"At that time, this young lady was kneeling there to worship the Buddha!" Then Scholar Jin pointed at Shen Li.
"After that, that young lady came too. Just as we had finished worshiping and were about to go back and had just stood up, we heard that young lady talking to her elder sister... The words she said were indeed a bit disrespectful!"
As soon as Scholar Jin finished speaking, Shen Miao stepped forward, her tone full of sarcasm. "Sir, you said you were worshiping the Buddha beside us just now. How come I didn't see you? Could it be that you saw my elder sister's beauty and deliberately wanted to catch her attention to achieve your own unknown motives?"
"You... You're talking nonsense! Spouting nonsense! I met this young lady for the first time. Our relationship is as clean as can be! Don't slander me!" Scholar Jin blushed with anger and glared at Shen Miao.
"Humph! Your face is red! It seems that what I said is true! If so, then everything you said just now is false. You just wanted to deliberately catch my elder sister's attention!"
Shen Miao gently gathered her skirt and took delicate steps, slowly circling around Scholar Jin. She sized him up from head to toe. "I really didn't expect that a seemingly honest and simple scholar like you would have such hidden motives. It's really disgraceful!"
"Don't slander me! I saw it with my own eyes! I have no improper thoughts about that young lady. If you keep slandering me like this, be careful... be careful that I'll report you to the authorities."
Scholar Jin's face was extremely ugly at this moment. Those who knew him well knew that he was really angry now.
"Hehe! Want to report to the authorities? You can do it right now! I'm afraid that by then, it will really go as you wish!"
"What do you mean? What do you mean it will go as I wish!" Scholar Jin was utterly confused and didn't understand what Shen Miao was talking about.
"If you report to the authorities and they start investigating this matter, regardless of the truth, my elder sister will inevitably be misunderstood! By then, my elder sister's reputation will be ruined. When it comes to arranging a marriage for her, it won't be as smooth as it is now. By then, she may have to marry someone like you... Isn't this exactly what you want?"
"You... You're unreasonable! Unreasonable!" Scholar Jin was so provoked by Shen Miao's words that as a weak scholar, he even raised his palm. But then he thought that Shen Miao was a woman and he couldn't be rough with her, so he had to put his hand down helplessly.
There was still a smile on Shen Miao's face, but the words she said almost made Scholar Jin lose his temper and hit someone.
Facing Shen Miao's relentless pressure, Scholar Jin could only pace back and forth angrily on the spot, but he was completely at a loss.
The pilgrims around, after seeing Shen Miao's words and deeds just now, thought for a while and seemed to understand something.
As for Shen Li, the protagonist of today's incident, she didn't say a word during the whole thing. She just stood there calmly, neither as complacent as Shen Miao nor as anxious as Scholar Jin.
"Alright, younger sister, stop talking! Don't disgrace our family here. People might think that those taught by our family are so quick to slander their own elder sister and other men for having improper relationships."
"You... Elder sister is right. It's my fault. How could I talk about this in public! Of course, we should go back to the mansion to handle such things conveniently."
Shen Li gave Shen Miao a deep look and then slightly parted her red lips, retorting just as firmly. "Judging from your words and deeds, younger sister, I think I should talk to the Second Aunt and invite a tutor for you. We can't let you disgrace our mansion after you get married!"
Shen Miao didn't say anything this time because her mother, Mrs. Shen, had already heard that Concubine Chen was indeed looking for tutors. One tutor and two maids were to be assigned to each of Duan Chuchu, Wu Qihuan, and her to train them in court etiquette until they got married.
"Thank you, Scholar Jin, for being willing to testify for me. My younger sister is being unreasonable. Please forgive her!" Shen Li bowed gracefully to Scholar Jin and said apologetically.
"Miss, there's no need to be so polite!" Scholar Jin waved his hands repeatedly, scratched his head, and said politely to Shen Li. "Miss, you don't need to apologize for someone else's mistake. The one who deliberately said wrong things and slandered others is someone else. It's a pity that she still refuses to admit her mistake and has no remorse at all! People like this, Buddha will surely not bless their wishes to come true. Miss, please rest assured!"
"Humph, fine! I originally thought you looked like a scholar, but I didn't expect you, this scholar, to be so sharp-tongued!" Shen Miao immediately became unhappy, glared at Scholar Jin, and retorted sarcastically.
"Miss, I'd like to advise you that those who do many unrighteous deeds will surely bring ruin upon themselves! It's better to be more kind-hearted!" Scholar Jin straightened his face, bowed seriously to Shen Miao, and said.
Shen Miao didn't expect to be lectured by a poor scholar. Her face changed several times, and a malicious look flashed across her face as she looked at Shen Li and Scholar Jin.
"Everyone, I think you all know what really happened today!" Shen Li lowered her head, slowly bowed a standard bow to the pilgrims in the crowd. "It's my younger sister's willful and unruly behavior that has made you laugh!"
Everyone said no, but the looks they gave Shen Miao were full of disapproval.
Naturally, Shen Miao was dissatisfied. Shen Li had just directly said in front of so many people that it was her fault. Just as she was about to argue, she heard a voice behind her, "Amitabha!"
Everyone naturally heard the voice and looked in the direction it came from.
They saw an old monk in a gray cassock with grayish-white beard standing at the door of the Buddha hall behind the main hall. At this moment, he had his hands clasped together, and there was a string of Buddhist beads hanging in his palm.
"If there's anything, dear benefactors, you might as well talk it over calmly. Compared to just arguing blindly, this might also be a good way to resolve the conflict." The gray-robed old monk twirled the Buddhist beads in his hand and said calmly.
"Thank you, Master! Our matter has been resolved now!" Shen Li also bowed in a Buddhist salute to the monk. "Today's incident has caused trouble to your temple. Please forgive us, Master and the temple!"
The old monk looked at Shen Li and a smile appeared on his face. "Little benefactor, there's no need to be so polite. If the two benefactors can resolve the conflict here today, it can also be regarded as a good deed done by our Pufa Temple!"
"I just wonder if your knot in your heart has been untied? Or let go!"
Shen Li was stunned for a moment. Although she didn't know how this monk could tell that she harbored hatred for Shen Miao, she didn't say a word for a while. The conflict and hatred between her and Shen Miao couldn't be resolved by just having a few arguments today. Nor could it be made to seem as if nothing had happened just by listening to a few words of persuasion from others.