[{"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-519":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},596492,846,"Chapter 519","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-519",519,"\u003Cp>The hall fell silent. The nobles in their crimson and purple robes had been chatting and laughing just a moment ago, but in the next instant, their expressions froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound had come from the arena, but Empress Chuge heard it clearly. She cast a silent glance at the eunuch beside her, who immediately cracked his golden python whip with a sharp snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Blasphemy against the Heavenly Venerable’s dignity! Such audacity!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the ornate canopy, the crimson-robed nobles, the princes and dukes, and even Jiang Yu on the stage all turned their expressionless gazes toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun seemed to dim, swallowed by dark clouds, leaving only a faint glimmer in the oppressive gloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, the suffocating weight of the gathering storm felt even heavier than the imperial authority Jiang Yu had exuded earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, all fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing stepped forward, her face as cold as ice, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are weary. Let today’s affairs end here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Jingtai waved his hand dismissively, the beads of his imperial crown swaying slightly, obscuring his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light returned to the sky, and the three suns, nearly sunk below the horizon, once again cast their dusky glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The patrolling guards and warriors, who had been tense and fearful, finally relaxed.This content belongs to novel·fiɾe·net\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Li, you’ve got nerves of steel. If this were judged as a crime, it’d be a death sentence for your entire family,\" Huang Donglai exhaled in relief, loosening his grip on his hidden weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had things gone south, he would’ve hoisted Li Mo onto his back and made a swift escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you want to eat tonight?\" Li Mo asked casually, grinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barbecue? Maybe some seafood? Sea cucumber?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Murong might not approve...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he boarded the carriage, Li Mo maintained his smile, but his mind was deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those crimson-robed nobles gave him an eerie, unsettling feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like the time he visited the Moonlit Pavilion—beautiful and flawless on the surface, yet reeking of something foul beneath...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it just his imagination?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By evening, the streets were ablaze with lanterns, the night alive with noise and bustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Cloud-Stepping Tower was abuzz with excitement. The Crown Prince had officially taken residence there today and had sent invitations to all the prodigies on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, hosting a grand feast in their honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a two-day break between the next round of duels, meant for the participants to recover from injuries and restore their strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the tower’s grand hall, wine cups clinked amid the glow of countless lanterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, outside the Cloud-Stepping Tower, Li Mo had set up a barbecue stall. The Qingyuan Sect members were gathered by the roadside, grilling and eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Isn’t that the ‘Divine Hammer Little Tyrant’?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the Frost Fairy is here too...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t forget that sharp-tongued monk, the ‘Swift Poison Twin-Turtle,’ and Xie Xuan... Are all these people from the Hidden Dragon Ranking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are they setting up a stall here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bystanders were baffled, but Li Mo himself was perfectly at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aroma of his skewers, however, was too irresistible—soon, passersby were drawn in, eager for a taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mister, how much for a skewer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little girl with pigtails sneaked over while her parents weren’t looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... Here, have some first. Let me think about the price...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo handed her a few skewers, still calculating the cost, when her father suddenly rushed over, scooping her up under his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies, the child doesn’t know better. This is too presumptuous...\" The man was flustered, hastily returning the skewers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo noticed the man’s gaze—nervous, almost fearful, as if looking at something not human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m happy to sell. She wanted to eat—where’s the presumption in that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your food isn’t for the likes of us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man retreated with repeated bows, Li Mo’s head filled with question marks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do you mean, \"not for the likes of us\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Am I not human? Am I really not human?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you do this again, I won’t bring you out next time,\" the man scolded his daughter as they melted into the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Daddy, it smelled so good...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little girl pouted, then suddenly felt something pressed into her hand. She looked up to see the skewer-selling brother had somehow followed them, winking at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood—he was telling her to eat in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing watched as Li Mo returned from the crowd, still muttering about skewer costs, and allowed herself a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still as childish as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his name now echoed across the heavens and earth, some things never changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ice Block, why do you keep smiling at me?\" Li Mo asked, puzzled, as he walked over with skewers in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I like smiling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo: \"??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew Ice Block had a beautiful smile. But everyone also knew Ice Block rarely smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You think I’m an eight-year-old you can fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, everyone exchanged stories about their opponents in the arena, and Li Mo eventually retired to his room at the top of the Cloud-Stepping Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, whether it was the tower’s staff or the Hidden Dragon prodigies, some looked awkward, others pretended not to see him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All avoided him like the plague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Big Brother Li, do you smell?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Little Jiang sniffed curiously but only caught the scent of barbecue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those who chase power and status will never achieve greatness,\" Xie Xuan remarked with a shake of his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo frowned, understanding the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many prodigies on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, after making a name for themselves, chose to remain in the imperial capital. Today, everyone had witnessed the Divine Hammer Little Tyrant clash with the Crown Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the prince wasn’t around, it didn’t matter—people could act freely in private. But now that he’d taken residence in the Cloud-Stepping Tower, greeting Li Mo openly would be political suicide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for those returning to their sects, most came from powerful factions that dictated their stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t afford to be careless either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, not that Li Mo cared. He wasn’t close to these people anyway. The ones he was close with had already shared barbecue with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch, people gave me weird looks when I used the hammer, and now they still do with the sword. Whatever. I’m used to being the ‘Divine Hammer Little Tyrant’—might as well embrace it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo grumbled as he climbed the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s gaze, cool yet gentle, settled on him. \"How outsiders see you has nothing to do with what you wield.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And how about those close to me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They see a childish fool pretending to be strong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo was momentarily speechless. Then, his expression turned serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then this childish fool needs to recharge in your room.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just recharge? Then there’s no need to come to mine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, I’ll recharge you. You’ve been standing all day—your feet must be exhausted.\" Li Mo declared righteously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not tired...\" Ying Bing’s eyes flickered away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impossible. Don’t pretend to be tough. Even I feel like my butt’s about to die after sitting too long. That’s when my secret revival technique comes in handy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing pressed her lips together, her gaze unfathomable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m afraid you won’t be able to control Hammer Treasure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who says? Hammer Treasure listens to me best!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, Li Mo regretted his earlier confidence. He had to admit—he might’ve spoken too soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the folding screen, the sound of splashing water echoed. Li Mo sat hunched over—a special posture of the \"Gentleman Li.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hammer Treasure was being very disobedient!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He desperately tried to control himself, but the splashing sound of water seemed almost magical, conjuring up all sorts of absurd images in his mind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, of all things, he hadn’t accounted for the fact that the ice block would take a bath today!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You block of ice, why even bother bathing? And for so long—aren’t you afraid of melting?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, a clear, melodious voice drifted from behind the screen, laced with faint amusement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Care to join me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1363,"2026-05-30T17:19:06.745Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","003d722e7a801a2a0c8c2c9549fdcca35629098ac020ff077ad6a58ce6310f1a","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-520","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-518",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]