The Everyday Life of a Minor Noblewoman Preparing for the Imperial Exams

The moment she opened her eyes, Shen Yizhang found herself reborn as a noble daughter of a count's house.

She thought that, at last, she could lie flat and enjoy life in this one.

Who would have guessed that her mother, desperate to secure the title, would falsely register her as the legitimate son?

Shen Yizhang: Fine, then. Looks like I'm destined to work hard again in this life.

So she entered the academy, took the imperial examinations, and fought her way into court.

Later, when her identity was exposed, the emperor called her "incorrigibly unruly" and threatened to punish her for deceiving him.

Shen Yizhang shrugged. "If the boss doesn't work out, I'll just get a new one!"

Her only real headache was that brilliant young heir of the Lu family, who was convinced she'd risen through flattery and watched her every day, hoping to catch her doing something wrong.

*

Lu Jiming, eldest legitimate grandson of a distinguished family, was a prodigy raised personally by a great Confucian scholar of his time.

There were two kinds of people he hated most: fools, and people who pretended to be fools.

The new arrival, Shen Yizhang, was both.

She was late every day, dozed off in class, and always answered questions with "I don't know." As soon as lessons ended, she was off faster than anyone else. Apparently, she went to catch crickets in the hills, listen to storytellers in the market, or play chess at teahouses... In short, she never studied.

Having someone like that as a classmate, Lu Jiming felt, disgraced the academy and brought down his own standing.

Until one day, he happened to glimpse the brilliant policy essay on her desk. Its arguments unfolded in three precise, escalating steps, landing with speed and force. He couldn't help slapping the table in admiration, wishing he could stay up all night discussing it with the author.

Unfortunately, Shen Yizhang played coy and refused to tell him where this great talent lived, so he had no choice but to humble himself and serve at her beck and call while secretly investigating.

Then he discovered that this great talent might be Shen Yizhang herself.

Lu Jiming: ?

He expressionlessly looked away.

...He must have seen wrong.

He definitely had!

Shen Yizhang slacked off while studying, and once she became an official, instead of worrying about easing the ruler's burdens, she coaxed him into having fun. That was the behavior of a corrupt courtier!

How could she be the great talent he admired?

[Reader's Guide]

1. This is a fictional setting. Please don't nitpick the history!

2. Romance and plot are given equal weight, with the plot taking the lead.

3. To be added...

Premise: Don't worry about the miles ahead. The wind will come to carry you onward.