It was already late when Lu Ming left the Grand Commandant's residence.
He returned home and went to the courtyard. He took out the smelted ore and forged it into copper plates.
The sound of the hammer striking metal, coupled with his profuse sweating profusely—sweat streaming down his muscular physique—made even the maids blush.
He forged the copper plates into a spearhead, then pulled out extracted fibers and began weaving them into a thin rope.
Two fibers were combined into one rope, and two more ropes were woven together over fifteen minutes to form a sturdy rope.
With the rope, he attached it to the spearhead and used the system to create a climbing rope, allowing him to traverse obstacles like high walls.
Preparing for the competition three days later, Lu Ming didn't underestimate his opponent despite their age; on the contrary, he prepared thoroughly.
That evening, he focused on crafting practical equipment for himself and even specially prepared some stones to smelt in the furnace.
The furnace was completed a few days ago, but it takes two days to reach a temperature high enough to smelt stones.
With bellows, it could be done even faster, reaching maximum temperature in half a day.
During the day, Lu Ming went out to recruit soldiers and horses, hiring some wandering knights.
He also promulgated the rules for the lower ranks, and the knights all hoped to be promoted to regular soldiers.
Eating royal food was far better than licking blood from the edge of a knife.
Moreover, one of Lu Ming's rules was that military pay would not be withheld; what was due would be paid in full and on time.
Although it sounded so appealing, most people still had doubts.
Because receiving pay without working was commonplace; it was just a matter of whether it was investigated, and if investigated, it was always discovered.
Soldiers were poor; no one would join the army unless forced by circumstances.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, joining the army meant death. If the soldier died, and he was the breadwinner of his family, then that family would collapse!
Therefore, enlisting was out of the question unless absolutely necessary.
Sounding it good was useless; as a result, very few people volunteered. Recruiting in Luoyang was practically impossible; they would have to look to the surrounding areas.
The Yuan Family.
Yuan Kui patiently listened to his servant's report, then knelt on the seat of honor. After taking a sip of tea, he sneered, "Recruiting in Luoyang? Hmph, a pipe dream! You can't even gather enough men; let's see what you're capable of!"
Want to get supplies from the Grand Minister of Agriculture? First, they'd have to gather the men. Right now, Marquis Zhao had to advance the funds before Lu Ming had the qualifications and resources to recruit soldiers.
"Uncle, the day after tomorrow is the life-or-death duel between Lu Ming and Wu Kuang. If Wu Kuang wins, will the General still be loyal to us?" Yuan Shao asked, voicing his doubts. He was willing to cheer, but truly severing all ties was difficult for him.
He could dominate Hebei, control Youzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Bingzhou, and command hundreds of thousands of troops, yet he still suffered a crushing defeat at Guandu. It can only be said that his talent stopped there.
He had countless choices, but he chose the worst one, which, in a way, is quite bizarre.
"It's alright, He Jin alone can't turn the tide. His Majesty is currently dissatisfied with him. If Wu Kuang wins, we'll win him over. If Wu Kuang loses, He Jin will be even more loyal to us." Yuan Wei was confident of this; the Yuan family held the reins of the court.
Sometimes, those in high positions inevitably engage in social maneuvering, securing positions for relatives or doing other favors.
This requires an exchange of interests. Once or twice, it will happen three or four times, and over time, a bond of interest is formed, making it difficult to step down.
On the contrary, the Yuan family can actively abandon them, thus gaining absolute initiative.
He Jin is a Grand General, but how long can he hold out? Emperor Ling's health wasn't good. He'd have less than ten years left at most, and ten years was enough time for the Yuan family to plan their next move.
Yuan Shao also held He Jin in low esteem, considering him nothing more than a butcher.
In fact, He Jin lacked decisiveness, which explained Yuan Shao's disdain.
"I see, I understand! I've learned something!"
Yuan Kui nodded with satisfaction, then, as if remembering something, said, "If you accompany the army this time, you can go to Ye City to bolster your reputation and pave a good omen for your future appointment in Bohai."
The future plans for the Yuan family members were already predetermined: go out to take up positions, cultivate loyal followers, consolidate power, then return to their posts, relying on nepotism to monopolize promotions.
Not only Yuan Shao, but even Yuan Shu had already been arranged—to become a prefect in Yingchuan, to cultivate relationships with the local faction, where there were many Yuan family protégés.
"But showing off a bit will prevent them from forgetting who the real master is!"
"Yes, Uncle," Yuan Shao bowed respectfully. He wasn't too worried about his future, but competing for the heirship was proving difficult.
A powerful family only has the resources to propel someone to a high position; it's either him or Yuan Shu. As for Yuan Ji, he was destined to be just a brick in the city gate, never reaching great heights.
Keeping him in one place ensures the Yuan family's minimum standing.
Not only the Yuan family, but even the Yang family was paying attention to this matter. Lu Ming was introduced to Zhao Hou by their Yang family, and now he was a favorite of Emperor Ling; they could try to win him over to some extent.
Two days later, at the Yang family's residence.
Yang Biao sat in his seat, listening to his cousin Yang Cong's report. His brow furrowed, deep in thought. "You mean he came to treat you again today?"
"Yes, I asked him about tomorrow's plans. He didn't seem particularly worried, not exactly enthusiastic, but unusually calm. Brother, do you think this could be His Majesty's scheme? To lure the snake out of its hole?" Yang Cong had just received acupuncture today to treat his syphilis, so he needed Lu Ming to live as long as possible.
Narrowing his eyes, Yang Biao remembered his father's words and instructed, "Here's what you'll do: go to his residence and invite him to a gathering tomorrow, and also to have the old ancestor examine him. If he wins, then let him marry Xiao Shiwu."
Xiao Shiwu was actually Yang Biao's daughter, a child born late in life, whom he doted on.
However, in a large family, no matter how much love is shown, daughters are ultimately used for political marriages.
Coincidentally, his daughter was also of marriageable age.
The Yang family's style wouldn't consider someone too high or too low; someone suitable would suffice.
Therefore, even if Lu Ming came from a humble background, Yang Biao, as the head of the family, could still arrange for his daughter to marry him off.
Status was insignificant; as long as he became Yang's son-in-law, he would naturally have status, which was of no importance.
What Yang Biao valued were Lu Ming's current medical skills, his position, and his standing in the eyes of the Spirit Emperor.