Little Sizi came to my house and became the family's darling, and Li Shimin got anxious.

I slept until 10 a.m. the next day.

The little princess was especially well-behaved today. She didn't fuss when she woke up and just sat by the bed looking at picture storybooks.

Li Yinxun carried the little princess downstairs and heard noises coming from the kitchen, so she went there.

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun were standing side by side in front of the kitchen counter. Neither of them spoke, and they simply stood there quietly watching.

Green Ivy, Green Mist, and Jade Pearl were busy inside, wearing aprons and preparing breakfast.

Li Shimin stared at the gas stove, resting his chin on his hand, his brows slightly furrowed, wondering why a slight twist would cause a flame to leap out.

When the little princess saw Empress Zhangsun, she stretched out her arm and softly called out, "Mother."

Empress Zhangsun turned around upon hearing the sound, and quickly went over to take the little princess into her arms.

"Sizi's awake? Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

"I'm not sleepy~"

"Your older sister and second sister are still sleeping, shall we go and wake them up?"

Li Lizhi and Chengyang woke up at seven o'clock, but when they heard that they weren't in a hurry to return to the Tang Dynasty today, they went back to sleep in.

"Okay, okay~ I'll go call my older sister and second older sister~" The little princess was already excited, already having a plan to tease Li Lizhi.

"Your mother will go with you."

Li Yinxun yawned and asked, "Brother-in-law, why are you up so early? Didn't we agree to go out for dim sum today? Why are you still cooking at home?"

Green Ivy paused, looking at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin shifted his gaze from the gas stove and widened his eyes slightly.

"This is considered early? What time is it? It's almost 9 AM! I think you're really too lazy!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yinxun couldn't help but chuckle sheepishly, rubbed his messy hair, and slowly explained.

"Brother-in-law, it's different here. The Cantonese people's morning tea is tailor-made for sleeping in. Going at ten o'clock is considered early, and it's common to drink until 12 or 1 o'clock. This meal combines breakfast and lunch, which is much more convenient."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's tone was full of envy: "The people of later generations are truly living a life of ease. As the emperor, I have to get up at dawn every day to attend court. I rarely get a good night's sleep throughout the year. I can't even imagine sleeping until the sun is high in the sky."

Li Yinxun walked over and patted his shoulder, as if comforting an old child who had been wronged.

"So now you have to enjoy yourself. Alright, don't eat at home anymore. Since you're already here, you have to go and experience the authentic old-brand restaurant."

She turned to look at the green ivy and called out.

"Green Ivy, stop what you're doing. Pack the cooked portions into the fridge and let's all go out to eat!"

Upon hearing that they could go out, Green Ivy, Green Mist, and Jade Beads didn't say anything, but their movements noticeably quickened.

Having lived in the inner palace for so long, rarely venturing beyond its walls, they were still confined to this small place even after arriving in modern times, despite living in a large villa. They longed to go out and see the everyday life of people thousands of years later.

Li Shimin saw through the thoughts of the palace maids and generously waved his hand.

"Go, but be careful with your words and actions outside. Do not speak carelessly or do anything outrageous, lest you embarrass me."

The three palace maids quickly bowed and replied in unison, "We understand."

Li Shimin looked around and realized that someone was missing.

"Where's that kid surnamed Guo? He's nowhere to be seen."

Li Yinxun casually replied, "Oh, he went out early this morning to buy grain seeds."

"So early?" Li Shimin's heart stirred slightly. He had gotten up at seven o'clock and hadn't seen anyone, so they must have left very early.

"I just told him about this last night, and he went to take care of it right at dawn this morning?"

Li Yinxun nodded: "He never procrastinates. Since he knows you're not in a hurry to go back today, he wants to take advantage of this free time to get this matter settled first."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"He's a man of action, decisive and efficient, and doesn't play games. I like that."

"If you like it, give me something practical."

"Haha, sure, as long as it's done, everything is negotiable."

After everyone had finished getting ready, the large group of people went downstairs.

Although Guo Qian's SUV was quite spacious, it was still a bit of a stretch to fit the emperor, empress, and three palace maids inside.

Fortunately, there was a minivan in the villa, which took us straight to a long-established Cantonese restaurant in the city center.

This restaurant isn't some trendy new spot; it's a genuine century-old establishment that retains the most traditional operating model and flavors.

As soon as you step into the restaurant, you are greeted by the lively atmosphere of the restaurant.

The hall was bustling with noise, and every seat was taken.

These days, most shops use mobile phone QR code ordering, but this place is different.

The waiters in the restaurant push wooden carts full of steamers through every corner of the hall, calling out the names of the dishes in various Cantonese dialects, which has a unique charm of old Guangzhou.

"Shrimp dumplings, siu mai, chicken feet, spare ribs..."

When the shop assistant saw that Li Yinxun had brought such a large family, he quickly led them to a large round table by the window and handed them two extra paper menus.

The little princess's eyes were drawn to the snack cart. "Seven more, I want seven more~"

Li Yinxun waved his hand and gave the order in a doting manner.

"I'll have one of everything on this cart."

The young waitress paused, her pen hovering in mid-air. "All...all of them? There are about twenty items on this cart."

"Yes, I want them all. I'll add more if it's not enough." Li Yinxun nodded casually. Despite the large quantity, each person only needed one bite to finish it.

The waiter quickly swiped the order form.

Before long, a table full of snacks was brought out in a continuous stream.

Crystal shrimp dumplings, steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce, honey-glazed barbecued pork buns, honeycomb tripe, rice noodle rolls, glutinous rice chicken, radish cake...

The little princess looked at the table full of food, her mouth agape in an "O" shape, and drool was dripping down her cheeks.

"Oh my gosh~"

Empress Zhangsun picked up a boneless chicken foot, tentatively put it in her mouth, and gently sucked on it. It was soft, tender, and flavorful with a rich soy sauce aroma, and there were absolutely no bones.

"This...this is chicken feet?" She looked at Li Yinxun in disbelief. "It's so well prepared, it melts in your mouth."

Li Shimin wasn't so particular. He picked up a translucent shrimp dumpling, glanced at the plump shrimp meat inside, and put it directly into his mouth.

After chewing it carefully, the delicious shrimp flavor and chewy texture made him nod slightly.

"Hmm, not bad."

Li Lizhi and Chengyang, who were standing nearby, also started looking through the menu and choosing dishes that suited their tastes.

Although the three of them were a little reserved, with Li Yinxun's encouragement, they gradually opened up and ordered several items in turn.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, Li Yinxun filled the teacups in front of Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

"Sister, brother-in-law, have some tea to cleanse your palate."

This pot of tea is a standard feature in restaurants. It's made from large-leaf tea, which is inexpensive and costs only a few dollars for a large pot. In the old shops, it's just for diners to cleanse their palates.

Li Shimin picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

As soon as he took a sip of tea, he couldn't help but furrow his brow.

How can I describe this tea?

It has a bitter taste with a stale flavor, lacks sweetness, has a weak aroma, and even carries a faint burnt smell.

He put down his teacup, a hint of disappointment barely concealed on his face.

"This restaurant looks lively, but how come the tea is of such poor quality? It's worlds apart from the tea you gave me."

Li Yinxun lowered her head, smiled, and did not utter a word in defense.

In the Tang Dynasty, that was tribute tea, and even in later generations it was a top-quality product with a price of several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan per kilogram.

This pot of tea is loose-leaf tea sold by weight at the market, costing only a few dollars. It's barely good enough to wash cups, so how can it be considered high-quality?