The next day
The road stretched beneath the wheels, and the gambling inside the carriage showed no sign of ending.
It had started with dice.
Then mahjong.
Then the cultivators began looking toward the prince.
"Your Highness, your turn."
The prince hesitated.
"I've already lost enough."
Tian Tian poured himself tea.
"Enough?"
The prince looked at the small pile of belongings beside the monk.
His robe.
His belt.
His shoes.
His jade pendant.
His expression tightened.
Han Tianci glanced over from the mahjong table.
"Still have something left."
The prince looked at him.
"Senior Han..."
"What?"
"I think I've had enough."
"Then give up."
The prince almost sighed in relief.
Then one of the cultivators quietly placed a bottle of wine on the table.
The prince looked at it.
The general immediately recognized it.
His face changed.
"Wait."
Tian Tian picked up the bottle.
"Good wine."
The general reached forward.
"Senior Tian, that's—"
"Your prize?"
The general stopped.
Tian Tian smiled.
"Then you should win it back."
The general's face darkened.
He had already lost his robe, boots, and belt.
Now his best wine was sitting in the monk's hand.
The prince looked between them.
"Senior Tian, perhaps we should stop."
Tian Tian handed the dice to him.
"One more."
Han Tianci calmly pushed a few more silver pieces toward the prince.
"Go on."
The prince stared at the dice.
The general stared at his wine.
The other cultivators watched with quiet smiles.
The prince finally picked up the cup.
The dice rattled.
And the game continued.
By sunset, nobody had anything left worth betting.
The table was covered with robes, belts, weapons, pouches, jade ornaments, boots, wine, and whatever else had survived the journey.
The prince sat in his inner wear.
The general sat beside him in much the same condition.
The soldiers outside were no better.
The carriage finally became quiet.
Nobody spoke.
The six cultivators sat around the table.
The prince lowered his head.
The general stared out through the window.
Even the servants had gone silent.
They travelled like that until the road brought them to the first village.
Only then did Tian Tian look around at the miserable collection on the floor.
He sighed.
"Enough."
The cultivators began gathering everything.
The prince looked up.
"Senior?"
"Take it."
His robe was tossed back to him.
Then his belt.
Then his shoes.
His pendant was placed gently beside him.
The general received his belongings as well.
One cultivator returned a soldier's pouch.
Another tossed back his boots.
Tian Tian stood and stretched.
"Gambling is evil."
Han Tianci looked at him.
"You've been saying that for years."
"And I've become wiser."
The general's eyes moved toward Tian Tian.
The monk was holding his bottle of wine.
The general slowly extended his hand.
"Senior Tian."
Tian Tian looked at him.
"What?"
"My wine."
Tian Tian considered the bottle.
Then tucked it beneath his robe.
"No."
Drinking is Evil
The monk will subdue this evil
The general stared.
The monk stepped out of the carriage.
"That one was a prize."
The general's face went blank.
Han Tianci laughed.
Tian Tian walked toward the village without another word.
Behind him, the general muttered,
"Monk..."
Tian Tian raised the bottle slightly.
"Amitabha."
And kept walking.