enjoyebooks Chapter 635 635: 635 Lü Bu Sends His Wife
Chapter 635 635: 635 Lü Bu Sends His Wife
Lu Ming, looking refreshed, greeted Lü Bu. It was a little odd that he'd just finished with Lü Bu's daughter and then came to see him.
"Please sit, Fengxian. Is there something important you need today?"
Lü Bu, on the other hand, seemed a little embarrassed. He then said, "Governor, I've come to inquire about how to join the trade."
"You need a caravan, a caravan capable of absorbing all the goods. Then you need to pay a deposit. If you don't have the money, you'll need to pledge goods or hostages of sufficient value. I see that Bingzhou is cold and poor, lacking clothing. Liangzhou is rich in hemp and cotton clothing, and with its smooth roads, you can sell them for three times the price," Lu Ming explained. In this world, running a caravan required power and connections; it wasn't something just anyone could do.
Liangzhou and Guanzhong were better off because bandits there were usually wiped out.
Zhan Zhao was using the same tactic of luring the snakes out of their holes, then capturing them all in one fell swoop.
While it's not fair to say they've been completely eliminated, at least caravans are moving freely. With the paved roads, trade here is far more prosperous than imagined.
The affairs of the officialdom rarely affect profit-driven merchants. Even if they are behind the scenes, they can't refuse. Who doesn't like money? Who likes to go against money?
Upon hearing this, Lü Bu said, "My father-in-law is a skilled merchant; he can handle the business. As for the hostage, I intend to use my wife, Yan, as collateral."
Lu Ming waved his hand, his expression grave. "That won't do. Emotionally, Yan is Lingqi's mother; it's not right. In terms of value, Yan is neither beautiful nor skilled; she has no value as a hostage."
"This..." Lü Bu hadn't expected this. He thought using his wife as collateral would be acceptable; he hadn't expected it to be unacceptable.
"Actually, my wife can manage the household; she's not entirely useless."
"Alright, Fengxian, I know you're anxious. How about this: if you can raise one hundred gold, plus Madam Yan, I'll reluctantly consider it two hundred gold as collateral. Once you've made a profit, you should recoup your investment in less than a year, at which point I'll return Madam Yan to you. You need to discuss this with Madam Yan. She might need to work in a workshop doing needlework; she'll have to support you. Her food, drink, and expenses will all have to be covered by her own needlework, otherwise, it will be deducted from your profits." Lu Ming spoke as if he were being kind, as if he were bestowing charity.
Only a good enough actor could deceive Lü Bu into believing that he only wanted money, not his wife.
However, considering Lü Bu so readily offered his wife as a hostage, it's clear that Madam Yan wasn't actually that loving or popular.
That didn't matter; Lu Ming just wanted to experience what it was like to be Lü Bu's wife.
Women always need a special status to feel exciting.
Either an empress, an empress dowager, or the wife of a grand commander—that's what makes it exciting!
Upon hearing this, Lü Bu was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
"Alright, I understand. Give this letter to your father-in-law, and tell him to take it to Zhang Chun, the Vice Minister of the Palace Secretariat, when he arrives in Chang'an. He will arrange things for the business. I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Hejian to handle some matters for His Majesty. It seems fate has brought us together; see you again in Luoyang." Lu Ming finished speaking and rose to see his guest off, escorting Lü Bu to the gate of the military camp, where they happened to see Dong Zhuo arrive.
Lü Bu's expression changed slightly, but he calmly bowed and said, "Greetings, godfather."
"Haha, it seems my son Fengxian and Anmin have a good relationship." Dong Zhuo emphasized one point: Lü Bu was his son, and he shouldn't try to poach him.
"Fengxian only came to tell me about some good businesses in Liangzhou, and I told him. A man can't be without money for a day, so I'll write a letter back and send my uncle's share of the profits to Shangdang County. Tomorrow I have to set off for Hejian to pray for His Majesty's well-being, so I won't stay any longer." Lu Ming wasn't bothered by the suggestion to recruit Lü Bu; in fact, he wasn't entirely willing to agree.
"Haha, good. Anmin, do you have time? Why don't you come with me to the military camp? You're a veteran general, and your soldiers are top-notch. You could give me some pointers." Dong Zhuo invited.
"No, I plan to walk around the city, buy some things, and then prepare to leave. My uncle's soldiers are skilled in battle and have been well-trained. My presence would only be superfluous." Lu Ming decisively refused. He used to have that idea, but now, it was more like flattery than anything else.
A flash of anger crossed Dong Zhuo's eyes, but it quickly subsided.
He wasn't qualified to command Lu Ming. He actually coveted Lu Ming's cavalry. He'd personally witnessed how these cavalrymen could control their horses to charge across uneven terrain. Training even one such cavalryman was difficult, and the consumption of horses was a bottomless pit.
"Haha, very well."
"Farewell." Lu Ming departed with his personal guards, showing little humility whatsoever.
Li Ru, standing behind Dong Zhuo, watched Lu Ming walk away before whispering, "Lu Ming is getting more and more arrogant!"
Dong Zhuo glanced at Lü Bu and said in a somber tone, "He has the right to be arrogant. Such a proud and arrogant man has spent over a decade trying to curry favor with me, all he wanted was a chance to rise to the top. He seized it, and he succeeded. Now he's achieved great success at a young age. Hmph, he certainly has the right."
Lü Bu lowered his head, silent. He didn't know what to say; remaining silent was best.
"My son, Fengxian, come with me to the military camp." Dong Zhuo snorted, no longer standing idly by. Since Lü Bu hadn't switched sides, he'd keep him by his side, preventing him from leaving.
Lu Ming didn't want to go to the military camp because there wasn't much talent there. The local generals of Bingzhou, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao, had all been taken away by Ding Yuan.
Lü Bu was now even poorer than in history; otherwise, he wouldn't have sold his wife for a little money.
Not long after, Lü Bu had Madam Yan sent to Lu Ming's military camp.
Lü Lingqi was initially surprised to see her mother, Madam Yan, but after Madam Yan explained her purpose, she remained silent.
Taking his wife hostage—was this something a husband would do?
She was still somewhat immobile; Lu Ming had been too rough with her, and her vagina was swollen!