Chapter 40: The Beauty of Whose Family is Like a Painting

  Simay arrived in Wu County for three days. In order not to attract attention, they did not live in a guest house, but rented a civilian house through connections in Wu County. For these few days, he didn't go out, and only sent his men to gather related news everywhere.

  Cao Jing was attracted by the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan on his way to Eastern Wu, and he stayed in the mansion for several days, feeling suffocated. He suggested going out for a stroll. Sima Yi did not want to stop him, seeing that there were often patrolling soldiers on the streets of Wu County, with good public order, so he no longer dissuaded him, and dispatched more than a dozen guards disguised as various people to secretly protect him.

  The Wu State capital had never suffered from war, so it was quite prosperous, comparable to Xuchang. She wasn't particularly interested in these street scenes, her goal was to get to the Inviting Moon Mountain Villa. However, Sima Yi said that arrangements hadn't been made yet, and she could only wander around the city.

  By a lake whose name she didn't know, an unusual courtyard caught her eye. The courtyard wasn't particularly luxurious, but its style was distinctly different from the surrounding buildings, with an exotic flavor she had never seen before.

  The low wall is hollow, and the flowers, grasses and trees inside can be seen. There is no gate, only a wide opening in the wall, with many young men and women coming and going. Several warriors stand at the side of the opening, but do not stop people from passing through.

  She was a bit curious and walked in. Inside, there was a two-story building with a plaque under the eaves of the second floor, inscribed "Ling'er Poetry Society".

  This poetry club was originally set up by Erniang, led by the Second Lady, Sun Shangxiang and Dage for Ling'er after Zhuge Jun rescued Zhuge Liang back.

  After the Poetry Society was established, Sun Shangxiang invited famous ladies such as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, as well as many officials and wealthy young men to attend. Even Sun Quan's wife, Lady Bu, attended one of the society's events. The Poetry Society gained a great reputation, becoming a renowned gathering place for young people in Wu County.

  That day, Ling'er invited Ma Dai to visit his poetry club. The two of them walked to the entrance of the building and saw Zhuge Jun coming in from outside. Ling'er said: "Third brother, we're going to the poetry club, why don't you come with us?"

  "He smiled and joked: 'You two go ahead, I won't be a light bulb.'"

  "What is an electric light bulb?"

  "Here we go again." He couldn't explain, so he vaguely said: "Just don't get me involved in your business, you guys play on your own. I have other things to attend to."

  Although Ling'er was already familiar with Ma Dai, going out alone together still made her a bit shy, and she felt it would be more natural to have a family member along. So she begged: "Third Brother, you don't care about me at all! The poetry club has been established for so long, but you've never gone once. This time, come with me!"

  Zhuge Jun didn't have much to do today, so he thought to himself that he had never been there before and it would be good to take a look. He asked Ling'er: "Are you sure you want Third Brother to accompany you?"

  Ling'er heard him deliberately mention "you guys", and said somewhat shyly: "Third Brother, why don't you come with me?"

  Zhuge Jian agreed with her, and several people rode horses into the city.

  Ling'er led the way in front, and several people entered the business school. As soon as they entered the courtyard, his gaze was attracted by the back of a girl. It could be seen that the girl had a slender figure, standing tall and straight, looking at the excellent poetry works announced on the bulletin board.

  Zhuge suddenly remembered a joke, a scene from Stephen Chow's comedy "Flirting Scholar": A woman with a slender figure and beautiful back appeared at the bridgehead. When she turned around, her face was full of whiskers. Who knows what her real face looks like?

  Cao Jing was admiring a poem when she suddenly felt someone watching her, so she turned around. Both of them couldn't help but light up in front of each other and stood there frozen.

  Presented before Zhuge was a 16 or 17-year-old girl, with eyebrows and eyes like a painting. Her skin was clean and slightly reflective in the sunlight. A small mouth, slender and red, with the corners of her lips slightly upturned, as if smiling without actually smiling, making one feel affectionate.

  He thought she was smiling at him, so he smiled back at her too.

  Cao Jing saw that the one looking at her was a young man of eighteen or nineteen years old, tall and straight, with a handsome face and sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a pair of clear and deep eyes, smiling at her. She thought to herself: "What a handsome man." Her heart skipped a beat, her face flushed, her complexion slightly red, and she lowered her head.

  Zhuge was deeply shocked by her beauty, and in his heart he compared her to the beauties around him. Compared to Huang Yueying's maturity and competence, Sun Shangxiang's proud and elegant demeanor, Huang Xiaoyu's gentle and obedient nature, and Ling'er's lively and lovely personality, this girl gave people a feeling of grandeur, elegance, and closeness.

  Cao Jing bravely lifted her head and smiled at Zhuge Jun. The two people's eyes intertwined and collided in mid-air, as if sparks of fire flew out.

  He was overjoyed and felt that the beauty had a good impression of him, just as he was about to go forward and greet her. Suddenly, a voice rang out from the courtyard: "Pay respects to the princess."

  "Have you come at this time?!" Zhuge Jun's heart was filled with annoyance.

  Sun Shangxiang didn't care about all that, nodded to the crowd and came before him, saying warmly: "Jun Ge, you came to the poetry club without even calling me, making me run so far to find you."

  "He smiled and said: 'It's all for your own good. Your temperament can't stand it, you're not interested in poetry, even if you came, you wouldn't like it.'"

  Sun Shangxiang said with a half-joking, half-serious tone: "Wherever you like, I'll like. What are you doing standing here? Come and take a look at my room." As she spoke, she pulled him along and headed towards the poetry club's special room reserved for her.

  Zhuge Jun turned back and took a glance, seeing that beautiful woman looking at him, but he was pulled into the building by Sun Shangxiang.

  Cao Jing had heard rumors about Sun Shangxiang and Zhuge Jun. She knew he was Zhuge Jun.

  Before she met him, she had imagined many versions of his appearance. Now that she saw the real person, he looked even more handsome than she had imagined. His piercing gaze was burning her face and also burning her girlish heart.

  Seeing Sun Shangxiang and him being intimate, Cao Jing felt a pang of sourness in her heart.