Who put the yellow robe on me?

Zhong Xiaodan's words were like the sharp edge of a sword, instantly piercing the silence in the imperial study. Everyone's eyes were focused on Su Yunliang, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Su Yunliang's reaction.

Su Yunliang's expression changed slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. He slowly raised his hand, as if preparing to strike back in some way. However, in this abyssal atmosphere, any overly drastic words would be seen as a sign of weakness and panic, and he knew this very well.

"General Zhong, you're right," Su Yunliang sighed softly, his displeasure concealed even more skillfully. "But perhaps it's precisely because the capital is so heavily guarded that it's become the most suitable place for some people to act. Just like that incident, it seems stable on the surface, but it actually gives them the greatest room to maneuver."

Zhong Xiaodan raised his eyebrows at this, clearly displeased, but he didn't immediately refute it. In fact, Su Yunliang's words were not without reason. If one truly wanted to make something seemingly impossible succeed, one needed to conceal oneself even further, even starting from the safest possible location. Zhong Xiaodan's thoughts shifted slightly, but he calmly turned and looked at Emperor Liang.

Emperor Liang remained seated on the dragon throne, his expression as still as a lake, unmoved. Though seemingly calm, his eyes held a depth and sharpness that made it difficult to gaze directly upon them. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "There are many doubts about this matter, but regardless, the ultimate solution to the Thirteenth Princess's disappearance lies with you."

As he spoke, his eyes first swept over Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen had never raised his head, remaining bowed, appearing silent and cautious. Emperor Liang's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then shifted to the others. Clearly, Emperor Liang was running out of patience for this matter, and his tone grew increasingly oppressive. "General Zhong is right. How can we make such a hasty conclusion about the Thirteenth Princess' disappearance?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the imperial study immediately became tense. Zhong Xiaodan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of a sneer, but he said no more. Everyone knew that Emperor Liang's apparent calmness at this moment was actually preparation for the upcoming decision.

At this moment, Dianzhang knelt beside him, struggling slightly, as if about to speak. Emperor Liang glanced at him, indicating that he could speak. Dianzhang was so nervous that he could hardly control himself. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke with difficulty: "Your Majesty, I...I have something to say."

Emperor Liang frowned slightly: "Speak."

Dianzhang leaned forward slightly, his voice low, "On the night the Thirteenth Princess disappeared, I did escort her out of the palace. Then..." He paused, clearly weighing whether to continue, "Then, I encountered a group of unidentified people on the road. They... they seemed to know the Thirteenth Princess's whereabouts."

"Who is it?" Zhong Xiaodan took a step forward, his eyes sharp, like a falcon staring at its prey.

Dianzhang hurriedly lowered his head, his voice trembling, "They were wearing masks, so I couldn't see their faces. I only knew they had a peculiar smell, like some kind of... some kind of poison."

"Poison?" Zhong Xiaodan raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression becoming unusually serious. "This is worth further investigation."

Emperor Liang frowned, clearly intrigued by this unexpected information. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Dianzhang's voice was firm, yet tinged with unease. "I was forced to flee at the time and was unable to confirm his identity. But after returning to the palace, I saw a spy who seemed to have connections to a powerful official."

"Spy?" Emperor Liang's eyes gradually turned cold. "Who do you dare to point out?"

Dianzhang's eyes flickered, and after a moment's hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "It's...it's Minister Su's men."

Su Yunliang's expression suddenly changed, and his expression became extremely gloomy. He could hardly hide the anger in his heart: "Dianzhang, don't talk nonsense!"

"Nonsense?" Dianzhang raised his head, a trace of pain and anger flashing in his eyes. "I never lied! That person once threatened me personally that if I dared to expose this matter, the Thirteenth Princess would disappear forever. I already knew in my heart that certain people's conspiracy has long been in place."

The atmosphere in the imperial study became oppressive and tense again. Zhong Xiaodan's gaze locked on Su Yunliang, his expression becoming increasingly sharp. "Minister Su, it seems you haven't dealt with some things properly."

The coldness in Su Yunliang's eyes suddenly erupted: "General Zhong, you are slandering me!" He stood up and said in a low but threatening voice, "He is just an ordinary spy. Should I be responsible for his every move?"

"He's not just an ordinary spy, but someone who has direct contact with you." Zhong Xiaodan refused to back down. "Do you know what's behind this?"

At this moment, Emperor Liang snorted coldly, breaking the standoff: "Enough! This matter cannot be resolved by you blaming each other."

His tone was extremely serious, carrying an irrefutable intimidation. Everyone subconsciously suppressed their anger and lowered their heads.

"General Zhong," Emperor Liang turned to Zhong Xiaodan, "Do you think this matter is directly related to Su Yunliang?"

Zhong Xiaodan was silent for a moment, seemingly considering his response. Finally, he took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Although we don't have any solid evidence at this point, according to the legal regulations, this incident seems to be related to Minister Su's subordinates. This matter must be thoroughly investigated."

"Then investigate!" Emperor Liang ordered, "Su Yunliang, since you claim you have no knowledge, then you must cooperate in investigating this matter. If you are implicated in this matter, no matter who you are, you will not be spared!"

Su Yunliang's face turned pale, but he didn't argue. In fact, he knew in his heart that the Emperor Liang had already made his decision, and he couldn't easily escape from this vortex.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied coldly.

At this moment, Zhao Ji once again entered the imperial study, holding a secret letter in his hand. Zhao Ji walked up to Emperor Liang and respectfully handed the letter over: "Your Majesty, a secret report from the border."

Emperor Liang frowned slightly, took the secret letter, and opened it. As he read it word by word, the atmosphere in the imperial study suddenly became solemn.

"What's the matter?" Zhong Xiaodan's eyes tightened and he immediately stepped forward and asked.

Emperor Liang placed the secret letter on the table, his eyes darkening. "The war situation on the border is tense. There has suddenly been a large-scale unrest in the Western Regions, and it is spreading rapidly."

"Unrest in the Western Regions?" Jiang Chen was slightly taken aback, and raised his eyebrows. "Is it related to the disappearance of the Thirteenth Princess?"

Emperor Liang's gaze grew deeper. "This... may be directly related to the Thirteenth Princess's disappearance. The night the Thirteenth Princess disappeared, riots broke out suddenly in the Western Regions."