He'd spent a lifetime searching, and Alex the Alchemist
one night finally found the secret of turning lead into gold.
When he reported his newfound prowess to his King, the
sovereign was skeptical. Nevertheless he ordered all the
lead in the kingdom confiscated and then gave a pound of
the dull stuff to Alex, demanding it be transformed into
something suitable to enrich the royal coffers the next day.
A handsome reward was promised for success, along with generous
compensation for making this a daily task; but death on the
gallows awaited if Alex were found to be untruthful.
Delighted with this opportunity, and seizing a chance to curry
the King's favor even more, Alex declined all compensation, opining
that it was reward enough, simply to be of service to his Liege.
True to his word, lowly Alex returned to the castle at sunrise,
a pound of glistening gold lying heavy in his rucksack. He laid
it at the Monarch's feet, where a surprise awaited. The King
convened his court, and stood, to praise Alex -- both for his
alchemistic prowess and for his remarkable willingness to forgo
monetary reward -- and knighted him on the spot!
Smiling, Sir Alex rose and left the castle, satisfied that he had
both gained the King's favor, and become not only a knight but
a rich man, as well.
What was shrewd Alex's secret?
Edited for clarification.