Back at his residence, Lu Ming received a reply from Xu Shu, so he summoned Bu Lianshi and had her perform oral sex on him.
He always enjoyed having women perform oral sex on him while handling official business.
Enjoying the pleasure of a woman's oral service while reading letters—it felt amazing!
He had always wanted to do this, but never had the chance. Now that he had, he was determined to enjoy it to the fullest!
It seemed Liu Qi and Xu Shu had seized the initiative and successfully established themselves in Chang'an.
Liu Qi began visiting old friends with his father's handwritten letters, seeking their help and building relationships.
Simultaneously, he was working with Zhang Tang and Bao Zheng, two figures known for their legalist principles, to pave the way for the arrest and imprisonment of disobedient noble sons in Chang'an.
They weren't killed, but forced to pay fines.
If they couldn't pay, they were sent to work in workshops; if they still disobeyed, torture was employed.
If the executioner was in a good mood or a bad mood, the executioner could still kill them.
The killing didn't begin immediately; instead, fines were the primary method, something the powerful nobles hadn't anticipated.
Only minor powerful families were being targeted; even the medium-sized noble families hadn't made a move yet.
Chang'an City, the old palace.
"When exactly will Lu Ming arrive?" Empress He, with her dignified and elegant demeanor, sat before the main hall of Changqiu Palace. Compared to the palaces in Luoyang, this place appeared far more dilapidated.
Rarely used in the future, it might have been inhabited at the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but now it was in disrepair, which greatly displeased Empress He.
However, for her son's sake, she could only suppress her discomfort.
Jia Yuanchun served obediently to the side, cautiously saying, "Your Majesty, it's said it might be half a month later."
"What's going on! Is Chang'an a dragon's den or a tiger's lair? Does he dare not come?" Empress He was very dissatisfied. She had received news that Emperor Ling had again begun to have the court officials discuss which prince was more outstanding.
She had been transferred away from Luoyang, and now only General He Jin remained in the court. This was very bad news for her.
Jia Yuanchun dared not respond to this question; she had no right to. What the Empress said was her business. As a Minister, her responsibility was simply to copy and record documents, nothing more.
Meanwhile, an army was paving cement along another newly built road.
Cement roads were a specialty of Xiliang, something never seen before.
The cement formula wasn't actually complicated, but if it wasn't revealed, it would require a long period of trial and error.
Although this wasn't a secret, Lu Ming didn't want to disclose it prematurely.
After the materials were prepared, they were transported to Camp One, where only the personal guards were stationed, for production.
Once the cement was made, it was transported out and distributed to various locations.
Road construction was a long and arduous project.
It wasn't just about cement; it also involved paving the road, compacting the roadbed, and so on.
The roadside was always infested with poisonous insects and snakes, as well as ant nests.
If passing through forests, there was also the possibility of encountering hornet nests.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, this was almost unavoidable; in modern times, a shot of antivenom would suffice.
But in ancient times, a few blows from hornets could easily be fatal.
Therefore, a thorough survey had to be conducted before road construction. When encountering forests, special bee-proof suits had to be worn, otherwise, casualties would occur.
Standing on the hillside overlooking the fields, one could see the vast expanse of land, divided into standard square grids.
Cement had already been laid, and two-wheeled handcarts were transporting rice and stalks.
Countless heads rose and fell; it was harvest time.
Lu Ming looked at the vast fertile land. Half of it was millet, and the other half was potatoes, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes that he had ordered his men to plant.
Tomatoes could provide some vitamins, but potatoes and tomatoes were more filling.
He needed to prepare early for the army's long expedition.
First, he needed to go to Chang'an, completely control the Three Auxiliary Regions, and then capture Hangu Pass.
Afterwards, he had to proceed to Bingzhou as agreed, assisting Dong Zhuo in defeating the rebellious Zhang Chun and the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes.
"It's so beautiful, my husband. I've never seen anything like it before. So much grain, enough to eat for a long time!" Lin Daiyu, wearing a floral dress and a windproof raincoat, looked like a down-to-earth village woman.
Beside her was Bu Lianshi; the two had been spending a lot of time together lately.
Beside Bu Lianshi was Zhang Chunhua; the two shrewd young women had become close.
Perhaps it was the poetry club Lin Daiyu had mentioned that attracted them, or perhaps it was because they were going to Chang'an together that they began to develop feelings for each other.
"This grain isn't enough; we need more. People are hungry; if you skip a meal, you'll feel weak. Now it's time to put our food to the test. Come on, I'll take you to try sweet potatoes and potatoes; these two are excellent!" Lu Ming's potato promotion hadn't gone smoothly; it only got planted after being mandated in the military settlements.
It seemed unbelievable that the governor wanted to plant something, yet no one wanted to! But upon closer examination, it wasn't surprising at all.
Any farmer with a little experience wouldn't let millet yield a complete crop failure.
They knew how to deal with problems with millet plants—whether it was insects, lack of water, or insufficient fertilizer.
But planting potatoes was a different story; it was completely unfamiliar, and they had no prior experience.
As laborers, a complete crop failure would lead to dire consequences.
Even if an entire family were forced into slavery, it would likely be a miserable fate.
Even though Lu Ming didn't charge mandatory wages, not many people were planting them.
This was understandable; only after seeing the benefits would people know the value and rush to plant them.
Taking care of sweet potatoes and potatoes required a little effort, but only a little.
If pesticides made from chili peppers were used later, this traditional method, while wasteful of chili peppers, was effective in maintaining yield.
Arriving at the prepared farmhouse, Lu Ming deftly began processing the potatoes and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes could be grilled over charcoal; once cooked, they were ready to eat.
The potatoes could be grilled like that, but adding a little pork and vegetable oil, and stir-frying them into a delicious potato and pork stir-fry, made a fragrant and tasty dish.
"Wow, my lord, it smells so good!" Lin Daiyu sniffed her delicate nose, her eyes bright, her body slender but not frail. Compared to the delicate Lin Daiyu, this healthy girl was more likely to keep Lu Ming entertained for longer.