After Lu Ming finished and came out, Gao Bang had been dismembered beyond recognition. If it weren't for the more visually striking and intimidating effect of being sliced to pieces, Lu Ming would have burned him alive.
There are many ways to punish someone, but establishing authority is naturally the best.
Hu Zhen walked out trembling. Her legs were still numb, and her belly was swollen, a result of her uterus expanding from being ejaculated into so much semen.
That much semen was enough to get her pregnant hundreds of times!
Next, Lu Ming began choosing a location to build an academy.
The academy here taught simple arithmetic and literacy; those who couldn't read couldn't be administrators.
Children could attend classes unconditionally, with meals provided. As long as they passed the assessment, they could be assigned jobs—essentially becoming officials!
This excited the people below. This recruitment drive was 70% villagers and 30% newly arrived refugees.
Outside Tao County, there are vast tracts of land that need to be cultivated.
The reason for the lack of cultivation and land reclamation is not only due to a shortage of manpower,
but also because of problems with fertilizers and irrigation. Without irrigation, the work is naturally much less efficient.
Not long after, a fat, greasy-eared man in his early twenties approached, followed by a group of servants.
He wore a luxurious brocade robe and a jade thumb ring, acting arrogantly, walking with his head held high as if looking down on everyone.
Lu Ming squinted, recognizing Dong Huang at a glance!
His cousin, a cousin who had looked down on him since childhood, though he rarely interacted with him.
Dong Huang was the only direct descendant of the Dong family, naturally cherished immensely.
His maternal grandmother had three sons and two daughters. Her eldest son, Dong Zhuo, died young. Her second son was Dong Zhuo, and her third son was Dong Min. His mother, Dong Ya, was the fourth son. He also had a younger aunt who had married into the Shu Commandery; he had only met her once before and hadn't seen her since.
Dong Zhuo had sons, and Dong Zhuo also had sons, but they had also died, leaving only a daughter, Dong Zhuo's granddaughter, Dong Bai. The third son, Dong Min, had no heir, and it was unclear whether this was due to his own shortcomings.
All things considered, Dong Huang, as the sole heir, was naturally extremely arrogant.
Now, hearing that his beloved concubine's brother had been arrested, he would definitely come to her rescue.
Just thinking of his concubine crying and sobbing broke his heart!
"Stop! This is the governor's private land. Entry is prohibited!" Soldiers went forward and stopped Dong Huang, preventing him from entering.
"Are you blind?! Do you know who I am?! You dare block my way? You're asking for death! Where's Lu Ming?! Let him out! What, you dare to do it but not admit it?!" Dong Huang shouted loudly, trying to attract attention. Accustomed to his domineering ways, he had no idea that Lu Ming was now the governor.
The governor was a newly established position, overseeing all affairs of the state, from military to personnel matters.
With great power came great responsibility.
Plagues, rebellions, bandits, and the people's livelihood were all at stake, and he also had to subtly instruct the court on supplies.
Inside, Lu Ming had already whispered instructions to Zhou Cang.
There were some things he couldn't do himself, but his subordinates could do them much better.
Even if there were problems, he wasn't worried about anything going wrong.
Smart people always strategize from behind the scenes. While personally leading the charge might feel exhilarating, it's only when there's no other choice.
Zhou Cang was exceptionally loyal, a former Yellow Turban rebel, and a true outlaw hero—a perfect fit. After receiving the orders, he drew his long sword and led a squad of soldiers out.
While Dong Huang was still cursing, Zhou Cang approached. "Who are you? The Governor is on inspection again! Anyone who dares to disobey will be killed without mercy!"
The menacing soldiers, their aura as if emerging from a mountain of corpses, left the thugs bewildered.
Dong Huang was initially intimidated, but quickly recovered.
Relying on his status as the grandson of the Dong family, the only grandson, and considering Lu Ming, even as Governor, nothing more than a dog in his household!
So, he mustered his courage and roared, "Tell Lu Ming how he fawned over the Dong family before! He's still a dog of the Dong family now!"
*Slap!*
Before Dong Huang could even finish speaking, Zhou Cang slapped him hard across the face, catching him completely off guard.
Then, he picked up the scabbard and slammed it down hard—crack!
The sickening sound of bones breaking rang out again. "Beat them! Kill these bastards! How dare they slander the Governor! A subject who disgraces his lord must die! Brothers, the Governor has always been so good to us, and now someone has slandered him! What should we do?!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Faced with the menacing soldiers, the thugs who had come with Dong Huang realized something was wrong. What the hell was going on? They all fled.
Whoosh!
The archers in the ranks drew their bows and fired arrows, piercing them through the heart!
This startled Dong Huang. He finally realized that the Governor was indeed a high-ranking official!
Lu Ming had completely overshadowed him; he was no longer relying on the pitiful wretches of the Dong family!
"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! I was wrong, brothers, please stop!" Dong Huang pleaded repeatedly, but the fists continued to fall, and soon he was barely breathing.
Zhou Cang picked up his broadsword, ordered the soldiers to scatter, and then brought it down hard!
*Thud!*
The blade sliced through his throat, decapitating Dong Huang. His head rolled on the ground, his eyes wide open in disbelief, unable to believe that Lu Ming's men had dared to kill him!
After doing this, Zhou Cang picked up Dong Huang's head and ordered his men to collect the bodies of the thugs—it was evidence.
That evening, Lu Ming's mother, Dong Ya, was still at the Dong residence talking with her sister-in-law.
Today, for some reason, her usually outgoing sister-in-law seemed somewhat awkward around her, which puzzled Dong Ya.
However, she didn't think much of it. Her aunt, Ai Duo, felt a pang of shame and embarrassment. She had treated Lu Ming like a son, yet somehow she had ended up having a sexual relationship with him—adultery, no less!
Just then, a servant came to report that soldiers had arrived to say that Dong Huang had attempted to assassinate Governor Lu Ming but had been killed by his own men.
This news stunned both her aunt and mother. What kind of situation was this?
Fratricide?