Disguised as a Man: A Guide to Taming the Tyrant - Chapter 2

As Su Yi stepped out of the Qian Yuan Palace, her back was already drenched in sweat. Though she had managed to navigate her first confrontation with Xuan Yuan Lie for the time being, she knew deep down that peaceful days were unlikely to follow.
Returning to the Ding Guo Duke’s residence, Su Yi sat alone in the study, lost in thought. System 2023 broke the silence: “Host, the favorability level of the tyrant Xuan Yuan Lie has increased by 5 points. Current favorability is 5, while the tyranny value remains at 80.”

Su Yi let out a bitter smile. “Only 5 points? That’s still miles away from 80. And that terrifying tyranny value is like a ticking time bomb.”

System 2023 reassured her, “Don’t rush, Host. Rome wasn’t built in a day, we’ll take it step by step. Think about it, didn’t your mind-reading ability come in handy just now in the palace?”

Su Yi nodded, then suddenly recalled Xuan Yuan Lie’s suspicion about her interactions with the court officials. A doubt arose in her mind: “Why exactly was I associating with those ministers? The original host must have had some purpose, but I’m completely in the dark now. This is too passive.”

System 2023 suggested, “Why not start with the people around you? Ask the servants of the Ding Guo Duke’s residence, you might uncover some clues.”

Su Yi found the idea feasible and immediately summoned Ah Fu, the young attendant who usually followed the original host. When Ah Fu entered, he stood respectfully. Su Yi tried to keep her tone gentle: “Ah Fu, how much do you know about my recent interactions with the court officials? Tell me everything in detail.”

Ah Fu hesitated, thinking to himself: Why is the young master suddenly asking about this? Has something happened? But the Duke warned us not to speak carelessly…

Using her mind-reading ability, Su Yi caught Ah Fu’s thoughts and seized the opportunity. “Ah Fu, don’t worry. Just speak the truth. The Emperor is already suspicious. If we don’t clarify the reasons, we’ll all be in trouble.”

Ah Fu paled at the words and quickly replied, “Young Master, your previous interactions with those officials were arranged by the Duke. As for the specifics, this servant doesn’t know much. I only vaguely heard it had something to do with the court’s situation as if they were planning something significant.”

Su Yi frowned. The court’s situation? Planning something significant? What secrets were hidden behind this? What was the Ding Guo Duke trying to do? Could it be rebellion? This was no trivial matter. If she got entangled in it, forget about winning over Xuan Yuan Lie, her very life might be at stake.

Su Yi pressed Ah Fu for more details, but he knew little else. After he left, Su Yi paced back and forth in the study, pondering her next move.

Just then, System 2023 suddenly announced, “Host, danger detected! A faction is secretly investigating you, and their intentions seem hostile.”

Su Yi’s heart skipped a beat. “What? Trouble is already knocking at my door? Can you tell which faction it is?”

System 2023 sighed. “Not yet. They’re deeply concealed. Host, you must be even more cautious from now on.”

Su Yi gritted her teeth. “It seems this world is far more complicated than I imagined. Now, not only do I have to deal with Xuan Yuan Lie, but I also have to watch out for this hidden threat.”

However, before Su Yi could devise a countermeasure, the steward hurried in with a report: “Young Master, a message has arrived from the palace. The Emperor has invited you to tomorrow’s hunting banquet. It’s said many nobles and royals will attend.”

Su Yi’s heart tightened. A hunting banquet? Why would Xuan Yuan Lie invite her at this moment was it simply a social gathering, or was there another test awaiting her? Moreover, in such a perilous situation, how could she ensure her own safety while avoiding Xuan Yuan Lie’s suspicion and further increasing his favorability? All of this weighed heavily on Su Yi, yet she had no choice but to steel herself and face whatever was to come.