After Reading Minds, Am I Supposed to Become the Empress?

Dai Yao was the only son of a military family, blessed with stunning looks and a naturally languid, delicate constitution. Thanks to his widowed father's indulgence, he landed a comfortable post in the capital. He planned to lie flat and spend the rest of his life as a carefree man of means.

But when the new emperor ascended the throne, the political climate changed overnight. The ministers were forced to outdo one another, and the young woman of the Cui family, Cui Yue, was even given special permission to attend court and take part in government.

Rumor had it that Cui Yue had had a remarkable encounter and could see into other people's private affairs, and that everyone could hear her thoughts.

At first, Dai Yao thought it was a ridiculous joke. The next day, however, he had a wonderful time listening to the gossip.

[Wow, General Li's youngest son brought back a pregnant mistress from the frontier. When his fiancee, Miss Meng, found out, she threatened to starve herself unless she could marry General Li himself. She wants that faithless man to call her “Mother”!]

Dai Yao was stunned and delighted. Heh, now that's juicy.

[And Minister Li is a notorious womanizer, with a whole courtyard full of beauties. But he has no idea his wife and his favorite concubines are secretly lovers, meeting in secret and spending their nights together.]

Dai Yao, who had edged closer to the front to listen: Wonderful. Simply wonderful.

The officials at court all looked serious, but secretly they were straining to hear, until Cui Yue finally revealed the most explosive gossip of all, about the person at the very top.

It turned out the emperor had kept his harem empty because he'd had a beloved crush since he was young, but after years of pining, he still hadn't won his heart.

As Cui Yue listed the crush's features, Dai Yao realized he matched every one of them except for the gender. He wasn't laughing anymore.

Recently, Dai Yao had changed his lazy ways. He'd bought a whole roomful of books and shut himself in his study every day after work to read diligently.

Master Dai was delighted. He secretly had a servant bring out a few books, hoping to improve himself alongside his son.

Instead, the garish illustrations and scandalous titles made his vision go black.

The Emperor, Your Beloved Is Running Away Again

The Tyrant's Darling

Dai Yao happened to be passing by. “...Father, would you believe me if I said I was possessed?”

Master Dai pretended to believe him. That night, he burned the books along with the entire room.

That evening, Dai Yao held on to the sole survivor, Thirty-Six Ways to Make the Emperor Fall in Love with You, and pondered it seriously.

If he did the opposite of what the book said, would that keep the emperor from noticing him?

Later, with the bed curtains tossed and his clothes disheveled, Dai Yao crawled out from beneath the golden silk quilt on the imperial bed and cried, “No, no, this is all wrong! This isn't how it goes in the book.”

The satisfied new emperor wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him back. His long, narrow eyes burned with greedy passion as he coaxed Dai Yao in a syrupy voice. “Lord Dai, what kind of story would you like? I'll have Cui Yue write one for you tomorrow.”

Reader's notes:

1. Lazy beauty, little ray of sunshine, minister gong x decisive, devoted emperor shou

2. Lighthearted comedy, with little political intrigue

3. This work was started on 2025.11.23

Theme: Govern with inner thoughts, serve three years as a prefect, then spend two years as empress.