"Winter Festival, I'm granting you two wishes. Feel free to tell me what you want."

As soon as the words fell, Durant and Lawrence exchanged glances.

"It's okay, you can say anything."

Rod playfully said, "If it really doesn't work, I'll promise you two something first."

"Lord Baron, your fifty elite guards are almost done with their training."

Durant was the first to speak, saying, "My wish is for you to arrange the promised full body armor as soon as possible..."

Lawrence also spoke up immediately,

"I was hoping you could raise the price of meat a bit more? They've been trading a lot of meat recently."

After stating their wishes, the smile on Rod's face was slightly wry.

"Don't mention matters of the territory. Talk about your personal life wishes."

Rod couldn't help but remind them.

This plunged the two back into silence.

"Shall I go first?"

Durant was the first to speak again, unbuckling his sword,

"I want to replace Zhan Ji with a longsword forged with Sea Pattern Magic Iron like last time."

Durant smiled awkwardly, "Of course, it needs to be personally forged by you."

"Okay."

Rod nodded, "I promise you that."

In fact, Rod wanted to give Durant an estate, but there was no capacity to build those things now; saying it would be just castles in the air.

"Thank you for your generosity."

Durant stood up and bowed in thanks.

Rod turned his gaze to Lawrence,

"And you?"

"Kidnap my brother Ores."

Lawrence said very straightforwardly.

"That's impossible."

Rod couldn't help but laugh and wave it off, refusing just as straightforwardly.

It wasn't that Rod had become kinder, but Ores was always in the Border City and didn't travel for business, so there was no way Rod could just march in and kidnap him, right?

"Choose another wish, even if it means finishing off your brother."

Rod remarked lightly.

"That's unnecessary." Lawrence quickly shook his head.

Lawrence fell silent again, lowering his head in thought.

After a while, he said, "Then just assign me two more helpers; I'm really too busy right now."

"Okay."

Rod waved to Vivian, who walked out of the hall.

Moments later, she returned with two young women dressed in linen dresses.

"Elroy and Claymi, they've both performed well in the literacy class,"

Rod said, pointing to the two young women, "From now on they'll assist you, not only in work but also in taking care of your personal life."

The two young women, with sweet smiles, curtsied slightly to Lawrence,

"Lord Lawrence, happy to serve you."

After speaking, the two girls moved behind Lawrence to massage his shoulders and back.

The two couldn't be considered stunning beauties, not comparable to Avril or Vivian.

But their entire being radiated youthful energy, causing Lawrence's face to flush.

"Sir, this is..."

"Rest assured, their food and clothing will still be my responsibility; you don't have to worry about it."

Rod said generously.

"You've misunderstood, sir, that's not what I meant..."

"As long as you don't prefer men, there's no problem."

Rod looked at Lawrence warily.

"Of course not, sir!" Lawrence hurried to explain.

"Then there's no problem."

Rod encouraged, "Leave some traces of your lineage."

"Yes, sir."

Lawrence replied with his head lowered.

Just then, Leia knocked and entered, "Sir, your lunch is ready."

"Then bring them all here while they're hot," Rod instructed.

"Yes."

Leia quickly went out to relay the message. Soon, she returned with maids carrying four wooden trays, setting them on the table.

"Sir, what is this..."

Lawrence asked, looking at the crescent-shaped, puffed-up white food on the table.

"Dumplings,"

Rod stated, giving a new name for the Northern Territory connection: "Or you could also call them snow buns."

"It's a pity there's no glutinous rice, otherwise you could try some rice dumplings too."

These two foods were often eaten during Rod's past winter festivals, and he liked them very much.

The winter festival custom in the Northern Wasteland was to eat cured meat and three-beast stew, which Rod didn't like.

He longed for his former festive foods and had taught the servants to make dumplings by hand.

"This one is deer meat filling, mushroom filling, and this one's wild leek filling."

Rod introduced each with a smile,

"Come, give it a try."

"Yes, sir."

Lawrence and Durant each used their spoons to scoop up dumplings into their mouths.

Because it was too hot, Lawrence started making slurping noises, while Durant just took two bites and swallowed it.

"Mm, it's smooth and tender!"

Durant nodded in praise. "It tastes completely different from a pie, though it feels like it's missing something..."

"This."

Rod placed a clove of garlic in front of everyone.

Durant and Lawrence didn't understand but followed Rod's suggestion by biting into the garlic after eating the dumpling.

"Mm!"

Durant's eyes lit up, "Now it tastes different again!"

"Just enjoy your meal."

Rod smiled, wanting to say it would taste even better with vinegar.

But since they hadn't tasted it before, explaining wouldn't help them understand.

Rod waved for Vivian to sit down as well, and he picked up chopsticks to start eating.

The four ate quietly.

Just as they were halfway through their meal, a guard suddenly entered to report,

"Lord, there's new news from the north."

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