Tang Dynasty: The pot is tied to the duck nest, the little rhinoceros is here!

After entering the room, Empress Zhangsun sat down on a cushioned couch and carefully examined her two daughters.

After two days apart, both little ones were full of energy. Little Sizi was especially chubby, with a round, bulging belly, clearly having eaten a lot.

Empress Zhangsun then gently touched the two children's faces and stroked their hair, asking:

"Sizi, Chengyang, what have you two been doing in Baiyujing? Have you been mischievous?"

"Mother!" Upon hearing Empress Zhangsun mention what had happened at Jiang Fan's house these past two days...

Little Sizi immediately perked up, sat up straight, and began to describe excitedly, "So many, so many people! We even went out to play at night, and there were so many people!"

She stretched out her arms wide, gesturing an exaggerated size, her eyes wide, "There...there are this many!"

Empress Zhangsun looked at the measurements she was gesturing with and feigned surprise: "Oh? There really are so many people?"

Chengyang watched her younger sister's exaggerated performance and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. She explained, "Mom, umm, there are a lot of people. It's as bright as day there, and there are lots of fun and delicious things."

"Yes, yes, yes! Just like Second Sister said!" Little Si nodded vigorously, confirming her sister's statement.

Then, counting on her fingers, she added, "We also had roast beef, small shrimp, and... and all sorts of sweet cakes! They were so fragrant and sweet!"

"Oh?" Empress Zhangsun feigned interest, deliberately teasing her youngest daughter, "You're eating so well! Have you thought about bringing some back for your mother to try?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sizi's excited smile froze. She lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, twisting her fingers and whispering, "The shrimp and beef were from yesterday, so... I didn't bring them back..."

Her voice trailed off as she spoke, but she quickly looked up again, her eyes brightening once more.

"But! My husband bought us so many cakes today! Different kinds! They're all so delicious! We brought them back!"

"Yes, Mother," Chengyang chimed in from the side, "Young master, we bought so much that we can't carry it all. Sister Lizhi should bring it over in a little while."

"Mmm! Mother, you must try it later! It's so sweet! So fragrant!" Little Sizi recommended it enthusiastically, as if it were the most delicious food in the world.

Empress Zhangsun smiled and pinched her excited little face: "Okay, Mother will definitely try the good things that our Sizi and Chengyang brought back later."

"And there's more! Mother." Little Sizi's desire to share was far from over.

Empress Zhangsun showed no impatience; she listened quietly with a smile, her gaze gently falling on her daughter's beaming face.

She would nod occasionally, responding with "hmm" or "I see," encouraging her daughter's expression.

Finally, Xiao Sizi recounted all the parts she remembered and found interesting, then stopped, feeling a bit thirsty.

Empress Zhangsun immediately understood and summoned a maid: "Bring some warm water for the two young princes."

The maid quickly brought two glasses of water at the right temperature. Little Sizi took them and gulped them down.

He downed most of the glass in one gulp, then let out a long sigh: "Ah... I'm so tired, my mouth is practically dry from talking!"

Just then, the respectful greetings of the maids came from outside the hall:

"This servant greets Your Highness Princess Chang Le."

"No need for formalities, my mother, and Sizi and Chengyang, are they inside?" It was Li Lizhi's clear and melodious voice.

"Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress and the two young princes are inside."

"Mother, I'm back." Li Lizhi entered the palace, bowed to Empress Zhangsun, and looked a little tired.

Seeing Li Lizhi enter the hall, her face showing obvious fatigue, Empress Zhangsun immediately stood up and went to greet her with heartache.

"Lizhi, come and sit down, take a rest." She took her eldest daughter's slightly cool hand and led her to sit down on the soft couch, her tone full of pity, "You've worked hard these past two days, running around."

When Xiao Sizi and Chengyang saw their older sister arrive, they obediently took off their little shoes and climbed onto the bed, snuggling up to their mother and older sister.

"No, Mother, it's not tiring at all." After sitting down, Li Lizhi forced a smile and put on a cheerful expression.

"I didn't get much rest last night, so I'm a bit tired."

Although Li Lizhi put the two little princesses to sleep at noon, the large bed was filled with Jiang Fan's masculine scent, making it impossible for Li Lizhi to fall asleep.

"Didn't you get enough rest?" Empress Zhangsun frowned with concern upon hearing this. "When you came back last time, didn't you say that Baiyujing had something called air conditioning that could emit cold air, making the room very cool? And the blankets there were softer and more comfortable than those in the Tang Dynasty. How could you not be able to sleep?"

"It's very cool and comfortable to sleep in, but..."

Li Lizhi shook her head, and subconsciously, her gaze drifted to Xiao Sizi, who was whispering to Cheng Yang.

Empress Zhangsun keenly noticed her daughter's glance and looked at her younger daughter in return, tentatively asking:

"What's wrong? Did Sizi disturb you in the night? She's a restless sleeper and kicked you?" She remembered that her youngest daughter sometimes had the habit of waving her arms and legs in her sleep.

Little Sizi, who was whispering with Chengyang, suddenly heard her own name and looked up blankly: "Mother? Were you just talking about me?"

"Yes," Empress Zhangsun smiled and tapped her forehead, "I'm asking you, were you a naughty sleeper yesterday and disturbed your elder sister's rest?"

"Hmm...no, Mother?" Little Si blinked her big eyes, trying hard to recall, her tone revealing a hint of barely perceptible guilt.

Her mind raced: Could it be that my older sister didn't sleep well because I wet the bed in the middle of the night and woke her up to help? She secretly glanced at Li Lizhi.

"Yes, Mother," Chengyang chimed in, confirming for his sister.

"Sizi slept with the young master yesterday, while my older sister and I slept in another room." She was completely unaware of the little incident that happened in the middle of the night.

"Then..." Empress Zhangsun was even more puzzled, looking at Li Lizhi again, "Lizhi, why didn't you sleep well? If the bed is fine, and Sizi didn't bother you..."

"That's because last night Sizi..." Li Lizhi had just started to speak when she was interrupted by an urgent shout.

"Sister! Don't say that!" Little Sizi cried out like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

She pounced on him, her chubby little hands desperately trying to cover Li Lizhi's mouth, her little face filled with "Please stop talking."

Empress Zhangsun reacted quickly, scooping her excited youngest daughter into her arms and holding her tightly.

The little girl was still restless in her mother's arms, squirming and struggling while calling out in her childish voice, "Big sister! Don't squeak! Don't squeak!"

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