The Yuan family residence, main hall.
Yuan Wei looked unwell, coughing incessantly.
He was only forcing himself to stay awake; he didn't know what was wrong. His body was becoming increasingly weak; he couldn't eat, and even drinking water felt like being cut by knives.
This was a classic case of poisoning, though he didn't yet understand how.
Lu Ming had specially prepared a poison for him to harm him; even the doctors couldn't diagnose it. Continuous fasting would lead to further weakness, eventually causing all sorts of illnesses to develop!
A weakened immune system renders one ineffective against any disease.
"Cough cough, it seems that this treacherous Lu Ming has used some method to please His Majesty. Hmph, this fiend has some skill." Yuan Wei no longer wanted to deal with Lu Ming. Firstly, his health was very poor; doctors hadn't helped, and he might need Lu Ming's help for treatment.
Saving face was secondary; survival was the primary concern.
Therefore, he didn't want to deal with Lu Ming for the time being. Secondly, Lu Ming had now allied with the Yang family, and continued coercion might push Lu Ming towards them.
The struggles within powerful families were all about talent reserves; only those with connections in court could get things done.
Yuan Shao sat at the lower end, closest to Yuan Kui, which showed Yuan Kui's high regard for him—clearly, Yuan Kui was grooming him as his successor.
However, this farce was something he had orchestrated, but the effect hadn't been good, so he was somewhat annoyed.
"Uncle is right. His Majesty has ordered the Western Garden Army to reinforce Hedong, and I will be going with them. Do you have any instructions, Uncle?"
Yuan Kui was very pleased with Yuan Shao's respect. Actually, Yuan Shao was better than Yuan Shu in terms of talent and interpersonal skills, but Yuan Shao knew how to respect him better, which was why he chose Yuan Shao.
He didn't want his power to be taken away in the future, leaving him with no status whatsoever.
"Transferring the reins to Yuan Shao will ensure a peaceful old age. This time, just await Huangfu Song's orders. He's the commander-in-chief; he'll oversee the overall situation. The Western Garden Army is newly formed; this is merely a bloodbath. His Majesty doesn't want his Western Garden Army to become toys, huh? But he doesn't understand that war is a weapon of destruction! Once destroyed, how can there be growth?"
In truth, Yuan Wei wasn't optimistic about this operation. Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun were indeed veterans, seasoned battlefield veterans, but not invincible.
They had suffered numerous defeats during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the suppression of the Western Liang rebellion; otherwise, Zhang Wen wouldn't have been chosen to lead the charge.
The current problems in Hedong are serious in some ways, but not so serious in others.
Firstly, they are serious because Mengjin Pass near Luoyang leads directly to the Hedong region. If left unchecked, it could directly threaten Luoyang's safety.
Furthermore, the ominous star reported from the Observatory moving eastward adds even more uncertainty and threat to the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
The less serious problem, of course, was that Yuan Wei knew Governor Fan Yi was exaggerating the military situation—100,000 Yellow Turbans?
Probably only 30,000 at most.
It was simply because Hedong was the territory of the Wei and Fan clans; they feared their interests would be eroded, hence their panicked plea for help.
Once the essence of the problem was understood, dealing with it became much clearer.
The solution was clear: a steady and methodical approach.
The way to deal with the Yellow Turbans was indeed a steady and methodical approach.
The Yellow Turban army consisted of bandits with no stable food supply. In a protracted war, they would inevitably collapse due to food shortages.
Therefore, a steady and methodical approach would naturally lead to victory.
Military merit was also a form of prestige; relying solely on military achievements made promotion difficult. This was a rule set by Emperor Ling himself, preventing meritorious officials from being promoted, as it would hinder his plans to amass wealth.
Therefore, it would be beneficial for Yuan Shao to gain experience and build connections before taking up his post in Bohai.
A stint outside would enhance his seniority.
Without taking up a post outside, it was unspoken that one could not rise to the position of one of the Three Dukes or Nine Ministers.
At this time, Yuan Wei had not yet considered the possibility of becoming a warlord in a chaotic era. Although the Han Dynasty was corrupt, its collapse was an unthinkable prospect.
Lu Residence.
In the master bedroom, soft moans echoed.
Lu Ming, sweating profusely, was thrusting forcefully, carrying Wu Xian's beautiful legs. The girl's tenderness and moans were driving him wild.
Today's events had been too surreal. Fortunately, his medical skills had worked, and Lady Yang had also intervened.
Now, with Emperor Ling's guarantee, there shouldn't be any major problems in the short term.
However, the seeds of hatred had been sown, and it could erupt at any time.
Therefore, now is not the time to be careless; we need to work even harder.
Wu Xian gripped the sheets tightly, her pretty face flushed with the ecstasy of orgasm. She didn't yet understand Lu Ming's prowess. He had already ravaged her mother and aunt; how could he still be so vigorous!
Her delicate lower body was repeatedly pulled by the thick penis, her vagina clinging tightly to it, leaving no gaps. This was why each thrust maximized the pleasure!
The more pleasure she felt, the tighter her vagina contracted; the tighter the contraction, the more intense the pleasure!
This cycle caused Wu Xian's eyes to gradually become hazy; she felt an urge to urinate again!
The future Queen of Shu Han!
Liu Bei's wife!
Heh!
Every time Lu Ming thought of this, he became incredibly excited, wanting nothing more than to rape Wu Xian to death!
Meanwhile, Liu Bei, still serving as a county magistrate in Gaotang County, touched his headscarf, feeling it wasn't tied properly.
If he could see his headscarf, he would be astonished—why was it tinged with green?
Moreover, leaves drifted down and landed on his head, making it look like he was wearing a green hat.
At this moment, Lu Ming felt it was about time, so he lifted Wu Xian's freshly washed, delicate white feet and bit them, pressing his entire body against hers, his long legs draped over her shoulders. He grasped her small, white hands, intertwining his fingers, their ten fingers tightly clasped, and kissed her luscious red lips, greedily sucking the girl's sweet saliva.
A tingling, pleasurable sensation surged through his penis, growing increasingly rapid. Lu Ming's breathing quickened, and his thrusting speed increased. A growing urge to ejaculate rose within him, and he pressed himself against the slender, young body, his glans rubbing against the tight vaginal opening. He felt the sensation of penetrating layers of warm, moist flesh; the tingling, pleasurable sensation opened all his pores, creating an overwhelming urge to ejaculate!
"Ew...ah...oh...so deep...ah...husband...ah...I can't take it...oh...husband...ah..."