"Yulan, what did the princess think when His Majesty suddenly bestowed this marriage?" After their lovemaking, with his restless heart calmed, Lu Ming asked, still fondling the woman's breasts.
Zhang Yulan thoroughly enjoyed the man's post-coital caresses; it was what she loved most. It made her feel not like a plaything, but a woman of flesh and blood, a woman cherished, a woman sexually fulfilled and happy.
"The princess is actually quite pitiful. Not long after her marriage, her husband died. It's said he fell from his horse during a race outside the city and died from his injuries. The princess is cold on the outside but kind on the inside. Her husband asked her such private questions the moment they met, so of course she was angry. Hehe, they just don't know what her husband is capable of!"
"Then, husband, is my penis big or not!" Lu Ming loved hearing women's praise, especially when he was having sex with other men's wives and daughters. Comparison was often a way for men to build confidence.
Zhang Yulan covered her mouth and giggled, rubbing her pretty face against Lu Ming's. "Of course, my husband's is bigger, especially bigger! My deceased husband wasn't even half as long as yours. Husband, I've never had a child yet, I want to have one for you!"
Besides marital relations and responsibilities, truly wanting to have a child with a man who isn't yet her husband can only be true love.
"Hmm, will the princess be jealous?" This was Lu Ming's biggest concern. He didn't want his wife to be jealous; it was very bad.
And the best way to stop her from being jealous was to have sex with her, to fuck her hard, until she couldn't control anything anymore.
"Hehe, of course not! The princess is actually very kind and compassionate. Husband, don't worry. With your abilities, you can definitely make her completely submissive. No woman can refuse your manhood here!" Zhang Yulan finished speaking and forcefully tightened her vaginal muscles, causing the walls of her vagina to grip Lu Ming's penis tightly a few times.
"Hiss! You slut!" Lu Ming roared, aroused again. Of course, another round of lovemaking ensued, leaving Zhang Yulan almost unable to walk.
With the departure for war approaching, Lu Ming spent almost every day at home playing with women, practicing martial arts, or doing some handicrafts.
The steward, Wu, reported that the shop was doing well. Besides selling roasted mutton, Zhang Rang had also allocated some coal for them to sell, and there were other jobs available, enough to make him a fortune every day.
With his established reputation and Emperor Ling's warning, no one dared to cause trouble.
The sons of noble families had all been instructed by their fathers not to provoke Lu Ming, at least not until the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Hedong was quelled and the army returned.
Otherwise, if Emperor Ling found an opportunity, he would confiscate their property, making them incredibly wealthy; no one dared to do that.
Taking this opportunity, Lu Ming also visited Wang Lang, who was about to leave for Xuzhou to take up his new post.
He was still quite interested in this famous figure who had clashed with Zhuge Liang on the battlefield and was so angered by his insults that he died.
However, Wang Lang was not impressed by Lu Ming's arrival. Although Lu Ming wasn't responsible for the confiscation of his property, his wife and daughter had been taken by Lu Ming, and given the rumors he'd heard about Lu Ming's penchant for raping other men's wives and daughters, he assumed his own wife and daughters had been violated. Therefore, he despised Lu Ming.
Lu Ming was also acting intentionally. Having already violated another man's wife and daughter, his visit to this aggrieved victim was bound to draw disdain.
Wang Lang, now appearing to be in his prime, still in middle age, would likely have already launched into a tirade if Yang Biao hadn't been there.
Lu Ming was a distinguished guest of the Yang family, and Yang Ci's tuberculosis treatment depended on Lu Ming's help; therefore, he couldn't be allowed to get into trouble.
The old man's value lay in his life, thus Lu Ming held great value.
Yang Biao, after all, had to protect Lu Ming. Summoning Lu Ming here was also to offer him some conveniences; once in Hedong, he could find Yang family vassals for assistance.
Whether it was military supplies or other matters, Lu Ming could help. This was the advantage of social connections; curing an illness wasn't a matter of a day or two, but required sustained effort.
A few days later, Lu Ming set off first.
He formed his own army, setting off with his five hundred men. Before his departure, Zhang Rang specifically came out of the palace to tell him some things.
He was told that if things went wrong, he should flee immediately, as long as he didn't die.
His survival meant Emperor Ling could live longer. No other political exchanges were mentioned, but he was given the power to act expediently.
He could also allocate personnel from local garrisons to reinforce the Western Garden Army, a significant advantage.
Furthermore, he was given the power to incorporate the Yellow Turbans; everything could be handled on a case-by-case basis. Otherwise, according to custom, rebellion meant death!
Except for a very few Yellow Turbans who were numerous and knew how to hide deep in the mountains and forests, making them impossible for government troops to suppress, anyone daring to appear on the plains and in county towns would have been wiped out long ago.
Letting Lu Ming go out now will ease the tense situation more. Having offended the general and offended the Yuan family, even if Emperor Ling was there to protect him, it would be a disaster.
If you have some merit for coming out this time, plus Princess Wannian is getting married and has the status of a relative of the emperor, you have to think carefully before you want to touch him.
After leaving Mengjinguan, what comes into view is a rugged mountainous area. Luoyang is a flat land in the middle. Even in the suburbs, there is a large dirt road.
When we get here, the roads become bumpy and bumpy, and puddles will form after rainy days.
No one came to repair the road, not even the government. Firstly, there was no money, and secondly, there was no benefit; no one would be willing to do such a thing.
Jiang Qin appeared exceptionally excited and solemn as he led his troops into battle for the first time. This was it; whether he could achieve glory or not depended on this.
The soldiers, too, were somewhat apprehensive and extremely nervous.
They feared that a large force would suddenly appear and cut them down at any moment! Actually, they were overthinking it. Most of the troops were infantry, plus two hundred auxiliary soldiers used to transport supplies. The combat soldiers were solely responsible for fighting; not separating them would only lead to a decrease in combat effectiveness.
No elite force could simultaneously perform manual labor and kill the enemy. Lu Ming appeared particularly relaxed, constantly monitoring the map.
He was also continuously exploring. Each exploration increased the progress of a map area and yielded resources, which were represented as cards. These cards would appear in his hand upon collection, while others required a loading screen to collect.
For example, gathering ginger took half an hour, and chopping down small trees also required time.
Branches, wood, stones, and berries were displayed as cards on the map panel.