Courtyard houses: Those who are capable are rewarded, and many children bring many blessings.

"That's fine then. You're a daughter-in-law of the Jia family, so you can't side with outsiders!"

"Okay, go keep an eye on Banggen. If he ruins it, we can't afford to pay for it!" Qin Huairu didn't even want to talk to her and made up an excuse to send her away.

Niu Dazhuang was exhausted. He went home and collapsed into bed. Even someone made of iron couldn't withstand such torment. He'd been up all day, and then Xu Huizhen got him drunk and kept him up for half the night. Even an iron rod would eventually be ground into a needle.

I woke up hungry around noon, so I stewed the last wild pheasant in the second room to nourish myself.

After a good meal and a nap, I was fully recharged. In the past two days, I've been busy with women and haven't had a proper chance to explore Beijing yet.

There weren't many people in the courtyard today. The Temple Fair at Ditan Park lasts for three days, and people who have nothing to do have gone to the fair to enjoy the festivities.

Jia Zhangshi went there yesterday, and went out again today.

"Uncle Banggeng, are you going out?" Jia Zhangshi greeted Niu Dazhuang as he approached.

"Aunt Jia, didn't you go to the temple fair?"

"I went yesterday. Huairu was planning to go to the temple fair today, but I'm at home making clothes for you, so I didn't have time to go."

It seems like this relationship was waiting for me. That explains why I suddenly took the initiative to greet you today.

"Oh, I understand. Then I'll trouble you, Sister Huairu!" With that, Niu Dazhuang left the central courtyard, thinking to himself, "I remember the Yonghe Temple was quite popular in my previous life. I wonder how it is now."

When I arrived at the place, well, it was dilapidated and lacked any royal grandeur.

Niu Dazhuang stood under the dilapidated screen wall, unsure where to go next. Damn it, without a bicycle, he had to walk everywhere, which was exhausting.

I stood there staring blankly at the gate of Yonghe Temple for a while when a young lama dressed in lama robes walked over.

He bowed first before speaking, "Comrade, have you encountered some difficulties?"

"Ah..." Niu Dazhuang didn't expect that people were still living in the Yonghe Temple.

"You could say that, so you live inside?"

"Yes, you are welcome to come in and have a seat when you have time," the young lama extended an invitation.

Now that it's not a matter of the future, people don't come to Yonghe Temple to burn incense anymore. I guess in a few years, these lamas might be dragged out and criticized.

Nowadays, people usually avoid lamas and monks, but today the young lama saw a young man who actually came to the gate and lingered there for a while. Finally, he had encountered a young man who didn't avoid him.

Hurry up and invite them.

It's like someone living deep in the mountains who might not encounter a stranger for six months or more. But when someone from outside the mountains comes along, their enthusiasm is beyond words.

Since Niu Dazhuang had nothing else to do and was just wondering where to rest, he went inside as well.

As soon as I entered the gate, I saw several lamas working.

"Do you farm your own land now?" Niu Dazhuang asked.

"Yes, there are no worshippers now, and the government's supplies are limited. Fortunately, we still have some temple property." The other two young lamas, seeing strangers enter, curiously put down their work and came closer.

"What do you do for a living? What are you doing here? People outside avoid us and won't even say a word to us. Aren't you afraid?... "

Well, how long have you been holding this in? You just launched into a barrage of questions right off the bat.

After answering each question, Niu Dazhuang asked, "Just the few of you?"

"Come on, I'll take you to see my master. There are six of us now, including the patriarch," said Tashi Phuntsok, the young lama who led Niu Dazhuang in.

"This way, please." Under his guidance, the group arrived at a large courtyard outside the western palace wall.

"You don't live inside?"

"No, there are only six of us, how could we dare to live inside?"

That makes sense. With such a large temple like Yonghe Temple, only five or six people live there. No wonder they can't sleep peacefully at night.

Tashi Phuntsok stood outside the main house in the courtyard and said softly, "Grandmaster, we have a guest!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the door opened, and a middle-aged lama in his forties or fifties walked out. He bowed to Niu Dazhuang with one hand and said, "Please come in, benefactor."

Niu Dazhuang felt as if they were deliberately waiting for him. How did he end up following them in like this? He hadn't even said he wanted to see their grandmaster.

Having come this far, there was no choice but to bite the bullet and go in. As soon as Niu Dazhuang entered, the middle-aged lama closed the door from the outside.

Niu Dazhuang looked up and saw an old lama, dressed in a yellow robe and with a withered face, sitting cross-legged on a chair in the central hall. Behind the old lama hung a large Thangka.

"Don't be alarmed, benefactor. I mean no harm," came the old lama's hoarse and deep voice.

Niu Dazhuang shuddered: "Did Master foresee that I would come today?" If soul-transmigration can happen, it's not surprising that the old lama could foresee his arrival.

"Amitabha... I didn't foresee your coming; I dreamt that a destined person would come in the next few days. Please sit down, benefactor. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Stop, old master, you don't know my situation. I'm afraid you've entrusted the wrong person to." Niu Dazhuang was unwilling to meddle in other people's business.

"I see that you have great fortune and are a person with deep blessings. But..." The old lama stopped halfway through his sentence.

Niu Dazhuang thought to himself, "Those quack-talking tricks won't work on me. I'm just ignoring you, let's see what you say then."

Seeing that Niu Dazhuang's face was as calm as still water, the old lama knew that it would be difficult to move him without showing him his skills.

"Alas!" The old lama sighed softly and continued, "Although you are blessed with good fortune, you are often troubled by beautiful women. I have a secret method that can solve this problem for you."

Niu Dazhuang was interested in this. However, he didn't say anything, but stared straight at the old lama.

Immediately, the old lama took out a yellowed ancient book from under the cushion he was sitting on and handed it out.

Necessary etiquette should still be observed. Niu Dazhuang stood up, took the book with both hands, and saw that the cover of the ancient book was written with the words "Esoteric Buddhist Manual" in traditional Chinese characters, and there seemed to be Manchu script next to it.

Niu Dazhuang opened the book page by page and examined it. There were exactly thirty-six pages, no more and no less. Each page had an illustration, and below the illustration were several lines of small regular script text explaining the illustration and the cultivation method.

Seeing Niu Dazhuang watching intently, the old lama nodded in satisfaction. Then he said softly, "This is the exercise that Emperor Qianlong practiced. This exercise played a crucial role in Emperor Qianlong's longevity."

Niu Dazhuang placed a box of books on the coffee table beside him and said casually, "The Qing Dynasty lasted only a little over two hundred years, with twelve emperors. Only Emperor Qianlong lived to a relatively old age. If this cultivation method is really as effective as you say, then why didn't the emperors after him live to a very old age?"