The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

As night fell, the stars twinkled, but the lights in the meeting room of Zhaoyin Academy were brightly lit. Cen Jiexiao sat upright, looking at the people in front of her with a serious expression.

Inside the Zhaoyin Academy meeting room, Sister Cen Xiao tapped the tabletop, her brow furrowed slightly, as if pondering a difficult question. Sitting below her, Lu Qingyun, the leader of the Qiming Group, looked up at Sister Cen Xiao, seeming to want to speak but holding back.

"Qingyun, just say whatever you want to say. It's already this late and you're still hesitating." Cen Jiexiao finally couldn't help but speak, with a barely perceptible hint of fatigue in her tone.

"Dean, I feel that the Queen Mother and her party did not overly obstruct us in this sacrificial ceremony. I think this matter is too strange..." Lu Qingyun paused and did not dare to continue, but his meaning was already very clear.

"The calmer the water, the more turbulent the undercurrent!" Cen Jiexiao took over his words with a hint of self-mockery in her tone, "Qingyun, your Qiming team is different now. We are well-trained, well-equipped, and have also expanded our recruitment. Even Military Advisor Chen said that the twenty-four of you Qiming are comparable to two hundred-man infantry regiments. So instead of sitting and waiting to die, it is better to take the initiative. I don't need to say much about how to do it. You can decide for yourself. If you are really unsure, Teacher Wenkuan or Dean Li will give your academy the greatest support!"

Cen Jiexiao spoke in a firm tone, with a resolute glint in her eyes.

Lu Qingyun was intimidated by Cen Jiexiao's aura. He knew Dean Cen's way of dealing with people and his work style, so he said respectfully, "Yes, Dean, I understand."

"Well, go ahead and do your work. Remember, this sacrificial ceremony cannot afford to fail!" Cen Jiexiao waved her hand, signaling Lu Qingyun to leave.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day before the grand sacrificial ceremony. The entire Zhaoyin Academy was filled with a tense and busy atmosphere, as each department was busy with the final preparations. Cen Jiexiao looked out the window at the sky, wondering, "Tomorrow is the grand sacrificial ceremony. I wonder if everything is ready." She called Xiaozhi over and instructed, "Go and invite the heads of each department to the meeting room. I have something to tell you."

Xiaozhi took the order and left. After a while, the heads of various departments had gathered in the meeting room. Cen Jiexiao looked around and asked, "How are the preparations for each department going?"

"Dean, the Craftsman Department has inspected all the instruments and facilities used in the sacrificial ceremony and found no problems. At the same time, based on your suggestion, we have selected two temporary emergency maintenance teams to prepare for any emergency!" The speaker was Wu Cheng, the head of the Craftsman Department. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and answered in a firm tone.

"The final rehearsal of the folk art and dance department has also been completed. The students are all in high spirits and ready to present the most exciting performance for tomorrow's sacrificial ceremony!" Ai Wuling from the folk art and dance department, she covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone full of confidence.

The representative of the Department of Literature was the refined Zhong Qinian. He spoke gently and cautiously, "Don't worry, Dean. We have fully publicized the key points of this sacrificial ceremony through various channels. I believe everyone will understand the significance of this ceremony."

Teacher Yuan, the head of the Agricultural Engineering Department, also said calmly, "We haven't been idle either. We've been helping other departments and have also prepared some flower seedlings and grain seeds that we've cultivated ourselves. We'll present them to the Emperor when the time comes. We wish the Great Zhou Dynasty good weather, peace and prosperity!"

Finally, everyone's attention was focused on Lu Qingyun, the leader of the Qiming team, and Wen Kuan, the martial arts teacher. Cen Jiexiao looked at them and asked, "Qingyun, Teacher Wen Kuan, how are things going over there?"

Lu Qingyun stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "Dean, the Qiming Group has made all preparations to ensure the smooth conduct of the sacrificial ceremony. We will not allow any villains to take advantage of the opportunity!"

Wen Kuan also said: "The students in the martial arts class are also ready and on standby, waiting for the dean's orders at any time!"

Cen Jiexiao nodded with satisfaction and said, "Great! This sacrificial ceremony is of great importance. I hope everyone can be extremely alert and ensure that everything goes well!"

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison. After all, this was such a major event, it concerned the future of Zhaoyin Academy, and even more so, the future of everyone in it.

Cen Jiexiao stood at the door of the meeting hall, watching the people inside, their spirits high, but a sense of unease inexplicably rose within her. This feeling had often recurred at the beginning of her journey through time, though it was much less frequent now. However, whenever it resurfaced, something major was about to happen.

"Dean, why are you standing here? Is there something wrong?" Chen Zigui noticed Cen Jiexiao and saw that she frowned slightly, so he asked with concern.

Cen Jiexiao shook her head, suppressing her uneasiness, and said casually, "Nothing, I was just thinking about whether I should give the students a few days off after the sacrificial ceremony is over tomorrow."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and the tense atmosphere of the past few days was diluted a lot.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty was sealed. Crown Prince Xia Chenghao of Xixiang had hawk-like eyes that seemed to see through everything.

He came here ostensibly to participate in the Great Zhou sacrificial ceremony, but in reality he came here to find out the marching route for the subsequent attack on the Great Zhou.

"Your Highness, I heard that the good-for-nothing son of the Great Zhou Emperor actually invited you to play chess in the Imperial Garden. I don't know what he's up to." A young counselor accompanying him whispered with a hint of caution in his tone.

Xia Chenghao curled his lips into a cold smile and said calmly, "No problem. I want to see if the Emperor of the Great Zhou is really hiding his strength or is he really a loser."

At night, the lights in the imperial garden were like stars. Although it was night, it was as bright as day. Chai Zhen and Xia Chenghao, dressed in black dragon robes, sat opposite each other.

On the rosewood chessboard, black and white pieces crisscrossed, a murderous aura lurking everywhere. Chai Zhen picked up a black piece, his bony fingers pausing briefly above the board before finally placing it at the center.

"Your Majesty, good chess!" Xia Chenghao, who sat across from him, laughed out loud. However, his narrow eyes were devoid of a smile, instead filled with scrutiny. "With one move, the whole situation is determined. You are worthy of being the Emperor of the Great Zhou. I admire your courage."

"Your Highness, you are too kind. It's just a game of chess. How can we talk about the overall situation of the world? Your Highness, on the other hand, is decisive in killing and ruthless, with bold and aggressive moves, and is swift and resolute in doing things. I wonder if you are satisfied with our Great Zhou now that you have come to it?" Chai Zhen smiled faintly, and his tone did not reveal his joy or anger, but it touched Xia Chenghao's heartstrings.

Then, the chess piece in Xia Chenghao's hand was instantly grasped tightly. If no one else had been there, the jade chess piece would have been crushed to pieces. Xia Chenghao then gathered himself and resumed his seemingly nonchalant playing with it.

"I came to the Great Zhou this time because I admire its culture and want to learn a thing or two. The most important thing is to conclude a peace treaty with the Great Zhou."

"Of course, I just wonder what else in the Great Zhou Dynasty, besides culture, is worth learning from Xixiang?" Xia Chenghao still wanted to tease Chai Zhen.

He said this in a sarcastic tone, and everyone present could hear that he was implying that the Great Zhou had nothing but culture, especially its military strength, which in his eyes was like a piece of clay chicken and a dog, vulnerable to a single blow.