Immediately, Lu Ming went to visit Wang Yun's residence the next day.
Wang Yun's residence, as an imperial censor, was similar in size to Lu Ming's, and it was rumored that he was backed by the Langya Wang clan.
Otherwise, a truly incorruptible imperial censor would never be able to afford such a large mansion.
Upon hearing that it was a high-ranking official visiting, the servants at the gate dared not show any disrespect and hurriedly went inside to report. They came out after a while and led Lu Ming into the residence.
Wang Yun's eldest son, Wang Gai, entered the living room, cupped his hands in greeting to Lu Ming, and said with a less than pleasant expression, "My name is Wang Gai. My father is bedridden and unable to greet me. Please forgive me, High-Ranking Official."
"It's alright. I have some medical knowledge and can examine Imperial Censor Wang. What do you think, sir?" Lu Ming had only come to mock him and, incidentally, to see if he could discover Diao Chan.
To obtain Diao Chan, Wang Yun needed a taste of his own medicine first—hence the reason for treating him.
"Excellent! General, please." Wang Gai was overjoyed; Lu Ming's medical skills were renowned.
Even Emperor Ling had sent him back from suppressing a rebellion in Hedong County, demonstrating the unparalleled excellence of his medical abilities.
If the Emperor praised him, who would dare disagree?
In truth, Wang Yun was in his current state because of a single punch from Lu Ming. Had he not been relatively robust, he would likely have been killed.
Wang Yun had considered revenge, as the Yuan family, backed by him, had been constantly causing trouble for Lu Ming.
However, Lu Ming was now a General, a position that, at this stage, officially entered the ranks of the powerful and influential.
Furthermore, he had married the princess, becoming the Emperor's son-in-law. Anyone wanting to harm him would have to think twice.
Being injured by his enemy and now relying on that enemy for treatment was ironic in itself. But there was no other way; without Lu Ming, Wang Yun truly couldn't get back on his feet.
Upon entering Wang Yun's bedroom, a strong smell of Chinese medicine wafted out, making him frown and feel uncomfortable breathing.
"Censor Wang, how have you been lately?" Lu Ming greeted him with a hearty laugh as soon as he entered, his expression suggesting he was perfectly at ease.
Wang Yun, upon hearing this, was furious. He opened his eyes and glanced at Lu Ming. "Hmph, thanks to the General, I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh, then do I need to examine Censor Wang?" Lu Ming said with a smile. "Your face is pale, and your qi is weak and stagnant. It seems you haven't taken proper care of yourself; your internal injuries are severe."
"Isn't this all thanks to you!" Wang Yun snorted, but he kept the words to himself. "Then I'll trouble you, General."
Lu Ming nodded, then went over and pretended to examine Wang Yun, taking his pulse for a moment. "Imperial Censor Wang is truly fortunate to have met me; otherwise, even Bian Que resurrected would have been unable to cure him. Thus, only one acupuncture treatment is needed, along with timely medication and acupuncture once a month. He will be fully recovered in less than six months and able to walk within a month."
"I wonder what the General intends to do?" Wang Yun still trusted Lu Ming's medical skills, but he was suspicious of the man's apparent kindness. Something was amiss.
This man must have some ulterior motive; otherwise, why would he be so kind? They had a history of conflict.
"I've heard that Imperial Censor Wang's household has many dancers. Her Highness the Princess enjoys singing and dancing, so I've shamelessly come to Imperial Censor Wang to ask for some dancers. Please help me, Lord Wang." Lu Ming was very direct; the princess was just an excuse—he simply wanted to have his way with women.
Wang Yun understood, but he was somewhat annoyed. Was this some kind of brothel? "Since that's the case, General, why don't you have lunch at my humble abode? I'll have some dancers perform to entertain you. If you take a fancy to any, feel free to take them."
Women were a minor matter; Wang Yun even suspected it was just an excuse.
He had heard rumors of Lu Ming's womanizing ways, but could someone who had climbed to such a high position simply be lustful?
"Very well then, I won't stand on ceremony." Seeing his goal achieved, Lu Ming immediately began treating Wang Yun.
It was perfectly natural to heal someone after injuring them; if you hurt someone, you should heal them—that was the right thing to do.
However, using this to earn a reward felt a bit like entrapment.
After some effort, the process finished, and the treatment was complete.
Lu Ming feigned retrieving the silver needles, then rose to wash his hands in the prepared wooden basin. "Alright, Imperial Censor Wang, why don't you try walking around a bit?"
Wang Yun indeed felt much better. The blows he had received had left bruises all over his body, and moving them was very painful.
These bruises were persistent, and over time, they could cause other complications, which explained the difficulty of the procedure.
"Thank you very much, General Lu. I am deeply grateful." Wang Yun cupped his hands in thanks. Although still somewhat weak, his spirits were much better.
"You're too kind." Lu Ming smiled, finding this a perfect opportunity to explore Wang Yun's residence.
"This is not only for the princess, but also for His Majesty. After it's done, Imperial Censor Wang will receive a share of the credit."
"Oh? I dare not refuse, General Lu. Please." Wang Yun sensed something was amiss. Was he acting as a pimp for His Majesty?
If that's possible, then perhaps he should consider whether he really needs to go all out.
Amidst the soft sounds of silk and bamboo instruments, scantily clad dancers performed. These dancers were all young women, some in their late teens, others seventeen or eighteen, their faces painted with rouge and powder, their faces adorned with ingratiating smiles.
Lu Ming, sipping his cheap wine, squinted as he glanced over them, noticing their names.
Seemingly because of Lu Ming's words, Wang Yun decided to go all out. Midway through the performance, a young girl joined in, voluntarily dancing barefoot. The surrounding dancers all parted to make way for her.
When Lu Ming saw the dancer's name, his heart skipped a beat. "Ren Hongchang (Diao Chan)."
Sure enough, Diao Chan was with Wang Yun!
And it couldn't have been someone he trained after arriving in Chang'an; how many years had it been?
To cultivate a young woman with an artistic temperament, and even more importantly, to instill in her the ability to serve and seduce men, requires nurturing from a young age.
Without over ten years of emotional connection, one wouldn't possess such a high level of awareness, willing to sacrifice oneself, even to feed a tiger!