I am sorry for the long gap but we have started having online classes here (I don't know if any of you have) and that's made it a bit hard to update. I will be trying to update more often but I can't make promises. Hopefully one chapter in a week...
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Minister Li's POV
I forced my anger inside and left the rundown courtyard with the seventh prince and Li Juan following behind me. We walked into the vestibule (an entrance hall-like living room) and waited for the seventh prince to take a seat before following suit. I motioned for all the servants to leave so that we could talk in private.
(A/N: Above is a picture that should give you an idea of what the hall looks like... Only in this story, the father and seventh prince sit right at the front, while the daughter stands in front of them. The remaining seats are left empty.)
Li Juan (angry): Why did you stop me, father??!!! She threw it away!!!
Me (snapping at her): And let you foolishly spill the truth about the crown? You have no control over your actions. Your recklessness could have destroyed our plans!
Wan QinZheng (worriedly): You don't actually think that she threw it away, do you? Whoever holds that crown can be the next empress and even has the power to choose the next emperor among the princes. I only agreed to the engagement because I found out that Father would give her the crown as a betrothal gift! You were supposed to retrieve it along with the other gifts!
The Phoenix crown has been worn by each generation of empresses on their wedding day. This tradition started with the 30th king, who decided to choose the empress' successor, bestowed the crown on her, and allowed her to choose her husband from among the princes and thereby choose the emperor. This avoided any accusations of being unfair or biased. Usually, there would have been a selection, which was where one of my daughters was meant to win the crown, but who would have expected the king to take out the crown and give it directly as a betrothal gift?
I rubbed my forehead as my head started to ache. As long as we had that crown, our plans could have been initiated. It doesn't help that I swore alliance to this stupid seventh prince and am working with him to get him the throne; if the king finds out, I'd lose my life. If it weren't for that bitch, Li Qiang, I would have gotten my hands on the Phoenix crown by now! She not only got it before I could but even hid it somewhere. And now her daughter threw it off because she thought it was useless. That bitch and her offspring will be the death of me!
But... what if?
"What if she didn't actually throw it?" But she's hidden it somewhere?"
Wan QinZheng, picking up on what I was suggesting, raised his head with a questioning look. "You mean she knows about its worth?"
Me: I don't think so... She didn't seem to know much about it. Maybe she's just acting out for what you did to her... She knows you want it and is using it as revenge.
Li Juan (angrily): That bitch!!! How dare she fool us? I'll go and whip the truth out of her!
Me (shouting): Stop right there! Whose fault do you think this all is? You should have found the truth about the matter before playing her and throwing her off like that! It's your stupid plan that resulted in this problem!
Li Juan (scared): But father, you...
Me: Silence!!! You will not cause her any trouble until we know if she has it or not! I will send some secret guards to check her room for it when she sleeps. Remember what I said, Juan. You are not to mess with her for now...
Li Juan (timidly): I understand, father...
Wang QinZheng (sighing): I need to go now... I can't stay too long and let my father be suspicious...
Me: I'll be sure to send you word as soon as I can, my prince... Li Juan, send the prince off...
As I watched my daughter and the prince walk out, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made the right choice. Was it right to side with the seventh prince? He doesn't seem too smart or trustworthy...
The door opened and I looked up to see my first daughter, Li Lien, walk in with her main maid, who was holding a pot and a cup. She smiled sweetly and said, "Your daughter guessed that father might be tired and bought some tea to calm his mind." She picked up the pot, gracefully poured a cup of tea, and handed it to me, which I accepted gratefully.
Li Lien was my pride. She was the smartest of all my daughters and the disciple of a famous alchemist. She was only seventeen. Whereas my other daughters, who were fourteen (fifth daughter), sixteen (second and third daughter), and fifteen (fourth daughter), are nothing special or completely useless... The only one I can rely on is Li Lien.
Even though she is of marriageable age, she yearns for the third prince, and as soon as he returns, I plan to ask the king for his blessing to wed them off. At least then, I will also have the support of the third prince and his army.
Me (sighing): Ah Xiao Lien, I was just wondering if I made a mistake choosing to side with Wang QinZheng...
(A/N: Chinese people usually add Xiao (小) in front of one's name to close friends or family members... (Somewhat similar to the Japanese '-chan' and '-kun'...))
Li Lien (coming behind and massaging the shoulders): Father, personally, I feel that the seventh prince is not worthy of us standing by him. The only way he can ever be king is if he has the crown in his hand. I feel that you are better off siding with one of the other, more reliable princes...
Me (sighing): Yes but your sister says she threw it away...
Li Lien: And what do you think, father?
Me: I don't know what to think... She could have hidden it somewhere but the possibility that she actually threw it still exists. I will be sending my secret guards to check her room while she sleeps. And maybe have some servants hunt for it among the trash.
Li Lien: And if nothing turns up, you could always turn to the support of the third prince, your future son-in-law...
Me (sighing as I kept down my empty tea cup): I guess you are right...
Third Person's POV
In the darkness of the night, five shadows flew from tree to tree and into the Willow Residence. The two maids had heeded their master's word and had turned in for the night and there wasn't a single soul in the courtyard.
The main guards signaled for the others to head to the many rooms and search for the object they were seeking. One entered the maids' quarters, another two went from room to room, and the last looked through the garden for any place that had been disturbed in any way...
The main guard silently jumped through an open window and into the room where the fifth miss was fast asleep. He got to work as soon as he placed a small piece of cloth right under the nose of the sleeping girl. He started opening cupboards and drawers, searching under the beds, behind paintings, and even hunting for false compartments. He didn't leave even a single corner unturned and yet he could not find the object anywhere. Hearing the girl stir in her sleep, he quickly looked at her before jumping out of the room and meeting up with the other guards. Nothing...
Together, they left the way they came, unseen and unheard by anyone, leaving behind no evidence of their visit or search. They landed at their lord's residence and informed him about their failure to find the object. A crash was heard as the paranoid minister overturned a table in his anger.
Back at the willow residence, Li Yǔ opened her eyes and rose from her bed with a smirk on her face. She had expected their arrival and had already considered that they'd try to drug her and had taken an antidote ahead of time... She watched silently as the man went through her room and even considered killing all five of them but then she thought it would be better if the news went back to her dear father after all.
Li Yǔ (smiling): You must be feeling so annoyed right now, mustn't you? But don't worry, my dear father; this is not even the tip of the iceberg... I have a lot in store for this house. And let's not forget the seventh prince too...