RWNEFE -Chapter 329 Shen Lanxi Appointed Imperial Examiner for the Military Exams, and Chief Examiner for the Civil Exams

When Emperor Renxiao heard from Zhou Ruyuan that Shen Lanxi’s condition had worsened and that many people had mistakenly gone to mourn her, his mind went blank.

Wasn’t it said that her condition had already been stabilized? How had it suddenly worsened?

“Was she not properly cared for?” he asked. Otherwise, with so many imperial physicians attending her, how could her illness suddenly grow worse?

The poison of the Green Silkworm was most lethal in its final days. Shen Lanxi had only been poisoned for a few days.

Could it be that someone had attacked her again and intensified the poison?

The more Emperor Renxiao thought about it, the more convinced he became. He had already uncovered that several ministers—and even some people in the inner palace—were behind the poisoning.

He had never expected so many people to want Shen Lanxi dead. His thoughts spiraled further, even linking this joint poisoning incident to a plot to overthrow the dynasty.

At that thought, the Emperor’s face darkened.

They all regarded Shen Lanxi as a thorn in their flesh and wanted her dead. Since they wanted her to die, he would ensure she lived.

Not only would she live—he would make her a great general, defending the nation.

Once he settled his thoughts, the storm cleared from his face, replaced by calm composure.

“Wang Bao, bring it out.”

Wang Bao carried forward a box. From it, the Emperor took out a porcelain bottle.

“This is an antidote I had urgently delivered from Medicine King Valley by express courier. Take it quickly and administer it to Shen Lanxi.”

Zhou Ruyuan’s face lit up with wild joy. There really was an antidote—Lanxi could be saved.

But before he could celebrate long, the Emperor’s thoughtful gaze fell on him again.

“Ruyuan, you have also seen that Great Zhou is now surrounded by dangers on all sides. Shen Lanxi’s illness has already set off consequences far and wide. As for the matter of your marriage to her, I’m afraid it must be postponed.”

Zhou Ruyuan’s mouth stiffened. His hand tightened unconsciously around the antidote.

Emperor Renxiao sighed deeply. “After six years of war, it has not been easy to preserve Great Zhou. Matters that are rushed rarely end well. We must not act hastily now.”

To comfort his son, the Emperor added, “I will not take action against that woman. Have her move out of your residence.”

Bitterness stirred in Zhou Ruyuan’s heart, but he still said, “Thank you, Father Emperor, for your grace.”

…

Two hours later, news quietly spread through the capital that Shen Lanxi had successfully taken the antidote and been cured of the poison.

Rumor had it that as soon as she awoke, she immediately put on armor, picked up her weapon, and declared that she would head to the northwest to slaughter the tribes.

When Emperor Renxiao heard this, he was greatly moved. In his excitement, he assigned Shen Lanxi two posts in succession:

One as an examiner for the military examinations, and the other as chief examiner for the civil examinations.

The entire court was in an uproar.

The ministers immediately submitted a joint memorial requesting the Emperor to rescind the order—only to be harshly reprimanded in court.

The loudest official opposing it was demoted on the spot to the northwest to fight the enemy, and his entire family was sent along.

It was no different from exile. The official collapsed on the spot and fainted.

Furthermore, the officials who had previously compiled fifty charges against Shen Lanxi were all thrown into prison.

Those fifty charges were publicly overturned in court by Wei Jie of the Court of Judicial Review.

Filled with righteous indignation, Wei Jie declared passionately: “The incident in Mosang Town had its causes. Investigators I sent reported that it was burned by descendants of the Li Prince, who sought to frame General Shen Lanxi and plunge the northwest into chaos. The descendants of the Li Prince are truly wolf-hearted and ambitious…”

“They are not only ruthless and vicious but also spread rumors to sow discord between the border troops and the people of the northwest, causing unrest among the populace…”

“I suspect that several ministers who compiled those accusations have already been bribed by the Li Prince’s descendants. Their aim is to overthrow Great Zhou and usurp the throne. I respectfully request a thorough investigation of the officials who impeached Lord Shen!”

In an instant, the entire court fell silent.

Emperor Renxiao glanced at Wei Jie with satisfaction. He had not expected this usually rigid and impartial official to read his expression and understand his hints so well.

Ministers exist to relieve the ruler’s worries—the Emperor felt deeply gratified.

During Shen Lanxi’s recovery, everything was done in a very high-profile manner. The Emperor sent imperial physicians and imperial chefs to care for her around the clock.

The physicians had barely stepped out the door when news spread among the people that Shen Lanxi had already recovered and could lift a three-hundred-jin stone with one hand.

Every time the imperial chefs went to purchase ingredients, they would casually remark that General Shen could eat six large bowls in a single meal.

From court officials to ordinary citizens, everyone in the capital was astonished at how quickly Shen Lanxi seemed to recover.

The news also spread in all directions.

After receiving secret reports that the three tribes in the northwest had already quieted down, Emperor Renxiao looked on with satisfaction.

“Lanxi has a powerful deterrent effect in the northwest,” he said meaningfully.

Wang Bao immediately chuckled. “Indeed. They call her the ‘female butcher of the northwest.’ The stories make her sound like a slaughterer—this old servant’s legs go weak just hearing of the bloodshed…”

The Emperor smiled at this. Good. Those tribes and even the people only feared Shen Lanxi’s ferocity. A ruthless person was like a sharp blade.

And he was the one holding that blade.

There was another matter that pleased Emperor Renxiao greatly.

Although he had personally appointed Shen Lanxi as examiner for the military examinations, the chief examiner was Zhou Ruyuan. In such an examination, it would have been easy for Shen Lanxi to insert her own people.

Yet unexpectedly, Shen Lanxi declined to attend, claiming illness. Her role as examiner existed only in name.

So what if she was skilled in martial arts? A foolish woman like this was nothing to fear.

At that very moment, the “foolish woman” labeled by the Emperor was confronting her father.

“Hurry and decline the post of chief examiner for the civil examinations,” Shen Congwen said, his face flushed with anger at the memory of being attacked by civil officials in court that day.

He hadn’t asked the Emperor for that position. The Emperor had assigned it on a whim.

If they were unwilling, they should go protest to the Emperor—why make things difficult for him?

Especially the factions led by the Grand Preceptor and the Grand Academician; they had leapt about all over the court session impeaching him.

They had even dragged out matters about the quarrels among his concubines and illegitimate children as ammunition against him. Shen Congwen was so humiliated and furious he had almost wished to spill his blood in court to prove his innocence.

Shen Lanxi calmly drank the medicinal tonic prepared by the physicians, her expression unchanged.

“Thunder and rain alike are the ruler’s grace. Since His Majesty values me, if I refuse, I would be slighting him.”

Shen Congwen had gone to great lengths, even inviting the renowned Scholar Ruohua, all for the sake of the young men in the family.

It certainly wasn’t so that a woman ignorant of literature could judge them.

Great Zhou was a vast and dignified nation—how could a woman serve as examiner? What would scholars across the land think?

If she truly became examiner, who knew how many learned students might be ruined at the hands of an ignorant woman?

If he did not stop this, Shen Congwen would become a sinner in the eyes of all scholars.

“Lanxi, your father may have been strict with you before, but it was because I feared you might go astray,” Shen Congwen said, changing his tone to one of earnest persuasion.

“I am afraid you will be criticized by scholars throughout the realm.”

Shen Lanxi set down her bowl and replied calmly: “Does Father mean that I should disobey an imperial decree?”

Shen Congwen froze.

“How could this be disobedience? You are a woman and not versed in literature. Declining the civil examination post would be perfectly reasonable…”