Instead of accepting immediately, Lu Ming shook his head. "Your Majesty," he said, "the Empress Dowager is the mother of the nation. My method of treatment primarily relies on acupuncture, supplemented by medication and exercise, to achieve a cure. I dare not disrespect the Empress Dowager; please forgive my disrespect."
This was no joke; Lu Ming's treatment always primarily involved acupuncture.
And it was indeed very effective, so it wasn't surprising.
However, acupuncture requires undressing, which inevitably crossed some lines of etiquette, hence Lu Ming's refusal.
"It's up to you," Emperor Ling said with a wave of his hand, deciding the matter.
"If the Empress Dowager agrees, then of course it's fine. You are the husband of my daughter, and we are family now. I forgive you."
He didn't believe the Empress Dowager could have anything happen between them. In front of everyone, could they possibly cause any trouble?
With the matter settled, Lu Ming followed Zhang Rang to Chang Le Palace.
Zhang Rang was, in a sense, a triple agent. He was loyal to Emperor Ling, deeply trusted by the Empress Dowager, and even became related to the Empress by marriage. He had connections on all three fronts, which explains why he became the head of the Ten Attendants.
Upon arriving at Chang Le Palace, Lu Ming met Liu Xie, who was only a six or seven-year-old child, his eyes sparkling with intelligence.
"Greetings, Your Highness," Lu Ming bowed respectfully, his attitude neither servile nor arrogant. He was merely a prince, not the Crown Prince, and even if he were, he wouldn't necessarily show much reverence.
"Greetings, General Lu," Liu Xie said politely despite his young age. If the Eastern Han Dynasty hadn't been so utterly corrupt, he might have become a wise and benevolent ruler who could restore it.
Even after the Battle of Guandu, many still harbored loyalty to the Han Dynasty; this was the core of the Han loyalists.
Therefore, one should never underestimate the Han Dynasty. No one knows how many veteran officials are lurking in the shadows.
"Your Highness, by His Majesty's decree, starting today, I will instruct you in martial arts. Begin now, practice the horse stance like this for two quarters of an hour." Lu Ming personally demonstrated the horse stance, without explaining why, simply instructing Liu Xie to do so.
"What is the meaning of this, General?" If it were Liu Bian, he wouldn't have asked so many questions. Liu Xie, however, wanted to know the reason so he could judge for himself whether he should do this.
"To strengthen one's muscles and bones, to temper one's muscles and bones, is essential for a strong body. A strong and robust person is immune to cold and evil. Qin Shi Huang could read hundreds of pounds of bamboo slips a day because of his strong and robust physique. Your Highness, even if you cannot fight on the battlefield, strengthening your muscles and bones and becoming physically strong is still a good thing." Lu Ming's words were actually very simple: if you can persevere, you will at least become physically strong; if you can't, then you're just wasting time. It was just somewhat subtle.
Liu Xie seemed to understand after hearing this, and then did as Lu Ming instructed. At first, he thought it would be simple, but in less than a minute, he felt his back aching and could barely continue.
"If you can't keep going, then rest for a while. Progress gradually; you can't become fat in one bite," Lu Ming nodded. "Your Highness can practice on your own; there's no need to put pressure on yourself. Just aim for half an hour a day. Small steps each day, and you'll achieve long-term success. I'll go pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and examine her; Your Highness, please feel free to do so."
Lu Ming really had no interest in teaching Liu Xie; he'd rather go see that slut, Empress Dowager Dong.
Upon entering the main palace, Empress Dowager Dong was sitting on a bed, admiring her reflection in a bronze mirror, seemingly admiring her own beauty. Seeing Lu Ming enter, she lowered the mirror. "Anmin, weren't you instructing Xie'er?"
"I recommended a method for strengthening your muscles and bones to Your Highness; you can practice it yourself. I've come on His Majesty's orders to treat the Empress Dowager. My treatment method primarily uses acupuncture, supplemented by medicine, along with exercise, to achieve a cure. His Majesty previously stated that everything should be done according to the Empress Dowager's instructions; if she agrees, treatment will proceed; if not, then no treatment is necessary." Lu Ming bowed slightly to Empress Dowager Dong, adopting a businesslike demeanor, showing neither excitement nor reluctance.
Actually, he was secretly plotting how to win over Empress Dowager Dong!
Imagine this: a woman who wields power in the harem, the power to appoint the crown prince, a woman to whom even the empress must defer. Standing at the center of this power vortex, how fascinating it would be to possess her and take her to bed!
To take the most noble woman of the Eastern Han Dynasty to bed, to slap her face with my large penis, leaving my mark on this mature woman's face—what a wonderful thing that would be!
And to be able to press down on her, to thrust and ride her with abandon!
To even make her pregnant with my child when she's over fifty, to continue bearing offspring with her aging womb!
To experience the pleasures of motherhood again at an age when one is already enjoying grandchildren—how wicked, how despicable!
Just thinking about it fills Lu Ming with immense excitement. The more perverse and lewd the idea, the more it stimulates his senses.
Empress Dowager Dong's expression subtly changed; her eye twitched, and her crow's feet trembled. Men generally don't find mature women of this age attractive.
Only lustful beasts would be interested in her; such mature women are actually quite alluring, like aged wine—spicy yet refreshing!
"Since The Majesty has agreed, then I have no objections. I've heard you can cure toothaches?"
"Yes, I've treated many people's toothaches in Luoyang. Empress Dowager, please lie down so I can examine you. Teeth need regular care to avoid future suffering; I often tell Wan Nian this. At home, Wan Nian often does yoga, and now her health is better, making childbirth easier." Lu Ming placed pillows on the bed, gesturing for Empress Dowager Dong to lie down, adopting a businesslike demeanor.
However, amidst the casual conversation, he didn't forget to subtly entice Empress Dowager Dong.
Sure enough, Empress Dowager Dong was somewhat hooked. "Oh? Does this have something to do with childbirth?"
"Of course, this is a conclusion I drew during my military campaigns. Farm women can often give birth to several children without any problem, while city women often face certain death with just one. It's really just a matter of whether or not they exercise. Empress Dowager, open your mouth." Lu Ming took the lead, examining Empress Dowager Dong.
Preparing the medicinal food, disinfecting, sterilizing, sealing the mouth—all done in one smooth motion.
Using modern dental technology to treat a toothache in ancient times is feasible, except for the somewhat outdated conditions.
Moreover, with the system's skills, the most crucial equipment issue can be ignored, thus achieving the desired therapeutic effect.