The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

Chen Zigui gently put the wine glass in his hand back on the table with a meaningful smile on his lips. He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and said: "General Li, what you said is wrong. Since ancient times, how many famous generals have fought on the battlefield and stepped into the temple step by step to share the worries of the emperor and serve the country. Is General Li willing to guard the border all his life and be a warrior who only knows how to wield swords and guns?" There was a hint of temptation in his tone, as if tempting Li Yusheng to reveal the ambition hidden in his heart.

Li Yusheng frowned slightly. He picked up the wine pot, filled a glass for himself, drank it all, and then said slowly: "Master Chen, you are joking. This general is a military man who only knows how to defend his country. He has no interest in the affairs of the court." His tone was calm, but it could not hide the hint of impatience in his tone.

Seeing that Li Yusheng was unwilling to talk more, Chen Zigui did not force him. He picked up his wine glass, clinked it gently with Li Yusheng's, and said with a smile, "I am sorry for being rude. Come, General Li, I offer you a toast."

Li Yusheng clinked his glasses with him and downed the rest, but he felt even more puzzled about Chen Zigui's intentions. He put down his glass and calmly observed Chen Zigui's expression, trying to find some clues.

Chen Zigui seemed unaware of Li Yusheng's inquiry. He put down his wine glass and continued, "Speaking of which, back then General Li led the Zhenxi Army to defeat the Liaodan Kingdom and forced it to cede territory and pay compensation. That was the most proud victory of our Great Zhou in recent years! I guess the Liaodan Kingdom is still in fear of you, General?" He turned the topic to Li Yusheng's past achievements, his tone full of praise and admiration.

Li Yusheng listened calmly. He knew that Chen Zigui's words were full of hidden meaning, but he couldn't figure out his intention.

Cen Jiexiao set down her ivory chopsticks with a crisp click, successfully drawing everyone's attention to herself. Her eyes flickered, a scrutinizing look fixed on Li Yusheng, a suggestive smile curling the corners of her mouth.

She spoke slowly, her tone a bit teasing and tentative, and said, "Yes, General Li led the Zhenxi Army back then, with unstoppable force, annihilating the Liaodan army without a single piece of armor left. He was truly awe-inspiring and his military achievements were illustrious!"

She paused deliberately, observing Li Yusheng's expression. Seeing that he remained calm, she continued, "If it weren't for the emperor's mercy and concern for the people of both countries, and if he hadn't ordered the troops to withdraw, I'm afraid the Liaodan Kingdom would have been destroyed by you, General?" She covered her mouth and chuckled, as if she was talking about something insignificant.

Li Yusheng listened calmly. He knew that what Cen Jiexiao said was not sincere praise, but rather had an implicit meaning. However, he was very shrewd and his face did not reveal any flaws. He just smiled faintly, raised his glass, took a sip, and did not respond.

Seeing that Li Yusheng was unmoved, Cen Jiexiao stopped beating around the bush. She leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and said in a tone close to a whisper, "Speaking of which, I heard that the sister of the new monarch of Liaodan, the Princess Yunshang, is a rare beauty! Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but she is also proficient in poetry and songs, and is extremely talented. What's even more rare is that she has admired you, General Li, for a long time!" She paused here deliberately, observing Li Yusheng's reaction. Seeing that he only frowned slightly, she continued, "I heard that Princess Yunshang once secretly sent someone to send you a portrait and a letter to express her love!"

Li Yusheng sneered inwardly. This Cen Jiexiao was getting more and more outrageous. She even fabricated such a fabricated story right in front of Chen Zigui to test him. He calmly put down his wine glass and replied calmly, "Lord Cen, you're joking. Two countries are at war, each serving its own master. Swords have no eyes, so how can there be any admiration? Besides, this general is no longer young and frivolous. I don't care about these empty fame and profit."

Chen Zigui remained silent, quietly listening to Cen Jiexiao and Li Yusheng's chorus. However, his sharp eyes never left Li Yusheng, capturing every subtle shift in his expression. Seeing that Li Yusheng wasn't fooled, he changed his angle and casually asked, "I heard that the Liaodan Kingdom also sent envoys to participate in the sacrificial ceremony. Has General Li seen them?"

Li Yusheng's heart trembled, knowing that Chen Zigui had begun to suspect him, but he remained calm on the surface and said lightly: "I haven't seen him yet. I think he will arrive in the next two days."

Seeing that Li Yusheng was so flawless, Chen Zigui sighed inwardly, this Li Yusheng is indeed an old fox, not easy to deal with!

Seeing Li Yusheng evasive about Princess Yunshang's question, Chen Zigui understood that he had no intention of discussing the matter further. He gracefully set down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and fixed Li Yusheng with a burning gaze. He lowered his voice, almost whispering, and said, "General Li." He paused, as if formulating his words, giving Li Yusheng ample time to think. "You've been through many battles," he said with a hint of admiration. "You've seen the fickleness of human nature and the vicissitudes of life." He then took the conversation a step further, "I wonder what you think of the current situation at court?"

Li Yusheng's heart tightened. He knew that Chen Zigui was testing his position and wanted to drag him into this mess.

He caught a glimpse of Chen Zigui's earnest gaze from the corner of his eye, and a hypocritical smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He said as if in self-mockery, "Master Chen, you're joking." He picked up the wine glass and gently shook the wine inside, but his eyes never left the wine in the glass.

"This general is just a military man," he said modestly, but he could not hide the arrogance in his tone, as if to say, "How can a rough man like me understand these things? I only know how to defend my country." He made his position clear, as if he was just a loyal minister who was wholeheartedly serving the country.

"I don't understand the affairs of the court, and I dare not comment on them." He lowered his head slightly to hide the flash of light in his eyes, and drank the wine in the glass, as if he were really a warrior who was ignorant of the world.

Seeing Li Yusheng's cautiousness, Chen Zigui stopped beating around the bush and said, "General Li." His tone was sincere. "You are a wise man." He tried to close the distance between them. "You should understand that the current situation in the court is turbulent and full of twists and turns!"

He paused deliberately, observing Li Yusheng's expression. Seeing that he only frowned slightly, he continued, "The Empress Dowager's faction is deeply entrenched." He lowered his voice, a hint of resentment in his tone, "Although the Emperor has been in power for many years, many important positions in the court are still in the hands of the Empress Dowager's faction. The Emperor wants to make a difference, but he is restricted at every turn and his every move is very difficult!"