[{"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-206":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},1896980,2531,"Chapter 206: Confrontation","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-206",206,"\u003Cp>Apart from the two main seats, the Hall of Deliberations held only two rows totaling thirty-six tables and chairs. The Protecting Dao families had brought forty to fifty people; adding the eighteen Hall Masters and officials of all ranks from the Medical Bureau, there were certainly not enough seats for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leading the white-haired elder into the Hall of Deliberations, Prince Shou seated him in the primary guest seat on the right. Once everyone was settled, he took the primary host seat on the left, while Director Gu sat in the side seat just below Prince Shou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, the others took their places one by one, immediately dividing into two camps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people brought by the Protecting Dao families sat on the chairs to the right, while the members of the Medical Bureau sat on the chairs to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there were not enough chairs, no scene of scrambling for seats occurred; everyone tacitly chose whether to sit or stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Medical Bureau's side, Chu Junhao did not sit but chose to stand behind Prince Shou; Xie An, Mu Qingying, and Yuan Tianchou also declined to sit, standing instead behind Director Gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other Hall Masters modestly yielded their seats to the various officials; in the end, only the Hall Masters representing the four non-imperial princely houses of East, South, West, and North, along with Huo Yunxiao representing the Heaven Division, remained seated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for those without seats, they could only stand behind the chairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Protecting Dao families' side was the same; many young cultivators chose to stand behind the middle-aged cultivators, with only a few young cultivators taking seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After both sides had settled, though nothing had yet been said, the exchange of glances already established a posture of confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among those seated on the Medical Bureau's side, Hua Changxi had previously spoken with Huo Yunxiao, who sat at the very back, so she stood directly behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two camps engage in silent confrontation, and observing Prince Shou and the white-haired elder on the distant main seats chatting and laughing as if no one else existed in the room, Hua Changxi lightly patted Huo Yunxiao's back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao was currently locking eyes in a contest of wills with a male cultivator opposite him; Hua Changxi's sudden interruption broke his concentration, causing him to turn around with immediate irritation. Upon seeing it was Hua Changxi, and recalling her alchemy skills, he forced a slight smile: \"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied, \"I should be asking you that. What are you all doing? Competing to see who has bigger eyes? How childish?\" In her view, stating one's business outright was far more efficient than such roundabout games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao was somewhat speechless: \"What do you know? This is a silent contest.\" Knowing Hua Changxi came from a humble background and understood little of such matters, and seeing the impatience in her eyes, he explained in a low voice, \"Pay close attention. When two unfamiliar groups meet face-to-face, they always first test each other's depths.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi pondered this: \"Like this silent contest you are having?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao said, \"When narrow paths meet, the brave prevail. Do not underestimate this silent contest. Yes, one cannot discern true strength this way, but one can gauge a person's mental fortitude to some extent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If one's mental fortitude is not strong enough, then no matter how powerful their strength, they are merely a paper tiger.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Highness and that white-haired senior are deliberately ignoring us to give us a chance to probe each other; they want to see who loses their composure first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Huo Yunxiao glanced at Hua Changxi: \"Clearly, you are the most unable to hold your composure, incapable of enduring this silent contest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi opened her mouth to retort, but paused and swallowed her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing she was unconvinced, Huo Yunxiao smiled amusingly: \"Do not be unconvinced. In a silent contest, whoever speaks first loses. Do you know why? Their mind is unsettled; they have revealed their fear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi wanted to roll her eyes but held back. She indeed knew little about such social intricacies; even if she disdained using them, she ought to understand them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou and the white-haired elder, seated in the main positions, appeared lost in self-absorbed pleasantries and laughter, yet in reality, both were closely observing the other's party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While everyone else was engaged in a contest of gazes, only Hua Changxi and Huo Yunxiao were whispering; the two of them undoubtedly drew the attention of the white-haired elder and Prince Shou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder smiled and said, \"The people of the imperial court are indeed exceptionally bold.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou smiled awkwardly: \"We have lost our manners; please forgive us for amusing you, Senior.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder chuckled, no longer looking at Hua Changxi and Huo Yunxiao: \"The people I have brought this time are all promising newcomers with great talent in alchemy. I believe that with their addition, the Alchemy Saint Hall will surely reappear in the mortal world sooner.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the smile on Prince Shou's face nearly faltered, while Chu Junhao, standing behind him, immediately changed color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others from the Medical Bureau also heard this, and everyone's expressions shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi murmured, \"They really have come to seize territory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Huo Yunxiao's brows instantly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Protecting Dao families had come to the Medical Bureau; he wondered if his Master had received news of this yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing his inner dissatisfaction, Prince Shou knew the Protecting Dao families possessed unfathomable foundations and were not an opponent the imperial house could directly confront; forcing a stiff smile, he said, \"The Xia family to which you belong, Senior, are the Protecting Dao guardians of the Central Continent. I trust the judgment of the Protecting Dao guardians.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-robed elder nodded satisfactorily, then turned to look at the group of young men and women he had brought, addressing the male cultivator standing at the very front: \"Ziyang, lead everyone forward to pay respects to His Highness and your colleagues.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as his voice fell, those young men and women stepped forward one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xia Ziyang pays respects to His Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ziyang first bowed ninety degrees deeply to Prince Shou, then clasped his fists and performed a peer's salute to the others on the Medical Bureau's side: \"Greetings to you all; I hope for your guidance in the days to come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this person, Hua Changxi once again employed the technique of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking; as long as she did not look at that white-robed elder, she would not be exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wood Spirit Body; cultivation at the late Core Formation stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xia Ziyang, more than ten men and women walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bai Zhixin pays respects to His Highness and greets all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wu Lingyue pays respects to His Highness and greets all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhu Jinglan pays respects to His Highness and greets all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long Chenyi and Long Jin pay respects to His Highness and greet all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dongfang Hao and Dongfang Xu pay respects to His Highness and greet all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jiang Nianyi pays respects to His Highness and greets all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these people wore treasures that concealed their cultivation. Through the technique of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking, Hua Changxi saw that they all possessed Wood Spirit Bodies; the lowest cultivation among them was late Core Formation, and half were Nascent Soul cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That male cultivator named Dongfang Hao was even a late Nascent Soul cultivator; his spirit body was also somewhat strange, and she found it difficult to see through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Meng Qingyao pays respects to His Highness and greets all fellow Daoists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This female cultivator was even more formidable: a Fire-Wood Spirit Body, a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was shocked by the strength of these people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was she shocked, but the others in the Medical Bureau were also stunned. Although these people had not announced their family backgrounds, many could guess the families behind them based on their surnames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou and Director Gu exchanged a silent glance; both understood in their hearts that they could not stop these people from entering the Medical Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder spoke again with a smile: \"Your Highness, the Medical Bureau is the benchmark of the art of healing in Great Jin. I have heard that the eighteen Qihuang Halls of the Medical Bureau have all selected Hall Masters; I wish to make their acquaintance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the white-haired elder mention the Qihuang Halls and request to meet the Hall Masters, the expressions of both Prince Shou and Director Gu simultaneously turned serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi noticed that some Hall Masters suddenly became somewhat restless; seeing Huo Yunxiao in the same state, her eyes flashed, and then her face revealed sudden realization: \"They have not come to seize control of the Medical Bureau; they have come to contend for the Qihuang Halls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1499,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","8e4c499185eb67303f01e0399932c2dd5396c06d43185c91fd0c9c8b5b5b96de","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-207","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-205",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]