After fetal transfusion: Huang Ama, your royal mausoleum has been stolen

Several days of interrogation and psychological manipulation had already caused the fourth prince's psychological defenses to crumble further.

Xi Rui didn't even need to do anything to him; just someone getting a little close to him was enough to easily break him down.

"I've told you everything you wanted to know, so why won't you let me go? What else do you want? I can write back home. Anything is fine with me. You can have whatever you want, just let me go!"

"Please let me go, please let me go."

As the constables drew closer, the fourth prince struggled desperately, as if possessed.

Xi Rui glanced at the jailer standing next to him, his eyes filled with scrutiny and questions.

The jailer said with a fawning smile, "The prefect has ordered that no matter what method is used, we must get him to talk."

They were just following orders.

They've all been in this business for years, and everyone has some unique skills. Since the higher-ups have given a strict order, they have no choice but to obey.

Because of the fourth prince's status, they were unable to use many of their methods.

Over the course of so many days, he didn't have many obvious injuries, but he looked noticeably more haggard.

Xi Rui silently withdrew her gaze, not caring to look at the miserable state of the people behind her, and simply walked out first.

"Let me go! I am a prince of the Joseon Dynasty! How dare you treat me like this!"

"Is this the attitude of your Great Qing Dynasty—mistreating envoys from other dynasties?"

"I……"

The fourth prince of the Joseon Dynasty kept cursing and swearing, and his words became increasingly outrageous.

It seemed as if only one thought remained in his mind: to get these people to release him.

Nothing else matters.

He didn't want to stay here any longer.

"Enough, you idiot!" The Crown Prince of Joseon, who had been silent until now, finally couldn't hold back and shouted angrily, "Shut your mouth!"

Being captured on foreign soil is already a great disgrace, but to do something so shameful is even more humiliating.

At this moment, the Crown Prince of Joseon wished that his younger brother had died in the chaos of that day.

If it weren't for him...

The Crown Prince of Joseon closed his eyes in near despair.

He no longer dared to think about what would happen next.

Xi Rui listened to the argument between the two brothers behind him without being moved.

From the moment they turned against themselves, they should have understood what fate awaited them if their schemes were exposed.

But they did it anyway.

They should naturally bear the consequences themselves.

“Your Highness, our Joseon Dynasty has no intention of antagonizing the Qing Dynasty. This matter was merely a matter of my brother and I acting on our own initiative. If there is anything we can do to compensate you, please do not speak up. Please do not jeopardize the diplomatic relations between our two countries.” The Joseon Crown Prince’s mood was noticeably more composed than that of his younger brother.

You need to think things through more clearly than he does.

They've been locked up in this prison for so many days, and no matter who interrogates them, they've never been allowed to leave the cell.

The unusual circumstances of the day made it easy for him to sense that something was amiss.

He guessed that someone of higher status than Yinzhen and the others had arrived.

In the short term, the Crown Prince of Joseon could only try his best to express his conciliatory attitude in order to prevent this matter from affecting the Joseon Dynasty behind him.

Xi Rui hadn't intended to say much to them, but upon hearing this, he couldn't help but laugh in anger. "No intention of antagonizing the Qing Dynasty? You can offer compensation?"

"What compensation will you offer? If it weren't for my cleverness in preventing your schemes from succeeding, how do you think we would be meeting today?"

Xi Rui wasn't buying it.

If she hadn't had so many trump cards, she would be the one at their mercy now that she's been forced onto their territory.

The Crown Prince of Joseon hoped to obscure his motives with these few words, but Hee-seo was not so easily fooled.

“We’re all sensible people, so there’s no need to pretend we don’t understand.” Xi Rui turned and looked steadily at the Crown Prince of Joseon, her tone as relaxed as if they were just discussing what to eat for dinner. “You say that the diplomatic relations between the two countries should not be easily damaged, that’s easy enough. If you want me to calm down, that’s not difficult either. Then I want Joseon to cede territory and pay reparations… I wonder what the Crown Prince thinks?”

She simply didn't believe that the other party would travel such a long distance just for her.

He simply wanted to use her to ask Yinzhen and others, or even Emperor Kangxi, for more.

Now that they've made their move, and the outcome is reversed, they shouldn't be surprised if she makes exorbitant demands.

Crown Prince Joseon was clearly taken aback when Hee-seo demanded that they cede territory and pay reparations. In his astonishment, he forgot to even refute her.

Hee-seo hadn't expected to settle things so easily. After setting a high standard in the Crown Prince's mind that would make him feel heartbroken, he turned away disdainfully.

The first step in the negotiations has been completed.

The rest depends on how others work out.

After Xi Rui dropped them off at their destination, he left first.

While the emperor's carriage was still blocked outside, she returned to her own courtyard and gathered all the gifts she had prepared to give to her mother.

The exquisite gift box contained one strange and wonderful treasure after another.

Xi Rui couldn't wait to take them to the Imperial Concubine.

"Mother—"

Unlike Kangxi's other plans, the Imperial Concubine's carriage broke away from the procession after entering the western part of the city.

He led the rest of the group straight to the Huang residence.

When Xi Rui arrived, many people were already seated in the main hall.

"Xi Rui, come quickly and let your mother take a look." Ever since she heard that Xi Rui had been kidnapped by villains, the Imperial Concubine's heart had been rushing to this side.

Along the way, they sent people to inquire about information more than once.

But as long as she hadn't been able to see her daughter in person, the Imperial Concubine couldn't find peace of mind for even a moment.

Even when he entered the room and exchanged pleasantries with everyone, he seemed somewhat absent-minded.

"How are you? Are you hurt anywhere? Let your mother take a look." Having finally seen her daughter, the Imperial Concubine couldn't care less about anything else.

He hurriedly approached Xirui and began a thorough inspection of her.

Xi Rui didn't even have time to dodge.

Of course, she never intended to hide.

Amidst the Consort's series of actions, Xi Rui obediently allowed her to inspect him.

Raise your hand when told to raise it, spin when told to spin.

She replied obediently.

The others around them found it quite amusing.

"It seems that only the Imperial Concubine can make Seventh Sister so obedient," Crown Princess Guarjia teased with a light laugh.

Irgen Gioro and the others chimed in, "That's right, that's right. We've never seen such an obedient Seventh Sister before. We only see this rare sight in front of the Imperial Concubine."

Xi Rui wasn't annoyed and let them tease her.

"What's wrong with that? Sister-in-law, just look at your own family. Aren't they all very well-behaved and sensible in front of Mother?"

This is the power of bloodline suppression.

No fuss.