“Don’t… don’t do anything rash. Please, don’t be impulsive,” Cui Yi stammered, trembling as he lay pinned to the ground by the large dog, not daring to move an inch.
Dogs were far more terrifying than humans. At least with people, one could reason or bargain, but with dogs, there was no room for negotiation. If it decided to swipe at his throat with its paw, he would meet an untimely demise!
The more Cui Yi thought about it, the more terrified he became. He could feel the dog’s hot breath on his face, with occasional drops of saliva falling onto him.
“Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!” Unable to bear the pressure any longer, the young master, who had been pampered since childhood, burst into tears.
The initially tense and thrilling scene suddenly turned awkward with his crying.
Many onlookers secretly thought: This powdered pretty boy might act high and mighty when bullying others, but look at him now, such a coward under a dog’s paw. The dog might as well do everyone a favor and get rid of him.
Two middle-aged men had contempt hidden deep in their eyes. To think that the one they served was such a pathetic creature.
However, regardless of their thoughts, if anything happened to Cui Yi under their watch, they would face severe consequences. One of them quietly took out a sleeve crossbow.
This was a forbidden weapon. If discovered, the consequences could be either minor or major, depending on whether someone decides to pursue the matter.
“This is bad,” Jiang Si thought from his high vantage point. His view was much clearer than that of the onlookers on the street, and he immediately spotted the half-concealed crossbow in the man’s sleeve.
Such a ranged weapon posed a significant threat to Erniu.
Jiang Si could no longer remain calm. He turned to go downstairs but then heard a familiar voice: “What are you planning to do to my dog?”
The voice was as clear as mountain streams, devoid of any worldly air. It immediately drew everyone’s attention, and even Cui Yi instinctively raised his head slightly to locate the source of the voice.
Erniu, with one paw pressed against Cui Yi’s face, barked affectionately at the newcomer.
Yu Qi strode over, his gaze cold. “What are you planning to do to my dog?”
Cui Yi, still under the dog’s paw, was ready to pound the ground in frustration. He gritted his teeth and said, “Look clearly! Who’s doing what to whom?”
“Woof!” Erniu barked a warning at Cui Yi.
Cui Yi immediately froze, not daring to move a muscle. He desperately tried to signal his companion, Yang Shengcai, with his eyes.
Yang Shengcai’s mood at this moment was equally complex. This dog was indeed fierce; he had certainly learned something new. Why was the dog he raised as docile as a lamb?
Other people’s dogs…
Yang Shengcai cast an envious glance at the dog’s owner, and his eyes lit up when he saw the man’s appearance. This man was incredibly handsome!
“Is this your dog?” What should have been an arrogant question now came out in a much softer tone.
Cui Yi, still being tormented by the dog’s paw, wanted nothing more than to jump up and kick Yang Shengcai. This bastard’s old habit of being swayed by good looks was acting up again.
“You… you quickly get your dog off me,” Cui Yi called out, softening his tone, knowing he couldn’t rely on his companion and not daring to provoke the large dog.
Yu Qi had already walked up to Cui Yi and was looking down at him.
From Cui Yi’s angle, he could see the cold indifference gathered in the other’s obsidian-like eyes.
That gaze filled this young master, who had grown up treasured like gold and jade, with a sudden, deep sense of shame.
As soon as he was out of this predicament, he would make this guy pay!
“Apologize to my dog,” Yu Qi said.
“What?” Cui Yi thought he had misheard.
Yang Shengcai, who had recovered from his initial amazement, chimed in, “Brother, aren’t you mistaken? It’s you who didn’t control this little beast properly, allowing it to attack my friend. My friend is still pinned down by it, and you’re asking him to apologize for it?”
Yu Qi looked at Yang Shengcai with surprise. “Isn’t disciplining you your father’s responsibility? What does it have to do with me?”
“Disciplining me? What are you talking about—”
Some of the onlookers who caught on couldn’t help but laugh.
As the laughter spread, Yang Shengcai finally understood.
This guy had called him a beast!
“You insolent fool! How dare you insult me!” Yang Shengcai was instantly enraged with embarrassment.
Who was Yang Shengcai? His grandfather was the current Minister of Rites, and his sister was the Crown Princess. He was one of the gilded young masters of the capital. How could he be publicly ridiculed as a little beast?
This could not be tolerated!
Yang Shengcai uncoiled the steel whip from his waist and lashed out at Yu Qi.
Seeing its master being attacked, Erniu remained surprisingly calm, lowering its head to lick Cui Yi’s face a few times.
Cui Yi’s vision blurred, and surprisingly, the one he hated most at this moment wasn’t Yu Qi or the big dog, but Yang Shengcai.
This son of a turtle was going to be the death of him!
The whip struck out at Yu Qi with fierce momentum.
Yu Qi smiled and caught the long whip with his hand.
“Let go!” Yang Shengcai shouted, furious.
“What’s going on here?” A squad of officials finally arrived, fashionably late.
The spectators automatically parted to both sides, secretly sympathizing with Yu Qi.
It would be a shame if such a handsome young man were to be arrested and thrown in jail.
Yang Shengcai suddenly felt emboldened and said angrily, “Are you Five Districts Command just eating for free? A vicious dog attacks people on the main street, and villains commit violence—is this how you maintain order in the capital?”
The lead official raised his sword at Yu Qi and shouted, “Let go!”
Yu Qi flashed a contemptuous smile at Yang Shengcai and tightened his grip.
Yang Shengcai’s anger flared.
This fellow was still defiant in front of the officials!
He instinctively pulled the whip back, but to his surprise, the other party suddenly let go.
The momentum sent Yang Shengcai stumbling back several steps, right into the old bodyguard holding the sleeve crossbow.
The old bodyguard inwardly cursed his bad luck, but before he could hide the crossbow, a black and yellow blur rushed over and bit his wrist.
The sudden pain caused the old bodyguard to loosen his grip, and the sleeve crossbow fell.
Erniu snatched up the crossbow and ran to Yu Qi’s side. Seeing its master give a casual glance to the lead official, the dog seemed to instantly understand its master’s intention. It carried the crossbow to the lead official’s feet and dropped it there.
The lead official was dumbfounded.
Possessing a concealed crossbow was no small offense!
“What are you waiting for? Arrest this man and his dog!” Cui Yi shouted as he got up.
The lead official’s mouth twitched, his eyes fixed uncomfortably on the glaring evidence of the crossbow.
With so many people watching, it didn’t seem easy to show favoritism.
Cui Yi followed the lead official’s gaze and said dismissively, “That’s a weapon my guard uses to protect me. What’s there to look at? Why haven’t you made the arrest yet?”
“Yes, why haven’t you made the arrest, Officer?” Yu Qi calmly looked at the crossbow on the ground. “I don’t believe there’s any law in the Great Zhou Dynasty that allows servants of civil officials’ sons to possess concealed crossbows, is there?”
A bead of cold sweat rolled down the lead official’s forehead.
If it had been a dagger or something similar, it might have been excusable, but a deadly crossbow!
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the lead official discreetly gave Cui Yi a reassuring look. “Young Master Cui, I apologize, but I must take these two into custody.”
He then turned to Yu Qi and said coldly, “Allowing a vicious dog to run amok is a crime of public disturbance. Take this man away, and put his dog to death right here on the street!”