Who put the yellow robe on me?

At this moment, the Minister of Justice, Bai Binggong, stepped out with a solemn expression, bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, according to Daliang law, no one except officials from the Ministry of Revenue, including the Ministry of Justice, is allowed to enter the Ministry of Revenue's tax treasury without permission. I'm afraid..."

Before he finished speaking, the court fell into a murmur, and the ministers whispered to each other, like an undercurrent quietly surging in a dense forest.

"The Ministry of Revenue's tax treasury is breaking into without permission?" someone murmured in a low voice, with deep doubt in his tone.

"What the Minister of Justice, Lord Bai, said is indeed reasonable. His Highness the Sixteenth Prince's move is too reckless." Another minister sighed lightly with a subtle look in his eyes.

A breeze blew outside the hall, reflecting on Jiang Chen's stern face, making him look even more calm and confident.

Emperor Liang frowned slightly, sitting upright on the dragon throne. His gaze was as sharp as a torch, and he slowly turned to Jiang Chen, who was standing in front of the palace. His voice was low and slow, as if he was asking, and also carrying a bit of a test: "Chen'er, if Jingyi is not in the tax treasury..."

Before Emperor Liang could finish his words, Jiang Chen's eyes had already slightly sterned, and a hint of cold arc appeared at the corner of his lips. His voice was firm and powerful: "Father, I am absolutely sure."

His voice was sonorous and powerful, echoing throughout the hall, sending shock waves through everyone's heart, like a sharp blade piercing through the doubts and anxieties hidden within everyone's hearts.

As soon as these words were spoken, the discussions in the court stopped instantly. Bai Binggong frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something else, but in the end he did not open his mouth.

The Minister of Revenue Cao Shouku, who was standing aside, had a calm expression, his eyes moved slightly, and there was a hint of imperceptible tension between his brows.

He stepped forward slowly, bowed and smiled, his tone gentle, yet hidden within him was a sharp edge: "Sixteenth Prince, this matter... there are always unexpected events. What if the Thirteenth Princess is not in the tax treasury?"

His tone was neither fast nor slow, like a thin needle, silently penetrating into Jiang Chen's defenses.

Jiang Chen raised his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife, staring directly at Cao Shouku. A hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly. His voice was calm, but it revealed an unquestionable pressure: "Minister Cao, what do we do?"

The expressions of the ministers around him changed slightly, and they exchanged glances secretly. Jiang Chen's words were not only a rhetorical question, but also a fierce counterattack, as if telling everyone that if Princess Jingyi was really gone, then Cao Shouku's Ministry of Revenue would probably have a harder time escaping.

Cao Shouku was slightly startled, then chuckled, seemingly unconcerned with Jiang Chen's words. However, the clenched fists in his sleeves betrayed his inner anxiety. A faint glint flickered in the depths of his eyes, and he asked tentatively, "Why don't we... take a gamble?"

The air seemed to freeze in an instant, and silence fell throughout the hall. The ministers' gazes fell on the two men, revealing complex and profound expressions.

Jiang Chen stood quietly, as if trapped in the middle of this gambling game, but his expression remained unwavering. He said slowly, "Minister Cao, what's the bet?"

Cao Shouku narrowed his eyes slightly and said softly, "If what Your Highness said is untrue, I'm afraid... I will have to explain it to the entire court, to His Majesty, and to the people of the world."

Jiang Chen's gaze remained unchanged, his tone remained steady, and he smiled slightly: "Then if what Your Highness said is true, what should Minister Cao do?"

Cao Shouku's smile faltered, a hint of gloom flashed across his eyes, but he remained calm: "Of course, I will leave it to your majesty's discretion."

Emperor Liang sat on the dragon throne, observing this silent contest with cold eyes. After a while, he finally waved his hand, his voice slightly impatient: "Alright, alright, I don't have time to deal with your endless chatter."

Although his voice was not loud, it was filled with unquestionable majesty, instantly suppressing all undercurrents.

"Zhong Xiaodan!" Emperor Liang suddenly raised his voice, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his expression was majestic.

General Zhong Xiaoshan of Annan stepped out upon hearing the voice, his posture erect, his steps steady, his gaze as firm as iron, and he said in a loud voice: "I am here!"

Emperor Liang nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Come here, grant General Zhong Xiaodan of Annan a gold medal, authorizing him to mobilize troops and search throughout the capital and even the entire palace. He must rescue Princess Jingyi!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the attendant quickly presented the gold medal.

Zhong Xiaodan took the gold medal, raised his hands high above his head, and said in a strong and powerful voice: "I obey your command!"

His oath echoed in the hall like thunder, shaking everyone's heart. The ministers looked at him with a mixture of awe and uneasiness.

Zhong Xiaodan's eyes were like knives, slowly sweeping over Jiang Chen and meeting his gaze. Jiang Chen nodded slightly, a hint of deep meaning in his eyes, as if conveying some message to him.

Zhong Xiaodan understood what he meant, his eyes flashed, and he turned around without hesitation and walked quickly out of the hall.

The soles of the boots stepped on the bluestone slabs, and each step was steady and powerful. The sound echoed in the hall, as if it was knocking heavily on everyone's heart.

As Zhong Xiaodan's figure disappeared outside the palace gate, the court remained solemn, and the air seemed to have become dull. Emperor Liang's gaze slowly swept across the ministers in the palace, finally landing on Jiang Chen. His eyes were deep and meaningful, as if he was thinking about something.

Cao Shouku's face darkened slightly, his fingers in his sleeves were clenched tightly, his knuckles turned slightly white, and it was obvious that he did not want things to develop to this point.

Inside the hall, the air was stagnant, as if even time had slowed down. The ministers held their breath, their gazes on Jiang Chen varied—some coldly observing, some speculating secretly, and some gloating.

Emperor Liang sat upright on the dragon throne, tapping the armrests lightly with his fingertips. His eyes were as deep as a pool. He seemed to be waiting for the news that Zhong Xiaodan would bring back, and was also weighing the significance of Jiang Chen's move.

Cao Shouku's expression gradually calmed down, a faint smile playing on the corner of his lips. He tilted his head slightly, glanced at Jiang Chen, and sneered inwardly. "Young people are full of vigor, but they will never achieve great things. Jiang Chen, your 'absolute confidence' is probably a joke, isn't it?"

However, Jiang Chen remained composed, his fingers tapping lightly in his sleeves, his eyes as steady as a mountain, seemingly unfazed by the action. He slowly scanned every face in the court, but a larger chess game was already unfolding in his mind.

"Cao Shouku, the more calm you appear on the surface, the more it reveals your inner uneasiness. The game is on, let's see how you respond."

Jiang Chen sneered in his heart, and a sharp light appeared in his eyes.

Time passed slowly in this silent waiting. The sunlight outside the palace door gradually slanted, shining through the exquisitely carved window lattices and falling on the bluestone floor, like tiny golden lines.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from afar, steady and powerful, like the beating of war drums. All the ministers looked sideways and their heartbeats quickened.

The person who came was none other than Lin Shigong, the commander of the Imperial Guards: "Your Majesty! I have something to report!"