Chapter 877 The Old Fox Cai Jing

Chapter 877: 877 The Old Fox Cai Jing

Arriving in Puyang, this ancient capital with a history spanning millennia,

it holds a pivotal position in the Central Plains and is a major economic center.

Almost half of the Central Plains’ economy originates from Puyang.

Puyang’s proximity to the Yellow River gives it a natural advantage.

River transport is far more efficient than land transport in terms of manpower and resources, and it’s also faster.

The outer city walls, weathered and scarred by war, still bear the lingering smell of gunpowder.

The moat surrounding the city is a full three meters wide; no wonder Pang Tong needed to unite with the heroes of Liangshan Marsh to capture it.

Outside Puyang, Pang Tong was already waiting. Standing behind him were the brothers Ma Chao and Ma Dai.

Further behind them were Cai Jing, Gao Qiu, Liang Gang, and Chao Gai, the current leader of Liangshan Marsh.

"Greetings, My Lord!"

"Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Qin!"

When Lu Ming appeared, everyone knelt and bowed.

Logically, kneeling wasn’t necessary; he was only meeting a prince, not some great figure.

According to custom, it was indeed unnecessary.

However, Lu Ming had now conquered the Central Plains, leaving only Yangzhou, Jiangdong, and Jingzhou.

As for Jiaozhou, it would eventually surrender, so only these three places needed to be dealt with.

His overwhelming strength meant he couldn’t be viewed simply as a prince; he had to be seen as the Emperor!

No one believed the Han Dynasty still had a chance, that Qin would replace it, just as Qin had conquered the six states and unified China over four hundred years ago.

Therefore, the astute people present treated Lu Ming with the respect due to an emperor.

Some things were unspoken; treating him like an emperor was always the right thing to do.

"Rise, all of you are pillars of Qin. The prosperity of Puyang and the stability of the Central Plains cannot exist without you."

After speaking, Lu Ming looked at the unassuming Pang Tong and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well done. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. There’s a long road ahead. Jingzhou, Yangzhou, Jiangdong, and Liaodong—there will be many opportunities for you to demonstrate your abilities."

After hearing this, Cai Jing’s impression of Pang Tong deepened even further.

"He seems to be a young prodigy. I never expected that the unassuming Pang Tong could gain the King of Qin’s approval. It seems I’ll have to put in some effort."

Lu Ming then patted Ma Chao and Ma Dai on the shoulder. "Come with me to the banquet later. It’s been a long time since we had hot pot together. Enjoy yourself. Shi Yuan, introduce me to the others."

Everyone noticed that Lu Ming was clearly very close to the Ma brothers. This inevitably raises suspicions about whether it’s related to their sister, Ma Yunlu.

Actually, a woman’s marriage is one aspect, but her own ability is more important. Without ability, she’s nothing.

Lu Ming wouldn’t take care of those without ability, because they are neither worthy nor deserving.

On the contrary, those with ability and the ability to cultivate relationships are given important positions. Of course, there are exceptions; Bao Zheng, Tian Feng, and Ju Shou are exceptions, single-mindedly devoted to public service and not concerned with personal matters.

Tian Feng and Ju Shou are loyal to those who understand them, especially Ju Shou, who was surprised by Lu Ming’s delegation of power and ashamed of his previous blind loyalty to Yuan Shao.

Therefore, he was very attentive in governing Youzhou, and with the help of Liu Yu, the former governor of Youzhou, he restored Youzhou from the ruins ravaged by Gongsun Zan in just three months.

"This is Cai Jing, the Prefect of Puyang."

Pang Tong introduced them one by one, acting as their guide.

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qin! Your Highness is wise and mighty, with discerning eyes and unparalleled literary and military prowess. To meet Your Highness and to serve under you is an immense honor for this old man!"

Cai Jing’s old face beamed with a smile. As a cunning old fox, he naturally started by flattering him.

"Hmm, Prefect Cai, you’ve worked hard."

Lu Ming’s tone was indifferent, leaving one guessing.

Pang Tong approached a middle-aged man, an extremely robust man.

"This is Chao Gai, the leader of this rebel army."

"Chao Gai from Dongxi Village, Dancheng County, greets Your Highness Prince Qin."

Chao Gai was somewhat excited upon seeing Lu Ming, as if he had seen an idol.

No one knew that Chao Gai actually greatly admired Lu Ming; no one among the outlaw heroes didn’t admire Lu Ming.

Lu Ming was the first warlord to appoint wandering knights to official positions and also the one who vigorously promoted their development. In Qin, these knights could have food, work, a house, and the opportunity to marry and have children.

By word of mouth, every wandering knight knew of Lu Ming’s name.

Seeing the excited Chao Gai, Lu Ming didn’t think much of it.

"Good, heroes of Liangshan, let’s feast together tonight. I want to get to know them well; in the future, to sweep away the world and pacify the four seas, you will be indispensable."

"They say that when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked. That’s the choice of mediocre people. I don’t care how capable you are. If your achievements overshadow your lord, it only proves that the lord is incompetent!" "To the south, Cao Cao, Liu Biao, Sun Ce, and Yuan Shu. Do you have the confidence to take them down for me?"

"Yes!"

Chao Gai shouted the loudest. This was a legal surrender; they were joining the army, receiving a government salary, and no longer needed to rob and plunder.

Wasn’t this good?

The banquet was held at a drill ground, not at the prefect’s residence.

Lu Ming personally drank with each of the generals and also met the Liangshan heroes.

The banquet was rather simple, consisting only of roasted meat, rice, and steamed buns.

Cai Jing and the others couldn’t get a word in edgewise. They wanted to curry favor with Lu Ming, but he didn’t give them the chance!

"Old Cai, His Highness the Prince of Qin doesn’t seem to like us!"

Gao Qiu wasn’t very capable; he had lost several battles to Liangshan, so naturally he didn’t have a good impression of those commoners.

Cai Jing, unfazed by Lu Ming’s coldness, picked up his wine cup.

"Gao Qiu, you must understand that catering to one’s tastes is the key to pleasing the King of Qin. Besides, when it comes to catering to his tastes, who can compare to your son!"

Catering to his tastes?

What does catering to one’s tastes mean? It simply means understanding his interests and then fulfilling them.

If he likes poetry, then find more scholars and poets to indulge in refined pursuits!

If he likes money, then buy him plenty of rare treasures, showering him with gold until he’s satisfied.

And if he likes women, then find stunningly beautiful women to give him, satisfying his lust!