[{"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-235":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},1897009,2531,"Chapter 235: The Pusher of the Era (Part Four)","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-235",235,"\u003Cp>Hua Changxi, accompanied by Hua Sanlang, found a seat at the tea stall beside the restaurant and waited for the results of Tong Yao's interview with Hua Liulang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clansmen have been visiting our door every day recently; many of them helped Grandfather in the past.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although the Marquis Manor distributes a share of cultivation resources to every clansman who tests positive for a spiritual root, it is far from sufficient for actual cultivation needs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Knowing that you are now the Divine Wood Secret Realm Master of the Pill Saint Hall, the clansmen have come begging at your door.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But since you refuse to let the family interfere in your affairs and are utterly inflexible, Grandfather has been overwhelmed by their pleas.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once I return home later, I will tell Grandfather that you are willing to recruit clansmen into the secret realm; he will surely be so happy he'll jump for joy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ever since Grandfather became a clan elder, he has wanted to do something for the clan to secure more speaking rights for our family within it; now that you are willing to recruit clansmen, the other clan elders can no longer use Grandfather's lack of seniority against him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the street, Hua Changxi rested her chin on her left hand and lightly tapped the table with her right, listening expressionlessly to Hua Sanlang's endless chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hua Sanlang spoke, he kept gauging Hua Changxi's expression; seeing no reaction from her, he felt utterly helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could Ninth Lady fail to understand that the family was her greatest support!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis Manor had long since investigated and confirmed that other secret realm masters all made clansmen their core members, assisted by close friends and relatives who knew the background thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through mutual cooperation and satisfying each other's needs, they naturally worked together with one heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, while Ninth Lady had not yet made any move, other secret realm masters had already arranged their personnel, assigned duties to all parties, and begun the orderly development of their secret realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Sanlang sighed inwardly; he truly could not understand why Ninth Lady refused to use her own family members—this had been the case with the Fire Spirit Mine before, and it was the same with the current secret realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Ninth Lady was now willing to recruit clansmen; otherwise, their family would truly have no way to account for things to the clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Marquis Manor's suggestion to act as an intermediary and contact several noble families with close ties to the Hua clan to assist Ninth Lady in managing the secret realm, he did not dare mention it at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had noticed Hua Sanlang's repeated glances but paid them no heed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding the Hua family, she could not bring herself to turn a blind eye and ignore them completely, yet she was unwilling to suffer excessive interference or influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When recruiting apprentices, she would not deliberately exclude members of the Hua clan, but neither would she grant them any special favors; she would treat them exactly the same as any other cultivators coming to apply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Allowing Third Brother to enter the secret realm as a steward was, first, because she genuinely intended to offer support; alas, it was now extremely difficult for cultivators without backing or connections to obtain resources, so she could not truly ignore the Hua family's lack of cultivation resources;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>second, developing the secret realm required several stewards to manage the newly recruited apprentices, and she could only choose from people familiar to her. Third Brother had studied medicine since childhood and possessed experience managing an apothecary, so handling apprentices during the early stages of secret realm development should pose no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Third Brother, Sixth Brother and the others have come out; let's go over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Tong Yao lead Hua Liulang out of the restaurant, Hua Changxi immediately hurried out of the tea stall with Hua Sanlang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Daoist Tong!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi walked smilingly toward Tong Yao; seeing the joyful expression on Hua Liulang's face, she promptly asked with a smile, \"How did it go? Can my Sixth Brother become your disciple?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao replied, \"Becoming my disciple? That simply won't do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this answer, Hua Changxi froze, only to see Tong Yao break into a smile moments later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If your Sixth Brother became my disciple, would I not be a generation senior to you? Yet I dare not have you address me as 'Senior'.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi breathe a huge sigh of relief, the smile on Tong Yao's face deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Daoist Hua, I must take your Sixth Brother back to my sect; if my Master agrees to accept him as a disciple, it may be some time before he can return home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes lit up: \"Then I trouble you, Daoist Tong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao laughed, \"There is no need for such formality between us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hua Changxi and Hua Sanlang gave Hua Liulang a few parting instructions, he departed with Tong Yao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two walk away, Hua Sanlang could not help but ask, \"Ninth Lady, who exactly is Daoist Tong's master within the Artifact Saint Palace?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him and said, \"Third Brother, let Sixth Brother tell you about the affairs of the Artifact Saint Palace himself in the future.\" She paused briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The alchemy workshop is still under lockdown for now; regarding Sixth Brother's entry into the Artifact Saint Palace, Third Brother, you must not speak of it casually to outsiders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Sanlang nodded: \"Rest assured, I understand the gravity of such matters.\" Then, looking at Hua Changxi, he asked, \"Ninth Lady, after I enter the Pill Saint Hall, will I also be able to find a master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shook her head: \"The Pill Saint Hall differs from other sacred lands; it has long been infiltrated by the imperial family and various powerful nobles.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which faction truly represents the legitimate successors of the Pill Saint Hall is impossible to discern.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or perhaps, the true inheritance of the Pill Saint Hall has not yet been discovered by anyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Under such circumstances, whom would you seek as a master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Sanlang furrowed his brows, his face filled with worry: \"I never expected the Pill Saint Hall to be so chaotic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his distress, Hua Changxi comforted him, \"Third Brother, put your mind at ease; once we enter the secret realm, I will teach you and the other apprentices alchemy step by step, starting with the identification and cultivation of spiritual herbs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not boasting on her part; in the field of alchemy, within the current Medical and Pharmaceutical Bureau, no one except Meng Qingyao could compare to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Sanlang looked at Hua Changxi skeptically: \"You will teach us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the doubt and distrust in his eyes, Hua Changxi became displeased: \"Yes, I will be the one teaching you. What, do you look down on me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Sanlang fell silent for a moment: \"It is not a matter of looking down on you, Ninth Lady; you have only embarked on the path of cultivation for less than two years, and your time studying alchemy is even shorter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Third Brother knows you possess great talent in medicine and alchemy, and you may have fortunately obtained an alchemical inheritance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, I believe that whether in cultivation or alchemy, one requires guidance from predecessors; relying solely on one's own exploration wastes little time compared to the risk of straying onto the wrong path, leading to regrets too late to remedy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi did not respond to this; Third Brother's concerns were not without merit, yet they did not apply to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For no other reason than that she had obtained the complete inheritance of the Shennong Cauldron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, she was too lazy to argue with Hua Sanlang; once they entered the secret realm, the truth would reveal itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As evening fell, Hua Changxi spoke no further with Hua Sanlang, and they parted ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi returned to the Medical and Pharmaceutical Bureau and immediately entered the secret realm to continue refining her management plan for its operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talent Development Plan: Apprentice → Spiritual Herb Cultivator → Spiritual Herb Processor → Pharmacist → Alchemist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secret Realm Management Structure: Law Enforcement Hall → Mission Hall (divided into Cultivation Department, Processing Department, and Alchemy Department) → Merit Hall → Logistics Department → Personnel Department → Lecture Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lecture Hall would be responsible for disseminating medical arts and the Dao of alchemy; she could serve as the instructor initially, and once promising talents were discovered and trained in the future, she would be freed from this duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Personnel Department would handle recruitment; with fifteen thousand mu of medicinal fields across the first and second layers of the secret realm, recruiting apprentices would certainly be a prolonged process, so Physician Xu would lead the other seven medicine attendants in managing this;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Logistics Department would handle matters of food, clothing, shelter, travel, tools, and the like, placed under the charge of Eunuch Yu;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Merit Hall, essentially the Finance Department, would be responsible for recording the contributions of apprentices, placed under the charge of Eunuch Zhao;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mission Hall, responsible for the collection, cultivation, and processing of medicinal herbs, was assigned to Hua Sanlang and Eunuch Zhou to manage together;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Law Enforcement Hall, responsible for maintaining order within the secret realm, was assigned to Eunuch Jia to oversee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Jia, Eunuch Yu, Eunuch Zhao, and Eunuch Zhou were all her people; after the entire staff of the Corvée Hall had been replaced, these four, relying on their own connections, still remained working within the Corvée Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prior to this, Hua Changxi had intended to let the four remain in the Corvée Hall to gather intelligence for her, but now, with the development of the secret realm underway and no one else available, she could only requisition them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having established the foundational approach for managing the secret realm, Hua Changxi used her spiritual power on the first layer of the realm to connect the southernmost and northernmost points into a single line, constructing field ridges; she then connected the westernmost and easternmost points into another line, constructing more field ridges, thereby dividing the first layer of the secret realm into four zones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entrance and exit of the secret realm's teleportation array were located in Zone Four; once apprentices were recruited, the collection of spiritual herbs and the reclamation of medicinal fields would commence in Zone Four, then expand sequentially to the other zones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first layer of the secret realm covered an area of one hundred million mu; even though Hua Changxi was a Nascent Soul cultivator, constructing the field ridges still consumed a vast amount of her time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Hua Changxi was busy working within the secret realm, the other realm masters were also occupied, yet having personnel at their disposal made their actions far more composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ninth day of the first lunar month, the Spirit Realm Pavilion convened its first Realm Masters' Assembly on Ninth Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meeting was presided over by Xia Zhen; of the fifteen realm masters, only Hua Changxi was absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no other reason; he simply had not sent anyone to notify Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On New Year's Eve, Hua Changxi had shown him such disrespect, even claiming that the secret realm was a gift from the Divine Tree, that everything within it was hers to decide, and that outsiders need not interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since she insisted on having sole authority, he decided he would not invite her to any future Spirit Realm Pavilion meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>",1928,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","2c08df369d6bf04147e5a514ff8dcb4c32d43ee2bf6c764b7ce030b1ed1a149a","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-236","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-234",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]