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"Brother Xuan Shi, please wait a moment. If your stomach is empty, have some Cold Pastry." Rong Xi smiled apologetically.

Hu Yulin was not hungry. He was merely curious about just how skilled Rong Xi was at cooking; even if he had to wait several hours, he would not grow impatient.

Moreover, Rong Dalang was learned and broadly knowledgeable. If it were not inappropriate, Hu Yulin would have liked to stay the night, share a bed with him, and talk deep into the night with their feet touching.

The two discussed the ways of commerce in the study. Hu Yulin was astonished by Rong Dalang's ingenious ideas. Each time he listened, he felt as though enlightenment had been poured over his head, and admiration rose within him.

In his previous life, Rong Xi had been born into a wealthy family. His father was a renowned scholar and researcher, while his mother was a leading figure in the business world. He had inherited both their wisdom and surpassed them both.

"Eldest Brother has hills and valleys in his heart. Xuan Shi is far inferior." Hu Yulin was sincerely convinced and praised him again and again.

The people of the capital were wooden-hearted and dim-sighted, mistaking pearls for fish eyes. No matter the extent of Rong Dalang's learning, his open and forthright spirit and far-reaching vision alone already surpassed most men of the age.

"I dare not accept such praise. They are merely shallow principles and thin arguments, nothing compared to Brother Xuan Shi's genuine talent and practical ability," Rong Xi said modestly.

That was no lie. Though he knew many theories, once it came to practice, he would surely be dizzy and blind, utterly at a loss as to what to do.

The time had come, and the pork knuckle was tender and falling apart.

Watching from the side, Hu Yulin saw Rong Xi scatter in chopped scallions, dogwood, and clear wine. At once, its color and fragrance were complete, and his appetite surged.

The pork knuckle had been braised through, its flavors melding together. The young Liu boy clung to the doorway, staring at it longingly.

Servants had always been strangers to such delicacies. Liu Zishi had been repeatedly instructed by Liu He and understood the reason, yet he could not resist the temptation. Saliva nearly spilled from his mouth.

Then he suddenly heard his master call him forward.

The young man kept half an eye on the earthenware pot while listening distractedly to Rong Xi's instructions.

"The remaining food in the pot, you may share with Old Liu."

Liu Zishi's eyes shone like stars. Seeing that his master took only two portions of pork knuckle and gave the remaining two to him and his grandfather, he was deeply moved and bowed again and again.

"Master is kind! Master is kind!"

Hu Yulin, however, could wait no longer. He sat behind the dining table, picked up his chopsticks, and tasted it. The pork knuckle melted the instant it entered his mouth—soft without being greasy, tender as cream. Its rich fragrance bloomed over his tongue, seeped into his heart and spleen, and intoxicated his mind.

For such delicious food, no matter how long he had waited, it would have been worth it.

The Rong Clan's Eldest Brother surprised people at every turn. For such a man to be confined to Linxi was truly a waste of Heaven's gifts.

Hu Yulin was filled with emotion. After finishing an entire pork knuckle, he felt only half full. In truth, his belly was already full; only the empty void in his spiritual platform remained.

"Eldest Brother's cooking skills are beyond even the royal kitchens' master butchers." Hu Yulin spared no praise, leaving Rong Xi laughing despite himself.

Rong Xi was skilled at cooking because of his previous life. After reaching adulthood, he had lived alone and loved fine food, studying cooking with dedication for several years. Though his dishes looked decent, compared to true master chefs, he still fell far short.

"It is Xi's good fortune that Brother Xuan Shi enjoyed himself."

After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, the moon had already climbed to the treetops. Hu Yulin made an appointment with Rong Xi before reluctantly taking his leave.

Over the following days, Hu Yulin visited the Rong Residence many times. He and Rong Xi spoke merrily together, while Hu Yulin also gathered coalstone and yellow earth and had them transported to the Rong Residence.

In the open space of the courtyard, the coalstone had been ground into powder and piled opposite the yellow earth.

Liu Zishi came carrying a bucket. The wooden bucket swayed slightly, spilling a little water and wetting his shoes. The young man did not care in the least. He set the bucket beside the coal pile and asked eagerly, "Master, what is the water for?"

He had spent more than ten dull years drifting without purpose, accomplishing nothing. Since his master had arrived, his sturdy body had finally found a use, and all the strength in him seemed inexhaustible.

Rong Xi was about to mix the coal and earth himself when sharp-eyed Hu Yulin stopped him with a smile. "Why should Eldest Brother do it personally? Just summon servants."

Having said that, he called over two strong servants, both with thick arms and powerful builds.

Rong Xi accepted his goodwill without refusing. Calmly, he instructed the two men to mix the coal and earth evenly according to the proper ratio, then dig an opening at the top of the pile and work from the top downward.

When it came time to add water, he did it himself to avoid mistakes, slowly pouring it in with a ladle.

Once the coal and earth had been soaked and taken on a slightly sticky texture, Rong Xi brought out a brand-new coal mold and plunged it deep inside. Its chambers filled with the coal mixture, forming their shape. He then moved to a clean patch of ground and lightly twisted the mechanism. Cylindrical coal briquettes dropped smoothly to the ground, each with twelve neatly arranged holes.

Everyone in the courtyard exclaimed in surprise.

"What a peculiar shape!" Hu Yulin crouched down to inspect them closely, not caring that his robes dragged across the ground, and reached out to touch one.

His mind was quick, and at the sight, he vaguely grasped Rong Xi's intention.

With such a shape, they would surely burn more easily, preventing solid coal balls from piling together and keeping the open flame from weakening.

"Eldest Brother's ingenious idea has Xuan Shi's admiration!" Hu Yulin rose and praised him loudly.

Rong Xi demonstrated the use of the coal mold himself, and everyone immediately understood. Finding it interesting and unwilling to let Rong Xi tire himself, Liu Zishi said, "Master, let this servant do it."

Rong Xi's body was frail and weak. Though he had recently begun strengthening himself, he was still no match for the young Liu boy or the two strong servants. He handed the coal mold to them and moved beneath the corridor to drink water and rest.

Hu Yulin, too, was suddenly seized by the urge to play. He personally used the mold to make coal briquettes. At first he was full of enthusiasm, but after only a few tries, his arms ached and his waist grew sore, so he no longer forced himself.

He set aside the coal mold, washed his hands, and went beneath the corridor. Standing opposite Rong Xi, he watched the joyous scene in the courtyard, and a burst of exhilaration welled up within him.

The coal briquettes were delicate and charming, lined up neatly on the ground like armored soldiers awaiting a military order, ready to charge onto the battlefield and die for their country.

"Fortunately, there has been no rain these days. Let the briquettes bake in the sun for several days, and once the moisture is gone, they will be ready," Rong Xi said slowly, holding a cup.

They only needed to wait for Craftsman Jiang's new device to be completed before the results would be clear.

Liu Zishi and the two strong servants took turns working. Only when the golden sun hung like an orange did they finish. The coal briquettes were smooth and round, arranged in orderly rows along both sides of the courtyard like ministers at court, standing silently in the Golden Luan Hall.

They carried a touch of charming amusement.

Hu Yulin had always harbored great ambitions. He had previously considered expanding the coalstone trade many times, yet never found a way. Only after meeting Rong Xi a few days ago had his predicament been resolved. It was truly Heaven's protection and a blessing for the Hu Clan.

What thrilled him most was becoming friends with the Rong Clan's Eldest Brother—not because of status or family prestige, but because Eldest Brother possessed a jade-like character that made one's heart yearn toward him.

While the coal briquettes dried in the sun, Hu Yulin traveled back and forth between the city and town without his feet touching the ground, increasing the coal fields and strong servants and mining coalstone. The amount of coalstone was more than double that of previous years.