Reincarnation to the Past

Chapter 11

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...