Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 463 Women Are Not Inferior
Those scholars who had endured countless hardships to reach the capital for the examinations naturally had their own opinions, but before they could voice them, they were overwhelmed by a barrage of sweet promises, especially those from impoverished families. They had expected a difficult journey to the capital, but the court had unexpectedly provided lodging for them. While somewhat crowded, it was certainly not a problem for those truly from humble backgrounds. These Qingyun Inns also provided two simple meals a day—truly simple meals, the kind that even those from wealthier families would find edible. This was precisely to ensure that students from privileged backgrounds wouldn't take the places meant for those from poorer families.

With these two substantial sums of money invested, even those scholars and intellectuals who held women in contempt would be unable to speak ill of Jiu Que at this juncture.

However, on the day of the exam, quite a bit of trouble broke out outside the examination hall.

This exam was particularly important, so most of the candidates' families came to see them off. Among them were many women, which was understandable, as they were also seeing their husbands, fathers, and brothers off to the exam. However, when it came time to verify identities before entering the examination hall, the students were surprised to find a large number of women also in the identity verification line.

This has really stirred up a hornet's nest.

Wang Heng stood obediently in line, but the students in front and behind her kept glancing at her with those indescribable looks. However, as long as they didn't provoke her, she wouldn't get into a fight at this crucial moment. But what was bound to happen eventually. A middle-aged student in front of her, who looked to be in his thirties, looked at Wang Heng several times and, seeing that she had no intention of leaving the line, suddenly started talking passionately.

"You woman! This is the examination hall for scholars. Have you come to the wrong place? Leave immediately. I have prepared meticulously for 18 years, and now I am finally here for the imperial examination. Your womanhood is so unlucky; do not jeopardize my future!"

"..."

Wang Heng took a deep breath, glanced at the man from head to toe, her expression calm, but her words were like knives, each one deadly.

"It's not that the imperial examinations haven't been held before, but this is only your first time entering the examination hall, which means you've never passed the exams enough to enter before. With your talent, what does it matter whether I'm a woman or not, or whether I stand beside you? Besides, His Majesty didn't insist that only men could participate in this special examination. Are you more capable than His Majesty?"

"You! I! You are utterly unreasonable!"

It was almost their turn to search the man, and he wasn't stupid. Not daring to cause trouble at this moment, they could only grumble angrily, turn away, and avoid seeing him altogether.

However, some men in the next line couldn't stand it and pointed at Wang Heng and the other female students participating in the special examination.

"The officers will be searching their bodies later. How can a group of women get married after being groped by men? Do they have any virtue left? If this were my daughter, I would kill her on the spot to save her from making a fool of herself."

"That's right, you don't know, I have a younger sister, she's 17 this year. I don't know when she got possessed, but she insists on taking this imperial examination with me. Isn't this ridiculous? Taking the imperial examination to become an official is a man's affair, what does it have to do with women?"

"That's true. So what happened next?"

"What should I do? How could I possibly let her come? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for me? I've locked her at home; she can't possibly get out. She should just stay home and wait to get married, right? They're just naively naive about the outside world. If they get a good beating, they'll know how good life is these days..."

Wang Heng couldn't stand it any longer and sneered at the man who kept boasting about how brilliant he was. "This guy is quite the catch, flaunting his power here by forcibly taking resources from his own sister. He's truly a first-rate talent. He claims it's for his sister's good, to make it easier for her to get married in the future, and locks her up at home. Isn't it just because he's afraid his sister is more talented than him, so he cut off her escape route beforehand? Ha, that's all you're capable of. Not only do you not reflect on what you've done, but you even brag about it. All these years of learning shame and morality have completely gone to waste!"

"you!"

The man immediately turned red in the face and his neck bulged. Perhaps he had been hit where it hurt, because he was now desperate and started attacking Wang Heng with vicious language. However, after so many years, such verbal attacks meant nothing to Wang Heng. She even smiled.

"This is the Imperial Examination Hall. If you want to be dragged away by the Imperial Guards, then keep shouting!"

The man immediately fell silent, as if he had bitten his tongue.

Those around dared not look any longer, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire. The women who had heard the commotion, however, spoke up resolutely in support of Wang Heng. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the gate, quickly attracting the attention of the examiner, a stern-faced old man standing on the platform, sternly reprimanding the noisy students below. Soon, silence returned to the gates of the examination hall. The old man's eyes twitched slightly when he saw the women dotting the crowd, but he quickly regained his composure, his hawk-like eyes fixed intently on the crowd. No one dared to cause further trouble, and they quietly lined up to enter.

But that wasn't all. In the examination hall, when the candidates, having calmed down, saw the policy essay question, many had even more complex expressions. Emperor Jingtai certainly wasn't a literary talent, so the question was quite straightforward.

A woman is not inferior.

Yes, just these four words made many scholars and students frown upon first seeing them, and many old-fashioned people even shouted out their rebukes without considering that this was an examination hall.

"What kind of behavior is this?!"

"This is an insult to scholarship! An insult to scholarship!"

"This is really..."

However, the imperial guards patrolling back and forth showed no respect to these students who had not yet entered officialdom. In particular, they considered those who made such a racket in the examination hall to be utterly unworthy of great things.

"Shut up, all of you! Anyone who makes a sound again will be thrown out in chains!"

It must be said that these scholars were quite sensible. Upon hearing the reprimand, they immediately shut up, regardless of their true thoughts. They had gone through so much trouble to get into the examination hall; who knew when another special imperial examination might be held? They couldn't afford to lose their eligibility because of a few words. However, this special imperial examination was organized by His Majesty. Could the questions be His Majesty's idea?
But how could Your Majesty dare to say such a thing, defying the world's opinion?

No! Could this be His Highness the Prince's intention? After all, throughout the entire country, only she, a woman of such high rank and power, has the right to ask this question. But everyone only had these suspicions; in the examination hall, one couldn't very well ask who said that, could one?