Da Tang Xiao Si Zi: I have a little pouch-like boy.

Changsun listened quietly to Sizi's story with a gentle smile.

"And another thing~ I was amazing today~ All of these were brought to me by my baby~ Little Nang and my older sister both praised me, saying I'm the best~"

Sizi kept talking, and in the end, she raised her head, straightened her chest, and showed a proud expression.

It was practically written all over his face: "Mommy, come on, praise me!"

As expected, the eldest grandson did not disappoint his youngest daughter; upon hearing this, he immediately smiled and praised her:

“My son has grown up and knows how to help with things. And he does such an important thing. I am very happy. He is great.”

Hehe~ I also think I'm the best~

Upon receiving her mother's praise, Sizi grinned and snuggled into her eldest grandson's arms.

Then, as if remembering something, he looked up and gazed around.

"Mother, has Father come over?"

“Father is busy with state affairs right now and can’t come.”

Changsun gave a strange explanation.

Li Shimin was not busy with state affairs. When he learned that Li Lizhi and Sizi had brought back the goods, he rushed here excitedly.

He told Zhang Anan to grab a case of Erguotou liquor and a case of glasses, then turn around and head straight for Taiji Palace.

Then, Changsun received a message that His Majesty had summoned Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Wei Zheng.

Without even looking, Changsun knew what her husband was planning to do.

Whenever he received something good, he would either show it off or share some with his most trusted ministers.

The little ox's eyes darted around, and it let out a crisp "Oh."

Wiggling her little bottom, she got down from Changsun's arms, took Chengyang's hand, and ran outside.

"Mommy, my second sister and I are going to play!"

"Okay, go ahead, be careful not to fall," Changsun instructed, ignoring the two children.

She had already seen Li Lizhi wink at her several times; she must have something important to say.

"All of you, step back. No one is allowed to enter without my permission."

Changsun gave a soft instruction, and the palace servants who were carrying goods immediately put down their loads and hurriedly left the hall.

After everyone had left, he turned to Li Lizhi and asked, "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry? Is our guess yesterday correct?"

The first thing that came to Changsun's mind was the speculation he and his mother had made yesterday about Li Yuan's restoration.

However, her thoughts did not last long before she saw Li Lizhi shake her head slightly and rush towards her with a sorrowful expression.

She threw herself into her grandson's arms, her voice choked with sobs as she whispered, "Mother... Waaah..."

Upon seeing this, Empress Zhangsun's body stiffened abruptly, but she immediately relaxed again.

Gently patting the heartbroken Li Lizhi's back, she said softly, "Silly girl, birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of life. Try to accept it. Tell your mother, how much longer do I have?"

With her intelligence, how could she not see why her eldest daughter was upset by acting this way?

I know my own body best; it's getting worse year by year. I've been tormented by illness for so long, and the imperial physicians are helpless.

That day will come eventually. It seems that Lizhi has already learned the specific time from Li Qin.

That's why I look like this, and why I'm so eager to tell myself about it.

Upon hearing her mother ask how much longer she had, Li Lizhi's body stiffened abruptly.

"Mother, you...you guessed it?"

"Yes." Changsun nodded with a smile, not feeling saddened by the news. "How long has it been since you hugged your mother like this? And you look so heartbroken. Given how well I know my own body, it's not hard to guess."

"Tell Mother how much time is left, so I... can be prepared."

“Young master… tell me… Mother, it was… it was in the tenth year of Zhenguan…” Li Lizhi choked out a few words, but when she got to the tenth year of Zhenguan, she could no longer continue.

"Four years left? That's not a short time." Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly, accepting the reality.

“Mother, no.” Li Lizhi wiped away her tears and quickly said, “Young Master said that history has been changed, and you can go to him for treatment.”

"He is already working on your household registration. Once it's done, you can go there for treatment."

Empress Zhangsun glanced at her eldest daughter speechlessly, then poked her forehead with her index finger in annoyance.

"So, I'm perfectly fine, then why were you crying so hard just now? Were you chanting a curse?"

"No way~~ I was just thinking that if I hadn't met my young master, then Mother... you still have me and Sizi..."

"Sizi?? What happened to her? Could it be that she also...?" Changsun Feng's eyes widened, and she looked at Li Lizhi with a serious expression.

"Yes, the young master said that in the original history, Si Zi died young at the age of twelve..."

Upon hearing this, Changsun felt his body suddenly go limp and collapsed to the ground.

"Mother!!" Li Lizhi was shocked to see this and quickly helped her up with both hands.

"I'm fine. Did Li Qin really say that? Did he say why Si Zi died young? Does he have any way to save her?"

The thought of her youngest daughter, who was so soft and sweet and whose speech was not very clear, having less than ten years left, made Empress Zhangsun feel heartbroken.

It felt like being crushed by a heavy object, making it hard to breathe.

"Don't worry, Mother. The young master said that although he doesn't know the specific reason, he thinks it's probably because he inherited your illness, just like me, and that it can be cured."

"That's good...that's good!" Hearing that it could be cured, Empress Zhangsun felt a little relieved.

“Lizhi~” She grabbed Li Lizhi’s hands.

"Mother, I'm here."

"Tomorrow, tell Li Qin that I have invited him to a banquet and ask him if he would like to attend."

"Mother?!" Li Lizhi looked at Empress Zhangsun in confusion.

Is this the imperial palace, or even the inner palace? Why would Mother invite a man to a banquet?

And Li Qin might not agree, right?

Thinking of Li Qin's attitude towards him, if someone with that kind of personality came, his father would definitely be there too. What if he angered his father? How would he handle the situation?

"Mother has no other intention than to meet him, get to know him, and also to beg him to hold Sizi no matter what."

Changsun gently patted Li Lizhi's back, as if to comfort her.

“I don’t care about myself, I’ve lived for so many years, but Sizi, she’s so young, can you really bear to let her leave this world at such a young age?”

At this point, Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but shed tears.

Just thinking about that scene makes her sad.

"Mother, didn't the young master say he would save Sizi?" Li Lizhi asked, puzzled. He had already said that Li Qin would definitely save Sizi, so why did her mother have to go through all this trouble?

“It’s different.” Changsun shook her head, her expression serious. “I went to him to plead for his help as a mother. It’s different from what you said about him agreeing to it!”