Bai Gu sat in her private chamber draped with silk curtains, her long crimson nails tapping furiously against the jade table. A goblet of spiced wine trembled in her grip.
"What did you just say?" she hissed, her eyes burning.
The servant who had returned from the Healing Tower bowed low, her back bent in fear. "Young Mistress… the healer Mo Han… he refused the Bai Clan's offer of one thousand spirit stones. He declared he would only leave the Tower for a private visit if the price is ten thousand stones. And… today he said he had a headache and rejected the invitation outright."
The goblet shattered in Bai Gu's hand, wine spilling down her robe. She did not flinch. Instead, she let out a laugh that was low, dangerous, and filled with venom. "Ten thousand stones? For me? Who dares demand such a price from the Bai Clan? He should crawl here and beg to serve me."
