Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 193 The Benefits of Marriage

After finishing their practice, the two quickly washed up, put on an overcoat, and went to the restaurant.

The morning sun finally pierced through the thin clouds and streamed into the room, illuminating the warm wooden dining table and the simple yet carefully prepared breakfast on it.

Emily personally instructed the kitchen yesterday that she didn't want anything too oily, so today's meal is fish soup and bread, served with a little salted butter and lightly fried mushrooms.

“Not luxurious at all.” Louis tore off a piece of bread, dipped it in the soup, and chewed slowly.

“But it’s not bad.” Emily replied with a smile, scooped a spoonful of fish soup into her mouth, and squinted her eyes slightly.

The soup base is made with whitefin eel, a specialty of Chichao. The meat is soft, smooth, and delicate, and the bones have been removed, leaving only a warm and fresh flavor.

"This fish soup is really good."

The two ate breakfast quietly, occasionally exchanging a few soft words, and the whole room was filled with a long-lost sense of peace.

After all, the noisy wedding had been over for several days.

The lively aristocratic guests and the boisterous banquet scenes seemed like just a corner of a dream, now all gone, leaving only the newlyweds to return to their daily lives.

Even Duke Edmund and his wife set off back to Frostspear City yesterday.

But compared to their farewells, another departing figure left a deeper impression on Louis.

Eduardo Calvin, his third brother.

As he was leaving, he smiled and patted Louis on the shoulder, saying, "I was just thinking of taking a walk around and maybe I can find some clues about the mother nest for you."

Louis did not expose his identity, since the more forces involved, the better for him.

Halfway through breakfast, Emily suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up to ask, "By the way, how much did we receive as gifts at our wedding?"

Louis paused slightly while chewing, then chuckled softly: "Hmm... not many. After all, the situation is sensitive, so we deliberately kept a low profile and didn't invite many people."

But he knew that the so-called "low-key" simply meant not inviting people to the banquet in a lavish manner.

Which of those nobles in the North isn't a shrewd and calculating person?
Which one of them didn't immediately order gifts to be prepared and sent to Chichao as quickly as possible after hearing the news?

Gifts come in many varieties, but they can be broadly categorized into three types:

The first type is the most common "expression of sincerity"—gold coins and magic crystals, which can never be considered too much.

The second category consists of rare and precious treasures sent by a few nobles who genuinely "have some thought" about the matter. For example, Earl Grant personally sent a "Battle Aura Stone" containing abundant battle aura, which was said to allow knights to quickly recover their battle aura.

The most important part, of course, is the "grand gesture" of the two families.

The Calvin family, being Louis's blood relatives, contributed almost entirely resources for living and construction.

It possesses abundant luxury goods: fine grains, spices, high-quality wines, and southern silks.

There is a large number of skilled workers: experienced furriers, tanners, weapon makers, experienced herbalists and veterinarians, and even fishermen skilled in fishing in cold regions.

More importantly, these people were not “exiles” but elites selected by their families who were willing to serve the new territory.

This is the first time the Calvin family has poured such a large amount of resources into him under the pretext of a "wedding".

This is no longer just a simple dowry, but a change in attitude, an implication: "You are no longer an external collateral branch, but a core member worthy of support."

On the other hand, the Edmund family remained as "vigorous in martial spirit" as ever:
Hundreds of weapons and equipment: spears, swords, axes, warhammers forged from cold iron, and matching chainmail and studded leather armor;

A batch of rigorously trained warhorses, and even warhorse-specific armor and horse trainers;
The most crucial gift was the knight:
Besides the two extraordinary knights who accompanied Emily...

There are also a full thirty elite knights who stayed directly at Red Tide.

Although three people were killed in the recent attack on the Mother Nest, there are still 27 people left, ready to be deployed at any time.

Before leaving, the Duke personally promised to send an additional fifty elite knights, two extraordinary knights, and seventy regular knights to provide support. This... is quite outrageous.

Louis recalled that he even blurted out, "As expected of the Lord of the North, he's giving away knights like they're free."

Of course, this was just a joke, not an attempt to "scatter resources indiscriminately".

The real reason is probably his performance in the battle against the Mother Nest.

Leading a force of only a few dozen people, they managed to uproot the mother nest, a feat that even Duke Edmund could not ignore.

In addition, he married Emily, the Duke of Edmund's most beloved daughter.

Louis knew that this time he had gained the Duke of Edmund's true "approval".

However, the amount given was indeed too much, directly increasing his cavalry strength by more than two or three times.

Louis thought that if he married Emily a few more times, he might be able to dominate the North!

“This time… we’ve really reaped quite a bit of benefits.” Louis put down his spoon, looked at Emily, and said with a hint of delight.

Emily, who was cutting bread with a knife, smiled when she heard this: "Sounds like a businessman who has just won a battle."

"Pretty much." He shrugged slightly, but his eyes darkened. "It's just that no matter how much stuff you have, if it's not converted into real 'strength,' it's just sitting in a warehouse waiting for people to come and steal it."

Emily stopped what she was doing and looked at him: "Do you think someone will try to take it?"

Louis didn't answer immediately, but finished the last bit of fish soup in his bowl, as if he were thinking, before saying, "It's not that someone came to steal it, but I have a bad feeling..."

Emily looked at him intently, without asking any questions, just gazing at him.

“You are also a native of the North,” Louis said calmly, yet with a hint of probing, “has this place... ever been peaceful?”

Emily paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes. The North has never been 'peaceful'. In the last ten years alone, I have experienced three large-scale upheavals and countless smaller conflicts."

She paused, a hint of unreadable emotion in her eyes, "You're right, we should get these resources in place now. Otherwise, when the blizzard really hits, it'll be too late to build or maintain anything."

Louis looked at her and joked, "So you support me continuing to waste money and resources?"

“It’s to support your foresight.” Emily smiled faintly. “To be honest, you are more farsighted than most lords I’ve met. I only knew you were smart before, but now I know you… are also quite patient.”

"Ok?"

“...It’s actually quite pretty.” After she finished speaking, she picked up her glass, took a sip of water, and deliberately avoided his gaze.

Louis coughed, but a smile appeared in his eyes.

Breakfast ended in this casual, half-hearted conversation.

Although the content of the conversation was not easy, the atmosphere was not oppressive.

The two seem to be gradually adapting to each other's rhythm.

After a short rest after the meal, Louis got up and stretched.

"What work do you have later?" Emily asked casually.

"Catch the snake."

"...Catching snakes?"

(End of this chapter)