How could someone be unhappy living in a matriarchal society?

Chapter 83 The Provincial Examination Ends

Shi An laughed so hard he could barely breathe, and finally managed to stop laughing as he replied, "Wife... Mistress... Haha... This is the first time... I've been lifted so high... Haha... It's so much fun..."

Previously, Chu Ci would usually carry him in a princess carry with both hands, but this time she lifted him up with one hand, and his head was directly higher than Chu Ci's head.

It was very interesting that it was lifted so high.

Seeing the person laughing so happily, Chu Ci immediately spun around in place several times.

Shi An's laughter grew louder and louder, as clear and melodious as silver bells, filling the entire room.

The two walked around the room several times before finally collapsing onto the bed together.

The three-day holiday passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time to go to school every day again.

The Chu Ci prepared a New Year's gift for Confucius: a high-quality wolf-hair brush.

The Master took it, glanced at it, and put it away without praising or showing any disdain.

"Alright, there are less than two months left until the provincial examination. We must hurry," the teacher said solemnly.

Chu Ci nodded respectfully in response: "Yes, Master."

Li Jing didn't bring any books with her today. She raised her hand to drink a cup of tea, and then slowly said, "Today I will teach you some exam techniques. You must listen carefully."

"Yes."

After finishing her morning classes and going home for lunch and a rest, Chu Ci would arrive at the horse farm promptly at Shenshi (3-5 PM) every day to continue her training.

However, Zhao Yi only taught for half a month before embarking on his journey back to the capital.

Since she doesn't have anything else to teach, she might as well go back early.

Time flies, and the day of the provincial examination has arrived in the blink of an eye.

Chu Ci did not feel particularly nervous about this exam.

On the contrary, Shi An and the Master seemed unusually nervous.

Before Chu Ci entered the examination hall, they carefully checked her book bag to make sure everything was ready, for fear that she might have forgotten any important items.

The first test in the provincial examination was archery and horsemanship, and the location was set at the horse farm provided by the government.

The examiners carefully checked Chu Ci's belongings and only allowed her to enter the examination room after confirming that there were no problems.

All candidates were provided with the same bows and arrows. Chu Ci casually picked one, slung the quiver over his back, and then rushed towards the entrance of the horse farm without hesitation.

The chief examiner was a newly arrived middle-aged military officer. Her sharp gaze swept over each candidate, and when she saw Chu Ci, she couldn't help but frown.

In her opinion, this woman was beautiful and had a refined demeanor, unlike the other candidates who were burly and rough. She must have had poor grades in the humanities subjects, which was why she chose to participate in the martial arts examination and try her luck.

To be honest, there are a few candidates like this every year, which is really annoying.

She poured herself a cup of tea and gestured for her men to move the charcoal fire closer, completely disregarding Chu Ci's performance.

It's so cold outside, and having to come out to proctor exams is just torture.

Chu Ci casually picked a horse and immediately launched into a difficult archery move.

She shot an arrow, which hit the bullseye perfectly, startling the other candidates in line behind her.

Someone exclaimed in amazement, "Who is this? They're so amazing!"

Another person replied, "Don't you know? It's Lady Chu from Kongtong Alley. Her letter of recommendation was written personally by our town mayor."

"My God, no wonder he's so amazing."

Others chimed in, "Yes, I've seen her shoot arrows at Grandma Zhou's horse farm before, and she's never missed a shot."

"She's so strong, how can we even compete?"

"Yeah, that's incredible..."

The general who had previously looked down on Chu Ci almost popped his eyes out when he saw the arrow that had hit the center of the target.

This guy is really here to take the martial arts exam, not some arts student who's just coasting along!

The military officer hurriedly asked, "Who is she? What's her name?"

The assistant examiner, who was waiting nearby, checked the roll call list in his hand and reminded her, "This is Chu Ci from Sanyuan Village, Chu Niangzi. This is her first time taking the provincial examination. She makes a living by hunting."

Upon hearing this answer, the military officer couldn't help but exclaim in amazement: "The hunter is incredibly skilled!"

She watched Chu Ci's agile figure and precise archery skills, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What a promising talent! What a promising talent!!"

This Lady Chu has hit the target with every single arrow she's shot so far, which is simply unbelievable.

It's important to know that archery on horseback is an extremely challenging skill, let alone maintaining balance and shooting accurately while on horseback.

The astonishing skill and ability displayed by the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu) amazed everyone present.

When the last arrow was fired, the general was so excited that he could not contain his emotions and stood up from his seat.

She exclaimed excitedly, "Great!! Excellent archery! Full marks, it has to be full marks!"

She was deeply moved by Chu Ci's outstanding performance and gave him the highest praise without reservation.

However, upon seeing this, the assistant examiner hurriedly stepped forward and advised, "Sir, the score cannot be disclosed at this time. Please speak more softly."

The military officer realized his lapse in composure, quickly sat down, and gave an awkward laugh: "Oh, right, I was too excited and forgot the rules for a moment. But such a promising talent must be sent to the capital, otherwise it would be a waste."

The assistant examiner quickly replied, "Yes, yes, yes..."

The general took a deep breath, trying to calm his excited emotions, but his gaze remained fixed on Chu Ci, eagerly anticipating her brilliant performance.

With the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu) as a shining example, the performance of the later candidates can only be described as mediocre.

Many people underperformed due to nervousness, and some even gave up on the exam altogether, thus being eliminated.

This exam eliminated half of the candidates.

The second exam was on policy essays. After having lunch with everyone in the cafeteria and resting for a while, Chu Ci was about to enter the exam room.

During the exam, candidates are not allowed to leave the examination room.

So even after the first round of archery in Chu Ci ended, Shi An still couldn't see her.

I have to wait until I get home tonight.

After the routine check was completed, Chu Ci took her book box and went to her seat according to the number.

The topics for this policy discussion were not difficult; they were all related to people's livelihood, governance, and military strategy.

Following the method taught by Confucius, the author of Chu Ci first examines the topic and establishes the theme, then outlines the main idea, and finally writes down his thoughts word by word.

Time passed by, and Chu Ci's writing became faster and faster. Her thoughts were clear and concise, and her writing was fluent and natural.

She felt as if she were in a world where no one could disturb her, and only the words she wrote could communicate with her.

When the last line of the Chu Ci was written, it was already completely dark.

Candles were lit inside the examination hall, and the proctors began patrolling back and forth.

After carefully checking his essay, Chu Ci heard three gong sounds, and all the candidates put down their pens.

The two students began collecting the exam papers one by one and sealing the candidates' names.

She stretched, then packed her things and left the examination room.

At the entrance of the examination hall, she saw her husband, Shi'an, who had been waiting for her.

When Shi An saw her come out, he immediately went to greet her, his eyes full of concern and expectation.

"My lady, you've worked hard. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?"

Chu Ci was both hungry and thirsty. She hugged Shi An, rested her head on his shoulder, and sighed.

"I want to eat meat..."

Shi An smiled and gently patted Chu Ci's head reassuringly, "My lady, just hang in there a little longer, there's a restaurant not far ahead."

"Okay." Chu Ci snuggled against the man's shoulder and was led forward by him.

The restaurant was bustling with people.

Many test takers also ate or rested here, and everyone was discussing the exam that had just ended.

At this moment, several candidates at the next table noticed the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu) and began to whisper among themselves.

"Look, that's Chu Ci. I've heard she's very capable!"

"Yes, she's very beautiful, capable, and her husband is good-looking too. I'm so envious."

Suddenly, several examinees stood up and walked up to Chu Ci. One of them introduced himself first: "Miss Chu, my surname is Li, and I am also an examinee this time. I have long admired your name, and meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary. May I ask if we can become friends?"

Chu Ci waved his hand, a half-smile playing on his lips: "That's possible, but we can discuss it after dinner."

After saying that, she gently took Shi An's hand and started looking at the recipe.

Upon seeing this, the waiter quickly stepped forward to inquire about the dishes.

After being rejected by Chu Ci, the women's faces turned somewhat gloomy and unpleasant.

One of them couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath: "How arrogant and rude! Just because they have a little skill, they think they're so great?"

Another person chimed in, "Exactly! They think too highly of themselves and look down on us."

Some people said indignantly, "They look down on people like dogs!"

The last person sneered, "Hmph, what's with the arrogance? He's not even an official yet. Who knows what he'll be like once he becomes one?"

Upon hearing these gossips, Shi An's expression instantly darkened. He glanced at the group of women with hostility, then turned to Chu Ci and said, "My lady, why don't we go to a private room for a meal?"

Chu Ci readily agreed.

The two went up to the second floor, where they finally found some peace and quiet.

But Shi An was still bothered by what had just been said. He frowned and said in a somewhat displeased tone.

"Those people don't understand you at all, so why are you saying that? They were the ones who bothered us first."

Chu Ci looked at Shi An with a gentle expression, poured him a cup of tea, and softly comforted him.

"Don't be angry. Have some tea to soothe your throat. You've waited for me for so long, you must be tired."

Upon hearing Chu Ci's concern, Shi An's face immediately lit up with a happy smile. He shook his head and replied gently.

“It’s not hard work. There are many tea stalls outside the exam hall, where many candidates’ families gather. I wait with them and do embroidery to pass the time. It’s not hard work at all.”

Chu Ci gently held the man's hand, feeling his warmth, "You're always so thoughtful."

After being praised, Shi An's previous unpleasantness vanished instantly, and she gave Chu Ci a shy smile.

"Of course..."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and then the waiter came in carrying a tray filled with delicious dishes.

Looking at the abundant food before him, Chu Ci had a great appetite and enjoyed the feast to the fullest.

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, she left the inn with Shi An and returned home, completely ignoring the examinees.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window.

Chu Ci got up early without waking Shi An, packed her belongings, carefully picked up the candidate number plate on the table, and prepared to go to the examination room to register.

Today is the challenge competition, with more than fifty candidates participating. First, the champion will be determined by drawing lots, and the rest will be challengers.

This elimination order will be comprehensively evaluated based on the scores of the previous policy essay examination, thus ultimately determining the ranking of the provincial examination.

Chu Ci didn't draw the champion's name, so he waited for a while before going up.

Then she didn't come down.

Those women who had previously criticized and looked down on Chu Ci were all knocked off the stage in less than three moves when they fought her.

Some of them didn't even know how they were ousted from power.

Thus, the provincial examination ended in victory for Chu Ci, and she undoubtedly became the strongest.

Next, we just need to wait for the results of the policy essay to be released, and then we will know the final rankings.

Shi An timed it perfectly, waiting for his wife at the tea stall before taking her home together.

After returning home, Shi An personally cooked a sumptuous meal to reward Chu Ci for his hard work in taking the exam.

"My dear wife, you've worked so hard. You've finally finished the exams," Shi An said with a smile.

Chu Ci picked up a piece of pork rib, looked up at Shi An, and asked curiously, "Don't you want to ask me how I did on the exam?"

Shi An gently shook her head, "I won't ask."

"Oh?" Chu Ci became interested and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Why?"

Shi An explained earnestly, "Because I don't want to be a spoilsport. That kind of person is very annoying, and I don't want my wife to hate me."

Chu Ci chuckled softly and replied just as earnestly, "I won't hate you." Then she added, "Really."

Shi An stared at Chu Ci for a long time, then suddenly lowered her eyelashes and asked in a low voice, "What if I become unkind?"

Chu Ci's expression remained calm: "I've killed so many people, how can I still be called a virtuous person?"

Shi An frowned and hurriedly retorted, "No, the people you killed were all evil people. They deserved to die."

However, Chu Ci gently shook his head, "Sometimes I'm not a bad person."

After saying that, she lowered her head, gently picked at the rice in the bowl with her chopsticks, put a mouthful of food into her mouth, chewed it carefully, and then swallowed it slowly.

After a while, he continued, "So you see, I'm not as good as you think."

Shi An bit her lip tightly, staring stubbornly at Chu Ci, "No, you are a very, very good person. Even if the person you killed wasn't a bad person, he certainly wasn't a good person either, otherwise you wouldn't have killed him."

Chu Ci blinked and listened quietly to Shi An's words without responding immediately.

Seeing that Chu Ci did not react, Shi An added, "In short, no matter what, I will always stand by my wife and support you."

Hearing this, Chu Ci almost laughed, "Aren't you... being too biased towards me?"

Shi An shook his head vigorously and replied earnestly, "No, isn't this a very normal thing?"

In his heart, his wife was his everything, and he should support her unconditionally.