[{"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-23":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},151709,261,"Chapter 23: No More Endurance","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>\"Brother Yu, I'm here to pick up the medicinal herbs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when Hua Changxi came over, Yu Gui would at least give a familiar response, even if he didn't greet her with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, Yu Gui only gave Hua Changxi a faint glance, casually pointed at a male menial worker, and told him to take Hua Changxi to collect the herbs. After that, he paid no more attention to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you standing there for? Follow me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi staring at Yu Gui without moving, the male menial worker urged her impatiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi withdrew her puzzled gaze and followed the male menial worker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You came too late. Take these herbs back and wash them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male menial worker led Hua Changxi to a pile of herbs covered in fuzz and spines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at them, said nothing, and began transporting the herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after she started moving them, the male menial worker suddenly sidled up to her: \"Sis, these herbs are a pain to wash. Want to trade for some easier ones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi gave him a cold glance and continued moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male menial worker kept inching closer: \"Sis, Brother Yu doesn't like you anymore, but your Brother Mao does.\" As he spoke, he reached out to put his arm around Hua Changxi's waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi grabbed the male menial worker's wrist and gave it a slight twist, making him cry out in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You bitch, let go of me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Wei blustered, his voice fierce but his heart weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him impassively: \"I'm strong. I've broken quite a few people's arms and legs since I was a kid. Big brother, you'd better not go around touching people. Next time, I might not be able to hold back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she flung Mao Wei aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Wei staggered back several steps before steadying himself. When he felt his right arm wrenched, he glared at Hua Changxi, both angry and humiliated: \"You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi returned his gaze with a cold expression, which cowed Mao Wei into not daring to say anything harsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and move those herbs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Wei only dared to grumble and urge Hua Changxi to move the herbs quickly, staying several meters away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi loaded the herbs onto a cart and pulled it away. As she passed the storeroom entrance, she glanced at Yu Gui again. She didn't believe he hadn't heard the commotion between her and the menial worker, but he still ignored her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was wrong with this man? Just yesterday they had been on good terms, and she had even helped him. Why was he turning his back on her today?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be because she had asked for those withered herbs yesterday?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those withered herbs were discarded. Taking them wouldn't cause Yu Gui any trouble or loss of profit. Why would he mind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had helped him with a whole afternoon of physical labor; giving her the withered herbs as payment was perfectly reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Yu Gui really someone who couldn't bear to give up even the slightest thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, then he wasn't worth associating with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, whenever Hua Changxi came to collect herbs and saw Yu Gui, she would still greet him as usual. But after he repeatedly ignored her, she stopped bothering when she visited the storeroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the people from the Sixth Bureau saw Hua Changxi hauling back a cartload of difficult-to-wash herbs, they were first surprised, then immediately began gloating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lost favor that quickly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hua Changxi passed by the drainage ditch, a woman loudly sneered, triggering a burst of laughter from the people on both sides of the ditch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hua Changxi gets up late every day and always brings back easy-to-wash herbs. No wonder everyone's mad at her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yunchu said gleefully to her group members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, after hearing the woman's remark, Hua Changxi took a few deep breaths, originally wanting to let it go. But after suppressing her anger again and again, she still couldn't quell the flame burning in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, she decided not to hold back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi put down the cart, walked expressionlessly to the woman, grabbed her by the hair, and kicked her hard in the shin. When the woman fell to her knees in the ditch, she forcefully pressed the woman's head into the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Glub glub~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Help~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gurgle gurgle~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Help~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gurgle gurgle~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi pressed the woman's head down, only pulling her out of the water when she was about to stop breathing. Just as the woman took a breath, she shoved her head back under.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people on both sides of the ditch were either too stunned to react or something else—at that moment, the entire Sixth Bureau fell eerily silent, broken only by the woman's screams and her thrashing in the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the woman had drunk enough water and was too weak even to cry for help, Hua Changxi dragged her out of the water, looked at her soaking figure, and said with extraordinary gentleness:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you just say? I didn't catch it. Say it again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman trembled all over, utterly terrified out of her wits: \"I... I didn't say anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"Oh? So I was hearing things?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman gave a start, no longer able to suppress her fear, and burst out crying: \"I was wrong, I shouldn't have been talking nonsense, please spare me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at her for a while: \"Big sister, trouble comes from the mouth. Look after yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman nodded like a chicken pecking rice, tears streaming down her face: \"I'll never talk nonsense again, never gossip about others again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi released the woman, went back to the cart, pulled the herbs over to the spot where Du Ruo's group was washing, unloaded the medicinal materials into the water, and began scrubbing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Hua Changxi wash the herbs as if nothing had happened, Wang Yunchu exchanged glances with the others in the group, and quietly moved a little farther away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ten deputy managers of the Sixth Bureau had all witnessed that scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Xiao glared angrily at Du Ruo: \"Du Ruo, how do you manage your people? How can you let your subordinates hit people whenever they like? You must give me an explanation, or else we'll go to Manager Leng and settle this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who had just been disciplined was one of her subordinates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Du Ruo's expression was also poor. She knew Hua Changxi was somewhat unsociable, but she never expected that a young lady like her would have a violent tendency—attacking at the slightest disagreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another manager, Zhou Huilan, also spoke up: \"Du Ruo, you really should keep that new laborer in check. Putting aside everything else, the fact that she sleeps until the Si hour every day must be changed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know the new laborer is very capable, but that's no reason for her to break the rules. If others follow her example, how will we manage anyone in the future?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other managers chimed in: \"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Xiao was delighted that the other managers were all attacking Du Ruo, and added: \"And about that new laborer and the people from the warehouse...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish, Zhou Huilan interrupted: \"If she can get along with the warehouse staff, that's her skill, just like you, Manager Ling, getting along with Manager Niu of the Fifth Bureau—we haven't said anything about that, have we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao's face immediately darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd paid her no mind and dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo returned to her own group, first checked the medicinal materials being washed by her subordinates, and finally came to Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The herbs Hua Changxi had brought back that day were all very difficult to wash. Du Ruo originally thought Hua Changxi would be very slow, but as she approached, she found that the herbs with long fuzz and thorns—which would injure a careless hand—did not affect Hua Changxi's washing speed at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a short while, most of the herbs had been cleaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Manager Du approach, Hua Changxi smiled and greeted her: \"Manager Du, is something the matter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo looked at Hua Changxi, who had just dunked someone from another group into the water to teach them a lesson, and saw that not only was she not at all guilty, but she was cheerfully greeting her on her own initiative. This mental fortitude, she had to admit, she herself could not match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your habit of getting up late goes against the laborer hall's rules. From now on, you must get up before the Chen hour.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was silent for a moment, then agreed with a smile: \"Manager Du, I wash herbs relatively quickly. After I finish the day's tasks, can I arrange my time freely?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo nodded. Before leaving, she hesitated for a moment but still said: \"The laborer hall is a mess. Because the work is heavy, the identity checks aren't that strict.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't think that just because the laborer hall is at the bottom of the Medical Department, the Three Offices and Nine Storehouses lack capable people. Among the male laborers, there are no shortage of martial artists, and the female laborers all have their own connections.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't look down on everyone just because you're strong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, some roads may seem like shortcuts, but hidden ahead are pitfalls you can't even imagine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"People should be down-to-earth and live by the rules. You're still young—don't take the wrong path.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi knew Du Ruo was referring to the rumors of the past two days, and said with a smile: \"Thank you for the advice, Manager Du.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Du Ruo left, Hua Changxi sped up her washing. Since she would have to get up early from now on, she could only finish her tasks earlier and use the remaining time for cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Hua Changxi's fierce actions taught the gossipy woman a lesson, her ears were finally at peace. She no longer faced pointing and whispering wherever she went, and no one dared to spread rumors about her to her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the people in the storehouse treated her even worse than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Hua Changxi went to collect medicinal herbs, Mao Wei would assign her the ones that were hardest to wash. For an ordinary person, washing them not only risked injury but also required over a dozen trips just to haul them due to their size—exhausting and time-consuming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Yu Gui didn't stop him, Mao Wei grew even more arrogant. He no longer dared to lay a hand on her, but he often made lewd remarks about Hua Changxi in front of everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gotta hand it to Brother Yu, he's got good taste. Take a look at our little sister Changxi—though she's still young, her chest is really...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crack~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storehouse staff were listening with great interest when they saw a figure flash by, then heard a \"crack.\" They looked closely and saw Mao Wei with his face gripped by Hua Changxi, his jaw already dislocated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi increased the pressure in her hand. Mao Wei whimpered and screamed in agony, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth. \"Since you can't speak like a human, there's no need for this mouth of yours to exist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this sight, Yu Gui jumped up from his chair in shock, his eyelids twitching as he stared at Hua Changxi. Stuttering, he said, \"Stop... no... let go, let go now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at Yu Gui and threw Mao Wei aside, this time flinging him to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Wei lay on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood that contained a few molars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the storehouse staff all unconsciously moved a bit farther away from Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yu...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Hua Changxi call out, Yu Gui shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him. \"Brother Yu, I don't want trouble, but if trouble comes to me, I'm absolutely not afraid of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew she was in a vulnerable position in the Chores Hall. She had to stay there to cultivate and improve her medical skills, and when faced with oppression, she should have swallowed her anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But faced with the storehouse people brazenly spreading dirty rumors about her, she simply couldn't bear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she endured even this, her Dao heart would become unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>",2089,"2026-05-29T04:10:26.746Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","c64c1b2bdd4127cab4b30292485f1e5fb9bf39e145adfb0e02878927f6eb7a2d","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-24","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-22",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]