Chapter 21: Won’t Miss A Bite Or Two
Tian Sheng, this despicable turncoat villain, Geng Hao didn’t believe a single word of his promise.
“Pah!”
A mouthful of bloodied spittle spat onto Tian Sheng’s face, Geng Hao bared his bloodied teeth in a grin, “If you’ve got the guts, kill your Geng Grandfather.”
Tian Sheng’s face turned ashen, “Drag him out, chop him up and feed him to the dogs!”
Yang Rang hurriedly stepped forward to drag the man, advising in a low voice: “Lord rarely shows mercy, why throw away your life for that Niu Baoqing?”
“Pah! You’re no good person either!” Geng Hao spat at whoever he saw; anyway, he was going to die, so he’d disgust as many as he could.
Yang Rang’s face darkened as he dodged, yanking Geng Hao by the hair and dragging him outside.
“Let go of me!” Geng Hao struggled fiercely.
He had just been brutally beaten, with many bones in his body broken, and any movement sent piercing pain through him.
He wasn’t willing to endure it silently, his cries of pain growing louder and louder, interspersed with curses at the ancestors of Tian Sheng and Yang Rang, cursing in the filthiest terms.
Yang Rang, furious, punched him in the mouth, knocking out two teeth mixed with blood; only then did Geng Hao reluctantly quiet down.
He secretly prayed, Niu Baoqing, you boy better hide well, don’t come out no matter what.
Dragged all the way to the kennel, Yang Rang ordered in a deep voice, “Bring over those two locked in the cage.”
The servants tending the kennel all turned pale.
Those two dogs had ruined the Young Master’s favorite ball and were punished by the Lord with three days without food; they were starving with drool dripping, eyes glowing green, and had even chewed up two cages.
If brought over… someone sympathetically glanced at the bruised and swollen-faced Geng Hao, as if seeing his fate of being torn apart and devoured by the two dogs.
Geng Hao’s scalp was yanked off in a patch by Yang Rang; he painfully rolled over, baring a provocative grin, “Yang Rang, if you’ve got the guts, kill me.”
“Scared?” Yang Rang wasn’t provoked, sneering, “If you’re scared, tell me Niu Baoqing’s whereabouts, and I’ll give you a quick death.”
Geng Hao clamped his mouth shut; just thinking of being torn apart by dogs while alive made his hands and feet tremble—he cursed himself inwardly for being blinded by money, and cursed Shang Wan for disappearing who-knows-where.
The dog cage was pushed over; sure enough, the two dogs were starving with green light in their eyes, feral instincts fully exposed.
Yang Rang squatted down and forcibly twisted Geng Hao’s evasive head toward the dog cage, “See that? In their eyes, you’re just a piece of fresh meat.”
Geng Hao glanced once and squeezed his eyes shut, even his lips beginning to quiver.
Yang Rang forcibly pried open his eyelids, “Look at their teeth—one bite and they can crunch even bones. Geng Hao, can you take it?”
“Don’t forget, you caught Niu Baoqing’s family and forced him to handle affairs for the Lord. You’re an accomplice; you share blame for the Niu Family’s deaths. He must hate you to the bone—do you really want to die without an intact corpse for someone who hates you to the bone?”
“You’re risking your life for him—don’t think he’ll be grateful; he might even be secretly thrilled. If I were Niu Baoqing, I’d wish you’d drop dead!”
“Shut up!” Geng Hao’s eyes were filled with red veins, his mind in turmoil, wildly wavering.
Yang Rang released his grip and lightly patted his head again and again, “You’re enemies to begin with—why oppose the Lord for an enemy? Tell me, and I’ll plead with the Lord to spare your life.”
Geng Hao was silent for a moment, then stared at him: “I want my life, and money too—one thousand taels, not a single coin less.”
“Good.” Yang Rang nodded crisply, a sly glint flashing in his eyes.
“I’m in too much pain; talking loud is exhausting.” Geng Hao gasped roughly, looking utterly spent, “Come closer, I’ll tell you.”
Most of the injuries on Geng Hao’s body were Yang Rang’s doing; he had no doubts and leaned his ear close.
“Niu Baoqing is at…” Geng Hao’s voice grew quieter; Yang Rang leaned closer to hear clearly until sharp pain hit his ear.
“Ah!”
“Pah!” Geng Hao spat out the small chunk of ear flesh from his mouth, “Grandfather won’t fall for your second trick!”
Blood streamed down his cheek; Yang Rang’s half-face twitched in pain, and he roared furiously, “Release the dogs! Tear him apart!”
Servants stepped forward to pull the latch off the dog cage door; everyone hastily retreated from the courtyard and shut the courtyard gate.
Yang Rang stood on the wall, gazing ruthlessly at Geng Hao in the courtyard.
Only seeing Geng Hao die without an intact corpse would assuage his hatred for his mangled ear!
The starving dogs shoved open the cage door and emerged, drool dripping from their mouths, beastly eyes locking onto the only living thing in the courtyard, approaching step by step.
Geng Hao painfully dragged his body backward, cursing as he scooted, his heart pounding as if to burst from his chest, gradually short of breath.
With all his strength dodging the pounce, Geng Hao had no time to catch his breath before the other hound lunged at him too.
Geng Hao truly had no strength left to dodge; he stared wide-eyed as the starving dog’s fangs drew nearer, nearer…
My life is over!
“Woof!”
The expected pain didn’t come; Geng Hao snapped his eyes open, and the moment he saw Shang Wan’s back, tears streamed down.
“Why’d you take so long to come?”
He felt wronged, he felt awful, wuwuwu, he wouldn’t dare do bad things again!
“I didn’t expect you two couldn’t even hide for two days.” Shang Wan’s tone was utterly disdainful.
Geng Hao: “…”
If you can’t speak human, then don’t!
“Big man, why cry? You’re not dead, are you?” Shang Wan tossed the carried Niu Baoqing next to Geng Hao, “Both of you stay put; leave it to me.”
The two nodded obediently, watching Shang Wan beat down the surging guards, including Yang Rang, like chopping vegetables.
As for those two starving dogs, after one kick from Shang Wan, they tucked their tails and fled to the corner.
Shang Wan turned and crooked her fingers at the two, “Come here.”
The two starving dogs approached her like tame rabbits, wagging their tails frantically to fawn.
“Bite him.” Shang Wan pointed at Yang Rang.
Yang Rang’s eyelid twitched, and he threatened harshly: “Dare touch me, and the Lord won’t let you go!”
Shang Wan curled her lip; she’d already beaten him— what difference would one or two bites make?
The two starving dogs lunged at Yang Rang together.
Yang Rang’s legs had been broken by Shang Wan; he couldn’t flee even if he wanted to, and soon the courtyard echoed with his shrill screams.
Everyone was scared into swallowing hard; the timid ones had already plugged their ears.
The screams drew patrolling guards, who gaped in shock at the horrifying scene in the courtyard.
“Help… me…” Yang Rang called weakly for help.
“Steward Yang!” The guard captain recognized the torn man’s face, shuddered, and hurriedly rushed in with his men.
Shang Wan flashed forward to block them; before the guards could react, her figure was like a phantom—the guard captain hadn’t even seen her face clearly before he was beaten down.
Shang Wan scanned them, her face showing disdain, “Tch, not a single one who can fight.”
Everyone: “…”
Seeing Yang Rang had hardly any good flesh left, Shang Wan shut the two ferocious hounds back in the cage.
Tian Sheng heard something happened at the kennel and hurriedly gathered men to rush over.
Shang Wan’s leisure contrasted sharply with the courtyard’s misery; Tian Sheng’s eyes bulged in rage, roaring, “Men, kill this woman for this official!”
“I see who dares!”
