I am the villain in the book

White gauze curtains surrounded the bed several times, swaying slightly in the breeze. In front of the curtains stood two floor-to-ceiling screens, embroidered with vibrant peony and ruyi flowers.

The sounds of the opera outside had gradually faded, suggesting that the final act was about to end, and it would soon be the newlyweds' turn to appear.

Perhaps Liang Qin was already waiting at the entrance, eagerly and nervously anticipating her wedding ceremony with her Changtian-gege.

“Princess...”

Taking a deep breath, Wei Changtian slowly stepped closer, his expression complex.

“There is something I must clarify with you.”

“The seven experts who escorted you to Shu Province are not actually my subordinates, so it's not that I don't want to help Da Feng, but that I am truly powerless.”

“They will not participate in the war. All I can do is ensure your safety.”

“Princess, do you understand what I'm saying?”

“...”

Li Wutong's shoulders trembled, and she suddenly looked up.

She gazed at Wei Changtian, her eyes filled with indescribable emotions.

“Wei, Young Master Wei, I have never blamed you for anything...”

“You... you were willing to save me, and I am already at a loss for how to repay you...”

“It's just... it's just that I cannot stand by and watch Da Feng perish.”

“Young Master, let me go...”

“...”

“Princess, why would you believe Ning Yongnian's words?”

Looking at the stubborn Li Wutong, Wei Changtian shook his head helplessly.

Although he wasn't entirely clear about Ning Yongnian's motives, he suspected there were two main reasons.

First.

Now that Li Qi was already in Ning Yongnian's hands, obtaining Li Wutong would be equivalent to seizing all of Da Feng's royal bloodline.

At that point, whether it was "rooting out the weeds" or "manipulating from behind the scenes", Ning Yongnian would have no more worries and could greatly reduce the resistance encountered during the process of taking over Da Feng.

Second.

It was to deal with him.

Perhaps from Ning Yongnian's perspective, Li Wutong was his weakness...

“Princess, have you ever considered why Ning Yongnian would make this deal with you?”

Thinking of this, Wei Changtian took another step forward, his tone earnest.

“Furthermore, have you ever considered that if you leave just like that, what is the point of me saving you?”

“And your father, what do you think he would feel if he knew you were willingly walking into the tiger's den?”

“Trading one person for an entire country, if you were Ning Yongnian, would you do such a thing?”

“Princess, why can't you understand such a simple principle?”

“...”

After asking five questions in a row, Wei Changtian's tone was stern, but he could still be considered "persuading" her.

He hoped that Li Wutong could understand this simple scam, but it was clear that no matter how he tried to persuade her, the single-minded Li Wutong wouldn't listen.

Or rather, she actually understood everything, but still foolishly clung to a non-existent sliver of hope.

“I... I just want to try.”

Looking at Wei Changtian with a face full of tears, Li Wutong's voice was extremely weak.

She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, trembling as she said:

“N-now I am the only one who can save Da Feng and Father.”

“S-so no matter how small the hope is, I have to try...”

“Wei, Young Master Wei, if it were you, you would do the same, wouldn't you...”

You would do the same, wouldn't you?

Wei Changtian understood Li Wutong's meaning.

If one day Little Xu, or Wei Xianzhe, Wei Qiaoling, and others were trapped in a deadly situation, and he had to gamble for that last glimmer of hope, he would indeed do so without hesitation.

But...

“I wouldn't.”

Shaking his head, Wei Changtian sighed softly.

“Alas, Princess, I think you still haven't figured it out.”

“If Ning Yongnian really had even the slightest possibility of giving up on Da Feng because of you, I wouldn't stop you.”

“But I can tell you now, the possibility you're imagining does not exist.”

“The situation in Da Feng will not change in the slightest because of you.”

“No, perhaps it will become even worse than it is now.”

“Princess, wake up!”

At the end, Wei Changtian's voice became stern for the first time.

But Li Wutong did not change her mind because of this.

She staggered back another step, her back pressed tightly against the screen, still repeating the same sentence—

“W-what if it's true...”

“...”

This time, Wei Changtian didn't try to persuade her again.

He finally realized that no matter what he said now, Li Wutong wouldn't listen.

Once a person's mind enters a dead end, it is difficult to change it with just a few words from others unless they hit a wall themselves.

Since Li Wutong insisted on flying like a moth to a flame, he could only temporarily restrain her and make plans later.

Thinking of this, Wei Changtian slightly moved his left hand, immediately preparing to step forward and seal Li Wutong's acupoints.

But at this moment, as if she had guessed what he was about to do, Li Wutong unexpectedly pulled out a short dagger from somewhere and pressed it firmly against her neck in the next second.

“D-don't come any closer!”

“Let me go!!”

“Please! Let me go!!”

“Let me go!!”

Her shouts were mixed with sobs and despair. The tip of the dagger pierced her pale skin, and blood instantly gushed out.

“You!”

Wei Changtian clearly hadn't anticipated that things would develop to this extent. His brow furrowed sharply, but he hesitated to move forward.

Although he was already a third-rank expert, his strength was enough to crush Li Wutong.

However, he was not confident that he could restrain her before the dagger pierced her neck.

If the blade moved faster, Li Wutong would definitely die on the spot, without even the chance to use Yunmu Zhi to save her life...

Crimson blood dripped to the ground, and the air between the two seemed to freeze at this moment.

The sounds of the opera outside had completely stopped, and only the two breaths in the room became more and more rapid.

Staring intently at the dagger that was digging deeper and deeper, Wei Changtian only felt an incomparable irritability in his heart.

This was a feeling he had never had before.

Damn it, Ning Yongnian played a brilliant hand!

His sleeves trembled slightly, and his fists clenched tightly.

Then, at a certain moment, Wei Changtian suddenly took a step back.

“Enough!”

“If you really want to go and die so much, then go!”

“I won't stop you!”

Turning around, opening the door.

After saying these words, Wei Changtian didn't hesitate at all and reached out to push the door open abruptly.

Outside the door, Zhang San, who had been guarding the entrance, was slightly raising his arm, obviously just about to knock on the door to remind Wei Changtian that the ceremony was about to begin.

As a result, he didn't expect the latter to come out at this moment.

“Young Master, they are waiting for you in the front yard.”

Bowing slightly, Zhang San hurriedly reminded him, and then the corner of his eye glanced at Li Wutong holding a dagger in the room.

He was stunned for a moment, and quickly asked again: “Young Master, what is this about with Princess Wuping...”

“Don't worry about her!”

Wei Changtian didn't even turn his head, and strode straight towards the front yard.

“Let her go!”