Little Sizi came to my house and became the family's darling, and Li Shimin got anxious.

open the door.

Li Yinxun pushed open the door carrying two large bags of clothes, and the sound of music rushed into her ears.

"Don't look at me, don't look at me..."

In the living room, Li Shimin was sitting on the sofa, leaning slightly forward, his eyes fixed on the glowing computer screen.

On the screen, a wolf is drooling over an iron pot, while several sheep are dancing on the other side.

The little princess nestled beside him, her little head bobbing up and down.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, Li Shimin almost instinctively sat up straight, quickly losing the expression of focused attention on watching cartoons and adopting his usual composed demeanor.

Eyes facing each other.

Li Yinxun's expression was complex, showing shock, confusion, and a sense of disorientation, as if she were wondering, "Who am I? Where am I? What am I seeing?"

Li Shimin's expression was also complex, mainly one of embarrassment.

He coughed lightly twice, closed his laptop, and did so with fluid movements, as if nothing had happened.

"You're back?"

"I'm back, I'm back." Li Yinxun suppressed a laugh, waving the bag in her hand. "Uncle, the clothes are ready, would you like to try them on?"

She picked out an outfit: dark casual pants, a light gray sweatshirt, and a pair of white sneakers.

"I didn't know the exact size, I just guessed and bought it, it should be about right. The bathroom is over there, you can go there to exchange it."

Li Shimin took the clothes, examined the material, touched them, and nodded with some curiosity in his eyes. He then carried the clothes to the bathroom.

The little princess was woken up and rubbed her eyes: "Sister, did you buy anything delicious?"

"You little glutton, all you ever think about is food." Li Yinxun tapped her nose. "We bought clothes for your grandpa and grandma, but not food. Are you hungry?"

"Just a little bit." The little princess touched her belly.

After a while, the bathroom door opened.

Li Shimin came out.

Li Yinxun looked up and her eyes lit up.

Dark trousers accentuate long, straight legs, while the loose fit of the light gray sweatshirt doesn't make the wearer look sloppy; instead, it makes the shoulders appear broad and the waist narrower.

That head was already angular, and paired with modern minimalist clothing, it exuded the aura of Fashion Week.

Most importantly, without that heavy dragon robe, his imposing presence was reduced by more than half.

Although his demeanor is still there, he looks more like a... exceptionally handsome and charismatic middle-aged man.

"Wow!" Li Yinxun exclaimed, "Uncle, you look so good in that outfit! You're especially handsome!"

Li Shimin shuddered: "Really?"

"Really!" Li Yinxun nodded vigorously. "You look younger than when you wear the dragon robe, and you have a special kind of elegance! No wonder netizens call you Li Erfeng."

"Li Erfeng?" Li Shimin frowned slightly. "What does this mean?"

Li Yinxun then realized that she had let something slip, but since the words were already out, she simply smiled and explained.

"Uncle, didn't you know? Your descendants gave you a nickname, Li Erfeng."

Li Shimin turned around and looked at her.

Why?

"Because your name is Erlang," Li Yinxun said, her eyes sparkling. "And didn't you write a poem called 'Ode to the Majestic Phoenix'?"

"Yes," he had only been writing for a short time.

"In your 'Ode to the Majestic Phoenix,' you directly compare yourself to a majestic phoenix, saying that you 'roam in the purple mist at dawn and drink in the black frost at dusk,' sweeping away the chaos of the world and subduing all directions."

"Li Erfeng is the most common affectionate name we descendants use."

"Some people even praised you for being born with the appearance of a dragon and phoenix, with a face as bright as the sun and the moon, and an aura of phoenix."

Li Shimin's lips twitched.

A hint of a smile crept from the corner of his mouth to the depths of his eyes, then spread from his eyes to the tips of his eyebrows, finally transforming into an arrogant air of self-importance and self-righteousness.

He had his hands behind his back and his chin slightly raised.

"snort."

That single word was brimming with pride.

He said so.

His poem, "With a sigh, I stroke my long sword; I seek no fame in saving the world," is so well written.

When he led troops into battle during the Wude era, few could rival him in poetry.

That kind of look really does resemble... someone who's a little smug after being praised, but doesn't want to show it.

Li Yinxun pinched her thigh hard to stop herself from laughing when she saw his arrogant expression.

"Ahem." Li Shimin coughed and turned around. "Now that I've changed my clothes, could you... take me to the hospital?"

"Walk."

"Erfeng, this isn't the Tang Dynasty. You can't use 'I' or 'I' when you talk, or you'll give yourself away. From now on, I'll call you Uncle-in-law."

Li Shimin did not object. Was it too late to ask for his opinion after he had already made the call?

……

When Li Shimin first sat in this four-wheeled iron box, his body was a little stiff.

Looking out the car window at the rapidly receding night view, the brightly lit skyscrapers and streetlights remained silent for a long time.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Li Yinxun led Li Shimin to the ward.

Only one bedside lamp was lit in the ward, casting a dim, yellowish light.

Empress Zhangsun lay in her hospital bed, looking better than she did in the video. Her breathing was even and steady, and she was sleeping soundly.

Li Lizhi was preoccupied and did not sleep.

Upon seeing Li Shimin not only in the hospital room but also dressed in modern clothes, Li Lizhi was taken aback. "Father?"

Li Shimin raised his hand and made a shushing gesture.

He tiptoed to the bedside and looked down at Empress Zhangsun.

He asked softly, "How is your mother?"

"I just fell asleep," Li Lizhi said softly. "I took the medicine today, and I slept more soundly than the previous two days."

Li Lizhi hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "Father, should we wake Mother?"

Li Shimin shook his head.

"Guanyinbi has been bedridden for many years, and it's rare for her to sleep so peacefully. There's no rush. Once she recovers, there will be plenty of time to talk."

He was content just to be able to come and see for himself that Guanyinbi was alright.

"Take good care of yourself here. I... have important matters to attend to tomorrow and must return."

Li Lizhi nodded: "Daughter understands, Father, don't worry."

Li Shimin glanced at Empress Zhangsun on the sickbed one last time before turning around and leaving the ward.

Li Yinxun held the little princess in her arms; the little princess was already fast asleep.

Seeing this scene, one can't help but sigh that being an emperor is really not easy.

Back home, after changing into his imperial robes, Li Shimin woke the little princess, "Sizi, would you like to accompany your father back?"

The little princess, half asleep, murmured, "Wobu, I want to sleep with my sister."

Li Yinxun suggested, "Uncle, let me see if I can go to the Tang Dynasty. Sizi is quite tired today."

"Okay."

Li Yinxun silently wished to travel to the Tang Dynasty. The scene changed, and she found herself in an ancient and elegant hall.

Fortunately, it was late at night and no one noticed her.

Li Yinxun hurriedly returned to the modern world, afraid of being discovered and having her throat slit in the name of assassinating Li Shimin. That would be a terrible mistake.

"Uncle, I can also go to the Tang Dynasty. Why don't you give it a try?"

"How do I try it?"

"Silently wishing to return to the Tang Dynasty?"

After a while, Li Shimin shook his head, looking slightly disappointed.

"It seems that only Sizi and I can travel freely, and the others will need Sizi and me to lead them."

Having figured out the pattern, Li Yinxun didn't delay any longer and sent Li Shimin back to the Tang Dynasty.