[{"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-94":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},1896868,2531,"Chapter 94: The Strange Wooden Tablet","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-94",94,"\u003Cp>Soon, Hua Changxi followed Yu Gui to the No. 9 Qihuang Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she passed the stone pillar at the entrance of Qihuang Hall, carved with the character 'Jiu', Hua Changxi noticed the green wooden tablet she had just received from the Old Courtyard flash briefly, causing her heart to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister Changxi, what is wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi standing motionless at the entrance, Yu Gui hurriedly asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clutching the wooden tablet, Hua Changxi recollected herself, shook her head, and followed Yu Gui into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike previous meetings where he would sit waiting for Hua Changxi to approach and pay respects, this time the Eunuch Yu dared not put on airs; seeing Yu Gui bring Hua Changxi, he waited in the courtyard with a smiling welcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind Eunuch Yu stood a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe, smiling like a Maitreya Buddha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eunuch Yu, it has been a long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi took the initiative to greet him; after Eunuch Yu responded with a smile, he immediately introduced the middle-aged man to her: \"Hua Changxi, this is Merchant Zhuo from Qingzhou. Merchant Zhuo owns dozens of apothecaries, and here in Jingcheng alone, he has ten.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchant Zhuo knew well how to give others face; hearing Eunuch Yu's words, he hesitated not a moment, stepped forward, and performed a peer's bow to Hua Changxi: \"Young Lady Hua, Zhuo Lin pays his respects.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at him and returned the bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the two had acknowledged each other, Eunuch Yu smiled and ushered them into the reception hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui, showing great perceptiveness, served tea to the three of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking directly at Zhuo Lin, Hua Changxi got straight to the point: \"Merchant Zhuo, what pills do you wish to acquire?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Lin glanced at Eunuch Yu and smiled: \"I need martial artist pills from Grade One to Grade Nine; the more, the better. If possible, I will also buy cultivator pills, again, the more, the better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him: \"Martial artist pills can be settled with silver, but spirit pills used by cultivators cannot be bought with silver.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Hua Changxi had not refused to sell spirit pills, Zhuo Lin's breathing instantly tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, spirit pills were refined only by the imperial family, top-tier nobles, and those old established clans; they were virtually unseen in the market. Not to mention ordinary people without power or influence, even typical noble families and high-grade martial artists wishing to purchase them could find no channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Zhuo family truly began selling spirit pills, one could imagine they would surely rise to a higher level in Qingzhou; even breaking into the noble circles of Jingcheng would not be impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, the Zhuo family also had clan members who had tested positive for spiritual meridians and were in great need of various spirit pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could obtain spirit pills, his status within the family would undoubtedly become higher and more secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing his excitement, Zhuo Lin cautiously试探ed: \"Then, in Young Lady Hua's opinion, by what means should Zhuo Lin purchase these spirit pills?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In matters of trade, Hua Changxi disliked beating around the bush; her instinct was to say she required spirit stones, but she swallowed the words before they left her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cooperation with You Lao and the other four had taught her a lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Straightforward, sincere transactions easily led one into a passive position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Merchant Zhuo, what do you have to offer in exchange for spirit pills?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhuo Lin fall into thought, Hua Changxi was pleased she had tossed the question back to him, allowing her to probe his sincerity and hidden cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Zhuo Lin's first meeting with Hua Changxi; unable to gauge her mindset, he helplessly looked toward Eunuch Yu for aid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Eunuch Yu felt somewhat helpless; he realized Hua Changxi had changed, no longer as straightforward as before, and now even he did not know what she truly wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Eunuch Yu could not help him, Zhuo Lin could only stand up, bow deeply to Hua Changxi, and say: \"I beg Young Lady Hua to instruct me; how can I purchase spirit pills?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing the exchange of glances between the two, Hua Changxi suddenly had a flash of inspiration: \"Eunuch Yu said you have ten apothecaries in Jingcheng; where are they located?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhuo Lin's eyelids twitched, but he still replied: \"Four inside the Inner City, and six in the Outer City.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"If I said I want these ten shops, would Merchant Zhuo be willing to give them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the past two months of teaching pharmacology to the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Bureaus, she had realized that the scope of recipients for such teaching was far too narrow and small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To popularize knowledge of pharmacology, perhaps she should find a way to expand outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Zhou Qiuyu's end, the first volume of 'Martial Artist Medicinal Materials' had already been compiled; if sold in apothecaries, those wishing to learn medicine would likely buy it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Hua Changxi truly wanted his apothecaries, and moreover demanded all ten with such audacity, Zhuo Lin was naturally unwilling: \"Young Lady Hua, these apothecaries are my ancestral legacy; truly...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Trade relies on mutual willingness; if you are unwilling, I will not force you. In that case, we shall simply trade martial artist pills.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yu knows where my Shennong Hall apothecary is located; write a list, have Brother Yu take it to your apothecary to find the steward, and we will exchange money for pills on the spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi directly bypass the matter of spirit pills, Zhuo Lin grew anxious again: \"Young Lady Hua, I am willing to pay more silver...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi cut him off: \"I already said, silver cannot buy spirit pills.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Merchant Zhuo, you likely do not know much about cultivators; in these times, for many cultivators, spirit pills are not merely medicine, but opportunity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are a merchant; I need not tell you how important opportunity is, do I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thus, go back and inquire first; if you still wish to buy spirit pills, we can talk again. However, by then, it will depend on whether I still need the apothecaries.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Lin once again looked to Eunuch Yu for help; seeing this, Eunuch Yu helplessly turned his head aside, as he currently held no bargaining chips to converse with Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Eunuch Yu being so unreliable, Zhuo Lin was furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten apothecaries...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jingcheng, beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven, where nobles gathered; these ten apothecaries had cost him countless efforts to establish. The mere thought of handing them over made his heart bleed with pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But spirit pills...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The apothecaries can belong to Young Lady Hua, but how many spirit pills can Young Lady Hua provide me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhuo Lin agree, a flash of excitement crossed Hua Changxi's eyes; after a moment's thought, she said calmly: \"Grade One spirit pills for increasing cultivation, healing injuries, recovering spiritual energy, and detoxifying—I can provide them all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, you must keep the source of these spirit pills secret; I dislike trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Hua Changxi could actually produce such a large quantity of spirit pills, Zhuo Lin was inwardly delighted; he also did not want others to know Hua Changxi possessed spirit pills and encroach on the Zhuo family's business, so he immediately agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Verbal promises are not secure; I need a drop of your blood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Lin stared blankly, looking toward Eunuch Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu then looked toward Yu Gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Yu Gui spoke up and asked: \"Sister Changxi, what do you need the blood for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied: \"To swear a Heart Demon Oath. Rest assured, as long as you do not break your promise, nothing will happen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Lin, Eunuch Yu, and Yu Gui all knew very little about cultivators; after hesitating briefly, Zhuo Lin, for the sake of the spirit pills, bit his finger until it bled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu and Yu Gui exchanged a glance; although Hua Changxi had not asked them to bleed, they now knew about the spirit pills. After a moment's thought, both of them simultaneously bit their fingers until they bled as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi saw this and raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui was just about to ask how to give blood to Hua Changxi when a drop of blood flew from his fingertip, hovering before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the three of them: \"Simply swear an oath.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Lin, Eunuch Yu, and Yu Gui all swore not to reveal the spirit pills provided by Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the oaths were complete, Zhuo Lin, Eunuch Yu, and Yu Gui widened their eyes, watching the blood twist and transform into a talisman that merged into their brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hearts of the three shook violently; the moment a thought of betraying their oath arose in their minds, they felt a sudden palpitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing they had sworn a Heart Demon Oath, Hua Changxi looked at Zhuo Lin: \"In a moment, we will go handle the pharmacy transfer and draft the pill purchase contract.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking thus, she turned to Eunuch Yu, noting that he and Yu Gui had been so perceptive just now by asking proactively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eunuch Yu, what do you wish to know about cultivators?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu's expression shifted dramatically, and he immediately sat up straight: \"This old one wishes to know how to become a cultivator?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui and Zhuo Lin also looked at Hua Changxi with serious expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"There are two paths to becoming a cultivator. One is to be born with spiritual meridians; those with spiritual meridians can embark on the path of cultivation as long as they have a suitable technique and are in a place with spiritual energy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The other path is for those born without spiritual meridians; they can forge spiritual meridians by gathering heavenly treasures and earthly materials to refine spirit pills.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu immediately asked: \"How does one know if they have spiritual meridians?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied: \"There is a stone called a Spirit-Testing Stone that can detect a person's spiritual meridians.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu asked again: \"If one lacks spiritual meridians, which spirit pills can forge them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"As far as I know, the Creation Pill, as well as the Rebirth Pill combined with attribute spirit pills, can all forge spiritual meridians.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu asked once more: \"How can one obtain these three types of pills?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"Does Your Honor know why the Embroidered Uniform Guard recently conducted a massive search of the Servant Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu and Yu Gui's expressions shifted dramatically: \"Could it be that the pills Leng Xiangru stole were... capable of forging spiritual meridians?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Forging spiritual meridians is certainly difficult; how you embark on the path of cultivation depends on your own abilities and fortune.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Eunuch Yu asked Hua Changxi several more questions regarding common knowledge about cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he asked so much, Hua Changxi's eyes turned slightly: \"I have a beginner's book for cultivators here called 'Introduction to the Four Arts,' which records the four most commonly used methods of cultivators and much common knowledge; I can exchange it with Your Honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu's face instantly lit up with joy, but soon fell again: \"But the only thing this old one has to offer is silver.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked around the courtyard: \"During our previous cooperation, Your Honor, I found this courtyard very suitable for pill refining; it is remote and sparsely populated, so no one will disturb us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu understood Hua Changxi's meaning and said very decisively: \"This old one does not live in this courtyard usually; if you like it, just refine pills here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled and said: \"Then many thanks to Your Honor.\" Speaking thus, she took out a handwritten copy of 'Introduction to the Four Arts' and handed it to Eunuch Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Yu accepted the book with great care, while Zhuo Lin watched from the side, extremely envious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Hua Changxi went with Merchant Zhuo and Yu Gui to first handle the pharmacy transfer procedures, then proceeded to the Shennong Hall Pharmacy to finalize the pill purchase contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this first purchase of medicine, Zhuo Lin bought spirit pills worth one hundred thousand taels of silver and also took away a batch of first-grade spirit pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing him off, Hua Changxi and Yu Gui returned to the Medicine Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Hua Changxi asked: \"Brother Yu, how many Qihuang Halls are there in total?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui replied: \"Eighteen; nine here in the Servant Hall and another nine over at the Apprentice Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked: \"Who occupies the nine in the Servant Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui said: \"Eunuch Zhou of the First Office, Eunuch Zhao of the Second Office, and Eunuch Jia of the Third Office each occupy two, while the remaining three belong to my godfather.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, why do you ask this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"Haven't I been teaching my subordinates how to identify and clean medicinal herbs这段时间? I've discovered some promising talents, and now that I have ten more pharmacies, I want to find a courtyard to teach them more so they can work for me at the pharmacies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui let out a sound of sudden realization: \"My godfather occupies Qihuang Halls numbered Seven, Eight, and Nine; if you wish to use them, I can go speak to him, as he rarely uses those courtyards anyway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Then many thanks to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After parting ways with Yu Gui, Hua Changxi immediately went to Qihuang Hall Number Nine; since the wooden token had flashed earlier, she needed to investigate the cause of its flickering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old courtyard in the square was dilapidated; although Qihuang Hall was built of stone, it was hardly any better, bearing an air of great age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that the pharmacies along the front Nine Streets were similar, only appearing less old because they had been renovated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had never been to the Apprentice Hall side, so she did not know what the Qihuang Halls there were like, but here in the Servant Hall, it seemed the superiors did not value the area and thus neglected the buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi walked to the stone pillar outside Qihuang Hall Number Nine and, as expected, saw the wooden token flash again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The wooden token and the stone pillars seem to be able to sense each other.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at the neighboring Qihuang Hall, then walked over quickly, waving the wooden token toward the stone pillars outside Hall Number Eight and Hall Number Seven, seeing the token flash twice more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What exactly is the use of this wooden token?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi returned to Qihuang Hall Number Nine; after entering the courtyard, she carefully examined everything within but found nothing unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having no clue about the wooden token's function, Hua Changxi could only leave Qihuang Hall first; on her way back, thinking she had said nothing upon meeting Physician Xu just now, she headed toward Ninth Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu was located at Pharmacy Number Twelve on Ninth Street; going from the Servant Hall there required passing through Chaosheng Road, which ran through the Nine Streets directly to the square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chaosheng Road was located in the very center of the Nine Streets; standing at the intersection where the square met Chaosheng Road, Hua Changxi looked forward and immediately spotted the nine-story tower on First Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tower was built with quite an imposing manner, yet its position was wrong; not built in the very center, it felt very out of place with the layout of the Nine Streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something occurred to Hua Changxi; she turned back to look at the square, gazing at the stone cauldron and the old courtyard behind it, recalling that magnificent palace and towering giant tree, feeling that the location of the old courtyard was truly the most prominent spot in the Medicine Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With many people on the Nine Streets, Hua Changxi stood at the intersection for a moment before people began emerging from the pharmacies on both sides; without lingering, she crossed the intersection and walked toward Pharmacy Number Twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eh~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While passing through the intersection, Hua Changxi saw the wooden token flash again, causing her to stop in surprise and look left and right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, her gaze fell upon the cylindrical pillars standing on both sides of the intersection, atop which hung colorless, transparent lanterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked toward the other streets and discovered that identical pairs of lanterns hung at the intersections of every street.\u003C\u002Fp>",2775,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","3ab783ed112545eb841083b8f798111b433cef04a4e33a117e52dbfdea14997f","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-95","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-93",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]