Dong Zhuo returned, bringing bad news.
The rebel army had regrouped in Jincheng. Zhang Wen, the commander-in-chief of the imperial army tasked with suppressing the rebellion, advocated a decisive battle against the rebels, a battle where morale and troop strength were relatively inferior.
Furthermore, there were no strategic or tactical plans in place; it was a direct, all-out war.
Victory would mean the defeat of the rebels and the recapture of Jincheng.
Defeat would mean the imperial court would lose control of Xiliang, and even Yongzhou and the Sanfu region would be vulnerable to attack.
Lu Ming waited at the city gate and soon saw a troop of people approaching.
Leading them was a tall woman, nearly 1.8 meters tall, wearing bronze armor, carrying a long spear on her back, and a horn bow hanging in front of her horse.
Her handsome and robust figure, coupled with her deep-set eyes, gave her a striking appearance, reminiscent of a Western woman.
Beside her stood another girl, equally tall, with a baby face but surprisingly robust, like a muscular Barbie doll.
Her eyes were resolute, her skin a sallow hue, tanned by the wind and sand.
Lu Ming stepped forward to greet her, bowing to the voluptuous woman, "Greetings, Aunt." He then turned to the other girl, about his height, and smiled, "Little sister, you're back! It's so good to see you're alright."
The girl wrinkled her nose, sizing Lu Ming up and down as if seeing her brother for the first time. "Brother, I heard you're quite the fighter. Want to spar?"
This was Lu Ming's younger sister, Lu Qing. She had been close to her aunt since childhood, and as she grew older, she practiced horseback riding and swordplay with her.
She had been accompanying her aunt on her recent adventures—yes, fighting.
Her aunt, Ai Duo, was a woman from a powerful Qiang tribe, married to Dong Zhuo. This explained Dong Zhuo's considerable reputation among the Qiang people.
With his wife's support, he was able to build a career through his own efforts.
In the Three Kingdoms period, starting from scratch was simply impossible.
No one in the world truly rose from humble beginnings. Even Liu Bang, known as a rogue, was a cultured man who served as the head of the Sishui Pavilion, a vital trade route connecting land and waterways, wielding military power and cultivating numerous connections.
Such people are often considered to have risen from humble origins; to believe that would be truly absurd.
Ai Duo patted Lu Ming's shoulder heartily, even squeezing his muscles, seemingly quite satisfied. "Not bad, acting like a man now. I should have brought you along; we could have slaughtered all those bastards!"
Ai Duo's family had been attacked by other tribes and sent for help.
Ai Duo immediately set off with her private army. Her agile figure showed no signs of being a mother of three and a granddaughter.
Tall, strong, and even more remarkably, able to manage the household impeccably.
Capable in the kitchen, elegant in the living room, and even suitable for the bridal chamber—a perfect match.
"There's always a chance later. Aunt, go back and rest first. Little sister, you too," Lu Ming smiled. He dared not entertain any thoughts about his formidable aunt. It wasn't that Ai Duo wasn't pretty, but she might just get chopped up. Of course, he'd think it through before acting.
Lu Qing wrinkled her nose and straightened her armor. "I know. You go home early too."
Accompanying them into the city were dozens of Qiang female soldiers, all robust and agile women. They were Qiang women, known for their fierce nature.
Each of them could make her husband wet his pants with just a glare.
Shortly afterward, another troop of cavalry appeared in the distance—it was Dong Zhuo, who was out on a campaign.
Closely following Dong Zhuo was his son-in-law, Niu Fu, the unfortunate man who had been cuckolded by Lu Ming these past few days.
Behind them were several trusted generals, including Li Jue and Guo Si, and in the middle stood a muscular burly man with the words "Hua Xiong" prominently displayed above his head.
"Anmin, you've kept me waiting. Come with me back to the manor; there are matters to discuss." Dong Zhuo nodded to Lu Ming. This nephew's strength was not to be underestimated; he needed his help this time.
The group hurried back to the county magistrate's office, where Dong Zhuo sat imposingly in the main seat.
The chairs in the north were modern chairs, while those in Chang'an and the Central Plains were actually just cushions.
These chairs were called "Hu chairs," imported from the Hu people. Since most of their clothing lacked a lower garment and hip opening, sitting cross-legged made it easy to expose oneself and also appeared undignified.
Kneeling, with legs stretched out in front, would interfere with eating, so this method was the most suitable.
There was only one drawback: it was very uncomfortable.
Longxi County was located in the Xiliang region, a place inhabited by Qiang and Hu peoples, as well as people from the Western Regions. Therefore, they used Hu chairs, which Lu Ming found quite agreeable.
After Dong Zhuo sat down, he looked around at his generals. "The imperial commander-in-chief has ordered me to attack Jincheng and defeat the rebel Bian Zhang. Do any of you have a good plan?"
Those below were all roughnecks; they had no idea what strategies they could come up with, so they all lowered their heads and remained silent. They were fine with charging into battle, but offering advice was a bit of a challenge.
Only Li Ru pondered for a moment, looking at the map before him. "We might as well adopt a strategy of alliances and counter-alliances, instigating Ma Teng and Han Sui to separate from the rebels. We only need to promise not to pursue charges of rebellion against them. This way, we only need to deal with Bian Zhang of Jincheng. If our advance is swift, Bian Zhang won't be able to react in time, and we can conquer it."
"The strategist is right," Niu Fu was the first to jump in agreement, followed by the others, who, of course, knew nothing about it.
Only Lu Ming remained silent, head bowed. He didn't understand either, nor did he want to.
Instead, he glanced at the middle-aged man sitting opposite him, head bowed and silent. Not for any other reason than that this portly man seemed somewhat out of place among the men of Xiliang, and above his head were two characters: "Jia Xu!"
Even those who didn't read much about the Three Kingdoms knew the name Jia Xu. Leaving aside his wisdom, he was the only strategist who could switch allegiances among several lords and still enjoy a peaceful old age.
Compared to other strategists of his era, most died or were rendered useless, but he alone survived to the end.
Such a person would be a miracle in any era.
Dong Zhuo glanced around, then looked at Lu Ming. "Anmin, what are your thoughts?"
"I am a junior, learning from the experience and battle tactics of my predecessors. I will do as my uncle instructs without question." Lu Ming wasn't one to show off; the best approach was to remain silent and watch the other man display his abilities.
Focusing on his own tasks and developing his skills gradually was the key.