[{"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-452":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},1897226,2531,"Chapter 452: Sense of Distance","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-452",452,"\u003Cp>Most of the Hua family were body cultivators; even those with spiritual roots practiced both body and spirit cultivation. Body cultivators required food, and specifically, highly nourishing food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang took a blood-red fish over ten meters long from his storage ring; its body shimmered with a metallic luster, its scales embedded like red jade, and its tail fin still twitching slightly, clearly having died only recently, its blood qi not yet dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this?\" Second Aunt Hua exclaimed in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang replied, \"This is a dragon fish I hunted; eating it will strengthen one's qi and blood.\" Knowing his family needed meat, every time he returned home, he would always purchase some beast meat in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second Aunt Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua's eyes lit up; beaming with joy, they rolled up their sleeves and stepped forward to prepare the dragon fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, serving in the Xuan Yuan Manor kitchen, they had seen all kinds of beast meat and knew this dragon fish was a highly nourishing item for body cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The treatment at Xuan Yuan Manor was decent, but the distributed resources could only sustain basic cultivation; since body cultivators consumed so much, constantly improving one's strength required finding other methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hua family members in Xuan Yuan Manor basically performed logistical support duties, were almost never assigned external missions, and thus had few opportunities to earn extra income.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, whenever Hua Dalang and Hua Liulang returned home, they would subsidize the family with some cultivation resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh my! This is a treasure! Tonight we are in for a treat; we get to eat dragon fish!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Qiniang, Hua Baniang, and several other juniors also gathered around, chattering as they helped hold down the fish tail and sharpened their knives, their movements swift and practiced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Hua also brought out some ingredients she had saved over the days, too reluctant to eat herself, and handed them to Second Aunt Hua and Fourth Aunt Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the kitchen echoed with the \"swish-swish\" of scaling and the chop of bones, mixed with a rich aroma of food, as the scent of hearth and home washed over everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to the laughter from the kitchen, Hua Changxi felt a momentary illusion of returning to the Hua family courtyard in Xiuzheng Fang; her heart felt warm yet somewhat empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since embarking on the path of cultivation, she had long grown accustomed to solitude and focus; though her heart desired to draw near such intense domestic warmth, she no longer possessed the childhood enthusiasm to participate in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To dispel that inescapable sense of alienation in her heart, Hua Changxi could only strive to shift her attention; she looked at Lady Yao and spoke to her in a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mother, what is going on between Third Brother and Zhu Qinghuan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lady Yao's face immediately broke into a smile: \"That girl Qinghuan has an easygoing nature and acts with great propriety; both she and your third brother enjoy studying pharmacology, and through frequent interaction, they took a liking to each other.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Observing Lady Yao's reaction, Hua Changxi asked, \"Mother, do you like Zhu Qinghuan very much?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yao smiled and said, \"Not only do I like her, but your grandfather and grandmother are also very satisfied.\" She paused, then added, \"Why, do you not like her?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yao looked at her daughter, hesitated a moment before asking, \"Do you feel that Qinghuan is deliberately approaching your third brother because of you?\" As she spoke, she grasped Hua Changxi's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ninth Daughter, Mother understands your concerns; perhaps Qinghuan indeed has such intentions, but she is genuinely good to Third Lang; haven't you noticed how much more steady and bright he has become nowadays?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your third brother has actually been suppressing a great deal of drive within his heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is also my fault and your father's; we paid too little attention to him in the past.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Among our five children, aside from Tenth Daughter who left home early, your father and I pinned all our hopes on your eldest brother; Liulang has a flighty nature and requires constant supervision, and as for you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yao glanced at Hua Changxi with a mix of helplessness and doting affection: \"You were the most troublesome, giving your father and me the biggest headaches.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And since your third brother has always been working in the family's medicine shop, your father and I thought his future was secured, so we inevitably neglected him somewhat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Qinghuan hadn't told me that Third Lang has always wanted to gain your father's and my approval, to earn the family's esteem, I would never have known that this child was hiding so many things in his heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Hua Changxi, Lady Yao said, \"I heard from Qinghuan that many things your third brother did at Danyuan Peak were somewhat rash and impetuous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, he bears no ill will, nor is he considering only himself; he simply feels that since you are his younger sister and he is your elder brother, you are the closest kin, surely more reliable than outsiders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you do not use him but instead use outsiders, he sees it as distrust; it hurts him deeply, so he cannot help but lose his temper with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But he is already changing; he knows that at Danyuan Peak, he can no longer treat you as merely his little sister from home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ninth Daughter, Mother knows you dislike the family interfering in your affairs, but regarding your third brother... could you treat him a little better?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said nothing, turning her head to look at Zhu Qinghuan, who was standing with Sheng Yuantang in the courtyard helping out; the two were chatting and laughing, their conversation and demeanor very familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was no longer the naive novice in power dynamics who, having failed the apprentice selection due to the Medical Bureau's backroom dealings, had been filled with indignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding the operation and flow of power, she had already gained some understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one considered Danyuan Peak, Lingguang Hall, and Mount Wuzhi as a single ship, then she was the helmsman, determining the vessel's course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ensure the ship's normal operation and guarantee it sailed in the direction she desired, she inevitably had to employ people who acted according to her will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such people could be selected by constructing a complete screening system, but that would waste too much time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To save energy and time, she was indeed using 'her own people'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The absolute fairness and justice she hoped to achieve was, in practical terms, very difficult to implement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given this, why not give important roles to family members?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If something is difficult to achieve, should one compromise because of it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mother, Danyuan Peak and Danding Peak have complete and transparent talent selection mechanisms; as long as Third Brother's ability is sufficient, he will not be buried.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at her daughter, a trace of barely visible disappointment flashed in Lady Yao's eyes, yet she still spoke gently: \"Your intention is good, but people all have degrees of closeness and distance; can you guarantee that those stewards you appoint will truly treat everyone fairly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's gaze ceased flickering and became firm: \"Some things may not be achievable to perfection, but I will strive to improve them.\" Danyuan Peak and Danding Peak should also install karma opinion collection boxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yao said no more, only sighing silently to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, Hua Changxi changed the subject: \"Mother, what about Sister Yuantang and Eldest Brother? How are they doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the smile in Lady Yao's eyes grew even warmer: \"Yuantang is a steady child with a meticulous heart; she is thorough in both character and action. Your eldest brother may not say it aloud, but every time he mentions Yuantang, his gaze softens by three degrees.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our whole family likes her; even your grandmother says Yuantang is a fine girl hard to find even with a lantern.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi nodded; after discussing matters concerning Hua Dalang and Hua Sanlang, she found she could think of no other topics; even facing her own mother, it seemed as though an invisible mist separated them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yao seemed to sense this estrangement as well and felt somewhat uneasy; the atmosphere between mother and daughter became somewhat stagnant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, at that moment, a loud greeting suddenly came from outside the courtyard: \"I'm back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Hua Minghe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi walked quickly out of the room and immediately saw a tall figure clad in Xuan Yuan armor striding through the courtyard gate; dust from the training grounds clung to his shoulder guards, beads of sweat dotted his temples, yet he looked vigorous and spirited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ninth Daughter!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Minghe's voice was somewhat hoarse, his expression somewhat excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi let Hua Minghe stride forward, pull her close, and look her up and down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Hua Minghe finally grinned, his rough large hand rubbing the crown of her head: \"My Ninth Lady grows ever more beautiful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled brightly, then allowed Hua Minghe to lead her by the hand into the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>",1538,"2026-06-12T02:51:24.126Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","937758522fcf1cc113be375793c2d185ce6d777abdb9b4e52d48730ef4d73fea","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-453","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-451",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]