Chapter 478: Chapter 173 Don’t Kneel_2
This statement was rather meaningful, and Chang Jin’s heart immediately sank upon hearing it.
As expected, Qi Yutai furrowed his brows, "Doctor Lu, are you implying that I deliberately brought you here to let the tiger-hound attack you?"
"Absolutely ridiculous!"
He sneered, "Not to mention that I have no grudge against Doctor Lu, why would I do such a harmful deed? If this Hanlin Medical Officer claims that a treacherous guard led you away, all who were present at the time can testify. Look carefully, does anyone beside me have the face of that villainous guard?"
There were only a few guards by Qi Yutai’s side, and Lin Danqing scrutinized them closely, only to show a look of disappointment.
The guard who had delivered the message was nowhere to be found.
A hint of triumph flashed in Qi Yutai’s eyes, but then he said angrily, "I don’t know who you all are talking about. Our Qi Family’s reputation is not to be slandered at will! Moreover, even if we disregard this matter, the tiger-hound indeed fell victim to someone’s plot!"
With those words, everyone looked towards the fallen hunting tiger’s body under the tree.
The greyhound’s corpse was turned over, exposing the other side where the flesh was mangled, intestines sprawling open like water from within its belly, and the dog’s head was so damaged there wasn’t a piece of good flesh left, its grim white teeth exposed, somehow looking even more terrifying than when it was alive and vicious.
Qi Yutai’s hunting dog was known to everyone as fierce and untamable, stronger than a grown man, not afraid of leopards or wolves, now to see it dead in such a pitiful state was truly shocking.
Qi Yutai pointed at Lu Tong, "The tiger-hound died by her hand!"
Lu Tong?
Everyone followed the direction of his finger, their gazes filled with doubt.
Could this delicate Medical Officer, who seemed as though a breeze could blow her over, have killed such a fierce and savage hound?
It could have torn her to shreds.
"Is what Yu Tai says true? How could Doctor Lu possibly kill the tiger-hound?" Jin Xianrong spoke up, still somewhat incredulous.
He had encountered the Crown Prince’s horsemen descending from the mountain on the hunting trail, and upon hearing of a sudden tiger appearing in the mountains, he immediately sensed something was wrong. He followed the Crown Prince’s horsemen down the mountain, meeting along the way the Second and Fourth Princes, Minister Yan of the Privy Council, and a host of other officials, who were now gradually gathering around.
Qi Yutai kept a stern face, "Lord Jin, I would not dare to believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes."
That Lu Tong could have killed his tiger-hound!
He still remembered the look in her eyes when she gazed at him: blood-red, chilly, like a wild beast fixing its eyes on prey, laden with murderous intent.
Qi Yutai shivered and suddenly thought occurred to him.
This woman cannot be left alive!
He made a swift decision, swept aside his robe, and knelt down, appealing to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, the tiger-hound was a gift from the Empress Dowager. Yu Tai has raised it with great care, until it reached its current majestic form. Although it’s not human, it understood human nature, was loyal and astute, always by my side. Now, it has met with such a sudden calamity..."
He showed a look of shame, "Yu Tai deserves death for not protecting the tiger-hound properly. I will surely seek punishment from the Empress Dowager for this fault, but as for the destruction of an imperial gift... Doctor Lu also cannot escape her guilt. Please, Your Highness, make a ruling!"
"Ridiculous!"
Before the Crown Prince could speak up, Lin Danqing burst out in anger, "Doctor Lu has already been bitten to this state, grievously wounded and untreated, and yet Young Master Qi still wants to pursue accountability? What sort of justice is that?"
Lu Tong was momentarily taken aback.
She hadn’t expected that at this time, Lin Danqing would risk offending the Qi Family to speak up for her.
But Qi Yutai was adamant, insistently bowing his head, "Please, Your Highness, make a ruling."
Lu Tong had killed his dog, even if it was just a dog, it was the Qi Family’s dog.
The bird hunter got his eyes pecked out by the birds; today, he wanted to avenge Qi Huaying, waiting to see the tiger-hound tear Lu Tong into bloody mud. He hadn’t expected her to survive while the tiger-hound died.
The Qi Family had never suffered such a loss. He wanted this lowly woman to know that even offending a dog of the Qi Family had its price.
He wanted her dead!
The Crown Prince’s position was unstable, the Emperor’s attitude was thought-provoking, and undercurrents surged between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince. Even though he was not attuned to court affairs, he knew that currently, the Crown Prince and the Qi Family were in the same boat. Yuan Zhen would surely stand with him...
If he couldn’t kill her with the tiger-hound, he would use Shengjing’s legal system to kill her. Destroying an imperial gift was a capital offense, punishable by beheading!
All around was an eerie silence.
No one spoke, only the quiet wind carried a sense of slaughter and bloodshed.
Qi Yutai kept his head lowered, his gaze sweeping over the woman beneath the tree.
Lu Tong lay in Lin Danqing’s embrace.
Her robe was stained with blood, her hair disheveled, her face pale as paper, only her lips were brightly red as blood.
No, not like blood, they were indeed blood-stained.
She had bitten down hard on the tiger-hound’s throat, making it impossible for the beast to break free, and ultimately, she used her hairpin to puncture dozens of bloody holes in its body.