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

Hearing the comments from the crowd, both Lin Dafeng and Lin Yue blushed.

However, Du Ruo, who had never known shame, now felt an urge to rush forward and scratch those gossipy men:

"What nonsense are you talking about! You always give to her voluntarily, we never force you! If you really think Lin Shu is a good girl, then you can go find her and see if she'll even acknowledge you..."

"Enough!" the clan chief finally spoke.

“Dafeng! Your father brought you back from the battlefield, but he passed away not long after. Over the decades, the village has taken good care of you. Let bygones be bygones…”

"Clan chief!" some villagers objected.

The clan chief raised his hand to stop the villager and continued, "As you know, we Lin clan members have spared no effort, hoping that Lin Yue's success in the imperial examination would bring the clan to a higher level, but now..."

Alas! I've heard that Shu'er has already passed the provincial examination with top honors, and she'll surely achieve great success next year. This is of paramount importance to you and the clan… The most urgent matter is to bring Shu'er back to visit, after all, Peach Blossom Village is her ancestral home!”

"What? The top scholar?" The Lin family members exclaimed in unison, their expressions varying.

Lin Dafeng calmed the complex emotions in her eyes before slowly saying, "Auntie, I've severed ties with that little beast... uh... Shu'er. She might not listen to me now!"

"Hey! There's no such thing as a grudge between a mother and daughter that lasts overnight. Go and say some nice things to her. Besides, she's still young and doesn't understand yet. If she leaves the protection of the clan, she might be bullied in the future and have nowhere to turn for help..."

The clan chief used both kindness and severity this time. Lin Dafeng's lips twitched as she listened, and she couldn't help but think to herself: If that little beast were so easily manipulated, he probably wouldn't have dared to sever ties with his relatives in the first place. Now that he's rising to prominence, why would he need you poor relatives who are not even remotely related to him?

Seeing that Lin Dafeng remained silent, the clan chief assumed she was unwilling, so he put on a stern face and threatened, "Dafeng! The village has helped you so much. If you can't accomplish this, then you may have nowhere to stay in the village!"

"Clan leader! Are you planning to expel me from the clan?" Lin Dafeng exclaimed in surprise, looking up abruptly.

"Don't worry, there's still room for maneuver," the clan chief said with a forced smile.

"You... you..."

Before Lin Dafeng could finish speaking, another woman's voice came from outside, asking:

"Excuse me, is this the home of Lin Shu's mother, Lin Dafeng?"

Upon hearing this, everyone made way, and only then did they see that an exquisite carriage had been parked at the entrance, with two female guards and a coachman standing beside it. The one who had spoken earlier was one of the guards.

"I am Lin Dafeng. Who are you?" Lin Dafeng asked, puzzled by the other party's luxurious attire.

"Aunt Lin, my master is a nobleman in the capital. He sent us here to escort you to the capital." The guard explained his purpose, his demeanor quite arrogant.

Everyone was shocked to hear this, because of the words "take them to the capital".

"May I ask who your master is?" Lin Dafeng thought to himself. This person could not possibly have been sent by Lin Shu, after all, he had been kicked out when he went to look for her during the New Year.

"It's not convenient to tell you about this! Please pack quickly, Auntie, and we'll set off immediately." The guard glanced at her, implying that she had to go with them.

Upon hearing this, Du Ruo and Zhu Shi's eyes lit up. The capital! Seeing Lin Dafeng still hesitating, they quickly gave her meaningful glances, and even Lin Yue whispered in Lin Dafeng's ear:

"Mother, what are you hesitating for? If even a servant is so imposing, her master must be someone important. Why would she harm us? I'm afraid our whole family combined isn't even worth that carriage..."

Lin Dafeng thought for a moment and found it reasonable, so she put on a condescending smile and said to the village chief and clan leader:

"Oh dear! It's really unfortunate, we're about to head to the capital, and I'm afraid we won't be able to complete the task the clan chief entrusted to us. However, I, Lin Dafeng, am by no means an ungrateful person. After I leave, this house will be given to you all as compensation..."

"You'd better think this through! Don't regret it later!" The clan leader and the others stared at Lin Dafeng with grim expressions.

Before Lin Dafeng could speak, Du Ruo had already quickly tidied herself up and came out, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? Didn't you hear what they said? A noble person from the capital invited us. What are you regretting?"

After saying that, he pulled Lin Dafeng along and greeted the female guard with a forced smile. She ignored him but didn't get angry and went straight to the carriage.

The villagers watched the departing carriage raise a cloud of dust, then glanced at the grim-faced clan chief and his companions, and dispersed...

Lin Dafeng and his entourage rode in a luxurious carriage, speeding along the way. In just over half a month, they arrived at the gates of the capital. Looking at the majestic city walls, they were filled with anticipation.

Little did they know that a few years later, this would be their final resting place...

……

In the carriages queuing to enter the city not far away, Xue Wen gently lifted the curtain, his gaze involuntarily falling on the pavilion half a mile away. Looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar place, his mind drifted into memories:

Back then, they were mutually in love, but their social statuses were too different. She proposed to elope with him, and they agreed to meet at the pavilion where they had pledged their love. But who knew that what awaited him was an assassin sent by her...

"Father? What's wrong?" Su Mu asked worriedly when he saw Xue Wen looking at something and suddenly his eyes were filled with tears.

"Ah! It's nothing! It's nothing! How's Mu'er's stomach? Is it uncomfortable?" Xue Wen quickly wiped away his tears, then asked Su Mu with a smile how he was feeling.

Su Mu's eyes were gentle as he shook his head. It was already October, and the baby would be born in a little over a month. The whole family was treating him like a fragile doll!

……

As soon as the group entered the city, they headed straight for a bustling street.

"Shut up!"

When they arrived at their destination, the carriage came to a stop, and everyone got off. What came into view was an elegant mansion, with the words "Lin Mansion" prominently displayed on the plaque above the gate.

The main gate faces southeast. Turning left after entering, there is a hanging flower gate to the north. Beyond that is a covered corridor, and further in is the inner courtyard. The layout of this inner courtyard is quite different from that of ordinary courtyards. Its main house is located in the center of the courtyard. It is a three-room main hall. On both sides of the main hall are two rows of neatly arranged side rooms. One side room on the south side has three bays, and the other side room on the north side has five bays. The east and west sides are symmetrically distributed. Between the main hall and the side rooms is a courtyard.

"Sisters, brothers, you've finally arrived!" As soon as everyone entered the inner courtyard, they heard Li Yun'er's voice coming from afar.

"Why has Yun'er lost weight?" Li Huanzhi hurriedly went to greet her, looking at her with heartache. This brat has rarely contacted his family since he arrived in the capital, and his parents are very worried about him.

Looking at Li Yun'er, whom she hadn't seen for several months, Lin Shu felt she had changed quite a bit, both in temperament and appearance. However, given Li Huanzhi's outstanding looks, her weight loss actually made her unusually beautiful...

"Thank you!" Lin Shu said after the brother and sister had finished exchanging pleasantries.

"Hey! Are we still talking about this? I received your letter a few days ago, and when I learned you were coming, I started looking for a place for you to stay. How is it? Are you satisfied with this place? I didn't lie to you, did I..."

……

During dinner in the evening.

Li Huanzhi kept putting food on Li Yun'er's plate. Li Yun'er could hardly resist her brother's enthusiasm and could only say helplessly, "Brother, isn't it good that I've lost weight?"

"How are you feeling? You've never been thin since you were a child, and this sudden weight loss makes me uneasy! Eat up..." Li Huanzhi said with a serious expression.

Those around them couldn't help but smile.

Li Yun'er: ……

Li Yun'er was about to argue, but then something occurred to her, and her cheeks flushed crimson, like a monkey's bottom.

"I...I'm just worried...worried that I'll be less pleasing to people if I gain weight!"

"What?... Who are you trying to please?"

-