Chapter 405: Who is smarter?

The sun rose and set, the seasons changed, and as the weather gradually warmed, it was suddenly the end of March.

That day, Li Tai's family, along with Li Lizhi who was accompanied by her two younger sisters, returned to the imperial palace.

After not seeing her children for several months, Empress Changsun was overjoyed and quickly ordered the Shangshi Bureau to prepare a meal; she was about to ask how her daughter was doing in Weinan County, expressing concern.

But then she suddenly remembered something, glanced behind them, and a thought crossed her mind: "Lizhi, hasn't Zi An come?"

"Mother, Gao Yang's younger sister is about to give birth, probably in these few days," Li Lizhi said tactfully, not wanting the empress to form a bad opinion of Chen Yan.

After all, they had returned this time for Empress Changsun's birthday banquet.

Although it wasn't a grand affair, only inviting some relatives, friends, and important officials, Chen Yan, as the empress's son-in-law, would have a hard time refusing to attend without a special reason.

"I see," Empress Changsun said, realizing she wasn't unreasonable, and she expressed her understanding.

Moreover, when she noticed Chen Yan's absence, she had already suspected something in her heart.

Empress Changsun recalled something, lowered her voice, and told her daughter: "Your sister's situation is special; it's her first child. If Zi An has been paying extra attention to her lately, don't overthink it."

Li Lizhi: "......"

What words?

What kind of words are these?

Is she really such an unreasonable person?

Li Lizhi laughed through tears: "I understand, Mother, and I also believe that if it were me, my husband would do the same."

"If you understand, that's good." Empress Changsun could see her daughter wasn't lying, and she nodded with relief.

After learning about Chen Yan's side, she turned her attention to Princess Chengyang: "Chengyang, how have you been staying with your brother-in-law lately?"

"Have you learned... uh, something more interesting?"

"Of course!" Princess Chengyang said, her eyebrows dancing with joy: "My brother-in-law is wonderful, his words are pleasant, the food at home is better, and there are more toys to play with."

"My brother-in-law even said I'm smarter than Sizi, teaching me many things he wouldn't teach Sizi."

"No way!" Sizi exclaimed upon hearing this, hands on her hips: "My brother clearly said I'm the smartest; I just don't know some characters yet, and once I learn them, my brother will definitely teach me."

"But you don't know them yet," Princess Chengyang chuckled.

Sizi: "......"

"Wuwuwu, Mother, Sister is bullying me, help me beat her," the little one cried, clinging to her mother's leg.

Empress Changsun laughed: "Alright, alright, you two are both my children, both smart."

"I'm smarter!" Sizi said, lifting her head with tearful eyes.

"Nonsense, obviously I'm smarter," Princess Chengyang pouted, "and I don't cry or wet the bed, and I don't need Mother to coax me."

Sizi: "......"

Sizi cried even louder.

Empress Changsun rubbed her forehead, glared at Chengyang, and said: "Say less, what's the point of comparing yourself to your sister?"

"Exactly!" Sizi protested.

"You too!" Empress Changsun pinched her nose, "Following your brother for a year, you've become clever and mischievous, learning to act all proper in front of Mother."

"How could you stop crying just like that after crying so loudly?"

"You don't learn the good things from your brother, but you've picked up all his bad habits."

"If you don't give Mother a reasonable explanation today, your little bottom might suffer."

Sizi hesitated, then whispered: "Mother, can we make up?"

Empress Changsun: "......"

That sentence... felt somewhat familiar.

She helplessly pinched her daughter's cheek, said nothing more, and turned to her grandson Li Xin with concern: "Xin'er, are you still used to being with your mother over there?"

"Yes!" Li Xin glanced at Chengyang and Sizi, "Besides, the two aunts are wrong; Uncle Chen clearly said I'm the smartest."

Everyone: "......"

The Princess of Yue tried to hold back her laughter, wanting to scold her son, but ultimately couldn't help laughing out loud.

Her laugh triggered a chain reaction, and Li Lizhi and Empress Changsun also began to laugh.

The hall filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Only Li Tai was lost in thought, completely indifferent to their chatter, constantly grinning foolishly.

"I heard your laughter from afar—what are you talking about? So happy?"

At that moment, Li Shimin walked in cheerfully.

Everyone hurriedly bowed; he gestured casually, then affectionately hugged Sizi and Chengyang for a while.

"Sizi, Chengyang, do you miss your father?"

The two little ones, now quite skilled at acting cute and coquettish, immediately made Li Shimin's face light up with delight.

After learning why they had just laughed, Li Shimin couldn't help but say: "You three little rascals, that stinky kid Chen Yan has obviously told each of you that line, and yet you're still pleased with yourselves."

Princess Chengyang and Li Xin, being older and more knowledgeable, did not refute.

But Sizi had fewer reservations, sticking out her neck: "No way, my brother wouldn't lie to me."

"He even said I'm a little clever ghost who can help him coax the two older sisters, and that this family would fall apart without me."

"I'm the smartest!"

Li Shimin: "......"

"Good, good, you really are a little clever ghost," he said cheerfully, then seriously looked at the three children, feeling even more satisfied inside.

It must be said, Chen Yan really has a knack for raising children.

Not to mention Sizi, who has lived with Chen Yan for a year; just looking at Li Xin and Princess Chengyang, it's clear they've become much more lively, their spirits completely different from before.

The previous sense of repression from living in the palace is gone.

This is what Li Shimin hopes to see, and it was also the original intention when he agreed to let Princess Chengyang go to Weinan County.

Afterwards, the family gathered together, chatting about various interesting topics.

Empress Changsun asked Princess Chengyang with great interest: "What has your brother-in-law taught you? Mathematics, physics, or... selected words?"

"All of them have been taught!" Princess Chengyang counted on her fingers: "In addition to what Mother just said, there are the Three Character Classic, the Hundred Family Surnames, the Thousand Character Classic, the Disciples' Rules, and simplified Chinese."

"There's a lot to learn, but I'm smarter than all of them, and I learn quickly."

Everyone's mouths twitched, still comparing?

Empress Changsun was dumbfounded, pretending not to have heard that remark behind her: "Cheng Yang, Mother knows the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, but what are the Hundred Family Surnames and the Disciples' Rules?"

The Thousand Character Classic is a work poured with heart and blood by the Southern Dynasties' Ministerial Attendant Zhou Xingsi; it is one of the best works for enlightening children of the present age, not to mention the Three Character Classic. Recently, Chen Yan relied on this to connect with the Yan family, and it is said they have cooperated in some aspects.

And the Hundred Family Surnames and the Disciples' Rules, which can be placed alongside those two works, have piqued not only Empress Changsun's curiosity, but Li Shimin's as well.

"......"