A cloth merchant, passing through Qingzhou, chanced upon a derelict temple and felt a pang of sorrow at its decay. The monk within addressed him: "If the patron would be so kind as to fund the repair of the main gate and bring glory to Buddhism, he shall surely receive the blessing of the divine spirits." The merchant, thinking, "Repairing a mere gate won't cost much," readily agreed.

The monks rejoiced, ushering him into the main hall and treating him with great deference. After the meal, the monks grew audacious, begging the merchant to renovate the entire temple. The merchant shook his head, refusing. The monks grew furious, pressing him aggressively with fierce words. Fear gripped the merchant, and he dared not resist. Helplessly, he poured out his entire fortune, giving it all to the monks, before taking his leave.

The monk blocked his path with a long blade, saying, "Though the patron surrendered his wealth, it is clear he was not willing from the heart. Who knows if he will report us to the authorities? Better to finish the deed now and strike first." The monk's razor-sharp blade swept down with murderous intent. The merchant pleaded desperately, but the monk would not listen. Knowing he could not escape death, and unwilling to perish by the hand of a villain, the merchant begged permission to take his own life. The monk consented. He forced the merchant into a dark room and urged him to hang himself.

Just then, a certain Coastal Defense General happened to be passing by the temple. From a distance, he spied a young woman in red near a corner of the wall; her figure was ethereal, and she quickly slipped into the temple grounds. Suspicion flared immediately in the General's mind. He dismounted, following the figure into the temple, searching fore and aft for any trace of the woman, but found nothing. Gradually, he approached the door of the dark room. Seeing the windows and door tightly sealed, his suspicion deepened. He immediately shouted, "I am the Coastal Defense General! Open this door at once!"

The monk refused, lying, "There is a demon inside. Please, General, depart quickly." The General was enraged, hacking at the door bolt with his saber and forcing his way in. He found the merchant dangling from the ceiling beam, barely breathing. He quickly cut him down, and after a moment, the merchant's eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness. The General questioned him about the events, and the merchant recounted everything. The General then asked if he had seen the woman in red. The merchant shook his head, "This is a temple; no woman has ever entered or left here."

The General suddenly understood: the woman must have been an incarnation of a divine spirit, using him as an instrument to punish evil and promote good. Saving the merchant was an act of kindness; slaying the monk was an act of retribution. With this realization, the General brought his saber down, severing the monk’s head, and returned all the stolen property to the merchant, exactly as it was. The merchant, having narrowly escaped death, never forgot the timely aid of the spirit. Upon returning home, he raised funds to completely restore the temple. From then on, the temple thrived with incense offerings, and visitors never ceased to come.