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After Rong Xi arrived in this world, Liu He and his grandson took care of him. With winter looking hard to endure, he had to consider making money.

"Seven days." Jiang Weiping did not hesitate.

Neither man was one to drag his feet. Having settled the matter of commissioning the utensils, Jiang Weiping saw no need to waste time. He tucked away the deposit and rose to leave, while Rong Xi did not try to keep him.

The young man was tall and sturdily built, his strides carrying the force of a tiger.

Standing beneath the eaves, Rong Xi watched him disappear beyond the gate. Then he lowered his head and saw only his soft belly, unable to stop himself from laughing.

A few days ago, he had suffered an unfortunate sudden death. When he opened his eyes again, cold water engulfed his mouth and nose. Driven by the instinct to survive, he desperately swam toward the shore. Just as death loomed, he finally touched the riverbank.

Lying on the icy ground, Rong Xi vaguely saw a plump youth tearfully bidding him farewell.

"To linger on in a wretched life is meaningless. You may have this body. I only hope you will cherish it." Once the chubby youth finished speaking, relief appeared in his eyes, and he gradually scattered into nothingness.

Rong Xi: "..."

He had transmigrated?

Before he could think further, he fainted. When he woke, he received the original owner's memories and knew that the facts had been set in stone.

There was no doubt about it: he had indeed attached himself to the youth's body.

The original owner bore the same name as him. He had once read an online novel, and because the cannon fodder character in it had exactly the same name as he did, the memory had stuck especially deeply. That cannon fodder had also died from falling into the water.

Could he now be inside that book?

"Young master, the physician said you must not be exposed to the wind. Please return to your room and rest." Liu He spoke softly behind him, concern filling his voice.

Rong Xi had not yet recovered from his illness. His body felt heavy and his spirits were low. Hearing this, he accepted the advice, pulled his lapels tighter, and returned to his room for warmth.

This place did not produce underpants. When the cold wind had swept past earlier, his crotch had been exceptionally chilly, making his scalp tingle.

He had just burrowed into the bedding when a youth's voice came in from outside.

"Grandfather, I'm back!"

"Keep it down. The young master has only just gone to rest." Liu He lowered his voice.

Yet the walls carried sound, and Rong Xi heard every word clearly.

Liu Zishi was in the middle of his voice-breaking years, his voice rough and unpleasant. "Grandfather, I caught several crucian carp in the river. I'll stew them for the young master tonight."

There were no fine ingredients in the household. A few fish already counted as rare delicacies.

Rong Xi truly liked fish, but after observing for several days, he had found that cooking here mostly involved steaming, boiling, and roasting. Stir-frying and braising in soy sauce were exceedingly rare, due to the backward state of ironworking.

Great Wei customs called for two meals a day. It was not yet the hour of Shen, but his stomach was already empty, rumbling so loudly that he could not sleep. And when he thought of Old Liu's cooking, Rong Xi had no choice but to get up and head for the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, the sturdy youth was holding a knife and killing fish. At the sight of Rong Xi, he immediately stood, hiding his fishy hands behind his back as he smiled foolishly. "Young master, why are you up? It's dirty and messy here. Be careful not to soil your clothes."

"It's fine."

Rong Xi told him to continue cleaning the fish bellies, then said, "I once ate a fine dish in the capital. Would you like to try it?"

Liu Zishi loved food. In his mind, any delicacy that even the young master still remembered must be a peerless flavor beyond his imagination. His mouth immediately watered.

"Young master, what sort of delicious food is it?" His features were delicate, utterly at odds with his sturdy frame. As he squatted and looked up at Rong Xi with round eyes, he was unexpectedly a little adorable.

The fish bellies were swiftly cleaned. Liu Zishi merely rinsed them once with well water before preparing to put them on a plate.

Rong Xi took them from him and washed them twice more himself.

Just then, Liu He returned from gathering firewood. Seeing this, he flung down the wood and gave Liu Zishi a hard knock on the head, scolding, "You lazy servant! How could you let the young master tire himself out?"

Liu Zishi covered his forehead, looking innocent. But with his tall, burly build, it was truly impossible to feel any tenderness for him.

"Old Liu, do not blame him. I was bored with nothing to do and disturbed Zishi." Rong Xi placed the fish on a plate, then added, "If there are scallions, ginger, and coriander in the house, please find some for me."

Seeing how skilled he was with the knife, Liu He's eyes widened at once. His beard even quivered upward with the trembling of his facial muscles.

He had always heard only of the young master's talent for causing trouble in the capital. He had never known that the young master possessed such deep skill in the culinary arts.

After several days together, Liu He had gradually come to feel that the capital's disparagement of the young master had been somewhat unfair.

Though the Rong Clan's Eldest Brother was not striking in appearance, his temperament was refined and quiet, and he treated others warmly. There was not the slightest trace of unruliness in him. Moreover, despite being the son of an official household, he was unexpectedly proficient in a cook's craft. It truly made one feel pity for him.

Liu He had wanted Rong Xi to stay away from the cook's domain, but seeing how much he enjoyed it, he could not bear to interrupt him and could only go search for the seasonings.

Having lived by the water since childhood, Liu Zishi had eaten plenty of fish, but Liu He had always cooked it. As for the taste, it could only be said that it was barely edible.

Never before had the kitchen smelled as fragrant as it did now, making him feel so blissfully adrift that he did not know where he was.

Once the fish was steamed and plated, Rong Xi poured fragrant hot oil over it, then laid the prepared shredded scallions, ginger, and coriander on top. A flavorful steamed crucian carp emerged fresh from the stove. Even Liu He, who had seen a little of the world, could not help moving his lips.

The overbearing aroma turned Liu Zishi's eyes red. Distracted, he fried flatbread, his gaze constantly drifting toward the delicacy on the plate.

But Rong Xi still found it regrettable. If red peppers had been added, both color and flavor would have been even more vibrant. Yet Great Wei had no red peppers, so he could only settle for the next best thing.

That night, the three of them ate several crucian carp with a few pieces of fried flatbread, their mouths glistening with oil and their bellies stretched to bursting. They were thoroughly satisfied.

"Old Liu, can we burn charcoal in winter?" Rong Xi clutched his stomach with difficulty as he walked beneath the eaves to digest the meal.

Liu He was repairing the tattered window paper. At the question, he sighed.

"Young master, Linxi is not like the capital. Charcoal is expensive and difficult to buy."

He did not finish his words, but Rong Xi already understood.

Minister Rong had set his heart on teaching Rong Xi an unforgettable lesson. Aside from several large chests of books, he had not given him even a single copper coin.

Other than Liu He's monthly allowance, the ancestral residence had no other income. That meager allowance could not possibly support the food for three people, much less charcoal for warmth.

During the days he had spent recovering, Rong Xi had already read books concerning the history and geography of the Wei Kingdom. As a senior researcher, his memory far surpassed that of ordinary people. For him, remembering everything at a glance was no difficult feat.

The books stated that Mengshan County in Qingzhou was rich in Blackstone, which could be burned.

The coal mines were abundant. In the eyes of people of this era, there was nothing remarkable about them, but to Rong Xi, they were priceless treasure.