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

The princes and princesses arrived one after another.

The moment they stepped into the Rikjeongden Hall, everyone's gaze fell on the same spot—

The young woman beside Empress Zhangsun.

Li Yinxun was wearing a light gray short-sleeved sweatshirt, dark casual pants, and white sneakers.

The fabric, the cut, the style—none of it belonged to the Tang Dynasty. Standing in the hall, it was like a bright splash of oil paint suddenly appearing in a traditional Chinese ink painting, quite jarring.

Even with so many people staring at her, Li Yinxun showed no fear on her face. She just stood there, letting them look at her with confidence.

The crowd's curiosity was almost overflowing, but no one dared to speak rashly.

First, they all bowed and respectfully greeted Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun looked at her children with gentle eyes and gestured for them to dispense with formalities.

After everyone got up, they all started asking about Empress Zhangsun's health with concern, their words full of filial piety.

"Mother, are you feeling much better?"

"Mother, I am worried about you day and night..."

"Mother..."

"I'm much better now," she said, turning to Li Yinxun and taking her hand. "I owe my recovery to this lady, Li, whom I've come to regard as my sister. She was the expert who took me to the doctor; without her, I probably wouldn't have recovered."

Everyone, including the two boys who had just entered, stared wide-eyed at Li Yinxun.

A master?

this?

In the public's perception, a wise person should be an elderly man with a sage-like demeanor and white hair and beard, or at the very least a steady and composed middle-aged man.

But the man in front of me was in his early twenties, too young for his age, with a delicate and casual appearance, and not at all like a hermit.

Shock was written on every face, yet not a single person uttered a word of questioning.

Empress Zhangsun's health had indeed improved; her complexion was rosy, her steps were steady, and her voice was full of energy.

This is an undeniable fact, and no one can deny it.

Li Yinxun remained calm and smiled slightly at everyone's gaze.

Her tone was very natural: "Sister, you flatter me. I'm not some kind of expert. I just happened to know how to cure your illness and was lucky enough to be able to help."

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun did not want to reveal her identity as someone from the future for the time being, so she naturally kept quiet.

At that moment, the two boys walked over.

They stepped forward together to pay their respects to the emperor and empress.

"Your son greets your father and mother."

Li Shimin looked at his two sons standing side by side, feeling happy, but his gaze unconsciously fell on Li Tai.

"Qingque has become more and more sensible, polite and respectful, a rare and good younger brother."

The praise in his tone was undisguised, and his heart and eyes were full of favoritism.

Li Tai bowed his head humbly and said, "Your Majesty is too kind."

Li Chengqian, standing to the side, gradually darkened his expression.

Empress Zhangsun was perceptive and immediately noticed that something was wrong with Li Chengqian.

The child had a layer of cold sweat on his forehead, and Empress Zhangsun's heart tightened. She quickly stepped forward.

"Chengqian, are you feeling unwell again? You look so pale. Have you had the imperial physician examine you?"

Li Chengqian quickly shook his head, "Your Majesty, I'm fine, thank you for your concern... I'm just a little tired, I'll be fine after a rest."

When he spoke, his body was taut, and he tried hard to stand firm.

Li Shimin then turned his head and glanced at Li Chengqian.

"Since you're not feeling well, you should go back and rest earlier."

After saying that, he added, "Don't be reckless."

These words sounded like concern, but compared to the enthusiasm with which he had praised Li Tai earlier, they seemed a bit... perfunctory.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became a little awkward.

The older princes and princesses exchanged glances but remained silent.

Li Yinxun saw all of this and suddenly laughed twice.

"Hey, everyone, stop standing there!" She clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's hurry to the side hall, shall we? The hot pot ingredients won't be fresh if they're left out too long. If we delay any longer, the meat will get tough and the vegetables will wilt, which would be such a waste."

The little princess immediately nodded her head like a chicken pecking at rice when she heard the word "hot pot".

"Seven meals! Seven meals!" she called, hugging Li Yinxun's neck.

Li Shimin nodded: "Let's go and see what this hot pot is all about."

He led the way out of the palace, followed by a group of princes and princesses.

Li Yinxun carried Sizi and walked at the very back.

In the side hall, two square tables had already been set up.

The table was covered with things that no one had ever seen before.

Thin slices of meat, alternating between red and white, are neatly arranged; vibrant green vegetables, fresh and juicy; and a pile of round meatballs, some white, some pink.

The most eye-catching thing is the pot right in the middle of the table.

Half of it is bright red like fire, bubbling with the rich aroma of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns; the other half is golden and clear, exuding the sweet and sour scent of tomatoes. They are separated by a partition, clearly distinct.

There was also a strange silver rack at the bottom of the pot.

Everyone looked at the unfamiliar food and utensils on the table and didn't know where to sit.

What... what are all these?

Li Shimin arranged the seating according to the rules: "The princes will sit at this table, and the princesses will sit at that table."

Li Yinxun then remembered the ancient rule that men and women should not sit at the same table. Without saying much, she carried the little princess and helped Empress Zhangsun to one of the tables.

"Your Majesty, you can't eat spicy food due to your illness. Let's sit here, it's closer to the tomato hot pot," Li Yinxun said, gesturing for Empress Zhangsun to sit down.

Li Lizhi and several princesses also came over and sat down around the table.

Li Shimin and his princes sat at another table.

Once everyone was seated, all eyes were fixed on the pot in the middle of the table, and the unfamiliar ingredients scattered around.

Li Yinxun stood up, walked to Li Shimin's table, turned on the gas canister switch, pressed the ignition button, and a small flame shot out from the stove opening.

"Ho—"

A collective gasp filled the hall.

Several of the younger princesses almost cried out, and quickly covered their mouths.

Li Shimin's eyes widened as well.

Flames can be generated out of thin air without firewood or charcoal. This device is unheard of and unseen.

Li Yinxun: "Brother-in-law and all my nephews and nieces, just pick whatever you want to eat and put it in the pot to cook. Hot pot is only truly delicious when you cook it yourself."

No one had any objections; they were all eager to try.

Soon, the soup bases on both sides began to bubble and gurgle.

A fragrant aroma wafted out.

Seeing the emperor remain silent, the other princes and princesses, even though their curiosity was about to explode, could only sit obediently and refrain from asking questions.

Only the little princess remained focused, her eyes fixed intently on the bubbling tomato soup.

A rich fragrance lingered around her nose, her little mouth was constantly pursed, and saliva was swirling around her lips, almost overflowing.

Princess Chengyang sat down next to her, tilted her head, and looked at her younger sister with a feeling of grievance.

"Sizi, you left with your mother without taking me with you. You went to some fun places on your own and didn't even think of me."

The little princess stared intently at the bubbling tomato soup in the pot, completely oblivious to what Chengyang was saying.

It smelled increasingly delicious, and the little body couldn't help but lean forward, wishing it could bury its head in the pot.

Princess Chengyang pouted when she saw her like this.

"Sizi!"

The little princess then turned her head, glanced at Princess Chengyang, and said very seriously, "Sister, it's almost ripe again."

Princess Chengyang turned her head away in anger, not wanting to pay any attention to her younger sister who only cared about food.