Tian Baoci was seeing stars from Xiao Jingzhao’s slap. Only now did he realize—something was very wrong.
But it was too late.
Xiao Jingzhao gave him a fierce kick and roared, “You b*stard! What’s the meaning of all the corpses in your dog yard?!”
He didn’t even need to ask. He already had his suspicions.
Tian Baoci had always been cruel. He valued dogs far more than human life.
His dogs had killed people before.
But Duke Chengen’s household had always paid blood money to settle things, pushing the blame onto servants who would confess in their place.
But no one had expected that this b*stard had gone even further.
Qi Zhen and the Old Marquis Qi had also now understood Qi Yuan’s true purpose.
No wonder.
No wonder Qi Yuan had insisted on a dogfight with Tian Baoci, and had made no demands, letting Tian Baoci decide the time, place, and rules.
Qi Yuan had calculated it all from the start.
Even so, Qi Zhen was still stunned.
Treating people as less than dogs was already outrageous—but to go so far as to feed people to dogs?
No wonder those dogs were all so well-fed, gleaming with health, and brutally ferocious.
It was because Tian Baoci had raised them on human flesh.
Qi Zhen muttered under his breath, “Father, that b*stard deserves a thousand deaths.”
The Old Marquis snorted, his face just as grim. “You think Yuan’er plans to let him live?”
With Qi Yuan’s nature, the fact that she didn’t kill Tian Baoci on the spot was already unusual. And agreeing to a dogfight? That had never been her goal. He should have known—Qi Yuan wasn’t content with merely killing him.
While everyone else was crying for Tian Baoci’s head, Feng Caiwei looked absolutely mortified.
That b*tch Qi Yuan!
She had originally planned to pit Tian Baoci and Qi Yuan against each other, letting them tear each other apart. No matter who won, Qi Yuan would end up in endless trouble.
But things hadn’t gone as planned.
That idiot Tian Baoci!
And now she was supposed to count on Duke Chengen’s household to deal with Qi Yuan?
They’d be lucky just to survive this disaster.
Meanwhile, packs of dogs were still running wild.
These dogs were usually fed on live prey to keep their savage instincts sharp. Now unleashed, they were completely uncontrollable, darting about everywhere.
Some young nobles were already screaming in pain from bites.
The prefect of Tongzhou arrived and was stunned speechless by the sight, unsure what to do.
It was Xiao Jingzhao who finally shouted, “What are you waiting for?! Ma Wenxuan, why haven’t your men rounded up the dogs?! Evacuate the people, now!”
Ma Wenxuan finally realized even Nanan County Prince was here. He was so terrified he hiccupped, then scrambled to respond, rushing to order his men to disperse the crowd and catch the dogs.
The scene was pure chaos. Many were injured—some from dog bites, others from falling as they fled, and even more from being trampled.
Cries, screams, barking—all echoed through the villa in a horrifying cacophony.
Ma Wenxuan stared in disbelief at the madness, then turned to gape at Tian Baoci.
How could one person cause such a catastrophe?
He’d been prefect of Tongzhou for three years, and his promotion was just around the corner—once he passed the Ministry of Personnel’s review. But now?
It was all ruined.
By the dog yard, Qi Yuan had already walked up. A blood-eyed dog, driven into a frenzy, lunged at her—she swung her stick and slammed it right on the nose.
The dog yelped in pain and collapsed, unmoving.
Tian Baoci’s right eyelid twitched violently—this woman… she knew how to handle dogs.
She even knew a dog’s weakness was its nose!
So when she said he didn’t even know how to pick dogs—she truly meant it.
With that realization, Tian Baoci finally understood.
He had been completely played by Qi Yuan!
The dog yard was vast. Qi Yuan whistled, and the spotted dog limped back to her side.
It was badly injured, wounds all over its body, but still full of fight—still baring its teeth at another dog, poised to strike.
The other dog stared at it, then tucked its tail and slunk away.
Qi Yuan reached out to pat its head, then casually swept her gaze over the crowd.
Feng Caiwei was looking at her too, and the moment their eyes met, a chill went down her spine. She cursed silently.
Qi Yuan curled her lips and tapped the dog’s head. The spotted dog suddenly took off—heading straight for Feng Caiwei.
Seeing the dog come at her, Feng Caiwei screamed, clutching Xiuyi’s hand in terror: “Kill it! Kill it!”
It was coming for her!
Qi Yuan knew!
She knew Feng Caiwei was the one who had been manipulating things from the shadows?!
No, no, no!
How could Qi Yuan know?
She must be doing this on purpose—just venting, trying to make her suffer!
That b*tch!
Xiuyi was also terrified and grabbed Feng Caiwei’s arm to try and flee with her.
But Feng Caiwei, afraid of being recognized, had deliberately hidden herself in the crowd. After all the commotion, she’d moved to a corner with the fewest dogs.
Now that she wanted to escape—she had nowhere to go.
How could a person outrun a dog?
Worse, as the spotted dog charged at her, the other dogs suddenly followed suit for no clear reason—all barreling toward her.
Feng Caiwei’s legs went weak with fear. When she heard the dogs barking right behind her, she tripped and fell hard to the ground.
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow and sneered, but then whistled again.
The spotted dog stopped. It paced around Feng Caiwei, hesitating, the smell of blood and saliva wafting into Feng Caiwei’s nostrils—she almost vomited.
Her face was deathly pale. She didn’t dare breathe or make a sound, her whole body trembling.
After what felt like forever, the spotted dog sniffed her face.
Feng Caiwei nearly fainted—only sheer willpower kept her from screaming.
Then the dog turned and trotted off.
Only then did Feng Caiwei burst into sobs.
No sooner had she started crying than Xiuyi shouted in panic, “Miss, get up! Run!”
She grabbed Feng Caiwei’s wrist and yanked her upright.
Before Feng Caiwei could even process what was happening, agony shot through her lower leg.
She looked down—a thin hound had clamped its jaws around her leg.
She screamed in terror, kicking frantically with her other foot to drive the dog off.
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