Chapter 8, Beast Park Duel
Before him was a large courtyard, filled with numerous iron cages containing fierce beasts such as tigers and leopards. The roar he had just heard came from these animals. As Zhao Yan entered, he was immediately struck by an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of the smells found in modern zoos.
What happened to this puppy?" Zhao Yan asked again at that moment
Rest assured, Your Highness, Bo Hu'er has always been well-behaved; he is just a bit mischievous at times and enjoys playing pranks on people. It is only by accident that he might hurt someone, but he has never caused any fatalities!" Old Su Ma, who was nearby, hurriedly interjected to defend his beloved dog upon hearing Zhao Yan refer to Bo Hu'er as a vicious dog.
As long as no lives were lost! Zhao Yan finally felt relieved at this moment. Although he was not a kind person and would seek revenge on those who provoked him, this did not extend to the innocent civilians who had not wronged him.
Cough, cough... which... um... since it is a vicious dog and has already harmed people, it is not a pity if it dies. By the way, this dog has never killed anyone, right?" Zhao Yan shamelessly shifted all the blame onto the dog, and then expressed some concern, as he was genuinely afraid that the previous Zhao Yan had left him with a few murder charges.
In the end, Lao Suma cried even more sorrowfully, as if he had lost a son. He is not Han; to be precise, he has only half Han ancestry, while the other half is of Tibetan descent. Moreover, he grew up in Tibet with his Tibetan mother, which has fostered a deep affection for Tibetan mastiffs. Bo Hu'er, in particular, was raised by him, and now having killed Bo Hu'er with his own hands, the pain in his heart is unimaginable
However, upon hearing this, Suma was taken aback, and even Cao Ying, who was beside her, looked at Zhao Yan with some surprise. After a moment, Suma finally responded with great sorrow: "Your Highness, Bo Hu'er is your most beloved pet, it... it is..."
Not having imagined that he could also possess a private zoo, Zhao Yan felt a surge of joy. He stepped into the garden, intending to thoroughly appreciate the animals here. As for the matters concerning Cao Ying, he had no desire to involve himself, nor did he have the authority to do so; after all, this household was currently under Cao Ying's control. Cao Ying, who was conversing with her maids, also noticed Zhao Yan entering. However, she merely glanced at him indifferently without saying anything, while the several maids bowed to him in unison.
"Sold?" Zhao Yan was taken aback upon hearing this. Only then did he clearly see the appearance of this fellow with a head full of small braids. The other party had a face full of wrinkles, dark skin, and a head of gray hair, looking to be in his sixties. His cheeks were noticeably sunburned, and combined with his peculiar hairstyle and attire, it was evident that he was not Han Chinese. As for the small animal in his arms, it was a small black dog, which seemed to be ill, continuously whimpering in pain.
Cao Ying's repeated covert sarcasm made Zhao Yan somewhat angry. She shot her a glare and snatched the puppy from Lao Su Ma's arms, coldly huffing, "This is still a life after all. I am not as cold-blooded as some women. I must save it today!"
"Suma, I know you have feelings for the zoo, and you are also an elder in the royal residence. However, the zoo will definitely be sold. In the future, you can go to the village outside the city to help raise some livestock. I assure you, you will not be left to wander the streets!" At this moment, Cao Ying turned again to the Hu person kneeling on the ground.
Zhao Yan knew that some nobles in ancient times liked to keep ferocious beasts, such as the nobles of the Tang Dynasty who favored leopards, and it is likely that the nobles of the Song Dynasty were similar. The place before him, resembling a private zoo, was very likely where Zhao Yan kept these ferocious beasts. It was unexpected that Zhao Yan had such a hobby in the past. However, to raise so many animals, with at least four or five tigers alone, the daily expenses must have been considerable. Moreover, this was merely a glimpse into Zhao Yan's extravagant lifestyle, which explains why he had to borrow so much money from outside.
At the end, Lao Suma's murky eyes shed more tears. It was evident that this Tibetan mastiff was certainly his favorite. However, when it came to discussing the cause of the mastiff's death, he suddenly became hesitant, as if there were words he dared not speak.
This dog was poisoned by someone I instructed! At this moment, Cao Ying took over Su Ma's words and spoke, her gaze sweeping over the dead Tibetan mastiff, revealing a hint of disgust.
Upon hearing Cao Ying's words, Zhao Yan broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead, and his expression became even more awkward. A dog is still a dog, no matter how fierce it may be; the key factor lies with the dog's owner. Although Cao Ying appeared to be scolding the dog, she was actually criticizing Zhao Yan, the owner, for being so detestable. Even though these matters were caused by the previous Zhao Yan, the current Zhao Yan found himself unable to defend himself.
What are we waiting for? Hurry up and find a veterinarian to take a look at it! Zhao Yan felt pity for Old Su Ma who was crying, but on the other hand, she felt even more sorry for Bo Hu Er, who had to follow an unscrupulous owner and ended up with a lifetime of infamy. In the end, not only was it poisoned to death, but its descendants were also implicated.
Although Zhao Yan from later generations has never raised a dog, he is still familiar with the renowned Tibetan Mastiff, especially in parks and on streets, where one often sees individuals walking their dogs, adorned with golden chains around their necks and holding leashes in their hands. The golden chains and dog leashes complement each other, giving the impression at first glance that they are like brothers.
Hmph, Your Highness the Prince is indeed forgetful. If you do not understand, you may send someone to inquire on the streets of Tokyo to see how many people have been bitten by this dog, and how many people wish they could flay this dog alive. Cao Ying responded angrily, recalling that Zhao Yan's favorite pastime was to stroll through the streets with this large dog named Bo Huer. This fierce dog, gifted by the Tubo, often attacked people, and many had been bitten by it. Zhao Yan not only ignored this but would also cheer and laugh beside it. It can be said that half of Zhao Yan's notorious reputation stemmed from this vicious dog.
In a vacant area at the entrance of the courtyard, Cao Ying was conversing with several maids and servants. Not far from them, outside a cage, a person with a head full of small braids was quietly crying while holding a small animal in his arms. The small animal occasionally emitted whimpering sounds, seemingly in great pain
"Suma, how did this Tibetan mastiff die?" Zhao Yan asked Suma loudly.
"Why are the animals here being sold?" Zhao Yan asked with a serious expression. Just a moment ago, he was pleased to have his own private zoo, but in the blink of an eye, it was about to be sold. This sudden change made Zhao Yan's mood shift from sunny to gloomy, and the most critical point was that Cao Ying had not discussed this matter with him beforehand.
At that moment, the little dog in Old Suma's arms let out another painful whimper, its eyes barely opening a slit, revealing a pitiful expression.
Upon hearing Zhao Yan inquire about the puppy in his arms, Old Su Ma immediately began to weep once more, saying: "Your Highness, I must report that it is entirely my fault for being careless. When Bo Hu'er left today, I wanted to treat him to a good meal, so I mixed poison into the egg whites for him to eat. As a result, after Bo Hu'er died, I was so consumed by grief that I neglected to clean up. Recently, a litter of puppies was born, and they all consumed the remaining poison. The other puppies ate it earlier and have all died, leaving only this one still alive, but it seems it won't last much longer. Moreover, this litter of puppies are all Bo Hu'er's offspring. It is pitiful that after Bo Hu'er died, he left no descendants behind. I am truly sorry for him!"
Upon hearing Cao Ying's response, Zhao Yan was momentarily at a loss for words. It was true that Cao Ying had mentioned the need to reduce expenses in the residence, citing the reason that she had incurred too much external debt and thus needed to tighten the family's financial belt. However, Zhao Yan did not expect Cao Ying to be so decisive, selling off such a large beast park at a moment's notice.
Why? Zhao Yan asked loudly, very angry. If this Tibetan mastiff had died of illness, it would be one thing, but now it turns out that it was poisoned to death by Cao Ying, which left Zhao Yan perplexed. After all, no matter how one looks at it, this Tibetan mastiff was a life, and he did not want to live with a woman who does not respect life
The other end of the dog leash is mostly held by large dogs, among which those walking Tibetan Mastiffs are the most prestigious. It does not matter whether they are purebred or mixed; as long as they resemble a Tibetan Mastiff, it suffices. People rely on their dogs for power, and dogs rely on their owners for authority, dominating the streets and causing pedestrians to scatter in fear wherever they go. If they can scare some small children to tears, that would be even more impressive
The royal residence intends to reduce expenditures, and Your Highness is aware of this matter. The expenses of the beast garden are excessively high, consuming a large amount of meat daily. Moreover, it is situated too close to the inner residence, which is inhabited by women. The daily sounds of the beasts can easily frighten them, which is why I have decided to sell the beast garden. As soon as Zhao Yan posed the question, Cao Ying beside her took the initiative to respond.
"Useless, old Suma was originally a decent veterinarian, and this dog has ingested arsenic. It has been almost two hours now, and the poison has already affected its internal organs. Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would be unable to save it. However, this is for the best; with such a vicious dog gone, certain individuals will also receive less blame!" Cao Ying said casually at this moment.
"Duke, you have finally arrived. I implore you and *Tu* to quickly persuade the princess; she must not sell these fierce beasts. These are all collected with great difficulty by you!" Before Zhao Yan could approach those cages, the person holding the small animal suddenly knelt and ran over, crying out in anguish towards Zhao Yan.
Upon hearing Cao Ying's words, Suma raised his head to look at Zhao Yan's expression, which made him finally understand that the Wangfu was now under the control of the Wangfei. The beast park was certainly doomed. Thinking of the countless efforts he had invested in this beast park, every animal here was like a son to him, yet now he could only watch helplessly as they were sold off. This thought brought Suma to tears, and he knelt on the ground, weeping profusely, while tightly holding the wailing little black dog in his arms. Every animal here was like a son to him, yet now he could only watch helplessly as they were sold off. This thought brought Suma to tears, and he knelt on the ground, weeping profusely, while tightly holding the wailing little black dog in his arms.
After Zhao Yan finished speaking, he turned and left the beast park. Cao Ying, watching his retreating figure, revealed a disdainful smile. She did not believe Zhao Yan's final words at all; arsenic is a highly toxic substance. After ingesting it, within two hours, not to mention a small dog, even a tiger would not survive.
Seeing the appearance of Old Suma, Zhao Yan felt quite helpless. This was all due to the enormous debts he had incurred outside, which left him with no face to ask Cao Ying to keep the beast park. In the end, he had no choice but to turn his gaze elsewhere. However, when he saw the empty space behind Old Suma, his expression changed drastically, for lying in the open was a giant beast covered in black fur. At first glance, it resembled both a lion and a tiger, but Zhao Yan, who came from a later time, recognized it at once. This creature was actually a Tibetan mastiff, but judging by its stiff body, it had clearly been dead for quite some time.
Zhao Yan quickly walked to the side of the deceased Tibetan mastiff, lamenting its loss. This Tibetan mastiff was larger than any he had seen in his previous life, and its coat was pure and glossy. Even Zhao Yan, who was not knowledgeable about dogs, could tell at a glance that this mastiff was of exceptional breed. If it were in the future, selling it for over 100,000 would definitely not be a problem