I am Li Shen and Li Shimin, the free kings of the Tang Dynasty

Upon hearing Xixi's words, Li Shen immediately squatted down and picked up both daughters, one in each arm.

This little Xixi is quite competitive for her father's affections, afraid he might stop loving her.

Li Shen was well aware of her little scheme; that's just how kids are.

Li Shen was lost between his two daughters, the old father was so pleased with himself that he didn't notice his two sons standing in front of him, looking up at him blankly.

A hint of longing was revealed in Yangyang's composed expression; after all, he was still a four-year-old child.

Li Xu was only one year old and had just learned to walk. He stared blankly as his two older sisters were being held by a strange man.

This man looks somewhat familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't quite place it; it's probably been too long.

As Li Shen was getting close to his two daughters, Lu Dingniang suddenly nudged him twice. Li Shen looked over, and Lu Dingniang gestured with her lips to indicate that Li Shen still had two children.

Li Shen looked at his two sons this time. One had longing in his eyes, while the other looked a little silly and dazed, completely unaware of what had happened.

Li Shen put Xixi down and sat down with Sanya in his arms.

"Yangyang, how are your studies going lately?" Li Shen was indeed strict with his son, but there was no way around it; his daughter would eventually get married.

But the son is different; he is going to inherit the family business.

Even if Yangyang cannot inherit the Ji Prince's Mansion, in Li Shen's heart, this eldest son must achieve something. He is carrying on his life.

In the future, we will also acquire some properties for him, and he will also be appointed as an official in the imperial court. Only in this way can the family line continue.

Which of those prominent families doesn't have officials in every generation? Which family doesn't produce several prime ministers?

His own children would never be as capable as him, able to have the emperor protect them.

"Reporting to Father, I have already learned the Thousand Character Classic," Yangyang replied respectfully, appearing very composed.

"Haha, my son is indeed clever. Come here and let your father take a look."

Upon hearing that Yangyang had learned the Thousand Character Classic, Li Shen was overjoyed. At the age of four, he had already learned the Thousand Character Classic, which was much better than his own.

I was still peeing and playing in the mud when I was four years old. It's already good enough that he can speak, but he can already write, which shows that Yangyang is very dedicated to his studies.

After hearing this, Yangyang walked up to Li Shen. She was small and very frail.

Li Shen reached out and touched Yangyang's arm and body, his brows furrowing.

"Why is Yangyang so thin?" His gaze fell on Yangyang's maid and wet nurse, his eyes sharp and frightening.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. The young master eats very little, so... so..." The wet nurse was somewhat flustered.

She's not a doctor, how would she know why someone is so thin?

Li Shen's thought was that these people might have embezzled all the good food and not given it to his son, thinking that his son was too young to understand.

"Father, it's not their fault. I don't eat much, so I'm a little thin," Yangyang explained sensibly.

"Since you know, why don't you eat more?" Li Shen then looked at his son.

"I can't eat," Yangyang replied.

Just as Li Shen was about to ask if she was a picky eater, Xi Xi leaned over and said mysteriously:

“Father, my brother often eats pastries, and he can eat a whole plateful at a time, which is why he doesn’t eat rice.”

"Xixi! Didn't we agree not to tattle?" Yangyang immediately lost her temper and glared angrily at Xixi.

Xi Xi didn't seem scared at all:

“I’m just telling Aye the truth, it doesn’t count as informing him.”

“You…” Yangyang was speechless, because at that moment he felt his father’s gaze.

The pastries in Li Shen's residence were created after Li Shen had researched them for a long time. They were all baked and contained honey or sugar.

This is fine for an occasional treat, but it's definitely not very nutritious as a staple food.

Li Shen made them so that he could make snacks for the children when he had free time.

I never expected Yangyang to use it as a staple food.

Is Yangyang like that?

"This...yes, Dad, the pastries are delicious." Yangyang lowered his head, realizing he had made a mistake.

"Didn't I tell you that pastries can be eaten as snacks, but you can't eat too many and they shouldn't interfere with your meals?"

Li Shen asked seriously.

"Yes, son was wrong." Yangyang quickly bowed.

Li Shen didn't delve into it. It was just some pastries. What child isn't a picky eater? He could manage it by keeping an eye on them.

"From now on, young master, you may only eat pastries after meals, or you may eat a little when you are hungry, but you are not allowed to eat too much. You should focus on your meals."

Did you hear that?

Li Shen looked at Yangyang's maid and wet nurse.

"Yes, ma'am." The maid and wet nurse quickly bowed. Actually, they couldn't be blamed; their young master said he wanted to eat, so how could they dare not give it to him?

This time, with the prince's order, things are different.

"Alright, you need to eat more meat and vegetables. How will you learn martial arts in the future if you're so thin and small?"

Seeing Yangyang's disappointed look, Li Shen smiled and patted his head. In three or four years, when Yangyang is eight years old, it will be time for him to learn martial arts.

The same applies to princes; they begin learning martial arts, archery, horseback riding, and so on at the age of eight. There are many things that royals need to learn.

"Yes, Father." It was clear that Yangyang wasn't very interested in learning martial arts.

Li Shen didn't say anything. Practicing martial arts was the standard for royal children, and Li Shen wanted to elevate Yangyang's status.

Regardless of the circumstances, Yangyang is still a son of a concubine in the Prince Ji's mansion, which means he is a level below in terms of rank. However, according to royal standards, he should at least not be inferior in terms of temperament.

Moreover, learning martial arts can also strengthen the body, improve physical fitness, and cultivate willpower.

Just as Li Shen was pondering, Yangyang stretched out a hand to Xixi.

Everyone who saw it was stunned.

"What are you doing?" Xi Xi asked, her eyes wide.

"Give me back the money," Yangyang said coolly.

"What money are you going to pay back?" Li Shen asked curiously.

"Twenty strings of cash as hush money. Xixi said she'd keep it a secret for me, and she asked me for twenty strings." Yangyang was going all out; let's hurt each other then.

"What? Hush money!" Li Shen looked at Xi Xi in surprise.

"I...I didn't." Xi Xi's nervous little face clearly showed that she really had accepted hush money.

Yangyang didn't back down at all, and didn't retract her hand:

"Yes, that's a lot of my allowance that I saved up for a year. You didn't keep it a secret, so you have to give it back to me."

"Ah-yeah~~~ Look at him..." Xi Xi saw that the matter had been exposed and prepared to use her coquettishness, but unexpectedly Li Shen hugged Chi Jia and moved the chair back.

"I can't control that. You've taken the money, so you can handle it yourself," Li Shen said, looking helpless.

Xi Xi was immediately dumbfounded. She didn't expect that her father would not help her and would choose to stand by and do nothing.