Everybody understood that little rubbing motion of Ning Chen's fingers.

The anger in Fan Taihe's heart! This was plainly extortion, and there was not a thing he could do about it.

He set his teeth, drew a silver note for a hundred taels out of his robe, and forced a smile onto his face. "My lord marquis, I beg you to raise your noble hand and grant this official a few days."

Ning Chen looked at the note in his hand with distaste all over his face.

"What is Lord Fan doing?"

Fan Taihe was a little lost. Ning Chen had just rubbed his fingers together — wasn't that asking for money?

Ning Chen went on. "Does Lord Fan think that a man of this marquis's standing is short of this kind of small change?"

Only then did Fan Taihe catch up. Ning Chen thought it was too little.

He set his teeth and drew several more notes out of his robe, five hundred taels in all.

This time it was not distaste. Ning Chen's face darkened, and he laughed coldly. "Since Lord Fan has no sincerity in him, then don't blame Ning here for showing no consideration."

"Hurry up and have Fan Xiuxiu brought out. And another thing — you'll have to pick out a grandson too."

Fan Taihe was shaking with cold rage.

But circumstance is stronger than any man, and all he could do was keep the smile on his face. "Will my lord marquis name a figure?"

Ning Chen did not stand on ceremony. He said it straight out. "Five thousand taels a head."

Fan Taihe's eyes went wide all at once.

Ning Chen said, smiling with his eyes crinkled up, "I know five thousand taels will buy a lot of livestock. But these are Lord Fan's own son and daughter. How can you compare them to livestock?"

"Lord Fan is a great officer of the court. Five thousand taels can't be much to you, can it?"

"Of course, Lord Fan is free to refuse... only I'll be taking your son and daughter back with me…