[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl":3,"chapter-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-147":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Great Jin's Most Iron Rice Bowl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1896921,2531,"Chapter 147: The Gaze","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-147",147,"\u003Cp>When Prince Shou's gaze fell upon Hua Changxi and the others, they all hung their heads in silence, making no other move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuch standing behind him, seeing that none of them stepped forward voluntarily to pay their respects to Prince Shou, immediately shouted harshly, \"How bold! Why do you not quickly step forward to greet His Highness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Gu Jinfan glanced at Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou; as disciples of the Director, it was only right for them to take the lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catching Gu Jinfan's look, Yuan Tianchou glanced at Gu Qiming; seeing that his own master gave him no hint, he pondered briefly before stepping forward, clasping his fists and bowing to Prince Shou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First-grade Alchemist Yuan Tianchou greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Yuan Tianchou merely bowed without kneeling, Prince Shou's expression grew somewhat displeased: \"Is your father the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Tianchou replied, \"He is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou knew that several great clans in Jingcheng, including the Yuan family, were not even the imperial clan could easily provoke; after sizing up Yuan Tianchou, he asked nothing further and dismissed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next was Mu Qingying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She mimicked Yuan Tianchou's greeting, clasping her fists and bowing: \"First-grade Alchemist Mu Qingying greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing she was a disciple of the Director, Prince Shou glanced at Gu Qiming standing nearby and, finding it inconvenient to press too hard, coldly dismissed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First-grade Alchemist Gu Jinfan greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Jinfan likewise clasped her fists and bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xinguo Duke's Prefecture had developed rapidly over the past two years and was under close scrutiny by the imperial clan; sizing up Gu Jinfan, Prince Shou said with an ambiguous smile, \"I hear the Xinguo Duke's Prefecture now even possesses third-grade alchemists, so why are you merely first-grade? Could you be hiding your true abilities?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Prince Shou's challenge, Gu Jinfan remained unperturbed: \"Replying to Your Highness, alchemy requires comprehension; my comprehension is insufficient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou did not pursue the truth of those words, but abruptly asked, \"You are not yet betrothed, are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A trace of change finally appeared on Gu Jinfan's face; raising her eyes to look at Prince Shou, she said, \"I will never become betrothed, for betrothal means I must marry, and marriage means marrying only one man, yet there are so many fine men in this world that one is simply not enough for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good heavens, once these words were spoken, everyone present looked at Gu Jinfan with expressions ranging from astonishment to admiration to shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Prince Shou was rendered speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Gu Jinfan silently withdrew; as her gaze wandered, she inadvertently noticed Hua Changxi looking at her with appreciation, which made her feel somewhat strange inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason she had responded to Prince Shou in such a manner was that she knew he most detested betrayal by women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of whether Prince Shou's earlier question about her betrothal was casual or held some ulterior motive, she did not wish to have any entanglement with this person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was nothing but a mad dog who would stop at nothing to obtain bloodline ancestral divine abilities, and the number of people he had slaughtered was countless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Yuan Tianchou, Mu Qingying, and Gu Jinfan, only Hua Changxi, Zhu Qinghuan, and Shen Qianfan remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Qianfan glanced at Hua Changxi and Zhu Qinghuan; thinking that he belonged to the Disciple Hall, he stepped out first, clasped his fists, and bowed: \"First-grade Alchemist Shen Qianfan greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first three individuals had backgrounds too formidable for Prince Shou to tolerate their failure to kneel, but Shen Qianfan, a mere commoner, dared to show such disrespect, causing Prince Shou's face to darken immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he said nothing himself, the eunuch behind him spoke up: \"How bold! How dare you fail to perform the kowtow before His Highness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Shen Qianfan showed no fear, but instead revealed an indignant expression: \"Your Highness, I am unconvinced; those three did not kowtow, so why must I? For Your Highness to treat us so differently is truly unjust.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Gu Jinfan's bold remarks, Prince Shou was once again rendered speechless; looking at Shen Qianfan as if he were a fool, he wondered if the man's brain was defective, actually demanding fairness from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qiming nearby quickly lowered his head, struggling hard to suppress the urge to laugh aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding these few who had obtained the wooden tokens, he had expended great effort investigating their families, finding every single one of them to be proud and arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Prince Shou was an imperial prince, times were different now; whether the imperial clan could continue to rule Great Jin in the future was uncertain, and many people's sense of awe toward the imperial clan was gradually dissipating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When encountering such individuals who had never easily bowed their heads since childhood, the more Prince Shou tried to assert his princely authority, the more fiercely they would resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the eunuch behind Prince Shou froze for a moment before reacting: \"Presumptuous!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Qianfan stood with his spine straight as an arrow: \"Your Highness acts unjustly; I point it out, so how can this be considered presumptuous?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuch had not expected this person to be so brave; at a loss for how to respond, he could only turn to look at Prince Shou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou's brow twitched violently; he directly released his spiritual pressure, intending to force Shen Qianfan to his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the moment the spiritual pressure was released, it was blocked and pushed back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou knew it was Gu Qiming who had acted and glared at him furiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qiming smiled respectfully, then stated directly, \"Next.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First-grade Alchemist Zhu Qinghuan greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou was highly dissatisfied with Gu Qiming's attitude, but knowing that Gu Qiming was a member of the Heaven Department and that the imperial clan could not control the Alchemy Saint Hall without the Heaven Department's support, he suppressed his anger and turned his gaze to Zhu Qinghuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your surname is Zhu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is a good surname; do not let it down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward Zhu Qinghuan, Prince Shou's attitude was relatively gentle, and he dismissed her without causing much difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First-grade Alchemist Hua Changxi greets Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi introduced herself just as the others had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Hua Changxi, Prince Shou asked, \"Are you that servant who gave lectures at the Qihuang Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied, \"I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou asked, \"Why did you give lectures at the Qihuang Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi answered, \"Because I enjoy teaching medical arts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou countered, \"Was it not because you discovered something unusual at the Qihuang Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied, \"I have only been in the Servant Hall for two years; if there were anything unusual at the Qihuang Hall, it would have been discovered long ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou narrowed his eyes, sizing Hua Changxi up from head to toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such scrutiny made Hua Changxi's brows knit together; this was the second time she had experienced being stared at as if she were merchandise being priced for sale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time had been at the old clan estate, where the old clan leader's wife had used such a gazing look to select among her and her sisters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou asked, \"Are you willing to hand over the wooden token in your hand to this prince?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi, expressionless, replied, \"I am not willing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou's face turned cold: \"This prince does not take it for nothing; ten thousand spirit stones for your wooden token should be enough for you to cultivate for a very long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was rendered speechless: \"The wooden tablet is my destiny; not even more spirit stones could make me trade it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou's voice turned cold: \"Are you not afraid that I, this Prince, will have you expelled from the Medical Bureau?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied: \"I do not belong to the Medical Bureau, but to the Hall of the Pill Saint. Your Highness may order someone to leave the Medical Bureau, but you have no authority to remove anyone from the Hall of the Pill Saint.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Prince Shou's anger subsided into calm; after a long silence, he said: \"Since you enjoy lecturing, then from now on you shall lecture every day at the Qihuang Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"That will not do. I had time before, but I have none now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou's face darkened: \"This is an order; you have no right to refuse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi met his gaze directly: \"I am the one giving the lectures, so naturally I have the right not to give them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Prince Shou about to erupt in fury, the Seventh Imperial Prince standing behind him quickly spoke up: \"Thirteenth Uncle, the medical arts Professor Hua Changxi teaches are aimed at mortals and martial artists; they are of little use to us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou snorted, his gaze sweeping over Mu Qingying and the others: \"You lot... very good indeed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1501,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","998c57ceeeacd24f161e731e6f8158a83d664cdfc432c60fcad7a6eb5e734dc3","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-148","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-146",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]