"It wasn't entirely without reason. It was still because of that insider information..." Niu Youdao roughly recounted how Yu Cang had forced him to accept the money. When he finished, he cupped his hands and said, "Steward Xuan, first, I did not want this money—it was Yu Cang who insisted on forcing it on me. Second, it was not extortion. Yu Cang and I had agreed that he would give me ten million in profits from the liquor formula every year. He was the one who insisted on advancing two years' worth to me. Besides, Misty Pavilion can verify this with Yu Cang at any time. I presume Yu Cang would not dare deceive you."
Shen Yidu was somewhat dumbfounded. Hearing him put it this way, the truth of the matter did seem quite likely to be so.
Xuan Yao looked at him again. "With Niu Youdao's explanation, do you have anything else to say?"
Shen Yidu hurriedly explained, "I did not know about any of what he said. At the time, I only heard Pavilion Lord Yu Cang say that he had been taken for another twenty million. I thought Niu Youdao had extorted it again. I absolutely had no intention of deceiving Steward Xuan."
He was now deeply worried about being dealt with and somewhat regretted having said too much. The more one said, the more mistakes one made.
Yet there had been little he could do under those circumstances. When Xuan Yao interrogated him, he had brought up this matter as evidence in order to clear himself and prove that he was telling the truth. Who would have thought he would lift a rock only to smash his own foot?
Niu Youdao angrily rebuked him, "You dared sling mud at me when you didn't even know the