RWNEFE -Chapter 335 Except for Shen Yuanxu, All Male Members of the Shen Family Are Forbidden from Taking the Imperial Examinations

After hearing the verdict, Shen Congli began crying loudly again, though not as loudly as before.

“Wait!” Shen Lanxi called out sharply.

Wei Jie thought to himself: Could it be that the punishment I gave was too severe?

Shen Lanxi said, “It was the Shen family’s failure in disciplining its sons that allowed Shen Yuanzhan to bully others by relying on family power. I will petition His Majesty that, except for Shen Yuanxu, all the other sons of the Shen family are forbidden from taking the imperial examinations. As for Shen Yuanzhan himself, he shall never be allowed to enter official service for the rest of his life!”

Hearing this, Shen Congwen leapt up and pointed at Shen Lanxi, shouting angrily.

“Shen Lanxi! You are merely a woman—how can you represent the elders of the family and impose such a heavy punishment on the Shen family’s sons? What you’re doing is no different from harming your own blood relatives. You are simply insane!”

Inside the Court of Judicial Review, silence fell like death.

Shen Congwen, furious and panting, continued to shout, “You unfilial wretch! It’s one thing if you seek your own death, but now you want to destroy the very foundation of the Shen family. Take back what you said immediately, or don’t ever think of stepping into the Shen family again!”

Shen Lanxi looked at her father, who was jumping and shouting at her, and said coldly, “Father, do you wish to be reviled by the people of the entire realm?”

Shen Congwen choked on his words and could not say another sentence.

“As the chief examiner of the imperial examinations, I must set an example for scholars everywhere. I will also submit a memorial to His Majesty: from now on, any scholar who molests a civilian woman—if he holds a degree, his title will be stripped and he will never be employed again. If he holds no degree, then for three generations his family shall be forbidden from taking the imperial examinations.”

An uproar erupted in the hall.

Wei Jie, who had come from a judicial background, thought that if the emperor truly approved this proposal, there would likely be far fewer people committing crimes in the future.

“Minister Wei, I leave Shen Yuanzhan’s punishment to you. I will go to the palace now to see His Majesty.”

Wei Jie nodded.

Seeing Shen Lanxi’s determined manner, Shen Congwen realized she truly intended to go to the palace to propose the penalties.

“You are not allowed to go! The sons of the Shen family must take the imperial examinations. Shen Lanxi, as a woman, you are ruining the official careers of the family’s sons. Aren’t you afraid of being rejected by the clan?”

Shen Lanxi did not even pause and was out of the court in an instant.

“Castration for molestation—isn’t that punishment too severe?”

“Well, it wasn’t your daughter or sister who was molested, was it?”

“Shen Lanxi is indeed ruthless. It was just a bit of molestation, and she’s so harsh even toward her own relatives?”

“She even wants to cut off their official careers for three generations. If she were a man, she would surely become one of the most notorious harsh officials in history.”

“She’s a woman—women are even more vicious. Haven’t you heard the saying? ‘A scorpion’s sting and a woman’s heart are the most poisonous.’ We men are broad-minded and never fuss over trifles; only women argue endlessly over small matters…”

While scholars and commoners debated heatedly, Shen Lanxi entered the imperial palace.

“Lanxi, wouldn’t this be too harsh on the Shen family’s sons?” Emperor Renxiao said, his face full of apparent reluctance.

Shen Lanxi replied, “No. None of them excel in either civil or military pursuits. Even if they take the examinations, they would only waste places. It’s better to stop now and avoid wasting the efforts of good teachers.”

The emperor knew that Shen Congwen had invited Master Ruohua to teach at the Shen residence, but he still found the proposed punishment somewhat astonishing.

Could it be that Shen Lanxi truly had no selfish motives at all?

“Lanxi, they also call me uncle. I truly cannot bear to cut off their paths to official careers,” the emperor said. He had personally seen the handwriting of every son in the Shen family’s study.

At first, he had looked at their work every day. After ten days, the crooked, clumsy characters showed no improvement; looking at them made his eyes ache. From then on, he handed the task to Wang Bao.

Every day, Wang Bao reported the same conclusion: the Shen family’s sons were not suited to scholarship. At best, they would merely be literate; anything beyond that was wishful thinking.

But what if—just what if?

Shen Lanxi was both chief examiner and a woman. What woman would not be soft-hearted and help her maternal family?

“Uncle, I have already made this promise in the Court of Judicial Review. At that time, there were scholars and commoners outside the doors. I cannot go back on my word and let people think I act one way in public and another in private, pleading for leniency before you on behalf of the Shen family.”

A flicker passed through Emperor Renxiao’s eyes. After a moment’s thought, he decided it was better to leave no future trouble.

“Lanxi, once I give my word as emperor, it cannot be changed. Do you understand?”

Shen Lanxi then spoke of the other proposal she had made in court.

“Your Majesty, I believe this matter can serve as a warning. In the future, anyone who molests a civilian woman should have his degree stripped and be permanently barred from office. Those without degrees should be forbidden from taking the imperial examinations for three generations.”

This time, the emperor truly witnessed Shen Lanxi’s ruthlessness.

What he lacked most in his hand was precisely such a sharp blade.

“Lanxi, as your uncle, I will ask you one last time—have you truly thought this through?” The emperor believed that even a real uncle could hardly go so far.

Shen Lanxi looked impatient. “Uncle, why are you so nagging?”

Wang Bao stepped forward angrily. “Insolence—”

The emperor glared at him and waved for him to withdraw.

“With that temper of yours, only I can tolerate you. If it were anyone else, your head would already be off your shoulders.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Then, Uncle, live to be two hundred and keep backing me up.”

The emperor laughed in exasperation and waved her away.

No sooner had she left the palace than an imperial decree arrived at the Shen residence: all male members of the Shen family, except Shen Yuanxu, were forbidden from taking the imperial examinations.

At the same time, both the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice received an edict incorporating Shen Lanxi’s proposed punishments for molesting civilian women into the criminal code.

When Shen Congwen received the decree, he fainted on the spot. Fearing that the emperor might misunderstand, the Shen family did not even dare to summon a physician.

For a time, Shen Lanxi’s actions overshadowed even the scandalous affair between Zhou Ruan and Zhou Qiwou’s children, becoming the most talked-about topic in the capital.

“Shen Lanxi actually cut off her own escape route. Was her head trampled by a horse when she was at war?” Zhou Qiwou exclaimed in disbelief after hearing the news.

“Mother, I don’t care—hurry and have someone kill Shen Lanxi!” Wang Xiangrong demanded irritably, throwing a tantrum.

Zhou Qiwou’s head throbbed from the noise. “I know. But now is not the right time.”

Wang Xiangrong wished he could have Shen Lanxi seized immediately to vent his hatred.

“Mother, you always say it’s not the right time. Then when will it be the right time?” he shouted.

Even though Zhou Qiwou loved her son dearly, hearing him shout disrespectfully at her day after day had worn away her patience.

“Be quiet. I’ve already told you I will avenge you. If you keep shouting at your mother like this, don’t blame me for having you sent back to Jinmen.”

It was the first time Wang Xiangrong had seen his mother scold him so harshly. After a moment of fear, he convinced himself she wouldn’t truly harm him. Snorting coldly, he turned and ran out.

If his mother wouldn’t act, he would find someone himself to deal with Shen Lanxi.

It was all because of Shen Lanxi that his mother had scolded him. It was all because of Shen Lanxi that the incident that day had been spread everywhere.

He would definitely kill Shen Lanxi.

For several days, there was no movement from the Princess Residence where Zhou Qiwou lived. Just as Shen Lanxi decided to take action herself, a group of men in black headed toward the Zhenbei Marquis’s residence.

“Whoever kills Shen Lanxi will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold. Cut off one of her arms—one thousand taels of gold. Cut off one of her legs—two thousand taels of gold!”