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

Chang'an City, Fengyang Pavilion.

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun sat at the table, their faces grim.

A circle of palace maids and eunuchs surrounded him, all with their heads bowed low.

"Father, look here, these were found in Sizi's wardrobe."

Li Lizhi presented the two items.

A cracked, broken bowl, and a strangely shaped wire basket resembling a vegetable basket.

This was all the clues she could find.

The moment Xiao Sizi disappeared, she ordered her people to thoroughly clean the wardrobe inside and out, and finally found the two items deep inside a thick winter quilt.

Li Shimin reached out and picked up the broken bowl, examining it closely before asking in a deep voice, "Where did all this come from?"

Qinglan knelt on the ground, her face filled with terror: "Your Majesty, the bowl was dug out of the soil in the Imperial Garden a few days ago. Your Highness liked it very much, so I washed it and left it for you as a toy. As for this iron basket... please forgive me, Your Majesty, I have truly never seen it before and have no idea where Your Highness obtained it!"

Li Shimin stared at Qinglan, remaining silent for a long time.

Empress Zhangsun was extremely anxious. That was her son! The little one had disappeared into thin air. How could a mother not panic?

But she was, after all, the mother of the nation, and she still retained her rationality.

What's more, this time we lost face right under Lizhi's nose.

It was the same last time, and it will be the same this time.

It seems that if Sizi wants to disappear, no one can stop her.

Qinglan was trained by her own hands; she is calm, meticulous, and always takes excellent care of the little princess.

This is something that even someone like Qinglan would probably be powerless to do, let alone anyone else.

Seeing Li Shimin's face growing increasingly grim, Empress Zhangsun, fearing he might take his anger out on someone, gently advised, "Second Prince, this is not Qinglan's fault. Think about it, it's exactly the same as last time. The ox suddenly disappeared without any warning, and no one could stop it or do anything about it."

Li Shimin exhaled a deep breath.

"well--"

"I hope... I hope that Sizi can return safely like last time."

Li Lizhi stood to the side, remaining silent.

With her eyes lowered, she kept replaying the details of what had happened before in her mind.

Seeing that her grandparents' emotions had calmed down a bit, she spoke softly, "Father and Mother, look at this iron basket. The material is unique and the workmanship is exquisite. It is clearly not an object from the Tang Dynasty."

"Perhaps, like those delicious foods last time, they were all brought back by Sizi from somewhere."

Empress Zhangsun and Li Shimin exchanged a glance, but neither of them spoke.

It's not that I disagree, but this kind of thing is too unbelievable. To disappear into thin air and reappear out of thin air, bringing back things that have never been heard of before, is really beyond the scope of common sense.

Li Lizhi continued, "Father and Mother, both times Sizi disappeared close to the wardrobe. But the wardrobe has been there for years without anything unusual happening. The only difference is—"

She picked up the broken bowl and held it up to the two of them: "This bowl was recently dug up by Sizi in the Imperial Garden. So I have a bold guess: Sizi's disappearance is related to this bowl."

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent once more.

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, took the broken bowl and examined it repeatedly, while Empress Zhangsun also frowned thoughtfully.

Upon careful consideration, Lizhi's words do indeed make sense.

The timing matches, the conditions fit, and apart from this newly appeared bowl, there is really no other variable.

Seeing that her parents' expressions had relaxed, Li Lizhi carefully placed the bowl on the table and said, "I suggest we secretly send someone to guard this bowl. Last time, after the 'Sizi' disappeared, it returned near the wardrobe, and this bowl happened to be inside the wardrobe. If the 'Sizi' appears near the bowl this time, then we can confirm that this bowl is the key."

Li Shimin pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Hmm...we can give it a try."

So far, this is indeed the only clue we can grasp.

……

Blue Star, Golden Capital Garden.

"Little Sizi, you've been out for quite a while now, shouldn't you go home?" Li Yinxun glanced at the time on her phone, her tone worried. "Otherwise, your parents will be worried."

Li Yinxun was afraid that Xiao Sizi would suddenly disappear, as it wouldn't be good if it stayed for too long.

"Okay~" The little princess nodded obediently, then closed her eyes, looking like she was ready to go back.

"Wait, Sizi!" Li Yinxun reacted quickly and stopped her. "I'll bring you some good food back with me."

The little princess's eyes lit up instantly at the mention of the word "delicious," and she stared at Li Yinxun with longing eyes, just like a little kitten waiting to be fed.

Li Yinxun couldn't stand the barrage of gazes, so she turned around and busied herself rummaging through drawers and cabinets.

A box of chocolates, a box of egg rolls, a box of Wangzai milk, half a banana, and finally a large plastic bag was found. Everything was stuffed inside, filling it to the brim.

These are all snacks that Guo Qian asked a friend to buy for her last night. They were originally meant for her to hoard, but now almost all of them have been given to the little princess.

The little princess rested her chin on her hand, watching Li Yinxun bustling around, her heart filled with joy.

She had never seen any of these things before; they had colorful packaging and smelled delicious.

This fairy sister is so kind to her.

Thinking of this, the little princess couldn't help but shake her head from side to side, her mouth stretching to her ears in a wide grin.

She really likes the fairy sister.

Li Yinxun returned to the little princess's side carrying a bulging plastic bag and gently rubbed her fluffy little head.

"Alright, everything is ready."

She knelt down and helped the little princess wrap the bag's handle around her small hand. "Try to see if you can bring all these things back with you. And remember, when you get back, think of your sister. Next time you come to visit, you must get your parents' permission first, okay?"

The plastic bag was about the same height as the little princess, so there was no fear that the little princess would be pulled and fall.

"Fairy sister, I'll miss you!" The little princess nodded vigorously, her expression incredibly serious. "I miss you so much!"

Li Yinxun smiled and pointed to each item in the bag, patiently teaching her: "This is called chocolate, you can eat it by peeling off the paper; this is called an egg roll, you eat it by biting into it; this is milk, you drink it by inserting a straw; and the banana, you have to peel it before eating it..."

The little princess listened very attentively, her little mouth opening and closing as she repeated the words, though her pronunciation was unclear.

After confirming that the little princess had remembered everything, Li Yinxun helped her put the bag away, stepped back, and waved to her.

"Alright, little princess, you can go back now."

The little princess also raised her little hand and waved.

The next second, in the blink of an eye, the little princess, along with a bag full of snacks, vanished into thin air from the living room.

The living room fell silent instantly.

Li Yinxun stood there, stunned, her heart still pounding. She couldn't tell whether she felt more excited or empty.

It felt as if everything that had just happened was a dream.

The silence that follows the excitement is always particularly hard to accept.