[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal":3,"chapter-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-223":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’",{"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},596346,846,"Chapter 223: Real or Fake Ying Bing: Does She Want to Be the First to Experience Her Fathers Death","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-223",223,"\u003Cp>In the courtyard not far from the painted pleasure boats and lavish ships...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside a room, a woman dressed identically to Ying Bing, with a figure eight parts similar, was applying her makeup. She stood up, examining her reflection in the mirror, while the madam adjusted her appearance and styled her hair, comparing it to a portrait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if Ying Bing were standing right here, she probably couldn’t spot a single flaw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still missing some of her essence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Mianmian was currently channeling the Heavenly Demon Illusionary Transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, when she imitated others, even their closest siblings couldn’t tell the difference. Yet when mimicking Ying Bing, she always fell short by a fraction—that ethereal, icy elegance was simply impossible to replicate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The madam wiped sweat from her forehead and chuckled. \"Heh, she might be cold as ice, but you, Holy Maiden, are born with seduction in your bones. A hot-blooded young lad like Li Mo would be so enchanted by you, he wouldn’t even think to scrutinize the details.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s true enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Mianmian let out a soft laugh, twirling in front of the mirror. Even she could barely tell the difference at a glance. Still, she asked, \"Well? Does anything still look off?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The madam was about to say no—from the front, it was flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the saying goes, \"Viewed from the side, a mountain becomes a peak\"—and that \"side\" mattered greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Yin Mianmian turned slightly, the discrepancy became obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the madam’s gaze, Yin Mianmian looked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spotted two shortcomings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind flashed back to that day when a certain young man had shattered her Heavenly Demon illusion with just a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her delicate face darkened, her fists clenching so tightly they audibly cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trembling, the madam dropped to her knees, stammering, \"Y-you... look even more like her now...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A short while later...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened. Outside stood several elite assassins of the Inner Landscape Realm, led by an expressionless man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they saw the figure stepping out of the room, their bodies tensed as if facing a deadly foe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is Ying Bing here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassins exchanged uneasy glances, drawing their weapons—even the cold-faced man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk, have you all lost your minds?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that even these seasoned killers couldn’t tell the difference, \"Ying Bing\" smiled in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold-faced man was someone ranked on the Hidden Dragon Ranking—a bounty hunter she had gone to great lengths to recruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then commanded, \"Proceed as planned. Move out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, I haven’t had dinner yet. I bought two steamed buns earlier—where did they go?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Missing one meal won’t kill you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stick with the Holy Maiden, and you’ll never go hungry for midnight snacks!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, atop a lakeside tavern by Fish-Dragon Lake...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing sat in meditation, a crimson essence floating before her like a pulsing heart, radiating dense vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glow cast flickering light across her jade-like face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Phoenix Essence subtly tempered her physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this wasn’t its greatest virtue—it stored life force during cultivation, amplifying the power of secret techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the Inner Landscape Realm, severed limbs could regenerate. At the Outer Landscape Realm, even fatal wounds ceased to be a concern, and one’s Dharma Body could revive from a single drop of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And upon reaching the Profound Dominion Realm? With the Blood Phoenix Essence intact, one became truly deathless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the resonance between the Blood Phoenix Essence and the Rosy Phoenix Aura, Ying Bing felt slightly reassured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of endurance and physical resilience, no one in her realm should come close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as this thought formed, an image involuntarily surfaced in her mind—that certain \"Little Li,\" his back silhouetted against the sky as he split the heavens with a single hammer strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there truly no one who could match her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And lately... every night, he’d been tinkering with something mysterious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His alchemy furnace’s lid had gone flying more than a few times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he came for their dual cultivation sessions, he reeked of medicinal herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before midnight, I must reach peak condition...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Bing withdrew the Blood Phoenix Essence and Rosy Phoenix Aura into her brow, closing her eyes to refine her spirit, energy, and vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes snapped open. With a flick of her fingers, she caught the arrow that had been aimed at the wall behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tied to it was a letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This humble one, Baili Rang, has long admired the exquisite swordsmanship of Fairy Ying. I await your instruction at the heart of Fish-Dragon Lake.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranked fifty-first on the Hidden Dragon Ranking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing had only a vague impression of him—some kind of bounty hunter, if she recalled correctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the Hidden Dragon Ranking was published, quite a few had sought her out at the tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most came to propose marriage to \"Little Li.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a small fraction were challengers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defeating a top-ranked genius could make one’s name overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among the highest ranks? Most were either ninth or eighth-aperture Inner Landscape cultivators—scions of noble houses, heirs to major sects, or lone disciples of reclusive masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to them, the younger, lower-realm Li Mo and Ying Bing made far more tempting targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crushing a mid-tier challenger should deter the riffraff.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief consideration, Ying Bing rose, cradling Frostsky as she descended the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third floor, a spacious VIP room echoed with clattering noises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior Sister Bing, where are you off to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao trotted upstairs, arms laden with wooden planks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing replied coolly, \"A duel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a shame!\" Tang Xiaobao sighed. \"Our Supreme VIP Spa Booth is almost ready! Junior Brother Li would’ve loved for you to try it first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Supreme... VIP... spa booth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s eyes flickered with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Li had a habit of giving things bizarre names—like \"Pleasant Goat Hotpot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And this booth... what exactly does one 'experience' there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Death Dad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s for massages and bodywork. No idea why Junior Brother Li calls it 'Death Dad' though...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Junior Sister Bing spent more time with Junior Brother Li, maybe she understood the meaning behind the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could ask, he looked up to find Ying Bing already downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her steps... seemed quicker than before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baffled, Tang Xiaobao blinked, then carried the planks into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the VIP chamber had been transformed. The once-opulent space now featured a reclining massage chair and numerous candle stands with tinted glass shades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Junior Brother Li tapped away with a small hammer, muttering under his breath:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forty... forty...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior Brother Li, why do you shout 'forty' with every hammer swing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s the hammer’s name. Chanting it gives me strength.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ohhh! Now I remember—didn’t you also have an 'Eighty'? Why not use that? Wouldn’t it be even stronger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Tang Xiaobao mentioned it, the Primordial Star-Shattering Hammer within Li Mo’s World Seed trembled excitedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hammer Baby wanted to smash something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah! Why not use it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...This is a small project. We’ll save it for something bigger later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s reply served both Tang Xiaobao and the hammer’s eager spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Hammer Baby was content, already dreaming of future grand constructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior Brother Li, why are these candle shades made in such colors?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’re called mood lights.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo offered the explanation casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I doubt Senior Brother Tang Xiaobao would quite understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about that bottle next to it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao's curiosity was piqued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's called fragrance mist. A pleasant scent can help relax the mind. I was actually thinking of adding some perfume to it... I wonder if Elder Xue knows how to make incense pills...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo murmured as he took hold of a new piece of wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao thought for a moment, then puffed out his chest proudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s easy—just use my bathwater!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craftsman Li froze, struck by sudden realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could possibly smell sweeter than Senior Brother Tang Xiaobao?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, to be fair, if it were for drinking, compared to life-extending elixirs, everyone would definitely prefer the waters of the Mistbloom Everlasting Spring...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, I’m off to take a bath then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao cheerfully left the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was heading downstairs, a young woman suddenly approached from the opposite direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior Sister Ying Bing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior Brother Tang Xiaobao looked puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t you just leave? Back so soon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman ascending the stairs was none other than 'Ying Bing.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where’s Li Mo?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Ying Bing' asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, he’s on the third floor, working on the renovations...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, 'Ying Bing' gave a slight nod and headed toward the third-floor room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao was a bit confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Junior Sister Ying Bing had returned way too fast—quicker than a trip to the outhouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She really was impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her memory seemed a bit off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d clearly told her that Junior Brother Li was renovating on the third floor, yet she’d forgotten in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Tang Xiaobao mulled it over, a glimmer of wisdom suddenly flashed in his eyes—his newly opened insight was at work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it be...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior Sister Ying Bing rushed back so quickly because she wanted to be the first to experience the 'Dead Dad' (ed. note: likely a misunderstood term or inside joke)? But she was too embarrassed to admit it, so she pretended not to know and asked again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s definitely it. I’m so clever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Xiaobao felt certain no one could call him slow-witted anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>",1582,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.270Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","d925038ade2f304298c7e4fffac0b18afb4287ad0c1db7eb8203f29685b0e421","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-224","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-222",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]