[{"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-369":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},1897143,2531,"Chapter 369: Life Comes First","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-369",369,"\u003Cp>Many were watching the contest between the Duke of Liang and Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After news spread that the Hua family had joined the Xuanyuan Prefecture, all parties understood the Duke of Liang had lost, yet they remained interested in how Hua Changxi would treat the Duke's estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many felt disappointed upon learning Hua Changxi had merely forced the Duke of Liang to swallow a Cocooning Pill and then let the matter rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quite a few wished for greater chaos, so they might profit from the disorder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a pity; Hua Changxi still lacked sufficient recklessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the forbidden grounds of the Imperial Palace, upon learning of the Duke of Liang's plight, Chu Tianxun exclaimed indignantly, \"The Duke of Liang belongs to the imperial clan; Hua Changxi truly does not regard the imperial house with any respect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Emperor glanced at the Retired Emperor, who remained silent, and chose his words carefully before speaking: \"Imperial Uncle, you overestimate Hua Changxi; she is no courtier, and from the reports Junhao sent back, she is simply a stubborn person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She injured the Duke of Liang, so she struck back at him; in my view, when dealing with the Duke's affair, she likely never even considered the imperial house's involvement behind the scenes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianxun felt some anger at the Emperor's rebuttal, for outside the Xuanyuan Prefecture, he had personally sensed Hua Changxi's fearlessness toward the imperial clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it been another power, the implications would have been too vast, but Hua Changxi stands alone; the Hua family poses no threat, and even with the Count of Dingyuan's estate, they remain utterly fragile before the imperial house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If such a person dares provoke the imperial house yet the house cannot suppress her, does this not indirectly tell the world that the imperial clan is in decline?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, though he was an elder, he could not openly contradict the Emperor, so Chu Tianxun could only express his displeasure through silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor paid Chu Tianxun no further heed, turning instead to the Retired Emperor: \"Father Emperor, the matter of the Duke of Liang is trivial; what truly requires the imperial house's attention is the situation in Nanxiang County and the Zhu Que Army deployed from the Lingguang Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the expressions of all the imperial elders present changed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial house had long begun laying out its plans regarding Nanxiang County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after the Lingguang Hall appeared, the imperial house discovered that Nanxiang County sat upon the ruins of Nanxiang City and learned that auspicious lands and blessed realms dotted the area surrounding Nanxiang City; for years, they had been sending cultivators to seek news of these blessed realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regrettably, their gains had been meager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, not only Nanxiang City but also Dongxiang City, Xixiang City, and Beixiang City remained under the imperial house's close watch; unfortunately, only Nanxiang City had revealed strange phenomena, while among the other three, only Dongxiang City had shown any recent stirrings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no one speak, the Emperor spoke again: \"Nanxiang County still lies under the court's rule; now that the Zhu Que Army has begun patrolling the county, we must make a statement.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had any other power sought to interfere in Nanxiang County's affairs, the imperial house would have driven them away without hesitation, but now they faced the Zhu Que Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding control of Nanxiang County, the Zhu Que Army held even more legitimate authority than the court; nevertheless, the imperial house still possessed room to maneuver, though the degree required careful control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Retired Emperor spoke: \"Have you learned anything concerning the City Master Token of Nanxiang City? And regarding the auspicious lands and blessed realms around Nanxiang City, how many have been found?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor sighed: \"There has been no news whatsoever of the City Master Token; as for the auspicious lands and blessed realms, we have located only three areas showing anomalies, yet none can be entered; at present, we have merely dispatched cultivators to occupy those three sites.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, the Retired Emperor's face immediately darkened: \"Continue dispatching more personnel to search; the City Master of Nanxiang City must be a member of the Chu imperial clan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Regarding the Zhu Que Army's patrols, avoid open conflict on the surface, but in the shadows...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Retired Emperor looked at Chu Tianxun: \"Brother Xun, lead a team yourself to probe the Zhu Que Army's strength; I must know exactly how powerful the Zhu Que Army truly is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a second word, Chu Tianxun nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Retired Emperor gave a satisfied \"Mm,\" then narrowed his eyes: \"The Zhu Que Army makes a grand display; for now, the imperial house will step back slightly, but once we obtain the Nanxiang City Master Token, even the Zhu Que Army must obey our commands; the Lingguang Hall is merely the Chu family's training ground.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Retired Emperor was determined to seize Nanxiang City—or rather, all Four Elephant Cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only by capturing any one of the Elephant Cities could the imperial house truly establish its own foothold amid the great trend of spiritual qi resurgence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they could no longer serve as the supreme rulers in the future, they would still rank among the top ten powers on the Central Continent, capable not only of shaping the situation on the Central Continent but even influencing the entire Four Spirit Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more the Retired Emperor thought, the stronger his desire grew: \"All of you must, at any cost, secure at least one City Master Token.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial elders present immediately voiced their assurances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the determined Retired Emperor and the fervent imperial relatives, the Emperor felt quite helpless in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the imperial house possessed people and power, after the spiritual qi resurgence, many matters depended on fate; the imperial house could no longer have everything go its way as it once did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once news spread that the Zhu Que Army had taken over Nanxiang County, it immediately became the focus of all powers; various factions discussed it endlessly and dispatched people to Nanxiang County to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The affair of the Duke of Liang was thus buried, drawing no further attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Hua Changxi, after settling the Hua family into the Xuanyuan Prefecture and resolving her \"grudge\" with the Duke of Liang, she saw that Danyuan Peak was functioning well without needing her excessive concern, so she shifted her attention to Nanxiang County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By day, she teleported to the Lingguang Hall, traversing the skies above Nanxiang County to personally monitor the Zhu Que Army's movements and conduct; by dusk, she teleported back to Danyuan Peak to show her face, demonstrating her presence there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After shuttling between Danyuan Peak and Nanxiang County in this manner for five days, she finally received a message from the Hua family informing her that they had finished packing and were ready to enter the Xuanyuan Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving the message, Hua Changxi went directly to the Count of Dingyuan's estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang still chose to remain with the Demon-Suppressing Army, Hua Sanlang stayed at Danyuan Peak, and Hua Liulang remained at the Sage of Artifacts Palace; under the Hua family elder's final decision, these three extra quotas were given to members of the Hua clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, the Count's estate received two quotas, while the remaining one went to the main branch of the clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding this, Hua Changxi bothered little to intervene, simply handing two copies of \"One Thought Connect\" to Lady Yao and Hua Minghe: \"Father, Mother, these are for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Hua family members looked over, their eyes burning with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Minghe felt somewhat embarrassed, but Lady Yao ignored the gazes of the Hua family; smiling, she followed Hua Changxi's guidance to activate the device by dripping blood to bind it as master, then added Hua Changxi as a friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled and said: \"Father, Mother, from now on you can use this to send me messages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, Hua Changxi personally escorted the Hua family to the edge of the Xuanyuan Prefecture's barrier; she did not enter the estate to pay respects to the Five Generals of Xuanyuan, and upon seeing Xuanyuan soldiers emerge to receive the Hua family, she bade them farewell and departed directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the Hua family elder and the rest of the Hua family felt somewhat disappointed; they had all hoped Hua Changxi would escort them inside, thinking that perhaps, on account of her influence, they might receive greater care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Hua Changxi had not given them much consideration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Hua Changxi returned from the Xuanyuan Prefecture to the bamboo hut on Danyuan Peak, night had already fallen; Ye Lingxuan and the others had already departed, yet Yu Fu and the other three waited outside the hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had come to submit their summary reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi skimmed through the reports, which were recorded with great care and clarity; considering that Nanxiang County now consumed much of her energy, she pondered for a moment before taking out two one-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and two two-mark Xuanhuang Fruits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Yu Fu and the other three did not recognize the Xuanhuang Fruits, their breaths halted abruptly upon smelling the fruits' enticing fragrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are Xuanhuang Fruits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Yu Fu and the other three: \"Jia Lu, Zhao Xi, your ancestral bloodlines are not as strong as Zhou Shou's and Yu Fu's; take these two one-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and consume them to break the shackles of your physical bodies to the greatest extent possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhou Shou, Yu Fu, take these two two-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and consume them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu and the other three accepted the Xuanhuang Fruits with nearly trembling hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Liang had caused an uproar for three years yet failed to obtain even a single Xuanhuang Fruit from their master's hands; they had done nothing, yet so easily received them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the four of them: \"You four are my most capable assistants on Danyuan Peak. When I am not here in the future, I hope you will help me guard Danyuan Peak well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu and the other three immediately replied in unison, \"Rest assured, Master; we will surely live and die with Danyuan Peak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi laughed softly: \"It is not that serious. If a situation truly arises that endangers your lives, I permit you to prioritize your own survival, provided you do not betray Danyuan Peak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these words, Yu Fu and the other three were deeply moved in their hearts; the light in their eyes as they looked at Hua Changxi held more devotion than before.\u003C\u002Fp>",1773,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","7e675e779114831d40fb66c77117fe07467f5fd07f3618692b9bbc36d5cc50cb","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-370","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-368",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]