[{"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-358":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},1897132,2531,"Chapter 358: Demanding Repayment for a Favor","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-358",358,"\u003Cp>The first time Hua Changxi entered Xuan Fu, she was directly teleported through a spatial rift to a plaza; the second time, she entered through Xuan Fu's barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though only three years separated these two entries, the sights she beheld were utterly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at the magnificent gate before her, which featured five passageways, Hua Changxi felt somewhat dazed; if not for the plaque bearing \"Xuan Fu\" hung high above the gate tower, she would have mistaken it for a city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To state it without exaggeration, the main gate of Xuan Fu before her was even more towering and imposing than the four great city gates of Jingcheng to the east, west, south, and north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the five passageways were carved the five great characters: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The character for Earth stood in the center, with Metal, Water, Fire, and Wood arranged from left to right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five gates were originally closed, but after Hua Changxi entered the barrier, the Fire Gate passage slowly opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This main gate of Xuan Fu is quite something; it comes equipped with its own access control scanning system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is just unknown how deep this access control's detection capabilities extend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can it only detect spiritual root attributes, or can it probe even deeper to reveal things like bloodline totems?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the wide-open Fire Gate, Hua Changxi felt somewhat guarded; after hesitating for a moment, she still stepped through the Fire Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the five gates lay the Qilin Canal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crossing the jade bridge over the Qilin Canal brought one to a plaza stretching thousands of meters in depth—the very plaza where Hua Changxi had been teleported during her first entry into Xuan Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the far end of the plaza stood a majestic palace complex featuring three-tiered que towers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All palaces sat atop high platforms ranging from tens to hundreds of meters in height; the main hall bore a splendid golden plaque inscribed with \"Chengqian Hall,\" while bell and drum towers stood on either side, atop which stood soldiers of the Xuan Army clad in golden armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking across the plaza of white jade, Hua Changxi was truly stunned by the Xuan Army's efficient construction speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She still remembered that between the main gate of Xuan Fu and Xuan Hall, one needed to pass through five plazas; the one she was currently crossing was only the first, and she wondered whether the subsequent plazas had been completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curious about this, Hua Changxi could not resist extending her divine sense outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Friend Hua, this is hardly the conduct of a guest!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment her divine sense extended, a displeased voice echoed above the plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi awkwardly withdrew her divine sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she released and retracted her divine sense instantly, she had still managed to \"scan\" the entire Xuan Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Fu contained a total of nine plazas, each ending in a palace complex; Chengqian Hall constituted the first group of palaces, while Xuan Hall at the center of the estate formed the fifth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first five plazas and their corresponding palace complexes in Xuan Fu were completed, while the remaining four plazas and palace groups were still under construction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, all those engaged in the construction were members of the Xuan Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon scanning and discovering that the five Xuan generals had all gathered inside Chengqian Hall, Hua Changxi quickened her pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Chengqian Hall, the faces of the five Xuan generals all showed signs of displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Feng, the Garrison Commander of the Xuan Army's Front Army, sighed: \"Hua Changxi is indeed as rumors outside claim; she does not much abide by rules.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five divisions of the Xuan Army guarded the east, south, west, north, and center respectively, with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth each guarding one gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Front Army of the Xuan Army happened to guard the southern Fire Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi possessed a Fire spiritual root, and coincidentally, she had chosen to enter through the Fire Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Eastern brothers who had arrived earlier, Hua Changxi was truly somewhat troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Jinglei, the Garrison Commander of the Right Army, added: \"She is also quite bold.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never mind entering Xuan Fu; even when going elsewhere, one could not casually release divine sense to probe, as a careless move could result in severe injury inflicted by the owner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps Hua Changxi dared to use her divine sense to probe Xuan Fu precisely because the master of Xuan Fu had not yet appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting, the Garrison Commander of the Center Army, chuckled: \"If she were obedient and dared not take risks, we probably would not have been able to station ourselves in Xuan Fu so early.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, all five generals laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Feng said: \"Hua Changxi disappeared for three years, yet upon reappearing, she immediately runs to Xuan Fu; what is she intending to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting smiled slightly: \"Let us first hear what she has to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the casual conversation of the five generals, Hua Changxi arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chengqian Hall was vast; none of the five generals occupied the main seat, instead sitting separately on the left and right sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Hua Changxi walk into Chengqian Hall, the five Xuan generals simultaneously narrowed their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the three years since they last saw her, Hua Changxi's strength had grown again, and by no small margin; nowadays, none of them could gauge her depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled and stepped forward to pay her respects: \"Hua Changxi greets the five Generals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five generals exchanged glances, then rose to return the courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had not expected the five generals to be so polite and felt somewhat surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting smiled, extending his hand in a gesture inviting her to sit: \"Young Friend Hua, please be seated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi complied and took her seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After everyone was seated, Qin Feng spoke: \"May I ask what business brings Young Friend Hua to Xuan Fu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi repeated the words she had previously spoken to Dongfang Xu: \"The Liang Duke Prefecture bullies others by relying on their power; I beg the five Generals to seek justice for me and my family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five generals: \"...\" So she had come to demand repayment for a favor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting looked at Hua Changxi, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her current strength, she could suppress the Liang Duke Prefecture alone; there was absolutely no need for her to seek out the Xuan Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting smiled tentatively and asked: \"May I ask how Young Friend Hua wishes for us to seek justice on your behalf?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi immediately produced a sheet of paper listing the names of the Hua family members, totaling twenty-two individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know the Xuan Army is burdened with numerous affairs and dare not trouble the five Generals excessively; I only implore that, in consideration of my help in locating Xuan Fu, the five Generals admit my entire family into Xuan Fu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the five Xuan generals, except for Lu Zhenting, the other four rolled their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every member of the Xuan Army was carefully selected; even when the Chu imperial clan attempted to insert people into the Xuan Army, they had rejected them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi actually intended to force over twenty people of varying qualifications into the ranks; did she truly think the Xuan Army was a scrap collector?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging messages for a while, the five Xuanyuan Generals finally had Lu Zhenting speak: \"Young friend Hua, to express our gratitude, we can offer you three spots in the Xuanyuan Army.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi about to speak, Lu Zhenting gave her no chance: \"Please understand, the Xuanyuan Army bears important responsibilities; we truly cannot accept those whose talent and aptitude are insufficient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"I know my family's aptitude, and I also know the heavy duties of the Xuanyuan Army, so I never intended to have all my family join the Xuanyuan Army.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What I had in mind was for them to enter Xuanyuan Prefecture without being assigned important duties; tasks like guarding the library or watching over the storehouses are certainly within their capabilities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five Xuanyuan Generals were speechless; although Xuanyuan Prefecture was vast, the Xuanyuan Army also had dependents who needed arrangements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenting suddenly thought of an idea and smiled: \"If Young Friend Hua is willing to join the Xuanyuan Army, then all your family members may enter Xuanyuan Prefecture. How about that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She realized that trying to use the favor of locating Xuanyuan Prefecture as leverage to arrange for the entire Hua family to enter Xuanyuan Prefecture was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, Hua Changxi said, \"When I first arrived, I saw Dongfang Hao and Dongfang Xu; whatever they could do, I can do as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main hall of the third palace complex in Xuanyuan Prefecture is named the Wuying Hall; the Wuying Hall comprises five large buildings, known respectively as the Earth Qilin Pavilion, Water Qilin Pavilion, Fire Qilin Pavilion, Metal Qilin Pavilion, and Wood Qilin Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the entrance of each of the five buildings stand two stone-carved qilin statues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she had just swept the Wuying Hall with her divine sense, she noticed that the qilin before the Earth Qilin Pavilion and the Wood Qilin Pavilion had vanished, leaving only the other three buildings still guarded by qilin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, she guessed that the battle fought by the Dongfang brothers within Xuanyuan Prefecture most likely involved a fierce fight against the two stone qilin statues before the Wood Qilin Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's words leaped rather wildly, yet they still caused the expressions of the five generals to change simultaneously, becoming extremely serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Feng frowned as he looked at Hua Changxi: \"Are you... certain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi reasoned that since she could withstand the attack of the Xuanyuan Sword, surely no other attack within Xuanyuan Prefecture could be stronger than the Xuanyuan Sword, so she nodded affirmatively: \"Certainly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1659,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","1ef719182f53f4deefdf7f678a383d949affd76f794c9e4793d848e01faae2c5","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-359","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-357",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]