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After Rong Xi arrived in this world, Liu He and his grandson took care of him. With the harsh winter approaching, he had to consider how to make money.

"Seven days." Jiang Weiping did not hesitate.

Neither of them was the sort to drag things out. Having settled the matter of custom-making the utensils, Jiang Weiping did not wish 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 powerfully built, his stride vigorous as a tiger in the wind.

Rong Xi stood beneath the eaves and watched him disappear beyond the gate. Then he lowered his head, saw only his soft belly, and could not help laughing.

A few days ago, he had unfortunately died suddenly. When he opened his eyes again, his nose and mouth were engulfed by cold water. His desire to live drove him to swim desperately toward the shore, and just as death closed in, he finally touched the riverbank.

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

"Living on in misery is meaningless. You may have this body. I only hope you will cherish it." After speaking, the foolishly plump youth revealed a look of relief and gradually faded from the world.

Rong Xi: "..."

Had he transmigrated?

Before he could think further, he fainted. Upon waking, he received the original owner's memories and understood that the facts were already set in stone.

Without question, he had indeed attached himself to the youth's body.

The original owner had the same name as him. He had once read an online novel, and because the cannon fodder character in it shared his exact name, the memory had remained especially vivid. That cannon fodder character had also died after falling into the water.

Could he now be someone inside that book?

"My lord, 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 in his voice.

Rong Xi had yet to recover from his illness. His body felt heavy, and his spirits were low. Hearing this, he accepted the advice, drew his robes close, and returned to his room for warmth.

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

Just as he curled into the bedding, a youth's voice came in from outside.

"Grandpa, I'm back!"

"Keep your voice down. My lord has 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-changing years, and his voice was rough and grating. "Grandpa, I caught a few crucian carp in the river. I'll stew them for my lord tonight."

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

Rong Xi did enjoy 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, owing to the backward state of ironworking.

Great Wei followed the custom of two meals a day. It was not yet the hour of Shen, but his stomach was already empty, rumbling loudly enough that he could not sleep. And when he thought of Elder 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 gutting fish. Seeing Rong Xi enter, he immediately stood up and tucked his fish-smelling hands behind his back. With a simple, foolish grin, he said, "My lord, why have you gotten up? It's dirty and messy here. Please be careful not to soil your robes."

"It is nothing."

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

Liu Zishi loved food. In his mind, if it was a delicacy that even his lord could not forget, it had to be some peerless flavor beyond his imagination. At once, saliva welled in his mouth.

"My lord, what sort of delicacy is it?" His features were handsome and delicate, completely at odds with his sturdy build. As he crouched and looked up at Rong Xi with round eyes, he was unexpectedly rather 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 personally washed them twice more.

Just then, Liu He returned from gathering firewood. Seeing this, he threw down the wood, rapped Liu Zishi sharply on the head, and scolded, "You lazy servant! How could you let my lord tire himself?"

Liu Zishi covered his forehead, looking aggrieved. Yet with his towering, sturdy physique, it was truly impossible for anyone to feel much pity for him.

"Elder Liu, do not blame him. I was bored with nothing to do and troubled Zishi instead." Rong Xi placed the fish onto a plate, then said, "If there are scallions, ginger, and coriander in the house, sorry for the trouble, Elder Liu, but please find some."

Seeing how skillfully he handled the knife, Liu He's eyes widened at once. His beard even curled upward as his facial muscles trembled.

He had always heard only of his lord's talent for causing trouble in the capital, but he had never known that his lord possessed such deep skill in the culinary arts.

After several days together, Liu He gradually came to feel that the capital's criticism of his lord had been somewhat unfair.

Although the Rong Clan's Eldest Brother was not particularly striking in appearance, his temperament was refined and quiet, and he treated others with kindness. There was not the slightest trace of unruliness in him. Moreover, despite being the son of an official, he was actually skilled in a cook's craft. It truly made one feel sorry for him.

Liu He had originally wanted Rong Xi to stay away from a cook's quarters, but seeing how much he enjoyed himself, he could not bear to interrupt. He could only go search for the extra ingredients.

Having grown up beside the water, Liu Zishi had eaten plenty of fish, but Liu He had always cooked it. As for the flavor, it could only be said to be barely edible.

Never before had the kitchen smelled as it did now, making him float as though he no longer knew where he was.

Once the fish was steamed and plated, Rong Xi poured fragrant hot oil over it and placed the prepared shredded scallions, ginger, and coriander on top. A richly flavored plate of 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 fragrance made Liu Zishi's eyes redden. He fried the flatbread absentmindedly, his gaze constantly drifting toward the delicacy on the plate.

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

That evening, the three of them ate several crucian carp with a few pieces of fried flatbread. Their mouths shone with oil, their bellies were stretched painfully full, and they were thoroughly satisfied.

"Elder Liu, can charcoal be burned in winter?" Rong Xi held his stomach with difficulty as he walked beneath the eaves to digest his meal.

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

"My lord, Linxi is not like the capital. Charcoal is expensive and difficult to buy."

Though he did not finish speaking, Rong Xi already understood.

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

Other than Liu He's monthly stipend, the ancestral residence had no other source of income. The food for three people was already impossible to support on that meager stipend alone, let alone burning charcoal for warmth.

During the days he had spent recovering, Rong Xi had already read books related to the history and geography of the Wei Kingdom. As a senior researcher, his memory far surpassed that of ordinary people. For him, never forgetting what he saw 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. To people of this era, they were nothing remarkable, but to Rong Xi, they were priceless treasures.