[{"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-49":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},1896823,2531,"Chapter 49: The Hunched Old Man","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-49",49,"\u003Cp>\"Unbelievable, simply unbelievable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mere minor servant actually dared to threaten him; Eunuch Lu was truly furious: \"I will definitely drive her out of the Servants' Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yu Gui's eyelid twitched; after a moment's hesitation, he summoned his courage and said, \"Eunuch Lu, Hua Changxi has always been bold. If you try to drive her out of the Servants' Hall, she might truly dare to cause a scene before Eunuch Jia, or even dare to strike you from the shadows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Eunuch Lu's face darkened further as he looked at Eunuch Yu: \"Exactly what rank of martial artist is this Hua Changxi?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu shook his head: \"We have never crossed blades, but my pressure had no effect on her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Eunuch Lu sat back down with a gloomy expression: \"Are we to let this matter rest just like that, allowing a mere servant to climb over our heads and lord it over us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu indeed wished to cooperate with Eunuch Lu, for doing so would allow access to more medicinal herbs; with more herbs, more pills could be refined, and thus more silver earned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was unwilling to give Hua Changxi forty percent of the profits, and furthermore, her complete lack of reverence toward them greatly displeased him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Think of a way to teach her a lesson.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pill refining could not stop, yet they could not allow Hua Changxi to have them completely under her thumb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui glanced at Eunuch Yu, then at Eunuch Lu, and reminded them: \"The day for harvesting and planting medicinal herbs at the various herb estates is approaching soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu looked at Yu Gui with some surprise; this adopted son had usually treated that Hua Changxi quite well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under that gaze, Yu Gui's expression stiffened, and he immediately declared righteously: \"In this son's heart, Adopted Father will always rank first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Eunuch Yu showed satisfaction and turned to Eunuch Lu: \"What do you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Lu hesitated somewhat: \"Going to help at the herb estates will take several months.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to deal with Hua Changxi, but he did not wish to delay earning silver either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui quickly glanced at Eunuch Lu, holding him in contempt; wanting to earn silver off Sister Changxi while simultaneously suppressing her, desiring everything—he was even greedier than his own adopted father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu also did not wish to interrupt the pill refining; after thinking for a moment, he said, \"I have thought of a method to make Hua Changxi obey willingly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui's expression tightened as he watched Eunuch Yu, waiting for him to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Eunuch Yu said nothing more, merely telling Eunuch Lu to wait for news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confronting Eunuch Lu and Eunuch Yu, Hua Changxi had prepared herself for retaliation, yet after waiting several days, nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fifteenth day of the second month, Yu Gui told Hua Changxi that Eunuch Yu had obtained another batch of medicinal herbs and asked her to refine pills at Qihuang Hall Number Nine, with the profit sharing remaining as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I do not know what Adopted Father plans to do; just be careful in all matters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui ultimately still offered Hua Changxi this warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi expressed her thanks and then went directly to Qihuang Hall Number Nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arriving at Qihuang Hall Number Nine, Hua Changxi discovered that Xiao Xi, the attendant usually by Eunuch Yu's side, was not present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, whenever she came here to refine pills, Xiao Xi was almost always there; even if he did not watch her refine pills continuously, he would occasionally wander over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the medicinal herbs placed in the courtyard, her eyebrows raising high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were not many herbs, and all had already been processed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After examining each herb one by one, Hua Changxi realized these were the ingredients for refining Earth Gang Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth Gang Pills were the pills most needed by seventh-rank martial artists, capable of assisting them in transforming their internal force into gang qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medicinal herbs used by seventh-rank martial artists were naturally invaluable; only within the Medical Bureau could a warehouse manager easily produce them, whereas outside, a martial artist would need to collect for countless years before gathering enough ingredients for a single refinement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncertain of what Eunuch Yu intended, Hua Changxi continued processing the pill refinement while vigilantly monitoring her surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, several very faint footsteps sounded outside the courtyard; a few breaths later, the sounds ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's five senses were now extremely sharp; although the footsteps had stopped, the breathing sounds remained, and without needing to go out and look, she knew there were definitely several people outside Qihuang Hall monitoring her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to guess what Eunuch Yu intended to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu most likely intended to frame her with the crime of misappropriating medicinal herbs; the fact that they had not rushed in yet suggested they were waiting for her to finish refining the Earth Gang Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While thinking these thoughts, Hua Changxi did not stop her pill refining movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The medicinal herbs Eunuch Yu had placed in the courtyard were collected according to the Medical Bureau's formula for refining Earth Gang Pills, requiring over seventy different types of herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To refine Earth Gang Pills, she only needed thirty-six types.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unwilling to leave the extra herbs for those outside to use as evidence, Hua Changxi swept out her spiritual power, instantly turning the herbs into fine powder, after which a swift wind blew through, scattering the powder in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, apart from the herbs currently being refined inside the pill furnace, there was no trace of any other medicinal herbs in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the Earth Gang Pills were finished; Hua Changxi quickly packed the pills into a porcelain bottle and, before those outside could react, directly climbed over the wall and left Qihuang Hall Number Nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would never submit obediently; with the herbs gone, once she found a place to hide the refined Earth Gang Pills, even if Eunuch Yu wanted to falsely accuse her of stealing medicinal herbs, he would lack physical evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The layout of the Medical Bureau was overall rectangular, with the Nine Streets Herb Halls at the front and the Apprentices' Hall and Servants' Hall at the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between the Apprentices' Hall and the Servants' Hall lay a huge plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qihuang Hall Number Nine was located precisely at the northwest corner of the Servants' Hall; as soon as Hua Changxi climbed over the courtyard wall, she landed in the plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With people chasing from behind, Hua Changxi had no choice but to run swiftly toward the Apprentices' Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the plaza, facing north, stood a huge three-legged stone ding; as she ran, Hua Changxi could not help but glance at it twice more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stone ding looked just like the Shennong Ding from her previous life, which she had used as a storage jar!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Hua Changxi ran past the stone ding, a sudden 'hum' rang out in her mind, as if something were about to burst forth from within her brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's face instantly turned deathly pale; at this moment, she had only one sensation: her head felt as though it were about to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intense pain drained all strength from Hua Changxi, and dizzy and blurred, she collapsed directly onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quick, Hua Changxi is over by the stone ding.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people Eunuch Yu had arranged to capture Hua Changxi had already caught up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's vision was beginning to blur from the splitting headache; not knowing what was happening to her, she subconsciously urged the spiritual energy within her body to gather toward her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the spiritual energy circulated, the severe pain within her brain gradually lessened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that this method was effective, Hua Changxi immediately breathed a sigh of relief; noticing Eunuch Yu's men drawing closer, she struggled to climb to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a 'creak' sounded from the north side of the stone ding, and the old courtyard door directly facing the stone ding, which rarely opened, was pushed open from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, an elderly man with white hair, bent nearly ninety degrees at the waist, leaned on a cane and tremblingly stepped out of the courtyard gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden appearance of the hunched old man made Eunuch Yu's people halt in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi watched the hunched old man approaching her, her expression equally stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, Eunuch Yu, knowing Hua Changxi would never surrender willingly and worried he wouldn't obtain the Earth Gang Pill, had been secretly following the men he arranged; when he saw the hunched old man, his brows instantly knotted together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hunched old man walked up to Hua Changxi, scrutinized her carefully with doubt flashing in his eyes, then circled her a few times: \"Little girl, what is wrong with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi instinctively concealed her condition and replied offhandedly, \"I... have low blood sugar.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hunched old man said, \"...Would you like to rest for a while in my courtyard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi found the hunched old man strange, and his appearance was somewhat frightening, so she refused directly: \"I am fine; I will not trouble you, elder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spoken, she struggled to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hunched old man looked up at her, smiled, and said, \"Little girl, you have a kind face; you may come visit my courtyard in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at the old courtyard with its half-open gate, but as her gaze fell inside, her head began to spin and ache again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she withdrew her gaze, in a daze she saw a magnificent and imposing palace, yet when she endured the pain to look closely again, only the dilapidated courtyard remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi lacked the strength to wonder if she was hallucinating; she tugged at the corners of her mouth, forced a faint smile, and politely declined: \"I am merely a lowly laborer; I am usually busy with my duties.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hunched old man chuckled, said nothing more, turned his trembling body, cast a glance at Eunuch Yu in the distance, then leaned on his cane and returned to the broken courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the courtyard gate closed, only Hua Changxi and Eunuch Yu's group remained on the square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's head still ached severely, leaving her unable to think about how to deal with Eunuch Yu; she could only wait for them to make the first move, then counter their actions accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu looked at the old courtyard gate, then at Hua Changxi, before finally waving his hand and leading his subordinates away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Hua Changxi was very puzzled, but she could not ponder the reason; pressing her head and enduring the pain, she hurried back to the Sixth Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where is Hua Changxi? Was she not caught?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Lu, seeing Eunuch Yu return empty-handed, expressed some dissatisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu glanced faintly at Eunuch Lu: \"I saw Elder Gu over by the square.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Lu frowned: \"Elder Gu? Who is Elder Gu?\" Then his expression changed: \"You don't mean that old hunchback, do you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu suddenly did not wish to speak with Eunuch Lu; even the Director had to show him some respect, yet this man displayed an attitude of contempt; it was better to have little dealings with such a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I do not wish to continue dealing with Hua Changxi. How you choose to cooperate with her is up to you; on my end, I will still give her the original share.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Eunuch Lu's face turned ugly: \"You, a steward managing the general warehouse, are actually afraid of a mere laborer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu did not get angry; at this moment, his mind was entirely occupied with the fact that Elder Gu had invited Hua Changxi to visit his courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Gu rarely appeared before others, and he would never casually invite anyone to his courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of those he had invited, Eunuch Yu knew of only three: the Head of the Heaven Department, the current Director of the Medical Bureau, and Zhang Tianshi of the Celestial Master Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of why Hua Changxi had caught Elder Gu's eye, considering the status of the previous three people he had invited, he decided not to conflict with her anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Eunuch Yu let Hua Changxi go, Eunuch Lu did not wish to spare her so easily; after much deliberation, he decided to assign Hua Changxi to assist at the Medicine Manor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing that Mao Yong and Mao Wei of the San Cha Medicine Manor bore a grudge against her, and to force her to submit to him sooner, he directly added Hua Changxi's name to the list of those being sent to the San Cha Medicine Manor.\u003C\u002Fp>",2137,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","5e0998ac3a662e739d5ba9bf316e69f6e31e4b0ffaae9f6ebc6d6dcb149ae00a","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-50","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-48",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]