Chapter 505: The mountain pig ruined all the fine bran

Older brother, where are you taking me~?

The little princess still thought Chen Yan was playing with her, she wasn't the slightest bit nervous, and she giggled.

"Older brother, I'm taking you to a great place!" Chen Yan said meaningfully: "It's super fun there—not only is it the biggest place in the world, but there are countless people to play with you, and most importantly, the scenery is beautiful and pleasant."

"Older brother actually can draw, too. When we get there, older brother will draw two nice pictures of you, heh."

"Really?" Sizi's eyes sparkled with stars.

"Of course! When has older brother ever lied to you?"

"Mm, older brother is the best!"

Chen Yan still had the leisure to coax Sizi, while Li Tai was already sweating profusely, panting: "Chen brother, can we switch? This one's a bit heavy!"

Chengyang:!!!

"Don't say I'm heavy!" Chengyang shouted angrily, then struggled hard: "Put me down, quickly put me down, I don't want you to hold me!"

"All right, all right, all right." Li Tai, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly put his sister down.

Chengyang had her hands on her waist, glared fiercely at Li Tai, lifted her skirt, and chased after Chen Yan.

She had just overheard Chen Yan and Sizi's conversation, knew Chen Yan was going to take them out to play, and naturally wanted to follow.

"Hurry up, hurry up, come on up!"

Having arrived at the parked carriage outside, Chen Yan smoothly stuffed Sizi inside, then casually picked up Chengyang and shoved her in as well, then hurriedly greeted Li Tai.

"Coming, coming, don't rush me!"

Li Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead, carrying little Chengyang of that age, which was somewhat difficult for this chubby guy.

After they got on the carriage, Chen Yan quietly whispered a few words into Xiao Shunzi's ear.

The latter was a bit puzzled, wasn't it said this morning that we were preparing the carriage to go out and select locations for the chamber of commerce and the research institute?

How come we're suddenly going to the Imperial Palace?

However, Xiao Shunzi wasn't the type to pry; whatever Chen Yan said, he would do.

Thus, with the two little girls looking on eagerly, the carriage drove all the way to Cheng Tian Men.

Sizi and Chengyang's faces fell instantly.

"Older brother, you lied to me again?"

"What do you mean 'again'?" Chen Yan said righteously: "Just tell me whether it's big in there, whether there are countless palace maids and eunuchs to play with you, and whether the scenery of the imperial garden is beautiful or not."

Sizi: "......"

Chengyang: "......"

"Older brother, you're such a big person, what sneaky tricks do you keep using on us?"

"If you keep going like this, you'll lose us someday." Sizi drooped her head, weak and listless.

Chengyang also wore a face of utter hopelessness.

Although living in the Imperial Palace for so long previously hadn't seemed bad, after living with Chen Yan for a while, her former life was no longer something she could return to.

"Alright, no more talk, let's go—your mother hasn't seen you in months, you ought to go see her."

Chen Yan, without further ado, pulled the two little guys out of the carriage, and under the guards' accustomed gazes, brought the two little girls and Li Tai into the palace.

"Older brother, I hope you're telling the truth—just bring me back to see my mother."

Sizi sighed like a little adult, "Otherwise, I'll go tell the sharp-tongued sister and the rhythm sister bad things about you."

A strange feeling welled up in Chen Yan's heart.

You haven't said enough bad things about me to them, have you?

You're just threatening me, huh?

You're probably overthinking it.

The group found a eunuch to give a heads-up, waited a moment, and was then led by the hastily arriving Wushe to Ganlu Hall.

Li Shimin saw them and instantly beamed with joy: "Little Sizi, come let Father give you a hug."

"Father, Sizi misses you~"

The little guy is a drama queen; although he didn't want to come back, upon seeing Li Shimin he became extremely enthusiastic, waddling over on his short legs.

"Good, good, good, let Father have a look—it's all your older brother's fault for not bringing you back to see Father for months, making my little princess suffer!"

"Mm-hmm, it's all the older brother's fault."

Chen Yan: "......"

Well, now they're blaming me too.

Chen Yan cleared his throat and said, "Since that's the case, from now on let Princess Jinyang stay in the palace; her illness is mostly healed, and the palace likewise has good cooks."

"From now on, follow the diet I prescribed for Her Majesty the Empress, avoid contact with pollen and other dust, and there won't be any serious problems."

Li Shimin became even happier, but the little Sizi, who was the center of attention, froze up.

"Good, if that's the case, your mother will definitely be happy."

"Sizi, Chengyang, you don't know this, but after you two left, your mother has been guarding your Ninth Imperial Brother all day, and he loves to play and cause trouble, constantly making your mother angry."

"Mount Heng is still just a baby; I often see your mother standing there dazed, thinking of you."

Li Shimin's tone carried a hint of sigh; Sizi and Chengyang opened their mouths but couldn't say anything.

Having said all this, as daughters they can't possibly still be kicking up a fuss about wanting to live at their brother-in-law's place, can they?

Usually when following Chen Yan, they play when they should play, and the principles he ought to teach he has taught sincerely.

"Mm, Father, Sizi knows; later Sizi will go with older sister to keep Mother company."

The little princess said this while already thinking in her heart about staying in the palace for a while, then figuring out how to escape.

Anyway, older brother has already returned to Chang'an, so there's no need to go to Weinan County anymore; it shouldn't be hard.

Thinking of this, the little princess became happy again.

Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction; his daughter was well-behaved and sensible, his son also pleased him, and his wife was even more virtuous and kind—this was already something many people dreamed of.

Immediately afterward, his gaze shifted to Li Tai, and he felt even more relieved.

The wayward son is still alive, missing neither an arm nor a leg—pretty good.

"... Father Emperor, don't look at me like that, your subject feels a bit embarrassed..." Li Tai scratched his head, always feeling that Li Shimin's gaze at him was strange.

Li Shimin twitched the corner of his mouth, ignored him, turned his head to Chen Yan and said, "Alright, it's not early anymore; stay for lunch and have a couple drinks with me."

"Sure, Your Majesty, whatever you say goes." Chen Yan agreed without hesitation; he was about to ask Li Shimin about his arrangements and the matter of sending troops.

Li Shimin held Sizi, then stared at him seriously for two glances: "Without realizing it, you've already started a family and raised a daughter; in just a couple days you'll reach adulthood. From now on, don't go to brothels saying you want to buy osmanthus and share wine—it's nothing like your youthful wandering."

"What a straight-to-the-heart line of poetry—yet you, brat, used it for visiting brothels. When the Empress found out, she was so angry she couldn't speak for half a day, declaring that all the fine grain had been ruined by mountain boars."

Chen Yan: "......"

"... Your Majesty, I remember there were only a few of us back then—how did you find out about this?" He suddenly felt a bit panicked.

Damn, this might end up being recorded in the history books, huh?

"How would I know?" Li Shimin snorted coldly, "You don't even think about where you were back then—after you uttered that line, it spread all over Pingkang Ward that very night, and by the next day it was already spreading throughout Chang'an."

"You say how would I know?"

"......"