Disguised as a Man: A Guide to Taming the Tyrant - Chapter 4

Facing the charging boar once more, Su Yi steeled her heart. She knew that merely dodging was no solution. Quickly scanning her surroundings, she spotted a large tree not far away. Without hesitation, she urged her horse toward it. As she neared the tree, Su Yi seized the moment and leaped, gripping the trunk tightly with both hands, narrowly avoiding another violent charge from the boar.

Beneath the tree, the enraged boar pawed at the ground, letting out deep, guttural snorts, but it could do nothing to Su Yi perched above. The young noblemen who had hoped to see her humiliated froze, their smug grins replaced by flickers of unease.

Perched on the tree, Su Yi pondered silently. The boar’s sudden appearance was far too suspicious likely orchestrated by someone. Moreover, the mysterious observer lurking in the woods had yet to reveal themselves, their intentions unclear. Using her mind-reading ability, she eavesdropped on the hushed conversation below.

“How is Su Yi so lucky? She actually dodged the boar’s attack.”

“Hmph, don’t worry. This is just the first step. There’s more to come. Once she climbs down, she won’t escape so easily.”
Su Yi’s heart skipped a beat, it seemed her adversaries weren’t planning to let her off. Just then, System 2023 spoke in her mind: “Host, I’ve detected that the observer in the woods isn’t aligned with these noblemen. Their intentions remain unclear, but they don’t seem directly hostile.”

Su Yi frowned slightly. The situation was growing more complicated. She couldn’t stay in the tree forever, she needed a way out of this predicament while uncovering the mastermind behind it all. Their scheme couldn’t be allowed to succeed.

After a moment’s thought, Su Yi raised her voice in a cry for help: “Someone, help! There’s a wild boar, save me!” Her voice echoed through the hunting grounds, hoping to draw attention.

The noblemen panicked at her shouts. One muttered, “Damn it, if others come, our plan will be exposed. We need to act fast.”
As they conferred, the sound of galloping hooves approached in the distance. Su Yi’s heart lifted had rescue arrived? But when she saw the rider, her hopes sank. It was Xuan Yuan Lie.

Astride a black steed, Xuan Yuan Lie rode like a bolt of dark lightning. Spotting the boar beneath the tree and Su Yi clinging to its branches, his brow furrowed slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

“Su Yi, what’s going on here?” His voice carried an air of authority.

Su Yi quickly calculated her response. She needed to convince Xuan Yuan Lie without revealing the noblemen’s plot prematurely, lest she alert them.

“Your Majesty, I came across an injured hare here and was about to catch it when this boar suddenly charged at me. I had no choice but to climb the tree to escape,” Su Yi replied, feigning breathless fright.

Xuan Yuan Lie glanced at the furious boar below, then back at Su Yi, silently weighing her words. “She doesn’t seem to be lying, but this is too much of a coincidence.”

The noblemen quickly stepped forward, chiming in, “Your Majesty, Young Master Su’s luck is truly unfortunate. The boar’s sudden appearance was quite terrifying.”

Xuan Yuan Lie gave a slight nod but remained silent. He knew well that while wild boars did roam the hunting grounds, they rarely attacked humans unprovoked. There was likely more to this incident than met the eye.

At that moment, Xuan Yuan Lie’s guards arrived and swiftly subdued the boar. He turned his gaze to Su Yi and said, “Su Yi, it seems your luck in today’s hunt has been poor. However, the hunt is not yet over. Continue, I wish to see what else you have to offer.”

Su Yi understood that Xuan Yuan Lie was giving her a chance. She climbed down from the tree and replied respectfully, “Thank you, Your Majesty. This subject will not disappoint you.”

Mounting her horse once more, Su Yi pondered how to handle the situation. Those noble sons would surely not let the matter rest, and Xuan Yuan Lie was watching her closely from the shadows.