[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin":3,"chapter-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-113":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The First Iron Rice Bowl of Great Jin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},151799,261,"Chapter 113","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-113",113,"\u003Cp>\"Fifth Sister!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi enter the room, Hua Wuniang weakly raised her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi quickly stepped forward and took her hand: \"Fifth Sister, I'm here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang's eyes glistened with tears: \"Jiuniang, I thought I was done for this time, that I would never wake up again. Before I passed out, I thought I could see the Yellow Springs Road. It was you, you pulled me back from that road.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at her: \"Fifth Sister, it's all over now. This childbirth has harmed your body; you need to take good care of yourself. Only when you're healthy can you look after the child. Have you seen the child? He's so adorable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning the child, tears slid from Hua Wuniang's eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth: \"I've seen him. Auntie and my mother brought him to me. Jiuniang, please give the child a name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes widened and she shook her head repeatedly: \"Me? Name him? I can't, I'm terrible at naming. If my little nephew grows up and doesn't like his name, he'll blame me, his aunt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare for Hua Changxi to show such fluster, and Hua Wuniang couldn't help but laugh. After the laughter subsided, she said: \"You delivered the child. Without you, either both the child and I would have died, or the child would have been born without a mother. Jiuniang, you saved us, mother and child. I want the child's name to be chosen by you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's head ached—she truly had no talent for naming: \"How about... I give him a pet name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that she was genuinely troubled, Hua Wuniang nodded: \"All right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi scratched her head and thought hard: \"Xiaoman, He Xiaoman, what do you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang: \"He Xiaoman... The moon waxes and wanes, water overflows when full. Xiaoman is just right.\" As she spoke, she looked at Hua Changxi with bright eyes. \"The child shall be called He Xiaoman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi wasn't sure if the name was any good, but since Hua Wuniang seemed quite pleased, she didn't say more. After all, it was just a pet name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Hua Wuniang was relatively calm, Hua Changxi hesitated for a moment, then asked: \"Fifth Sister, do you still want to stay in the Marquis's mansion? If you don't, I have ways to take you away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang looked at Hua Changxi: \"Jiuniang, I believe what you say. But if I leave the Marquis's mansion, what about the child? Third Master is already past thirty and has always longed for an heir. He won't let me take the child away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, if I return home, in the eyes of outsiders I'll be a discarded wife. It will affect the family's reputation and hinder the future marriages of my siblings.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Qiniang, who had been standing nearby, quickly interjected: \"What reputation? We don't care about that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang forced a bitter smile: \"You may not care, but Grandfather and Grandmother do. You know how much Grandfather values face. Besides, the other siblings might not be indifferent either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was silent for a moment before saying: \"Fifth Sister, our family's situation is different now from before.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Many of our siblings are cultivators. A cultivator's main task is to cultivate and undergo trials. Marriage and such come later. If one can bear solitude, it's fine to live alone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reputation really isn't as important as it used to be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, once one embarks on the path of cultivation, whether woman or man, there are more choices. One doesn't necessarily have to marry or start a family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang disagreed: \"Jiuniang, cultivators and martial artists should be similar, right? Except for the few martial artists who love to roam the world, most martial artists do marry and have families.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle's martial arts are high enough, but he didn't refrain from marrying and having children because of his training. Even the female martial artists one hears about in the streets still hope for a home that shelters them from wind and rain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi really couldn't refute that. It wasn't just a generational gap in thinking; more importantly, there were some things she herself hadn't fully figured out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After becoming a cultivator, one's physical condition improves greatly, and one's lifespan increases. In the long years ahead, walking the world alone—can one truly endure the loneliness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding Hua Wuniang's intentions, Hua Changxi respected her choice and didn't say more. She told her everything the Marquis's wife had promised the Hua family in the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this, Hua Wuniang's eyes reddened again: \"Jiuniang, thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew very well that without Jiuniang fighting for her, neither the Marquis's mansion nor Third Master would care about her, a concubine, and her family would likely have tried to smooth things over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The confidence her family had in backing her had always come from Jiuniang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Fifth Sister, take good care of yourself. I'm usually busy, so I won't be able to visit often. After I return, I'll send someone to help nurse you back to health.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wuniang smiled and accepted Hua Changxi's kindness without asking much about Hua Changxi's affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, Hua Fourth Aunt and Hua Qiniang stayed in the Marquis's mansion to look after Hua Wuniang and the newborn. The other Hua family members, along with Hua Tai and his wife and Hua Zhong, left the mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the Hua family left, Third Master He was summoned to the main courtyard of the Marquis's mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the main courtyard, the Marquis Wu Yi and his wife, the He heir and his wife, Second Master and his wife, as well as He Dalang and other younger members of the He family, were all present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even He Sirong and He Siqi had returned from the Medical Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Third Master He entered the main hall, he knelt down: \"Father, Mother, I failed to manage the affairs of the inner quarters properly. I beg for your punishment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Sirong and He Siqi already knew about Hua Changxi's uproar at the Marquis's mansion. Seeing the Marquis Wu Yi and his wife both wearing stern expressions, they exchanged a glance and knelt behind Third Master He.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grandfather, Grandmother, we were the ones who told Hua Changxi about Concubine Hua's matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Third Master He turned his head sharply to look at them, his eyes filled with displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi, upon seeing this, picked up the teacup beside him and hurled it at Third Master He: \"You useless thing! If not for Sirong and Siqi, our family would have become mortal enemies with the Hua family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he looked at He Sirong and He Siqi, gesturing for them to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You did the right thing by informing Concubine Hua Changxi about the matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Master He was drenched in tea, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed, silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi glared at him in anger: \"Find a way on your own to repair relations with the Hua family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marchioness had no desire to meddle in her stepson's affairs. Lowering her status today to meet with the Hua family and being contradicted and mocked by Hua's juniors still left her feeling discomfited. However, as the matriarch of the household, some matters required her personal involvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Concubine Hua's difficult labor was caused by Third Son's wife. The Hua family demands an explanation from the Marquis's household. Third Son, what do you intend to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, before Third Master He could speak, First Young Master He couldn't help interjecting: \"Grandmother, our illustrious Marquis's household—do we really need to give an explanation to a declining family like the Huas?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi looked at First Young Master He with some disappointment, then addressed Third Master He directly: \"Send Shen to the country estate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Young Master He looked up sharply: \"...Father, how long will Shen have to stay at the estate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi was silent for a moment: \"That depends on whether the Hua family has a future or not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Young Master He understood what Marquis Wuyi meant and did not plead for Shen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi waved his hand: \"Enough, all of you may withdraw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone withdrew, leaving only Marquis Wuyi, the Marchioness, He Heir, and Second Master He in the great hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Heir looked at Marquis Wuyi: \"Father, is it necessary to place such importance on the Hua family?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi moved his slightly stiff left shoulder; he had been injured just now when he activated his bloodline divine power and barely exchanged a single move with Hua Changxi: \"Hua Changxi's cultivation level far surpasses mine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, He Heir and Second Master He both changed expression drastically: \"How is that possible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi looked at his two sons: \"Nothing is impossible. With the resurgence of spiritual energy, everything will be reshuffled. Even the imperial family cannot escape this, let alone our household.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On Kunlun Mountain, various forces were contending, but in the end, a wild young man became the master of Kunlun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And as for Wuzhi Mountain, although it's still unclear exactly where that Fire Lotus Fairy came from, the fact that she suddenly emerged and snatched the fruits after months of struggle among the parties speaks volumes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Power and influence can bring certain advantages, but cultivation involves many profound and unpredictable things. Mere power may not ensure you reach the end.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, He Heir and Second Master He both looked grave. The recent incident where various factions scrambled to send their own alchemists into the Medical Department had already made them sense a crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out that many nobles had secretly been cultivating their own alchemists and cultivators, while their family was clearly lagging behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the medicine shops on First Street, the Marquis of Wuyi's estate hadn't managed to secure a single one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of alchemy, Second Master He recalled the scene where Sixth Young Master Hua took a pill during his duel with First Young Master He, and immediately reported this to Marquis Wuyi and He Heir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi narrowed his eyes: \"It seems the Hua family is far more complex than I imagined.\" Then, looking at his two sons, he added, \"Sirong and Siqi did very well this time. Go back and tell them to continue fostering good relations with Hua Changxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Heir and Second Master He nodded in acknowledgment, then left the main courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Hua Zhong led Hua Tai back to the Earl of Dingyuan's residence to report to the Earl and Heir Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Marquis Wuyi chose to retreat voluntarily after crossing hands with Ninth Lady Hua?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening to the reports from Hua Zhong and Hua Tai, Earl Dingyuan's eyes flickered uncertainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyi was known among military officers for his arrogance; for him to voluntarily yield, it must be to someone he had no confidence in defeating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ninth Lady Hua's cultivation level was actually above Marquis Wuyi's!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching this conclusion, Earl Dingyuan was stunned. However, thinking of Tenth Lady Hua from Taisu Palace, he felt a sudden dawning of understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that Tenth Lady Hua had long been secretly guiding Ninth Lady Hua onto the path of cultivation and had also informed Ninth Lady Hua in advance that the Medical Department was a sacred place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, Ninth Lady Hua wouldn't have joined the Medical Department two years ago, even willing to work as a menial laborer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heir Hua frowned: \"Sixth Young Master Hua and Ninth Lady Hua are both cultivators, yet they didn't report it to the clan. What do they mean by that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earl Dingyuan cut him off: \"Don't pursue this matter anymore. It's pointless.\" Then, tapping the table, he said, \"First Young Master Hua is a cultivator, Sixth Young Master Hua and Ninth Lady Hua are cultivators too—there's no reason Third Young Master Hua shouldn't be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If all five children are cultivators, then it's highly likely that Hua Minghe and his wife are cultivators as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A family full of cultivators—even Earl Dingyuan felt a touch of envy: \"Hua Minghe... gave birth to a good daughter!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earl Dingyuan looked at Hua Tai: \"Ninth Lady Hua saved Fifth Lady Hua. Her medical skills must be quite impressive, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Tai nodded. \"Mrs. Zhong went in to check on Fifth Lady Hua and said that even if an ordinary doctor had come, they couldn't have saved her life.\" He paused. \"If Ninth Lady Hua hadn't arrived in time, Third Madam He would have taken Fifth Lady Hua's life—kill the mother to keep the child.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Zhong added, \"Sixth Young Master Hua was carrying a large number of spirit pills, the kind that can instantly replenish spiritual energy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Young Prince of Hua was very concerned about the pills. \"Who supplied them with the spirit pills? Do Hua Bin's family have connections with alchemists?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Tai hesitated for a moment and said, \"Maybe... they refined them themselves.\" Seeing that Viscount Dingyuan and the Young Prince of Hua were both looking at him, he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shortly after Hua Changxi entered the Medicine Bureau, the Hua family pharmacy began selling martial-grade pills. Third Young Master Hua refined all of them himself. I've taken them, and their efficacy is better than what most pharmacies sell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viscount Dingyuan swiftly rotated the thumb ring on his right hand. \"The clan has paid too little attention to Hua Bin's family. We must start taking them seriously from now on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the Young Prince of Hua and said, \"Have Shu Ran interact more with Ninth Lady Hua in the Medicine Bureau. She and Tenth Lady Hua are twins, so she might know a lot that we don't.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the marquis's mansion and the viscount's mansion were discussing the Hua family, Hua Changxi also followed her family back to the Hua family courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had thought that after her aggressive performance at the marquis's mansion, she would be scolded by Old Master Hua and Old Madam Hua upon her return, but unexpectedly, they said nothing about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grandmother, if you have something to say, just say it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Old Madam Hua glance at her from time to time as if she had something to say but was hesitating, Hua Changxi couldn't hold back and asked directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Madam Hua couldn't keep things bottled up either. She looked at the red lotus pattern on Hua Changxi's brow. \"Why did you draw a huadian on your forehead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi hadn't expected this to be the issue. She touched her brow. \"Doesn't it look good?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Madam Hua said irritably, \"You're already very eye-catching on a normal day. Now with a huadian... it's too flashy. Don't draw it anymore in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi turned her head to look at Yao and asked if she looked good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao studied her carefully, then smiled. \"It looks good.\" She turned to Old Madam Hua. \"Mother, many young ladies use huadian. Ninth Girl isn't too conspicuous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Madam Hua looked at Hua Changxi's wide-open features and cream-like skin—even she couldn't help wanting to take a second look. \"Don't you see what your daughter looks like? Go ahead and indulge her. Do you really think being too outstanding is a good thing for a young lady?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi finally understood what Old Madam Hua meant. Was she complaining that she was too good-looking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi thought for a moment and took out the Totem Golden Bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Young Master Hua immediately stepped forward. \"Ninth Girl, what is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"This is the Totem Golden Bowl. It can reveal the bloodline totem inside a person's body.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Young Master Hua was puzzled. \"What is a bloodline totem?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"The tiger that appeared in Third Young Master He's body is the He family's bloodline totem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Young Master Hua had personally experienced the power of that illusory tiger up close. \"Does our family have one too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the people in the room. \"We'll know after we shine light on it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, starting with the younger generation, Hua Changxi used the Totem Golden Bowl to shine light on each of them one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To her surprise, all the younger members of the Hua family revealed a lotus totem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi then began shining light on the adults. The three brothers Hua Minghe, Hua Ming'ang, and Hua Mingcheng all revealed a lotus totem as well, but Second Aunt Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua revealed nothing. Yao revealed a firebird, the Vermilion Bird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So many people in our family have atavistic bloodline? Have we stumbled into a lotus nest?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi then shone light on Old Master Hua and Old Madam Hua. Old Madam Hua revealed nothing, but something even more surprising appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lotus totem that emerged from Old Master Hua was the clearest of all, meaning his bloodline atavism was the highest degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for cultivation, it was impossible to say Old Master Hua had never been tempted, but Tenth Girl had only brought back three portions of pills, which had to be prioritized for the grandsons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his ninth granddaughter revealed a lotus totem on him, Old Master Hua asked excitedly, \"Ninth Girl, can Grandfather start cultivating too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi nodded. \"You can, but it will be very hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Master Hua grinned. What was hardship? He had experienced turbulence all his life, and hardship was the last thing he feared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked curiously, \"Grandfather, did you eat something that caused atavism before you got married?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, she couldn't explain why so many people in their family had bloodline atavism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Master Hua shook his head. \"How would I know about atavism or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"Think carefully. Did you ever eat anything special or unusual?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Master Hua recalled events before his marriage, then shook his head. \"When I was little, I ate from a hundred homes. When I grew up, I wandered everywhere and ate whatever I could when I was hungry. I can't remember.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",3013,"2026-05-29T04:10:26.746Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","50af62bf3ab3692386eec50f7af61b05acbc2ea50bcdf983a4e0cdea50521eb8","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-114","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-112",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]