Chapter 19 - A Generous Exchange

After selecting the land, since they had brought no attendants, Felix personally marked the boundaries for Wei Wei. With that done, they rode back to the castle.

Once there, Wei Wei returned to her room and retrieved sixty gold bars—before leaving her homeland, she had asked the system to convert her gold ingots into equal-weight gold bars for convenience. The system even engraved a neat, formal "Wei" character on each bar, serving as both an identifying mark and a (faux) family crest.

Sixty gold bars weighed a total of six pounds—not exactly a light load. Wei Wei packed them into the same ornate box she had previously used to store jewelry when pretending to flee. She then carried the box to Felix's study.

When Felix saw her carrying the box, he assumed it contained jewelry or other valuables. However, when she opened it, the gleaming gold bars nearly blinded him.

"This is…?"

Wei Wei carefully observed his expression, noting only surprise and not a trace of greed. Her wariness eased, and her smile became noticeably more genuine.

"My family converted much of its wealth into valuable goods before traveling west. In secret, they also exchanged a considerable amount of gold. My father feared that if it were discovered, it would attract trouble, so he entrusted it to me for safekeeping. When I escaped, I didn't have time to take everything, so I hid most of it and only brought these with me."

Since she had decided to settle down here, she needed a plausible explanation for the future influx of wealth she would undoubtedly acquire.

Of course, Wei Wei wasn't about to reveal the full extent of her fortune. Money could easily tempt even the most honorable individuals, and although Felix seemed to be a man of integrity, she had no intention of testing his limits.

At this point, Felix knew that Wei Wei had hidden some of her wealth, but he had no idea that her hidden stash amounted to nearly 2,000 pounds of gold. Such an immense fortune could buy her a hereditary barony or even a county title—if only she were a man.

For now, he simply praised her wisdom: "A very clever decision." His admiration for this intelligent young woman only deepened.

The Countess of Williams should be a woman of wisdom, just like her.

Felix then handed Wei Wei the contract he had prepared in advance.

Wei Wei took the parchment scroll, unrolled it, and carefully read through the contents. It clearly outlined the land's size, location, and price. Felix had already signed his name—now all that remained was her approval.

On the desk beside them lay the official documents necessary to complete the transfer. Since Felix was the highest-ranking noble in Sardinson County, his signature alone was enough to finalize the process immediately.

After thoroughly reviewing the contract and consulting with the system, Wei Wei confirmed there were no issues. She then signed her name—both in English and Chinese.

With the contract finalized, she pushed the box of gold bars toward Felix. However, instead of reaching for them, he was fixated on her signature. His hand hovered over the parchment as if he wanted to touch the ink, but he hesitated, afraid it hadn't fully dried.

"This… is your country's script?"

The characters "魏薇" were the same in both traditional and simplified Chinese. Since this was technically the Southern Song Dynasty, it was indeed the correct way to write her name, so she nodded.

"They look so unique, almost like drawings. Beautiful."

Wei Wei chuckled lightly, accepting his compliment.

She had practiced writing her name diligently under the guidance of her grandfather, who had been a calligraphy teacher. After he passed away, she gradually stopped, but the foundation was still there.

With the contract signed, all that remained was for Felix to process the paperwork. In her presence, he swiftly signed the necessary documents, finalizing the land transfer.

When Wei Wei received the deed, she felt an unexpected sense of relief—as if she was no longer a drifting outsider, but someone who truly belonged here.

"I may need a little time before I can officially start as Dolores' tutor," Wei Wei informed Felix as she carefully stored the deed.

Felix understood immediately. "That's perfectly fine. You can take care of your affairs first. If you need anything, just let me know."

Buying land and building a house would keep her busy for a while, so he wouldn't insist on her starting work right away.

Wei Wei nodded in thanks. "I'll speak with Butler Barton if anything comes up. I won't hold back."

Having spent time in Sardinson Castle, she had noticed that people here spoke more directly than in China, where subtlety was preferred. To better integrate, she was trying to adapt her communication style.

Felix wanted to tell her that she could come to him directly with any issues, but remembering his packed schedule, he swallowed his words.

Today was one of the rare times he had returned to Sardinson Castle. Otherwise, he would still be patrolling his territory, overseeing affairs, and leading knights to hunt wild beasts in the forests.

Wei Wei hadn't realized that Felix had made a special trip back just to handle her land purchase—until she overheard Butler Barton giving instructions for his departure after dinner.

"The Count is leaving already?" she asked.

Barton, who had been speaking with a servant, turned to her. Upon seeing it was Wei Wei, his stern expression softened. "Yes, Master Felix returned briefly to rest, but he must continue his journey tomorrow."

He didn't explicitly state that Felix had returned for her sake, but Wei Wei understood immediately.

Seeing the realization dawn on her face, Barton was pleased.

Their Count had done so much for the woman he admired—how could she not know? Naturally, it was up to the loyal servants to make sure she understood just how important she was to him.

Knowing that Felix had come back just to help her, Wei Wei felt a rare sense of gratitude.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Does the Count need food prepared for his journey?"

"Yes, we usually pack some dried meat and hard bread. Of course, we'll also send some of your pasta, along with various seasonings."

The so-called "dried meat" was just salted, air-dried strips of meat. To eat it, one had to soak it in hot water—flavor and texture were secondary concerns. The bread was hard, closer to a weapon than a meal.

The spices were for roasting meat since Felix and his knights often hunted and cooked on the spot. While they weren't skilled chefs, they certainly knew how to prepare a good roast.

As for Wei Wei's pasta, it had won over nearly everyone in the castle. This versatile, long-lasting staple could be dried and stored for a year or more while remaining easy to cook—an ideal travel food. The last time Felix left, he had specifically requested it, but due to time constraints, the kitchen had only prepared a small batch, which he had finished in no time.

Now, the kitchen was stocked with plenty of dried pasta, so Felix could take as much as he wanted.

However, dried pasta, while delicious, took a long time to cook—too much time and fuel for an outdoor journey.

Wei Wei thought for a moment. "I'll go take a look."

Barton's eyes lit up. "Miss Wei Wei, are you going to prepare food for the Count yourself?"

"Yes, I'll see what's best for travel."

Felix had expressed his wish to eat more of her cooking and had even entrusted the kitchen to her. Considering all the help he had given her, she felt it was only right to return the favor.

The kitchen had already prepared the usual supplies for Felix's trip, but when Wei Wei arrived and stated her intention to cook, the staff eagerly cooperated.

Since she frequently visited the kitchen to introduce new dishes, they had acquired steaming baskets, frying pans, and other Chinese cooking tools.

With limited time, Wei Wei couldn't prepare anything too elaborate, so she settled on steamed buns, meat-filled buns, and pan-fried meat pies.

Given the cool weather, the meat fillings would stay fresh for a few days. The buns and pies could be steamed or soaked in hot water before eating—far better than stale bread and dried meat.

Barton originally expected Wei Wei to cook only for Felix, but upon learning that the knights' rations also came from the kitchen, she decided not to play favorites and made a massive batch for everyone.

With multiple stoves burning, steaming baskets full of buns, and workers kneading dough, chopping meat, and rolling out pastry, the kitchen was a whirlwind of activity.

At midnight, the food was finally ready. Exhausted, many workers stifled yawns.

Wei Wei instructed Butler Barton, "Let the kitchen staff sleep in tomorrow. As for breakfast, just use these buns and meat pies."

Her preparations had yielded enough food for ten days, but since buns couldn't last that long, part of the batch was meant for breakfast.

"To reward today's helpers, each will get a meat pie or bun. The rest of the servants can have a steamed bun."

Hearing this, Barton hesitated—such high-quality food was meant for the Count. Could the servants eat it?

Then he realized he could have one too—and even bring one home to his wife.

Swallowing his reservations (and a bit of saliva), he nodded in agreement.

When the servants heard the news, they cheered softly, thrilled at the rare treat—and eagerly looked forward to morning.