The next day was Wei Ji's day off. He got up early to change his waist tablet, then returned to find Wang Muhan to sign his name. Wang Muhan had just finished preparing Chu Shaoling's breakfast in the hall. Seeing Wei Ji about to leave the palace, he hurriedly stopped him and said softly: "Lord Wei, the Prince said he still has something to say. Please pay your respects before leaving the palace. Your day off this time will take a day and a night, so this short while doesn't matter."

Wei Ji blushed upon hearing this, and quickly said: "Eunuch Wang, just call me Wei Ji, I really can't bear to be called 'Lord'."

Wang Muhan looked at Wei Ji, who was wearing the first-rank guard's black brocade robe, and felt a little amused. This child is still so young, yet he's already wearing black brocade. Wang Muhan smiled: "How can you not bear it? The Prince is waiting inside. It's cold here, Lord Wei, please go in quickly."

Wei Ji's face turned even redder. He pursed his lips and entered the side hall. The palace maids inside hurriedly announced his arrival upon seeing him. After a short while, another senior palace maid came out, smiling: "Lord Wei, please come this way."

Wei Ji felt a bit uneasy with all the palace maids in the hall. He followed the senior maid into a warm chamber, then passed a large black lacquered and gold-painted folding screen. Behind it, Chu Shaoling was sitting at an octagonal pear blossom yellow table. The palace maids placed the last few dishes and quietly withdrew, leaving only Chu Shaoling and Wei Ji in the warm chamber.

Wei Ji felt a little awkward. He walked over and knelt down to pay his respects, but before he could kneel properly, Chu Shaoling had already helped him up. Chu Shaoling looked at Wei Ji, satisfied with the silver-patterned black brocade robe and green jade waist tablet he was wearing, and chuckled: "These clothes look really good on you. Have you eaten anything this morning?"

Wei Ji's face turned slightly red as he said softly: "Replying to Your Highness, not yet."

Seeing Wei Ji's serious appearance, Chu Shaoling found it a bit amusing and said: "Then sit down and eat with me. You can leave the palace after you finish eating, it won't be too late."

Wei Ji looked at the table full of food with some hesitation. He pursed his lips: "Your Highness, please eat first. It's fine if you reward me after you finish eating."

"I told you to sit down, so sit down." Chu Shaoling lowered his voice, deliberately scaring him, "Have I spoiled you too much? You dare to bargain with me now?"

Wei Ji naturally didn't dare to disobey. He had no choice but to sit down at Chu Shaoling's lower seat. During the meal, he had to wait for Chu Shaoling to touch each dish before he would eat. This was supposed to be the proper etiquette, but in Chu Shaoling's eyes, it was extremely pleasing. Look, Wei Ji is so sensible, no matter how much favor he receives, he won't become arrogant. Even when eating, he's very well-mannered and pleasing to the eye. Chu Shaoling picked up a steamed dumpling for Wei Ji and smiled: "You're at the age of growing, you can't neglect your diet. In the future, if I tell you to come eat, obediently come over. I definitely can't finish this table of food every day anyway. With someone accompanying me, I'll have more of an appetite too."

Wei Ji swallowed a mouthful of food and looked at Chu Shaoling honestly, nodding: "This subordinate understands."

Wei Ji wasn't stupid. The food of a prince was naturally good, but what made him even happier was being able to eat together with Chu Shaoling. Wei Ji kept his mouth corners stiff, afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from smiling, and lowered his head to eat a bun.

Before long, the two had finished eating. The palace servants presented tea. Chu Shaoling took a sip and put it down. Wei Ji held the small teacup without drinking. It was time to go to the Huixin Institute. Chu Shaoling ruffled Wei Ji's hair: "Go, come back early tomorrow."

Wei Ji's face turned a little red. He knelt down and kowtowed to Chu Shaoling before leaving.

The Wei Manor knew that Wei Ji had a day off today and had stopped a carriage early on the official road behind the outer city to wait. Yesterday, the Wei family had already learned that Wei Ji had been promoted to a first-rank guard of the Bitao Palace. The steward who came to pick up Wei Ji hurried over to pay his respects upon seeing him come out: "Young Master, congratulations! In less than a month, you're already a third-rank official."

Wei Ji pursed his lips and smiled: "Don't say that, people will laugh. Let's go home quickly."

The steward smiled and helped Wei Ji into the carriage, then sat outside himself and called out to the young servant driving the carriage.

Sitting in the carriage, Wei Ji's face was still a little red. Since last night, he had been feeling overjoyed, not because he was happy about the promotion, but because of what Chu Shaoling had said yesterday.

Wei Ji didn't have the painting Chu Shaoling made for him mounted, nor did he plan to hang it up to show off. He just carefully folded it and put it in the wooden box at the very bottom of his book case, hiding it together with the previous ones.

Wei Ji recalled Chu Shaoling's every move and every word, feeling happy in his heart, his face turning even redder. Wei Ji couldn't help but secretly touch the top of his head, that was where Chu Shaoling had just ruffled his hair.

Before long, they arrived at the Wei Manor. Wei Ji jumped off the carriage and entered the gate. He first went to the main room to pay his respects to the Old Madam. The Wei family had not divided, with one Old Madam living with her three sons. Wei Ji's father, Wei Ming, was the eldest son.

Old Madam Wei also knew about Wei Ji's promotion and smiled even more dotingly. She held Wei Ji and fussed over him for a long time, happily saying: "Ji'er is really making us proud. The other day, your eldest brother was just promoted to commander of the Cavalry Battalion. Then you were promoted to a third-rank guard. The ancestors are blessing us, each of you brothers are making us prouder than the last."

"Big Brother was promoted to commander of the Cavalry Battalion?" Wei Ji hadn't heard about it in the Bitao Palace. "Big Brother was originally from the Mounted Escort Battalion, and it shouldn't have been his turn either."

Old Madam Wei was still beaming with joy: "That's why I said you brothers are making us proud. I don't know much about the previous matters. Your eldest brother came back for a bit the other day. Your father didn't have time to hold a banquet before he hurried back to the army."

Wei Ji was puzzled, wondering if it could be the Prince... Wei Ji's face felt a bit feverish, feeling like he was being presumptuous. His eldest brother had always been capable, it was only a matter of time before he was promoted to commander.

"Come eat with me in the evening. Go see your mother first." Old Madam Wei smiled and patted Wei Ji's back. "Don't change your clothes, let your mother see and be happy."

Wei Ji nodded with a smile and left.

Wei Ji's mother, Madam Jiang, had also been waiting for her youngest son early. Seeing Wei Ji becoming more and more valiant, she smiled so much that the corners of her eyes curved. She hurriedly pulled her son to sit down and ordered someone to prepare a foot stove.

Wei Ji smiled: "Mother, how have you been these days?"

"All is well." Madam Jiang was very pleased as her two sons had recently been promoted one after another. Her eldest son Wei Zhan was steady and capable, so his promotion was only a matter of time. It was an unexpected joy for Madam Jiang that her younger son was also able to make a name for himself. With a mother's love, she whispered in a low voice, "Now that you've become a guard beside the Crown Prince, you must be careful in all matters. From now on, you will have to follow His Highness every day. You should know in your heart what to say and what to do. Don't get complacent just because you've gained some favor. Be careful in all things and don't stand out, understand?"

Wei Ji thought of Chu Shaoling and felt a warmth in his heart. Upon hearing this, he nodded, "Your son understands."

Madam Jiang smiled and stroked Wei Ji's face, saying softly, "Originally, your father was still scolding you for going to the Bitao Palace. Who knew that you would have such good fortune to be favored by the Crown Prince? I heard that there are countless guards beside the prince. How many first-rank guards like you are there?"

"There should be eight beside His Highness, but the number has always been insufficient. Now there's me added to the other seven."

Madam Jiang nodded and said in a low voice, "I guess you are the youngest among them. You should be honest and obedient in your daily life, and don't make mistakes that others can use to bully you." The more Madam Jiang thought about it, the more uneasy she became. "Are there any senior guards who look down on you? I'll give you some personal belongings to pay respects to them."

"Mother! No one is bullying me." Wei Ji held Madam Jiang's hand, his face turning red. "The senior guard brothers are all very nice." In the Bitao Palace, Eunuch Wang had already given instructions to everyone, so how could anyone bully him?

Madam Jiang was barely relieved and continued to chatter with Wei Ji for half a day. Outside, a maid came in and said that the master had returned and wanted to see the young master. Madam Jiang smiled, "Go quickly."

Wei Ji nodded, poured another bowl of tea for Madam Jiang, and left.

The next day, Wei Ji returned to the palace at the shen hour. At dinner, Chu Shaoling had left a bowl of black chicken and ginseng soup untouched, instructing someone to keep it warm on the stove until Wei Ji returned to eat it. As soon as Wei Ji returned to the Bitao Palace, Wang Muhan invited him into the bedchamber.

Seeing the person in front of him, Chu Shaoling couldn't help but laugh, "It's only been a day at home, how come your complexion has become so poor? Did you get cold?"

Wei Ji forced a smile, walked over to pay his respects to Chu Shaoling, and said in a low voice, "No, I just didn't sleep well last night."

Seeing Wei Ji's complexion, Chu Shaoling felt a little distressed. He had the chicken soup that had been kept warm served. Chu Shaoling dismissed all the palace maids in the warm chamber and pulled Wei Ji to sit on the couch with him. Chu Shaoling touched Wei Ji's forehead, which was not hot.

The chicken soup had just been taken off the stove and was still steaming hot. Wei Ji drank it in small sips, and his complexion improved a little.

Chu Shaoling laughed, "How can I feel at ease letting you go home in the future? What did you do?"

Wei Ji shook his head. Seeing him in a daze, Chu Shaoling couldn't help but hold him in his arms and chuckled, "Did you miss me?"

Wei Ji's face turned red. Chu Shaoling took the empty bowl from Wei Ji's hand and placed it on the small table in front of the couch. Looking at the person in front of him, he felt a little restless. Just as he was about to say something, Wei Ji stood up. Chu Shaoling found it amusing and leaned on the couch to see what he was going to do to avoid him. Wei Ji hesitated for a moment, then took out a purse from his bosom, his face ashamed, "Your Highness, this is from my father..."

Wei Ji really didn't know how to say it. Chu Shaoling smiled and took the purse from Wei Ji's hand, opened it and took a look. It was a stack of banknotes.

Chu Shaoling understood and chuckled, "What did your father say?"

Wei Ji had never done such a thing before. His face turned red and he stammered, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your favor to my elder brother and to your servant. My whole family will..."

"No need to say more. I understand your father's intention." Chu Shaoling couldn't help but laugh out loud. He stood up and stuffed the stack of banknotes into Wei Ji's bosom, whispering, "When you go back, if your father asks, just say that I accepted it. Keep these banknotes for your own pocket money."

"How can that be?" It was the first time Wei Ji had done this bribery business, and he felt guilty in his heart. He refused to accept it and pushed it away. In the process, Wei Ji's collar opened a little. Chu Shaoling's eyes swept over it and his face instantly turned cold.

Wei Ji was still unaware and urged in a low voice, "Please accept it, Your Highness..."

"Wei Ji." Chu Shaoling gently touched a bloodstain on Wei Ji's neck, his voice cold, "What happened here?"