Chapter 380: Long-Awaited Relaxation

Before he realized it, Chen Yan had already been living in the Eastern Palace for a relatively long stretch.

In the blink of an eye, the Lantern Festival arrived.

That day, Li Shimin, after a long time, gave Li Chengqian a day off, so early in the morning he declared that they must go out and have a good look today.

The implication was obvious.

Chen Yan, Li Chengqian, and Li Lizhi sat in the courtyard, watching the heavy snow swirl outside, sipping tea from time to time.

In that moment, Chen Yan's heart finally settled after a long while.

Life in the Eastern Palace wasn't dull; he would irritate Gao Yang each day and then spend time soothing him, with Li Lizhi always cheerfully keeping company, adding a few remarks, and occasionally being summoned by Li Shimin to discuss matters.

During idle moments, he would stroll and chat with Li Chengqian, drinking tea.

Such a life was already close to what Chen Yan idealized.

Although not in his own home, it was nonetheless warm.

"Zi Anxiong, how about we go out to see the lanterns today?" Li Chengqian suggested. "Didn't you tell Li Tai last time you wanted to make a big Kongming lantern? Why not invite him as well?"

Prince of Yue, huh......

Chen Yan couldn't help but marvel—Prince of Yue was truly damn clever.

To be precise, he was clever in this regard; during this period Prince of Yue came to the Eastern Palace daily to ask him questions, and Chen Yan delighted in patiently teaching him.

Prince of Yue grasped things instantly, far easier than tutoring Sizi or Qing Yue.

Whenever he saw Prince of Yue apply his answers by analogy, Chen Yan wondered if Prince of Yue had joined him earlier, could the hydraulic loom have been built long ago?

"A huge Kongming lantern?" Li Lizhi asked, puzzled. "Is it being made for today's Lantern Festival?"

Chen Yan smiled but said nothing.

Li Chengqian answered for him: "No, Zi Anxiong told your Fourth Imperial Brother that he wants to make a gigantic Kongming lantern and fly people up into the sky."

"Your Fourth Imperial Brother has been coming here often lately, just to work on this with Zi Anxiong."

"A couple of days ago your Fourth Imperial Brother even brought a finished piece over; didn't you see it?"

Finished piece......

Li Lizhi recalled the large cloth sack Li Tai had brought a few days ago and fell silent.

"Are you referring to that silk-made thing, brother?"

Li Chengqian nodded awkwardly.

Chen Yan explained: "Actually Prince of Yue's idea is correct; choosing silk for the envelope is right, but the hot air balloon he made is still too small. If silk is to be used as the envelope, the balloon must be large, and a way to address ventilation is needed."

"In short, the concept is sound, but the size is insufficient; based on his three- to four‑meter‑tall large Kongming lantern, just adding a few more layers of paper would suffice."

Li Lizhi instantly became interested.

The sky, after all, is a realm humanity has never set foot in.

Now Chen Yan and Li Chengqian were saying they would build a massive Kongming lantern to lift people into the heavens.

What a bold and crazy notion.

If anyone else said that to her, she'd surely think the speaker was insane.

But the words came from her own husband, so Li Lizhi trusted Chen Yan completely.

Chen Yan said they could fly, so it must be possible!

"Husband, when will the Fourth Imperial Brother be able to make the hot air balloon you mentioned?"

"How would I know?" Chen Yan shook his head, then shifted tone: "But your Fourth Imperial Brother has wealth and followers, considerable power, and more importantly, enough talent in this area; if he focuses, about half a year should suffice."

"Half a year?" Li Lizhi replied immediately. "Then can I see it when it's done?"

"You have to ask your Fourth Imperial Brother; asking me won't help," Chen Yan said with a smile.

Li Lizhi nodded repeatedly, already beginning to look forward to it.

"Brother, brother!"

Suddenly, a familiar child's voice came from outside.

Chen Yan thought he misheard and asked, "I think I heard Sizi's voice."

"I think I heard it too..." Li Chengqian said hesitantly.

But Sizi usually stays by the Crown Princess's side; how could she be here?

"It's Sizi!"

Li Lizhi sprang up, hurriedly jogging toward the direction of the voice.

Coincidentally, Sizi was carrying a tiny bundle, pattering over, and Li Lizhi happily crouched, opened her arms, ready to welcome the little sister.

Unexpectedly, Sizi ignored her, twisted away, and leapt into Chen Yan's embrace.

"Brother, Sizi has come to seek refuge with you!"

Li Lizhi: "......"

Li Chengqian: *pfft! *

Chen Yan glanced awkwardly at the resentful Li Lizhi, removed the bundle from Sizi's back, and asked, "Sizi, why did you run here instead of staying with your mother?"

"Who brought you here?"

"Brother, you promised to pick me up after the Lantern Festival," Sizi clutched Chen Yan's thigh, nervously saying, fearing he would send her away.

At that moment, Chen Yan noticed two maidservants trailing behind Sizi and instantly understood a lot.

He pinched the little one's flushed cheek and asked, "Did you tell your mother?"

"I did!"

Sizi looked up, "Mother said to go see the lanterns together today, so I came looking for you!"

"Alright, then follow me," Chen Yan said, relieved.

Seeing Sizi so close to Chen Yan, not to mention sister Li Lizhi, even brother Li Chengqian felt a pang of jealousy.

But with this little happy nut around, the atmosphere became considerably livelier.

The weather was quite cold that day, and since Gao Yang and the Crown Princess were both pregnant, it wasn't convenient to go out, so they stayed indoors to rest.

So Li Chengqian, Li Lizhi, and Chen Yan spent the whole morning playing in the Eastern Palace with Xiao Sizi, and in the afternoon they eagerly led her to wander around Chang'an City.

When evening approached, the group was about to meet Prince of Yue Li Tai and go out to watch the townspeople release lanterns, but they didn't expect to be stopped at the palace gate by two uninvited guests.

It turned out to be Li Shimin, dressed in plain clothes and looking just like an ordinary person, together with Empress Changsun.

They were accompanied by Princess Chengyang and Prince of Jin Li Zhi.

Chen Yan was momentarily stunned and said, "His Majesty... Your Majesty the Empress, what are you two doing...?"

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, his tone completely casual: "Can't tell? I'm going to watch the lanterns with you all."

Empress Changsun also smiled faintly and said warmly, "Didn't I ask Sizi to deliver a message? We'll watch the lanterns together tonight; staying in the palace has become stifling, so it's a good chance to go out for a walk. His Majesty suggested that the whole family should gather and go together."

Chen Yan finally realized that Sizi had indeed said that, but he had thought the Empress meant for him to take Sizi along, not that the entire family was being mobilized!

"What are you still standing around for? Let's go!"

Li Shimin had already taken a few steps forward, and seeing the group behind him still frozen in place, he turned back and called out.

Everyone looked at me, I looked at them, and in the next second they all couldn't help but burst into laughter, hurrying to keep up.

"His Majesty, you actually have time to come out with us to watch the lanterns—could it be that you're... slacking off like me?"

"Shut up! You good-for-nothing brat, who is slacking off? I haven't had a single free moment all year; it's hard enough to squeeze out some time, and you still say I'm slacking."

"I'm in a good mood today, so don't force me to beat you!"

"......"