He never expected that he would one day own a private zoo, and this put Henry Clark in an excellent mood. He immediately stepped into the garden, planning to properly admire the animals here. As for matters concerning Emily Foster, he had no intention or authority to interfere—after all, Emily Foster was now the one in charge of this household. Emily Foster, who was conversing with the maids and old women, also noticed Henry Clark entering, but she merely glanced up at him indifferently and said nothing. Instead, the maids and old women all bowed to him in greeting.

“Your Highness, you’ve finally come! Please, we beg you to persuade the Princess Consort not to sell all these fierce beasts. It took you so much effort to collect them!” Before Henry Clark could even approach the cages, the person who had been quietly crying while holding a small animal suddenly rushed over on his knees, wailing and crying out to Henry Clark.

“Sell them?” Henry Clark was stunned when he heard this. Only then did he get a good look at this person with a head full of little braids: a face full of wrinkles, dark skin, hair streaked with white, looking to be over sixty years old, with cheeks flushed from the sun. Coupled with his strange hairstyle and clothing, it was clear at a glance that he was not Han Chinese. As for the small animal in his arms, it was a little black dog, not very big, but it seemed to be ill, constantly letting out pained whimpers.

“Get up. Why are the animals here being sold?” Henry Clark asked with a stern face. Just moments ago, he had been delighted at the thought of owning a private zoo, but in the blink of an eye, it was about to be sold off. Henry Clark’s mood instantly turned from sunny to gloomy, and the most crucial point was that Emily Foster hadn’t discussed this with him at all beforehand.

“The household needs to cut expenses, Your Highness, you know this as well. The zoo’s upkeep is too costly, consuming large amounts of meat every day. Besides, it’s too close to the inner quarters, which are full of womenfolk. Hearing the roars and cries of the beasts every day easily frightens them. That’s why I decided to sell the zoo,” Emily Foster answered proactively as soon as Henry Clark finished his question.

“This…” Henry Clark was at a loss for words upon hearing Emily Foster’s reply. Emily Foster had indeed mentioned the need to reduce household expenses, the reason being his own massive debts outside. The household had to tighten its belt. Still, Henry Clark hadn’t expected Emily Foster to act so decisively, selling off such a large zoo without hesitation.

“Martha Hill, I know you’re attached to the zoo and that you’re a long-time member of the household, but the zoo must be sold. In the future, you can help raise livestock at the estate outside the city. You definitely won’t be left out on the streets!” At this point, Emily Foster turned again to address the kneeling foreigner.

Hearing Emily Foster’s words, Martha Hill looked up at Henry Clark’s expression. He finally understood that the Princess Consort was now in charge, and the zoo was doomed. Thinking of all the effort he had poured into the zoo, and how every animal here was like a son to him, yet now he could only watch helplessly as they were sold off, Martha Hill was overcome with grief. He knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his old face, clutching the wailing little black dog even tighter.

Seeing old Martha Hill like this, Henry Clark also felt helpless. It was all because of the huge debts he had incurred outside, so he had no face to ask Emily Foster to keep the zoo. In the end, he could only avert his gaze. But when he looked at the empty ground behind old Martha Hill, his expression changed dramatically, because lying there was a giant beast covered in black fur. At first glance, it looked like a lion or a tiger, but coming from the modern era, Henry Clark recognized it instantly—it was a Tibetan Mastiff. Judging by its stiff body, it had clearly been dead for some time.

Although Henry Clark had never owned a dog in his previous life, he certainly recognized the famous Tibetan Mastiff. Especially in parks and on the streets, it was common to see people walking dogs with gold chains around their necks and leashes in hand, the gold chain and leash complementing each other, looking almost like a pair of brothers.

On the other end of the leash were usually large dogs, and those walking Tibetan Mastiffs were the most impressive. It didn’t matter if the dog was purebred or mixed, as long as it looked like a Tibetan Mastiff. People relied on their dogs for status, and dogs relied on their owners, strutting down the street and scattering pedestrians wherever they went. If they could make a few children cry, that was even more impressive.

Henry Clark quickly walked over to the Tibetan Mastiff, feeling a pang of regret as he looked at the dead dog. This Tibetan Mastiff was even bigger than any he had seen in his previous life, with a pure, glossy coat. Even someone like Henry Clark, who knew little about dogs, could tell at a glance that this was an exceptional breed. If it were in the modern era, it could easily sell for hundreds of thousands.

“Martha Hill, how did this Tibetan Mastiff die?” Henry Clark called out loudly to Martha Hill.

But Martha Hill was stunned when he heard this, and even Emily Foster looked at Henry Clark in surprise. After a moment, Martha Hill finally answered in deep sorrow, “Your Highness, Bóhǔ’er was your most beloved pet. It… it…”

As old Martha Hill spoke, more tears welled up in his cloudy eyes. It was clear that this Tibetan Mastiff was also his favorite. But when it came to the cause of death, he suddenly became hesitant, as if there was something he dared not say.