"No, no, no, Lord Lu, please, don't go. Whatever you say, it'll be fine, okay?" Feng Fang was genuinely terrified; he had no idea his fear was written all over his face.
If it weren't for fear, he would have already gone to cause trouble for Wu Kuang immediately. Why would he stand there like a coward?
Seeing Feng Fang so frightened, Lu Ming suddenly had an idea, a wicked one.
So he changed his fierce expression, donned a friendly demeanor, and even reached out to straighten Feng Fang's collar. "Captain Feng, I have a fortune to offer you. Do you want it?"
Seeing Lu Ming suddenly change his attitude towards him, Feng Fang was completely bewildered. What was this guy up to?! "What, what wealth and honor?"
"You know, fighting on the battlefield earns military merit. I have my own army, and with His Majesty's favor, I'll be fine even if I fail. But if you fail, hehe, do you think you'll have it easy?" Lu Ming grinned wickedly, half-threatening, half-insulting. He wanted to get Feng Fang into his rhythm, to let him know how dire his predicament was. "You know the Xiyuan Army has only just entered the city, and they don't have many battle-hardened veterans. This time, the rebels in Hedong County number at least 80,000, and they're long-time bandits. Do you think you're confident? Hehe, even Huangfu Song and the others are probably struggling with how to use new recruits against these bandits!"
Feng Fang grew increasingly terrified. He had never experienced being used as a scapegoat before.
But he was certain it wasn't a good thing. If they were defeated, he would likely be the first to suffer the consequences.
"My lord, save me!"
"Heh, I can save you, but why should I?" This was exactly the effect Lu Ming wanted—to see the other party in fear, so he could continue demanding more.
He wasn't interested in money; he couldn't dream of great wealth, but he could still use money to buy what he wanted!
"My lord, my lord, take whatever you want, just please save me!" Feng Fang bowed deeply to Lu Ming. He truly could only rely on Lu Ming; otherwise, if they lost the battle and he had no military merit, he would be a scapegoat.
For no other reason than that, because he was the most suitable.
The others were either from the Yuan family or the Yang family.
And Lu Ming and Jian Shuo couldn't possibly step in to convict him, so it was only him!
Seeing Feng Fang's panic, Lu Ming was very satisfied. "Don't be afraid, I will save you. Feng Fang, you know that when I quelled the rebellion in Xiliang, I could kill enemy generals as easily as taking candy from a bag."
"Yes, sir, you truly possess unparalleled bravery!" Feng Fang nodded, feeling a lingering fear as he recalled how his twenty-odd guards had been slaughtered. What kind of martial arts did his opponent possess?
To be so powerful, with such techniques and spear skills, was simply invincible!
"At that time in Hedong, I will assist you in defeating the enemy. Your credit will be yours, and no one can take it away. I will also speak highly of you before His Majesty. If you are promoted because of this, don't forget to thank me." Lu Ming began to offer empty promises, giving Feng Fang a pie in the sky that he could see but not touch. He certainly couldn't eat it now, but he could definitely imagine that all of this was based on reality.
"M-sir, you are right. What does sir want me to do?" Feng Fang was now terrified of death. While fearing death, he also coveted benefits, without even considering whether he was qualified!
"It's simple. If you're frequently in the military camp, then your daughter will become my concubine. To stabilize and persuade your daughter, let your wife come with you to my residence. It's safe there; no one can threaten them. This is a tremendous advantage. Otherwise, hmph, forget about promotion and wealth! Your attack on a court official and your attempted rebellion are enough to get you into serious trouble." Lu Ming finally revealed his ferocious fangs!
"What!" Feng Fang hadn't expected the other party to be so greedy, wanting not only his daughter but also his wife!
"What, is Lieutenant Feng finding it difficult? Since it's so difficult, I think we shouldn't do it!" Lu Ming wasn't going to tolerate him; he hadn't originally intended to use force.
But this bastard Feng Fang dared to stand him up and even wanted to fight him.
"That cowardly bully, he'll never know his place if I don't teach him a lesson!"
On one hand, there was his future; on the other, his wife and daughter. Feng Fang was caught in a dilemma.
But seeing the fierce glint in Lu Ming's eyes, and knowing the consequences of disobeying, he felt a fear, a terrified fear.
"This, sir, may I go and talk to my wife and daughter?"
"You have two quarters of an hour. When that time is up, I'll go to the Court of Justice, and then I'll go to the palace to see His Majesty and ask for his judgment!" Lu Ming's smile was bright, but to Feng Fang, he was a demon!
An absolute demon, a wicked person, a truly rotten villain!
"I...I'll go right away!" Feng Fang was kicked out by Lu Ming, practically crawling on his knees. He didn't want to die!
If he had any courage, he wouldn't have been so subservient for so many years, not daring to utter a word even when his daughter was about to be violated.
Calming himself, Lu Ming closed his eyes and began to ponder his next move.
If Feng Fang cooperated, he would take his wife and daughters home to rape and enjoy.
If they didn't cooperate, he would have to go to Emperor Ling.
This would both make Emperor Ling think he was a troublemaker and create an impression of him as a licentious and immoral ruler.
Such an impression would be extremely damaging, essentially eliminating any chance of him becoming a high-ranking official. A person with a tainted reputation cannot achieve or reach a high position.
Anyway, he didn't care. In the future, the warlords would vie for power; only those with ability would prevail.
Everything else was meaningless. Official positions?
They were merely a means to better acquire benefits, allowing him to rise from the ranks of prefect, governor, or provincial governor, instead of struggling from the bottom. That was all.
Before long, Feng Fang brought his wife and daughter over. Feng Qin was as quiet and gentle as ever, her eyes even lighting up when she saw Lu Ming.
She had thought she would be given to some repulsive man, but unexpectedly, it was Lu Ming!
This savior who had saved her life—marrying him as a concubine wasn't out of the question. She'd heard he wasn't married yet; perhaps she had a chance.