Free Web NovelChapter 109: Chapter 102: The Sucker
"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.
Seeing he could no longer hide the truth, Zhang Jiu immediately blurted out:
"Fang Wuju, please wait! How could a lowly person like me have the nerve? It was Huang the Treasury who forced me! I had a moment of weakness. Fang Wuju, I was wrong, I know I was wrong! I’m willing to compensate you."
Zhang Jiu then explained everything that had happened.
It turned out that after Fang Yue was injured, Huang the Treasury, who was in charge of the storerooms, saw that Fang Yue was crippled and assumed he would never come to collect his stipend and Secret Medicine.
So he took it upon himself to fraudulently claim and embezzle all of Fang Yue’s stipend and Secret Medicine.
As one of the few who knew, Zhang Jiu naturally received a cut of the silver taels.
But now, Fang Yue had actually shown up to collect his stipend and Secret Medicine.
How could he possibly produce them!
Besides, the matter couldn’t see the light of day. Huang the Treasury had the support of the county’s Huang Family, and he himself was a Martial Artist who had reached Great Success in Bone Forging.
His status was far beyond what a minor figure like Zhang Jiu could compare to.
If this were to get out, he was afraid the County Magistrate would make an example out of him alone.
People always pick on the weakest target.
’Huang the Treasury? A member of the Huang Family? So that’s how it is. No wonder.’
’Great Success in Bone Forging, and also the County Treasury Keeper—Zhang Jiu’s direct superior.’
As he thought of this, the image of a middle-aged man surfaced in Fang Yue’s mind: Huang Yuangu, the Government Office Treasury Keeper.
The man was from the county’s Huang Family and was nearly fifty years old. Within the Government Office, his rank was below the County Magistrate, the Deputy Magistrate, the Chief Clerk, and the Chief Constable, placing him in the third tier of power.
It was an awkward position in the Government Office—not high enough to be powerful, but not low enough to be insignificant.
Furthermore, this man was a scion of the Huang Family of Xiahe County. Adding to that, the White Tiger Boxing Hall and the Huang Family had a long-standing feud, with conflicts over the tea trade.
Moreover, the Huang Family’s young master, Huang Ziyu, had challenged him during the Martial Examination and been severely wounded as a result.
’So now, while I was injured, he instructs Zhang Jiu to fraudulently claim all my Martial Scholar benefits. It’s not impossible that he’s using his public office to settle a private grudge.’
"Well, if it isn’t Fang Wuju! Are your injuries healed, Fang Wuju? What a joyous occasion!"
Just then, a hearty voice rang out.
A middle-aged man in official robes, with a slightly portly figure, then walked into the storeroom.
He looked at Fang Yue with a beaming smile, appearing quite amiable.
If one looked closely, however, one could see a trace of anger and disgust hidden in the depths of his eyes.
This was none other than Huang Yuangu, Huang the Treasury of the County Magistrate’s Office.
He had rushed over from home as soon as he heard someone report that Fang Yue had arrived at the County Magistrate’s Office.
"Heh, Huang the Treasury, you’ve arrived just in time. Take a look at this Lord Zhang here. I came to collect my stipend and Secret Medicine, and he did everything he could to obstruct me. If Lord Huang hadn’t arrived, I was about to go find County Magistrate Liu to seek justice."
Fang Yue smiled at Huang Yuangu, but he didn’t mention a word of what Zhang Jiu had just confessed.
By mentioning County Magistrate Liu, however, he was letting Huang Yuangu know that if this matter wasn’t resolved today, he would have no choice but to let the County Magistrate handle it.
Upon hearing this, Huang Yuangu’s face twitched. His expression stiffened as he forced a smile and said:
"Oh, so that’s what this is about. That’s easily handled."
"Zhang Jiu, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the silver and Secret Medicine from the Treasury for Fang Wuju."
Huang Yuangu’s heart was bleeding. Giving the silver taels and Secret Medicine to Fang Yue now meant he would have to fill the deficit out of his own pocket later.
Otherwise, if the Government Office found out later, he would face unbearable consequences.
The silver was one thing, but he would have to purchase one piece of that Secret Medicine at a high price to replace it.
All told, he would lose at least several hundred taels of silver.
How could that not sting?
With a direct order from his superior, Zhang Jiu now had the courage to withdraw the silver and Secret Medicine from the storeroom.
Before Zhang Jiu could even leave, Fang Yue’s voice rang out again. "Wait. I have achieved Marrow Transformation. Get me the Secret Medicine for the Bone Marrow Transformation Stage."
Marrow Transformation!
Those two words immediately left Zhang Jiu and Huang Yuangu dumbstruck.
They both turned to stare at Fang Yue in unison.
’Marrow Transformation? He wants the Secret Medicine for the Bone Marrow Transformation Stage?’
At that, Huang Yuangu couldn’t help but swallow hard.
’Fang Yue has achieved Marrow Transformation... that means his stipend from the Government Office has to be increased.’
’The silver increases to one hundred taels a month, and the Secret Medicine is replaced with the more expensive Bone Marrow Transformation Secret Medicine.’
’Which means his loss isn’t just a few hundred taels... it’s over one thousand taels of silver.’
’His losses had just doubled.’
’He only earned a few hundred taels a year. This was equivalent to two or three years of work down the drain.’
Huang Yuangu felt a wave of dizziness and nearly collapsed on the spot.
"Huang... Huang the Treasury, should I... should I still get it...?" Zhang Jiu’s voice trembled. He didn’t doubt for a second that Fang Yue was telling the truth.
After all, a person’s cultivation realm was something that could be verified with a single check.
