For example, the fruit trees in the backyard of Clear Breeze Temple have already started bearing fruit without anyone noticing.
When Yun Zhaozhao first planted fruit trees, she lacked both planting experience and a budget, so she planted relatively easy-to-care-for fruit trees, such as pears, apples, plums, and peaches...
Even these relatively ordinary fruit trees usually take two or three years to bear fruit, so no one had high expectations for the fruit trees this year. But whether it was because the soil at Clear Breeze Temple was more fertile, or because the last visit by agricultural experts had an effect, quite a few of these peach, pear, and plum trees actually produced fruit.
Tang Li boldly picked a plum and tasted it. Although it wasn't very sweet, it wasn't sour either. Instead, it had a very refreshing and natural flavor. It didn't feel like eating a plum at all; it felt more like eating a small, juicy, and incredibly fresh radish.
After Tang Li finished eating, he couldn't resist picking a few more to take back to the people in Clear Breeze Temple to try.
After everyone tasted it, the unanimous opinion was that it was indeed quite good, but it certainly didn't taste like a plum.
Jingting bluntly replied, "It feels like a plum tree that cheated on its owner and then produced a bunch of baby radishes."
Yun Zhaozhao: "..."
Yun Zhaozhao: "Anyway, it's not bad. Let's keep this first year's fruit for ourselves and not sell it. Otherwise, if people aren't satisfied with it, they'll come and yell at us."
Yun Zhaozhao said she wouldn't sell, so naturally no one else would suggest it either. Anyway, there were more people at Clear Breeze Temple now, and the fruit trees weren't bearing a lot of fruit in the first year, so everyone would pick some fresh fruit from time to time to taste, and they believed it wouldn't be long before they were all gone.
But precisely because of this, there is always a small plate of fresh fruit specially supplied by Clear Breeze Temple on Martial Uncle Chuli's octagonal table every day.
Although Martial Uncle Chuli has an eccentric temper and loves to curse, he is not picky about food. He likes to eat the delicious food that Daoist Chang Kong makes for him, and he also likes to eat the fresh fruit that Yun Zhaozhao specially supplies for him.
As mentioned before, the elderly folks at Clear Breeze Temple are very concerned about Martial Uncle Chuli, who is over 100 years old.
When older people are interested in why someone lives a long life, they often focus on their diet.
Every day, Martial Uncle Chuli would sit at the eight-immortal table outside the canteen, eating and drinking. Everything else would change, but the special plate of fruit on his table was always the same three kinds: peaches, plums, or pears. So, after a while, some of the more inquisitive older folks couldn't help but wonder: Could Martial Uncle Chuli's secret to longevity be eating a small dish of fresh fruit every day?
Then there are the more perceptive and quick-witted elderly people who will think to themselves: This must not be an ordinary fruit; this fruit must have a special origin.
With this in mind, these people would take the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Martial Uncle Chuli.
Martial Uncle Chuli had previously heard Yun Zhaozhao mention that these fruits were grown in Clear Breeze Temple's orchard, but were not for sale and were only for their own consumption. So he didn't hide it from everyone, and answered truthfully when asked.
So the old men, who had been spouting platitudes, became even more certain of their guess. "See? See? I told you these fruits aren't ordinary fruits, they're fruits with a special origin. Listen to this, these fruits were personally grown by the Daoist priests of Clear Breeze Temple. And not only were they personally grown, but the most crucial thing is that these fruits aren't for sale!!!"
As a result, an outrageous rumor gradually spread among the people of Clear Breeze Temple: eating the fruit from the orchard in the backyard of Clear Breeze Temple would grant them longevity!
When Yun Zhaozhao heard this rumor, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself, "What nonsense is this? Such an outrageous rumor, would anyone really believe it?"
Tang Li also laughed, "I did consider making a fuss about Daoist Chuli's longevity secrets, but at the time I was thinking that eating the food in our Clear Breeze Temple canteen would lead to longevity. I never expected that someone would have the same idea as me."
However, the two of them soon stopped laughing, because Lin Banxia came over and told Yun Zhaozhao that some uncles and aunts had sneaked into the backyard of Clear Breeze Temple to steal fruit, and she had caught them red-handed.
This was Yun Zhaozhao's biggest worry. During the day, Lin Banxia could stop these people from stealing fruit; but what if they sneaked into Clear Breeze Temple's backyard at night to steal fruit? Stealing a couple of fruits was a small matter, but if they accidentally injured or hurt these elderly folks, Clear Breeze Temple wouldn't be able to explain themselves, even if they had a thousand mouths to mouth. They might not even be able to cover their losses after selling all the fruit!
Yun Zhaozhao felt increasingly that things couldn't continue like this, so she said directly, "Then we need to quickly put out a notice telling them that eating these fruits won't make them live longer, or that these fruits have been sprayed with pesticides and shouldn't be eaten."
Tang Li gestured for her to calm down. "If you say that now, these uncles and aunts definitely won't believe you. They see Daoist Chuli eating fruit at the entrance of Clear Breeze Temple every day. Do you think he can't live a long life just because you say so? Do you think he used pesticides just because you say so? I used to work in event planning and often dealt with these uncles and aunts. Based on my understanding of them, they only believe what they want to believe. So if you want to persuade them, you have to start from their perspective."
Yun Zhaozhao immediately understood. "You mean to use magic to defeat magic, right? Okay, I get it."
That afternoon, a huge notice was erected at the back gate of Clear Breeze Temple, written in black ink on red paper. It read, "[Stolen fruit will not be recognized by the gods.]"
Chapter 81
As it turns out, Yun Zhaozhao's trick might not work for others, but it was 100% effective for elderly people.
Anyway, after the notice was posted, no more old people secretly came to pick fruit near Lin Banxia. Even when a few old people came in groups, they would ask Lin Banxia, "Little Master, I'd like to buy a couple of fruits to try. Do you sell your fruit?"
Lin Banxia followed Yun Zhaozhao's teachings and told everyone she wouldn't sell, no matter who asked.
But deep down, she felt that selling a little wouldn't hurt. After all, the fruit was grown to be sold, and both the buyer and seller were acting voluntarily, so there was no forced buying or selling. Even if those who bought it had objections, Clear Breeze Temple was in the right.
However, Yun Zhaozhao still maintained that anything sold from Clear Breeze Temple had to pass her own scrutiny first. As the saying goes, a gentleman loves money, but he earns it in a proper way! In any case, Yun Zhaozhao would definitely not sell those fruits, which she herself felt were not perfect, to these ignorant old people.
Furthermore, there's a saying in the sales industry: scarcity marketing.
Perhaps these elderly people will keep coming to Clear Breeze Temple Clear Breeze Temple to check in because they always remember the fruit there!
When they go to Clear Breeze Temple, won't they spend more on a meal and a fortune Clear Breeze Temple session than on buying fruit there?
Yun Zhaozhao can do such a simple calculation.
Even if these elderly people don't spend any money after coming, it will still increase the popularity of Clear Breeze Temple. A Daoist temple will only attract more people when it is bustling and lively; if it is always deserted, it will only become more and more desolate.
In this matter, people with more social experience, like Tang Li and Xiaojiu, are on Yun Zhaozhao's side.
Although they didn't think as much as Yun Zhaozhao, they both believed that in business, it's better to avoid trouble. Too many complaints and disputes could harm their finances.
After everyone briefly analyzed the pros and cons for Lin Banxia, Lin Banxia gave up the idea of selling the first batch of fruit to these elderly people.
In the end, besides leaving some fruit for everyone at Clear Breeze Temple, Yun Zhaozhao also specially sent a batch to Grandpa Lin's elderly group so that everyone could have a taste.
It has to be said that nothing in this world travels faster than rumors. And the more outrageous and distant the rumor, the farther it spreads.
The rumor that "eating the fruit from the backyard of Clear Breeze Temple can prolong life" seemed to have only been circulating for a few days when the elderly group heard about it. So when Yun Zhaozhao brought the fruit over, all the other elderly people except Grandpa Lin couldn't help but exchange knowing glances.
Grandpa Lin doesn't have much of a fixation on "longevity" because he's already over 80 years old, and he himself is a symbol of longevity and health.
But the other members of the senior citizen group are different.
Although they are all getting on in years, the youngest is probably only in their early 60s, and they still have 40 years to go before reaching the age of 100. So these elderly people are still quite obsessed with longevity.
While no one said anything in front of Yun Zhaozhao, they all agreed that Temple Master Yun was truly generous. Because of these longevity fruits, Temple Master Yun preferred to give them to them rather than sell them for money, demonstrating that their work for Temple Master Yun was definitely worthwhile.
Some elderly people even started chanting trendy slogans like their grandchildren. "Work until you drop dead, as long as you don't die!"
Grandpa Lin, an honest man standing to the side, based on his understanding of Yun Zhaozhao, felt that things might not be as simple as the other elderly people thought. So, he couldn't help but rationally advise, "... I think you don't need to be so moved. Perhaps there's more to the story..."
But everyone was so moved by Temple Master Yun's righteousness and generosity that they didn't listen to Grandpa Lin at all.
Grandpa Lin eventually just let them be. After all, these old men were hardworking, and ultimately it was Clear Breeze Temple that benefited. Moreover, these were all old farmers who had spent their whole lives working in the fields, and they all knew their own bodies.
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In fact, it wasn't just the elderly group who had heard about Clear Breeze Temple's longevity fruits; even the True Yang Temple had heard a little about them.
Temples and Daoist monasteries are usually associated with things like health, longevity, wealth, and love. True Yang Temple is no exception. So when faced with the rumors about the longevity fruit from Clear Breeze Temple, the people of True Yang Temple just laughed it off and didn't take it seriously.
Of course, there were also some astute individuals, such as Daoist Jingyang, who felt that the rumors might be related to his Martial Uncle Chuli. After all, before Martial Uncle Chuli arrived, there had never been any mention of longevity fruits at Clear Breeze Temple. As soon as Martial Uncle Chuli arrived, the rumors appeared... Daoist Jingyang felt that even if Martial Uncle Chuli wasn't behind this, it must have a lot to do with him.