After resolving his sister's matter, Lu Ming spoke briefly with her before being informed by a servant that Dong Zhuo summoned him to the Dong residence.
Upon arriving at the Dong residence, he found almost all the military officers present, sitting in the living room, some in silence. Dong Zhuo, in particular, had a dark expression, looking like he was about to kill someone in a fit of rage.
This made Lu Ming uneasy. Could it be that his affair with Dong Yuan had been exposed?
However, he glanced at Niu Fu, who was also deep in thought. When Niu Fu looked at him, he nodded and smiled slightly, which didn't seem like the expression of someone who was angry and embarrassed about being cuckolded.
This reassured Lu Ming somewhat. He waved to the others and found a seat.
Shortly after, seeing that everyone had arrived, Dong Zhuo spoke in a gruff voice, "Recently, the imperial army, led by Commander Zhang Wen, was utterly defeated by Beigong Boyu and has now retreated to Anding County, leaving us to suffer in this scorching heat."
Zhang Wen commanded at least 100,000 troops, and these 100,000 men were defeated by a rebel army of 100,000 men, poorly equipped and outnumbered.
Moreover, they suffered a crushing defeat, even losing territory in the west.
This was a disgrace, a sign of utter wastefulness.
Lu Ming's eyes flickered, lost in thought.
He had a feeling, as if fate itself had intervened, that this was his chance.
If he could establish his own independent army and obtain permission from the court, then he could develop his territory in Xiliang.
Controlling Xiliang, connecting the Silk Road—great things could indeed be accomplished!
"Currently, the court has ordered us to hold off the rebels. Gentlemen, from this day forward, return to your camps and prepare for the campaign." Dong Zhuo's voice was filled with anger. He only had a little over 30,000 men at his disposal—his trusted private army, the wealth accumulated over many years. If he were to fight the rebels head-on, even if he won, he would suffer heavy losses; if he lost, he would be further vilified by the scholars, and he might not even be able to hold onto Tao County. The situation was extremely dire.
The soldiers rose and clasped their hands in response. Each of them had a solemn expression. Clearly, fighting against overwhelming odds was no child's play, especially in terms of casualties.
When losses reach a third, an army faces collapse. It's impossible to fight to the bitter end, not even half. It's a matter of sheer willpower, and the rebels, currently on a winning streak, are riding high on morale.
Lu Ming returned home, packed his things, and bid farewell to his mother.
Upon hearing that her son was going to the battlefield, Dong Yue nearly fainted.
Fortunately, Lu Ming was supporting her. She was worried about her son; she had finally managed to ease her mind, but this was the result she received.
Lu Ming quickly helped his mother up, stroking her back. "Mother, it's alright. I'm skilled in martial arts; I'll be fine. Mother, how about we make a bet?"
Dong Yue glared at Lu Ming, her eyes brimming with tears. Since ancient times, the battlefield had been a graveyard; a wife seeing her husband off often became a widow.
"As long as you come back safe and sound, I'll be content."
"Mother, if I come back safe and sound this time, how about you give me a child?" Lu Ming asked excitedly. Having a blood relative bear his child... looking at his still-attractive mother, he suddenly felt a beastly desire.
Dong Yue knew her son's eyes all too well. This time, however, she felt no fear, only anticipation. She lowered her head and replied, "Okay, Mother promises you."
"Before that, Mother, let's do it one more time!" Lu Ming, somewhat impatient, led his mother to the room, wanting to have sex first, and then worry about the rest!
Perhaps because she feared she would never see her son again, this time the mother was very proactive. Compared to her previous passive acceptance, she was more like a wife serving her husband.
She cooperated fully, gently wiping the sweat from Lu Ming's forehead, quietly enduring her son's defilement.
An hour later, Lu Ming left home, refreshed.
Leaving only his mother lying on the bed, panting, her fair, plump flesh bearing claw marks and lip prints, her smooth forehead glistening with sweat, her eyes glazed.
Her thick pubic hair was tangled with vaginal fluid, her dark red labia majora turned outwards, revealing a thumb-sized opening, from which vaginal fluid flowed freely! The mother placed a pillow on her rounded buttocks, then struggled to raise her legs, moving her plump bottom onto the pillow to retain as much of her son's semen as possible inside her body.
She hoped to preserve her bloodline this way, so that if something bad happened, at least she would have something to hold onto.
Three days later, Dong Zhuo led his army to Nan'an, intending to set up camp. There, he planned to ambush Han Sui's generals who were on their way to support Beigong Boyu, forcing Beigong Boyu to turn back, and then seeking an opportunity for a decisive battle.
This was Li Ru's idea. Fighting the 100,000-strong, highly motivated rebel army at this time would likely result in more losses than gains; it was better to focus on blocking reinforcements.
Lu Ming had been learning alongside him these past few days, and he could feel that he had gained a completely new understanding of ancient warfare.
Even his command experience had increased, as if everything could be learned and digested.
Along the way, fertile fields were destroyed, and desolate mountains and wilderness lay scattered everywhere. Occasionally, one could see the corpses of civilians, even women raped and killed. This was the chaos of war, a world where every day was uncertain.
That night, Lu Ming was assigned to keep watch with Niu Fu. At first, he thought watch would be simple, but after following Niu Fu around, he even had to obtain a password from Dong Zhuo.
The password changed every night. If you couldn't answer the password, you weren't one of their own and could be arrested.
This taught Lu Ming, a novice with no military training, a great deal. Everything was so new and exciting.
Niu Fu was very kind to Lu Ming, explaining almost everything carefully.
Perhaps it was the benefit of the strong liquor he had drunk earlier; now it was time to pay off.
Niu Fu had no idea that, while drunk, Lu Ming had engaged in lewd acts with his wife in front of him, even ejaculating inside her without a condom.
If his wife were to become pregnant in the future, it would undoubtedly be a huge cuckold's horn on his head!
After nearly seven days of marching, Lu Ming finally encountered the rebel army he had met before.
They were a mixed group of Qiang, Hu, and Han people, and they hadn't coerced any civilians into joining them.
Clearly, these people understood that while coercing civilians might bolster their power, it would destroy their future foundation. They were wise to leave themselves out, so they could meet again in the future.