The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

"Oh? Really?" Cen Jiexiao feigned surprise. "I only wrote some innocuous words. How could I have angered the Queen Mother?"

"President Cen, you're different from other women. Let's get straight to the point!" Han Zhengxian chuckled. "On the surface, your article is criticizing the Xixiang royal family for their ulterior motives, but the Queen Mother personally orchestrated this peace treaty. Isn't it obvious that you're making indirect accusations, criticizing the Queen Mother for meddling in government. President Cen, do you really think the Queen Mother is senile and muddleheaded?"

Cen Jiexiao cursed inwardly, this Queen Mother really took her words out of context! Her article was clearly about pleading for the people and worrying about the country, so how could it be turned into an indirect criticism of the Queen Mother?

"Master Han, you are really wronging me." Cen Jiexiao said with a look of grievance, "I am just a woman. How could I have the guts to talk about the Queen Mother? I am just..."

"Just what?" Han Zhengxian asked.

Cen Jiexiao expressed her indignation, "I simply cannot bear to see those who publicly profess their willingness to live and die for the court, while secretly using such matters to 'suck the marrow of the nation'! I may not understand profound principles, but I know that only when the country is at peace can the people be at peace."

Han Zhengxian looked at Cen Jiexiao's indignant expression and secretly admired her. It seemed that the emperor had not made a mistake.

"President Cen, you're right," Han Zhengxian said slowly. "But have you ever considered how much trouble this will bring to the court?"

"Lord Han, what do you mean by this?" Cen Jiexiao asked knowingly.

Han Zhengxian lowered his voice, with a hint of warning in his tone, "If you insist on being an enemy of the Queen Mother, once you are outnumbered, you will only..."

"What do you only know?" Cen Jiexiao asked.

"You will only bring about your own destruction!" Han Zhengxian said word by word.

Cen Jiexiao muttered to herself, after all, she had died once, and besides, she wasn't raised to be scared! It didn't matter.

"Master Han, there's no need to scare me." Cen Jiexiao said calmly, "Since I dared to write it, I dare to take responsibility! If the Queen Mother really wants to blame me, I will take the blame myself and will never implicate others!"

Han Zhengxian was secretly delighted to see that Cen Jiexiao was so determined. She was indeed a strong and brave woman.

It seems this girl is determined to go against the Queen Mother. This is fine, as long as she can be used by the Emperor.

"Dean Cen, you..." Han Zhengxian wanted to say something but was interrupted by Cen Jiexiao.

"Master Han, there's no need to say more." Cen Jiexiao stood up and said firmly, "I've made up my mind. You don't need to persuade me. If Master Han is the true father of the Great Zhou, he must have already made up his mind about me."

After saying that, Cen Jiexiao turned around and was about to leave.

Han Zheng first gazed at Cen Jiexiao's receding figure, his heart overflowing with joy and pity. His joy came from the knowledge that Cen Jiexiao could be won over, a trustworthy "comrade-in-arms." Yet, his pity was that, at such a prime age, when she should have been enjoying warm moments with her parents and cherishing the affections of her lover, she had been forced into the unfathomable struggle for imperial power.

Han Zhengxian returned to his study, feeling increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it. After much deliberation, he finally decided that he should tell Sister Cen the truth and let her make her own choice.

So Han Zheng first sent someone to bring Cen Jiexiao back.

When Cen Jiexiao returned to the study, Han Zhengxian had already put on a serious expression.

"Miss Cen, I have something to tell you." Han Zhengxian said in a deep voice, "This matter concerns your life and death, you must treat it with caution!"

Cen Jiexiao's heart trembled. She knew that what Han Zhengxian was going to say next must be of great significance.

"Lord Han, please speak." Cen Jiexiao said in a deep voice.

Han Zheng first took a deep breath, then told her everything that the Empress Dowager Li had done to her, and sternly told Cen Jiexiao that if she became an enemy of the Empress Dowager, she could only rely on the Emperor as a backer.

After hearing Han Zhengxian's words, Cen Jiexiao's heart was immediately filled with shock. She had never imagined that she would be involved in such a complicated power struggle.

"Lord Han, you mean, the emperor..." Cen Jiexiao asked in disbelief.

"That's right." Han Zheng nodded, then said in a deep voice, "The Emperor has high hopes for you. Otherwise, how could you have caused such a stir in the court with just those few articles of yours? That was simply a fuse deliberately lit by the Empress Dowager and her followers. Furthermore, the fact that you were able to escape unscathed really means that the Empress Dowager thought you were insignificant and incapable of causing any major disturbances. In reality, it was the Emperor who protected you in front of the Empress Dowager this time."

Cen Jiexiao was silent. She was no fool, so she naturally understood what Han Zhengxian meant.

"That's all I have to say. Think about it carefully." After Han Zhengxian said this, he stood up and left the study, leaving Cen Jiexiao alone in deep thought.

Cen Jiexiao sat on the chair, and Han Zhengxian's words just now kept echoing in her mind.

She knew she was facing a very important choice, one that affected not only her own fate, but also the fate of the Women's Daily and Zhaoyin Academy.

"What should I do?" Cen Jiexiao murmured to herself.

Just when Cen Jiexiao was lost in thought, Han Zhengxian came back with a stack of papers in his hand.

This was the list and details of the Empress Dowager's party that Han Zheng had compiled first, and asked Cen Jiexiao to study it repeatedly after returning and memorize it by heart.

Cen Jiexiao took the information and thanked her.

"Miss Cen, I have something else to ask." Han Zhengxian looked at Cen Jiexiao and said sincerely.

"Please speak, Lord Han." Cen Jiexiao said.

"I will do my best to help you with the Empress Dowager, but you can't take it lightly. In the near future, you'd better keep a low profile and refrain from making any extreme remarks. Also...anything related to the court, I implore Dean Cen not to involve Han Zhuo." Han Zhengxian said.

Cen Jiexiao nodded and said, "Don't worry, Master Han, I... understand."

"That's good." Han Zhengxian nodded and said, "It's getting late. I won't keep you here any longer. You should go back and rest early."

Cen Jiexiao stood up to say goodbye, and Han Zhengxian accompanied her to the gate of the mansion. He watched her carriage disappear into the night before turning around and returning to the mansion.

It was already late at night when Cen Jiexiao returned to Zhaoyin Academy. After showering and changing her clothes, she couldn't wait to open the stack of information Han Zhengxian had given her.

The information is very detailed, including not only the life story of Empress Dowager Li, but also various records of her eliminating dissidents and cultivating her own factions in the court over the years.

The more Cen Jiexiao looked, the more shocked she became. She had never imagined that this seemingly kind-looking old lady could be such a cruel, sinister and vicious woman!

Cen Jiexiao closed the file, her heart still restless for a long time. She knew that this time, she had really offended someone she couldn't afford to offend.

"What should I do?" Cen Jiexiao murmured to herself.

At this moment, there was a sudden knock on the door.