Who put the yellow robe on me?

Shi Baixia placed the carved silver plate steadily on the stool in the center of Wanhe Hall.

The silver plate emitted a faint cold light, and on it were placed two priceless white jade bowls.

Shi Baixia was wearing a green shirt, his face calm and solemn. He slowly retreated out of the hall with light steps.

The Minister of Rites, Mu Shenru, glanced at Concubine De with a sharp gaze, as if all this was said without words.

Empress Defei was wearing a purple robe and walked towards the silver plate with steady and unhurried steps.

Her face was filled with determination and a hint of worry. She stopped in front of the silver plate, took a deep breath, and looked at the two white bowls of water placed on the left and right, like a delicate and clear dividing line, separating the dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince from the dissolute Sixteenth Prince.

The clear water surface reflected the candlelight in the hall, flickering with subtle light, as if it contained countless secrets waiting to be revealed.

Empress Defei closed her eyes slightly, and gently stroked the silver needle in her hand with her fingertips. Suddenly, she mustered up the courage and pricked her slightly trembling finger.

With a soft cry of "Ouch", a few drops of bright red blood immediately seeped out of her fingers. The blood beads danced in the light and shadow, and then dripped into the two bowls of water on the left and right.

Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and she felt both pain and anxiety about the outcome of this "blood test".

At this moment, the Ninth Prince stood in front of the palace, his face showing a hint of teasing and anticipation, and his voice was low and tinged with a hint of playfulness: "Two Sixteenth Brothers, please come in?"

His words were like a bomb, sending ripples through the silent hall.

The air was filled with anticipation for the truth, as well as doubts about the outcome of the ceremony, mixed with a hint of tension and excitement.

After hearing this, the dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince whispered to the pale-faced Sixteenth Prince next to him, "You go first?"

There was a subtle hint of anxiety and heaviness in his voice.

His eyes were fixed on the clear water in the bowl, as if he wanted to peek into some unknown mystery from the water.

In contrast, the dissolute Sixteenth Prince looked calm and said calmly, "Come together." There was a kind of indifferent contempt in his tone, as if all the troubles in the world had nothing to do with him.

The dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince felt a sudden jolt in his heart, as if a rapid drumbeat were beating in his chest. His heartbeat seemed to contrast sharply with the tranquil atmosphere in the hall. He narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the blood beads dancing on the surface of the water in the bowl.

He was confused and immediately put aside the conversation next to him. He slowly turned his head and glanced at the ministers in the hall one by one.

From the general in armor and with a solemn expression to Prime Minister He in Confucian robes and with a deep gaze, every pair of eyes seemed to be secretly conveying their own questions and expectations.

When his sight finally fell on Shi Baixia, the Imperial Physician of the Imperial Hospital, he saw a sudden evasive look in Shi Baixia's eyes, as if he didn't dare to look directly at his solemn gaze.

The dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince couldn't help but feel a bit calculating. He then turned and bowed deeply to Emperor Liang, seated on the Dragon Throne. At that moment, his gesture was both respectful and slightly provocative, as if hinting at his own confidence.

He slowly picked up another silver needle and stabbed his finger again. With a thud, blood dripped like a thread into the pristine white jade bowl beside him. That drop of blood clearly reflected the resolute gleam in his eyes, as if swearing that he would never let anyone question his identity.

Meanwhile, the dissolute Sixteenth Prince was not to be outdone. With a slight tremor, he pulled a silver needle from his bosom and, trembling, thrust the tip into his finger. At that moment, a trace of pain crossed his face. His days of debauchery had long since diminished his physical strength, and now even the simple act of pricking his blood caused him to frown in pain.

Seeing this, many people around showed contempt, and their whispers were mixed with ridicule about his dissolute life.

As the two drops of blood slowly dripped into their respective white jade bowls, miraculous changes quietly occurred.

In the bowl of the dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince, the two drops of blood seemed to be magnetically attracted and slowly merged together to form a dense and uniform mass of red liquid, symbolizing a certain inner purity.

In sharp contrast, the two drops of blood in the bowl of the dissolute Sixteenth Prince seemed to be independent of each other, never interfering with each other and never mixing.

At this moment, the dissolute Sixteenth Prince suddenly felt dizzy, as if the whole world was spinning.

His legs went limp and he fell heavily in front of the white jade bowl, muttering to himself, "This...this is impossible, this is impossible!" His voice was filled with despair and confusion, as if he himself could not believe what he saw.

Upon hearing the noise, all the civil and military officials in the court came closer, talking in low voices, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Prime Minister He hurriedly whispered to Emperor Liang, "Your Majesty, please look!" Although his voice was low, it was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Emperor Liang, supported by the eunuch Zhao Ji, staggered down from the dragon throne, his eyes full of anger and doubt.

When Emperor Liang saw the two bowls of water clearly, a complex look flashed in his eyes: the two drops of blood in the bowl next to the dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince had already mixed together, while in the water next to the dissolute Sixteenth Prince, the blood was clearly separated and isolated.

This scene left Emperor Liang speechless for a long time...

At this moment, Consort De suddenly fell to her knees, her voice trembling but firm as she cried out, "Your Majesty! This is unjust! I swear by the entire Yang clan of Bozhou! This is absolutely the Sixteenth Prince!"

There was a hint of pleading and indignation in her voice, as if she was guaranteeing her life, and tears of determination gleamed in her eyes, as if that oath could dispel all doubts.

Emperor Liang stared at the two bowls of water, remaining silent. The air in the hall was heavy, as if all sound had been swallowed up by the silence.

Prime Minister He spoke again cautiously and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty?" But Emperor Liang remained silent, but his heavy gaze seemed to silently tell of his inner struggle and confusion.

The chief eunuch Zhao Ji also asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty?" There was a hint of confusion and anxiety in his voice.

At this moment, Emperor Liang slowly walked around the silver plate with two bowls of water on it. His steps were slow and heavy.

The dark-skinned Sixteenth Prince stood aside, his eyes fixed on the bowl of water. His gaze was extremely firm, and he did not look directly at Emperor Liang.

The licentious Sixteenth Prince stared at Emperor Liang, his eyes filled with earnest requests for forgiveness.

In this tense atmosphere, the Sixth Prince Jiang Fu suddenly stood up and said in a low and worried voice: "Father, something must have gone wrong..." As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to be trying to break the heavy deadlock, but he also brought uneasiness and anxiety to the whole hall.