Dream of the Red Chamber: Madam, please have some self-respect!

The carriage swayed and wobbled for nearly an hour before finally coming into view of the yellow walls and black tiles nestled among pine and cypress trees ahead.

Although the Iron Threshold Temple was not as magnificent as the imperial temples in the city, it had its own solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The square in front of the temple was spacious, with mottled stone steps that showed signs of weathering. Several mule carts carrying rice, grain, and incense were parked at the side gate, and a few unskilled monks were busy unloading the supplies.

As soon as Jia Yun's carriage stopped, he jumped off, and a clever young novice monk ran to announce his arrival.

Seeing that the monks were struggling to carry the load, he didn't put on any airs of being the deputy manager. He simply put his bundle on a stone block next to him, rolled up his sleeves, and went forward to help.

Although Jia Yun was a young man, he was not weak. Since the incident half a year ago, his strength had become astonishing, and he could carry a bag of rice steadily.

Just then, a Buddhist chant rang out: "Amitabha! We are deeply sorry to trouble you, Benefactor Jia!"

Jia Yun turned around and saw a monk, about fifty years old and dressed in a brand-new kasaya, walking briskly towards them. This must be Abbot Sekong.

He hurriedly put down what he was holding, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply according to etiquette: "Junior Jia Yun, I have come to the temple to await the abbot's orders on the orders of the second mistress of the mansion. I am new here and do not know the rules. If I have been impolite, I hope the abbot will forgive me."

The monk Sekong returned the greeting with his hands clasped together, but his small eyes subtly sized up Jia Yun.

Seeing that although the young man was simply dressed, he was composed and had a clear mind, without the arrogance of the typical gentlemen in the manor, he felt a little relieved.

He put on a smile and spoke in a very warm tone: "Not at all, not at all. Benefactor Jia is young and promising. It is truly an honor for our temple to be favored by Second Madam Lian and personally sent to our humble temple. You must be tired from your journey. Please come inside and have some tea."

The two politely entered the abbot's meditation room. A young novice served tea, which Abbot Sekong personally offered, speaking with great courtesy but also with a subtle hint of probing.

"This small temple is the family temple of the household. All the incense, offerings, and religious ceremonies depend on the grace of the household. This old monk is not very knowledgeable and has tried his best to maintain it, only hoping not to fail the trust of the master. Now that Benefactor Jia has come, this old monk feels that he has a pillar of support." As Sekong spoke, his gaze seemed to glance at Jia Yun.

Jia Yun was very quick-witted and immediately understood the implied meaning.

He put down his teacup and said with a touch of junior humility, "Abbot, you flatter me. To be honest, I am young and inexperienced, and I am a complete novice when it comes to temple management, sacrifices, and offerings. My second mistress sent me here simply because she pitied my family's poverty and wanted to give me a chance to gain experience, while also finding a quiet place in the temple to study and prepare for the exams."

Before leaving, Second Grandmother repeatedly instructed me that all affairs of the temple would be handled by the abbot, and that I should simply follow his instructions and learn from him, without daring to overstep my bounds in the slightest. She added that I would need the abbot's guidance and instruction in the future.

These words were perfectly worded, making it clear that his main purpose in coming here was to "study" and "gain experience," not to seize power, while also adopting an extremely humble attitude and completely handing over the decision-making power to Sekong.

After hearing this, the monk Sekong felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and his smile became much more genuine.

He had assumed that Wang Xifeng had sent a relative to interfere in the temple's affairs, to divide his power, and to investigate his accounts, and he was feeling uneasy.

Now it seems that Jia Yun is a sensible person. He really came here to "gild his resume" and "avoid the limelight," not to compete with me for profit.

He was immediately in a good mood, and said with a smile while twirling his prayer beads, "You are too modest, benefactor! Since Second Madam and you trust me, I will do my best. Your ambition is to take the imperial examination, which is the right path, and a quiet place is perfect for you to study."

How about this arrangement? Every morning, you can come and sit with me for an hour, and I will slowly explain to you the temple's daily affairs, accounts, and the customary practices of each household's offerings. This will fulfill the Second Madam's request. The rest of the time, you are free to do as you please. There is a quiet guest room in the temple's back courtyard where you can read.

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun was overjoyed and quickly rose to bow, saying, "This arrangement is perfect! I am deeply grateful and will leave everything to the abbot's arrangements."

Jia Yun chatted with Sekong for a while, mostly asking about the temple's daily life and the local customs. His respectful attitude and proper words made Sekong feel that this young man was sensible and polite.

Afterwards, Sekong personally led Jia Yun to see the residence. Although the room was simply furnished, it was clean and tidy with bright windows and spotless furniture.

Opening the window reveals the pines and cypresses of the hill behind, making it a truly ideal place for reading. The abbot also assigned a young novice monk named Huiming to be responsible for cleaning the courtyard and delivering messages.

After settling down at the Iron Threshold Temple, Jia Yun felt somewhat relieved, believing his interactions with Abbot Sekong had been adequate. Seeing that it was still early, he decided to take a walk around the temple grounds to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

The Iron Threshold Temple is nestled against a small mountain that is not too high. The mountain is covered with pine and cypress trees, and the scenery is quite serene.

Jia Yun strolled leisurely along a winding path covered with fallen leaves, heading towards the back of the mountain.

The mountains and forests are serene and quiet. The further you go in, the more tranquil it becomes, with only the chirping of birds and the sound of the wind rustling through the pines.

After walking a short distance, they saw a corner of a dilapidated eaves peeking out from the dense forest. As Jia Yun approached, he saw that it was a Taoist temple that had long been abandoned.

The vermilion paint on the gate has peeled off completely, and the characters on the plaque are blurred and difficult to read. Only the dilapidated layout can still vaguely reveal its former scale.

Jia Yun was curious. There was a Taoist temple ruin next to the Buddhist temple? He was about to step in to see what was going on when he suddenly felt something lightly tap his shoulder.

He turned around abruptly, but the forest behind him was deserted; there was no one in sight.

Jia Yun was surprised, thinking it was just a pine cone or a small pebble blown down by the wind, and turned to go back into the dilapidated temple.

"Smack!" Another blow, this time with a bit more force, landed on his other shoulder.

Jia Yun was now certain that someone was playing a trick on him, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed. He turned around, looked around, and raised his voice, "Which hero is here? Don't try to make fun of me!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a silvery laugh rang out from above. Jia Yun looked up and was startled—there stood a young girl on a horizontal branch of a tall pine tree beside him!

The girl was about fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a neat blue short-sleeved shirt, her hair simply tied back, revealing a fair and delicate oval face.

She stood lightly and steadily on the branch that swayed slightly in the wind, as if she had no weight.

"Who's your 'hero'?" The girl tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips. "I'm not a hero, I'm a female knight-errant!"

Before she finished speaking, she leaped down from the tree branch that was three or four zhang (approximately 10-12 meters) high off the ground!

Jia Yun was so startled he almost cried out, but then he saw her graceful figure, her skirt fluttering, and she had already landed silently a few feet in front of him, without even stirring up much dust.

Jia Yun was shocked; the girl's agility was something he had never heard of before!

Knowing he was no match for her, he quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow: "This... lady, my name is Jia Yun, a guest temporarily staying at the Iron Threshold Temple ahead. Seeing this desolate temple, I was simply curious and wanted to go in for a look; I meant no harm."

The girl took a few steps closer, her bright, beautiful eyes sweeping over him. She deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Who knows if you're a pickpocket who thinks this place is deserted and wants to steal something?"

Seeing that she was young but had amazing skills, but acted strangely, Jia Yun did not want to cause any trouble. So he cupped his hands again and said, "In that case, I was being presumptuous. I will take my leave now."

As he spoke, he turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, you're so boring!" Seeing that he was really going to leave, the girl immediately laughed again, her feigned fierceness vanishing instantly. "I was just joking with you, why did you take it seriously? This dilapidated temple is only frequented by my dad, my sister, and me; not even a ghost would come here. What would be worth stealing?"

She leaped in front of Jia Yun, blocking his path, and said with a grin, "You look like a scholar, but you're quite bold. You weren't scared out of your wits even after I ambushed you. Fine, this heroine is in a good mood, so I'll show you around the ruins of the 'Sanqing Temple'!"