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

Hearing the other person's undeniable words, Lin Shu frowned. Through the slightly lifted carriage curtain, she happened to meet a pair of peach blossom eyes that were exactly like her own...

They stared at each other for a moment, then turned back to see the guards in front of them with a resolute and unyielding expression. He gave a cold snort, turned around, and boarded the carriage.

Once the carriage curtains were closed again, the guards outside wiped the fine sweat from their brows and let out a heavy sigh. The aura emanating from Lin Shu was practically identical to that of their own prince…

Inside the car, as soon as Lin Shu entered, she saw that Ling Huanan had already closed his eyes, sitting upright like a pine tree, casually playing with an object in his hand.

Lin Shu glanced at him casually and then sat down opposite him. After that, both of them had cold faces and neither of them spoke. The only sound along the way was the "clatter" of horses' hooves.

After an unknown amount of time, Ling Huanan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Lin Shu's features with sharp intensity. He parted his thin lips slightly and said:

Your father's name is Xue Wen.

The statement was delivered in a completely flat tone.

"Your Highness, as an outsider, it seems inappropriate for you to inquire about my father!"

Lin Shu had not expected this person to speak so bluntly. She was stunned for a moment before looking up to meet his gaze and responding with a half-smile.

Looking at that cold, indifferent face on the other side is really... unpleasant.

Ling Huanan (speechless): ...You don't usually have this expression?

Lin Shu was probably the first person to dare to speak to the other party like that, but Ling Huanan did not get angry. He just stared at Lin Shu with his calm and unwavering eyes, as if he was stubbornly trying to get an answer.

Lin Shu's expression faltered, and she turned her head away, coldly saying, "Exactly."

Upon hearing this, Ling Huanan lowered his eyes, his pupils trembled slightly, and his lips moved a few times before he coldly asked, "How has he been all these years?"

“Heh! Of course it’s… not good!” Lin Shu paused slightly before continuing, “After all, how can a man who is pregnant out of wedlock live a good life?”

Without waiting for a response, he then sarcastically retorted, "You agree, right, Ding, Bei, Wang?"

Upon hearing this, Ling Huanan paused in his playful manner... seemingly somewhat displeased, though it was unclear whether he was upset about hearing that Xue Wen was not doing well, or because of the sarcasm implied in Lin Shu's words.

"Lin Shu, I am your mother..."

"Ha! Mother? Shu only has a mother who is no longer related to me. Your Highness, please don't joke. Shu is not worthy of such a title."

Before Ling Huanan could finish speaking, Lin Shu suddenly felt bored and loudly interrupted him.

Upon hearing this, a rare look of confusion flashed in Ling Huanan's eyes. Severing ties? Then, his brows furrowed, a chilling aura emanating from him, and he said in a deep voice:

"That woman treated you badly?"

Lin Shu did not answer, but pondered to herself: What does that woman mean? Could it be that her father married Lin Dafeng and the other woman knows the truth? But judging from the other woman's appearance, she doesn't seem to know.

After he finished speaking, the carriage fell silent again. After a long while, the faint sounds of vendors hawking their wares could be heard from the street. Lin Shu lifted the curtain and saw that they were almost at the Lin residence.

He then raised his voice slightly and said to the guards driving the carriage, "Stop the carriage."

Once the carriage had come to a stop, Lin Shu turned to Ling Huanan and said, "Thank you for seeing me off, Your Highness."

Having said that, he lifted the carriage curtain and was about to get out when a voice suddenly came from behind him:

"Wait a minute."

Lin Shu turned around and saw the other person handing her the object they had been playing with.

Seeing that Lin Shu hadn't taken the item yet, Ling Huanan assumed she didn't want it, so he frowned and said slowly in a somber tone:

"Take it."

Lin Shu stared at the other person for a moment, then reached out and took it. She saw that it was a jade pendant with a peacock pattern, its texture warm and smooth, indeed a fine piece of jade...

Even as the carriage drove further and further away, Lin Shu was still puzzled as to why the other party had given her this jade pendant.

Unbeknownst to her, this peacock-patterned jade pendant was an exclusive possession of the Prince of Dingbei. The holder of this pendant could freely enter and leave the palace and could also use it to mobilize the Prince of Dingbei's three thousand personal guards.

It should be noted that the Prince's personal guards are directly under the command of the Prince of Dingbei, and even Ling Wanzhen's parents must show them deference. It could be said that with this jade pendant, she is the next mistress of the Prince of Dingbei's mansion.

The guard who was driving the carriage was stunned when he saw Ling Huanan hand the jade pendant to her.

However, Lin Shu knew nothing about any of this.

Upon returning to the mansion, she went straight to Su Mu's courtyard.

Since Su Mu gave birth to Xiao Ansi, people often go to his yard to play with the child.

Especially Song Yun, who no longer pesters Lin Shu, spends his days coaxing Xiao Ansi to call him "Daddy".

As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, she heard bursts of laughter and cheerful voices coming from inside. Lin Shu quickened her pace slightly. After entering the house, she warmed herself by the charcoal brazier in the outer room before walking around the screen and going inside…

"My wife..."

"Shu'er is back?"

When Xue Wen and his three husbands saw Lin Shu return, they all said in unison.

"Mm." Lin Shu responded, then walked towards Song Yun... and, under the reproachful look in Song Yun's eyes, hugged Xiao Ansi in her arms.

Whether it was Lin Shu's improper holding posture or the child's shyness, little Ansi involuntarily pouted. Seeing this, Lin Shu gently patted the child's back and softly coaxed, "Ansi, be good, Mommy will hold you..."

This caused everyone in the room to smile.

……

Dingbei Palace.

After returning to the mansion, Ling Huan went straight to the study, took a locked box from the bookshelf, and slowly opened it.

The box contained what appeared to be manuscript paper. She raised her hand and gently stroked the paper, and an image of young Xue Wen intently practicing calligraphy flashed through her mind, occasionally turning back with a smile, waiting for her praise...

A hint of tenderness flickered in Ling Huanan's eyes, but the scene suddenly changed as a farewell letter came into view...

Ling Huanan's face instantly darkened. Then she picked up the top sheet of paper in the box, unfolded it, and there it was written:

[I have met a good woman and wish to go with her. Therefore, I bid you farewell forever, hoping you will not think of me, not miss me, and not disturb me!]

Every time Ling Huanan saw this letter, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

At that time, Ji Yanzhu intended to make his father's nephew his son-in-law, but he and Awen had already fallen in love and had never agreed. So Ji Yanzhu tried to force himself to have sex with the young man from the Ji family...

Unexpectedly, things didn't go as planned, and it led to her getting together with Awen, while the young man from the Ji family suffered humiliation and was soon married off to a distant place...

Ling Huanan was completely baffled. Since she was already his person, why would she follow someone else?

I wanted to go see him, but his "Do Not Disturb" message dashed my hopes. I can only hope that everything is going well for him...

However, it turns out today that he doesn't seem to be doing well! And Lin Shu seems to harbor resentment towards him as well.

Thinking of this, Ling Huanan closed his eyes, then said coldly:

"Ling Yi." The voice sounded somewhat hoarse upon closer listening.

A man in black stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Master."

"How's the matter I asked you to investigate last time?" Ling Huanan asked, sitting down in a chair as he did so.

Ling Yi immediately recounted everything he had investigated, and concluded by saying:

"The young lady's three-year-long indiscriminate killing of men was exposed by the Peerless Pavilion. His Majesty was furious. Only after Prince Rui offered up the iron ore did His Majesty show leniency..."

Half a month before the Prince returned to the capital, Prince Rui sent his guards to kill someone, but they returned empty-handed... I suspect that the matter of the young lady is related to this person..."

"Who is it?" Ling Huanan had a premonition.

"Xue...Young Master Xue."

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