RWNEFE -Chapter 554 Women Take the Imperial Exams

Cheng Zheng quietly put away the note and destroyed it. He didn’t mention a word to his candid friend Sang Guo, who usually knew everything.

Shen Lanxi sat in the hall in a dark mood for half an hour. The next day, she received news that Zhou Xinrou had fallen from her carriage on the way back from the temple and broken her leg.

Rushing to the Shen residence, the imperial physicians had already completed her treatment.

“Mother…”

“Imperial physician, is my mother all right?”

The physician reported truthfully: “The lady fell from a speeding carriage. Fortunately, someone assisted her, otherwise she could have lost her life. Now, it’s only a broken leg. I have applied the best medicine; with one hundred days of bed rest, she will recover completely.”

The maid attending Zhou Xinrou wiped her tears and said, “Your Majesty, fortunately this young lady intervened. She used her own body to shield the princess, allowing her to escape serious injury.”

A woman with torn clothes, messy hair, and bloodstains on her cheek was then brought forward.

“Kowtow to Your Majesty!”

Shen Lanxi looked at her: “You saved my mother’s life. What reward do you wish? Speak freely!”

The woman knelt low and said softly, “Your Majesty, I do not seek reward. Saving someone from danger is nothing special. Anyone else would surely have done the same.”

Shen Lanxi said, “Then you shall be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and a hundred acres of good land. I do not neglect those who show me kindness.”

The woman replied, “I am Huang Yu. I also thank Your Majesty for granting me the opportunity to take the upcoming martial exam. In that regard, it is you who are truly my benefactor.”

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. “You are a martial exam candidate?”

Huang Yu: “Reporting to Your Majesty, yes, I am.”

Shen Lanxi nodded. “I’ve remembered you. Quickly, stand up and let the physician treat you.”

“Do not treat lightly the person who saved my mother!”

“Yes!”

Zhou Xinrou drank the calming medicine prescribed by the imperial physician and fell asleep. Shen Lanxi led the group out of the secondary chambers.

“Grandmother, aunt, sister-in-law, younger sister… I cannot always attend to Mother, so I leave her in your care.”

The Shen family women naturally agreed.

“I’ve arranged for some medicinal herbs from the palace, which will be delivered shortly.”

“Grandmother and Mother are both virtuous. I plan to build a larger Buddhist hall at home, so Mother can worship there safely without drawing the attention of treacherous ministers or rebels.”

The Shen family members’ eyes widened.

“Your Majesty, are you saying the incident with the princess was caused by rebels?”

Shen Lanxi said seriously, “I had previously detected signs of rebels operating in the capital. I intended to investigate their purpose, but they acted so quickly against Mother.”

The Shen family shivered with fear.

“They saw our family gaining power and couldn’t let it go—they are still treacherous!”

Seeing the cold light in Shen Lanxi’s eyes, everyone felt chills.

…

“Keep an eye on Huang Yu!”

“Yes!”

No matter how turbulent things were behind the scenes, on the surface everything remained calm. The imperial exams proceeded as scheduled.

On the first day of the exams, Shen Lanxi personally arrived.

“Long live the Emperor…”

Shen Lanxi sat on the high platform. Everyone thought she was merely making a ceremonial appearance and would leave soon. Unexpectedly, she stayed for two days and one night until the exams concluded and the papers were sealed, only then returning to the palace.

The students only saw the exams end quietly. They did not see that three examiners had been replaced, nine court clerks had been swapped out, and in three separate courtyards, blood had flowed.

The sealed exam papers were reviewed overnight by the staff organized by the senior scholar, then reported to Shen Lanxi with incredible speed.

After Shen Lanxi personally confirmed the papers, the results were announced the next day at noon.

The unprecedented speed shocked everyone.

“There are students from the Women’s Academy, many from the Women’s Academy.”

“One, two, three… twenty-six… thirty-five. Out of one hundred students, thirty-five women passed!”

The crowd erupted in shock.

“Look, one of the top three is a woman, isn’t she?”

“Indeed, also from the Women’s Academy.”

“Women can really take the imperial exams!”

“Impossible…”

“How can women be so skilled?”

“Women competing with men… Ouch, who hit me?”

“I did. My sister is on the list. If you speak ill of her, I’ll hit you!”

“My sister is also on the list. You blame women for your own lack of ability. Even if no women passed, other men would have, so why complain?”

“Exactly! My daughter is on the list, yet I repeatedly failed. Now I have a jinshi daughter. Ancestors, I’ve done right by you!”

“My daughter is also on the list. In two days, she will take the martial exam.”

“Congratulations!”

“Hahaha…”

Under the results wall, some rejoiced, some fretted, some cried, and some laughed aloud.

Among the top three was Liu Mingxin’s daughter. He never expected his daughter to achieve anything; he only hoped she would marry well and live comfortably as a noblewoman.

The official delivering the good news arrived before he could react.

“Sir, your daughter placed second in the top tier. The official bearing the good news has arrived.”

The teacup in Liu Mingxin’s hand trembled.

“You… what did you say?”

“Sir, she placed second in the first tier. The palace exam is tomorrow.”

Clang—the teacup fell to the floor.

“Xian’er?”

“Yes, yes, sir.”

Liu Mingxin’s eyes widened in shock.

“My Xian’er is second in the top tier?”

“Sir, the official delivering the news is outside, and there’s no mistake.”

Liu Mingxin clenched his fists. When he took the imperial exams, he had never placed in the top three.

“Where’s Xian’er? Hurry, let her receive the good news!” How could his daughter be so talented?

Wasn’t the capital famous for the two daughters of Ji Xiuran?

His daughter usually played the zither and did embroidery, right?

“Sir, the young lady went to see the results and hasn’t returned yet.”

Liu Mingxin stomped his foot in anxiety.

“Fool! Hurry to receive the good news, and don’t forget to give the official a generous reward.”

“Yes, sir!”

The steward, beaming, ran quickly to arrange it.

Among the household sons, only one had made the list—and he ranked low. By relying on their father’s influence, he secured a minor appointment. They never expected the family legacy to be inherited by the daughter.

Liu Mingxin was ecstatic. Out of the top three, half of the officials would be sent to Shu and Qianzhou, the other half would stay in the capital.

His daughter placed in the top three and would remain in the capital—a certainty.

“Unbelievable… I never imagined…”

He had never hoped his daughter would excel in the imperial exams. He didn’t prevent her from trying, partly to honor the current ruler and partly out of fatherly duty. If other girls could take the exams, his daughter could not be left behind.

Ji Xiuran, the Women’s Academy director, had two daughters, yet neither could surpass his own.