[{"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-39":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},1896813,2531,"Chapter 39: This Is Exactly the Kind of Woman I Am","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-39",39,"\u003Cp>On her first day helping at the First Office, Hua Changxi spent the entire time processing Ironwood Roots while explaining the steps to the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She processed medicinal herbs quickly and held nothing back during her explanations; Eunuch Bao was very satisfied with this, so when she requested to return to the Sixth Bureau for dinner and rest at the fourth quarter of You hour (18:00), he did not stop her, simply letting her go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the other laborers in the First Office and the apprentices who had come to help continued working until midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating dinner, Hua Changxi returned to her dormitory, swallowed a medium-grade Yuan Spirit Pill, and began cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three double-hours later, she opened her eyes in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, absorbing and refining one medium-grade Yuan Spirit Pill required four double-hours, but now it only took three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My cultivation speed has increased!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was somewhat puzzled; the factors influencing cultivation speed were nothing more than cultivation techniques, the density of spiritual energy, and one's state of mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of these factors had changed for her, so how had her cultivation speed increased?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi felt helpless in her heart; without guidance and having never systematically studied cultivation knowledge, she could only guess blindly when encountering problems she did not understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, an increase in cultivation speed was a good thing, so she did not delve too deeply into it, merely storing the question in her mind to resolve later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swallowing another medium-grade Yuan Spirit Pill, Hua Changxi continued her cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Hua Changxi finished cultivating only at the fourth quarter of Mao hour (6:00); by the time she ate breakfast and arrived at the First Office, it was nearly Chen hour (7:00).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the laborers and apprentices who had left later than her the previous night had already arrived and begun processing medicinal herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had intended to use the same cauldron as yesterday, but found it already in use, forcing her to choose the only remaining cauldron that had not yet been lit to process the Ironwood Roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she got the fire started, Steward Qin approached: \"Changxi, Eunuch Bao said you are capable; today you must process extra Ironwood Roots. Everyone worked until midnight last night, so you should help them out more today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our task today is to process all the Ironwood Roots in the courtyard. We can only return to rest once the work is finished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Steward Qin's gaze toward the courtyard, Hua Changxi saw several piles, totaling over twenty baskets of Ironwood Roots stacked there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much for everyone working until midnight last night, and now we must finish before we can rest tonight; is this a complaint about her leaving early for the Sixth Bureau yesterday?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others combined could process at most seven or eight baskets of Ironwood Roots; the rest would all fall on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clearly an attempt to extract the maximum surplus value from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi disliked such collective tasks where the capable seemed obligated to do more; if not for her desire to quickly upgrade the \"Compendium of Processing\" to perfection, she would have considered slacking off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not wanting to return too late at night and delay her cultivation, Hua Changxi immediately let loose her hands and accelerated her speed in processing the Ironwood Roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentices from the Apprentice Hall who were processing Ironwood Roots alongside Hua Changxi turned pale with dread upon learning they had to finish over twenty baskets today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew such a heavy task had been assigned solely because of Hua Changxi, and they resented her deeply; several apprentices unable to control their emotions shot hateful glances at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, very soon, the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall did not know what feeling they should harbor toward Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ironwood Roots in the courtyard were processed by Hua Changxi at an extremely rapid pace; just when they thought they might have to pull an all-nighter, before You hour (17:00), all twenty-plus baskets of Ironwood Roots were completely processed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Qin was just as dumbfounded as the apprentices; when Hua Changxi informed him the task was complete and she intended to return to the Sixth Bureau for dinner and rest, he could only nod in agreement, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Hua Changxi, the apprentices from the Apprentice Hall spent a day at the First Office that was even more relaxed than their usual studies at the Apprentice Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, weren't you sent to help at the First Office? How do you have time to come see me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo looked at Lu Qingling, who had come to find her, with surprise; she too had gone to help at the First Office and knew all too well how arduous the duties there were during this period.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling's expression was complex: \"Qingluo, I finally understand why the people of the Sixth Bureau dislike Hua Changxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo showed surprise: \"Sister, did you encounter Changxi at the First Office?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling replied: \"I was in the same group as her; we were both responsible for processing Ironwood Roots.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo asked anxiously: \"Sister, did you have a conflict with Changxi?\" Hua Changxi was not someone to be trifled with, and she worried her sister might be bullied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling shook her head: \"How could I have a conflict with her? However, even without any conflict, Hua Changxi is simply not a likable person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo was confused: \"But what did Changxi do to disgust you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling shook her head again: \"Nothing; Hua Changxi simply did as she was told. It's just... her ability is too strong, so strong that it makes everyone feel frustrated and incompetent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, she looked at Lu Qingluo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one wishes to be incompetent; staying with someone like Hua Changxi constantly reminds you that you are inferior in every way; how could such a person ever be liked?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo fell silent; the psychology her sister described was something she herself had experienced before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling smiled and continued: \"Hua Changxi leaves early and arrives late every day, while others have to work themselves to death until midnight; look at her ease compared to their hardship; it would be strange if the people of the Sixth Bureau liked Hua Changxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even when sent to help at the First Office, she remains unlikable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The apprentices of the Apprentice Hall have always considered themselves superior to the laborers of the Laborer Hall; now being outshone by Hua Changxi, a mere laborer, they will not think Hua Changxi is impressive, but rather feel ashamed of their own inferiority; they will not seek to befriend her, but will instead distance themselves and exclude her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo did not quite understand her sister's meaning and asked: \"Sister, what exactly are you trying to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingling wiped the smile from her face and said seriously: \"Hua Changxi is far too conspicuous; those above will not want to see her climb over their heads, and those below will not want to see her stand out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The rumors about her are spreading like wildfire in the Laborer Hall; do you think there is no reason for that? Too many people do not want to see her succeed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qingluo, remember this: one must never be too ostentatious; one must learn to hide one's talents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingluo nodded: \"Sister, I will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the corner of the rear courtyard wall, Hua Changxi had heard every word exchanged between the Lu sisters; waiting until they had walked far away, she stepped out and returned to her dormitory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she too conspicuous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi did not think so; she had merely displayed her value at appropriate times, and when bullied, appropriately demonstrated that she was not someone to be trifled with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By revealing her value, she had befriended Yu Gui and secured the opportunity to cooperate with Eunuch Yu in refining pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By letting others know she was not to be trifled with, people dared not casually act up in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this constituted being ostentatious, then so be it; she was ostentatious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She always believed that for a person to establish themselves in this world, they must possess their own value and inviolable bottom lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiding one's talents might avoid some trouble, but it also means living a cowardly life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one dares not seize opportunities when they arise, one will likely spend their entire life accomplishing nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven had given her the opportunity to cultivate, and her power of self-preservation surpassed that of many in this world; under such circumstances, if she could not live for herself or stand up for herself, she deserved to be struck by lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unliked by others? Hmph, was she born merely to please others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she were to do anything, she would be the kind of person everyone else scrambled to please!\u003C\u002Fp>",1486,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","5aa1a34d14bc8976c0f0d97928d5b2f2687f6c5c214fe3f3192f742080ae35ee","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-40","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-38",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]