Her fingers brushed across the extremely sharp blade edge as she said indifferently, “There’s no need for such trouble. I expect before Li Jiancheng returns, I’ll be able to find an opportunity to kill Li Yuan and his sons!” When she spoke the last four words, Yunyi felt a hidden pain in her chest. Li Shimin…

Li Xuanba felt chills running down his spine. Was there… really no way? No, he must stop this from happening. He absolutely could not let her harm Father and Second Brother. He must!

He thought nervously, unable to understand how Yunyi could know about Ajin. He had clearly never mentioned it to anyone, not even Father and Second Brother knew about it. How did she find out? Could Ajin have come to the Governor’s residence again? As soon as this thought arose, he dismissed it. When he went to see Feng Li yesterday, he had specifically instructed Ajin never to come to the Governor’s residence again. He couldn’t possibly disobey.

The Governor’s residence… A flash of inspiration struck his mind. Li Xuanba blurted out, “The guards! The guards told you, didn’t they?!” Seeing Yunyi purse her lips and remain silent, he knew he had guessed correctly. His heart immediately felt relieved, and he threw back his head and laughed loudly. Halfway through his laughter, it stopped abruptly, because that snake-like coldness once again coiled around his neck. “After I chop off your ten fingers one by one, let’s see if the Third Young Master can still laugh!”

Li Xuanba spat on the ground and said sinisterly, “If you kill me today, so be it. Otherwise, in the future, I will repay you a hundredfold!”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have that chance!” As she spoke, Yunyi had already moved behind him, staring at Li Xuanba’s fingers that had turned white from poor blood circulation. The hand holding the dagger trembled slightly. With this strike, she would truly never be able to turn back. But… when had she ever had a chance to turn back?

The Li family was a threat to Father Emperor, a calamity for the Great Sui Dynasty. As Father Emperor’s daughter, she must eliminate the Li family!

Thinking this, she steeled her heart and forcefully slashed toward Li Xuanba’s left little finger. Just as the little finger was about to be severed, Li Xuanba suddenly made his move, backing into Yunyi and slamming her hard against the wall. The dagger in her hand was firmly gripped in Li Xuanba’s palm, blood dripping drop by drop from his hand. Enduring the almost bone-cutting agony, he used the blade to cut the ropes binding his wrists!

Discovering his intention, Yunyi immediately tried to pull back her hand, but Li Xuanba pressed too tightly, and she couldn’t exert any strength with both hands. She could only say, “Aren’t you afraid of ruining both your hands?”

“Never mind ruining my hands—even if I die, I must kill you first!” As he spoke, the rope that he had spent an entire night trying to wear down but couldn’t break was finally cut through. Once there was a gap, the rest immediately loosened. Ignoring the deep, bone-visible wounds on both hands, he forcibly seized the blade and thrust it toward Yunyi. She hurriedly dodged, followed by several more strikes, each one deadly, giving her no chance to catch her breath!

Although Yunyi tried her best to dodge, a wound still appeared on her arm, and several strands of hair at her temples were also cut off. Taking advantage of a crouching position, she forcefully kicked Li Xuanba’s legs that were still bound with rope, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Before Yunyi could breathe a sigh of relief, Li Xuanba had already tripped her to the ground as well, simultaneously gripping the dagger and thrusting it toward her face. Yunyi urgently grabbed his wrist!

Although Li Xuanba had gone without food and water for a day and night, his strength was still greater than Yunyi’s. The dagger slowly approached Yunyi, and her situation was becoming critical!

Yunyi’s eyes suddenly turned cold. The hand that had been gripping Li Xuanba’s wrist suddenly released, and at the same time she moved her head to the side, causing the dagger to barely graze past her ear and pierce into the ground!

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yunyi hurriedly rushed over to grab the dagger. Although Li Xuanba was momentarily dazed, he quickly came to his senses and gripped the dagger tightly. The two struggled for it, neither willing to let go, reaching a stalemate. A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Li Xuanba’s eyes as he forcefully swung, causing Yunyi’s back to slam hard against the wall. Then, taking advantage of her moment of pain, he quickly gripped the remaining handle and thrust toward Yunyi. At the critical moment, she grabbed Li Xuanba’s wrist and forcibly changed its direction, causing the blade to thrust upward.

When Li Xuanba realized something was wrong, he could no longer stop the force in his hand. The dagger pierced straight up from under his jaw, penetrating to the hilt!

Everything became still in this moment. Li Xuanba’s eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. This strike was clearly meant for Yunyi—why… had it ended up piercing himself instead!

Yunyi stared at all this in a daze. She had originally only wanted to avoid that strike. Who knew that the change in direction would cost Li Xuanba his life? She knew Li Xuanba had to die, but she… wasn’t prepared to kill Li Xuanba at this moment. Moreover… Feng Li’s whereabouts were still unknown!

Li Xuanba struggled to say something but couldn’t open his mouth. Only blood continuously flowed from the corners of his mouth. The blade had completely pinned his upper and lower jaws together, even piercing straight into his brain!

Li Xuanba fell backward, crashing heavily to the ground, stirring up countless tiny particles of dust that floated in the sunless room. Yunyi came to her senses and rushed over urgently, shouting sternly, “Tell me where Feng Li is! Tell me!” Li Xuanba was the only lead—with his death, she had completely lost all traces of Feng Li.

Li Xuanba stared at her. After a long while, a trace of a smile appeared on his lips that could no longer speak. This was good—at least this way, this woman would have no chance to find Feng Li and Father could see through her conspiracy. It was just that he would never again… see Father, Elder Brother, Second Brother, and Caiping. He really wanted… really wanted to see them one more time!

Caiping, I’m sorry. I can’t marry you as my legitimate wife anymore, even though… I wanted to so, so much.

In his blurred vision, he seemed to see the late Lady Dou. He struggled to reach out his hand… Mother, have you come to take me? I can finally… finally see you again. How wonderful!

The next moment, the hand extended in mid-air fell limply to the ground, and the last breath dissipated from Li Xuanba’s nostrils!

Yunyi forcefully slapped Li Xuanba’s cheeks, shouting sternly, “You’re not allowed to die! Do you hear me? Tell me, where exactly is Feng Li? Who is that Ajin? Speak!”

No one answered her, because apart from her, there was only a corpse in this place, and the latter, undoubtedly, could not speak.

After a long while, Yunyi finally accepted the fact that Li Xuanba was dead. Her mind blank, she sat on the ground. She had once sworn to kill all of Li Yuan’s sons to avenge Moping, but when Li Xuanba actually died by her hand, not only did she feel no satisfaction whatsoever, she kept thinking of Li Shimin and Jiang Caiping instead. If they knew Li Xuanba was dead, they would surely be heartbroken!

Why? Why had things turned out this way? She had come to eliminate a major threat for Father Emperor, but… first Moping died, then she formed bonds with the people here, even with Li Shimin.

She silently looked at her hands covered in blood. The next time, when she truly had a chance to kill Li Yuan and Li Shimin, would she… really be able to steel her heart? She didn’t know, truly didn’t know!