The grand hall exuded a solemn majesty, its statues of Taoist deities serene yet commanding respect. Visitors moved with quiet reverence, each clasping sticks of incense as they prayed, entrusting their faith to the heavens and the divine.
"Madam, should we also offer incense?" Zhuzhu asked hesitantly.
"Do you want to?" Jiang Huaiyu turned to glance at her and then smiled faintly. "If you do, take some incense with Xiaocao and go ahead. I'll wait for you up ahead."
Zhuzhu quickly shook her head. "If you're not going, neither am I."
Just then, a young Taoist boy happened to pass by and overheard their conversation. His brows knitted in disapproval as he scolded, "Madam, if you don't believe in Taoism, why trouble yourself to come all the way to Qingxu Temple? A single stick of incense costs just thirty wen. Offering it sincerely isn't too much to ask. What's the point of coming here if you don't burn incense?"
Jiang Huaiyu blinked, momentarily taken aback by his boldness. Realizing his gaze was fixed on her, she raised a brow. "I came to see the renowned Qingxu Temple. Is it forbidden for ordinary folk to enter without worshipping?"
The young Taoist's face darkened. He raised his voice. "Of course not! But Qingxu Temple doesn't welcome insincere visitors!"
"Then tell me," Jiang Huaiyu asked calmly, "what defines sincerity?"
"Refusing to burn even a single stick of incense—surely that's insincere!"
The boy's words, spoken loudly enough to draw attention, prompted murmurs from nearby visitors. A well-dressed woman chimed in, her tone displeased, "Why come at all if you refuse to offer incense? It's not about the money; it's about respect. The boy is right—you lack sincerity."
Others nodded in agreement. Thirty wen wasn't much, after all. If Jiang Huaiyu wasn't willing to part with such a small sum, why bother visiting a place of worship?
"Xiaocao, give him one silver coin," Jiang Huaiyu instructed.
The young Taoist boy's expression softened with smug satisfaction as if he had successfully converted a skeptic. The surrounding crowd also seemed appeased, their disapproving looks fading into faint approval.
Zhuzhu, however, bristled in silent indignation.
When Xiaocao returned with the incense, Jiang Huaiyu stopped her from lighting it. Smiling faintly, she said, "Take this home and burn it in the corners of the house. It'll do more good there than here."
"You—what do you mean by that?!"
The young Taoist's face flushed with anger, his voice trembling as he struggled to respond. Even the affluent woman who had spoken earlier looked taken aback, her surprise quickly giving way to irritation.
Jiang Huaiyu's remark had struck a nerve, eliciting an uproar of criticism from the onlookers. Most were women of wealth, their sharp tongues honed by years of running households. Their voices rose in a cacophony of reproach, each vying to outdo the other.
"What's going on here?"
The commotion abruptly ceased as a calm, melodious voice rang out. The gathered crowd turned in unison, their expressions shifting to awe and excitement.
"Master Li!"
"Master Li!"
"Why trouble yourself to intervene, Master Li? But since you're here, please enlighten us! I'm the wife of Chang Wan, the prominent merchant."
The previously scornful women now fawned over Li Shuhan, the temple's head priest, as if they were disciples greeting a revered master.
Li Shuhan descended the stone steps with an air of quiet elegance. His composed demeanor and serene smile radiated an effortless charisma that silenced the crowd. As he listened to the young Taoist recount the events, he maintained a polite yet firm expression.
When the boy finished, Li Shuhan addressed Jiang Huaiyu with a courteous bow. "It seems the words of our novice were rash. Please accept my apologies for his offense."
His voice was warm and soothing, like a spring breeze.
Jiang Huaiyu smiled lightly. "Since the Master has apologized so sincerely, I'll forgive him."
The crowd stared in disbelief. Li Shuhan's apology was a standard courtesy—an initial olive branch before addressing the issue. Yet Jiang Huaiyu had accepted it as though it were a complete resolution, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.
Unperturbed, Li Shuhan's smile faded into a more solemn expression. "However, Madam, your actions here have indeed shown a lack of respect toward our Taoist deities. Refusing to offer incense, as my disciple suggested, could indeed be interpreted as insincere."
"Oh?" Jiang Huaiyu's smile remained, though her gaze turned colder. "And what exactly am I insincere toward? Qingxu Temple? You, Master Li? Or these clay statues of Taoist deities?"
"Of course, it is the deities you've shown disrespect toward," Li Shuhan replied patiently. "We, as practitioners of the Tao, would never presume to accept worship meant for them."
"Then by your reasoning," Jiang Huaiyu countered, her tone sharpening, "what gives you, your disciple, or these so-called devout believers the right to accuse me of insincerity over thirty wen of incense?"
Her pointed question cut through the crowd, silencing the murmurs.
Li Shuhan's calm demeanor faltered slightly, though he quickly recovered. "A small sum represents sincerity, Madam. By refusing even that, one could argue your intentions are insincere."
"Master Li is absolutely right!" chimed one woman eagerly. "It's not about the money—it's about showing respect!"
Jiang Huaiyu let out a faint laugh, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "And you, Master Li, claim to pursue the Tao. Tell me, do you know the meaning of 'ultimate emptiness and steadfast stillness'?"
The crowd fell silent, not because they understood the phrase, but because they didn't. All eyes turned to Li Shuhan, whose composed expression finally cracked.
"Those words… they refer to the highest state of Taoist practice," he answered hesitantly.
"Let me enlighten you," Jiang Huaiyu continued, her voice calm but unyielding. "To attain the Tao, one must abandon all distractions and cultivate inner peace. True devotion lies in simplicity and sincerity, not in enforcing rituals or seeking offerings."
Li Shuhan's face paled as her words landed.
"Your deities achieved transcendence through their own merit, not by demanding incense or gold. For you to impose such demands on their behalf is an insult to their teachings. True faith doesn't demand payment. If it does, I'd rather give my offerings to the starving refugees I passed on my way here. They need it far more than this temple does."
The crowd, previously eager to criticize her, now stood frozen. Her words, though harsh, resonated with undeniable truth.
Li Shuhan bowed deeply, his voice subdued. "Madam Jiang, your insight has humbled me. I must reflect on my conduct. Please accept my apologies once more, both on my behalf and for my disciple."
As he stepped aside, the crowd parted for Jiang Huaiyu, their gazes a mixture of awe, shame, and curiosity.
Without another word, Jiang Huaiyu walked past them, her head held high. For her, this was just another reminder of why blind faith, devoid of reason, would never command her respect.