My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Looking at the smile on Chen Mo's face, and then at Li Lizhi and Xiao Sizi who were also smiling, Li Shimin suddenly felt that the sesame oil and garlic beef in his mouth no longer tasted good.

On what grounds?

I am the real father!

Even the prince has never served me any food!

Lizhi was also smiling at that boy!

"Hmph! They didn't even bother to put a piece on my plate!"

Li Shimin muttered to himself.

Zhu Biao and Fusu, who were sitting next to him, were both taken aback when they heard this.

The two exchanged a strange look.

Li Lizhi was taken aback when she saw the two of them.

He then turned his head and saw his father's stern face, his eyes secretly glancing in his direction, his awkward expression clearly saying "I'm not happy." He felt both amused and exasperated.

What's wrong with you today, Father?

Just like a little rhinoceros, it's always being stubborn.

Now he even complains when Sizi serves food to others; he's even more childlike than Sizi.

Of course, despite thinking this, she still picked up the serving chopsticks, took a piece of fish from the clear soup pot, and put it into Li Shimin's bowl.

"Grandpa, please try this fish slice. It's very fresh, and all the bones have been removed!"

A snow-white fish slice suddenly appeared in the bowl. Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, and the unhappiness and bitterness in his heart were instantly soothed.

But he still tried to maintain his fatherly dignity, deliberately avoiding looking at Li Lizhi, and only grunted an "Mmm".

Then pick up a piece of fish and put it in your mouth.

Hmm...it is indeed fresh and tender.

The ones my daughter picked up seemed... a little tastier?

"good!"

Li Shimin feigned indifference.

Although he looked calm on the surface, he was actually overjoyed inside!

My daughter was well-loved!

When Xiao Sizi saw that her older sister was serving food to Li Shimin, she thought that she couldn't refuse to serve him either.

So she put down her little spoon, leaned over the edge of the bowl, and rummaged through it for a while.

The bowl contained shrimp paste, fish tofu, baby corn, and a few soft-cooked greens that Chen Mo had just put on her plate.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

I like to eat this shrimp paste, but no.

This fish tofu is delicious, I can't bear to part with it.

The baby corn is sweet, we should keep it...

Finally, her gaze settled on a leafy green that looked a little overcooked and had become limp.

This leafy green didn't quite suit her taste.

She took a small bite and then spat it out on the edge of the bowl in disgust.

That's it!

Little Sizi's eyes lit up, and he stretched out his chubby little hand to pick up the vegetable leaf.

She even used her other hand to support it from below, as if afraid it would fall.

Then he stood up, tiptoed, and put the limp piece of green vegetable into the bowl in front of Li Shimin.

"Dad! Here, have some! This...this vegetable is cooked so soft!"

(Subtext: I'm giving you what I don't like to eat!)

Li Shimin: ...

You're using this to test your dad?

Which father could not withstand such a test?

But looking at Xiao Sizi's expectant face, he couldn't refuse, and he was even more afraid that Xiao Sizi wouldn't pick it up anymore, while still praising it.

"Good...good...Sizi is so good, she knows to serve food to her father."

As he spoke, Li Shimin picked up some greens and put them in his mouth, talking as he ate.

"Mmm!!! Delicious! Truly the finest taste in the world! The food my son serves is just different!"

"Aye loves to eat!"

Little Sizi laughed happily and picked up all the vegetables from the bowl.

"Then eat more!"

Li Shimin: ...

……

Although the process was somewhat unpleasant, Li Shimin was generally satisfied with the meal.

He lay back in the chair, looking quite emotional.

"I wish we could have a few more bottles of that kind of wine!"

Chen Mo was clearing away the dishes when he heard this and couldn't help but smile.

"Don't drink so much you can't sleep at night!"

After saying that, Chen Mo stacked the bowls and chopsticks, went inside, and brought out a few reclining chairs.

"Please sit down first, I'll go wash the dishes."

As she spoke, she picked up the bowl and walked towards the kitchen.

Zhu Biao and Fu Su exchanged a glance and immediately stood up to help Chen Mo.

But Li Lizhi stood up first and smiled at the two of them.

"Let me help! After all, I didn't do anything."

"I want to go too! I want to help the little cystic fungus!"

Little Sizi immediately raised both hands and said.

Li Lizhi did not refuse and led Xiao Sizi into the kitchen.

Seeing this, Li Shimin pursed his lips but said nothing more.

He lay back in the recliner and made a comfortable sound.

"Wow! This chair is really comfortable, kid Chen!"

Li Shimin looked at Zhu Biao and Fusu, who were standing still.

"You two, please sit down. Don't be so formal. Just treat me like your uncle."

Zhu Biao and Fusu exchanged a glance, bowed, and sat down on the recliners, but they were not as casual as Li Shimin.

The autumn evening breeze carried a hint of coolness, gently brushing against the grass and trees in the courtyard, bringing with it a faint scent of fresh grass.

Especially after a delicious meal, it's incredibly pleasant.

Li Shimin squinted, his gaze fixed on the warm light shining through the kitchen window, watching the figures moving inside.

The little ox's giggles could be heard from inside from time to time. The laughter was like a jade bead compass, piercing through the night and striking his heart directly.

A feeling that was never before experienced welled up in Li Shimin's heart.

He suddenly realized that being an emperor wasn't such a good thing after all.

Once upon a time, in the Qin Prince's mansion, he and Guanyinbi also spent time together in this way, but as political affairs became more and more complicated, such moments became increasingly rare.

In fact, she would only visit Guanyinbi at night.

I have to get up not long after dawn.

In contrast, it would be almost impossible to relax in a chair and enjoy the evening breeze after a meal.

If he really dared to do that, Wei Zheng's spittle would probably be spraying in his face the next day.

Li Shimin smiled, opened his eyes, and looked at Zhu Biao and Fusu.

"Do you think... that rulers, who possess the entire world, are more likely to lose the joys of family life?"

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment upon hearing this.

"Uncle Li is right. I think it's lonely at the top; the higher the position, the more rules there are..."

As he spoke, he recalled the time he had drunk and chatted with Chen Mo in the courtyard, and felt a pang of emotion.

"There are gains and losses in everything; there's nothing that can be done about it."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin let out a long sigh.

"There are always gains and losses...that's true!"

"Back then, I... paid a heavy price for this supreme position."

Zhu Biao and Fusu exchanged a glance.

Fusu might not know, but Zhu Biao did.

Li Shimin did indeed pay a heavy price—both his elder brother and younger brother sacrificed themselves for it.

Li Shimin, unaware of Zhu Biao's inner turmoil, continued speaking.

"I always thought that giving them the most noble status, the most magnificent palace, and the rarest treasures in the world was the best thing to do."

"But now it seems that's not the case."

Li Shimin reflected on everything that had happened that day, his gaze complex.

"Sizi can laugh heartily because of a piece of candy or a moment of companionship, and so can Lizhi. Perhaps what they lack is not status, but companionship."

Li Shimin looked at Fusu and Zhu Biao.

"Both of you will become emperors in the future, so remember not to neglect your families."

Zhu Biao and Fusu's expressions tightened, and they solemnly cupped their hands in greeting.

"I will keep your teachings in mind."

Seeing the two of them like this, Li Shimin waved his hand.

"Don't be so serious, this is just the three of us uncles and nephews having a private chat."

After speaking, Li Shimin looked at the kitchen again.

"What do you all think of Chen Mo?"