[{"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-40":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},151726,261,"Chapter 40: Defying the Heavens","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-40",40,"\u003Cp>[Complete Canon of Processing (Perfection): Processed Medicinal Herbs 6543\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at the data, then at the more than thirty baskets of Ironwood Roots piled in the courtyard, and said to Manager Qin, who was still telling her that \"the task is heavy, and today you must process all these Ironwood Roots without fail,\" \"I'm going to work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, yesterday she had returned to the Sixth Bureau to rest at the fourth ke of the you hour and did not work overtime into the night, which made Steward Bao feel that he had not yet squeezed her dry. Hence, today he increased the workload again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentices of the Apprentice Hall looked at the Ironwood Roots in the courtyard, even more numerous than yesterday, with grave expressions, but thinking that most of the Ironwood Roots had been processed by Hua Changxi yesterday, they did not immediately show any emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Hua Changxi again accelerated the pace of processing the Ironwood Roots. Yesterday, she had intended to leave some for the apprentices of the Apprentice Hall to process, deliberately controlling her speed, but today there was no need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the fourth ke of the you hour, all the Ironwood Roots in the courtyard were processed once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Manager Qin's somewhat dazed gaze, Hua Changxi left work on time and returned to the Sixth Bureau for dinner and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentices of the Apprentice Hall also had stiff expressions, but they awkwardly followed behind her and quickly left the First Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Hua Changxi's group left early again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Bao looked at Manager Qin with a face full of surprise. Even if it wasn't the year-end, on ordinary days the First Office's end time was usually around the hai hour (21:00).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Hua Changxi, being a menial worker, had it far too easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Over thirty baskets of Ironwood Roots, more than fifteen hundred plants, all processed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hua Changxi and her group didn't do a sloppy job, did they?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Qin shook his head: \"All processed, and every single one meets the standard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Bao fell silent, then sighed, \"Little Lu's luck sure is good, getting such a capable menial worker.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Qin: \"Steward, the Ironwood Roots Hua Changxi processed these two days amount to nearly two thousand plants. Along with what we processed before, that's enough to submit to the Heaven Department.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Bao thought for a moment and asked, \"How many Ironwood Roots are still unprocessed in the warehouse?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Qin pondered: \"Probably about two thousand five hundred plants.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Bao smiled: \"Send them all to Hua Changxi tomorrow. Still tell her she can't leave until the work is done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to see if she can increase her processing speed even more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If she does finish processing all the Ironwood Roots tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, give her all those difficult-to-process medicinal herbs stockpiled in the warehouse to handle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Qin glanced quickly at Steward Bao, understanding that the steward intended to \"utilize\" Hua Changxi to the greatest extent possible, ensuring that she was used to her full potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Hua Changxi arrived at the First Office at the end of the mao hour as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she stepped into the courtyard and saw the Ironwood Roots piled in baskets upon baskets, stacked so high there was hardly room to stand, she gained a deeper understanding of Steward Bao's nature of taking an inch and squeezing every drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Complete Canon of Processing (Perfection): Processed Medicinal Herbs 7892\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at the data, Hua Changxi said nothing in front of Manager Qin, walked straight into the room, and started working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentices of the Apprentice Hall watched this scene with extremely complex expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is what being a menial worker is like—show your skill, and instead of recognition, all you get is being squeezed to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wasn't it said that this Hua Changxi has a terrible temper and would beat anyone who dares provoke her? Steward Bao is obviously exploiting her by ordering her around like this. Why doesn't she refuse?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Think about who Hua Changxi beat before. Those people were all low-status menial workers like her. When facing someone of higher status like Steward Bao, of course she doesn't dare to say a word. Haven't you seen plenty of people like that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling listened to her classmates' idle chatter, looked at Hua Changxi buried in her work, and a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people in this world are like that—daring only to lash out at those around them, but turning into weaklings the moment they face someone of higher status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had heard before about Hua Changxi teaching people a lesson. Although she thought she was too impulsive, she still admired her courage deep down. Now it seemed Hua Changxi was just another person who bullied the weak and feared the strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Complete Canon of Processing (Perfection): Processed Medicinal Herbs \u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the fourth ke of the you hour, Hua Changxi placed the last processed Ironwood Root into a special wooden box, looked at the changing data in her vision, and couldn't help the corners of her mouth turning up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Complete Canon of Processing had finally been fully inherited. Now she had a thorough understanding of the processing theories and methods for mortal plants, spirit plants, divine plants, and Dao plants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, only these remained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Complete Atlas of Meridian Mapping (Perfection): Dissected and Ground Medicinal Herbs 5511\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Fusion Art (Perfection): Blended and Fused Pills 4672\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Pill Coagulation Art (Perfection): Coagulated Pills 4672\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sealing Art (Perfected): Sealed Pills 4672\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as she upgrades these four to perfection, her alchemy inheritance will be fully inherited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Hua Changxi was thinking about the data upgrades, she did not notice Eunuch Bao approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Bao looked at all the completely processed Ironwood Roots, his gaze toward Hua Changxi brightening a few notches. He said directly, \"Hua Changxi, I have some medicinal ingredients here that need processing. Come with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the very first day she came to help, Hua Changxi had left work right at the four ke of the you hour without fail. Now that Eunuch Bao had personally come to ask her to work overtime, the apprentices in the Apprentice Hall were somewhat curious about how Hua Changxi would react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Eunuch Bao and said directly, \"Eunuch Bao, I'm afraid I can't help you.\" As she spoke, she raised her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today, in order to finish processing the Ironwood Roots quickly, I couldn't help but rush a bit in the process. Now I've been pricked by an Ironwood Root.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did everyone see that Hua Changxi's hands were bright red. It was obvious at a glance that she had burned herself by processing the medicinal ingredients improperly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when others were pricked by Ironwood Roots, they broke out in cold sweat and shivered. Why was her 'poisoning' merely making her hands bright red?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the confusion of the apprentices in the Apprentice Hall, Eunuch Bao directly saw through Hua Changxi's deliberate action. Hua Changxi had purposely made her hands look like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her earlier compliance, doing whatever she was told, was all fake. She wasn't resisting him; rather, she struck right at the vital point in one move, leaving him no reason to order her around anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What made Eunuch Bao most alarmed was that Hua Changxi's control over the 'toxin' of the medicinal ingredients was so precise that it only made her hands red, with nothing wrong above the wrists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having managed the First Bureau for many years, Eunuch Bao also understood pharmacology, even more than those apprentices in the Apprentice Hall, and therefore he was more aware of how impressive Hua Changxi was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How could you be so careless? Since you were injured in the First Bureau, the First Bureau will definitely take responsibility.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Eunuch Bao, who was staring at her with a face full of concern, Hua Changxi was deeply moved, and then unceremoniously named several medicinal ingredients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you're a busy man, so I won't waste your time. Have Steward Qin give me the ingredients. I'll take them back and boil them myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corner of Eunuch Bao's mouth twitched. The First Bureau did have all the ingredients Hua Changxi asked for, but those few ingredients were all quite valuable. Purchased from an outside pharmacy, each would cost at least dozens of taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Hua Changxi, her heart was black!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Steward Qin, go get the ingredients Hua Changxi asked for and give them to her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the words were already out, Eunuch Bao couldn't slap his own face, so he could only, with a pang of pain, have Steward Qin fetch the ingredients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the apprentices in the Apprentice Hall saw that Hua Changxi really had gotten the ingredients from Eunuch Bao, they were all very impressed. Everyone knew that Eunuch Bao of the First Bureau was a miserly tightwad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling glanced at Hua Changxi, who had just publicly fleeced Eunuch Bao, and realized that her earlier assessment of her had been a bit premature. This person's boldness exceeded her imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving Hua Changxi the medicine, Eunuch Bao definitely intended to recoup his losses: \"Hua Changxi, after you take the medicine, hurry back and rest. Come early tomorrow, okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shook her head again: \"Eunuch Bao, my hands are like this now. I'm afraid they won't heal in a few days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her \"Complete Canon of Processing\" was already perfected. She no longer needed to continue processing medicinal ingredients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Eunuch Bao did an instant Sichuan opera face change, his expression turning gloomy in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi, not wanting to offend Eunuch Bao to the death, continued, \"My hands are like this now, which really is inconvenient for processing ingredients. It's no big deal for me, but my main concern is that improper processing of the ingredients might cause trouble for you, Eunuch Bao.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you, Eunuch Bao, still think I'm of some use, why not assign me to cut the medicinal ingredients or grind them? Even with my hands bandaged, I can do that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Eunuch Bao's expression improved a bit. Cutting medicine was a technical job, grinding was manual labor. He wanted to give Hua Changxi a hard time, so after some thought, he let her go cut medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He figured that since her hands were injured, she would surely be inconvenienced moving around. Tomorrow he would give her more tasks and make her work straight through the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that she had achieved her goal, Hua Changxi smiled and said, \"Eunuch Bao, I'll definitely come earlier tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking the ingredients that Steward Qin had fetched, Hua Changxi went directly back to the Sixth Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ingredients Hua Changxi asked for were all for boosting blood and qi and replenishing vitality. Since the New Year was coming soon, she wanted to refine some body-strengthening pills to give to her family as New Year gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Hua Changxi arrived at the First Bureau at the end of the mao hour. Steward Qin had already been waiting for her a while: \"Let's go. I'll take you to the slicing room.\" As he spoke, he looked at Hua Changxi's hands, which were wrapped tightly in cloth bandages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are your hands okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for your concern, Steward Qin. The medicine you gave me yesterday was very effective. My hands should be fine after a few days of rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin was a bit worried: \"With your hands wrapped like that, can you cut the medicinal ingredients?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said confidently, \"No problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, Steward Qin led Hua Changxi to another courtyard. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they could hear the 'thump thump thump' of chopping medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin directly led Hua Changxi into a side room. Inside the side room, there were only two middle-aged male laborers, both cutting medicine at a very fast pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin didn't immediately assign Hua Changxi any tasks; instead, he had her watch the workflow of two middle-aged male laborers for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men finished cutting a basket of medicinal herbs, and someone immediately came in to take it away, then other laborers carried in herbs needing slicing—there was no idle moment in between.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Steward Qin: \"Steward Qin, how many herbs do I need to cut in a day?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin knew that Eunuch Bao wanted to make things hard for Hua Changxi, so he thought for a moment and said, \"Three thousand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he said this, the two middle-aged laborers who had been focused on cutting herbs both looked up in unison, their faces showing undisguised shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were the most skilled laborers in the slicing room, and depending on the size of the herbs, they could at most cut between one thousand and two thousand a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Steward Qin to ask a young girl to cut three thousand herbs—that was simply too excessive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi didn't haggle either; she simply nodded and agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reaction instead made Steward Qin hesitate. He had no choice—the speed at which Hua Changxi processed medicine had completely shattered his previous understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This young girl before him could not be judged by ordinary standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried that he might have assigned too little work to Hua Changxi, Steward Qin called over the laborer specifically responsible for delivering herbs to the side room: \"Send the girl large pieces of herbs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the side room, not long after Hua Changxi sat down before the herb-slicing guillotine, the herb-delivering laborer carried over a basket of herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The herb pieces in the basket were all very large, and they were also rather hard, woody root-stem herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the two laborers in the same room saw this, they both gave Hua Changxi a look of sympathy, and upon seeing her bandaged hands, they simply shook their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This girl—who knew how late she would have to work today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Hua Changxi, she had already started working. Although her hands were bandaged, it did not affect the movement of her fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the first basket of herbs, Hua Changxi's cutting was a bit faltering, but starting from the second basket, her slicing speed picked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For other laborers, root-stem herbs were not easy to cut and required great effort, but for Hua Changxi, whose realm points had already exceeded five thousand, even hard stone could be crushed to powder with a light squeeze, so root-stem herbs were even less of a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two middle-aged laborers in the same room saw Hua Changxi cutting root-stem herbs like tofu, her speed increasing all the while, and their faces showed expressions of astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, Steward Qin also sneaked a visit to check on Hua Changxi's progress. When he learned that Hua Changxi had already cut over a thousand herbs, his jaw nearly dropped in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After repeatedly confirming that the herb-delivering laborer had strictly followed his orders and sent Hua Changxi only large, hard root-stem herbs, Steward Qin went to see Eunuch Bao with a stiff face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the hour of you, fourth ke (around 5:40 PM), under the somewhat dazed gazes of the two middle-aged male laborers, Hua Changxi finished her shift on time and returned to the Sixth Bureau. As she left, there was even a smile on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Complete Illustrated Meridian Mapping (Perfection): Decomposing and Grinding Herbs 8511\u002F]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excellent. After helping out at the First Bureau for a few days, Complete Illustrated Meridian Mapping is about to advance to Perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cut herbs for one more day tomorrow, and Complete Illustrated Meridian Mapping will be perfected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Eunuch Bao, upon learning that Hua Changxi had completed her task, was also a bit stunned, then sighed again: \"Little Luzi really is lucky. This Hua Changxi is a born laborer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Hua Changxi cut herbs for another full day and successfully fully inherited all the knowledge of Complete Illustrated Meridian Mapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the meridian pathways of all mortal plants and beasts, spirit plants and spirit beasts, divine plants and divine beasts, and Dao plants and Dao beasts were all engraved in Hua Changxi's mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This year, the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month was New Year's Eve. After getting up early, Hua Changxi came to the First Bureau again, not to help today, but to collect her silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apprentice hall apprentices who came to help lined up in one line, and laborers who came to help lined up in another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentices received ten taels of silver, while the laborers only got two taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hua Changxi got her silver, seeing that the person distributing it was Steward Qin, she couldn't help asking: \"We all do the same work—why is the silver so different?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin didn't want to answer at first, but thinking that the First Bureau might borrow Hua Changxi again in the future, he explained a sentence: \"Apprentices rank above laborers. Apprentices understand pharmacology and medical skills, and when they come to help, they also guide the laborers of the First Bureau.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for laborers, they just do the hard work. During the process of helping, they can also learn the techniques of processing medicine for free. For the First Bureau to give an extra two taels of silver to laborers is already an act of grace from the eunuchs above.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"People must learn to be content, not always thinking about comparing themselves to others. They must work with their feet on the ground, understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi looking at him expressionlessly, Steward Qin also knew that she had performed no worse than the apprentices—in fact, better. He could only lower his voice and say, \"Eunuch Bao wants you to go speak with him.\" As he spoke, he gave her a meaningful look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after hearing this did Hua Changxi take her two taels of silver and go find Eunuch Bao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Eunuch Bao saw Hua Changxi, he first praised her lavishly, then, as if granting a favor, took out five taels of silver and directly tossed them to Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The angle he tossed was also quite tricky—Eunuch Bao's intention was to make Hua Changxi bend down and pick up the silver from the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at Eunuch Bao, hooked her foot, lightly lifted her leg as if kicking a shuttlecock, kicked the silver up, and then caught it firmly in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Eunuch, but I have matters to attend to. I'll take my leave now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Bao was displeased at failing to achieve his goal, but what angered him even more was Hua Changxi's attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was also unhappy. She knew that menial workers ranked below apprentices, but she hadn't expected the gap to be so vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she hadn't counted on was that something even more displeasing was still to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Hua Changxi returned to the Sixth Bureau, Du Ruo told her to go see Manager Leng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Manager Leng saw Hua Changxi, he wore an expression that said, \"Congratulations on your windfall\": \"Eunuch Lu recommended you to help out at the First Office. Since it's New Year's today, shouldn't you show a little gratitude?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was truly speechless at their exploitation tactics. She took a deep breath, thinking that today was New Year's Eve and she ought to go home for the holiday in a good mood, so she spoke as gently as possible:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Manager Leng, if such a 'good' opportunity ever comes up again, please be sure to tell Eunuch Lu not to think of me. I'm not worth it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Leng was stunned, staring at Hua Changxi in disbelief: \"You... what did you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled. \"Manager Leng, I wish you a happy New Year. I still need to collect my monthly allowance from the Internal Affairs Court, so I won't disturb you.\" With that, she left directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manager Leng watched her retreating figure, unable to react for a long time. When he came to, he was furious: \"That Hua Changxi—does she want to turn the world upside down?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Menial Hall gave seven days off for the New Year, from New Year's Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Hua Changxi had gone to the First Office, by the time she collected her monthly allowance and returned, almost everyone else in her dormitory had already left, leaving only Wang Yunchu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hua Changxi, happy New Year. I made this ruyi knot myself and cut these window flowers for you. Please don't refuse them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the ruyi knot and window flowers Wang Yunchu handed her, paused for a few seconds, then reached out and took them. \"Thank you.\" Thinking for a moment, she took out a porcelain vial from her packed bundle and poured out two Body-Strengthening Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had heard from Shi-sao and the others that Wang Yunchu's mother died in childbirth giving birth to her younger brother. Her father remarried, and after her stepmother had children, she treated Wang Yunchu and her brother very badly. The siblings nearly starved to death as children, and in recent years they had been eating irregularly until Wang Yunchu started working at the Menial Hall, which improved things slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Happy New Year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi wrapped the Body-Strengthening Pills in paper and handed them to Wang Yunchu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yunchu knew how valuable pills were and didn't want to accept them. She had given Hua Changxi gifts purely out of gratitude for her earlier help, but looking at Hua Changxi's calm eyes, she couldn't bring herself to refuse and reached out to take the pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are Body-Strengthening Pills. They strengthen the body and improve health.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hua Changxi spoke, she quickly packed her things: \"If you and your brother take good care of your bodies, you can make up for the deficits from your childhood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these words, Wang Yunchu deeply regretted ever thinking that Hua Changxi wasn't a good person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi finished packing. Seeing Wang Yunchu looking at her as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, she had no intention of playing the role of a confidante. Slinging her bundle over her shoulder, she said, \"I'm going home. You should leave early too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",3735,"2026-05-29T04:10:26.746Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","41b905058c33051c06d0283913e67a49a688a50600c415752913f57dc41a3169","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-41","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-39",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]