The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

Chapter 287 The Emperor's Secret Letter

Li Dehai bowed and took his leave. Cen Jiexiao watched him go, her heart in turmoil. She turned back to her room and ordered the maids to leave and not to disturb anyone.

The maids filed out, and Cen Jiexiao gently closed the door, making sure it was securely latched. The room suddenly fell silent, the only sound being her soft breathing. She walked to the table, gently set the lacquered wooden box down, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her slightly rapid heartbeat. After calming herself, she reached out and opened one of the boxes.

When the lid of the box is opened, a sweet fragrance fills the air. Inside the box are several cakes, each with an exquisite shape and bright colors, exuding an alluring luster.

She picked up a piece of plum blossom-shaped pastry, put it to her nose and sniffed it. The sweet fragrance of plum blossoms permeated her heart.

She examined the pastry carefully. The surface was smooth and delicate, without any abnormality. Could the secret message be hidden inside the pastry? She picked up another piece of almond cake and examined it carefully, but still found nothing unusual. Was Li Dehai joking?

The thought flashed through her mind, but she rejected it. Li Dehai was a trusted eunuch beside His Majesty, and he was cautious and would never joke about such a thing.

She put down the almond cake and picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, gently breaking it open. The osmanthus cake was soft and sweet, and when she broke it open, the golden filling inside was revealed.

Still nothing unusual was found. Cen Jiexiao's doubts grew even more intense. Had she misunderstood? She picked up another piece of jujube paste cake and carefully broke it open, but still found no note. Could the secret letter be hidden in another box?

She closed the broken pastry box and opened the second one. Inside were several puff pastries of various shapes, each emitting a rich, milky aroma. She picked up a butterfly pastry and gently broke it open, but still found nothing unusual.

She picked up another piece of walnut cake and examined it carefully, but still found nothing unusual. She couldn't help but start to wonder if Li Dehai was really joking with her.

Just when she was about to give up, she picked up another piece of date paste cake and gently probed into the center of the cake with her fingertips. Suddenly, her fingertips touched something strange. She carefully inserted her finger in and gently hooked it, hooking out a small piece of paper rolled into a thin strip.

The note was unfolded, with a few words written on it: Three days later, at the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city, we will meet at midnight. Congratulations.

The handwriting was beautiful and powerful, showing through the back of the paper. It was exactly the Queen's handwriting.

Cen Jiexiao looked at the words on the note, her brows furrowed. What on earth was the Queen asking her to meet?

This filled her with doubts and uneasiness.

As night fell, Cen Jiexiao changed into a black nightgown, tied her hair up high, and covered her face with a black cloth, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. She quietly left her residence, went to Yu Lan's room, and gently knocked on the door.

"Yu Lan, it's me." Cen Jiexiao said in a low voice.

"Dean? What are you doing..." Yu Lan opened the door and was stunned when she saw Cen Jiexiao's outfit.

"Pack up and follow me." Cen Jiexiao didn't explain much and turned to wait outside the yard.

A moment later, Yu Lan hurriedly followed. The two of them cautiously avoided patrolling guards and headed towards a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city. The temple was located in a remote mountain forest outside the city, surrounded by overgrown weeds and eerie. The night wind howled past, making bursts of shrill sounds and adding to the eerie atmosphere. Cen Jiexiao took a deep breath, gathered herself, and pushed open the temple's door.

The inside of the dilapidated temple was pitch black, pitch black, like ink spilled into the air, thick and indissoluble. Yu Lan pulled a tinder from her bosom and blew gently. The faint flame instantly illuminated a small area around her, like a dim oil lamp in the darkness. By the flickering light, Yu Lan glanced around cautiously. Cobwebs crawled on the dilapidated walls, dust accumulated on the broken beams, and the air was filled with the smell of dampness and decay.

Suddenly, three dark shadows flashed out from the corner, as fast as ghosts, instantly breaking the silence in the temple. Yu Lan was startled and subconsciously raised the fire lighter. The flames also expanded, illuminating the faces of the three dark shadows. One of them was Queen He Yunshu. She was wearing a black cloak, her face hidden under the shadow of the hood, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes. Behind her, two guards, a man and a woman, followed closely, also wearing black clothes and masks. The male guard was burly, like an iron tower, with a sword on his waist, exuding a murderous aura; the female guard was slender, but heroic, holding a pair of short swords in her hands, with a cold gaze that made people dare not look directly at her. Her face was covered by a black scarf, revealing only a pair of gleaming eyes, as sharp as an eagle.

A chilling wind blew through the temple, making the dilapidated window frames creak, a sound reminiscent of an old woman's dying gasps, a chilling sensation. Cen Jiexiao shuddered, feeling a tinge of unease in the eerie surroundings. Yu Lan, even more vigilant, tightened her grip on her sword, her gaze scanning the surrounding darkness, ever alert for any danger.

Empress He Yunshu ignored the creepy environment. She walked straight to Cen Jiexiao, took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her sleeve, handed it to Cen Jiexiao, and whispered, "This is written by the Emperor himself. Please carefully study it."

Cen Jiexiao took the note; it felt slightly cold, as if tainted by the chilling atmosphere of the dilapidated temple. She unfolded it in the dim light of the Yulan firelighter, revealing six words scrawled in flamboyant script: "Shock the border, unite the troops."

Cen Jiexiao's brow furrowed. These six words were like a puzzle, leaving her baffled. "Zhen"? Which border crossing did it refer to? And which country did "Qi" refer to? What was the connection between these two words? What was going on? A series of questions swirled in Cen Jiexiao's mind, leaving her perplexed. She subconsciously glanced at Yu Lan, hoping for some clues, but she found her own bewilderment, clearly lost as well.

"Empress, this..." Cen Jiexiao was about to ask, but He Yunshu raised her hand to stop her.

"The Emperor's intentions must be understood by Dean Cen." He Yunshu's voice was low and mysterious, as if concealing some unknown secret. "This matter is of great importance, so I cannot say more. Remember, do not utter a single word, or the consequences will be disastrous." With that, she gave Cen Jiexiao a deep look, turned, and vanished into the darkness, as if she had never been there.

Queen He Yunshu's figure disappeared into the night, but Cen Jiexiao's gaze still stayed in the direction where she disappeared, and her heart was like a turbulent sea.

Those six words - "Shock the border, unite the troops" - kept echoing in her mind, like an intractable puzzle that left her puzzled.