The main courtyard of Prince Duan’s mansion, a vast expanse, now felt incredibly crowded.
Dozens of guards in embroidered uniforms of the Imperial Guard were present, alongside tens of soldiers clad in red armor and silver steel of the Imperial Forest Army.
Added to them were Prince Duan, his strategists, and Shen Yun and Su Xiaoqi.
The courtyard was packed to the brim.
Huang Fengxian was sternly accusing Prince Duan of plotting rebellion.
His expression was serious, his voice stern, and every word struck a chord in the hearts of those present.
If an outsider were to observe, they might genuinely believe his accusations.
Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun exchanged glances, a shared anxiety in their eyes.
Prince Duan, Liang Xinhye, could not easily admit defeat and offered a brief defense.
However, Huang Fengxian, a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince, had always wished he could find fault with Prince Duan.
Now that he had finally seized this opportunity, he was unwilling to listen. With a wave of his hand, he ordered his men to spread out and search everywhere.
“Don’t even think about struggling. I’ve already ordered the Imperial Forest Army to surround the entire prince’s mansion. Not a single person, not even a fly, can get out.
Search thoroughly, to the last inch, no matter the cost.”
He was clearly determined to find it.
He even brandished the Emperor’s bestowed Imperial Sword.
He declared that anyone who dared to obstruct them would be killed on the spot.
Prince Duan sat rigidly, daring not to move.
They all knew that at this moment, Huang Fengxian would much prefer them to resist.
Then he could draw the Imperial Sword and execute them.
Therefore, remaining still was the best course of action.
But if they truly did nothing, then Prince Duan’s mansion would be ruined in an instant.
At this critical juncture, Liang Xinhye remembered his eldest son, the Crown Prince Liang Jingning.
However, after looking around for a moment, he saw no one.
He turned to Liang Jingchen, realizing only his second son was by his side.
He could only place all his hopes on him.
He did not want Prince Duan’s mansion to face another catastrophe.
During the most intense period of factional struggle, Prince Duan had indeed been wary of the Crown Prince.
But no one could have imagined that he would be so shameless.
To use a tactic that had already been employed.
Who could have foreseen this?
Yet, it was precisely such an underhanded tactic that had managed to ensnare him.
After all, a prince’s mansion was a vast place.
To obtain a so-called dragon robe, it wouldn’t be difficult at all.
But he thought about it.
If Liang Xinran was using a tactic he had previously employed, could the dragon robe still be hidden in the place where it was hidden back then?
Prince Duan’s body trembled violently. He remembered, and quickly beckoned Liang Jingchen over, whispering a few instructions into his ear.
Liang Jingchen’s eyes lit up, and he nodded.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Forest Army accompanying them had already begun their search.
They spread out in groups of three and five, plunging into various courtyards to search.
Judging by their rummaging through chests and cabinets, it was clear that not many people inside knew where the item was hidden.
Perhaps only Huang Fengxian himself.
If they could apprehend him, they could delay the discovery of the dragon robe.
If they obtained it ahead of time, they would have room to maneuver.
With this thought, Prince Duan stepped forward, blocking Huang Fengxian who was about to take action personally.
“Stop, Lord Huang. I have always conducted myself with integrity. The Emperor has already investigated the previous ‘dragon robe concealment case,’ which was a false accusation by others.
This time, even if you find it, it will undoubtedly be a deliberate setup by someone else, not a conscious concealment by me.
I will explain this to the Emperor when the time comes.
As for Lord Huang, it is truly amusing. Others merely slandered and attached themselves casually, and you are already believing it and seeking to punish me?”
Prince Duan had suffered for over a decade, enduring hardship and acting with discretion.
But his internal cultivation and external conduct were not something Huang Fengxian, who relied on the Crown Prince and Consort Huang for his position, could match.
With a few words, he left Huang Fengxian speechless.
Hearing this, Ji Chenggang felt he could no longer remain silent.
He raised his hand to stop a group of Imperial Guards under his command, bowed to Liang Xinhye, and said, “Your Highness speaks with reason.”
He then turned to Huang Fengxian and said, “Regarding this matter, in my opinion, there are many questionable aspects, Lord Huang. Should you perhaps return to the palace to report to the Emperor before making any decisions?”
Huang Fengxian let out a cold snort, thinking to himself that although Prince Duan’s mansion was within the Imperial City, a round trip would still take at least half an hour.
If he left, in Prince Duan’s mansion, not to mention a dragon robe, even millions of taels of gold would likely be moved out by them.
Then, how could he catch them in the act? How could the Crown Prince’s plan be executed?
As he remained silent,
Under Ji Chenggang’s indulgence, some Imperial Guards began to murmur among themselves.
They suspected that Prince Duan was being framed.
And they, the Imperial Guards, had been used as pawns for no reason.
A Qianhu of the Imperial Guards said to Ji Chenggang, “Sir, this matter requires careful consideration. I fear we should wait for the Emperor’s decree.”
Ji Chenggang feigned a look of difficulty and turned to Huang Fengxian, saying,
“Lord Huang, what do you think? Do you want to return to the palace to request an imperial decree?”
Huang Fengxian was furious, realizing this was a delaying tactic by Prince Duan’s mansion. He said repeatedly,
“Silence! The Imperial Sword is here. Do you intend to defy the imperial decree?”
He urged everyone to spread out and find the dragon robe. Once it was found, Prince Duan’s mansion would have no way to defend itself.
With the Imperial Sword in hand, no one dared to stop Huang Fengxian.
Ji Chenggang sighed, casting a regretful glance at the Grand Princess’s mansion next to Prince Duan’s mansion.
He had done his best; the rest would be left to fate.
Meanwhile, during this conflict, Liang Jingchen had conveyed his father’s wishes to Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun.
The three of them, taking advantage of the earlier argument between the Imperial Guards and Huang Fengxian, quietly slipped away and entered the main courtyard’s study.
According to Prince Duan, during the fifteen-year-old dragon robe framing incident, Consort Huang and Liang Xinran had instructed someone to hide the dragon robe within.
If Liang Xinran intended to provoke him, he might still hide the dragon robe in the original location.
The three of them, before the Imperial Forest Army could enter, rushed into the study.
Indeed, they spotted a large box on the roof beam.
Upon taking it down, they saw it was made of rosewood, carved with a five-clawed golden dragon, and secured with a delicate small lock.
All three were astonished.
Although they had speculated about this beforehand, seeing it in reality still made them feel quite surprised and somewhat unwilling to accept it.
Liang Jingchen glanced at it and said in a low voice, “This should be the dragon robe inside.”
Shen Yun reminded him, “Quick, think of a place to hide it.”
Liang Jingchen looked around.
The study was quite spacious.
There were four rows of horizontal bookshelves, each a full zhang in length.
On the sides, there were also four vertical bookshelves.
But these were only for storing books.
There was no way to hide such a large box.
Therefore, no matter how they looked, there seemed to be nowhere to hide it.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps from outside suddenly quickened.
Someone was coming.
“Quick, quick, this is the study, the item is very likely hidden inside.”
It was Huang Fengxian’s voice.
So, he had ultimately used the Imperial Sword to completely subdue Prince Duan.
This was also within expectations.
If Prince Duan had refused to yield even to the Imperial Sword, then he would have been undeniably plotting rebellion.
Therefore, facing Huang Fengxian brandishing the Imperial Sword, Liang Xinhye had done his best.
If he could not stop them any further, he could only let them barge in.
He followed behind, watching as the study door was kicked open by Huang Fengxian.
His gaze immediately fell upon the three people standing in a circle inside.
One of them was his legitimate son, Liang Jingchen.
Another was his most trusted strategist, Shen Yun.
The third was Su Xiaoqi, a woman highly favored by his imperial sister, and also the person who had once saved his life.
Individually, these three individuals held significant importance to him.
And they had saved him from dire straits in the past.
But this time, would they still be able to help him as they had before?