"No, no. I can't get Lord Zhang in trouble. I must speak to the County Magistrate and clear this up."
Fang Yue sneered. This man was making all sorts of excuses, claiming he was trying to cover for him.
'But what he really wants is probably to stop me from collecting the Martial Scholar's stipend and Secret Medicine.'
'In that case, my share must have been fraudulently claimed by this Zhang Jiu, or maybe someone else.'
'Otherwise, why would he be acting this way?'
'He should just be doing his job and following procedure.'
'Acting like this just proves he has a guilty conscience.'
Sure enough, Fang Yue remained firm.
Zhang Jiu grew even more frantic and grabbed Fang Yue's leg. "Please, don't! You can't tell Lord Liu about this, or I'm finished."
"Speak. Did you embezzle my stipend and the Secret Medicine I was supposed to receive? It seems I really will have to take this to County Magistrate Liu," Fang Yue said, his voice ice-cold.
