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

At night, all was quiet.

Whether it was the appointed time or he was overworked today, Su Mu suddenly started to move in the middle of the night.

Before long, the entire Lin residence was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. Xue Wen, anxious, put on his clothes and hurriedly got up to help.

“Ah…it hurts…”

Su Mu felt as if his stomach was about to burst, and his face was as pale as a sheet of paper, which was terrifying.

Fortunately, the household had made preparations in advance and arranged for a skilled medic to oversee the operation, but he would probably have to suffer some pain.

Just then, Yin San, carrying a male doctor like a chick, leaped down from the high wall, as if he had flown in from outside, which greatly frightened Li Huanzhi and Song Yun.

"This is a doctor whom my master ordered me to find. He is skilled in acupuncture and can help my lord block out pain."

"Quick, let him in." Xue Wen had just seen this person during the day, so he wasn't surprised. Before Li Huanzhi and the other person could speak, he hurriedly led the person into the delivery room.

Su Mu, lying on the bed, was breathing heavily in pain. His long hair was soaked with sweat, and his eyes became glazed and unfocused.

Seeing this, the male doctor quickly stepped forward, opened the needle kit, and skillfully inserted the gold needles into several acupoints on Su Mu's body.

Gradually, Su Mu was surprised to find that the pain was gradually subsiding.

Xue Wen stepped forward and wiped his sweat, saying softly, "Amu, this is a doctor that Shu'er invited early because she was worried you would suffer."

"Hmm." Su Mu thought of Lin Shu, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a pale smile.

Everything went smoothly from then on. The doctor had already been invited to the mansion, and Lin Shu had specifically instructed him to practice on pigskin every day to reduce mistakes. Moreover, Su Mu had to be disinfected with strong liquor on the day of delivery...

"Wow……"

With a clear, loud cry of a baby, Song Yun, outside the door, jumped for joy, tightly gripping Li Huanzhi beside him, and excitedly shouted, "I'm going to be a dad! Haha! I'm going to be a dad..."

Li Huanzhi: ...

"She's a pretty little girl."

Xue Wen's calm voice came, and the child was carefully carried out. Song Yun and Li Huanzhi quickly surrounded him.

"How is your brother doing?" Li Huanzhi asked first.

"It's alright, it's alright! She's already asleep." Xue Wen's expression was solemn as he gently tickled the baby in his arms.

Song Yun also stepped forward and gently touched the child's delicate face. The baby didn't cry or fuss, and looked at him with clear eyes. He was instantly filled with affection.

"Dad, give me a hug, give me a hug." Song Yun stretched out his hands and looked at Xue Wen with a pleading expression.

When Xue Wen reluctantly handed the child to him, he hugged the child and coaxed him softly, "I am your second father, call me father..." completely disregarding the fact that the child was too young to speak.

The next morning, the sun was just beginning to rise.

The men of the Lin family were all gathered in Su Mu's room. Xue Wen was holding a baby, Li Huan was feeding the baby goat milk spoonful by spoonful, Song Yun was squatting beside them, holding the baby's hand and teasing it, and Su Mu was leaning against the bed, gazing at the baby with tender eyes...

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the group in warmth and gentleness. At that moment, time seemed to stand still, creating a scene as beautiful and serene as a painting.

Lin Shu arrived at the door and happened to witness this scene. She was reluctant to break the tranquility, but her heart was filled with warmth, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly...

"Wow! You eat so much, you're just like a little piglet..." Song Yun was teasing the child when she suddenly saw the familiar figure at the door and couldn't help but exclaim, "My wife!"

Everyone in the room smiled and looked over at the sound, including the baby still in swaddling clothes, whose bright eyes seemed to be able to see and kept moving around.

Seeing that Lin Shu's gaze remained fixed on Su Mu, Xue Wen wanted to give the two of them some time alone, so he spoke up:

"Now that Shu'er is back, she should naturally hold her own child..."

He then gave some pointers on how to hold a child, handed the baby to Lin Shu, and led Li Huanzhi and Song Yun, who was reluctant to part with the child, away.

Helpless, Lin Shu awkwardly and carefully held the child, approached Su Mu, slowly sat on the edge of the bed, and gently stroked his still slightly pale face with one hand, saying in a deep voice, "Amu, you've suffered. Does it still hurt?"

Su Mu's gaze softened, and he gently shook his head. After a moment, as if he had thought of something, he asked hesitantly, "The child's name..."

“It’s already chosen, let’s call her ‘Ansi’.” Lin Shu finished speaking, looked down at the child whose eyes were wide open and staring at her, and then added:

“‘A delicate die inlaid with red beans, does it know how deep my longing is?’ This is not only my affection for Amu, but also my hope that the child can grow up safely and smoothly.”

"Lin Ansi! That's so beautiful." Su Mu felt satisfied and leaned slightly against Lin Shu's shoulder...

The two talked for a while longer, and after Su Mu and Xiao Ansi had both fallen asleep, Lin Shu left the room and went to the study.

Sitting upright in the armchair behind her desk, Lin Shu said expressionlessly to the air, "Come out."

Immediately afterwards, two "whoosh" sounds rang out, and Zi Yi and Yin San immediately knelt on the ground, saying in unison, "Master."

"Get up. Has anything important happened at the manor recently?" After leaving Su Mu's courtyard, Lin Shu's expression returned to its usual coldness.

Zi Yi turned to look at Yin San, who was in charge of the security of the manor. Yin San immediately reported on the recent events in detail:

"After the young master entered the academy, the Prince of Dingbei's mansion frequently dispatched assassins to attack, and each time their target was precise—the old master. Fortunately, they only sent guards from the mansion, so they failed..."

But... but only yesterday... (Abababa), in the end it seems that it was the old master of the Dingbei Prince's Mansion who saved him.

"boom."

Lin Shu slammed her hand on the desk, her expression revealing her fury.

After a long while, having calmed down, he suppressed his anger and said:

"Yes, I understand. Increase the number of guards to protect the young men. Report any suspicious activity immediately. You may leave."

"Yes." Yin San responded and withdrew.

"The Prince of Dingbei's residence..." After everyone left, Lin Shu's eyes suddenly sharpened. Then, she tapped her fingers lightly on the desk a few times, turned her head, and wrote a couplet:

"Has there been any progress on the matter I instructed you to handle earlier?"

Zi Yi quickly presented the investigation results.

Lin Shu took the letter and read it. Even someone as stern as her couldn't help but crack a smile. The handwriting on the letter was clear and distinct, and it read:

[Xue Wen remarried after her death, and unexpectedly gave birth to a daughter, Lin Shu, in August. This daughter is very likely the eldest daughter of the Prince of Dingbei.]

Seeing that Lin Shu remained silent for a long time, Zi continued:

"Although I intercepted the letter, I'm sure that Lord Dingbei has already learned of it... Now that the Lord Dingbei is far away in the Northwest, the one who ordered the assassination must be him..."

After a long while, Lin Shu put down the letter in her hand and sighed inwardly: It seems that her father is hiding many things from her!

But since that person dared to commit such a heinous crime in Kyoto, let's see if you really have all the power you need...

"Regarding the matter of investigating the Crown Princess of Dingbei, have you reached a conclusion...?"

Upon hearing this, Zi Yi respectfully replied, "Reporting to Master, in the past three years, there have been many cases of handsome young men from commoner families in the capital mysteriously disappearing, totaling as many as 108 people."

Following the clues, the subordinates traced the matter back to the daughter of the Prince of Dingbei. She was violent and cruel, and habitually used a horsewhip to whip men as if they were livestock. Afterwards, regardless of whether they lived or died, she would abandon them in a mass grave on the outskirts of the city.

Furthermore, his father instructed the Prefect of the Capital to help cover it up, so for the past three years, almost all the missing persons cases in the capital have remained unsolved…

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