Who put the yellow robe on me?

Sixteenth Prince Jiang Chen pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally landing on He Xiaowei. His brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "Miss He, is there any news from Prime Minister He?"

He Xiaowei raised her head, a hint of uneasiness faintly visible in her clear eyes, but her tone remained calm. "Grandpa said that the Thirteenth Princess's case is very strange. Kidnapping a princess is a heinous crime punishable by death for all nine generations of the family. Now that His Highness the Sixteenth Prince has just separated from Sister Rou, such a serious incident has occurred. No matter how you look at it, it seems like someone has deliberately framed him."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded slightly, silently agreeing with Prime Minister He's judgment. A faint sense of tension hung in the air, as if everyone could sense the immense pressure coming from the court.

He Xiaowei paused for a moment and continued, "Grandpa also said that His Majesty already knows that this matter has nothing to do with His Highness the Sixteenth.

But after all, the decision had already been made in the court: if Sister Rou couldn't be found within three days, His Majesty would be executed. After these words were spoken, even if His Majesty realized he was being swayed by his emotions, it would be difficult to go back on his word. The royal family's reputation cannot be easily questioned..."

Her voice gradually lowered, as if she couldn't bear to continue, but everyone knew what she was saying.

Emperor Liang had to sacrifice Jiang Chen for the sake of imperial power. Moreover, Jiang Chen had made many outstanding achievements in the Western Regions, so Emperor Liang must be afraid that Jiang Chen would get too close to the military.

Jiang Chen frowned slightly, but his expression remained calm. He looked at He Xiaowei and asked calmly, "Miss He, is there anything else?"

He Xiaowei pursed her lips, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes before she spoke, "Grandpa seemed to have mentioned that the Ninth Prince and the Ministry of Revenue have been very close recently. I don't know if he said this specifically for me, but I feel like... although Grandpa didn't say it explicitly, he seemed to want me to convey this message."

As soon as she finished speaking, the room fell silent. Everyone realized that this brief message might contain a very important clue.

Jiang Chen was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. His eyes were deep, as if he was thinking about something. Suddenly, he whispered to himself, "Ministry of Revenue? Cao Shouku?"

As soon as his words left his mouth, the tense atmosphere seemed to ignite instantly. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Jiang Chen's next decision.

Before Jiang Chen could speak, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said decisively, "Then I will go meet Minister Cao today."

However, before he could finish his words, Xiong Zhiheng took over the conversation: "Your Highness, I'm afraid that's not appropriate! Three days ago, the Minister of Revenue, Cao Shouku, took leave to return home to pay respects to his deceased father, and he hasn't returned to the capital yet."

"What?" Jiang Chen was surprised and frowned. He obviously did not expect that Cao Shouku was not in the capital at this time.

He clenched his fists, feeling vaguely uneasy: Was this a coincidence, or some kind of elaborate arrangement?

Zhou Liangwei, standing by, couldn't help but ask, "Master Xiong, is Minister Cao deliberately hiding from His Highness the Sixteenth Prince?"

Xiong Zhiheng shook his head and said firmly, "Guard Zhou, I'm afraid that's not the case. Minister Cao and I are both from Jinzhou. When his father passed away, I went to pay my respects. It's true that he would return home to pay his respects at this time every year."

When everyone heard this, the expressions on their faces eased a little, but this did not make Jiang Chen completely relieved.

He raised his eyes slightly, and his gaze swept across the room again, his tone revealing a hint of calm determination: "Since the Minister of Revenue is not here, then I will go to the Ministry of War to see, at least I can rule out one wrong answer."

Although his voice was not loud, every word was sonorous and revealed his unshakable determination.

At this time, He Xiaowei couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, how do you plan to investigate the Ministry of War?" Her tone was full of concern, and she was obviously worried about the next action.

Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, pondered for a moment and said calmly: "The Minister of War Su Yunliang is the sixth prince's cousin from his aunt's family. Not only do we have no friendship, but we even fought against each other when he just returned to Beijing. There is no need to start with him." His tone was calm, but firm and composed, as if he had already made up his mind.

He Xiaowei frowned slightly upon hearing this and asked, "Then your Highness means..."

Jiang Chen's eyes turned slightly, with a sharp edge: "I am going to see Guo Wulie, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. Before I went to the Western Regions, I saved his most beloved son."

As soon as the words fell, everyone in the room had different expressions.

Xiong Zhiheng spoke first, a hint of worry in his tone: "Your Highness, Lord Guo has always been smooth and tactful. Everyone in the court knows that he is a fence-sitter. Can you provide any clues? I'm afraid..."

Zhou Liangwei hesitated, "Yes, Your Highness. Although Minister Guo has done you a favor, this matter involves serious consequences. Will he be afraid to act rashly because he is concerned about the Minister of War?"

Jiang Chen smiled calmly, his eyes revealing a calm confidence: "That's why I want to meet him in person. Human relationships are like sharp blades. Only when they are used properly can they be successful. As for his concerns, I will naturally resolve them."

Although his voice was neither fast nor slow, it made people involuntarily feel an invisible majesty and decisiveness, as if this complex mystery was just a game on the chessboard in his eyes.

Xiong Zhiheng nodded. Although he still had some concerns in his heart, he now had a little more trust in you. "Your Highness is wise. In that case, do I need to go with you?"

Jiang Chen waved his hand, his tone unquestionable: "No need, I can handle this matter myself. You all act separately and make sure to carefully search every possible clue."

Everyone followed their orders and left, and the atmosphere in the room became tense and solemn. Jiang Chen's gaze fell on Xianyu Linyuan and Deng Yunde. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "General Xianyu, Guard Deng, you two will be in charge of the slaughterhouse area. Make sure to investigate whether there are any traces of the Thirteenth Princess and Dianzhang hiding there."

Xianyu Linyuan was stunned, his face showing difficulty, and he said hesitantly: "Your Highness, how should I... start the investigation?" He frowned slightly, obviously having no idea how to thoroughly investigate such a complicated place.

He Xiaowei smiled softly and spoke to the rescue: "General Xianyu, why not disguise yourself and say that there is a wedding in the palace and they need to purchase a large amount of meat. The owner of the slaughterhouse will definitely take you to see the goods, and then you can take a closer look."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Chen nodded in approval: "Yes, General Xianyu, proceed according to this method. Guard Deng, you can also take this opportunity to investigate whether there are any special marks left by the rules."

Xianyu Linyuan's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I will definitely live up to the mission!" Deng Yunde also responded solemnly, and the two of them immediately took the order and left.