Chapter 116
"Haha, Your Highness Prince An, you’ve asked the right person about this wine. This ‘Qiongjiang’ is a secret recipe unique to my Huo family. However, it’s not yet available for sale. But since you’re here, please give it a try. If you like it, I’ll have a jar sent to you later as a small token of our acquaintance." After saying this, Huo Yunxuan poured Xu Heming a bowl.
The wine in the bowl had a faint golden hue, its rich aroma unfolding like the passage of time. Xu Heming felt intoxicated by the scent alone before even taking a sip.
"Truly excellent wine!" Xu Heming had to admit that the wine Huo Yunxuan had brought out was indeed exceptional.
"Come, Your Highness Prince An, since fate has brought us together, let me propose a toast to you." Huo Yunxuan raised his bowl with a hearty expression, as if the man before him wasn’t a prince at all, but a close friend like Li Tianyou.
This kind of interaction was a first for Xu Heming—unfamiliar, yet not entirely unwelcome.
Seeing Huo Yunxuan’s unreserved demeanor, Xu Heming’s guard lowered slightly.
But only slightly.
At this moment, Xu Heming had no intention of forming a deep friendship with Huo Yunxuan. He merely saw this as helping Li Tianyou entertain a friend.
After all, a son-in-law was half a son. Right now, Li Tianyou was undoubtedly swamped with work, and if Xu Heming could lighten his load even a little, perhaps Li Tianyou would resent him less.
"I’ll drink first to show my respect. Your Highness, please drink at your leisure." Huo Yunxuan downed the entire bowl in one go, then smiled.
Only then did Xu Heming raise his own bowl and take a small sip. The wine was indeed rich and mellow, leaving a lasting impression. "Excellent wine!" he praised.
"If Your Highness likes it, I’ll have Laifu bring a jar to you later. Next time you visit Li’an County, I’ll be sure to prepare more for you. This wine is rare—I only brought two jars with me this time," Huo Yunxuan said with a smile.
"I’m afraid I’m imposing on Young Master Huo’s generosity. This wine is truly remarkable, and it’s already extravagant of you to treat me today. How about I purchase the other jar from you instead?" Xu Heming naturally wouldn’t accept gifts from Huo Yunxuan.
But he did want the wine.
After all, winning over his future father-in-law was important.
"This..." Though inwardly thrilled, Huo Yunxuan feigned hesitation.
"Name your price, Young Master Huo." Xu Heming assumed Huo Yunxuan’s reluctance was due to the wine’s high value. Given its exceptional quality, he was prepared to pay a premium.
Besides, who was Li Tianyou?
The wealthiest man in Lannuo Kingdom.
Was there anything he hadn’t seen before?
If he favored this wine, there must be a good reason for it.
"Your Highness, didn’t I say I’d give it to you? Discussing money would only sour our rapport," Huo Yunxuan said with an awkward expression, his reluctance making Xu Heming all the more determined to secure the wine.
"Three hundred taels!" Xu Heming glanced at the wine jar. Even in the capital, three hundred taels for a single jar was already an exorbitant price.
"Your Highness, this wine is my personal collection—it’s not for sale." Huo Yunxuan shook his head, looking genuinely unwilling to part with it.
Xu Heming frowned. If three hundred taels wasn’t enough, then the offer was too low.
"Six hundred taels!" he countered.
Huo Yunxuan shook his head again.
Inwardly, he sneered. Xu Heming was so easily manipulated—just a little trick, and he fell right into the trap.
He would bleed Xu Heming dry, then watch him lose face in front of Li Tianyou.
And when Li Tianyou refused to let Li Zhiwei marry him, Huo Yunxuan’s chance would finally arrive.
The thought filled him with exhilaration. He was so close to success.
Xu Heming frowned. Was six hundred taels still not enough?
Though he felt it was already an outrageous sum for a single jar—even the imperial palace’s finest wines didn’t command such prices—he gritted his teeth and decided to press on for Li Tianyou’s sake.
"Three thousand taels! Young Master Huo, I sincerely wish to purchase the other jar."
Xu Heming resolved that if Huo Yunxuan still refused at this price, he would let it go. If necessary, he could always request some imperial wine from the emperor as a gift for Li Tianyou instead.
"Since Your Highness insists, I’ll reluctantly part with it." Huo Yunxuan put on a pained expression.
In truth, he had noticed Xu Heming wavering. If he pushed any further, the deal might collapse.
Still, he was pleased that Xu Heming had taken the bait as planned.
"However, Your Highness, you mustn’t let on that you bought this wine from me. If your future father-in-law finds out, he’ll never let me hear the end of it. He’s been trying to buy it from me for ages," Huo Yunxuan added with an ingratiating smile.
"Young Master Huo need not worry. I’ll simply say I came across it by chance. Would you have the wine delivered, or shall I send someone to fetch it?" Xu Heming motioned for Qingsong to retrieve the silver notes.
Qingsong quickly produced the money pouch, relieved that he had brought ample funds today.
Otherwise, it would have been awkward if the prince suddenly spent three thousand taels and he couldn’t cover it.
"Laifu, accompany this young man to retrieve the wine," Huo Yunxuan instructed his attendant.
Xu Heming placed the silver notes on the table.
Huo Yunxuan gloated inwardly, already envisioning Xu Heming’s humiliation in front of Li Tianyou.
Meanwhile, Xu Heming hoped that presenting Li Tianyou with his favorite wine might earn him some goodwill.
Unbeknownst to them, Li Tianyou was currently at Xie Jincheng’s residence.
"Grandfather," Xie Yanzhi greeted him obediently.
"Good child!" Li Tianyou glanced around the Xie household but found nothing amiss.
"Lord Li, what brings you here today?" Xie Jincheng asked, puzzled, wondering if Li Tianyou had business with him.
"Nothing urgent. I happened to be in the area and remembered I hadn’t properly thanked you for upholding justice for Zhiwei last time," Li Tianyou said casually.
"Lord Li, you flatter me. If not for Miss Li’s intervention, Yanzhi might still be bedridden from his injuries," Xie Jincheng replied earnestly.
"That’s just fate bringing the children and Zhiwei together. Besides, anyone would have done the same in her place," Li Tianyou said diplomatically.
Xie Jincheng noticed Li Tianyou scanning the room as if searching for something. He wondered—was there something in his household that could possibly interest Li Tianyou?
That seemed unlikely.
Though the Li family wasn’t among the capital’s most prominent clans, their wealth was beyond measure. Surely nothing in the Xie household could catch his eye.
But he didn’t dare ask outright. He could only tread carefully, mindful that this man was also the father-in-law of his good friend, Prince An.
