Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 464 Post-Exam Turmoil
However, whatever they might be thinking, they couldn't just say whatever they wanted in the exam hall, like they believed women were inferior, could they? They were just a bit old-fashioned, not mentally deficient.

Moreover, everyone knows that the prince who now wields such power in the court is His Majesty's most beloved daughter. He might even personally participate in grading the papers for this special imperial examination. If they were to openly criticize the other candidate's gender in their exam papers, it would surely incur his displeasure. What they think in their hearts is irrelevant, but their written essays must flatter the emperor; otherwise, how can they stand out in the special imperial examination and gain his favor?

With so many students coming to take the exam, some insightful people agreed with the idea. Among them were Wang Heng and a large group of students who had suddenly appeared.

Wang Heng wasn't particularly shocked when she saw the exam questions, as she had expected them beforehand. However, sitting diagonally opposite her was a girl who looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old. At that moment, she was writing furiously with a serious little face, which was quite endearing.

If His Highness hadn't argued so strongly, how could they have been allowed to participate in the imperial examination regardless of gender or age? Now that she had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she was determined to do her best, to live up to what she had learned and to live up to His Highness's high expectations.

After all, their participation in the special imperial examination was only the first hurdle they faced; the real challenge lay afterward. It's easy to imagine that thousands of scholars would be waiting in the capital for the results, and in their idle time, they would naturally discuss the women who had taken the exam. If the imperial list showed women on the list, that would be fine; but if no women were on it, it would give these men even more opportunities to criticize women. They absolutely could not be given that chance!

As Wang Heng wrote furiously, a fierce fire burned in her eyes, and her unwavering will astonished those around her.

The entire nation was focused on this special imperial examination. When the students, who had been confined to the examination hall for three days and three nights and were released like sick chickens, emerged, the essay questions caused a nationwide uproar. From the day the candidates were released until the imperial results were announced, teahouses in the capital made a fortune. Wherever there was a crowd, there was bound to be discussion and criticism of this special imperial examination.

Especially the female students who participated in the special examination, those who were orphans and all alone were better off, but those who went to participate without telling their families were scolded by their families like never before, and some were even physically abused.

"Snapped!"

In an inconspicuous courtyard in a working-class neighborhood of Beijing, the originally harmonious atmosphere suddenly turned tense after the young man in the house slapped his younger sister hard.

Hearing the noise, the parents rushed out and were heartbroken to see the redness and swelling on their daughter's face.

"Hui'er, why did you hit your sister? Look how swollen her face is. Your sister is so young; it wouldn't be good if she were left with permanent scars."

"that is……"

"Father! Mother! Do you know what she did? She actually went to take the special imperial examination without telling us!"

"What? Isn't that special examination only for boys? Your sister is a girl. You must be mistaken. Besides, she's been embroidering at home for the past three days and hasn't gone out at all..."

Having said all that, and seeing his wife's obviously unnatural expression, what else did the father not know? He immediately flew into a rage and slapped his wife hard across the face.

"I should have known you wouldn't be so well-behaved! Xiu'e, a young girl, shouldn't be staying home obediently, embroidering and cooking, waiting to get married, but instead running off to a men's den to take the imperial examinations. If word gets out, what kind of reputation will she have left? Is this what you call being a mother? You're ruining your child's life, do you know that?!"

"Mother!" Xiu'e had been silent, but when she saw her mother being beaten, she rushed forward to protect her mother behind her, her defiant eyes fixed on the father and son.

“Mother, this is for my own good. What do you mean by harming me? Does staying home embroidering and cooking make me a good girl? Who says women can't take the imperial examinations? Can't enter officialdom?! Her Highness the Prince is also a woman. She not only served in the court but also led troops on the frontier, defeating the northern barbarians and flattening most of the grasslands. I am also a woman, why can't I emulate Her Highness?! I…”

"I'll beat you to death, you unfilial daughter! All you ever do is talk back! All you ever do is talk back! How can you compare to a prince? He's royalty, of noble birth, and what are you?"

"What am I? I've been educated since I was little! My talents are no less than his! Why can he go but I can't?! It's one thing that you've always favored him in everything since we were little, but now you're still favoring him in something that could change his future and destiny. Aren't I your daughter? Aren't you your biological father?!"

"You! You unfilial daughter, how can you talk to your own father like that? You still have the nerve to compare yourself to your brother? Your brother went to school properly for 10 years, while you only secretly listened in for a few days. You probably can't even recognize all the words. Even if you took the exam, how could you possibly pass?"

"Not only that, Father. Everyone going to take the imperial examinations is searched by inspectors to see if they have cheat sheets. My little sister was also thoroughly searched!"

Wang Yaohui's voice sounded gloating, and his father's expression became even uglier. His hands trembled, and he was almost fainting from anger.

"Are you crazy? If this kind of reputation gets out, who will want you? Don't you have any manners at all?"

"Wang Yaohui, stop trying to sow discord!"

Wang Xiue wasn't afraid at all. She had been suppressed in this family for more than ten years. When she was a child, she was clearly more talented than her brother, but she was forced to stay at home to embroider, cook, and do housework. Now, she finally got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but Wang Yaohui was going to slander her with all sorts of reasons.

How could she possibly accept this?

"The searches were clearly conducted separately for men and women. Why don't you say that?"

"I……"

Wang Yaohui felt a little guilty, but after looking at his father's expression, he immediately became confident and self-assured.

"Am I wrong? Even if the search is divided into men and women, you were still groped all over in public. What respectable family would ever marry someone like you? I've told you since you were little that you should have traditional virtues. You never listened to me, and now look what you've done. I'd like to see who can protect you now. Let me make this clear: if you can't get married in the future, I won't support you!"

"Who needs your support? Have you ever supported the family all these years? You're just talking big here because you're worried I'll do better than you on the exam. Don't worry, I'll definitely do better. Not for any other reason than that you went out drinking and carousing right before the exam and cheated the family out of money. Someone like you has no chance of passing the exam!"