady, serene as the orchid next to her.
"Then, I wonder why Mr. Ling has co to see today," Lu Huanong asked.
"Miss Lu, I am quite curious about sothing. My visit here was decided on a whim last night, and I didn't ntion it to Chen Qian, but I just heard that you had sohow predicted I would co to see you today. Is that true?" Ling Zhenfei asked with curiosity.
Lu Huanong said with a smile, "Yes, it is indeed true. It was simply a guess."
"To guess so accurately, could it be true that so people can really use fortunetelling to predict the future?" Ling Zhenfei asked in surprise.
Lu Huanong calmly stated, "There are many things in this world beyond our understanding. Divination and fortune telling are just one of the skills passed down by our ancestors, much like the miracles of traditional Chinese dicine in China."
"Perhaps so people say that divination and fortune telling are fake. I think there are many who doubt the healing power of traditional Chinese dicine as well, but would you say that traditional Chinese dicine is fake?"
After Lu Huanong finished speaking, Ling Zhenfei was stunned because, indeed, both traditional Chinese dicine and divination were handed down by the ancestors, and divination was even more ancient. Many questioned the effectiveness of traditional Chinese dicine, but Ling Zhenfei was well aware of its profound effectiveness; wasn't he using traditional Chinese dicine to treat illnesses? In fact, it had proven to be more powerful than any other dical science.
"Your point is valid, but why is divination and fortune telling not recognized now?" Ling Zhenfei was still curious.
Lu Huanong explained, "Many people doubt the reliability of fortunetelling and face reading because the authentic lineage has indeed dwindled. There are few who genuinely possess the real skill. Casual practioners who study the 'Book of Changes' for a couple of days dare to tell fortunes beneath the bridges. Such people, of course, cannot make accurate predictions, and over ti this has led to the belief that all forms of divination and fortune telling are fake."
"So that's how it is." Ling Zhenfei felt as if a fog had been lifted from his understanding.
"So, Miss Lu, since Chen Qian sent to see you, it ans you must possess the genuine skill," Ling Zhenfei remarked.
"But you still haven't told what you really ca for," she responded.
Ling Zhenfei quickly laid out his and Chen Qian's plans to Lu Huanong, seeking her counsel.
After listening, Lu Huanong laughed, "My senior brother is really sothing. Do you feel curious? Even though I'm not educated in economics and managent, nor have I ever been involved in investnt, my senior brother asked you to co to ?"
Ling Zhenfei nodded. Indeed, this matter had greatly puzzled him. eting Lu Huanong, he could sense that she appeared to be a fairy untouched by worldly dust; how could she possibly analyze their plan?
"Yes, Miss Lu, I am very curious," he admitted.
Lu Huanong spoke with slight helplessness, "He wanted to read the heavenly secrets for you."
Ling Zhenfei was taken aback and urgently asked, "What do you an by reading the heavenly secrets?"
Without saying another word, Lu Huanong simply revealed a faint smile, stood up, and walked towards a cleared spot in the pavilion. There was a small chest near the edge of the pavilion; she opened it and took out a small packet, then brought it over to the table.
Lu Huanong spread out a piece of white cloth on the table and then took out a tortoise shell and three copper coins from the small packet.
Seeing Lu Huanong's actions, Ling Zhenfei realized she was preparing for divination. It was his first ti seeing divination with the use of a tortoise shell, and he dared not speak, simply watching Lu Huanong intently.
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