A concubine's status and position were far inferior to that of a wife, even lacking in power. She could be disposed of at will, even sold off.
Therefore, when Fa Zheng learned that his mother had been made a concubine, it was already a testament to his good temper that he didn't beat Lu Ming on the spot!
Of course, even if he wanted to, he couldn't win!
"The borderlands are chaotic and war-torn; having some military equipment for self-defense is normal. Xiaozhi, let me be frank. Your mother and sister are no different from my wives in my heart. Even if I marry in the future, I will marry someone who isn't jealous. You see, I own thousands of miles of fertile land. If your mother suffers any injustice, I can find a house for them to settle down and ensure they aren't bullied. However, you must believe me, I am the master of this household. Your mother and sister were captured by the rebel army and are to be sent to Bian Zhang and his men, and then they will wander the grasslands. You should know how cruel the grasslands are."
"If you really want to protect your mother and sister, then work for me. Once you have enough power, no one will dare to bully them. Even their children will need you, their brother and uncle, to protect them!" Lu Ming spoke frankly; he now needed someone to help him in his military campaigns.
Bravery is a prerequisite, not necessarily the ability to single-handedly charge into enemy ranks and slaughter everyone.
Once you become wary, it's easy to get yourself into trouble!
"My lord, allow me to consider it further." Fa Zheng frowned, but did not refuse again.
In fact, this was already a settled matter. Yesterday, his sister, Fa Shu, came to see him and mentioned this issue.
She said she was very happy now. She was already a married woman, and her husband had died, so she could remarry.
Lu Ming treated her very well, and she was happy now. She hoped her brother could work under Lu Ming, which would provide her with some security.
At that time, he was already somewhat wavering, considering whether or not to accept it. Sometimes people have many unavoidable problems and circumstances. In a society governed by human relationships, one cannot simply remain aloof.
The two walked around the artisan camp. Lu Ming nodded to the artisans but did not seek out Ma Jun, who was focused on researching new things.
He had also contacted other artisans through unique channels, artisans similar to those of the Mohists.
Ever since Emperor Wu of Han's extravagant promotion of Confucianism, the flourishing schools of thought had declined.
The School of Diplomacy, the School of Novelists, the School of Names, the School of Miscellaneous Thinkers, the School of Agriculture—many renowned schools of thought have faded into obscurity, leaving only the Legalist School barely surviving.
Therefore, finding suitable talent is already quite difficult. It's largely a matter of fate; perhaps some remnants can be utilized.
"Store up grain, delay declaring yourself king. The world is in chaos, heroes rise up everywhere. The Yellow Turban Rebellion continues, yet the court has taken no corresponding action. Are kings and generals born with a special destiny?" Lu Ming's spirits were high; he had always been dedicated to improving his assets.
Farmland needs good fertilizer to mitigate the drawbacks of years of continuous cultivation.
Without fertilizer, the land lacks fertility and becomes barren.
Nowadays, good fields are left fallow for two years, medium-quality fields for one year, and inferior fields are unusable, resulting in low yields—all because of the lack of fertilizer.
The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details.
Fa Zheng had also realized these past few days that Lu Ming's recruitment of these people was all preparation for expansion. Good farmland, when cultivated well, would yield more grain to feed more people.
More people meant more soldiers, tax revenue, and more talent.
Although progress seemed slow, this mindset proved he was unwilling to be subservient.
Lu Ming was dissatisfied with this situation.
He wasn't a county magistrate now and couldn't do much.
He could only try to make changes within his own territory. If fundamental changes were impossible, he'd become a large landowner; his own land was his to control, and no one would criticize him.
Distributing land to displaced people would only lead to other landowners seizing it—a futile effort; he'd rather do it himself.
After touring the artisan camp, Lu Ming instructed Ma Jun to find a way to create some mining tools for collecting stone and ore. With raw materials, other research would have sufficient resources.
After finishing, Lu Ming went to the Dong residence.
"Anmin, thank you for coming to see your aunt again! Where's Xiaoqing?" Aunt Ai Duo's smile remained unchanged. Having given birth to three children, she had gained some weight, but her figure remained plump without showing any signs of obesity.
Her features were more striking, possessing an exotic beauty. She had been riding horses for years, even after marriage, and her tall stature gave her a striking, Western-style allure.
"Aunt, is your maternal family facing any difficulties? Tell me about it. Uncle is busy with other things, and I should help him out." Lu Ming cut to the chase, always comparing Dong Yuan and his aunt. Both mother and daughter were exceptional, but Dong Yuan was still a young woman, youthful and smooth, while his aunt, though older, possessed a unique charm.
The seeds of incest sprouted in his heart. Once the heart is corrupted, everything appears corrupt!
The allure of that burly, Western-style woman stirred within him a strong urge to subdue her.
Aunt Ai Duo glanced at him with some surprise, waved for the maid to leave, and picked up a teacup. "Did your uncle tell you to do this, or did you decide to do it yourself?"
"Grandma told me. Aunt has always taken good care of me since I was little, and now that I can help her, I naturally won't stand idly by." Lu Ming looked up at the voluptuous mature woman before him. Her tall figure was particularly alluring; if she were shorter, she would appear obese and bloated, but now she was just right, like those voluptuous foreign women.
Aunt Lu Ming stroked the teacup, seemingly considering something. "Didn't your uncle tell you?"
"No, perhaps he's too busy. Aunt, just tell me. If it's convenient, I'll take care of it in the next few days. If not, we can deal with it when I get back. As long as you trust me, I will definitely handle it." Lu Ming didn't know what was going on, but since his grandmother had said so, he definitely had to inquire. It might be something difficult to handle.
The conversation had already reached this point; it was clear what was going on. Although her aunt was saddened by her husband Dong Zhuo's apparent indifference, she was fortunate to have Lu Ming, a nephew almost the same age as her son.