Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’ Chapter 3: Entering the City, Living Together

Activity was already humming at the courier station in the early morning light. Numerous young men and women from various families were either out in the courtyard practicing martial arts or eating their breakfast with great enthusiasm.

A variety of morning dishes sat upon the central table. Li Mo grabbed a meat bun casually, his gaze shifting toward the girl sitting beside him.

A single bowl of plain rice porridge sat before her, looking as understated as her own delicate features.

"Eating only this for breakfast won’t provide enough sustenance," Li Mo noted, sliding a plate of boiled eggs in her direction.

Ying Bing remained silent, simply raising her eyes to look at him.

She seemed somewhat frail, her lips lacking color, but this sickly appearance only served to highlight her beauty, giving her an aura of fragile vulnerability.

However, anyone who met the gaze of those captivating eyes would likely experience a sudden, involuntary pang of guilt.

"Ahem."

A light sweat broke out on Li Mo’s brow.

The actions he had taken in the past made him wince just by thinking of them.

Offering an apology was the very least he could do.

"I want to apologize for what happened previously. I don't expect a few words to wipe away past grievances. If you are still angry, then—"

"It’s fine."

Ying Bing began peeling an eggshell, her voice so soft it bordered on dismissive.

Li Mo blinked, caught off guard.

Her face showed no signs of insincerity.

It wasn’t that she had forgiven him; it was simply indifference.

Those past occurrences seemed completely trivial to her—too minor to even justify holding a grudge.

If she had never cared in the first place, there was nothing to forgive.

"Well... that’s fair enough."

Li Mo gave a self-deprecating smile.

He must have spent too much time reading novels, allowing his imagination to run wild.

Admittedly, Ying Bing’s behavior was more in line with what the Heavenly Destiny Eyes had previously assessed.

Those who remain undisturbed by either praise or criticism are often the ones who travel the furthest on their path.

And history had already validated that fact.

Ying Bing ate her food quietly, giving Li Mo no further attention.

She had seen countless magnificent sights and lived through brilliance beyond imagination.

Aside from her family, the memories of her humble origins didn’t even occupy a single page of her life—they had long been tossed into a forgotten corner.

In those old recollections, Li Mo was a person of mediocre talent who had barely managed to enter the Clear Abyss Sect.

He had been expelled after a year of making no progress in the outer sect.

By then, she had already emerged as the most brilliant figure of their era.

Li Mo seemed different now, but...

It was of no consequence.

His name would probably never show up on the ranking boards of the Eastern Wasteland Domain.

They might not even be significant enough to be passing figures in each other’s lives.

She never squandered her focus on things that were inconsequential.

Across from her, Li Mo paused while eating.

[Investment successful. Investment: One boiled egg, one bowl of plain porridge.]

[Reward calculation in progress...]

[Congratulations, Host. Reward: One thousand taels of silver notes.]

[One thousand taels of silver notes]: "Issued by the Flourishing Fortune Bank, accepted universally at all major financial institutions."

Li Mo let out a quiet sigh.

If only she would eat more.

Three meals a day had the potential to turn him into a wealthy tycoon.

Midnight snacks—he absolutely had to prepare midnight snacks for tonight!

---

Two days later.

A magnificent city appeared in the distance, sprawling across the land like a massive beast under the sky.

Purple Sun Prefecture stood as one of the twelve great prefectures of the Eastern Wasteland Domain, overseeing nine counties and thirty-six districts. Legend claimed that before the Great Yu Dynasty rose to power, this territory served as the ancient capital of a fallen empire—a land of heroes and wealth.

Then a catastrophic tide of beasts arrived, ravaging the Eastern Wasteland for centuries and turning its former glory into fading embers.

Order was only restored when the Martial Emperor took the throne and pacified the nine heavens and ten earths. The founding patriarch of the Clear Abyss Sect was granted Purple Sun as a fief for his contributions to the empire's rise.

After thousands of years of rule, the land had finally recovered its vitality, and its splendor was reborn.

Ziyang Prefecture City, reconstructed upon the ruins of the ancient capital beneath Qingyuan Mountain, was a spectacular sight—its magnificence was obvious at a single glance.

The famous Qingyuan Mountain Range lay fifty miles past the city walls.

"We have finally arrived!"

"Is this truly the prefectural city? It’s massive—I feel like an ant standing beneath these gates!"

"It’s so vibrant! The heart of a prefecture really is full of life."

"Since the Clear Abyss Sect’s disciple recruitment is about to begin, it’s naturally crowded."

---

Caravans poured through the gates like a released flood, and the noise of hooves and wheels was constant.

Looking toward Qingyuan Mountain, many people wore expressions of deep longing.

The Great Yu Dynasty was built on martial prowess, and its governance was deeply linked with the great sects!

In the skies over Purple Sun Prefecture, only one name held supreme authority—the Clear Abyss Sect!

The youths from various counties and districts were buzzing with excitement, their voices rising in anticipation.

The passersby ignored them, having long grown used to such displays.

"Truly remarkable," Li Mo whispered in wonder.

Even though he had seen modern metropolises in his previous life, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.

Compared to skyscrapers of steel and concrete, this ancient city of painted pillars and carved beams was a marvel of a different kind.

A modern city with five million people was one thing—an ancient one of the same scale was incomparable.

"Travel permits."

The guards at the gate stood like towers of iron, their silver armor shining in the sun and their weapons ready.

The steward quickly presented an iron token and paid a string of coins to gain entry.

Their carriage was let through, as if they were entering a different world.

Li Mo stared like a country bumpkin, fascinated by everything he saw.

His pockets had become much heavier over the last two days.

Ying Bing’s three daily meals had earned him more than ten thousand taels in silver notes—and even a thousand taels of gold.

However, upon entering the prefectural city where every bit of land was worth its weight in gold, Li Mo suddenly felt much less wealthy.

"Young Master, Ziyang Prefecture City is nothing like our county," the steward cautioned quietly while driving the carriage.

"We won't be staying for long anyway," Li Mo answered with a grin.

The fact that his father had sent the steward—who had seen him grow up—along on this journey spoke volumes about his past behavior.

It was a measure to prevent his unruly personality from causing trouble.

"Of course, Young Master." The steward breathed a sigh of relief.

This troublemaker had indeed changed recently.

At least now he could worry a bit less.

The carriage crossed a bridge painted in vermilion, passing over a dense collection of boats on the water below.

The city was not only larger, but its people carried themselves differently—more individuals were dressed in fine silk, and luxury carriages were a frequent sight.

One such carriage was approaching now, pulled by four foals with crimson scales.

Its cabin was many times larger than Li Mo’s and decorated with jade and gold, radiating an air of refined elegance.

"Cousin!"

A voice shouted from behind them.

Wang Hu jumped off his horse eagerly and ran to the carriage.

A tall young man in white brocade stepped down.

He had long arms and a steady stance, his movements possessing the grace of a hunting tiger.

A token hung at his waist, inscribed with two bold characters: Inner Sect.

Clear Abyss Sect—Inner Sect!

The way the surrounding crowd looked at Wang Hu changed instantly to one of caution.

Among their group, very few would even qualify for the outer sect, much less the inner sect.

Those words represented a massive divide in status. An inner sect disciple could even demand respect from county magistrates.

"Little Hu, I expected you would arrive soon," the young man said with a smile, his eyes scanning the crowd before stopping briefly on Li Mo.

"You are new here—you likely don't know where to stay."

"I am friends with an innkeeper. Why not settle there?"

After saying that, Wang Hao went back to his carriage, leaving Wang Hu looking very proud.

"My cousin Wang Hao is already an inner sect disciple in his thirties."

"Stick with him, and you won't face any trouble."

Wang Hu held his head high, his face full of arrogance as if he were the one who had made it into the inner sect.

The group naturally began to flatter him.

Since they were strangers in a new location, having a link to an inner sect disciple of Fulong Valley would save them a great deal of difficulty.

"What is he looking at?"

Li Mo was confused for a moment before he realized.

The man wasn't looking at him—he was looking at the cold young woman standing by his side.

Of course.

Even in the prefectural city, Ying Bing’s stunning beauty was not diminished at all.

Her simple clothes outshone the decorated women of the city, making them look pale by comparison.

After days of eating together, their relationship had... well, surely there was some improvement?

At the very least, they were no longer strangers.

As he was thinking, a large tavern by the river came into view.

Seven stories high, its luxury was overwhelming—a sign of the highest grandeur in this ancient city.

A sharp-eyed waiter recognized Wang Hao and immediately summoned the innkeeper.

The innkeeper served tea humbly and began talking with Wang Hao, while the others waited nervously.

They had already noticed the prices.

Even a basic room cost twenty taels of silver, and the premium suites were far more expensive. With the Clear Abyss Sect’s recruitment coming up, the high demand had pushed prices even higher.

"One hundred taels for a premium suite?"

Li Mo looked at the price board before walking up to the counter.

There was no reason to be stingy with these costs.

"I would like two premium suites, please."

One for himself, and one for Ying Bing.

The steward and the guards had already departed with the luggage to return with the escort agency.

"My apologies, sir. We are running low on rooms. People traveling together are restricted to booking only one." The clerk bowed politely.

"Very well."

Li Mo thought about it for a second and then nodded.

"Plum Blossom Suite on the second floor. Here is your key."

Just as the clerk handed over the sandalwood room token, Wang Hu sneered from the side:

"Some people should just be happy they have a place to sleep. A hundred taels won't buy you status in Purple Sun Prefecture. Money doesn't always get you what you want here."

Li Mo: "?"

Ah, that's right.

This guy was the son of the Liuhe Gang leader back in their home county.

Li Mo’s own father was the county captain in charge of local security.

One generation was the rats, the other the cats—naturally, their children hated each other.

Meanwhile, nearby, Wang Hao returned to the group of anxious youths, acting regretful as he spoke.

"There are only thirteen premium suites remaining. Since you are all from my cousin's hometown, you will have to make do."

"That's no problem, we can share!"

"Thank you, Brother Wang! You are very kind!"

The group was very happy and showered him with thanks.

Li Mo almost laughed out loud.

Who "apologizes" while standing with their hands behind their back and their chin held high?

A man's thoughts could usually be boiled down to three things:

1. Planning how to show off.

2. Damn, she’s beautiful.

3. Damn, she’s beautiful—I need to find a way to show off in front of her.

As expected, Wang Hao turned to look at Ying Bing and said,

"Miss, rooms are hard to find, but I happen to have a private suite here. It is usually empty, but it is kept very clean."

"If you don't mind, you are welcome to stay there."

His voice was full of self-assurance.

This wasn't the first time he had used this move. For girls from small country towns, it worked every single time.

Hadn't he seen the jealousy in the eyes of the other country girls?

Few could turn down the kindness of someone with influence—someone who could decide their future.

"No rooms left?"

Ying Bing’s eyes moved toward the innkeeper.

"Ah... y-yes, that is correct."

The innkeeper started sweating, nodding quickly as he wiped his forehead.

Wang Hao smiled and started to speak—but his expression froze in the next moment.

The young woman took the sandalwood token from Li Mo’s hand and walked straight upstairs to the Plum Blossom Suite.

Click.

The wooden door was shut firmly behind her.

"Tch."

Li Mo looked at Wang Hao, whose face was now turning shades of green and white. Part of him thought it was funny, but he couldn't bring himself to laugh.

Laughing at others?

It was more like looking into a mirror.

Shaking his head, he also went up to the second floor.