If I traveled back to the Tang Dynasty, all I really wanted to be was a carefree prince.

Amidst laughter and chatter, they played a few more rounds. Li Yuan, on a winning streak, won two hands in a row, putting him in a great mood. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at Yang Guifei opposite him and suddenly remarked, "You've gained some weight since you first entered the palace." Yang Guifei was startled and quickly looked down at herself. Li Yuan smiled, "It's good to be plump; it brings good fortune. You've given birth to two excellent sons, Ke'er is sensible, and Yin'er is promising. I can see that Shimin treats you well." Yang Guifei lowered her head and whispered, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty's favor." Li Yuan waved his hand, "Favor is one thing, your own efforts are another." He glanced at Empress Zhangsun, then at Yang Guifei, "Both of you are doing well, supporting the harem for Shimin. I'm at ease." Empress Zhangsun and Yang Guifei exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Your Majesty, we dare not accept such praise."

Another half hour passed before Li Yuan, still seemingly unsatisfied, ordered the cards to be put away. "Alright, alright, let's begin the banquet. I'm hungry." Zhang De quickly led the palace maids and eunuchs to set out the food and wine. There was tender stewed venison, golden-roasted lamb leg, steamed perch, braised wild rabbit, and several dishes of seasonal appetizers. Li Yuan ordered a jar of fine wine to be brought out, personally pouring a cup for Li Shimin, and then a cup each for Li Chengqian and Li Ke.

Everyone raised their glasses in a toast. Li Zhi also picked up his teacup, mimicking an adult, and shouted "Cheers!" in a childish voice, which drew laughter from everyone.

Halfway through the banquet, Li Ke noticed that Empress Zhangsun barely touched her chopsticks. She only took one bite of the steamed perch in front of her and then didn't touch it again. He then looked at Consort Yang; his mother was also acting strangely today, her face was pale, and fine beads of sweat were on her forehead. Moreover, the steamed perch was right in front of her, but she didn't even glance at it.

"Empress Dowager, are you not feeling well today?" Li Ke put down his chopsticks and asked softly. Empress Zhangsun smiled and said, "It's nothing, I've just felt a bit stuffy these past few days, and the smell of fish makes me uncomfortable." Consort Yang added, "I feel the same way. I wonder if it's because the weather is getting colder, my stomach is a little upset." Li Ke's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face.

Li Yuan waved his hand: "It's common for people to have weak stomachs as they get older." Li Zhi lay down beside Empress Zhangsun's knee, tilting his little face up and asking, "Mother, are you sick? Let me blow on it for you." He then puffed out his cheeks and blew on Empress Zhangsun's face. Empress Zhangsun smiled and put her arm around him: "Mother is fine."

Li Shimin glanced at Empress Zhangsun, then at Consort Yang, and instructed Zhang De to fetch the imperial physician. Li Ke stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and bowed to Li Yuan and Li Shimin: "Grandfather, Father, I have been studying under Imperial Physician Wang in the Imperial Hospital for quite some time now. Perhaps I should first take the pulses of both my mother and Consort Yang. If there is anything amiss, we can have a better understanding of it." Li Shimin glanced at him and nodded. "Go."

Li Ke first approached Empress Zhangsun and said softly, "Mother, I apologize." Empress Zhangsun extended her hand. Li Ke extended three fingers and gently placed them on her cun-kou (radial artery) pulse. The hall fell silent. Li Ke closed his eyes, concentrating on feeling the pulse emanating from his fingertips—smooth and flowing, like pearls rolling on a plate. A slippery pulse. He had studied at the Imperial Hospital for nearly a year, and Wang Yongzheng had personally taught him how to distinguish various pulse types. A slippery pulse indicates phlegm, food stagnation, and excess heat, but for women of childbearing age, a slippery pulse indicates pregnancy.

He withdrew his hand, his expression unchanged. "Empress Dowager, has your period arrived this month?" Empress Zhangsun's face flushed slightly, and she gently shook her head. Li Ke was overjoyed and bowed to Li Shimin and Li Yuan: "Father, Grandfather, according to my knowledge, Empress Dowager's pulse and symptoms all indicate pregnancy. However, this is a matter of great importance, and to be on the safe side, we should wait for the imperial physician to arrive to confirm."

Li Yuan paused, his wine cup still, and Li Shimin leaned forward slightly. "You said you're pregnant?" Empress Zhangsun was stunned, looking down at her abdomen. Li Shimin quickly walked to her side, took her hand, and said in a trembling voice, "Guanyinbi, is what Ke'er said true?" Empress Zhangsun blushed slightly, not wanting to say more in front of everyone, and simply nodded.

Li Zhi peeked over from the side, tilting his head to look at Empress Zhangsun's belly, and gently touched it with his little hand. "Mother, where is the baby?" Empress Zhangsun smiled and pulled him into her arms.

Li Ke walked to Yang Guifei's side again. Yang Guifei extended her hand, her fingers trembling slightly. Li Ke extended three fingers and gently placed them on her wrist—still a slippery pulse. He withdrew his hand and looked up at his mother. "Mother, has your period arrived this month?" Yang Guifei's face also flushed; she nodded and then shook her head—meaning it was late. Li Ke took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed to Li Shimin: "Father, Mother's pulse is also a slippery pulse."

The hall fell silent for a moment again. Then, Li Shimin smiled. He looked at Empress Zhangsun, then at Yang Guifei, his smile impossible to hide. Li Zhi was still young and didn't quite understand what was happening, but seeing everyone laughing, he giggled along. He ran to Yang Guifei, reached out his little hand and touched her belly, announcing earnestly, "Auntie has a little baby in her belly too!"

Imperial Physician Wang Yongzheng arrived quickly, panting and sweating profusely. He knelt and kowtowed as soon as he entered, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Retired Emperor—" Li Shimin waved his hand, "Take her pulse first." Wang Yongzheng first took Empress Zhangsun's pulse, concentrating for a moment before a look of joy on his face: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Her Majesty is indeed pregnant, nearly two months along." He then took Consort Yang's pulse, similarly showing joy: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Consort Yang is also pregnant, a little later than Her Majesty the Empress, but still over a month along."

The hall erupted in cheers. Li Yuan rose from his chair, stroked his beard, and grinned from ear to ear, repeatedly saying "Good!" Li Shimin stood in the center of the hall, glancing first at Empress Zhangsun and Consort Yang, then at Li Ke, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

Li Chengqian was the first to stand up, cupping his hands to Li Shimin and Li Yuan, saying, "Congratulations, Father, on the addition of another imperial heir." Li Tai also stood up, smiling, and cupped his hands in congratulations. Li Lizhi held Princess Chengyang's small hand, smiling and saying something. Princess Chengyang couldn't understand, but seeing everyone laughing, she giggled along with them.

Standing beside Li Ke, Li Yin watched Yang Guifei stroke her pregnant belly. Suddenly, he tugged at Li Ke's sleeve and whispered, "Third Brother, am I going to be a big brother?" Li Ke looked at him, smiled, and nodded. "Yes, you're going to be a big brother." Li Yin took a deep breath, straightened his chest, and tried to appear composed, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. He nodded vigorously and said, "I'll be a good big brother." Yang Guifei's eyes reddened slightly, and she reached out to pat his head.

Li Ke stood there, a smile playing on his lips, but his heart was churning with complex emotions. He remembered clearly—in the original history, Consort Yang had only two sons: Li Ke and Li Yin. In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, Li Yin was already eight years old, which meant that Consort Yang's reproductive history should have ended there. But now, Consort Yang's pulse was undeniably slippery, clear and unquestionable.

His arrival, unknowingly, was already changing history. From the day he awoke from drowning, he made ice, distilled wine, saved Qin Qiong, rescued Empress Zhangsun, shielded his brother from a knife, and befriended court officials—every step he took altered the fates of those around him. His mother's pregnancy was the most direct proof. History was no longer the book he read in later generations, but a lump of clay being reshaped. He didn't know what this lump of clay would ultimately become, but he knew he had no way back. He could only continue forward, protecting those he cared about, one by one, in this new history.

Li Ke downed the wine in one gulp; the pungent liquid burned his way down his throat to his stomach. He put down the cup, looked up, and met the gaze of Empress Zhangsun and Consort Yang, who were exchanging a knowing smile.

After the family banquet ended, the moon had risen to its highest point. Li Ke led Yang Guifei and Li Yin out of Da'an Palace. The night wind blew from Taiye Pond, carrying the chill of late autumn. Yang Guifei, wearing a cloak, walked slowly, one hand protecting her abdomen.

"Yin'er, remember what you said tonight," Li Ke suddenly spoke. Li Yin, who was walking with her head down, looked up at him. "What did you say?" "Be a good older brother," Li Ke said. Li Yin nodded vigorously. "I will, Third Brother."

Li Ke didn't say anything more. The three of them slowly walked back along the edge of Taiye Pond. The moonlight cast their long shadows on the water, which swayed gently with the ripples.

Back in the side hall, Li Ke sat alone for a while. He took the jade pendant off his neck and held it in his hand—a white jade tiger, warm and smooth, a gift from his grandfather. He recalled Li Yuan's laughter at the banquet earlier that day, the radiance on Yang Guifei's face as she stroked her belly, and the look of contentment in Empress Zhangsun's eyes as she watched her children playing together. He was changing history, but perhaps, this was how history should have been.