Chapter Fifty-Three: Beyond Humanity, Beyond Heaven

“If you lose, what will you wager?” As she listened to Madam Shangguan’s question, Ji Hongguang paused, then replied after a moment’s thought, “Previously, Ruoyun made a bet with me. The wager was to wash my clothes for half a year. We can use that as the stake.”

Madam Shangguan turned to her son and asked, “Kaicheng, what do you think?”

“That’s fine. Let’s give Ruoyun a hand, then!” Kaicheng replied.

Madam Shangguan nodded and resumed her seat. “Very well, let’s continue shuffling the tiles.”

…

Time swept by in a blur. The images before Ye Yu and his five companions dissolved into streams of numbers, reassembling into a new scene as if it were already the next morning.

“They’ve been gambling for this long? That’s quite something,” Luo Wei remarked, folding his arms in surprise.

“If we really have to watch the whole thing, it’ll be quite a drag—such a long game,” Tan Cong agreed, nodding.

At that moment, Ruoyun, who had risen early, entered the main hall and found the four still playing mahjong. She walked over to Scholar Qin and nudged him with her elbow, whispering, “Don’t tell me they’ve been at this all night?”

“This time, Hongguang’s met his match. He’s losing badly,” Qin Xinghui shook his head, pitying Ji Hongguang as he spoke softly.

“Enough, Xinghui,” Ji Hongguang interjected, then glanced at Madam Shangguan with a probing look. “I suppose what you want is my six-dot tile? Fine, I’ll play it!”

“Mahjong!” Madam Shangguan announced with a smile.

“Haha, my apologies, but I actually played the eight-dot, not the six,” Ji Hongguang said, though he knew it was a bit underhanded—perhaps his only chance to win back a round.

“But as it happens, what I need is the eight-dot,” Madam Shangguan replied with a gentle smile, laying down her hand for Hongguang to see.

Ji Hongguang studied her tiles, his expression changing. He waved his left hand in front of Madam Shangguan’s eyes.

Kaicheng quickly pulled Hongguang’s hand down, irritation on his face. “What are you doing?”

“I mean no offense. I just want to know whether your mother is truly blind—after what she just pulled,” Hongguang said, clearly unconvinced.

“All right, enough chatter. Settle up,” Feng Panxue said impatiently.

“Settle up? Are we done? Just when things are getting interesting, you want to stop?” Ji Hongguang protested.

“You’ve already lost Ruoyun’s six months to me. What else can you wager?” Madam Shangguan asked curiously.

“I… I still have another six months. If you win those, for the next six months I’ll serve Kaicheng tea and water, massage his waist, and pound his legs every day,” Hongguang offered.

Kaicheng laughed awkwardly. “That’s not really appropriate, is it?”

“Why not? If I can make someone work for me, why can’t he do the same? Let’s play!” Madam Shangguan insisted.

“Fine, but don’t renege if you lose,” Hongguang warned.

“Wait! You’re in luck today, Madam. I concede at mahjong. How about we switch to dice and play high or low?” Hongguang suggested.

“No problem. Whatever you wish to play, I’ll accompany you—since the mood strikes,” Madam Shangguan replied.

“Good, good. You’ve beaten me all night, it’s time to let me win something back. Bring the dice!” Hongguang called.

…

Once they had moved to a separate table, Madam Shangguan asked, “How much per round?”

“One month.”

“That’s too troublesome. Let’s settle it in a single game.”

“Agreed.”

They each took up a dice cup, shook vigorously, and slammed them down.

“Madam, care to raise the stakes?” Hongguang asked.

“How much more do you want to add?”

“I’ll add another six months!”

“I’ll match it—and add twelve more. Two years in total!”

“Fine, then don’t blame me for being ruthless. Open!”

They revealed their dice at the same moment. Madam Shangguan’s cup held five fives, and Hongguang burst out laughing.

“Looks like you’ve slipped up this time, Madam.”

Ruoyun’s face changed as she nudged Hongguang. “Look,” she whispered.

Hongguang’s laughter faded as he glanced at his own cup. Five fours.

“How could this be?” he exclaimed.

“Well? Anything more to say?” Madam Shangguan asked.

“Again!”

Feng Panxue intervened, “Again? You’ve already lost two years!”

“Don’t worry about it. Again!” Hongguang insisted.

“Enough. Pay your debt first, then talk. Kaicheng, take your mother home,” Madam Shangguan declared.

Hongguang quickly blocked their way. “You can’t leave yet. Tell me, what do you want to wager next?”

“I… I still have my wages!”

“Are you mad?” Ruoyun cried.

Ignoring them, Hongguang pressed on, “Let’s not make it too large. One hundred copper per round, no upper limit—how about that?”

Ruoyun shook her head. “You’re crazy, Hongguang. You’ll lose everything.”

“Ready?” Madam Shangguan asked.

“Just wait—I’ll win it all back in one go!” Hongguang responded.

They shook their dice cups again and slammed them down.

Hongguang peeked into his cup: five sixes. He quickly covered it and grinned, “Want to raise the stakes?”

“I think that’s enough,” Madam Shangguan replied.

“If you won’t—then I will! I earn twenty silver a month, two hundred forty per year. I’ll wager five years’ wages.”

“Young man, think carefully. That’s all your savings for five years,” she cautioned.

“That’s my business. Well?” Hongguang insisted.

“In that case, I’ll wager your clothes!” she said.

“Very well—open!”

Madam Shangguan lifted her cup: five fives. Hongguang burst into wild laughter.

“Kaicheng, don’t blame me for being ruthless this time!”

But as Hongguang lifted his cup, his smile froze. His five sixes had become five fours.

“How can this be? You… you’re cheating!” he accused.

“Nonsense, Hongguang! Everyone can see—my mother’s been sitting right across from you the whole time. How could she cheat?” Kaicheng retorted.

“But… I saw five sixes just now. I don’t believe it. Again!”

“Wait. You owe me your clothes first,” Madam Shangguan insisted.

“Right now?” Hongguang asked, startled.

“In unison, the crowd shouted, “Now!”

Stripped of his clothes, Hongguang folded them with a resigned sigh and handed them to Kaicheng, hugging himself as he squatted on the chair, shivering—a sight that made Ye Yu’s group struggle not to laugh.

“What else do you have to wager?” Madam Shangguan asked.

“My life!” Hongguang declared.

Even the six from Ye Yu’s group were momentarily stunned.

“I’m twenty-five now. Even if I live to seventy, that’s forty-five more years. Subtract the five I’ve lost, forty left. All my future wages, all yours. One final game!”

“No regrets?” Madam Shangguan asked.

“None!”

They shook the dice one last time and slammed the cups down.

Hongguang looked—five sixes again. He quickly revealed them. “Let’s see you cheat now!”

“Still want to raise?”

“Yes! I’m adding everything I’ve lost so far as well!”

“If you lose, how will you pay your debt?”

“With my life!” Hongguang declared solemnly.

Madam Shangguan’s lips curled in a sly smile. “Then, I’ll see you in the next life.”

She opened her cup. Hongguang’s face fell, turning ashen. Four dice showed six, the fifth had split in two—half showing six, half showing one.

Hongguang collapsed into his chair, murmuring, “How can this be? Impossible!”

“So, will you admit defeat now?” Madam Shangguan asked.

Hongguang forced a bitter smile and nodded. “I concede. There’s always someone better out there. My life is yours.”

“I don’t want your life. Just leave me your right hand,” Madam Shangguan replied.

Hongguang trembled, frowning as he looked at his right hand. “My right hand?”

“Kaicheng, fetch me a knife.”

“Mother, this…” Kaicheng hesitated.

“Do as I say!”

Kaicheng glanced at Feng Panxue, who nodded. He went to fetch a knife as the others watched in fear, even Ye Yu’s group feeling uneasy.

Kaicheng handed the knife to his mother. Gritting his teeth, Hongguang placed his right hand on the table.

“Do you know why I took your clothes? Because once your hand is gone, it’ll be easier to treat you at the clinic,” Madam Shangguan explained coldly.

Hongguang’s face darkened at this, her words as chilling as ice.

“You think of everything, Madam,” he said.

“Prepare yourself. I’ll count to three. One… two… three!”

She brought the knife down. Hongguang squeezed his eyes shut and screamed. Everyone else either closed their eyes or turned away, fearing the gruesome sight.

After a moment, they slowly opened their eyes, confusion on their faces.

“What… what does this mean?” Hongguang asked, noticing the knife had stopped a centimeter from his fingers. He stared at Madam Shangguan, certain she hadn’t missed by accident.

“Tell me, what did you feel as the knife came down?” she asked.

Hongguang was still dazed. Feng Panxue nudged him. “The old lady asked you a question. Answer!”

“Just now… I felt… like my life was over,” he stammered.

“And?”

“And… I wished I hadn’t gambled with you at all,” he replied, as if each word had to be dragged out.

Madam Shangguan smiled. “Is that all? Just this game?”

“Every single game. If I hadn’t gambled with you, I’d be free of debt, living happily,” Hongguang answered with a self-deprecating laugh, a flicker of despair in his eyes.

Madam Shangguan continued, “You’re always saying ‘small bets for fun, big bets do harm.’ But gambling is gambling—there’s no such thing as ‘small.’ Any stake can grow; win and you want to win more, lose and you want to win it back. Once you’re at the table, it doesn’t matter how skilled you are or how much you have—you won’t stop until you’ve lost everything. That’s why they say, ‘gamble long enough, and you’ll lose.’”

Hongguang nodded. “I understand, Madam. I swear before heaven and earth, I, Ji Hongguang, will never gamble again in this lifetime!”

Madam Shangguan smiled and nodded. “Good. Since you’ve come to this realization, our accounts are settled. Kaicheng, take me home.”

Kaicheng supported his mother as they left the inn. Only then did Hongguang come to his senses, darting to the door to block their way.

“Is there something else?” Madam Shangguan asked.

Hongguang knelt on one knee, cupping his fists in a formal salute. “May I ask your name, elder? I wish to know the name of my teacher.”

All were taken aback, Ye Yu’s group included. Such gambling prowess could never belong to an ordinary woman.

“My name isn’t important—I’ve forgotten it myself. But my surname is easy to remember. My family name is…”

As she finished her words, Hongguang’s face filled with astonishment.

“Chongli!”

“What?! Are you the legendary master of the gambling world, Chongli?”

“That’s all in the past, no need to mention it,” she replied.

Only then did everyone truly understand, and Hongguang, deeply moved, bowed. “Thank you for your guidance, elder. I will remember it always.”

Ye Yu and his companions saw their task list update, transitioning them to the next mission.

…

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