Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Li Tai's return was no different.

After all, Li Tai had stayed in Kaolao Village for a long time before.

His staying was not unexpected.

Before we knew it, it was getting colder and colder. The advantages of the kang (heated brick bed) were obvious, and the little girls liked it very much.

Even with Princess Gaoyang, it's enough; it doesn't feel crowded.

There's one more person; the one in the center is still the little princess.

That night, Xiao Ran and Li Lizhi covered the young maids with blankets before leaving.

One seat was reserved for Princess Zhang Erya of Yuzhang to take turns accompanying the children, otherwise it would be unsafe to leave so many children alone.

Xiao Ran looked at the sleeping girls and smiled.

The princesses who grew up in Kaolao Village were freed from the constraints of the palace rules and had a more down-to-earth life.

Their eyes were brighter, their steps lighter, and they didn't have the aloofness of "golden branches and jade leaves." Instead, they were like wild grass growing freely by the edge of a field, vibrant and real.

Princesses in the palace are taught from a young age to "not show their feet when walking, not show their teeth when laughing," to speak softly, to move steadily, and even to be careful when acting coquettishly, for fear of losing royal dignity.

Princesses in the palace are surrounded by maids and eunuchs, and everyone bows and pays homage to her. Even when interacting with their brothers and sisters, there is a certain distance due to their "status".

Ultimately, the princesses of Kaolao Village "grew up like ordinary children."

They had been through the mud, tasted the fires of life, and had playmates who were pure and unadulterated. This "ordinariness" was precisely the precious quality that princesses in the palace lacked most.

Li Chengqian, as the crown prince, certainly couldn't be unrestrained, but the princess was different.

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun hoped that their children would grow up happily, especially their three little princesses.

As for Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang, they were not idle here either, and they were also contributing to the Tang Dynasty.

The next day, Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang got up very early. Seeing that it was quite cold outside, they prepared warmer clothes for the maids.

The clothes I wore before were a bit too thin.

The young maids didn't come out; Di Renjie followed Sun Simiao and Xiao Ran to do morning exercises by the pool.

They've learned it quite well.

Xiao Ran ruffled Di Renjie's hair. "Alright, go check on them. Si Zi and the others should be up by now. Go play!"

"Alright, young master!" Di Renjie ran off.

At first, Xiao Ran thought that Di Renjie was just having a whim, but he didn't expect him to persist for so long.

Thinking that this was the famous Di Renjie, Xiao Ran felt relieved.

There's a reason why they've achieved lasting fame.

Sun Simiao and the others could also see that Xiao Ran valued Di Renjie highly.

Many scions of prominent families have come to the Kaolao Village School, but none of them are like Di Renjie.

"This little guy!" Xiao Ran smiled.

Sun Simiao watched Di Renjie's light and agile figure running towards the courtyard, then slowly withdrew his gaze, his hand hanging at his side gently stroking his white beard.
"This little guy is truly precocious."

He turned to look at Xiao Ran, his voice carrying a touch of calm感慨:
"The old man has seen many scions of noble families and children in the palace. Children of this age are mostly playful and mischievous. They often do morning exercises sporadically, and it is already difficult for them to persist for three to five days."

“But Renjie has been following you in your morning exercises every day without fail. Even when it was slightly chilly in the morning a few days ago, he did not slack off in the slightest. This perseverance and self-discipline are something that many adults cannot match.”

"He speaks clearly and acts steadily—at his age, such composure and empathy are rare qualities in ordinary children."

"Even several teachers said, 'This child's questions are often to the point, and he is more insightful than other children his age.'"

"Not playful, considerate, and diligent, such a sensible and intelligent person will surely amount to something in the future."

“This child has no air of spoiledness whatsoever; on the contrary, he possesses a down-to-earth and hardworking tenacity. With proper guidance, he will surely be able to do something practical for the Tang Dynasty in the future.”

They've been different since childhood.

"Grandpa, let's not talk about Di Renjie for now, let's have a little sparring." Xiao Ran cracked his knuckles.

Since being humiliated by Sun Simiao the first time, he has never competed again.

Xiao Ran now feels like he's back to normal.

"Okay, okay, that's fine." Sun Simiao did not refuse Xiao Ran.

The morning mist by the pool had not yet dissipated, clinging to the withered grass on the bank and condensing into fine frost flowers. A gentle breeze swept across the water, rippling out shallow waves.

Xiao Ran steadied himself in a horse stance, slowly raised his hands, and followed the principles of Tai Chi starting posture, sinking his shoulders and dropping his elbows, his eyes showing a hint of eagerness.

Over the past year, he has been practicing health-preserving stances and Tai Chi with Sun Simiao, and has also frequently sparred with Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao. He feels that his lower body has become much more stable, and he can control the strength in his hands more freely. Today, he wants to give it a good test.

Sun Simiao stood opposite him, his figure still slender, yet exuding a relaxed yet composed demeanor.

He nodded slightly, raised his hands gently, his movements as slow and graceful as flowing water: "Young master, please make your move without restraint."

Xiao Ran took a deep breath, lightly tapped his left foot forward, and smoothly drew an arc with his right hand, which was the "cloud hand" in Tai Chi. The move was connected quite smoothly, with some of the power he had figured out himself.

He thought he should take the opportunity to get closer and test Sun Simiao's lower body, but just as his hand was about to touch Sun Simiao's arm, the other party seemed to have expected it, and with a slight twist of his wrist, he pulled him to the side with his force.

Xiao Ran felt a gentle force wrap around his arm, instantly dissipating most of the strength he had gathered, and his body involuntarily swayed to the side.

"Don't rush to exert your strength."

Sun Simiao's voice was gentle, but his hands did not stop moving. His left hand gently rested on Xiao Ran's waist to help him stabilize his body. "Tai Chi emphasizes 'overcoming strength with softness.' It's not about brute force, but about going with the flow."

Xiao Ran calmed himself down and readjusted his posture. This time, he didn't rush to exert force, but slowly executed the "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail" move, trying to make each move as smooth and continuous as possible.

However, Sun Simiao's movements were always half a beat slower than his, yet he could always use extremely light force to touch his elbow or wrist just as his move was about to be completed. It seemed unintentional, but it always managed to disrupt his rhythm.

Several times, Xiao Ran wanted to change his tactics and counterattack, but as soon as he had the thought, he was led astray by Sun Simiao's gentle strength, and in the end, he lost his strength.

After more than a dozen rounds, Xiao Ran's forehead was covered in a fine sweat, and his breathing was more rapid than before.

He stopped what he was doing, looked at Sun Simiao, his eyes filled with amazement.

Sun Simiao's expression remained unchanged throughout, and his breathing was as steady as if he hadn't moved at all.

Those seemingly casual movements were like an invisible net that he couldn't break free from. He felt that his opponent was unfathomable and that his own skills were no match for him.

"Grandpa, I'm still far from good enough."

Xiao Ran wiped his sweat, his tone carrying a hint of admitting defeat, "I felt like I had practiced enough, but in front of you, I couldn't even muster a little strength."

Sun Simiao smiled, raised his hand to straighten his slightly disheveled clothes, and his gaze fell on his feet:
"The young master is much more stable than last year."

"Look at your horse stance just now. Your toes didn't point outward anymore, and your knees didn't go past your toes. That's progress. With a stable lower body, your moves have a foundation, unlike before when they were floating."

“It’s not just your movements, your mindset has also calmed down.” “When you first started training last year, you were always thinking about ‘winning,’ and you would rush to use force as soon as you made a move, which made it easy to expose your weaknesses.”

"Today you can calm down and practice slowly, and know how to adjust according to the force. This is how you truly understand the 'relaxation' in Tai Chi."

“Just ah!”

Sun Simiao then changed the subject, his tone carrying the advice of an elder, "Tai Chi cannot be mastered overnight."

"It emphasizes 'accumulation over time,' just like a pool of water that can't be filled in a day, and the strength in your body can't be perfected in a day either."

"Today, you can feel your shortcomings, which is more important than 'winning' - knowing where you are lacking, and then slowly making up for it. Over time, you will naturally have a different level of skill."

"Old man, isn't it said that fists fear the young and strong, and sticks fear the old wolf? How come you are still so strong!"

Xiao Ran had no choice but to accept it.

If Xiao Ran hadn't known that Sun Simiao was a normal person because he was a time traveler, he would have thought that Sun Simiao had opened his eyes.

Whose elderly person is this, still so capable at their age?

Sun Simiao laughed at Xiao Ran's words and pointed to his arm:
"At this age, how can an old man compare his strength to that of a young man?"

"I am a doctor, and I know best how to nourish qi and blood and protect muscles and bones."

"Besides practicing Tai Chi, I also take care of my body according to the solar terms. The health-preserving soup I drink in the morning and the acupoint massage I do before bed are all to ensure that my Qi and blood are not deficient and my muscles and bones are not loose."

"Look at me, I'm thin, but my internal energy and blood flow smoothly, unlike some young people who look strong but are actually weak inside, and they panic as soon as they exert themselves."

He paused, then, recalling their earlier sparring, added with a smile:

"Furthermore, Tai Chi is not a martial art that relies on brute force. When I neutralized your force just now, I used 'energy', not 'force'."

"Gently guide the water in the direction of your force, using your strength to deflect your force, just like ripples in a pond. If you throw a stone in, it doesn't block it directly, but instead ripples outwards along with the stone's force, until the stone sinks to the bottom and the ripples subside."

"It's not that I'm strong, it's that I've figured out the nature of 'force' and know how to use the least amount of force to break through the greatest momentum."

He looked at Xiao Ran with a hint of advice in his eyes: "'Youth's' advantage is 'impulsiveness,' but its disadvantage is 'impatience,' and it will reveal its flaws when it gets anxious."

Upon hearing this, and recalling his feelings during the sparring session, Xiao Ran suddenly realized the truth.

It turns out that Sun Simiao's victory was not due to age or strength, but to the "fundamentals" he had accumulated over decades of health preservation and his thorough understanding of Tai Chi's principle of "overcoming strength with softness."

He touched his arm, smiled and nodded: "I see, I underestimated what 'powerful' really means."

It's only the seventh year of the Zhenguan era, but Sun Simiao lived until the Yonghui era. It's not an exaggeration to say that he was a righteous and vigorous young man.

After this incident, Xiao Ran became more honest with himself.

Soon, Di Renjie ran back, accompanied by several young girls.

When the girls went out, the area around the courtyard became lively, filled with laughter and chatter.

"Little Nangjun~" The little princess rushed towards Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran bent down and picked up the little princess, "Sizi!"

"Is it cold?"

The little princess shook her head, her face flushed from running, "It's not cold~"

"Grandpa, please check on the young girls' health in a bit," Xiao Ran reminded him.

"Yes, I'll find some time in the next couple of days to show it to the other kids in the class."

Sun Simiao was also a teacher, so he used a lesson to check on him.

"Okay, thank you for your trouble, sir."

"It should be done."

The afternoon sun was shining brightly in Kaolao Village, and the sound of gentle hoofbeats came from outside the courtyard.

There was no ostentatious display of imperial procession; only a few plain-colored carriages were parked at the village entrance. Li Shimin led Empress Zhangsun into the courtyard.

Shedding the solemnity of court attire, they wore only a dark blue casual robe, while the Empress was wrapped in a beige brocade cloak. Their eyes held a gentle weariness, making them appear as relaxed as an ordinary couple returning home.

Xiao Ran greeted Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun, and Li Lizhi took Empress Zhangsun's arm.

Li Shimin found Sun Simiao.

"Mr. Sun, I've been troubling you to take good care of the children lately. Today, I'd also like to ask you to take the Empress's pulse."

Li Shimin's tone was gentle, devoid of the solemnity of the court, revealing only his concern for his wife.

“She has been saying that she feels weak in the morning and doesn’t sleep well at night these past few days, and I’m worried about her.”

Sun Simiao quickly led the two into the room and prepared a pulse pillow: "Your Majesty is too kind, Your Highness the Empress, please have a seat."

Empress Zhangsun sat down as instructed, gently rolling up the cuffs of her cloak to reveal her slender wrists. Sun Simiao lightly touched her wrists with his fingertips, closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the pulse with his fingertips. His brows furrowed slightly at times and relaxed at others. For a moment, only the soft rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window could be heard in the room.

Li Shimin stood to the side, his hands unconsciously clenching, his gaze fixed on Empress Zhangsun.

Although he was an emperor, he valued his family the most, and he was more anxious than anyone else if Empress Zhangsun was even slightly unwell.

A moment later, Sun Simiao opened his eyes, cupped his hands to Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress's pulse is slippery and strong. Although her blood and qi are slightly depleted, it is a clear sign of pregnancy. Counting the days, it has been more than two months!"

"Pregnant?!"

Li Shimin was suddenly stunned, and then the tension on his face was instantly replaced by ecstasy.

Empress Zhangsun had given birth to three sons and three daughters, but Li Shimin didn't think she had too many.

Xiao Ran felt somewhat worried upon hearing this news.

I almost forgot, in the eighth year of the Zhenguan era, Empress Zhangsun was about to give birth to a little princess.

While Li Lizhi was happy, she saw Xiao Ran's worry and her heart sank.

She pulled Xiao Ran out of the courtyard, saying, "Young master, your mother is pregnant, why do you look so worried?"

Looking at Li Lizhi's puzzled expression, Xiao Ran first sighed softly, his tone serious yet sincere:

"Fifth Sister, His Highness's pregnancy is a wonderful thing, how could I not be happy?"

"But think about it carefully, Your Highness has already given birth to six children over the years. Which of those births wasn't exhausting?"

"Giving birth is the most taxing time for a woman's health. Your Highness's body is not as robust as it was when you were young, and your constitution is already weak."

"Now, with another child, the hardships of ten months of pregnancy, the risks during childbirth, and the postpartum care are all a lot of trouble."

"My health has finally improved over the past year and hasn't deteriorated further, but I expect it will be even worse after I give birth."

After hearing this, Li Lizhi also became worried. (End of Chapter)