In Nanpi City, at the Qi Prince's Mansion, formerly Yuan Shao's residence, now requisitioned by Lu Ming, Tian Feng accompanied a thin, bearded middle-aged scholar who appeared somewhat frail.
This was Ju Shou, another great talent under Yuan Shao.
Lu Ming had originally planned to have sex with the older sister for half an hour, but it ended up taking an hour before he ejaculated inside her.
After hurriedly wiping himself off, he came out to greet his guest.
However, to be courteous to a scholar, being late was not a good thing.
But as a prince, he certainly had the right and the confidence to do so!
"Greetings, my lord. This is Ju Shou."
Tian Feng introduced, "Gongyu, this is His Highness the Prince of Qin!"
"This sinful subject, Ju Shou, greets the Prince of Qin."
Ju Shou bowed to Lu Ming, assuming Lu Ming's lateness was a sign of his power, unaware that it was simply because Lu Ming was delayed by women.
"No need for formalities. Sir, you possess the talent to save the world, but lack a wise ruler. Yuan Shao is decisive but lacks strategy; if he were to heed your words, the fate of Ji Province would be truly uncertain. Now that you are willing to surrender to me, I will certainly give you an important position."
Lu Ming acknowledged Ju Shou's talent, but only to a certain extent.
He wouldn't admit how formidable the other was; even if he fought with all his might, defeating him would be extremely difficult.
Ju Shou was speechless, unsure what to say.
If it weren't for Yuan Shao's desire to enjoy his later years in peace, and fulfilling his duty, he wouldn't have surrendered to Lu Ming. Even the winner doesn't need to be so arrogant!
"What the King of Qin says is true. Ju Shou is willing to surrender, only hoping that the King of Qin will allow my lord to enjoy his old age in peace."
"He has caught a cold, and I have already sent a physician to take care of him. Ju Shou, governing Youzhou is not easy. What you think in your heart is none of my concern, as long as you do your job well."
Lu Ming's tone was calm. Getting genuine submission might be difficult, but as long as they worked honestly, it wouldn't be too difficult.
"Please rest assured, King of Qin, I have been entrusted with a task, and I will be loyal to it. I, Ju Shou, will not go back on my word."
Ju Shou couldn't stand being questioned. His body was in the Qin army, but his heart belonged to the Yuan family; he would not do anything rebellious.
"Among my former colleagues, there is also Shen Pei, who is very talented. I would like to invite Shen Pei to assist me in governing Youzhou."
Shortly afterward, Shen Pei was also brought over.
He still looked resentful. He only chose to work under Lu Ming out of courtesy.
Moreover, since Yuan Shang was already serving under Lu Ming, they weren't exactly in an awkward position.
"I'll grant your wish."
Lu Ming clapped his hands after speaking, and a guard entered, placing a map of Youzhou on the screen.
"This is the map of Youzhou. Now I'll tell you my thoughts."
His so-called thoughts were essentially his will. Lu Ming spent a whole day explaining things to the two of them, including the situation in Guanzhong.
Ju Shou and Shen Pei's expressions gradually changed, from initial resentment to quiet listening.
During this time, Ju Shou would ask some questions.
"Do you have any doubts?"
Lu Ming talked all day, and then conveniently invited them to stay and enjoy hot pot together. Hot pot is a great way to build rapport and strengthen relationships.
Eating beef and mutton hot pot, chatting, and drinking a little wine—a truly delightful day.
"The King of Qin's plan is inconceivable; powerful clans and aristocratic families are an insurmountable hurdle. Even when he first ruled Nanpi, he was severely hampered."
"The King of Qin's ability to swiftly pacify Xiliang, seize Guanzhong, and now dominate Yizhou, Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Youzhou truly demonstrates his extraordinary abilities."
Ju Shou, unusually, offered a rare compliment, not out of flattery, but because it was the truth.
Lu Ming could achieve this because he controlled productivity and possessed leading technological capabilities.
He eliminated all other powerful landlords and magnates, becoming the strongest himself, thus establishing a dictatorial rule.
Dictatorship isn't inherently bad; it creates highly centralized power, where subordinates do whatever the leader says—a good thing.
The only drawback is that if the leader is incompetent, it can easily lead an empire to its demise!
Lu Ming's approach was built on his ability to control the overall direction.
Therefore, his territory developed rapidly. Hired farmers could earn a living by following him, and there was also handicraft production; those without money could exchange their labor.
Surplus goods were sold to various regions through commerce, and the Silk Road led to the Western Regions, acquiring unique seeds and other exotic goods.
It's no exaggeration to say that Lu Ming's territory was the most prosperous. Even Yizhou, a place lacking..." No place ravaged by war can compare.
Furthermore, he possesses a rich cultural heritage, cultivating his own scholars, and has access to blank paper and printing technology.
He completely crushes other warlords in every way. Even a simple sweep could be enough to overwhelm them with sheer wealth!
With Jia Xu managing internal affairs, Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang assisting with strategic planning, and powerful generals like Ma Chao and Zhao Yun leading the way, defeat is inevitable.
If he were in a hurry, he could already be in Jingzhou.
But he's not in a hurry, not at all. Even with the upper hand, he prefers to... Once the territory is well-managed, then gradually push forward.
Wearing the enemy out step by step—this strategy is arguably the most despair-inducing. Because it's fair and square, seemingly invincible, only the stronger can possibly win.
Understanding the cause and effect, coupled with the domineering aura emanating from Lu Ming's explanation, made the two involuntarily compare themselves to Yuan Shao.
This sad realization revealed that they were merely bowing to the Yuan family's four generations of high-ranking officials.
"Back then, the Yuan family held high office for four generations, with disciples and former officials throughout the land, and they imposed a blockade on me. At that time, finding a scholar was difficult. Now, I have no shortage of scholars. You ignored me then, but now you can't even reach me!" "
Lu Ming laughed heartily, picking up his wine glass, his expression one of utter smugness and arrogance.
He seemed utterly unconcerned about his image, or perhaps, when you possess enough power, you yourself become an image; even your farts smell sweet.
"Perhaps there's a set of rules in this world. The Spring and Autumn Period had its rules for vying for supremacy. The Warring States Period had its rules, and the Qin Dynasty had its own. And the subsequent Chu-Han Contention and the establishment of the Han Dynasty all followed the same rules.
"These rules are invisible to you. But at the beginning of the Han Dynasty, there were no so-called aristocratic families.
"Do you know how simple it was to govern a city back then?
'Arrest the richest person in the area, behead them, and the city will be so peaceful that no one will pick up lost items on the streets!'