Female Supremacy and Rise to Power: Lin Shu's Imperial Examination Adventures

Lin Shu's pen flowed effortlessly. After finishing, she first checked her work, then sat down at her desk, closed her eyes to rest, and prepared to organize her thoughts before copying the answers onto the scroll. The scrolls distributed by the female constable included six sheets of white cotton paper for drafting and three sheets of official documents for the main scroll. She had just completed her answers on the draft paper.

The county exam lasts five days, which means five sessions, so there's plenty of time and she's not in a hurry.

"Boom..."

Just then, the sound of a female yamen runner rang out outside, reminding the examinees that they could eat or go to the outhouse.

Lin Shu took out the flatbread she had brought from home from the exam basket, lit a fire with a tinderbox, and put the flatbread on the stove to bake. The flatbread was filled with meat, and as it baked, it produced wisps of oil, smelling incredibly delicious.

Just then, a female yamen runner walked by carrying a kettle, so Lin Shu asked for a cup of hot tea. After finishing the cake, she drank some tea to cleanse her palate.

After finishing her meal, Lin Shu went to the restroom and saw Li Yun'er next door. Surprisingly, she had been assigned to the "stinky" cell. Lin Shu silently lit a candle for her in her heart, ignoring Li Yun'er's resentful gaze, and walked straight past her cell without expression. She returned to her own cell and neatly copied the answers onto the main exam paper…

……

In the final exam, Lin Shu read through the case file word by word again, placed it on the desk, and began to pack her writing materials, book bag, and exam basket.

After putting it away, he called to the patrolling female constable and followed her to Xu Qing, the wife of the county magistrate of Yun County. The magistrate took the scroll, glanced at it, and put it down.

The female constable led her to the gate and told her to wait. It turned out the examination hall's rule was that at least ten people had to be present before the gate would open. Helpless, Lin Shu could only lean against the wall, closing her eyes to rest. Slowly, the second, the third… those who had handed in their papers emerged one after another.

Everyone discussed how the other solved the problem, and for a while it became quite noisy.

At this moment, a slender woman asked Lin Shu in an arrogant tone:

"I see that this young lady is the first to hand in her paper, so she must be a person of exceptional literary talent. May I ask how she solved the first question about the Four Books?"

Seeing that her face clearly showed disdain for her, Lin Shu simply opened her eyes, slowly looked behind her, and then slowly closed her eyes again, ignoring her completely.

"Tch, what's so great about him? He's probably just a pretty face with no brains." The woman said angrily.

"Silence!" Before she could finish speaking, the female constable behind her glared at her and shouted, then opened the yamen gate.

……

Su Mu and Song Yun had been waiting at the yamen gate since early morning. They hadn't eaten breakfast and were both hungry and sleepy. As soon as the gate opened, they followed the crowd. Those who rushed over, seeing that they didn't recognize anyone who came out, retreated, which made things easier for the two of them.

Lin Shu naturally saw the two of them as well, went over to greet them, took their hands, and slowly headed towards their residence.

"My wife is truly amazing!" Su Mu said with a smile.

Song Yun nodded in agreement.

"Oh? What's so great about them?" Lin Shu looked at the two of them and couldn't help but smile.

"..." Su Mu suddenly sensed something else in her words, glared at Lin Shu, and then said, "She was the first one to come out, what else could she be? How did my wife turn bad?"

Song Yun nodded again.

Lin Shu: ...I was completely baffled. What's wrong with me?

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of their residence, a speeding carriage stopped beside them. Lin Shu frowned and quickly pulled her two husbands aside.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, a not-so-chubby little girl lifted the curtain and stepped out, excitedly exclaiming, "Girl, girl, you're amazing! Your predictions were so accurate... I..."

"Yun'er! Don't say anything more!" Before she could finish speaking, a male voice from inside the carriage interrupted her. The voice was authoritative yet gentle; it wasn't Li Huanzhi's voice, so it could only be...

"Uncle Li." Lin Shu bowed, naturally showing respect as she was staying in the son's courtyard.

The two husbands also bowed.

Li's father lifted the carriage curtain, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he looked at Lin Shu. He then asked Li Huanzhi beside him, "Is this the Lin family lady and her two husbands that Huanzhi often mentions?"

Li Huanzhi withdrew his gaze from Lin Shu and said in a gentle voice, "That's right."

Father Li nodded and said to Lin Shu and her two husbands, "We often hear our children mention how helpful you are to them. If you don't mind, please come and sit at our house." After Lin Shu agreed, he lowered the carriage curtain and said to Li Yun'er, "Yun'er, let's go."

Li Yun'er quickly replied, "Coming, coming!" Turning to Lin Shu, she whispered, "Sister, I'll come find you after the results are released." With that, she scrambled onto the carriage. As the wheels slowly rolled, Li's father could be heard gently scolding her from inside, telling her to be more respectful.

Su Mu shook his head and smiled, "My wife's friends are really interesting."

Lin Shu was taken aback. Friends? After arriving here, she deliberately avoided making friends, but without realizing it, she had made some. However, having friends seemed quite nice.

With a slight smile, she took her two husbands' hands again and said, "Let's go, don't keep Father waiting."

……

That night, Li's mother stayed in Li's father's courtyard. Li's father thought of Lin Shu, whom he had seen during the day, and after much deliberation, he said, "My wife, how about we call off the marriage with the Liu family?"

Li's mother sat up quickly and asked, "Mu Lang, it's not that I'm unwilling to break off the engagement, but Huan Zhi is already twenty this year. If we don't get married this year, the consequences are not something you or I can decide."

"How about we find a simpler family for Huanzhi? It just so happens that the county exams are happening these days, and I saw a few when I went to pick up Yun'er..." Li's father suggested.

"Oh? Mu Lang has a student he likes?" Mother Li raised her eyebrows. She knew it. Father Li would never care about these things normally. This time, he not only went to pick up Yun'er in person, but also came to sound her out.

"I wouldn't say I'm particularly fond of him, but I feel his family is simpler, and he's a scholar, so things will be easier for Huanzhi if he goes there in the future," said Mr. Li, observing Mrs. Li's expression. "There's one person among them whom I really like, and Huanzhi is also interested..."

"Oh? Who is it? Do I recognize them?" Li's mother was surprised. Could Huanzhi have taken a liking to someone?

"This person is called Lin Shu, and she is Yun'er's classmate." Seeing the slight change in Li's mother's expression, she quickly quickened her pace and continued, "Yun'er said that the questions she predicted for Yun'er in this county examination were mostly correct, so her knowledge must be excellent."

Li's mother's expression softened, and she said helplessly, "But she already has a husband." Did she expect her son to become a concubine?

Mr. Li advised, "My lady, as the saying goes, 'three husbands and four servants.' If Huanzhi marries into the family now, Lin Shu will be a concubine if she passes the imperial examination. If it's too late, she'll only be a servant..." He left the rest to Mrs. Li to think about.

Li's mother tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.

The next morning, she told Li's father that she would go to the Liu family to break off the engagement in the next two days, but Huanzhi had to win over Lin Shu as soon as possible.

……

"The results are out! The results are out!"

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