He originally intended to surrender to Wei, so why did he end up restoring Han?

After a day of inspections, Lu Wan finally had time to enjoy her life.

Back at his residence, several maids brought him dinner: a bowl of wheat porridge, a bowl of overcooked sunflower greens, and a dish of strange-looking sauce. In an instant, Lu Wan lost his appetite.

Even though she had been in this time and space for almost three months, there were still many things that Lu Wan couldn't accept.

For example, this meal in front of me is absolutely awful!

The wheat rice was burning my throat, and the pickled vegetables were incredibly salty. The only slightly better dish was the vegetables, which were a bit mushy, but still edible.

Lu Wan had experienced hunger and knew how hard it was to obtain food. Even if it tasted terrible, she would eat it all. But if Lu Wan were to actually like this food and have to eat it every day, she would rather slit her own throat.

After a long and tiring day, Lu Wan wanted something nice to eat, so he put down his chopsticks and headed to the kitchen. He had taken advantage of his position to make a cast iron pot himself, and he was ready to try it out today.

The old cook in the kitchen was dozing off in front of the earthen stove when she was startled awake by the creaking of the door: "Who is it?!"

"I'll make something to eat, you go to sleep."

The cook certainly didn't dare to sleep. She had originally wanted to advise Lu Wan that "a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen," but she was afraid of upsetting Lu Wan, so she could only diligently help Lu Wan with her work.

Lu Wan first added water and rinsed rice to the pot, brought it to a boil over high heat until the rice grains were visible, then turned the heat down to low and continued to cook. Finally, she let the finished product cool before using it.

The rising flames of the stove are the clarion call to awaken delicious flavors. A spoonful of creamy lard slides into the pan, instantly turning into a liquid golden hue, its warm, savory aroma spreading out under the heat. Golden egg liquid, like the rising sun, pours down, meeting the scalding oil with a sizzling sound—the most vibrant symphony of life. With a flick of the wrist, the spatula dances, and the egg liquid solidifies and expands in an instant, transforming into fluffy, soft golden clouds.

Now, the bowl of cooled, settled rice finally makes its appearance. The pristine white grains eagerly leap into the golden embrace, where, with the steady, powerful push of the spatula, they intertwine and entwine with the egg flowers. Every grain of rice longs to absorb the savory aroma of the egg and the sheen of the oil. This is a collision of strength and tenderness, a fusion of hardness and softness. The sizzling sound of the spatula scraping across the iron pan is the most melodious rhythm of this feast.

Intense heat and rapid cooking are the soul of a perfect bowl of fried rice. The wok hei, an indescribable yet soul-stirring aroma, rises powerfully from the intense friction between the high temperature and the ingredients. It carries the aroma of roasted rice, the richness of eggs, and the abundance of oil, forcefully invading the nasal cavity and awakening the dormant appetite.

Looking at the finished product, Lu Wan nodded with satisfaction, and said while serving rice:

"Poor Magistrate Liu, what can he eat? Nothing more than wheat porridge, pickled vegetables, tea, and fish soup."

The servants nearby acted as if they had no ears, completely unaware of what their master was saying.

She couldn't wait to shovel the fried rice into her mouth, and the savory flavor exploded on her tongue. Lu Wan couldn't help but sigh: If I could eat this delicious food every day, I would be willing to live in a mansion and marry beautiful women for the rest of my life.

"Come on, you all should try some. I can't possibly eat all of this by myself."

The servants naturally wouldn't refuse their master's orders. However, no matter how much they pleaded, the old cook and several maids didn't dare to sit down to eat, instead hiding far away and shoveling rice into their mouths.

Lu Wan was also not used to sitting down to eat while the others had to squat to the side.

In fact, there were many other things that Lu Wan was not used to. Every morning, several maids would come to help him get dressed, touching him all over, which made him feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, the thought of others freely entering her resting place made Lu Wan uncomfortable. If an assassin suddenly appeared, she wouldn't know how she would die.

Watching the group eat, Lu Wan suddenly felt that the room was unusually large and unusually empty, as if something was missing.

After thinking it over, Lu Wan realized that the house was missing a female owner.

It's not that Lu Wan is trying to be repressed, it's just that when she gets home, she feels a little strange that there's no one to talk to. Besides, having a wife can also help her come up with ideas and manage the household.

Lu Wan glanced at the maids; they had round faces and were quite cute. However, they were all rather young, only about thirteen or fourteen years old. No matter how ruthless Lu Wan was, she would never lay a hand on them.

I'd better ask someone I know to play matchmaker. I had no experience finding a girlfriend before I transmigrated, and now it's even more like trying to lift tofu with a rope.

--------

The Prince's Residence in Langya County, Xuzhou

It was late at night, the best time to rest, but the main house of the Wang family was brightly lit.

At this time, the person in charge of the Wang family affairs was Wang Xiang, who was only sixteen years old. He was the protagonist of the story "The Lying-down Special Ice Carp with its Head Out" in the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars.

He was not optimistic that Liu Bei could defeat Yuan Shu, and since he was located in Langya and Linyi, far from the emperor's reach, he neither publicly acknowledged Liu Bei nor provided support for Liu Bei's military operations.

Wang Xiang naturally had to be cautious, as his father had died early and all the family affairs rested on his shoulders. At that time, the Langya Wang family was not yet at the level where it could share the world with the Sima family; it was just an ordinary small aristocratic family.

But then a stunning reversal occurred on the battlefield of Guangling. Liu Bei effortlessly defeated Ji Ling and also angered Yuan Shu to death, leaving everyone speechless.

Wang Xiang realized how utterly he had missed the opportunity to become a shareholder, and he was filled with regret. Having no other choice, Wang Xiang could only settle for second best and see if he could salvage some goodwill from Liu Bei through financial support.

"It's alright," Wang Xiang comforted himself. "It's just a technical adjustment. I, Wang Xiang, am still young, and I have plenty of time. I'll take it slow. Sooner or later, I'll be able to climb over everyone else. There's no need to feel sorry for myself over this little setback."

Wang Xiang didn't just want to be an ordinary official; he wanted to become the pinnacle of all the powerful families in the entire Han Dynasty, the absolute leader of all families. His hidden ambition made him unwilling to be subordinate to anyone, and he couldn't wait to climb the ranks.

However, the people of Xuzhou Prefecture quickly stopped Wang Xiang's investment, not only seizing all the money but also arresting the people sent by the Wang family to make the deal.

When the Wang family sent people to probe their intentions, the official statement from Xuzhou Prefecture was that the source of the wealth was unclear and it might have come from Cao Cao.

This charge is among the most serious in Xuzhou. Wang Xiang can't afford to wear such a label, nor would he dare to. For Wang Xiang's grand plan to succeed, he must ensure that the Wang family is morally spotless.

He hurriedly sent his cousin Wang Kang to Xiapi to explain, and produced the Wang family's account books, stating that all the money was obtained through the legal exploitation of tenant farmers, and that it was all clean and honest assets.

However, no matter how much Wang Kang pleaded, the relevant officials said that the investigation was currently underway and that they would contact the Wang family after the investigation results were released.

The goods were seized in November, and the person was arrested in November. Wang Xiang waited until December under pressure from both inside and outside his family, when finally someone came to communicate and negotiate with the Wang family.

As darkness fell, several men in black arrived at the Wang family mansion and displayed the official seals representing the officials of Xuzhou.

Upon learning that the people from Xuzhou had come, Wang Xiang quickly led them into the house to prevent others from finding out about this secret meeting.

Why did Wang Xiang know these people wanted to have a secret meeting with him without any prior warning? The answer is actually quite simple: who would dress in all black and come to someone else's house at night?

The servants lit candles, gradually brightening the main room. Wang Xiang gave a signal, and several more dishes of pastries were placed in front of the men in black. The pastries were of very high quality, consisting of delicacies such as rice dumplings and candied fruit. The leader of the men in black picked up the plate of rice dumplings and handed it to his companions, sending them all away to eat at their leisure.

Now only Wang Xiang, Wang Kang, and the man in black remained in the room. Wang Xiang knew he was about to say something unspeakable, and his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were slightly sweaty.

The man in black produced a list and handed it to Wang Xiang, which detailed all the Wang family's seized goods. He then picked up a piece of candied fruit and said:

"We've investigated this matter thoroughly. You did not collude with Cao Cao. From now on, you can continue as usual. We will return your belongings and release your people. However, visiting Xiapi for tourism is allowed; doing business is not permitted."

Wang Kang visibly breathed a sigh of relief; in his view, as long as the goods weren't lost, everything was fine. He was about to joke with his cousin when he noticed Wang Xiang's expression.

Wang Xiang developed the ability to keep his emotions hidden from a young age, and he could control his feelings very well. No matter how badly his stepmother treated him, or how much she slandered and tormented him, he could remain unperturbed and never reveal any negative emotions.

However, Wang Kang, Wang Xiang's cousin, grew up with him and, as Wang Xiang's closest person, naturally knew what kind of person his cousin was. He knew that his cousin was in a bad mood, even though Wang Xiang was still wearing a harmless smile on his face.

"Why can't our Wang family invest money?" The man in black simply returned their investment, but what Wang Xiang wanted now was investment. He needed to take advantage of the current economic momentum in Xuzhou to develop his family business so that he could then fully dedicate himself to increasing his reputation.

The man in black dusted off his clothes: "This is our policy."

"Then why is it the Zhang family of Pengcheng who can? They didn't support Liu Shijun's ascension to the throne in the first place!" Wang Xiang said anxiously.

If it were Wang Xiang in his forties later in life, he certainly wouldn't have said that, but the current Wang Xiang clearly hasn't mastered the art of self-cultivation yet.

However, we shouldn't look down on Wang Xiang. He's already done very well, having endured so much pressure and only said some outrageous things.

"We've already reached an agreement with the Zhang family of Pengcheng. Besides, our previous lack of support for Governor Liu was simply because we were worried he wouldn't be able to handle the situation. Moreover, they love the Han Dynasty," the man in black explained.

"I can talk too! I can love a big man too!"

The man in black was amused by Wang Xiang's words: "What is your status in Langya County? The Zhang family is the leading family of Pengcheng Kingdom."

After finishing his sentence, the man in black paused for a moment, then added, "You know Zang Ba, right? He goes a bit too far. It's not that he doesn't want them to survive, but that he demands obedience and follows Commander Liu's orders."

Wang Xiang remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, his voice as lifeless as a ghost: "So, if I help you bring down Zang Ba, you can do whatever you want?"

The man in black didn't answer. He put the last piece of candied fruit in his mouth, stood up, and prepared to leave. The two people inside also got up and saw him to the door.

Just as they were about to reach the door, the man in black suddenly turned to Wang Xiang and said, "I'll go back and help you with the formalities. You can decide for yourself what you want to do."

Without waiting for Wang Xiang's reply, he led his companions away. Faint conversations could still be heard: "What happened at the Shangxun workshop? How did Cao Cao's spies get so close? If the workers hadn't reported suspicious individuals, they might have already infiltrated. Investigate immediately where the problem lies!"

"Brother, what should we do?" Wang Kang couldn't help but ask when they could no longer be seen.

"I'll figure out a way to handle this. It's getting late, you should go back and rest." Wang Xiang said with a smile, but his words carried an unquestionable tone of command.

After sending Wang Kang away, Wang Xiang returned to his bedroom, finally shedding his disguise and revealing his cold expression.

The man in black had made his point very clear: only by helping Liu Shijun defeat Zang Ba would his family be allowed to participate in the various businesses in Xuzhou.

The men in black left without offering any guarantees, which meant it was a clandestine operation. If Wang Xiang was discovered or failed, Xuzhou would not acknowledge any prior agreement with the Wang family. This could potentially solidify the previous charge of colluding with Cao Cao, completely ruining the Wang family's reputation.

Wang Xiang blew out the candle in the room, his eyes blinking rapidly.

Several days later

Wang Xiang presented his visiting card and arrived at Zang Ba's residence.

However, the person he was going to visit was not Zang Ba, but Zang Ba's son, Zang Ai.

Anyone who has done bad things knows that if you want to drag someone down, you have to start by working on the people around them.

Zang Ai is actually quite learned and capable, and he has already begun to share his father's burdens by serving as the registrar of Kaiyang County.

Upon seeing Wang Xiang, Zang Ai immediately came out to greet him. Wang Xiang's reputation for filial piety, having previously been established by lying on ice to catch carp for his father, was already well-known. Naturally, Zang Ai had to treat such a famous figure, renowned in Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, and parts of Yangzhou, with utmost respect and courtesy.

"Long time no see, Xiuzheng. I was wondering why there were magpies calling in the winter; turns out we have a distinguished guest visiting today."

Wang Xiang smiled slightly and explained, "To be honest, I came here with a request. I hope Brother Ai can lend a helping hand."

"Oh? Please tell me what your requirements are."

"It's all because of my good-for-nothing cousin. Because of the caravan being detained, Wang Kang failed to communicate properly, which resulted in the goods being detained and piled up for a long time. The money and cloth are fine, but a lot of the grain is no longer edible due to improper storage." Wang Xiang directly shifted the blame to his cousin, since he wasn't even here.

Zang Ai nodded: "So your household is currently experiencing a food shortage? I'll talk to my father later and see if we can spare some to sell to Xiuzheng."