[{"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-237":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},1897011,2531,"Chapter 237: The Pusher of the Era (Part Six)","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-237",237,"\u003Cp>The selection of the Spirit Realm Pavilion's master was decided by lottery, with every Secret Realm Master having a chance to serve; apart from Long Chenyi, everyone else was very satisfied with this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first master of the Spirit Realm Pavilion was Meng Qingyao, who had drawn the number one lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qingyao, from now on, you are the master of the Spirit Realm Pavilion. As the first master, you must set a good example.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Zhen smiled at Meng Qingyao, gesturing for her to take the seat of honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the gaze of the crowd, Meng Qingyao steadied her mind, stepped forward calmly, and looked at the assembled Secret Realm Masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, Qingyao has been fortunate enough to serve as the first master. If I do anything improper in the future, I ask for your correction and tolerance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now that the Sacred Land lies dormant, and we have received the recognition and blessing of the Divine Tree, we should work together in the same boat to strive for the Sacred Land's early return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Secret Realm Masters all saved face for her, expressing their support one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tianshi glanced at Xia Zhen; knowing that Meng Qingyao and the Xia family were on the same side, he smiled and asked, \"Master, we naturally hope for the Sacred Land's early return, but we have never found the method. Do you have any specific ideas?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ruins of the five Great Sacred Lands are all located in Jingcheng; to obtain the Sacred Land's inheritance and become its master, both the imperial family and the nobility displayed their various talents like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sadly, after hundreds of years of exploration, not only has the Sacred Land failed to reappear, but no one has even caught a glimpse of its inheritance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xia, Bai, Wu, Zhu, and Long families, serving as the Dao-Protecting Families, perhaps they hold the method to restore the Sacred Land?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Qingyao shook her head; the Dao-Protecting Families did not know the method to restore the Sacred Land either. If they did, the five Dao-Protecting Families would have appeared long ago to seize control of the five Great Sacred Lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From ancient times until now, too much time has passed. To make the Sacred Land reappear, we must explore together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, the Pill Saint Hall bears the responsibility of spreading medical arts and the Dao of pill refining. I believe that if we strive in this direction, we can certainly activate the Sacred Land to some extent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take the Qihuang Hall, for instance; it was surely a place for teaching. Our primary task as Secret Realm Masters is to teach frequently at the Qihuang Halls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Zhen took up the conversation: \"Indeed, Prince Shou has already made arrangements. Starting on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, all eighteen Qihuang Halls will begin rotating lectures.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the eighteen Qihuang Halls, only the Minister of the Heaven Department, Wei Zhenjie, the Director of the Medical Bureau, Gu Qiming, and Gu Jinfan of the Duke of Xin's Prefecture did not receive a secret realm; everyone else is a Secret Realm Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding teaching at the Qihuang Halls, none of the Secret Realm Masters objected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, having received the Divine Tree's secret realms, they certainly needed to do something substantial for the Sacred Land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Zhen looked at Meng Qingyao: \"Qingyao, please continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Qingyao said: \"Besides teaching at the Qihuang Halls, I suggest that each of us annually contribute a portion of the spiritual herbs from our respective secret realms to train pill refiners.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the output of the secret realms involved the vital interests of the Secret Realm Masters, the crowd immediately began discussing the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Xing remained silent throughout; he knew this proposal would surely pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The appearance of the Dao-Protecting Families within the Medical Bureau had actually harmed the interests of the imperial family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although everyone knew the Medical Bureau was the site of the Pill Saint Hall, it was still a government department under the regulation of the imperial family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To appease the imperial family, the Dao-Protecting Families would certainly have to concede a portion of the secret realm profits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meng Qingyao's proposal was likely something Xia Zhen and others had discussed beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Mu Qingying and the others...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Tree secret realms were like a delicacy that every faction was eyeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Qingying and the others had deep ties with the imperial family and the nobility of Jingcheng; if they offered no benefits at all, they would surely be targeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if these people were unwilling in their hearts, no one would stick their neck out to oppose the motion at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, just as Gu Xing had thought, no one stood up to oppose Meng Qingyao's proposal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, exactly how much of the secret realm output to contribute was a matter on which everyone had their own thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone present understood clearly that the people currently in the Medical Bureau belonged to the imperial family and the nobility; once the secret realm output was handed over, it was hard to say whether it would cultivate people for the Sacred Land or for the various factions of nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one was willing to use their own resources to bolster another's influence, especially when that 'other' might include their own enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The secret realms we received are all different; it would be unfair if everyone contributed the same amount of output, wouldn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, I say it would be best to determine the quantity of spiritual herbs contributed based on the grade of the secret realm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst a flurry of opinions, it was ultimately Gu Xing who stepped forward to make the final decision: each Secret Realm Master would contribute one-tenth of their annual output.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These contributions would be submitted uniformly to the Spirit Realm Pavilion, with the Master responsible for their distribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the first meeting of the Spirit Realm Pavilion concluded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meeting confirmed Meng Qingyao as the first Master, established that the Secret Realm Masters would teach medical arts and the Dao of pill refining within the Qihuang Halls, and set the rule that each secret realm must contribute one-tenth of its annual output to train the pill refiners of the Medical Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the meeting ended, Prince Shou learned of everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, so the people of the Dao-Protecting Families also know how to play games of isolation and exclusion!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sarcastic smile played on Prince Shou's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao sighed: \"On New Year's Eve, Hua Changxi indeed showed Xia Zhen too little face.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou laughed: \"So, she deserves to be excluded.\" Then his smile vanished. \"I heard Huo Yunxiao went to discuss cooperation with her, but she refused?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao nodded: \"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou snorted coldly and mocked: \"Does Hua Changxi think that relying solely on herself, she can manage a high-grade secret realm well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou looked at his nephew: \"I know you wish to befriend Hua Changxi, but do not be too eager. Remember, you are the Emperor's son, an Imperial Prince; do not disgrace your status.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao replied: \"Junhao respectfully accepts the Uncle-Prince's instruction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou added: \"Managing a secret realm requires manpower, and Hua Changxi has no one in her hands. I think she still doesn't understand the situation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since ancient times, those who offer themselves voluntarily are looked down upon. Let her jump around for a while first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once the other secret realms are running smoothly, let's see if Hua Changxi becomes anxious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At that time, she will not be the one making demands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao was not very optimistic about this; judging by the personality Hua Changxi had revealed, she did not seem like someone who would beg for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when a person is truly driven to a dead end, bowing one's head is the only solution; even the most arrogant person must grind down their edges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou stopped speaking about Hua Changxi and said with a gloomy expression: \"Each secret realm contributing only one-tenth of its output; the Xia family truly shows no respect for the imperial family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chu Junhao hesitated before saying: \"Uncle-Prince, if one secret realm contributes one-tenth of its output, then eighteen secret realms would mean eighteen portions of output.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is quite a lot...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou snorted coldly and said, \"What do you know? Do you think all that output goes solely to the imperial family? Must we not also share it with the other nobles?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of the increasingly complex situation, Chu Junhao's expression also grew grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, other factions were also discussing the matter of the Spirit Realm Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the reconstructions provided by Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou, Director Gu learned the entire content of the meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding other matters, Director Gu showed no reaction; the only thing he found strange was that Gu Xing had not spoken up for Hua Changxi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the old courtyard of the square, someone also posed this question to Gu Xing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle Gu, why did you not speak up for Changxi? Did you not think highly of her?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Xing looked at the old woman who had spoken; had Hua Changxi been here, she would surely have recognized that the elder was none other than Sun Nu, who used to guard the kitchen in the Miscellaneous Labor Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little Sun, Hua Changxi is far too willful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jade unpolished cannot become a vessel; for someone like her, words cannot change her. Only by stumbling over practical matters will she reflect on her own actions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most importantly, she rejects power; she wishes to reap the benefits of the Sacred Land while remaining aloof from affairs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless she suffers the bitterness of power, she will never understand what power truly is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1641,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","963f345dfe0fab2bb1ce956af929ec6bfa5062ac0e65cb4752f7c228b0da3ea5","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-238","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-236",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]