"Please let her in. Wait for me in the living room."
"Yes, sir."
Lu Ming remained engrossed in his craft, carving wooden nails and sawing planks.
After a long while, he looked up and saw two women standing not far away.
They weren't his concubines, but Zhang Rang's daughter-in-law, He Shi, and the woman he had met with Princess Wannian yesterday, whose name seemed to be Zhang Yulan, Zhang Lu's daughter.
At this time, Zhang Lu was not yet the governor of Hanzhong, but was under the command of Liu Yan. Liu Yan hadn't entered Sichuan, and naturally, he hadn't entered Hanzhong either.
"My lord, we meet again. I am Zhang Yulan, and my father is the Grand Master of Ceremonies." Zhang Yulan, a plump young woman, bowed slightly to Lu Ming. She had come here on Princess Wannian's orders to assess Lu Ming's character.
A peaceful and boring life needed some excitement, and the three women all enjoyed music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and traditional Chinese medicine. They happened to have Lu Ming, the physician appointed by Emperor Ling, so it wouldn't be bad to have some fun with him.
"My lord, the Empress has decreed that you be summoned to the palace to examine Lord Wuyang," said Madam He, giving a curtsy, her voice soft and hesitant, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"Very well, I'll set off now. Does Lady Yulan have anything to attend to?" Lu Ming nodded; after all, the Empress had this much power.
Moreover, he wanted to see what this commoner Empress was like.
As for wisdom, she wasn't particularly wise; even Empress Dowager Dong wasn't considered exceptionally wise.
Neither the mother-in-law nor the daughter-in-law were particularly intelligent women; they just happened to hold high positions, but their talents didn't match.
Empresses throughout history, while not mediocre, were at least virtuous and capable wives.
Empress Lü Zhi of Liu Bang, Empress Chen Jiao of Emperor Wu of Han, and the empresses of the powerful families of Emperor Guangwu all played a role.
"It just so happens that we're also going to the palace to consult on the case of Lord Wuyang, so I'll accompany you, sir," Zhang Yulan said with a smile, her beautiful face beaming with a bright smile; she was a very outgoing woman.
"Then please!" Lu Ming put away his tools and placed them in his toolbox.
The toolbox he carried with him contained a great deal of knowledge.
It was the only system creation that somewhat transcended reality yet possessed a rudimentary foundation.
It was a toolbox that could grow and expand without limit, possessing multiple different functions; all it needed was sufficient materials to develop and upgrade it.
As he passed by, Lu Ming deliberately rubbed his erect penis against He Shi's buttocks.
He Shi's body tensed slightly, then she glanced around guiltily, afraid of being discovered.
When she met Lu Ming's lewd grin, she wanted to say something but was silenced.
A sense of anticipation even began to creep in; how exhilarating would that be?
On the way, Madam He and Zhang Yulan rode in a carriage, while Lu Ming rode on horseback. They chatted as they traveled, and after unlocking the upgrade option for the chest, Lu Ming selected other blueprints to unlock and research.
The Empress's palace was Changqiu Palace, while the princes resided in the East Palace. It didn't take long to reach them from the Upper East Gate.
Changqiu Palace was solemnly and dignified. There were no screens depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water; only extreme simplicity, using majesty to highlight solemn frugality.
A beautiful, mature woman, dressed in yellow silk, with a full and beautiful face, and adorned with a phoenix-tassel gold hairpin, knelt in the highest position.
Her eyes were piercing, revealing a hint of ruthlessness and a touch of nobility.
She was a woman with a captivating charm; the first impression was stunning, followed by a mellow sweetness, and no matter how long one looked at her, one would never tire of her.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
"No need for formalities." Empress He scrutinized him for a while before asking in a dignified and authoritative tone, "You are Lu Ming?"
"Indeed, it is I." Lu Ming behaved very politely, without the slightest overstepping of his bounds.
"The Lady of Wuyang is unwell. Go and treat her. After you succeed, I will reward you handsomely." Empress He was satisfied. Since Emperor Ling had approved, then it must be good.
"Your humble servant obeys." Lu Ming bowed and followed the palace maid into the side hall, while Madam He and Zhang Yulan remained there.
Their conversation could still be heard. Zhang Yulan had come to examine Empress He.
Upon entering the side hall, Lu Ming saw a mature woman with black and white hair and a beauty mark on the corner of her mouth. Because of her pampered upbringing, she appeared somewhat wealthy, and her fair skin evoked a strong urge to ravage her.
"Greetings, Madam. What afflicts you? My treatment is rather unique, requiring acupuncture combined with medicinal cuisine. Therefore, acupuncture necessitates undressing, as is the case for everyone. If you find this offensive, please excuse me. I'm being cautious beforehand," Lu Ming said directly, his expression sincere and without any pretense.
Wu Yangjun was slightly surprised. She actually had to undress? "Can't I not undress?"
"It's possible, but I cannot guarantee a cure, therefore I will not proceed with the treatment," Lu Ming shook his head. "This is my unique secret technique; master one method, and all methods will follow."
"In that case, I agree. Doctor, please examine me." Wu Yangjun extended her hand for Lu Ming to examine.
"Madam, please tell me where you feel comfortable. I'm quite knowledgeable about menstrual cramps, but I decided to study medicine because I couldn't bear to see my mother and sister suffer from their pain." Lu Ming was trying to glorify himself; he had a very bold idea.
That is, to conquer the mature woman before him!
Just one time, and he could have her!
Once he'd won her over, he could use her to influence Empress He, gain more benefits for himself, and also ease his relationship with General He Jin.
He had previously eliminated Wu Kuang, who was He Jin's confidant.
It would be strange if He Jin treated him well, and He Jin relied on his sister, the Empress.
The relationships and interests were complex; a more indirect approach was better.
"This old woman feels unwell, my teeth are weak, my lower abdomen is bloated, I feel weak all over, and my legs are difficult to walk," Wu Yangjun said without hesitation, listing all her problems in one breath.
Good heavens, this was a case of being plagued by illness.
Faced with such a dental problem, other doctors would truly be helpless, but Lu Ming was different.
He took out a piece of paper, wrote down the herbs and tools needed, and handed it to a palace maid beside him, asking her to fetch the materials.
"Madam has come to the right person. Even the imperial physicians couldn't help with these problems. I, however, have some expertise in this area," Lu Ming said, putting down his pencil. He preferred pencils to calligraphy.
Calligraphy required a lot of practice, and without paper, it was extremely expensive. Therefore, he preferred pencils; he could write with just a few strokes.