After several days of halted travel, the merchants stranded in Didao set off again.
This time, they discovered that the newly constructed cement road was much wider and smoother.
With such a road, travel was comfortable, and transport could be much faster.
Building bridges and repairing roads was a great thing, a great act of charity, but also the least profitable.
Lu Ming didn't adopt a toll-based model; instead, he adopted a free model.
To collect money, transportation had to be improved, trade routes established, and sufficient profits secured before charging fees.
Then, merchants who had tasted the benefits would certainly be willing to pay. As for those unwilling to pay, they shouldn't do business; the losses would fall on them, not Lu Ming.
If they didn't do it, someone else would.
With a solid foundation, anything could be done later. Without a good foundation—transportation routes, a stable environment, and the necessary markets—everything else was meaningless.
Besides building roads, Lu Ming also constructed many watchtowers around Didao.
Building camps near key routes is a unique construction method. Camps require blueprints to unlock and are not considered special city facilities, yet they can still affect the city.
Campaigns increase the security of surrounding cities. Better security leads to lower crime rates, faster population inflow, and accelerated development.
Campaigns can be upgraded to fortresses using resources. Placing a single troop in a fortress can prevent bandits exceeding one hundred men from roaming the surrounding area.
Effectively, this prevents raids by Western Region tribes like the Yuezhi. A single fortress, similar to a landlord's stronghold, plus a 500-man garrison, is sufficient.
That day, Lu Ming was still handling official business when Lin Rong entered with a letter.
Opening it, he found intelligence from scouts.
As Lu Ming read the letter, he pondered whether he should appoint someone to oversee intelligence work.
Currently, this intelligence department was established by Xu Shu, utilizing the characteristics of wandering knights.
The advantage is that it can be easily disseminated, but the disadvantage is also obvious: the personnel involved are diverse, making leaks easy.
However, currently, there isn't a suitable candidate, so he's somewhat helpless.
"Go and summon Lady Yingchun," Lu Ming ordered again. Summoning a woman is definitely not a good thing.
"Yes, my lord," Lin Rong said and left. He only went to instruct others to summon her; he didn't move, acting like a steward responsible for relaying orders.
Shortly afterward, Jia Yingchun arrived, her face flushed. At this time, she was actually still tidying her room.
Not long ago, Lu Ming's mother, Dong Ya, arrived in Didao under military escort, along with his concubines.
Somewhat surprisingly, his maternal grandmother also came and moved into his residence.
His aunt and cousin, Dong Yuan, were still living outside the residence; after all, Dong Zhuo and Niu Fu were still alive, and it wasn't appropriate to be too forward.
"Husband," Jia Yingchun's voice was sweet and soft, her eyes sparkling with a hint of flattery.
Ever since Diaochan became pregnant, she had been frequently arranged by Madam Wang Yi to serve him in bed. Lu Ming's sexual desire was heightened, requiring many women to relieve his pent-up lust. With the concubines already pregnant, the number of unprepared women was even smaller.
While the brothel was a nice place, it was fine for casual fun. If Lu Ming became addicted to it long-term, it would be a joke, a disgrace to all the women.
So many beautiful women, and he couldn't even control his husband—what a joke!
"Come here, squat down, and take it in your mouth. Siqi, come with me too," Lu Ming leered. He actually quite liked this method.
When he was thinking or working, having a woman sucking his penis not only accelerated adrenaline secretion but also kept his mind alert, making his thinking faster.
"Yes, husband," Jia Yingchun replied, her eyes lowered, her face flushed with shyness.
"Yes, Master." Siqi was quite nonchalant; after all, they'd already been used. Weren't maids meant to be used?
As Jia Yingchun and Siqi crawled under the table and sucked his penis, Lu Ming squinted his eyes in pleasure.
Power was wonderful, and ancient times were wonderful too—the ability to control women at will.
"What were you doing just now, Yingchun?"
*Pop!*
Jia Yingchun spat out Lu Ming's penis, her eyes beginning to well up with desire, and her crotch becoming slightly wet.
Knowing Lu Ming as she did, when he licked his penis, it was actually a time of preparation; he would definitely use her later, or at least ejaculate inside her to be satisfied.
"Practicing yoga with Lin Daiyu, and just now playing badminton for a while."
This reminded Lu Ming that Lin Daiyu and her mother, Jia Min, had also been arranged to live in the mansion, both residing in the backyard—essentially pre-selected women, just without any sexual encounters.
Jia Min's health was poor, so she had been taking medicinal diets.
Lin Daiyu's health was also poor; she was frail and needed nutritional supplements to regulate her body and improve nutrient absorption. She also needed exercise.
Jia Min would definitely practice yoga. Aunt Yu had been urging her to, warning her that if she didn't listen, she might be violated. For the sake of her chastity, she should practice; a little shame was better than being defiled.
Aunt Yu, this experienced housekeeper, was also a skilled pimp. While Lu Ming played the bad guy, she played the good guy, advising the woman to submit. One good, one bad, a double act!
"Lin Daiyu!" Lu Ming stroked his chin, while Jia Yingchun felt the penis in her mouth grow even larger; her husband was excited!
She felt a pang of jealousy but didn't want to show it.
It was obvious that Lin Daiyu had moved in, even changed into her underwear and was practicing yoga. Even if this was the treatment of a guest, a guest wouldn't mingle with the master's wives and concubines; this was clearly a concubine yet to be married!
"I'll go check on her later. Alright, you all come up here. Who wants to go first?" Lu Ming felt it was about time. Looking at Yingchun's face, he began to get excited. Liangzhou was now under his control.
He only needed to spend a few months boosting the business, then pressure the four major families' industries, gradually eroding them, and then forcing them, and then the other women could still be his!
The Four Beauties of the Jia Family!
Jia Yuanchun, Jia Yingchun, Jia Tanchun, Jia Xichun!
He wanted them all!
Siqi was a head maid. Even though she was outspoken and fiery, she didn't dare compete with her mistress at this moment. Of course, she let her mistress, Jia Yingchun, enjoy herself first.
A maid who rose through the ranks by relying on her master, her status was always low, but it was still much better. She couldn't let her secret be exposed now.