The Emperor's Beloved: My Ancestor is the Crown Prince?

With the careful treatment of the imperial physicians and the aid of the "miracle medicine from overseas," Si Zi's condition improved day by day. Her fever subsided, her breathing became smoother, and her little face gradually regained some color.

Empress Zhangsun's anxiety finally subsided, and her visits to the warm pavilion changed from frequent and urgent to a daily, warm companionship. And almost every time she came, she could see that chubby little dumpling.

Xiao Qingyi seemed to have taken it upon herself to care for the ailing Si Zi. Whenever she "returned" (Li Lizhi had grown accustomed to her elusive manner), she would most likely slip into the warm pavilion. Sometimes she would bring new "Grimm's Fairy Tales" to read to Si Zi, and sometimes she would simply sit quietly by the couch, sharing half of her treasured snacks with Si Zi. The two children, one pale and frail, the other healthy and vibrant, huddled together, whispering or playing simple shadow puppets, created a tranquil and heartwarming scene that made the palace servants who occasionally stumbled upon them instinctively slow their pace.

That afternoon, the warm pavilion was filled with the faint scent of medicine. Si Zi was in much better spirits and was leaning against a cushion, watching Xiao Qingyi fiddling with a small plastic kaleidoscope the size of a palm—a little gadget that Li Qingge had recently put in her backpack.

"Sister Sizi, look inside!" Xiao Qingyi held the kaleidoscope up to Sizi's eyes. "So many flowers! It looks different every time you turn it!"

Sizi curiously leaned closer, her single eye peering through the small hole. She was immediately captivated by the ever-changing, dazzling, symmetrical colorful patterns inside. Her pale lips parted slightly, and she uttered a soft exclamation: "Ah...so beautiful...like the glow of the heavens captured within..."

Li Lizhi sat to the side doing needlework, watching with a smile. Li Zhi was also studying here today, but his gaze kept drifting towards his sisters, clearly filled with curiosity about the strange object that could "collect the rosy light".

Just as the room was filled with tranquility, a clear and respectful announcement came from outside the warm pavilion: "The Emperor has arrived—"

Everyone in the pavilion was startled. Li Lizhi immediately put down her needlework and stood up, and Li Zhi also hurriedly stood up and straightened his clothes. Before Xiao Qingyi could react, Li Lizhi quickly took the kaleidoscope from her hand, stuffed it into the front pocket of her overalls, and whispered urgently, "Yiyi, don't make a sound later, stand obediently by my side."

Before he finished speaking, Li Shimin, dressed in casual clothes, tall and imposing with a heroic face, strode in. He had clearly just finished dealing with state affairs, and there was still a trace of fatigue between his brows, but when he saw that his youngest daughter, who was leaning against the couch, looked much better, that weariness was replaced by relief.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Li Lizhi and Li Zhi quickly bowed.

"Get up, all of you." Li Shimin waved his hand, walked straight to the edge of the chaise longue and sat down. He reached out and touched her forehead, asking gently, "How are you feeling today? Are you still feeling tightness in your chest?"

"Much better, Father," Sizi replied softly, leaning against her father with dependence. "I'm just still a little weak."

"Illness will heal slowly, just take good care of yourself." Li Shimin patted his daughter reassuringly, then his gaze swept across the room and naturally fell on Xiao Qingyi, who was standing next to Li Lizhi and looking at him with her big, bright eyes.

This child… was dressed in bright and unusual clothes, definitely not palace attire, nor the clothing of any country he knew. Her face was lovely and fair, her eyes clear and bright, filled with the innocent curiosity unique to children, and she showed little fear. Li Shimin's heart stirred slightly; he recalled that the Empress had mentioned a few days ago that a little girl, the descendant of an old friend, had come to Chengqian's place, quite clever and bright, and often accompanied Sizi.

"This is... the daughter of Chengqian's old friend?" Li Shimin asked, his voice deep and authoritative, but his tone was gentle when speaking to a child.

Li Lizhi's heart tightened, and she quickly replied, "Yes, Father. Her name is Yiyi. She is still young. I saw that she got along well with Sizi, so I often let her come over to keep him company." She secretly sweated, wondering how her father would react.

Li Shimin hummed in agreement, neither confirming nor denying, but merely observing the exceptionally striking child. Xiao Qingyi was also observing him. This uncle, whom her older brothers and sisters called "Father" and "Sage," was truly tall, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. He didn't seem as stern as her elder brother, the Crown Prince, but he appeared to be more powerful.

"Your name is Yiyi?" Li Shimin suddenly asked her.

Xiao Qingyi nodded, remembering her sister Lizhi's instructions, and didn't dare to speak, but just nodded again.

Seeing her timid yet poised demeanor, Li Shimin found it amusing, and his stern face softened slightly: "How old are you?"

This is a simple question. Little Qingyi held up three fingers, then bent down half of the fourth, and said in a childish voice, "Three and a half years old."

His speech was clear and articulate, and he even knew the word "half." A hint of a smile flickered in Li Shimin's eyes. "Where did you come from?"

"I came from home," Xiao Qingyi answered matter-of-factly.

"Where is your home?"

This is a bit difficult. Xiao Qingyi blinked, recalling the "standard answer" her brother and sister Lizhi had taught her, and tried hard to remember: "In...in overseas, in a very, very far place." Afraid she was wrong, she added, "On a big ship, it takes a very, very long time!"

"Foreign merchants?" Li Shimin mused. No wonder her clothes were so unusual. He noticed that the child's eyes were fixed on her when she answered, and although she seemed a little nervous, she didn't appear to be lying, so he believed her to be about 70-80%. His gaze inadvertently swept over the bulging pockets of her overalls, where a hard object seemed to be pushing out a cylindrical shape.

"What fun things are you hiding in your pocket?" he asked casually, his tone purely like teasing a child.

Xiao Qingyi instinctively covered her pocket, glanced at Li Lizhi, and only after seeing her nod slightly did she carefully take out the plastic kaleidoscope. It was a transparent plastic tube with black plastic caps at both ends, a rotating section in the middle, and some unfamiliar colored letters printed on it.

"It's...it's something for looking at flowers," she said softly, a little reluctant to hand it over.

"Oh?" Li Shimin became interested. "Let me see it."

Xiao Qingyi hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over and handing the kaleidoscope to Li Shimin's large hand, which was accustomed to wielding power over the world.

Li Shimin picked up the light and peculiar object; it was neither metal nor wood to the touch, but smooth and cool. He imitated what he had just seen, bringing the smaller end close to his eyes and examining it against the light—

In an instant, his vision was filled with a dazzling array of colorful patterns, symmetrical and repeating, with endless variations. He subconsciously turned the middle section, and the patterns inside rotated and changed accordingly, as if countless brilliant gems were shattered and reassembled, magnificent and mesmerizing, far surpassing any brocade patterns or Western glass artifacts he had ever seen.

Even this Khan, who was accustomed to seeing rare treasures and expanding his vast territory, was momentarily stunned, his eyes revealing pure astonishment. "This... is quite interesting." He put down the kaleidoscope and looked at Xiao Qingyi. "Was it also brought from overseas?"

"Mmm!" Xiao Qingyi nodded vigorously. Seeing that this seemingly impressive uncle seemed to like her toy, she grew a little bolder and said proudly, "There are lots and lots of flowers inside, and they change when you turn it! It's so pretty!"

Children's pure joy is incredibly infectious. Looking at the radiant little face before him, and then at Sizi on the couch, whose eyes were also filled with expectation, Li Shimin's initial curiosity about the object was suddenly replaced by a softer, warmer affection. It was just a child's toy; though exquisite, it was nothing to worry about.

"It is indeed novel." He handed the kaleidoscope back to Xiao Qingyi, his tone gentle. "Since it is your beloved possession, keep it safe and be careful when playing with Sizi, so as not to break it."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Xiao Qingyi happily took him back and hugged him tightly in her arms. She felt that this "Uncle Father" wasn't so scary after all.

The natural "Uncle" startled both Li Lizhi and Li Zhi. Li Shimin was also slightly taken aback, then chuckled. He had many children and grandchildren, but it was quite novel to be called "Uncle" by a child from "overseas" who knew nothing of his imperial status and addressed him solely on instinct. There was no reverence in this address, only the most direct intimacy a child has for an elder, which brought a strange sense of ease to his long-held high position.

"Alright, you two can play by yourselves." Li Shimin stood up, told Sizi to rest a few more times, and then prepared to leave. Reaching the door, he seemed to remember something, turned back to look at Xiao Qingyi, who was eagerly showing Sizi her kaleidoscope, and said calmly to Li Lizhi, who was seeing him off, "This child... is kind-hearted, and it's fine for her to keep Sizi company. However, her background is special, so please keep a close eye on her and lest she cause unnecessary gossip."

"Your subject will remember Your Majesty's teachings," Li Lizhi quickly replied. Her father's words, though concerned, also contained tacit approval and a reminder.

Li Shimin nodded and strode away. Inside the warm pavilion, Li Lizhi and Li Zhi exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of relief in each other's eyes. It seemed that passing the Emperor's test had been...smoother than expected? Perhaps even a subtle harmony had been achieved?

Xiao Qingyi was completely oblivious to the subtle atmosphere that had just transpired. She was excitedly demonstrating the kaleidoscope to Sizi: "Sizi, look! When you spin it like this, doesn't it look like a rainbow has moved in?"

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling warmly and brightly on the two little heads.

In the distant present, in the study, Grandpa Li Minghua, wearing his reading glasses, marvels at a childlike doodle drawn by Li Qingge based on her sister's description of "Uncle Father's" appearance, repeatedly asking for details:

"Thick eyebrows? Square face? Imposing presence? Is that really what Yiyi said? This description... does indeed have a bit of the feel of Emperor Taizong in his portraits..."