Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

Li Chengze picked up the luminous cup that shimmered with a strange purple light, but did not rush to drink it all.

He lowered his eyes slightly, watching the wine in his glass ripple in the candlelight, the rich aroma of exotic flowers from the Western Regions and aged grains fermenting slowly seeping into his heart.

He gently swirled the wine in his glass, then brought it to his lips and took a small sip.

Upon tasting the wine, it initially carries a faint hint of coolness and spiciness. Immediately following, an extremely long-lasting, mellow sweetness with a unique floral aroma explodes on the tongue, flowing down the throat and transforming into a warm, comforting warmth that instantly spreads throughout the body.

"Good wine."

"The wine is full-bodied yet not dull, with a rich yet unconventional aroma. It's sharp on the palate, with a lingering, smooth finish. This 'Purple Jade Nectar' truly deserves to be the crown jewel of Zilanxuan. Even in that…"

He paused slightly, swallowing the rest of his sentence, and a half-smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Even among the seven kingdoms of this world, those who can brew such a fine wine are no more than a handful. Miss Zi Nu, excellent work."

Zi Nu listened quietly to Li Chengze's comments, a strange light flashing in her captivating peach blossom eyes.

The person in front of me is a connoisseur of wine.

"You flatter me, sir." Zi Nu's lips curved slightly, her smile becoming even more charming and captivating. She stretched out her slender hand and refilled Li Chengze's wine cup. "No matter how good this wine is, it needs to meet someone who appreciates it to be considered a waste of its preciousness. Just like the rare treasures of this world, in the hands of a fool who doesn't know their value, they are nothing more than a stubborn rock."

At this point, Zi Nu changed the subject, her piercing purple eyes fixing intently on Li Chengze. Her voice was soft yet carried a subtle probing: "Judging from your accent, young master, you don't seem to be from Korea. Among these seven kingdoms, to have nurtured someone of your extraordinary bearing and expertise in wine, you must be of noble birth. May I ask where you reside, young master? And which wine have you come to Xinzheng City to sample?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze smiled faintly. He did not avoid Zi Nu's gaze; instead, he met her probing eyes and looked back at her frankly.

"Background?" Li Chengze's slender fingers gently traced the smooth surface of the glass, his tone tinged with a nonchalant languor. "Just a wanderer who roams the world. This world is so vast, where can't I go? As for my hometown... it's too long ago, so long that I've almost forgotten what the wind there tastes like."

Zi Nu felt a chill run down her spine. This young man seemed easygoing, but in reality, he was extremely guarded, and his words were as slippery as an eel.

But Zi Nu has been navigating the city of Xinzheng for so many years, what kind of people hasn't she seen?

Naturally, they wouldn't give up trying just because of this small setback.

"Wandering the world? Young master, you jest." Zi Nu covered her mouth and giggled, the snow-white expanse of her chest trembling slightly, exuding a deadly allure. "If it were an ordinary wandering knight, enduring wind and rain, how could he have the leisure and refined taste of a young master, casually offering priceless gold ingots? Moreover..."

Zi Nu's gaze lingered for a moment on Li Chengze's long, fair hands, free of any calluses, and her smile deepened: "Young master's hands are long and jade-like, not like the hands of someone who wields a sword to kill. They seem more like... the hands of a powerful person who holds a pen year-round, or the hands of someone who manipulates the affairs of the world."

Li Chengze followed Zi Nu's gaze to look at his hands and chuckled to himself.

"Miss Zi Nu's eyes are even more discerning than this Purple Jade Nectar." Li Chengze smiled noncommittally, not directly responding to Zi Nu's speculation about his identity, but instead picked up his wine cup and took another sip.

"Since you, young master, are unwilling to reveal your background, then I will not say any more." Zi Nu knew when to stop, understanding the importance of moderation. She leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between herself and Li Chengze, and a delicate fragrance, like orchids, wafted towards Li Chengze's face. "Then, may I ask if I have the honor of knowing your name, young master? I can't keep calling you 'young master, young master,' can I? If word gets out, people will think that our Zi Lan Xuan doesn't know how to treat guests."

Li Chengze looked at the stunningly beautiful face so close to his, and felt the refreshing fragrance emanating from her, yet his expression remained calm and undisturbed.

He put down his wine glass, looked into Zi Nu's eyes, and parted his thin lips to utter three words:

"Li Chengze".

"Li Chengze..." Zi Nu silently repeated the name twice in her heart.

In an instant, her mind flashed through all the royal families, nobles, and powerful clans named "Li" in the seven kingdoms of the world, and even those famous martial arts masters.

However, no matter how hard she searched, she couldn't find a single "Li Chengze" who matched the extraordinary young man before her.

"A fine name. It signifies receiving the blessings of Heaven and nourishing all things. Your name, young master, sounds like a sign of great wealth and honor." Although Zi Nu had doubts in her heart, she did not show them on her face and still flattered him with a smile.

"Great wealth and honor?" Upon hearing this, Li Chengze's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Great wealth and honor in this world are often accompanied by mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Blessed by Heaven? Ha, the blessings of Heaven are not so easy to bear."

"Young master's words seem to have a hidden meaning," Zi Nu asked tentatively.

"It was just a spontaneous remark." Li Chengze suppressed his sneer and resumed his nonchalant demeanor. "Miss Zi Nu, please don't take it to heart."

Seeing this, Zi Nu stopped dwelling on the question. She swirled the wine cup in her hand, her eyes becoming somewhat unfocused: "Xinzheng City is the capital of the State of Han. Although it is prosperous, beneath this prosperous surface, undercurrents surge and dangers lurk everywhere. Since you, sir, are a wandering knight who roams the world, why did you choose this time to come into this murky water?"

This is the issue that Zi Nu cares about most.

Li Chengze looked at Zi Nu's inquisitive gaze and remained silent for a moment.

"I came to Korea without any particular purpose. I just... came with someone."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Zi Nu immediately became interested, her peach blossom eyes sparkling with gossip. "For someone as esteemed as Young Master Li to travel so far, this person must possess extraordinary charm. I wonder which peerless beauty has such influence?"

In Zi Nu's opinion, it was not surprising that a young, handsome, wealthy, and mysterious playboy like Li Chengze would spend a fortune and travel thousands of miles to pursue a famous and beautiful woman.

However, Li Chengze's answer was completely unexpected.

"A peerless beauty?" Li Chengze chuckled and shook his head. "Miss Zi Nu is mistaken. The one who brought me to Xinzheng City is not some stunningly beautiful confidante, but a man."

"A man?" Zi Nu was stunned, her smile froze slightly, and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

"Not bad." Li Chengze nodded, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "An extremely intelligent, extremely interesting, but also extremely troublesome man."

A strange premonition suddenly rose in Zi Nu's heart. She stared intently at Li Chengze and tentatively asked, "I wonder who this 'extremely interesting' man you speak of is?"