[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-imperial-enforcer-with-an-eight-hour-workday":3,"chapter-the-imperial-enforcer-with-an-eight-hour-workday-the-imperial-hounds-of-the-eight-hour-workday-chapter-614":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Imperial Hound on an Eight-Hour Shift",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2225672,4113,"Chapter 614: Pitiful","the-imperial-hounds-of-the-eight-hour-workday-chapter-614",614,"\u003Cp>A portrait of a person, composed of connective tissue similar to scars, extended from below Lady Xu’s collarbone until it disappeared into her lower abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brushwork of the drawing was clear, not inferior to any master’s work, and the style was not freehand, but an extremely rare meticulous painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wide robes and large sleeves, high crown and broad belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the face was blurry, judging from the outline, Master Monk should be an effeminate man with thin cheeks and clear brows, his temperament otherworldly, floating as if he were a celestial being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Miao staring, Lady Xu showed anger, pulling her damaged clothing to cover her chest, coldness flickering in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao narrowed his eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a veteran Embroidered Uniform Guard like him, even if the face was blurry, it was enough for him to analyze a lot of information about Master Monk from the painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, the divine paintings containing the Supreme God Sword Art all came from Master Monk’s hand, so this was a self-portrait—self-portraits often have some distortion, but they also tend to express the painter’s true thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Monk’s attire was like a Confucian scholar, but his demeanor and movements were more like a Daoist priest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Monk was in Japan when he painted this, and besides, this painting was meant to be the foundation of Shinto inheritance, yet he painted himself in Confucian scholar’s clothes...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao’s thoughts raced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, these Confucian clothes were either clothes he was used to wearing, or clothes he hoped he would wear... After returning to the Great Ming, I will check ancient books and deduce based on the time; I should be able to filter out a few suspects from the Confucian scholars of that time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If the Sect Leader has other clues in her hands, combining them, I might be able to deduce his true identity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, did Lady Xu blurt out 'Supreme is heartless' earlier? Judging from the context, this sentence likely came from Master Monk’s mouth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is a saying 'Supreme forgets emotion' in Daoist classics, but I haven't heard of 'Supreme is heartless'; it should be Master Monk’s original creation... Judging from Master Monk’s past actions, it is worthy of being called heartless, but what does 'Supreme' mean...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The contemplation was long, but for Li Miao, who had carved investigation into his instincts, deducing the train of thought to this point took only an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The struggle had not yet ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao temporarily interrupted his deduction and looked at Lady Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Angry?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just because I called him disgusting?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Xu’s expression was cold and hard, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calmness is often because the core has not been touched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Injury, pain, and even death would not shake this Heaven-Man who was older than An Qisheng. Although she wore the skin of a young girl, inside was a heart that had experienced thousands of years of struggle and had very likely fought against both Bodhidharma and Zhang Zhang Sanfeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Miao had only cursed Master Monk as disgusting, a casual remark made without knowing the true situation of the painting, and it had already shaken her state of mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A bit strange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao rubbed his chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xu Fu, An Qisheng, you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three Heaven-Men who have lived for a thousand years, you have eaten more shit than I have eaten imperial meals, and the life and death you have experienced should not be few... Why are you all so devoted to him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not to mention that lunatic An Qisheng who made himself schizophrenic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed at Lady Xu from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are clearly clear-headed, and Xu Fu was able to trick three thousand boys and girls and a huge fleet from the First Emperor, so he should also be a smart person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you two so devoted to a person who hides his head and shows his tail?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reality is not a storybook, and loyalty is not rootless duckweed; there must be a foundation... Just preaching and teaching is not enough to serve for a thousand years, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao paused suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nature cultivation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An Qisheng had his memories about him erased, so can he also tamper with memories or emotions... Tsk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Miao looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think your mind is normal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just habitually talking trash, and he didn't think his casual deduction would hit any truth, but as his voice fell, his eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Xu’s reaction was a bit strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, hearing Master Monk being casually manipulated by Li Miao, she should have developed killing intent just like before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Xu’s reaction was indeed like that. \u003C\u002Fp>",779,"2026-06-17T21:54:32.236Z","2026-06-18T03:13:38.468Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","2b5b41c892d421f22d82bbfdb7882ea4f89fa4066386147e6be9b68271791def","the-imperial-hounds-of-the-eight-hour-workday-chapter-615","the-imperial-hounds-of-the-eight-hour-workday-chapter-613",647,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-imperial-hound-on-an-eight-hour-shift-cover.jpg"]