Transmigrated into Li Chengqian, he effortlessly ascended the throne and became emperor.

The night was as dark as thick ink, immersing the entire Hongyi Palace in an eerie stillness.

Inside the side hall, Li Chengqian, who had already bathed and changed, was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Those chubby little feet were idly stepping on each other, with a huge pillow in front of them.

Judging that Li Shimin should have cried enough, Li Chengqian took a deep breath, picked up the silk pillow that was bigger than his upper body, and jumped off the bed barefoot.

The candlelight in the main hall flickered.

Li Shimin had stopped crying and was sitting by the bed, letting Empress Zhangsun apply a hot towel to his swollen eyes.

Although the atmosphere was no longer tense, it was still so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Three very soft knocks, like a kitten scratching at the door, broke the stillness in the hall.

Li Shimin was startled and instinctively reached for the non-existent knife beside him.

"Who?" Empress Zhangsun's voice was soft, but it carried the majesty of a mistress.

A timid voice came from outside the door: "Father, Mother...it's Yunu."

Upon hearing the name "Yu Nu," Li Shimin's tense muscles instantly relaxed. He and Empress Zhangsun exchanged a glance, both seeing a helpless yet doting smile in each other's eyes.

"Come in, the door isn't locked." Li Shimin cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound less hoarse.

The heavy palace door was pushed open a crack, and a small head peeked in.

Li Chengqian was dressed in a snow-white undergarment, his soft black hair cascading over his shoulders, and he was tightly clutching a lotus-root-colored pillow in his arms.

"What's wrong, Yu Nu? Why aren't you asleep so late?" Empress Changsun was heartbroken and quickly beckoned to her.

Li Chengqian didn't rush over immediately. Instead, he stood at the door, fidgeting with the pillow in his arms, and whispered, "Yu Nu... Yu Nu can't sleep."

He raised his head, his large, obsidian-like eyes brimming with tears, looking pitifully at Li Shimin: "It's so dark in the side hall. When I close my eyes, I see so many red shadows... I'm scared."

Sure enough, Li Shimin's heart broke when he heard this.

"It's Father's fault, he frightened Yunu." Li Shimin strode over and picked Chengqian up in his arms.

It felt soft and light to the touch, with a faint scent of milk and soapberry after a bath, which instantly masked the bloody smell in Li Shimin's nose.

He was like a drowning man grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, greedily inhaling the scent of his son.

This is the breath of life.

"Why are your feet so cold? You're not wearing shoes." Although Li Shimin was scolding him, his tone was full of affection. He wrapped Chengqian's cold little feet in one large hand and warmed them with the warmth of his palm.

"I missed my father and mother, so I forgot." Li Chengqian wrapped his arms around Li Shimin's neck, burying his face in the crook of his broad neck and rubbing against him like a clingy kitten. "Father, can Yunu sleep with you tonight?"

Li Shimin carried him back to the bedside and glanced at Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun had already pulled back the corner of the blanket, a gentle smile on her face: "Come in quickly, don't get cold."

And so, the three most distinguished people of the future Tang Dynasty ended up sharing a single bed.

Under the large brocade quilt, Li Chengqian swaggered to occupy the center position.

On the left is a great emperor of all time, and on the right is a wise empress of all time.

Li Chengqian lay down comfortably, his two little hands neatly placed on his chest, his eyes closed, his eyelashes trembling slightly, as if he were really about to fall asleep.

But the two pairs of gazes beside me were just too intense.

Neither Li Shimin nor Empress Zhangsun were sleepy.

The two of them stood sideways, one on the left and one on the right, their hands supporting their heads, staring intently at the small dumpling in the middle as if they were looking at some rare treasure.

"Guanyinbi, look."

Li Shimin lowered his voice, as if afraid of disturbing this beautiful dream, and gently tapped Chengqian's upturned nose with his rough fingertips. "This child's nose is just like mine, so high and straight."

Empress Zhangsun chuckled softly, extending her slender fingers to smooth the stray hairs on Chengqian's forehead: "I think your eyebrows and eyes are very similar to Erlang's when he was young, but this delicate air comes from me."

"Of course, our child naturally inherits the strengths of both of us." Li Shimin looked at his son's sleeping face and felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

That's the significance of his conquest of the country.

The flickering candlelight cast a warm, golden glow on Li Chengqian's profile.

At this moment, he could feel Li Shimin's fingers gently caressing his cheek. The fingertips had thick calluses from years of holding a bow, which scratched his skin and made it a little itchy, but it was also very reassuring.

"Ah..." Li Shimin suddenly sighed, his tone filled with a mixture of disbelief and infatuation, "How can there be such a beautiful child in this world? Guanyinbi, look at his eyelashes, how can they be so long?"

As he spoke, this Prince Qin, who had just been decisive in killing, childishly reached out his finger to try and touch his feather-like eyelashes.

Li Chengqian: "..."

That's enough!

He felt a little itchy, so he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose, hummed, and rolled over to lie on his side in Li Shimin's arms, placing one hand on Li Shimin's chest.

This gesture made Li Shimin's heart flutter with delight.

"This kid..." Li Shimin chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly, the sound reaching Li Chengqian's palm. "He's so domineering even when he's sleeping. He's bound to be a formidable character in the future."

"Second Brother." Empress Changsun's voice suddenly became somewhat low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry, "Regarding today's events... although Elder Brother has survived, what about the future..."

"Shhh."

Li Shimin put a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet, and looked tenderly at his son in his arms, "Let's not talk about state affairs tonight."

He pulled the corner of the blanket up to cover Li Chengqian's exposed shoulder.

"I used to think that I would be the master of this world, but tonight I am first and foremost this boy's father." Li Shimin's gaze was as deep as the sea, reflecting Li Chengqian's peaceful sleeping face. "I will protect him and make sure that he can sleep soundly like tonight for the rest of his life, without having to worry about anyone else's feelings."