That day, Chu Shaoling didn't say much more to Wei Ji, only keeping Wei Ji by his side every day. Wei Ji was also honest, as he had always admired Chu Shaoling and thought of him wholeheartedly. Being treated like this by Chu Shaoling, no matter how he felt inside, he didn't dare to show it on the outside, fearing that someone with ill intentions would find out and harm Chu Shaoling instead.

"Your Highness, Granny Sun from the Empress Dowager's palace came over this morning." Eunuch Wang placed a white glazed gold-lined soup bowl on the desk. "She brought a few boxes of gold thread swallow's nest and instructed the servants to stew it for Your Highness to eat every morning and evening. This was just stewed, so Your Highness should eat it while it's hot."

Chu Shaoling had just returned from the Hall of Government Affairs. As Chu Shaoling grew older, he had to go listen to politics and learn to read memorials every day, which was quite tiring. Chu Shaoling casually opened the soup bowl and took a look, smiling, "It's hard on Imperial Grandmother to think of me. You may all leave, Wei Ji stay behind."

Recently, Chu Shaoling would often have Wei Ji stay behind alone to serve him. Wang Muhan bowed his head in agreement and respectfully led the close attendants out.

Hearing Chu Shaoling's words, Wei Ji felt a little uncomfortable, but still honestly lowered his head and stood under the desk. Chu Shaoling took the soup bowl, opened it and smelled it, then looked at Wei Ji and said, "Help me taste it."

Wei Ji was stunned for a moment. Chu Shaoling's food would be tested for poison by the eunuchs before being sent in, so why did he still need him to taste it?

Wei Ji stood still without moving. Chu Shaoling chuckled lightly, "Can't move yourself? Help me taste if it's too hot."

Wei Ji still hesitated. This was all the work of palace maids, what did it mean for him to take a sip? Besides, how could he eat after His Highness had eaten?

While Wei Ji was hesitating in his heart, he didn't dare disobey Chu Shaoling's order. He took the soup bowl, opened it, and the bird's nest was stewed very thick, with a rich fragrance wafting out to stimulate one's appetite. Wei Ji took the silver spoon and tasted a small mouthful. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just right to enter the mouth.

Wei Ji took the silk handkerchief left on the carved tray for Chu Shaoling to wipe his hands, carefully wiped the silver spoon he had used, placed the soup bowl in front of Chu Shaoling, lowered his head and said, "Reporting back to Your Highness, it's just the right taste."

Chu Shaoling had been watching Wei Ji's actions with a smile. Hearing this, he smiled and took it, tasted a mouthful, then put it down, saying, "Today's bird's nest tastes fishy, not good. You eat it."

Wei Ji was stunned for a moment. Although bird's nest was rare, he had eaten it at home. Just now, he had only tasted a small mouthful and felt that it was much better than the one made at home, and there was no fishy taste at all.

After giving the order, Chu Shaoling picked up a book to read and didn't pay attention to Wei Ji. Wei Ji had no choice but to hesitate and say, "Your Highness..."

Chu Shaoling looked up at Wei Ji and said, "It's a reward for you, just eat it." With that, he no longer looked at Wei Ji and continued to slowly flip through the storybook in his hand.

Wei Ji had no choice. He could only pick up the small spoon and eat it mouthful by mouthful. His shift didn't allow him to eat at the right time, and he was indeed hungry at this moment. A bowl of warm bird's nest in his stomach made him feel much more comfortable. Wei Ji pursed his lips and gently placed the empty soup bowl on the desk.

Chu Shaoling had been watching Wei Ji out of the corner of his eye. Somehow, every time he saw Wei Ji eat the things he rewarded, Chu Shaoling felt very pleased in his heart. After a few days of interacting, Chu Shaoling had also figured out Wei Ji's appetite. He liked to eat meat dishes and sweets, and also liked hot porridge like this. Wei Ji was not a person who put on airs, when rewarded with food, even if it was half that Chu Shaoling had touched, he would slowly finish it without wasting or ruining it.

Chu Shaoling looked up at Wei Ji and smiled, "Are you full? I heard your stomach growling as soon as you came in!"

Hearing this, Wei Ji's face turned red. In his heart, he felt both ashamed of his lack of manners in front of His Highness and touched that Chu Shaoling could think of his hunger. For a moment, he didn't know what to say, and stammered, "This subordinate..."

Chu Shaoling smiled, and recalling something from the court meeting today, he said after a while, "Your elder brother is the one serving in the Cavalry Battalion, called..."

Wei Ji lowered his head, "My elder brother Wei Zhan."

"Right, Wei Zhan." Chu Shaoling nodded, "How old is your elder brother?"

Wei Ji replied, "My elder brother is seventeen this year, born in the year of the dragon."

Chu Shaoling laughed, "Then he's the same age as me." Seeing Wei Ji looking at him with some confusion, Chu Shaoling explained, "It's nothing, I'm just asking casually."

Chu Shaoling had a plan in mind. Although he hadn't decided on his future relationship with Wei Ji, he would definitely recommend Wei Ji for promotion. Wei Ji's current status was not high, and if he insisted on promoting him by his own power, it wasn't impossible, but Wei Ji was a person who valued righteousness. Doing so might not make him happy, and promoting him without merit would also bring him misfortune. So the best way was to slowly promote Wei Ji's family background.

Wei Ji's family background had long been thoroughly investigated by Chu Shaoling. Wei Ji's father, Wei Ming, was a mediocre person. He had inherited the title for more than ten years without any accomplishments, just an average subordinate in the Ministry of Personnel. There was no way to promote him.

Wei Ji had no sisters, only an elder brother. Chu Shaoling was a little interested in this Wei Zhan. The Cavalry Battalion was not a good place to go, and the Wei family had no one who could speak up in the Imperial Guards. Wei Zhan was only seventeen years old and could already become a deputy in the Cavalry Battalion, definitely not a mediocre person.

Today during the court meeting, the Minister of War reported that the commander of the Cavalry Battalion had submitted a memorial for a family funeral leave. The commander of the Cavalry Battalion was already fifty-two years old this year and should have retired. According to the old rules, after returning from the family funeral leave, he would be given an idle position to retire. The Emperor approved the family funeral leave memorial, but the position of commander of the Cavalry Battalion had not been decided.

Usually, the deputy would take over the position, but now the deputy commander of the Cavalry Battalion had a poor family background, born of a military slave. Being promoted to this level was already the end for him. For a while, it was unknown who should be transferred over. At that time, Chu Shaoling thought of Wei Zhan.

But it was inconvenient for him to recommend Wei Zhan. Should he let his maternal grandfather say it? He was afraid that the Emperor would be more wary of that. As for other people...

Chu Shaoling was slowly making plans in his heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently swept over Wei Ji. Wei Ji was secretly lowering his head to wipe the corner of his mouth. This small action seemed incredibly cute in Chu Shaoling's eyes. Seeing Chu Shaoling looking at him, Wei Ji quickly put down his hand and stood properly.

Chu Shaoling chuckled lightly. Just as he was about to say something, Wang Muhan came in from outside and announced, "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is here."

The smile on Chu Shaoling's face froze. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Please invite him in." Then he turned his head and ordered Wei Ji to go first.

Chu Shaoyang always came to Chu Shaoling's place casually, relying on his elder brother's love for him and neglecting etiquette from time to time. He came in and sat down by himself, smiling, "Big brother, you slept late today. I was afraid I wouldn't see you when I came."

"No way." Chu Shaoling ordered someone to serve tea and said lightly, "Why have you come so late?"

Chu Shaoyang smiled, "I heard that the Empress Dowager sent a lot of bird's nest to your place today, and I thought I could come over and get some."

Chu Shaoling chuckled, "Since when did you care about this? Doesn't Zhaoyang Palace have bird's nest?"

"We do, but it's not as precious as yours." Chu Shaoyang smiled, "The Empress Dowager only rewarded you, which made me quite unhappy when I heard about it! That person in Linzhi Palace is probably going to have a heart attack again."

Chu Shaoyang leaned closer to Chu Shaoling and lowered his voice, "The Empress Dowager should indeed keep Noble Consort Li in check from time to time, otherwise when she really becomes the Empress, we brothers won't be able to survive in this palace. Fortunately, we have the Empress Dowager, and I hope you will become the Emperor in the future, brother."

Chu Shaoling said lightly, "Don't speak nonsense."

"We're just talking behind closed doors as brothers." Chu Shaoyang's eyes were full of admiration for his elder brother, "The Empress Dowager treats you so well now, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, you will definitely be able to ascend to the position of Crown Prince. As long as you can become the Emperor, I'll do anything."

Chu Shaoling was stunned for a moment and said softly, "Don't worry about this. I have already thought of a way to deal with Noble Consort Li and Chu Shaoruan. Within three months, both of them will surely die."

Chu Shaoyang became excited, looked around to make sure the doors and windows were closed, and asked in a low voice, "Brother, what good method do you have?"

Chu Shaoling smiled gently, "This method is too sinister, you don't need to know."

"Tell me, brother, I can also help you think it over!" Chu Shaoyang's eyes almost lit up, "What method is it after all?!"

Chu Shaoling hesitated for a moment, but in the end couldn't resist Chu Shaoyang's pestering and said softly, "The art of witchcraft."

"Brother." Chu Shaoyang looked surprised, "How can you believe in these things? Witchcraft has always been a false claim and I'm afraid it can't really harm people."

Chu Shaoling chuckled, "You don't know this. The other day, Fu Jinglun found a wonderful method for me. As long as you get a person's birth date and time, write it on a talisman paper with cinnabar, and burn a hundred of these talisman papers every midnight, the cursed person will die within a hundred days."

Fu Jinglun was the Crown Prince's tutor and Chu Shaoling's current teacher and advisor.

Chu Shaoyang frowned slightly, "What if you are discovered doing this every day, brother?"

Chu Shaoling laughed in a low voice, "Even if it's discovered, so what? I'm just cursing a concubine. With the Empress Dowager around, Father Emperor will definitely not do anything to me. Will he really kill me? But if it succeeds, won't we have one less thorn in our eyes, brother."

Chu Shaoyang was still hesitant and muttered, "Brother..."

"Don't worry." Chu Shaoling stood up and patted Chu Shaoyang's shoulder, "Just pretend you never heard it."

Chu Shaoyang nodded, deep in thought.