Who put the yellow robe on me?

Xia Zhu's words exploded in the court like thunder, causing a huge uproar.

In an instant, the hall fell into a brief silence, as if even the wind outside the hall had held its breath.

All the ministers looked towards the center of the Golden Throne Hall, at the young man in bright yellow robes—the sixteenth prince Jiang Chen.

Inside the hall, the air was filled with the scent of sandalwood, but at this moment, no one paid attention to this faint fragrance. Everyone's mind was filled with shock.

At this moment, even Emperor Liang on the throne had a frown on his face and a gloomy expression.

On the imperial desk in front of the throne, a letter presented by Xia Zhu lay quietly. The handwriting on it was clearly visible, but it was like a sharp blade, ruthlessly dissecting the true identity of the sixteenth prince Jiang Chen.

Among the ministers, some lowered their heads slightly, whispering to each other.

"He's not the original Sixteenth Prince?!"

"If this is true, isn't it a grave crime of deceiving the emperor?"

"However, the Sixteenth Prince has been calm and composed over the years, and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. If he were an imposter, how could no one have noticed?"

"If he is really fake, then where is the real Sixteenth Prince?"

The discussion surged like a tide, echoing in the hall. Although the ministers tried their best to lower their voices, the layers of surprise and suspicion spread uncontrollably.

Some were shocked, some were confused, and some showed a hint of excitement. After all, the dethronement of the prince was a major event that caused drastic changes in the court. It involved not only the orthodoxy of the royal bloodline, but also the reshuffle of court power. If it was not handled properly, the world would be in chaos.

Amidst these countless probing, scrutinizing, suspicious, and shocked gazes, Jiang Chen still maintained a calm expression, but the fists beneath his sleeves had tightened slightly.

He could clearly hear his own heartbeat, one after another, pounding like a war drum.

He knew that the real crisis had come, even more ferocious than any crisis he had ever experienced.

Amidst the flurry of discussion in the court, Minister of Rites Mu Shenru pondered for a moment, glanced at the letter, then slowly turned to the high-ranking Concubine De, bowed, and spoke in a low, scrutinizing voice:

"Empress Defei, may I ask if you were the one who instructed Xia Zhu to write this letter?"

Concubine De sat on a high seat, her luxurious palace dress making her look graceful and elegant, but her slightly trembling fingertips revealed her emotions at the moment.

She frowned for a moment, then shook her head gently, her voice soft but firm:

"Lord Mu, I don't know."

Mu Shenru's eyes darkened slightly, as if he was trying to find out if there was anything unusual about Concubine De's expression. He bowed again and said solemnly:

"Then, Madam Defei, do you think what Xia Zhu wrote is correct?"

This question, like a sharp arrow, points directly to the key point.

The air in the entire hall suddenly froze.

For a moment, everyone's eyes fell on Concubine De, waiting for her answer.

De Fei's fingers tightened slightly, her nails almost digging into her palms. Her gaze lingered on Emperor Liang's face for a moment, and then she nodded slowly. Her voice was still soft, but it carried an undeniable weight:

"Master Mu, everything Xia Zhu wrote is true."

When these words were spoken, the whole court was shocked.

At that moment, it seemed as if the entire hall was shattered by these words, and everyone gasped.

"It turned out to be true!"

"The Sixteenth Prince is actually a fake!"

"How can anyone believe this?"

Some people exclaimed in surprise, some widened their eyes, and more people looked at Jiang Chen in disbelief.

In terms of the inheritance of the royal bloodline, the fact that his mother's sixteenth prince was a fake was practically the final, ironclad proof. If Concubine De admitted it herself, then the identity of the sixteenth prince would be beyond dispute!

At this moment, everyone's expressions became complicated. Some showed regret, some had indecipherable expressions, and more people were wondering what the meaning behind this incident was.

If the Sixteenth Prince was a fake, then where was the real Sixteenth Prince? Who orchestrated all this? This matter involved a wide range of people, and it definitely took more than a day or a night to complete.

The sixteenth prince Jiang Chen stood there, his expression unchanged, but his heart was turbulent.

He knew this day would come sooner or later. He had rehearsed countless times in his dreams how to respond, how to prove his innocence, how to turn the situation around. But when it actually happened, he still felt his heart beating violently and his hands trembling slightly.

He had calmly analyzed all the possibilities and speculated on the worst outcome, but Concubine De's words still made the situation even more dangerous.

Prime Minister He stood among the ministers, his eyes flickering slightly, and he saw the doubt in Emperor Liang's eyes. He pondered for a moment, and finally stood up, speaking in a steady voice:

"Empress Defei, please tell me, this isn't the Sixteenth Prince. Then where is the real Sixteenth Prince now?"

The hall was once again filled with dead silence.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Concubine De's answer.

Concubine De took a deep breath, looked at Prime Minister He calmly, and said slowly:

"Prime Minister He, the real Chen'er is now in a house in the capital."

As soon as these words were spoken, the discussion in the court became even louder.

"The real Sixteenth Prince is actually in the capital?"

"If it's true, why hasn't it appeared yet?"

"Who hid him?"

"What's the hidden story behind this?"

After hearing this, Prime Minister He frowned slightly, as if he had noticed something, and continued to ask:

"Excuse me, Madam Virtuous Consort, when was the Sixteenth Prince switched? Do you know?"

Concubine De's expression changed slightly, as if she was thinking. After a moment, she slowly spoke:

"About... a year ago."

When these words were spoken, the ministers were shocked again.

A year ago?!

In other words, this "fake" Sixteenth Prince had been acting in the palace for more than a year without anyone noticing?

This is incredible!

Prime Minister He's eyes flashed, as if he sensed something unusual. He bowed again:

"Empress Defei, since the Sixteenth Prince was switched a year ago, why didn't you mention this to His Majesty?"

Emperor Liang frowned, his expression stern. Obviously, his mind was also full of questions.

However, Concubine De was obviously hesitant.

"This..." Her lips trembled slightly, and there was an unnatural pause in her words.

This slight hesitation was instantly caught by everyone.

The atmosphere in the court suddenly became strange, as if an invisible hand had tightly grasped everyone's throat, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Jiang Chen's eyes flashed slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The opportunity is here!