Who put the yellow robe on me?

The sixteenth prince Jiang Chen and He Xiaowei took a small boat and slowly sailed into the Lianghuai River that runs through the capital.

The river surface shimmered, and the breeze blew on my face, carrying the fragrance of the weeping willows by the river and the fishy smell of aquatic plants.

It is the festive season now, and the riverside is already hung with colorful lanterns. The hazy shadows of the lights sway gracefully on the water, and from time to time the melodious sounds of zithers and poets chanting in the distance can be heard from the shore, as if the world is permeated with a poetic festive atmosphere.

Jiang Chen knew very well that this boat trip was an opportunity deliberately set up for him by the Thirteenth Princess Jiang Sirou.

The two people on the boat leaned against the side, their breaths intertwined in the quiet night.

The moonlight sprinkled on their faces, casting a faint silver glow, and illuminating He Xiaowei's rolling eyes with a hint of cunning and mystery.

"Thank you, Xiaowei." Jiang Chen took the lead in breaking the awkward atmosphere.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw He Xiaowei narrow her eyes slightly, as if she was looking at him.

She asked softly, "What are you thanking me for?" Her voice seemed to be slightly teasing, as if testing his heart.

Jiang Chen's lips curled up slightly, a flash of memory in his eyes. "I remember that time when we were testing our blood relationship, I noticed a subtle difference between the two bowls of water. At the time, I thought this strange phenomenon was the work of Lord Shi, but Shi Baixia flatly denied it, saying it wasn't his doing. However, he revealed that you accompanied Thirteenth Sister to get the medicine."

A hint of surprise flashed across He Xiaowei's face, and she whispered, "What water? How would I know about this?" Although there was a denial in her tone, her eyes could not avoid Jiang Chen's meaningful gaze.

Jiang Chen saw her eyes rolling around and suddenly understood.

"Haha..." Jiang Chen suddenly laughed out loud, and suddenly lowered his voice, "When water meets alum, blood mixes, but when water meets clear oil, blood does not mix. Xiao Wei'er, you are familiar with ancient books, you should know the mystery, right?" When he said this, his voice was full of confidence, as if he was uncovering a secret that had been hidden in his heart for a long time.

He Xiaowei sighed, her expression slightly heavy: "You and Lord Shi know about this?" She said softly, with a hint of helplessness and worry in her tone.

Jiang Chen nodded.

He Xiaowei was silent for a while, then lowered her eyes and said slowly, "My grandfather also knows." As soon as she finished speaking, a complex look flashed in her eyes, as if she had something unspeakable to hide.

"Ah? Prime Minister He actually found out?" Jiang Chen repeated almost in disbelief, and the scene of Prime Minister He questioning Shi Baixia more than once flashed through his mind.

He Xiaowei nodded, as if hinting to him: Although the truth has come to light, the situation is far more complicated than imagined.

Jiang Chen continued to ask, "Then what? What did Prime Minister He say?" His tone was full of urgency.

He Xiaowei shook her head without giving a detailed explanation. She then sighed and changed the subject with a slightly helpless tone: "My grandfather agreed to betroth me to Mu Zhengyi."

When she said this, her voice became soft and a little sad, as if that past event was both the family's fate and a hidden helpless choice.

Jiang Chen's face darkened upon hearing this, and anger flared in his heart. "This...this won't do! I'm going to ask Prime Minister He for clarification!" His words were filled with a certain amount of excitement. Although his tone was low, it couldn't conceal his inner indignation and resentment. He turned around and wanted to return to the shore!

Before he finished speaking, He Xiaowei hugged him tightly with an eager hug and gently advised: "Sixteenth Prince, calm down and don't be impulsive."

Her voice was gentle yet anxious, and Jiang Chen could feel the warmth and pressure coming from behind...

He Xiaowei understood that one was a prince and the other was the prime minister. If a conflict arose between them, the consequences would be disastrous. As a woman, how could she bear such a dispute?

She softly comforted Jiang Chen, "Listen to me and let me tell you slowly. Why don't you first listen to the past stories of the He and Mu families, and then decide whether to go to Prime Minister He."

Her voice was as soft as a hot spring, and seemed to be able to melt the thick layer of ice in my heart.

Jiang Chen listened to He Xiaowei's words, his heart gradually calming down. He looked into her gentle eyes and finally nodded in agreement. The two of them slowly moved to the bow of the boat, accompanied by the gentle ripples on the Lianghuai River, quietly waiting for the night breeze to rustle across the water, listening to He Xiaowei's story...

He Xiaowei spoke slowly, her voice tinged with nostalgia and emotion. "Actually, my great-grandfather, He Shouyi, and Mu Wantu, the grandfather of Minister of Rites Mu Shenru, were both founding fathers of the Daliang Dynasty. They shared life and death on the battlefield..."

He Xiaowei's tone gradually deepened, as if bringing that distant history back to her. "Back then, General Mu saved General He Shouyi on the battlefield. In return for General Mu Wantu's life-saving grace, the two families promised a marriage. Unfortunately, fate played tricks on them. Both the He and Mu families gave birth to only boys for two consecutive generations, and the marriage was thus aborted."

She paused, her eyes gazing into the distance, as if recalling the heroic past. "Afterwards, the Mu family gradually declined. Now, Prime Minister He has become powerful, and Mu Shenru, as the Minister of Rites, is now in a precarious position."

After hearing this, Jiang Chen's eyes flashed with questions and confusion: "So, now the Mu family is making a fuss about child marriage again?" There was a hint of sarcasm and resentment in his voice.

He Xiaowei nodded gently: "Not only that, Mu Shenru even took out a sword tassel as a betrothal gift."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows, and a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes: "Sword tassel? What does this mean? Does the sword tassel have a special meaning?"

He Xiaowei smiled bitterly, "Yes, this sword tassel is the part of the sword that General Mu Wantu left behind when he saved my great-grandfather. It means that my grandfather should never forget the kindness he showed me when he saved me."

She paused and continued, "Back then, He Shouyi and Mu Wantu fought side by side, each willing to die for the other, and thus promised each other that they would be together..."

After hearing this, Jiang Chen showed a look of surprise on his face: "Ah? Prime Minister He actually approved of all this? Didn't Old Lady He object?" His words were full of doubt and disbelief, as if he regarded Old Lady He as a life-saving straw.

He Xiaowei sighed and answered gently and helplessly: "My grandmother saw that my grandfather had made up his mind, so she naturally didn't say anything more." There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

Jiang Chen then asked, "What about you? What do you think?" His tone was hurried.

He Xiaowei looked into Jiang Chen's eyes and said slowly: "Of course I don't want to. The hero in my mind must be someone who can outsmart the Northern Qiang Princess and conquer the Western Regions with his military strength. If someone else can betroth me off in the name of child marriage, how can I be willing?" Although her voice was soft, it was full of determination.