Yunyi thought nervously. After being forced to retreat several more steps, she gritted her teeth and said, “Does the Third Young Master know why Caiping suddenly drew a clear line with you, and no matter what you said, she refused to agree, and even refused to become your concubine?”

Li Xuanba’s movements faltered as he said coldly, “It was you?!”

“That’s right, I advised Caiping to leave you. Don’t think I don’t know that young masters like you would never treat Caiping sincerely. You’re just playing around. Once you get tired of the game, you’ll kick her aside!”

Li Xuanba urgently shouted, “Nonsense! I truly love Caiping!”

“Truly?” Yunyi laughed softly, “I’ve seen too much of your so-called sincerity. When you like someone, you speak sweet words sweeter than honey. When you don’t like them anymore, no matter how the woman kneels and begs, you won’t show a trace of attachment. Those with some conscience will still give them a meal, but more often they’re driven out to fend for themselves. Third Young Master, am I right?”

“If I take Caiping as my concubine, I will treat her well for life and never be as you describe!” Li Xuanba, affected by her words, began to show disorder in his techniques.

“Is that so? But it’s useless now. Caiping personally promised me that she would never go with you. Her family is already asking matchmakers to arrange a marriage for her. When Caiping returned home last time, she mentioned a household that was quite good. Though not wealthy, they have modest savings, and most importantly, the man is honest. If nothing unexpected happens, she should be getting engaged today when she returns home.”

Li Xuanba roared, “Don’t try to deceive me! Caiping couldn’t possibly get engaged to someone!”

“This is what Caiping told me personally. How could it be false? It seems the Third Young Master has no chance.” Taking advantage of Li Xuanba’s momentary lapse in concentration, Yunyi rushed forward. By the time Li Xuanba noticed, it was too late. His neck felt cold as the dagger pressed against his throat, and her breath, fragrant as orchids, brushed against his ear, “Move again, and you probably won’t live to see tomorrow’s sun!”

“How despicable of you!” Li Xuanba silently blamed himself for his carelessness in falling for her trick.

“As long as it works.” Saying this, Yunyi took out a thin rope from her bosom and firmly bound Li Xuanba’s hands behind his back, then pushed him into an abandoned house and tied up his feet as well.

After Yunyi stood up, seeing Li Xuanba with his head lowered in silence, she sneered, “Don’t waste your energy. These two ropes are made by twisting together ox tendons, horse manes, and hemp fiber. It’s impossible to break free!”

“You knew I would follow you, so you prepared the ropes beforehand?” Li Xuanba knew Yunyi was telling the truth. No matter how hard he had struggled just now, the rope hadn’t budged at all, instead cutting painfully into his wrists.

Yunyi didn’t answer his question, but instead said, “Yesterday you weren’t acting on impulse at all, but wanted to force me to reveal my martial arts in front of the Second Young Master, right?”

“That’s right, but I didn’t expect you to be so cunning, refusing to reveal any traces even at the moment of life and death.” Speaking with hatred, Li Xuanba said, “Who exactly sent you? Why do you want to kill my father?” He still didn’t know about Li Yuan being suspected by Yang Guang, nor did he know that Li Yuan and his two brothers were already secretly plotting rebellion.

“No one sent me. As for why I want to kill Li Yuan…” Yunyi smiled coldly, “It’s simple—because he deserves to die!”

Li Xuanba gritted his teeth, “My father is diligent in governance and loves the people, treating the citizens of the commandery well. How does he deserve to die?”

Yunyi was momentarily speechless at his question. Yes, except for that dream, except for the surname Li, what crime did Li Yuan have? Perhaps in the hearts of those common people, Father Emperor was the guilty one!

Yunyi shuddered all over. How could she, as Father Emperor’s daughter, think such thoughts? Moreover… Father Emperor’s continuous campaigns were to eliminate border threats. Only when the realm was at peace could the people truly live good lives.

Thinking this way, Yunyi walked to Li Xuanba and stared at him, “Tell me, where is Feng Li?”

Li Xuanba replied without hesitation, “Don’t even think about it! If you have the ability, kill me!”

A trace of murderous intent rose in Yunyi’s brows. Cold light flashed as the dagger pressed against Li Xuanba’s throat. A drop of crimson blood slid down the blade and dripped to the ground, “Do you think I don’t dare?”

Li Xuanba sneered, “You even dared to assassinate my father. What wouldn’t you dare to do? Kill me if you want. If you think you can learn Feng Li’s whereabouts from me, dream on!”

“You!” A fierce light flashed in Yunyi’s eyes. Just as she was about to apply more pressure, she thought of something and a strange smile curved her lips. She withdrew the dagger, “You don’t care about your own life, but surely you care about Caiping’s life?”

Li Xuanba’s expression changed as he urgently asked, “What do you want to do?”

Yunyi smiled slowly, “Killing Li Yuan is troublesome, but killing Jiang Caiping is—child’s play for me!”

For the first time since being captured, Li Xuanba showed panic, “Don’t hurt Caiping! She knows nothing.”

“Then tell me where Feng Li is.” If she didn’t kill Feng Li, once he recovered from his injuries, he would expose her identity to everyone. Then it would truly be a complete failure.

Her words put Li Xuanba in a dilemma. If he allowed her to continue lurking in the residence under Wu Meixue’s identity, Father and Second Brother would surely be harmed by her. But… he couldn’t just watch Caiping be in danger. What should he do?

Yunyi didn’t press him, waiting quietly beside him. Of course, she wouldn’t really harm Caiping, but was merely using this as a means to force Li Xuanba to reveal Feng Li’s location. Before killing Li Yuan, her identity absolutely could not be exposed, and Feng Li was the greatest threat. This person must die!

After a long while, Li Xuanba raised his eyes and said word by word, “If you harm Caiping, even if I die, I will become a vengeful ghost, haunting you daily, making your life worse than death!”

Yunyi’s expression darkened, “So you’re refusing to reveal Feng Li’s location?”

Li Xuanba said heavily, “If Caiping truly dies because of me, I’m willing to pay with my life. But if you want me to stand by and let you harm Father and Second Brother, dream on!”

Yunyi hadn’t expected Li Xuanba to be so stubborn. She was momentarily speechless with anger. At this moment, Li Xuanba, now a prisoner, suddenly began to laugh, laughing so hard that Yunyi felt irritated and shouted, “What are you laughing at?”

Li Xuanba slowly stopped laughing and said coldly, “I’m laughing at my second brother. He wholeheartedly protects you, never knowing that you’re actually the harbinger of doom who wants his life!”

“Initially, when Wang Wei and Gao Junya took a fancy to you and kept pressuring Second Brother to hand you over, Second Brother would rather gamble the entire Li family’s future than give you up. He even argued with Elder Brother repeatedly because of you. And there was the Feng Chunxiu murder case and the matter with your father—which time didn’t Second Brother help you? Yet you repay kindness with enmity. Wu Meixue, has your conscience been eaten by dogs, or…”