Chapter 89: Gift from Little Sizi

Just as Chen Yan and Li Chunfeng were chatting on and off, Wushe slowly walked up and, in a slightly sharp voice, shouted:

"His Majesty has arrived! Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

Li Shimin wore a crimson gauze robe, a Tongtian crown on his head, a golden‑jade sash at his waist, and six‑direction black‑leather boots on his feet; one hand held the Empress Changsun, who was dressed in a deep‑blue robe and a floral crown, looking exceedingly regal.

The couple stepped forward to the main seat and sat down.

All the invited guests rose, stood on both sides, and shouted in unison: "We humbly wish Her Majesty the Empress longevity, and may His Majesty live ten thousand years!"

Li Shimin slightly raised his hand, "All ministers, stand down. Today is the Empress's longevity celebration; I will celebrate together with you all, without observing the usual protocols."

'Longevity' is the Tang term for the Empress's birthday.

That day in the Tang Dynasty is also called the Longevity Festival.

Empress Changsun smiled faintly, "I am humbled by His Majesty's favor to sit among the worthy; I dare not accept it. I hope you all keep the realm in mind, offer counsel as usual, and thus not betray the holy grace."

Immediately, an attendant stepped forward and had the musicians play Comfortable Harmony.

After a jumble of empty formalities, it was Li Chengqian's turn along with the Crown Prince, princes, princesses, and clan relatives to present gifts.

Chen Yan and Li Chunfeng whispered to each other while Li Chengqian and the many princes and princesses were paying their respects.

"Grand Historian, who among these princes and princesses will send the more valuable congratulatory gifts?"

Li Chunfeng lowered his voice, "Sir, aren't you asking a question whose answer you already know?"

"His Highness the Prince of Yue has such a vast fief that he surely has plenty of gold and silver; knowing the Empress Changsun's birthday, he must have started preparing gifts long ago."

"Even those princesses, though they have some wealth, cannot compare with the Prince of Yue."

Chen Yan nodded slightly, "Grand Historian is right, but... you didn't mention the Crown Prince?"

Li Chunfeng sighed, "The Crown Prince is even less able to compare with the Prince of Yue, after all he is only the Crown Prince at present."

"Last year's great drought nearly emptied the Imperial Palace's treasury; His Majesty is likely short of funds, so how could the Crown Prince's situation be any better?"

In fact, strictly speaking, although the Crown Prince's rank is high, he has no fief, only income from allotted lands and a Crown Prince stipend; the salaries of his subordinate officials also depend on Li Shimin's allocation.

Li Shimin is poor, and Li Chengqian's situation is certainly no better.

At this moment, the music switched to Deer's Cry, and the princes and princesses took turns forward to offer their blessings.

Empress Changsun's smile never faded, and she seemed in a very good mood.

When it was Xiao Sizi's turn, she stuck out her little bottom, leapt into Empress Changsun's arms, and in a baby‑like voice said, "Mother, may you be happy every day, far‑away old duck~"

Li Shimin and his wife, along with the princes and princesses, were all stunned; after recalling it a few times, they burst into laughter.

Empress Changsun pinched her daughter's increasingly chubby cheeks, feeling an indescribable joy, and asked, "Sizi, who taught you that line?"

Sizi immediately replied, "Brother gave it to me~"

"Mother, am I happy duck~"

Li Shimin snorted, "I knew it; apart from that stinky kid, probably no one in the world would say such words."

As he spoke, his gaze lightly flicked toward Chen Yan, who was talking with Li Chunfeng behind him, and a vague resentment rose in his heart.

Empress Changsun gently patted her husband's hand and softly asked Sizi, "Sizi, Mother is very happy; are you doing well over at Zi An's place?"

Her words were somewhat unnecessary.

After all, if Sizi weren't doing well, her complexion wouldn't keep improving; she'd even start gaining weight.

But as a mother, she still wanted to ask once more; hearing her daughter say she was fine would let her fully relax.

Sizi happily told Empress Changsun about things at the Weinan Bo Fu, and said Chen Yan would take her out to see the 'Pupu', and sing together with everyone.

While saying this, Xiao Sizi's little eyes twinkled, and she occasionally raised her tiny hand to gesture at Empress Changsun.

Empress Changsun listened silently, sometimes echoing a word.

As her smile grew softer, a pang of guilt rose in her heart.

Perhaps… the Imperial Palace truly is a cage for a child as big as Sizi.

Even Li Shimin, standing nearby, found his resentment toward Chen Yan melt away by half when he heard his daughter's words.

Calming himself, Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "Sizi, why don't you go back first? Today is your mother's birthday, and we still have important matters to attend to."

"Good duck, good duck!" Sizi, already eager to find Chen Yan, ran out of Empress Changsun's arms at once.

Just as she was about to look for Chen Yan, she slapped her forehead with a small hand, as if remembering something, ran back beside Empress Changsun, and took a tiny porcelain bottle from her little pocket to hand over.

"Mother, this is what brother gave me, brother told me it's a few, Mother, receiving this makes me very happy~"

"What is this..." Empress Changsun took the familiar porcelain bottle, unscrewed the stopper and sniffed, immediately understanding what it was.

Li Shimin also saw that the bottle contained the medicine praised by Li Chunfeng as a Divine Medicine.

Coincidentally, the ones Chen Yan had given earlier were nearly exhausted, and he had intended to ask Chen Yan for more today.

He didn't expect Xiao Sizi to bring them over.

Empress Changsun accepted the bottle, patted Sizi's head, and said, "Thank you, Sizi, Mother likes this gift very much."

Sizi grinned, "Mother, as long as you're happy, duck~"

"Then those few, let's start eating~"

After speaking, she ignored the setting, tiptoed on her little feet to look around, then quickly ran pattering toward Chen Yan's spot.

"Young Prince, please be careful."

A lady official, seeing this, hurriedly followed, extending her hand to protect Sizi, fearing she might fall.

"Brother, I'm coming~"

The little fellow, like a tiny tank, barreled into Chen Yan's arms.

In that instant, all eyes were instantly drawn to them.

Most of the people present were Imperial Family relatives who had, to varying degrees, heard of Chen Yan, so they found nothing strange.

Then Sizi said, "Sizi, can I take off the thing on my head?"

Ever since putting on those accessories, the little fellow constantly thought about taking them off.

She remembered Chen Yan saying that after giving Empress Changsun her blessings, he would take her to hide in a corner to remove her head ornament.

Now the blessings have been said, the congratulatory gifts have been sent out, and we've reached the corner.

Aren't all the conditions met?

Everyone's gazes suddenly turned strange; Chen Yan gave an embarrassed smile to everyone, leaned close to Sizi's ear and whispered: "Sizi, don't say it; if you say it, hasn't everyone already heard?"

In that case, how can older brother still remove the thing on your head?

Xiao Sizi widened her eyes, turned her head, vigilantly glanced around, and said like a thief: "Older brother, did I say something wrong?"

Chen Yan: "......"

Everyone: "......"

"......"