Inside the brick house, a three-room complex, the outermost section was used for offices, while the inner section was for resting.
Madam Zou went to the innermost section, removed her armor, and began setting up folding beds. She also filled and heated special wooden tubs so the men could take hot baths upon their return.
Gan Mei was also instructed to lay out animal hide blankets. When she saw the three beautiful women emerging from their armor, she was speechless with surprise.
She truly hadn't realized these three soldiers were women!
Moreover, while the other two, clearly maids, weren't as beautiful as herself, the leading young woman possessed a captivating charm—composed, mature, and alluring—a charm that could even stir the hearts of other women!
"I am Zou, my husband's concubine. His future wife is Princess Wannian, His Majesty's daughter, and also the daughter of the great scholar Cai Yong. In the future, we will both be concubines. It would be best if we supported each other and weathered difficulties together; at least we wouldn't have to worry about being punished by the principal wife without the help of our sisters." Zou spoke while busily tidying the bedding, her eyes sparkling. "Sister, are you still a virgin?"
"Ah? Yes." Gan Mei was a little embarrassed by the question and turned to look at her mother. Her mother didn't give her any hints, but silently continued with her work.
"Then, if you gain favor in the future, don't forget your older sister. Conditions in the military camp aren't very good. I'll go get you something to eat later. What would you like to eat?" Zou said with a smile. She couldn't cook, but she knew how to make simple dishes.
However, she knew Gan Mei wouldn't make any demands; it was just a polite greeting. If Gan Mei took it seriously, it would prove that Gan Mei was still immature, and that would be a good opportunity to discipline and guide her.
"No, no need. Madam, I... I'm not hungry. I... I can eat anything, as long as I have something to eat." Gan Mei quickly lowered her stance. While Madam Zou could say that, she couldn't act spoiled; she was still just a servant!
Madam Zou was already a concubine, and even a concubine had a higher status than a servant. Gan Mei wasn't ignorant, so she quickly bowed her head and admitted defeat.
Madam Zou didn't think too much about it and continued to impart some bedroom tips with a smile.
For example, she should spread her legs wider, and when being favored, it was best to place a white towel underneath. If there was blood, it would prove her innocence and please the man more.
She even used some explicit language, making Gan Mei, a virgin, blush with embarrassment and unsure how to reply.
Meanwhile, Lu Ming used the materials he obtained to upgrade the medicine box.
Each upgrade required wood, copper ore, mortar, stone, and one or two special items.
It could be clothes, wildflowers, or even bizarre things like human skin.
Once the materials are prepared, the upgrade is simply a matter of loading a menu.
No manual effort is required; it's like crafting any other item—a natural, effortless process, without hesitation or delay, as if it were innate.
Looking at the medicine chest, now expanding to 10,000 square meters, Lu Ming's heart raced.
The next upgrade requires even more materials and unlocks special functions, allowing him to build animal pens and greenhouses.
This means he can raise and cultivate animals there, no longer needing to calculate time and rebuild greenhouses every time he arrives at a new location.
And animal pens are exactly what he needs!
Both food and medicine rely on animals, and being able to raise them himself is undoubtedly better!
The benefits are numerous, but when he saw the upgrade materials, Lu Ming fell silent.
Ten thousand catties of wood, five thousand stones, three thousand portions of mortar, thirty portions of tropical roasted chicken, and thirty portions of pickled fish—it was truly a speechless sight. The ingredients for the first few dishes were ordinary, just plentiful.
The dishes themselves weren't difficult to prepare, but the ingredients were hard to come by.
A dish requires a main course, side dishes, and seasonings all to be prepared together. This requires a cooking pot; only a cooking pot can produce high-quality cuisine.
High-quality cuisine often has beneficial effects, such as improving mood and restoring satiety.
"There's always a way. Even if I take it one step at a time, I'll accumulate experience over time. I still have a chance," Lu Ming decided after only a moment of silence.
The goal was indeed difficult and required more time, but that didn't mean it was impossible to achieve.
Once he captured the ten thousand Yellow Turbans in Anze City, with them as a fresh force, logging and quarrying would be much simpler.
All he needed was manpower, so his gaze returned to the map.
After touring the military camp, Lu Ming didn't assign the prisoners to work the next day. Instead, he made them serve as auxiliary soldiers, preparing for the march and withdrawal the following day.
Then, they would march towards Anyi City, decisively defeat the Yellow Turban rebels, and incorporate them into the army.
If Huangfu Song had led the army, or anyone else like Yuan Shao or Cao Cao, they wouldn't have let these rebellious Yellow Turbans go unpunished.
Back when they besieged Zhang Jiao, they had killed 30,000 and drowned 50,000, even using the heads of the Yellow Turban soldiers to build towering mounds of corpses.
The construction of mounds of corpses has a long history, first appearing in the Spring and Autumn Period. When King Zhuang of Chu defeated the State of Jin, Pan Dang suggested building mounds of corpses from the Jin army. King Zhuang resolutely refused, believing that mounds of corpses were an ancient practice of wise rulers punishing disrespect, and that the Jin soldiers who died for their country should not be treated this way.
This shows that mounds of corpses already existed in the Spring and Autumn Period.
From the Warring States Period onwards, mounds of corpses became widespread, and their purpose remained the same: to display military achievements and intimidate enemies, whether from foreign tribes or internal rebel groups. Therefore, by not killing prisoners, Lu Ming would encounter far less resistance.
No one wants to die; living is better than dying.
Furthermore, military merit could lead to exoneration, and with the Emperor's personal guard, one could transform from a traitor into a royal lackey—a transformation that wasn't bad.
Besides, the number of positions was limited; if one didn't perform well and wasn't selected, no one could be blamed.
In fact, some had already successfully become soldiers, even though they were previously rebels.
With a living, breathing face before them, the Yellow Turban prisoners were even more convinced!
While empty promises could fool people temporarily, concrete rewards were what truly won people over and increased their loyalty.
Others couldn't do it because they lacked Lu Ming's ability to navigate complex situations, nor did they possess his superb medical and culinary skills to simultaneously win the Emperor's favor and forge an alliance with the Ten Attendants—this was a natural advantage!