Wei Ji returned home in a daze and fell ill, feeling a bit guilty. Sure enough, after returning, he was scolded by Chu Shaoling. Wei Ji was at the age of growing, and getting sick would stunt his growth a bit. While Wei Ji himself didn't care, Chu Shaoling was very concerned and gave him even more tonics every day.

Misfortunes never come singly. Not long after Wei Ji returned to the palace, he started teething. Wei Ji was at the age where the last two teeth at the very back of his mouth were coming in. Perhaps due to their position or some other reason, they pressed against the adjacent teeth, causing pain. Even though Wei Ji wasn't delicate, he was tormented enough, and eating meals every day became an ordeal.

Chu Shaoling held up Wei Ji's chin and carefully examined it in the light. The gums where the teeth were coming in were all red and swollen. Those pair of teeth had barely grown out halfway - who knows when this would end?

Wei Ji looked at the table full of dishes with worry. Seeing his appearance, Chu Shaoling also lost his appetite. He said: "Take it all away and bring up some soup and congee. Instruct them not to prepare these dishes for the next few days. Make the rice congee thicker, and add more minced meat and vegetables."

The palace maids acknowledged the order and removed the cups and plates from the table one by one. Wei Ji quickly said: "No need to remove them, Your Highness please eat. This servant will just have congee. This servant likes drinking congee."

Wang Muhan, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Wei Ji felt a bit embarrassed and mumbled: "Congee is quite tasty to drink."

Chu Shaoling also couldn't hold back a smile: "Forget it, just consider it nourishing the stomach and intestines."

The two of them drank a few bowls of congee and stopped. They had been drinking congee ever since Wei Ji fell ill and returned, and were already sick of it. After bathing, the two of them got on the bed. Chu Shaoling had someone bring a box of medicine and mint. He personally dipped some with his hand and said: "Open your mouth."

Wei Ji obediently opened his mouth, allowing Chu Shaoling to apply some medicinal powder on the swollen areas. The inflamed spots immediately felt much cooler. Chu Shaoling narrowed his eyes slightly and looked, saying: "This can't treat the root cause. They still need to fully grow out before it can get better."

After the medicine was applied, Wei Ji closed his mouth and rubbed his slightly sore cheeks, smiling and mumbling indistinctly: "It's okay, this servant is not in pain."

"It would be strange if you weren't in pain." Chu Shaoling's heart ached as he rubbed Wei Ji's head. Why was his little bodyguard always suffering? "Don't talk. The medicine will dissolve in a bit. This medicine also can't be used too much, as it will harm the stomach if ingested."

Wei Ji closed his mouth and nodded, sitting cross-legged while looking at Chu Shaoling. Suddenly remembering something, since he couldn't speak, he grabbed Chu Shaoling's hand and wrote: Your Highness, what about your seal? Did you retrieve it?

Chu Shaoling let his hand be used for Wei Ji to write, chuckling lightly: "It was found the first day you went home. The eunuch cleaning up the withered lotus in the Imperial Garden fished it out from the Qingbo Lake."

Wei Ji was dumbfounded. He clearly saw with his own eyes Chu Shaoling putting that large seal into the hidden compartment in the study. How did it end up in the lake again?

Chu Shaoling smiled: "With the previous commotion, I naturally couldn't take it out myself again, right? With the Imperial Garden eunuch finding it, no one can investigate who threw it in. This is the best outcome."

The Emperor already suspected Chu Shaoyang. He would naturally think Chu Shaoyang discarded it to absolve himself of guilt. Chu Shaoyang didn't know about Chu Shaoling's private matters, and now he was trying hard to explain things clearly to Chu Shaoling. Chu Shaoling himself was completely above suspicion.

Wei Ji couldn't understand, and Chu Shaoling was even less willing for him to comprehend these things. He laughed and changed the subject: "It's all in the past. I was just about to instruct you to hide the necklace I gave you well in the future, understand?"

Wei Ji nodded and solemnly wrote a promise on Chu Shaoling's hand: Your Highness can rest assured, this servant has always hidden it very well.

Hidden well my ass! Seeing Wei Ji's loyal and resolute eyes, Chu Shaoling felt both laughter and tears in his heart. If it was truly well hidden, the previous illness wouldn't have happened. Chu Shaoling didn't want to say more. He had Wang Muhan give a pointed reminder to Madam Jiang, going deeper would not be good. Although Chu Shaoling really wanted to teach that woman a permanent lesson, no matter what she was still Wei Ji's birth mother. Chu Shaoling couldn't take action against her as he feared harming Wei Ji in the process.

However, a small punishment as a major warning was still necessary. At least in the near future, he wouldn't let Wei Ji return to the Wei Manor again. He also wanted Madam Jiang to experience the feeling of worrying about Wei Ji yet being unable to see him, to let her try if it felt like having her heart dug out.

Speaking of the necklace, Wei Ji couldn't help but pull the necklace out from his inner garments. Under the lamplight, the gemstones on the pendant sparkled brilliantly. Wei Ji fondly stroked it. This was His Highness' seal. Wei Ji wore it on his body every day, able to feel it at all times. It was as if Chu Shaoling's seal was imprinted over his heart. Wei Ji felt warm inside, and carefully wrote on Chu Shaoling's palm stroke by stroke: This is the seal Your Highness has imprinted on this servant.

Wei Ji spoke with loyalty, but in Chu Shaoling's view, those words carried a different meaning. Wei Ji was only wearing his inner garments at this time, sitting on the bed looking at him, his eyes filled with pure sincerity. His gentle fingertips were still lightly gliding on his palm. Chu Shaoling closed his eyes briefly. If it wasn't Wei Ji, he would be certain this was seduction, and it would have already succeeded.

Chu Shaoling gently leaned over and pressed Wei Ji under his body, whispering in Wei Ji's ear: "That doesn't count as the seal I've imprinted on you. To be imprinted with my seal, we need to use another method."

Although Wei Ji didn't understand what Chu Shaoling was saying, he still felt a bit shy. Chu Shaoling's hands kept kneading Wei Ji's body. Chu Shaoling had just said not to let him talk, so he kept his mouth shut, not daring to make a sound, but his heart was flipping inside.

Wei Ji was already fifteen years old, his young body healthy and fit. When embraced by Chu Shaoling, he would gradually heat up, trembling during intimacy. Wei Ji had followed Wei Zhan to the army camp when he was twelve and entered the palace at fourteen. In between, he had never stayed at the Wei Manor for more than a few days. Madam Jiang also never arranged anyone to attend to him in his room. He still didn't understand these things. Recently as he grew older, when sleeping together with Chu Shaoling, he would also feel somewhat aroused.

After being fondled affectionately by Chu Shaoling for half a day, with Chu Shaoling's gentle yet embarrassing words constantly ringing in his ears, Wei Ji's body gradually reacted.

Chu Shaoling himself was still unaware. He lightly kissed Wei Ji's chest, chuckling with restraint: "I'll spare you for another year. Wait until you turn sixteen, then I'll truly imprint a seal on you, to let you know..." Chu Shaoling's hand paused, discovering Wei Ji's change.

Chu Shaoling slightly lifted himself up and looked down. Wei Ji's face instantly turned red. He pulled the blanket to cover himself, but Chu Shaoling blocked it with one hand, raising his phoenix eyes slightly: "What are you shy about? Let me see..."

Chu Shaoling's words were not to be disobeyed, so Wei Ji lay straight on the bed, not daring to move a muscle, his face flushed red. The two had shared a bed for several months, but this was the first time for Wei Ji. Chu Shaoling's heart softened even more, wanting to leave Wei Ji with a comfortable memory of his first time.

Chu Shaoling's movements became gentler, lightly kissing Wei Ji's forehead and cheeks, his hands not stopping, sliding into Wei Ji's clothes and moving downward.

Wei Ji's body trembled violently, his eyes widening, instinctively wanting to struggle. How could His Highness touch him there?! Chu Shaoling chuckled lightly, dotingly kissing Wei Ji's brow, coaxing, "Don't move, be good."

Waves of pleasure spread from Chu Shaoling's slender fingers to every part of Wei Ji's body. Wei Ji broke out in a layer of sweat, like a fish out of water, biting his lip tightly. Although it felt very good, he was also very afraid, and couldn't help but hug the person tormenting him, wanting to beg Chu Shaoling to let him go.

Seeing Wei Ji's bitten red lips, Chu Shaoling frowned slightly and scolded gently, "Let go, you'll bite through them in a moment." Chu Shaoling thought Wei Ji was just too embarrassed and softened his voice, "If it feels good, cry out, it's just the two of us, don't be afraid."

Wei Ji swallowed with difficulty, his breathing becoming more rapid. After hesitating for a while, he said hoarsely, "Your Highness, may I speak now? I... I feel uncomfortable." Wei Ji's voice already carried a hint of a sob.

Only then did Chu Shaoling remember that he had told him not to speak while applying the medicine. His heart was both amused and aching for this silly thing. Chu Shaoling's hands became even gentler as he said softly, "You may. I like hearing your voice. Does it feel good?"

At these words, Wei Ji's face turned even redder, unable to say the embarrassing words. Chu Shaoling was not in a hurry, asking him over and over until he finally heard the answer he wanted.

Wei Ji collapsed on the bed as if drained of strength. Chu Shaoling knew he was embarrassed, so he called for water and dismissed the palace servants. He personally wrung out a towel to wipe Wei Ji's body, and held him close, gently comforting him for a while, tenderly accompanying his little lover.