For This Dumpling Wrapped in a Pill

The sky was overcast in the morning, making one worry that another heavy snowfall might suddenly occur.

The Greenwood Camp remained busy as soldiers busied themselves with various post-battle matters, and soon the snow-white ground was covered with all sorts of messy footprints and cart tracks.

The kitchen was bustling with activity. Cooking utensils had been moved to the open space, and fresh vegetables and ingredients were constantly being brought in by trucks of all sizes, as everyone was working hard to prepare for making dumplings.

The arrival of a stranger caused everyone to put down their work and greet him loudly.

Li Mo wasn't fully recovered yet; he and Huang Donglai had used a combination technique to get here.

"Is the Hidden Dragon Ranking about to be released again?"

"Judging by the dates, it really is true. Young Hero Li has acted like a god descending to earth this time. At his age, he is capable of defeating ten thousand men. Which young hero could achieve such skill?"

"In my opinion, even our Crown Prince might not be considered the number one prodigy compared to Young Hero Li."

"To be fair, it's true. After all, he's the Crown Prince. If the Heaven Derivation Sect doesn't rank him first, His Majesty will lose face. It's hard to say if there's any shady dealing involved."

"Why do you think Young Master Huang's movements while carrying Young Hero Li are so practiced?"

"Because he... is kind?"

Not long after.

Li Mo and Huang Donglai at the kitchen, where generals were busy at work, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wu Lang was chopping melons and vegetables with his thick-backed Golden Ring sword, while the guard next to him, who must have practiced the martial art of using the opponent's force against them, was neutralizing and striking the dough.

Commander Qu, with his white hair, was the most down-to-earth, preparing dumpling filling.

"Uncle Qu, aren't you planning to dye your hair back?"

Li Mo dispelled the combination technique and asked casually.

His gray hair, at first glance, made Qu Sheng's profound and steady temperament much more down-to-earth.

It easily evokes images of middle-aged family pillars who toil and struggle for a living, aging rapidly.

"I'm not going to bother anymore."

Qu Sheng squinted intently, his hands moving continuously. "I'm studying something very important."

"Um?"

Li Mo immediately became solemn, while Qu Sheng rarely uttered the word 'important'.

"Moreover, I have already used my signature martial arts techniques, the Cloud -Cloud-Drooping Palm and the Golden Silk Cloud-Slaying Saber, but I still cannot defeat it."

"What can't you get?"

"Dumpling filling."

Qu Sheng brought over a plate of dumpling filling.

Li Mo: "..."

This pork has suffered far too much harm it shouldn't have had to endure.

"Too much cabbage, and the pork is too fatty. The dumpling filling should ideally be a mix of lean and fatty meat, finely chopped..."

Chef Li is unable to do the cooking himself now, but he still provided technical guidance.

"That's a skill in itself, and it takes a lot of effort."

"Why did the commander suddenly think of himself and dumpling filling today?"

"When I left home, my family ate pork and scallion dumplings in town. We ate them many times afterward, but we never tasted that flavor again. We never had them again."

Qu Sheng reminisced about the taste of that plate of dumplings.

But after all, I haven't been home for thirty or forty years, so I might not even remember the shape of the dumplings, let alone their taste.

"Why don't you try this? It's a family secret recipe; I don't tell just anyone about it."

"Oh?"

Qu Sheng took the ancestral dumpling filling recipe given to him by Li Mo and began to study it with great interest, as if he had obtained some profound secret manual.

Meanwhile, a notification sounded in Li Mo's mind:

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully invested in Qu Sheng, helping him find the taste of his hometown.]

[Investment Feedback: Arrow of Returning Heart.]

[Arrow of Returning Heart]: "Write a name on the arrow's tail, and it will be delivered to the person you wish to reach, provided that person is still alive."

Li Mo was taken aback.

Commander Qu is clearly able to provide normal investment feedback.

How come Greenwood City was defended, but there's been no feedback?

With his Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye activated, Li Mo looked toward Qu Sheng, who was looking through dumpling filling recipes.

[Name: Qu Sheng]

[Age: 52]

[Root Bone: Golden Beam Jade Bone (modified later)]

[Realm: Third Heaven of the External Scene Realm]

[Destiny: Black]

[Evaluation: Born with an ordinary body and mediocre talent, destined for a life of toil and hardship, born into adversity, but fortunately died in peace.]

[Recent experiences: Burning through lifespan, exhausting External Scene Realm, only a heart full of homesickness remains, hoping to be sustained until the return of the Prince of Southern Pacification, to resign and return to my hometown to rest in peace.]

Li Mo immediately understood why he hadn't received any feedback from Qu Sheng.

Because he did not change the other person's fate.

Qu Sheng would still die in the defense of Greenwood City, it's just a matter of sooner or later, and Qu Sheng obviously did not live to see the Prince of Southern Pacification, and ultimately died far from home.

"Young Hero Li, do you think this is the right way?"

A bowl of freshly made dumpling filling was placed in front of me.

"Yes."

Li Mo's furrowed brows relaxed, and he nodded.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Li, the genius, suggested:

"How can we eat dumplings without adding something auspicious? Let's put something inside when we're making them."

"That's true, it's for good luck, what should we put in it?"

"Put some money in."

Huang Donglai excitedly pointed to his missing front tooth. He had only ever eaten dumplings once in his life, and he had eaten too many, causing his front tooth to break off on a copper coin.

He became much more cautious after that.

"Okay."

Li Mo had the same idea.

Bang--

Several wooden crates slammed heavily to the ground. Li Mo didn't have time to count the investment returns, but fortunately, he stuffed them all into the crates, filling about fifty or sixty crates.

"What's this?"

"Silver notes."

"?"

The kitchen fell silent for a moment. Wu Lang picked up a bill that clearly stated one thousand taels of silver.

Three boxes, all of them. He wouldn't even dare to burn paper money for his ancestors like this.

Huang Donglai, however, was used to it, and shook his head, saying:

"Brother Li, you can't just boil silver notes in a pot. You should exchange them for copper coins or silver taels instead."

That makes sense.

"Well, the key is that there are tens of thousands of people. Even with so many dumplings, no amount of silver notes would be enough to distribute them..."

"That's not necessarily true."

"??"

So, tiny golden beans, each the size of a thumb, were made and wrapped in the dumpling filling.

"Hey, Donglai, can you help me out?"

"What's wrong?"

Huang Donglai didn't know why he was looking for him again, so he put down his work and went over.

Little Li glanced at Qu Sheng and noticed that our Greenwood Commander was carrying wrapped dumplings outside to cool them in the snow. Only then did he take something out of his sleeve.

"Remember to make a mark inside these dumplings so they don't get lost during cooking."

"What is this?"

"A top-grade precious pill."

"Hiss..."

Huang Donglai a tactical lean back.

Top-grade precious pills, these priceless treasures, you're going to use them to make dumplings?

That's fucking awesome.

"I made these dumplings specifically for this pill."

Li Mo patted him on the shoulder, signaling the steady Donglai keep quiet.

Only then did he go to the other cooks and bring out his special barbecue gravy.

Today's Winter Solstice celebration feast features barbecue and dumplings.

They're passing on the recipe.

Suddenly, footsteps came from outside, but the scene was too lively with too many people coming and going, so it was hard to hear clearly.

"Young Hero Li, humbly." The cook beside him gestured with his chin.

"Why are you suddenly making that crooked face..."

Li Mo was puzzled, but still subconsciously turned his head.

"..."

It comes from ice and snow... Ice Block.

She's about to step into the kitchen!

Little Li's expression changed drastically!!