[{"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-88":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},1896862,2531,"Chapter 88: False Accusation","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>After the pharmacy in Feng'an Ward was renovated, Hua Changxi prepared to open for business; thus, after taking in An Ze and An Ran, she entered Mount Wuzhi to gather numerous medicinal herbs needed for refining martial arts pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having grown increasingly adept at controlling the Somersault Cloud, Hua Changxi now needed only one two-hour period to travel from Mount Wuzhi back to Jingcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once all the required herbs were gathered, Hua Changxi played a while longer with the Mountain Spirit and Little Pine before departing, returning to the Hua family home before nightfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next two days, while cultivating and reading books herself, Hua Changxi also guided her parents and two elder brothers; by the day before she returned to duty at the Corvée Hall, all four had successfully drawn qi into their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the seventh day of the first lunar month, besides Hua Changxi reporting for duty at the Corvée Hall, Hua Silang, Hua Qiniang, and Hua Shier'niang were also to begin their cultivation at the Bo Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the four departed that morning, Grandfather Hua and Grandmother Hua stood at the gate with their sons and daughters-in-law to see them off, everyone wearing expressions of reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Second Uncle Hua, Second Aunt Hua, Fourth Uncle Hua, and Fourth Aunt Hua all had reddened eyes, Grandfather Hua said, \"Enough, stop wearing such gloomy faces; Silang and the others are going out to bring honor to our family—we should be happy instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Grandmother Hua muttered, \"Jiuniang certainly didn't bring any honor to the family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Hua Minghe and Lady Yao's expressions immediately soured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather Hua noticed this and glared at Grandmother Hua: \"Jiuniang is blessed; with Dalang and Shiniang supporting her, her future days will not be hard. Let her do as she wishes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmother Hua did not agree with this: \"Dalang and Shiniang have more siblings than just Jiuniang; if everyone relies on them, won't they be worked to death?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't Jiuniang so capable? She wouldn't listen to the family and insisted on becoming a laborer in the Medicine Bureau. If she truly has backbone, she shouldn't benefit from the family's light.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Liulang felt extremely irritated and couldn't help but shout loudly, \"Grandmother, Eldest Brother and Shiniang are Jiuniang's full biological siblings born of the same mother; why can't Jiuniang benefit from their light?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You just want Eldest Brother and Shiniang to support the family's siblings; there's no reason they would help even their cousins yet ignore their own flesh-and-blood sisters, is there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of logic is that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Liulang openly talk back, Grandmother Hua first froze on the spot, then flew into a rage, turning to hurl abusive curses at Lady Yao:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Yao, look at the sons and daughters you raised, every single one unfilial and unbrotherly—are you trying to rebel against heaven itself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Lady Yao would have silently endured Grandmother Hua's scolding, but this time, after glancing at Grandfather Hua who made no move to stop the tirade, she ignored Grandmother Hua entirely, walked over to pull Hua Liulang by the hand, and headed straight back to their room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This action not only left Grandfather Hua and Grandmother Hua stunned, but also shocked Second Uncle Hua, Second Aunt Hua, and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Minghe and Hua Sanlang exchanged helpless glances; regarding Grandfather Hua and Grandmother Hua, bound by filial duty, the father and son could say nothing; yet regarding Lady Yao and Hua Liulang, they could not bring themselves to blame them harshly, so ultimately, the father and son chose to evade the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, Mother, I am off to report for duty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grandfather, Grandmother, I am off to the pharmacy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Hua Minghe and Hua Sanlang depart in haste, the Hua family fell into another silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obvious panic flashed in the eyes of Grandfather Hua and Grandmother Hua; their ability to maintain control over the entire Hua household largely depended on the cooperation of the eldest branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the eldest branch was no longer cooperating...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second Aunt Hua glanced at the elderly couple and quickly signaled Second Uncle Hua with her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the signal, Second Uncle Hua initially did not move, but after being pinched by Second Aunt Hua, he finally smiled and spoke: \"Father, Mother, do not be angry with Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law; you still have me and Fourth Brother, and we will always be filial to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister, what do you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth Uncle Hua glanced at Second Uncle Hua and said, \"Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, and we are all filial to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words from Second Uncle Hua and Fourth Uncle Hua calmed the panic in Grandfather Hua and Grandmother Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, they still had their second and fourth sons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Grandfather Hua felt immensely grateful that he had previously forced the distribution of the three pill portions brought back by Shiniang, giving one portion each to the second and fourth branches, thereby preventing the eldest branch from becoming too powerful alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing serious had even happened yet, and the eldest couple already dared to show them displeasure; if they were truly allowed to dominate alone, the entire Hua family would likely have to act according to their whims, leaving no place for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second Son, Fourth Son, I know you are good children; do not worry too much about Silang, Qiniang, and the others. If you miss them, I will take you to the Bo Fu to visit them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, can we really go to the Bo Fu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Last time your father and I went to the Bo Fu to pay respects to the Marquis, the Marquis personally said that I could visit whenever I wished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Grandfather Hua say this, Second Uncle Hua immediately stepped forward to support him, while Second Aunt Hua cheerfully supported Grandmother Hua, and the group returned to the courtyard together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once back in the main hall, Grandfather Hua dismissed everyone; when only he and Grandmother Hua remained in the room, Grandfather Hua spoke: \"The eldest couple dotes on that girl Jiuniang, and Liulang is also thick as thieves with her; in the future, stop criticizing Jiuniang in front of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Grandmother Hua cease caring about Hua Changxi, looking anxiously at Grandfather Hua instead: \"Has Eldest Son... truly turned his heart away from us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather Hua knew Hua Minghe well; whether it was practicing martial arts or joining the Six Gates, the family had fully supported him, and even later when he married Lady Yao, the family had made concessions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Minghe was fully aware of all this; he knew he owed the family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding the distribution of the pills, Hua Minghe probably harbored some resentment, but to say he would from now on neglect the family entirely was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this point, Grandfather Hua still had confidence in his son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Full of regret, Grandmother Hua said, \"We should never have allowed Lady Yao to enter our household in the first place; the children of the second and fourth branches are exceedingly filial to us, while those born of Lady Yao seem as if they came specifically to take revenge on our family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather Hua gave Grandmother Hua a faint glance: \"Dalang, Sanlang, and Shiniang are all good; Liulang has merely been influenced by Jiuniang. Of Eldest Son's five children, only Jiuniang truly possesses rebellious bones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actually, it is fine if Jiuniang loves to stir things up; does she not want to find her own path? Then let her seek it. As long as she does not ask the family for anything, we shall meddle in her affairs no more in the future. Do not let her affect our relationship with Eldest Son again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmother Hua snorted: \"Lady Yao already dared to show me displeasure; how would I dare meddle with Jiuniang anymore? From now on, I will pretend I have no such granddaughter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely unaware of the turmoil within the Hua family, Hua Changxi, upon returning to the Corvée Hall, wished to immediately verify whether teaching others how to process medicinal herbs could increase her cultivation speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, after returning from the New Year celebrations, the female laborers of the Sixth Bureau could all see Hua Changxi standing by the canal bank, instructing her team members on how to wash medicinal herbs quickly and pointing out issues to note during the washing process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This Hua Changxi isn't as unsociable as you described; I find her quite enthusiastic. Qiuyu also told me that this person is very responsible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supervisor Zhou Ran had returned after the New Year; Hua Changxi had taken her place as supervisor, while she, in turn, had taken back Hua Changxi's former post, now serving as a laborer under Du Ruo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo watched Hua Changxi earnestly guiding Zhou Qiuyu and the others, her expression somewhat puzzled; seeing her friend Zhou Ran casting a questioning glance her way, she immediately said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did not lie to you; if you don't believe me, go ask Wang Yunchu and the others whether Hua Changxi used to be unwilling to interact with people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Ran smiled: \"Don't be anxious; I didn't say you lied to me. I am just a bit curious about Hua Changxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo was still pondering Hua Changxi's change: \"...Could it be that becoming a supervisor is what made Hua Changxi different from before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Ran smiled: \"Of course, a supervisor would naturally be different; one of a supervisor's duties is to urge those under them to perform their tasks well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hua Changxi is an expert at washing medicinal herbs; seeing her subordinates wash herbs so sluggishly, she might feel this loses her face, so she wishes to teach Qiuyu and the others a few tricks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo felt this must be the reason; Hua Changxi was quite proud, and this seemed like something she would do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Ran asked: \"Do you think... we could go over and listen in? Qiuyu told me that Hua Changxi's explanations regarding medicinal herbs are even more comprehensive than the medical books she has read; wherever she couldn't understand from reading the books, she understood immediately after hearing Hua Changxi explain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo realized she truly did not understand Hua Changxi well and shook her head: \"I don't know either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Ran: \"Once a skill is learned, it becomes your own. Next time Hua Changxi gives an explanation, I'll shamelessly tag along and see if she drives me away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Ruo did not stop her; even if Hua Changxi did not want laborers from other groups listening, at most she would just drive them away. Zhou Ran might lose face, but nothing else would happen, so she let her go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many shared Zhou Ran's thoughts; upon seeing that Zhou Ran had tagged along to listen without being driven away, more and more people went to hear Hua Changxi's explanations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time flew by, and the second lunar month arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the first day of the second month, after finishing her duties, Hua Changxi taught Zhou Qiuyu and the others how to clean the medicinal herbs they had received that day. Once she was certain they could handle it themselves, she returned to her quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she returned to her quarters, Hua Changxi checked her cultivation data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Realm: Core Formation Stage 20.01 million \u002F 10 million]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her realm points had broken through the 20 million mark!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her realm points increase by ten million in just over a month, Hua Changxi was undoubtedly happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fire Lotus Hall had been put into use on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month last year; from that day onward, her cultivation speed had been constantly increasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, cultivating for one double-hour allowed her to gain forty thousand cultivation points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One month after Mount Wuzhi opened, the initial explosive surge of people entering and exiting had subsided; the daily numbers had stabilized, and her cultivation speed no longer increased noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding this, she was quite satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Mount Wuzhi held abundant resources, too many people entering and exiting would inevitably lead to their rapid depletion; with the numbers now reduced, she felt this was quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Mount Wuzhi could no longer provide a noticeable boost to her cultivation speed, she had confirmed that teaching pharmacology could also increase it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Initially, because she was only teaching the ten people under her command, Hua Changxi had not noticeably felt this effect; but later, as more and more female laborers came to audit her lessons, she became certain that it truly could boost cultivation speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Opening Mount Wuzhi, teaching pharmacology...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is the grand trend of the Spirit Qi Revival meant to involve everyone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through these two matters, Hua Changxi realized she seemed to have discovered a remarkable rule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as one does things beneficial to the Spirit Qi Revival, one will receive benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Hua Changxi figured this out, her heart burned with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as her cultivation speed was fast enough, she could rapidly advance her realm; as long as her realm was high enough, no one could bind or harm her, and she could live freely, unrestrained and carefree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a good mood, Hua Changxi craved something delicious, so she went to the kitchen at the dining hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grandmother Sun, I want to eat the tofu-skin buns you make.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year, when Hua Changxi was punished and sent to the San Cha Medicinal Manor, Grandmother Sun had spoken with her once; afterward, when Hua Changxi returned, Grandmother Sun began befriending her without any reservation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi sensed no malice from Grandmother Sun and wanted to see what she was actually up to, so she allowed her approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, whenever she came to the dining hall to eat, she enjoyed the special meals Grandmother Sun prepared just for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the smile in Hua Changxi's eyes, Grandmother Sun asked with a grin, \"What good news happened today to make you so happy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi laughed and said, \"Nowadays, many people from the Sixth Bureau come to listen to me teach the method for cleaning medicinal herbs. I can feel their admiration for me; they no longer point fingers at me behind my back as they used to. Of course, I am happy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While processing ingredients, Grandmother Sun looked at her curiously. \"I thought you didn't care about such things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi paused. \"Being liked naturally feels better than being hated. I am human too; while outsiders' opinions cannot sway me, being recognized and liked still makes me happy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmother Sun smiled and was about to say something when Steward Qin entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi there, Steward Qin immediately asked her to examine her wrist; she had fallen during the New Year celebrations, and her wrist had started hurting again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lighting in the kitchen was poor, so Hua Changxi and Steward Qin went to the front hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eh, isn't that Steward Leng? Why has she come to the rear courtyard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was massaging Steward Qin's wrist when she suddenly heard others in the dining hall discussing; looking up and out, she caught sight of Steward Leng's figure departing quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Hua Changxi found Steward Leng's sudden appearance in the rear courtyard of the Sixth Bureau strange, she did not think much of it; yet a quarter of an hour later, the front courtyard of the Sixth Bureau suddenly erupted into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bad news, bad news! The Embroidered Uniform Guard has surrounded the Sixth Bureau!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A matron from the dining hall ran in, her expression panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who has surrounded the Sixth Bureau?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Embroidered Uniform Guard!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are the Embroidered Uniform Guard doing at the Sixth Bureau?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't know; they have placed everyone under guard and are heading toward the rear courtyard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi and the others in the dining hall all changed color drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of Steward Leng who had just visited the rear courtyard, Hua Changxi quickly left the dining hall and returned to her quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she entered the room, she sensed something was wrong; leaping up, she quickly found a palm-sized wooden box hidden in a gap in the eaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the wooden box, Hua Changxi saw three pills inside; unfortunately, the final sealing step of the pill refinement had not been done properly, causing the spiritual energy of the pills to dissipate, which allowed her to detect them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is investigating a case; everyone in the rear courtyard, come out and line up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the commotion outside, Hua Changxi quickly stored the wooden box in the Shennong Cauldron; after checking that there were no other suspicious objects in the room, she went out.\u003C\u002Fp>",2791,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","c5b6beb2bb2ac47a0dc2a22dad4518e11708924a6977237c033c32bbbcff91a7","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-89","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-87",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]