Who put the yellow robe on me?

The moment Sixteenth Prince Jiang Chen emerged from Emperor Liang's chambers, an indescribable bitterness welled up in his heart. He walked slowly, his face serene, but his heart was surging, as if an invisible blade was constantly tearing at his chest.

He had wanted to follow his own plan and personally lead an expedition to the northern border to completely eradicate the threat from the Northern Qiang.

However, what surprised him was that whether it was the calm and deep gaze of Emperor Liang or the caution revealed in the whispered conversation between Prime Minister He and the general, they all made him feel that the court seemed unwilling to let him leave the capital.

It felt like he was left behind on purpose, as if some deeper plan was quietly unfolding behind the scenes.

Jiang Chen lowered his head in thought, a question flashing through his mind: Why did they always refuse to let him go to the battle? Could it be... that they had other motives?

At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, which made him both surprised and uneasy: Could it be that His Majesty is considering the matter of the Crown Prince?

This thought was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

The faint praise and expectation revealed in that voice instantly ignited an unprecedented sense of pride in his heart, but at the same time it was also mixed with deep worries and doubts.

Sure enough, his guess was not groundless.

Just as he turned to leave the bedroom in the winding corridor, he accidentally heard whispers coming from the palace.

It turned out that Emperor Liang, Prime Minister He, and General Zhong Wenbin were gathered together to discuss the future succession to the throne.

Emperor Liang looked solemn, his tone carrying a hint of fatigue, yet retaining the majesty of an emperor. He slowly asked, "Everyone, what do you think of the strengths and weaknesses of each prince?"

Prime Minister He said thoughtfully, "The fifth prince is intelligent and interested in literature, the sixth prince is good at balancing people's hearts, the ninth prince is impatient, the twelfth prince only knows how to draw swords and guns, and this sixteenth prince is particularly thoughtful and thorough." His tone not only contained an objective evaluation of the facts, but also an affirmation of Jiang Chen's style of doing things.

Then, Prime Minister He's jade scepter turned a subtle angle in his palm. "The strategy of sowing discord that His Majesty mentioned today is similar to the method His Majesty used to pacify the Western Rong twenty years ago." He paused deliberately. "It's just that General Mu back then... alas..."

"Ahem!" Zhong Wenbin suddenly coughed violently, the sword at his waist colliding with the gilded lamppost. Twenty years ago, the hero Mu was betrayed and killed, and this remains a taboo in the court.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang's gaze involuntarily turned to General Zhong Wenbin beside him, and a gleam of light flashed in his cloudy eyes: "General, what do you think?"

Despite his uninhibited personality, Zhong Wenbin spoke frankly, "Your Majesty, although I am not good at writing, I have witnessed with my own eyes that the great achievements of the Western Regions are due to the Sixteenth Prince. Wherever he leads his troops, he is almost undefeated. Although the Twelfth Prince guards the border with Northern Qiang and has failed to completely resolve the problem after losing two cities, I firmly believe that the Sixteenth Prince's words, 'We can conquer Northern Qiang without a single soldier,' are true."

His words were full of pride and confidence, his voice was deep and powerful, like the clanging of a war drum, stirring ripples in the hearts of the ministers present.

Emperor Liang then pondered, "I am already old, and my health is declining year by year. Three years ago, the Crown Prince rebelled, and as a result, I still haven't appointed a Crown Prince. I now have five sons. What do you two think of the character of these five princes?"

Prime Minister He immediately replied, "No matter who your majesty appoints as crown prince, we will do our utmost to assist him."

General Zhong Wenbin said solemnly: "This matter depends entirely on your Majesty's wise decision. No one else dares to speculate." At this moment, the air was filled with a tense and subtle atmosphere, as if a decision that would change the situation in the world would be made in the next moment.

Emperor Liang sighed slightly, a trace of worry flashing across his face. "The only doubt is the Sixteenth Prince's background. Although we are of the same blood, the words of Concubine De seem to have a deeper meaning. I must believe them."

After hearing this, the imperial physician Shi Baixia, who was preparing soup for Emperor Liang, couldn't help but tremble his hands, as if he felt vaguely uneasy in his heart, but he immediately steadied the medicine cup in his hand and continued to work.

Emperor Liang didn't notice Shi Baixia's brief hesitation at all, but Prime Minister He's eyes caught a hint of something unusual at that moment...

At the same time, in the quiet corridor outside the bedroom, the sixteenth prince Jiang Chen was walking back alone.

"Sixteenth brother, please stay."

Two shadows suddenly appeared on the palace walls on both sides of the aisle. The golden cloud pattern on the python robe of the Sixth Prince Jiang Fu shone coldly in the moonlight. The Ninth Prince Jiang Yu was playing with a broken jade fan. The crisp sound of the fan bones hitting the white marble railing startled the crows perched on the eaves and flew away.

As Jiang Chen paused, the broken-finger plum blossom dart from his sleeve's hidden pocket slipped into his palm. This weapon, seized from the Kucha assassin, was now being warmed by his body heat.

"Sixth and ninth brothers are in high spirits." He turned and chuckled, his eyes sweeping over the new rhino horn belt hook on Jiang Yu's waist. "This pattern looks like the workmanship of the Ministry of Works of the previous dynasty."

Jiang Fu circled his thumb on the jade ring and said, "Sixteenth brother has returned from the Western Regions, and his eyesight has become even sharper." Before he finished speaking, the sound of a clapper suddenly came from the distance, startling the koi in the lotus pond in the imperial garden and making them jump out of the water.

The ninth prince suddenly knocked on the folding fan, and it closed instantly: "Sixteenth brother, I heard that the emperor kept you alone for half an hour?" The ink of "Spring River Moon Night" on the fan, which had not yet dried, spread out, and Jiang Chen smelled the unique fragrance of pine soot ink mixed with musk.

The Sixteenth Prince already understood the intentions of the two men. He smiled slightly, with a hint of cunning in the corner of his eyes.

Faced with such seemingly concerned greetings, he deliberately exaggerated the conversation he overheard in the palace, greatly exaggerating Prime Minister He and Emperor Liang's consideration of his abilities and ways of governing the country.

He said slowly, "Yesterday in the palace, I heard Prime Minister He exclaim, 'The Sixteenth Prince handles government affairs with thorough consideration, far superior to others.' His Majesty even personally questioned me about how I balance the court and govern the empire..."

Although his voice was calm, it revealed a kind of confidence and composure, and his tone was occasionally mixed with a hint of provocation, which made people look sideways after hearing it.

Jiang Chen's words were exaggerated and vivid, and every detail was deliberately exaggerated to make it dramatic. Behind his indifferent face, he had a heart that was beating fast and surging with passion.

Everyone who heard this nodded secretly, but the expressions of the Sixth Prince Jiang Fu and the Ninth Prince Jiang Yu standing beside them suddenly turned gloomy.

There was a trace of hard-to-conceal disappointment and resentment in the eyes of the two men, as if Jiang Chen's words had hit them sorely. The hidden jealousy and dissatisfaction in their hearts also spread in an instant.