Xuán Zhi stood with his arms crossed, surveying the massive yet run-down manor before him.

  The pce was dusty, covered in vines, and had broken windows, but it had five courtyards, sturdy walls, and a prime location near the center of Zhènxiāng City.

  It was perfect.

  The owner—a shrewd-looking merchant—stroked his beard as he said, “50 gold coins, Your Excellency. Not a copper coin less.”

  Xuán Zhi raised a brow. “That’s enough to buy three smaller manors.”

  The merchant smirked. “True, but this one is rge, and nobles prefer rge.”

  Xuán Zhi sighed and tossed over a heavy pouch. 50 gold coins.

  The merchant’s eyes gleamed as he counted the money.

  With that, Xing Manor became theirs.

  --

  Of course, the pce was unlivable in its current state.

  Xuán Zhi immediately hired workers for 20 silver coins a week to clean and renovate the manor.

  Until then, they stayed at an inn, and Fan Yi, his trusted servant, bought clothes and necessities for the group.

  Xuán Zhi had other matters to handle.

  --

  Accompanied by one of his guards, Li Feng, Xuán Zhi followed an address given by the innkeeper to a hidden part of the city.

  They arrived at a dingy, unmarked building run by an old, greedy-looking man with yellowed teeth and a calcuting smile.

  “Ah, young master,” the man greeted, bowing slightly. “Looking to buy some… workers?”

  Xuán Zhi didn’t waste time. “Show me what you have.”

  The old man led them into a dimly lit courtyard, where a group of sves stood in silence.

  Men, women, and children—all bearing tired, lifeless eyes.

  Xuán Zhi gnced around.

  Then, a sudden memory struck him.

  In the novel, Male Lead 3 was sold as a sve in the capital of Gu Dynasty next year.

  The Female Lead saved him, but… well, things didn’t go smoothly.

  Xuán Zhi shook the thought away.

  He wasn’t here to save random protagonists.

  He carefully picked ten people:

  Four simple-looking girls (for general service).

  Two hardworking-looking women (for housework).

  Two old men (one knew how to cook, the other could drive a carriage).

  Two somewhat healthy boys (to train under him).

  “All ten for 14 silver coins,” Xuán Zhi said.

  The old man’s face twitched. “Young Master, you—”

  Xuán Zhi gave him a cold stare. “Or would you prefer I bring in the city guards and ask about your… unregistered dealings?”

  The old man coughed and immediately agreed.

  With that, Xuán Zhi gained ten new subordinates.

  --

  A week ter, the renovations were complete.

  Xuán Zhi, along with his two sisters and new household members, moved into the freshly restored Xing Manor.

  The four servant girls were assigned: two to Xuán Mei, two to Xuán Yan.

  Fan Yi hesitantly took the role of butler (though he wasn’t too thrilled about it).

  The two guards, Wei Rong and Li Feng, remained as security.

  The two old men took over the kitchen and carriage.

  That night, as Xuán Zhi stood in his new courtyard, he exhaled.

  For the first time since transmigrating, he felt like he had a stable foundation.

  But this was just the beginning.

  Xuan Zhi stood in the newly cleaned kitchen of Xing Manor, his sleeves rolled up, his golden hair tied back loosely.

  His two newly acquired elderly servants, who had been tasked with the kitchen, stood to the side, watching in silent horror as the prince—their master—handled the knives with practiced ease.

  Xuan Zhi ignored them. In his past life, as a spy, he had cooked more times than he could count. Sometimes it was because he had to infiltrate, sometimes because there was no one else to do it.

  Tonight, he was in the mood to cook.

  He pnned a simple yet extravagant meal—seven dishes.

  Stir-Fried Spicy Beef – Thinly sliced beef, marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and a touch of honey, then stir-fried with garlic, peppers, and dried chili fkes. The rich aroma of sizzling beef filled the kitchen.

  Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallions – A whole freshwater fish, carefully cleaned, steamed until tender, then drizzled with hot scallion-infused oil.

  Braised Pork Belly in Soy Sauce – Chunks of pork belly, slow-cooked in a sauce of dark soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, and Shaoxing wine, resulting in a glossy, melt-in-your-mouth dish.

  Eggpnt with Garlic Sauce – Soft eggpnts, pan-fried and coated in a sweet and spicy garlic sauce.

  Golden Fried Tofu with Scallions – Tofu cubes, lightly battered and fried until crispy, then topped with scallions and sesame seeds.

  Stir-Fried Greens with Oyster Sauce – A simple vegetable dish, made with fresh bok choy, mushrooms, and a drizzle of oyster sauce.

  White Rice & Pickled Radish – Fluffy steamed rice, accompanied by crunchy pickled radish slices.

  As he pted everything, his hands moved swiftly, pcing the dishes onto a rge wooden table in the main hall.

  Meanwhile, Xuan Yan was up to her usual nonsense.

  Once again disguised as a young man, she sneaked out of the manor with her two personal maids and an exasperated guard who was pulling triple duty—guard, servant, and babysitter.

  "I don’t understand why you must always run away," the guard muttered.

  Xuan Yan ughed. "What’s the point of freedom if you don’t use it?"

  The group strolled through the lively streets, and Xuan Yan stopped by a tinker’s shop.

  She bought decorative nterns, wind chimes, and small trinkets to brighten up her room.

  As she was paying, loud voices caught her attention near a restaurant’s entrance.

  By the restaurant’s side entrance, a group of soldiers stood in a tense standoff against a group of schorly-looking young men.

  "How dare you uncivilized brutes act so arrogantly?" a young schor sneered, adjusting his jade hairpin.

  The soldiers looked irritated, but one man stepped forward—a tall, well-built soldier with bronzed skin and sharp features, wearing deputy general’s armor.

  This was Yan Rui, the deputy under General Xie's direct command.

  "Deputy Yan, these people are evil!"

  Yan Rui sighed, clearly not wanting to argue.

  "If we were uncivilized, we wouldn’t be standing here letting you insult us," he said, rubbing his forehead.

  The schors scoffed, folding their arms.

  "Fine, then pay for our food!"

  Yan Rui blinked. "What?"

  "You soldiers ate at our table, drank from our wine, and now you should pay!"

  "But we didn’t order anything! You invited us!"

  The schor smirked. "Well, consider it a lesson in wisdom. A meal is never truly free."

  Yan Rui clenched his fists. He clearly wanted to punch them, but instead, he gritted his teeth and handed over the money.

  Xuan Yan, who had been watching with gossipy delight, burst into ughter.

  Yan Rui turned, staring at her.

  Disguised as a man, she looked like a delicate, mischievous youth. Her golden-blonde hair and red eyes made her stand out.

  "Why are you ughing?" he asked.

  Xuan Yan smirked. "Because you had no words to fight back, yet you still handed over the money."

  Yan Rui’s expression darkened. "...It was the fastest way to make them leave."

  "Or the fastest way to lose money."

  Yan Rui studied her. Why does this boy look… strangely beautiful? Like a girl…?

  Xuan Yan tilted her head. "Well, Deputy Yan, I hope we meet again."

  Then she turned and walked away, leaving Yan Rui confused.