When I reached the deepest part of the cavern, I finally found what I was looking for. It was wine—rich, mellow, and aromatic. The mere scent of it was intoxicating.
I asked the little monkey, "Why didn't you give this to me along with everything else?"
The little monkey answered honestly, "The old patriarch said that if you weren't going to take us out of here, he wouldn't give it to you. If you chose to take us in and feed us peaches, it would prove that you truly accepted us and considered us your own. The patriarch has been observing you from afar; he knows you are genuinely good to your own people, so we wouldn't be losing out by following you."
Chapter 455