All night, Ma Chao tossed and turned in the inn, unable to sleep. Now that he had submitted to Lu Ming, the thought of his sister being brutally violated by Lu Ming filled him with resentment.
He, Ma Chao, a man of stature, was now relying on his sister for the rest of his life. Was he really that pathetic?
Meanwhile, Ma Dai beside him seemed completely unfazed, casually playing around.
In truth, it didn't concern him much. As a member of the Ma family, Ma Dai's motto was stability and loyalty.
He had pledged allegiance, and once decided, there was no going back. That was the truth.
Lu Ming was quite pleased. He deliberately gathered the smaller concubines together, making them kneel on the bed, their buttocks facing him—pink daisies, moist, plump vulvas, and white, rosy feet with sexy, rounded toes.
Looking from behind, each buttock was uniquely shaped and distinctive; some were wheat-colored, others were fair and plump—all young girls!
The room echoed with women's moans, continuing until well past midnight.
Lu Ming had Jia Yingchun in his left arm and Diao Chan in his right, two beautiful concubines.
One was serene and gentle, the other alluring and seductive—it was like experiencing the contrast of hot and cold.
Stroking Jia Yingchun's delicate body, Lu Ming thought of the fiery Wang Xifeng and the other women in the Jia family.
He licked his lips. Once he controlled Liangzhou, with its thriving commerce, advanced technology and industry, strengthened military, and stockpiled grain, he would be a hegemon!
Besides, Emperor Ling didn't have many years left to live; he'd probably kick the bucket after the New Year. He would definitely have to go to Luoyang to get a share of the spoils.
The ticket to entry, of course, is a powerful army. The power struggles among the nobility, in the end, are all about who has more people!
Jia Yingchun was unaware that Lu Ming was fantasizing about her sisters again. Feeling the man's heartbeat, her eyes held a hint of infatuation as she looked at Lu Ming.
From initial reluctance to now somewhat actively swaying her hips, hoping to get Lu Ming's attention, this change was the most accurate reflection of her feelings.
The more women he had, the lower the chance of being chosen.
Since the increase in women was unstoppable, why not take the initiative and use this opportunity to demand more semen, hoping to get pregnant and have someone to rely on?
"What are you thinking about, my husband?" Jia Yingchun asked curiously, but immediately regretted it. Women shouldn't ask so many questions about their men's affairs.
She remembered the teachings of her matriarch, Grandmother Jia.
Before Yingchun could apologize, Lu Ming said, "I need to go out for a few days to take care of some things. Liangzhou is nice, but it's not a place to stay forever. All I've done is so you can enjoy wealth and luxury, and not suffer."
"Husband! You're so good!" Diaochan kissed Lu Ming first, her face glistening with sweat, and whispered sweetly, "No matter what, I'm your woman, regardless of poverty or wealth, I belong to you."
Material necessities are definitely needed; otherwise, the daily necessities of food, fuel, and other necessities would be enough to drive anyone crazy.
This wasn't a joke, but the truth.
If basic necessities can't be guaranteed, what's the point of talking about love?
After all, you need to eat to survive, and sex can't fill your stomach!
"Husband, you're so good. Compared to you, my father and uncles aren't even human," Jia Yingchun said, her voice filled with unspeakable resentment. She was essentially given away as a free gift, without even a dowry, only two jade bracelets, a gift from Grandmother Jia. This would have been a disgrace to her in her husband's family.
Fortunately, she married well and wasn't subjected to bullying or beatings.
Many women, if their families weren't powerful enough, were abused to death after marriage. Even palace beauties could be poisoned; the situation was even more dire for ordinary women.
Jia Yingchun was merely timid, not that she wouldn't fight back.
She simply preferred to keep everything bottled up inside, only erupting when she could no longer bear it.
This shows just how despicable Jia She was. He wanted to profit, but he didn't realize he'd been manipulated, used as a tool, and then met his match in Lu Ming, a formidable obstacle that shattered instantly!
"You'll all be fine from now on, so don't worry anymore. Serve me well, just suck my cock, no suffering, very good!" Lu Ming finally spoke his mind. Good heavens, making a woman suck his cock—you need money to say that. Without money, you can't do anything.
The next day, Lu Ming, along with Ma Chao and Xu Shu, met up with his aunt, sister, Wang Yi, and Ma Yunlu, and set off.
He brought Ma Yunlu along because she had Qiang blood; taking her along would give him something to say to his sister.
Wang Yi volunteered to come. Her father had helped Cheliji, who was now the king of the largest tribe in Western Qiang, and she could use that to persuade him.
Wang Yi wasn't a weak woman; she was quite the swordswoman.
Intelligent, literate, and skilled in martial arts, she was a refined lady, the epitome of a good wife.
She was beautiful and had a good personality, so her mother liked this daughter-in-law very much.
Having her mother-in-law like her was a good thing; it meant fewer problems and troubles later on, and a much more harmonious relationship.
However, this didn't mean everything was fine. Wang Yi didn't want to be just a pretty face; she wanted to demonstrate her abilities and earn Lu Ming's respect, not just his unconditional affection.
She also needed to show some achievements to convince and subdue the other concubines. Why should he be the principal wife while the other women were relegated to concubines?
Having a princess as a secondary wife put considerable pressure on Wang Yi.
Sometimes Wang Yi wondered if Lu Ming had withstood a lot of pressure to marry her; otherwise, why would he have come back to marry her?
He could have simply married the princess directly.
And it wasn't an act; he genuinely cared for her. This moved Wang Yi deeply, so she volunteered to repay her husband.