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

Early November.

Lin Shu's day to report to the Jize Academy arrived, and she entered quite smoothly this time. I wonder if someone had given her a heads-up.

Although the academy only offered three days off per month, all necessities were provided during those days, so Lin Shu only brought a few changes of clothes. However, the academy required students to wear their uniforms, rendering these clothes useless.

This time, Lin Shu was brought in by an Imperial Guard she had never seen before. Lin Shu first received her student uniform, and then went to her future residence—the Bamboo Courtyard.

During the conversation, Lin Shu learned that although the Jizhe Academy was large in scale, it only had about a dozen students. It is worth mentioning that if these people took the exams at different times, they would all be top scholars.

However, I've heard that everyone will be taking the imperial examination next year, so it's hard to predict who will win the top scholar title...

The four courtyards, named "Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum," are located in the very center of the academy, built in the four corners of the east, south, west, and north. Each courtyard can accommodate four people, and their environment is as elegant as their names suggest. In addition, there are the "Six Gardens," which are the places for teaching, namely "Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Mathematics," which surround the four courtyards.

Lin Shu arrived late, and now only the bamboo courtyard has a vacancy. Passing through a secluded path through a bamboo grove, you will see a courtyard facing south.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, there are four separate rooms inside. They are not large, but they offer excellent privacy.

As Lin Shu entered, she met the gaze of a woman reading at a stone table in the courtyard. A flicker of surprise crossed the woman's eyes. Then, she simply nodded slightly to Lin Shu before continuing to read…

Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, not minding at all. After all, the two were not familiar with each other, and a nodding acquaintance was enough.

……

The next day at dawn, there was a math lesson.

When Lin Shu arrived, the teacher was already lecturing in the hall, and all the students in the hall were sitting neatly, with only one seat left in the last corner.

Lin Shu raised an eyebrow. So early? The schools outside usually didn't start classes until Chen Shi (7-9 AM). She thought she was early, but she hadn't expected…

"I'm sorry, I'm late!" Lin Shu stood at the door and bowed.

The tutor in the hall was a mathematics professor. When he saw Lin Shu, he was also stunned. Was this the person His Majesty had personally selected to train?

After thinking it over, he didn't deliberately make things difficult for you, but simply said, "Don't be late next time. Mathematics is inherently difficult, and if you miss it, it will be bad for your exams!"

"I understand!" Lin Shu replied, then walked lightly into the classroom and sat down in the last seat.

After the entire class, Lin Shu felt that the Jizhe Academy was indeed well-deserved of its reputation. The teacher's lectures were clear and concise, truly befitting the title of "Doctor"... and the students were "oblivious to everything else and focused solely on studying the classics."

……

After meal.

The archery and horsemanship class took up the entire afternoon, and Lin Shu clearly noticed the listlessness emanating from the students, until—

"Haha! I heard the academy has a new student? Who is it? Come out so this old woman can give him a good lesson!" On the archery field, a woman over fifty years old with a robust figure spoke in a booming voice.

Upon closer listening, the voice carried a hint of excitement and schadenfreude.

Lin Shu almost instantly felt the 'good luck' looks cast upon her by the other eleven! Confused for a moment, she slowly stepped forward and said to the woman:

"My name is Lin Shu, and I pay my respects to the Master."

For some reason, the other party didn't speak for a long time, but asked a question that left everyone scratching their heads: "Which 'Ling'?"

Lin Shu looked up and met his gaze, answering truthfully, "Shuangmu Lin."

After a long while, the person finally came to their senses and muttered to themselves, "It's so similar..."

Her voice was extremely low, but Lin Shu, who was close by, heard it and felt somewhat helpless. Like what? Like that so-called noblewoman? Since she arrived in the capital, many people had thought so.

"My name is Jiang Hui, you can call me Master Jiang, just like they do!" Jiang Hui introduced herself after regaining her senses, gesturing towards the other students with her chin, then put on a kind and amiable expression and smiled mysteriously:

"Don't worry, this old woman is always kind and gentle. She will definitely help you improve your riding and archery skills. You've just arrived, so let's warm up first."

Lin Shu: ...Don't think she didn't see the others trembling and taking a half step back when you said you were approachable.

As Jiang Hui spoke, she handed Lin Shu a bow and arrow, patted her on the shoulder, pointed to the target in the distance, and said:

"See that? It's only a hundred meters. This bow is a two-stone bow. You can easily hit the target without even drawing the bow fully."

"But even if you can't stretch them out yet, it's okay. Just train like them, and one day you'll be able to stretch them out..."

As she spoke, Jiang Hui pointed to the group of students behind her. Before she knew it, huge boulders and millstones had been piled up in front of them...

The student, who was so weak he could barely lift a chicken, tried his best, but couldn't budge the millstone and the rocks. His face turned red with frustration, quite different from his aloof demeanor that morning...

Lin Shu pursed her lips, took the bow and arrow handed to her, and felt a sudden heaviness in her hand, causing her lips to twitch involuntarily.

Thirty jin make a jun, and four jun make a shi. This two-shi bow requires about two hundred and forty jin of strength to draw fully. No wonder the students looked at her with pity just now.

Seeing her staring blankly at the bow in her hand, Jiang Hui assumed she knew she wasn't up to the task, so she pointed to the rocks on the open ground and kindly comforted her:

"What? It's okay if you can't pull it. Look, that spot was reserved for you long ago, so you can train with them..."

"Whoosh... Bang... Thud..."

Before she could finish speaking, a sword arrow shot out at lightning speed, piercing the bullseye with a 'bang' a few seconds later. But it didn't stop there; instead, carrying the bullseye, it slammed into a distant tree trunk with a 'thud'...

The surrounding students and Jiang Hui were all stunned. Jiang Hui was the first to react, and following up on what had just been said, she changed the subject, saying:

"I was just about to say that you could hit the target with any random shot... See, I was right... Haha!"

Lin Shu: ...

The students around her (all turned to look at her): ...Are you sure that's what you were going to say?

Jiang Hui felt uncomfortable under his gaze and said angrily, "Aren't you going to train? Want to do extra training..."

The afternoon passed quietly amidst the groans of the students…

After everyone had dispersed, Jiang Hui went to the tree, intending to pull the arrow out. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was impossible; the arrow was completely embedded in the trunk, with only a small section of the fletching remaining on the bullseye…

That kind of strength, I'm afraid only that person could do it!

……

【Small Theater:

Jiang Hui (with a proud look): That person can draw a bow with a two-stone draw weight.

Lin Shu (drawing a bow and shooting an arrow): ...Isn't this easy?

Tell my mother I'm not a coward...

-

[Honey, please bear with the part about strength; after all, it's a novel, and it's normal for it not to be realistic.]

Also, the protagonist's mother is so amazing, she can't be a coward, right?

Also, I did some research, and it's said that Yue Fei could draw a bow with a three-stone draw weight! So what I wrote is a bit conservative, hehe!

Love you all~mua】