My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Time Inn, kitchen.

Chen Mo, wearing an apron, was teaching Li Lizhi how to knead dough, his forehead beaded with sweat, and his face showing a subtle expression between patience and despair.

"Your Highness, relax your wrist. Yes, just like that, make circles, rub, pinch, and press..."

Li Lizhi had some flour on her face, and her expression was extremely focused, even a little tense.

"Manager Chen, is this how it is? Is the amount of flour... too much? It seems... a little too runny? Should we add some more flour?"

Chen Mo looked at the dough that was almost as big as his head.

I estimate I'll have to eat this for the next few days.

Little Sizi stood on a small stool specially prepared for her, clinging to the edge of the kitchen counter, her big, dark eyes glancing between the bowl in her older sister's hand and the dough in her own.

She tried to mold it into a little rabbit shape, but ended up with a messy, oddly shaped lump of dough covered in flour, looking like a kitten that had failed to steal a bite.

"Little cyst fungus, Sizi's little rabbit... seems to have turned into a little fat pig..."

She held up her "work," feeling both aggrieved and amused.

Chen Mo turned his head and couldn't help but chuckle. He was about to say a few words of comfort and encouragement—

"Bang!"

The door was kicked open, but no one was seen while the sound was heard.

"Manager Chen!!!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo's hand trembled.

That sound, that tone—some unlucky soul must have gotten into trouble again!

Li Lizhi and Xiao Sizi turned their heads at the same time, their relaxed and curious expressions freezing instantly.

The little ox was so startled that its little hand trembled, and the lump of dough fell to the ground with a "plop".

"Father?"

Li Lizhi gasped in surprise, her gaze turning to Li Yuan in his arms.

"Grandfather?!"

Although the little girl was young, when she saw her grandfather standing motionless, her little mouth twitched, her eyes immediately reddened, and she cried out.

"Father! What happened to Grandfather?!"

"What's going on?!"

Chen Mo asked urgently, dropping what he was holding and tearing off his apron.

"Forget it, stop talking! Come with me!"

Chen Mo opened the car door with practiced ease.

Wait a minute, why is he so skilled?

Li Lizhi also realized what was happening and instinctively pulled Xiao Sizi, who was about to cry, along with her, staggering as they ran out.

Chen Mo had already leaned out and opened the passenger and rear doors.

"Hold on tight to the Emperor Emeritus! Sit in the back! Lizhi, you and Sizi stay here, I'll take them!"

Upon hearing this, Li Lizhi stopped and nodded to Chen Mo.

"Then I'll trouble you, Manager Chen. Please let me know as soon as you have any news."

Chen Mo nodded.

Li Shimin then carried Li Yuan into the carriage, squeezed in himself, and let Li Yuan's head rest on his lap, protecting him tightly with one hand.

"Hold on tight!"

Chen Mo let out a low growl and floored the accelerator.

Perhaps because he had come so many times, Chen Mo had become quite adept at it.

He knew how to get there even with his eyes closed.

"Doctor! Doctor! Emergency! An elderly man is unconscious! His breathing and heartbeat are weak!"

The well-trained medical staff reacted immediately.

A nurse quickly pushed in a mobile hospital bed, and another doctor and several caregivers gathered around.

He was slightly taken aback when he saw Chen Mo, but quickly asked.

"What's the situation? How long has this been going on? What's your medical history?"

"Sudden onset of coma. The previous doctor said it was heart failure, phlegm obstruction and shortness of breath. The exact time..."

Li Shimin explained hastily.

"Get him to the emergency room immediately! Put him on intensive care! Establish intravenous access! Check his blood oxygen saturation and electrocardiogram!"

Li Yuan was quickly wheeled into the emergency room, where the red light was on.

The heavy door closed in front of Li Shimin and the others, cutting off their view.

Li Shimin sighed and sat on a chair outside the emergency room, his face a complex mix of emotions.

"Old Li,"

Chen Mo walked over to his side.

"Don't worry too much... don't worry too much. Your father... he's a lucky man, he'll pull through."

Chen Mo paused, trying to recall which year Li Yuan had died.

But after thinking for a long time without coming up with a solution, he simply took out his phone and started searching while talking to Li Shimin.

"Besides, look at the history books... he wasn't... uh..."

Chen Mo suddenly got stuck.

Li Yuan, it seems he died this year?!

Chen Mo's expression froze instantly, and he forgot to retract his hand that was patting Li Shimin's shoulder.

He coughed dryly, trying to salvage the situation, but his voice sounded a little unsteady because of his guilty conscience.

"What I mean is... the Emperor Emeritus... uh... um... sorry, Old Li!"

"Why apologize?"

"Well... history books say that your father died this year... I should have told you sooner."

Li Shimin: ...

"Oh wait, that's not right..."

Li Shimin: !!!

"Something's not right. You must have seen it wrong, right?"

"You can't use 'death' for your father; you should use 'passed away' instead."

Li Shimin: ...

"Alright, good people are always blessed. You've seen the quality of our medical facilities after all these incidents, haven't you?"

"I hope so..."

Li Shimin said in a low voice.

He sat on the bench, his back ramrod straight, but his gaze remained fixed on the door.

Chen Mo sat to the side wanting to comfort her, but didn't know how. In the end, he could only sigh and sit quietly to the side.

Time passed by, minute by minute.

After an unknown amount of time, the red light on the door suddenly went out with a snap.

A middle-aged doctor stepped forward first, took off his mask, and looked tired, but his expression was relatively calm.

Li Shimin practically sprang to his feet and strode to the doctor.

"Doctor, how is my father?"

Chen Mo quickly went over as well, his heart pounding in his chest.

If he really can't be saved, he should slap himself twice!

The doctor glanced at them, his gaze lingering briefly on Chen Mo, clearly recognizing this "regular."

"The patient has been resuscitated, but..."

One sentence made Li Shimin's clenched fist loosen slightly.

"but,"

The doctor changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"The situation is very serious. The patient is elderly and has severe deterioration of multiple organ functions, including the heart, lungs, and kidneys."

"How long...how long can it last?"

Li Shimin asked, his voice somewhat hoarse.

The doctor sighed.

"His body is like an old house with a rotten internal structure; the slightest disturbance could cause it to collapse completely. I can't say what will happen next; I can only say that we should observe him in the hospital for a while."

Li Shimin remained silent.

However, being an emperor after all, he quickly suppressed his turbulent emotions and bowed in thanks.

"Thank you, doctor."

The doctor waved his hand.

"It's our duty. The patient needs to rest. He will be moved to a ward for observation in a little while. You can go in and check on him, but don't stay too long and don't agitate him."

Soon, Li Yuan was wheeled out of the emergency room and transferred to a relatively quiet observation ward.

He remained unconscious, but the waveforms and numbers on the monitor showed that his vital signs had temporarily stabilized.

Li Shimin sat by the sickbed, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Chen Mo, standing a short distance away, sighed upon seeing this scene. After letting Li Lizhi know he was safe, he ran off to buy two bottles of water.

"Old Li, have some water. Since the doctor said things are stable for now, that's good. Modern medicine always has ways to prolong life and improve quality of life... maybe things will get better."

Li Shimin took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.

The cool water slid down his throat, which seemed to calm him down a bit.

His gaze remained fixed on Li Yuan as he spoke in a low voice.

"I hope so."

Time passed slowly in the quiet ward.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, the city lights came on, and the ward was very bright.

After an unknown amount of time, on the sickbed, Li Yuan's eyelashes suddenly trembled almost imperceptibly.

Immediately afterwards, his fingers also twitched slightly.

Li Shimin had been watching closely, and his body involuntarily leaned forward slightly.

Li Yuan's eyelids struggled a few times before finally slowly opening a crack.

My vision was initially blurred, with only an unfamiliar ceiling overhead emitting a uniform white light.

Where is this...?

It's not Da'an Palace...

Could it be... the underworld?

But isn't the underworld pitch black?

Could it be... that he became an immortal?

Li Yuan tried to move his eyes, but his neck was stiff and heavy.

Finally, his vision cleared a little, and he saw unfamiliar instruments beside the bed, flashing lights, and...

A face.

A familiar face, yet seemingly separated by thousands of miles.

Shimin?

Shouldn't it be "completed"?

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized what was happening.

He glanced around, wanting to ask a question, but could only manage a hoarse whisper. A dull pain shot through his chest, causing him to furrow his brow.

"Father?"

When Li Shimin saw his father wake up, he immediately moved closer, trying to keep his voice steady, but the complex emotions that flashed through his eyes were hard to completely hide.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?"

Li Yuan's lips moved, his gaze fixed intently on Li Shimin's face.

He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and he couldn't make a sound.

But judging from the shape of his mouth, it should be—

"Where have you led me?"