I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

Before he finished speaking, a faint sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance. Everyone simultaneously became alert. "Something's happening!" Lin Hu whispered. The three of them immediately stood up and approached the sound. Just then, an agile figure flashed out of the woods and headed straight for where Lin Chen was!

"Oh no! Someone's trying to spy on our military secrets!" Jiang Dali, experienced and quick to react, said, "Everyone, intercept them! We can't let them get close to the lord's residence!" As soon as he finished speaking, three men rushed forward like tigers pouncing on their prey. The unidentified individual had clearly not anticipated the ambush and, in a panic, tried to shake off his pursuers, but was ultimately subdued due to exhaustion.

At the same time, Lin Chen heard the commotion outside and quickly emerged from the tent. He saw three soldiers tightly surrounding a black-clad assassin. Though the man was in a state of disarray, he refused to reveal a single detail. "Are you from the Crown Prince's side?" Lin Chen asked, taking two steps forward.

The man's mouth and nose were covered, so he could only respond with a low voice: "I won't say anything... You can kill me or cut me up as you please!"

Faced with such a resolute attitude, Lin Chen smiled faintly. "It seems this brother is really a tough guy! But you know what? No matter how you resist, everything that happens tonight will be the first step towards your failure." With that, he signaled his men to take him away for a thorough interrogation.

After everything was done, Lin Chen returned to his tent to continue studying the map and began to plan his next strategic move. He knew that the game was not over yet, and with each step he took, the situation would become increasingly complicated...

Elsewhere, within the Crown Prince's headquarters, a mysterious figure frowned upon receiving news of the defeat. "Lin Chen is truly a troublesome person. He's only a mere general, yet he's capable of such a degree..."

An aide standing nearby tentatively suggested, "Perhaps we should consider changing our strategy? After all, direct confrontation doesn't seem advantageous. If we change our tactics, we might even surprise them."

The black-robed man pondered for a moment, a strange glint in his eyes. "Well, that's certainly possible, but we need to find a breakthrough that can completely overturn the current situation..."

As the first rays of sunlight filtered into the valley the next morning, the battlefield was already ablaze with activity. Both sides frantically prepared for a new offensive, constantly speculating on the other's hidden agenda. From a distance, small vendors, refugees, and even ordinary civilians watched with eager anticipation for the outcome. "Wow, this is truly spectacular! I've never seen such a large-scale battle in my life!" an elderly man selling roasted sweet potatoes excitedly shared with his companions. "Regardless of who wins, I just hope we ordinary people don't suffer any more."

The sun had just risen, its warm rays shone upon the busy men in the camp. Last night's assassination had made the entire camp tense. Lin Chen had already arranged for his men to strengthen the defenses and conduct a thorough interrogation of the black-clad assassin. But no matter what tactics he used, the assassin remained silent and unbreakable.

"Master Lin, what should we do?" Jiang Dali asked worriedly, his face showing obvious anxiety and uneasiness. "If we can't get information from him, we'll probably be in a more passive position!"

Lin Chen looked up at the busy figures outside, his eyes flashing with confidence and determination. "Don't worry," he said, standing up. "Sometimes the most direct approach may not be the most effective. We should consider the problem from a different perspective."

Upon hearing this, the veterans present exchanged glances, clearly not fully understanding Lord Lin's intentions. "But I understand," Zhang Long said, seemingly figuring something out. "You mean we should attack from other locations? Like potential weaknesses on the enemy's side... or... internal conflicts?" He paused, then continued, "Perhaps we can use that assassin to our advantage?"

Seeing everyone's sudden realization, Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. "Great, all of you come with me for a moment. We need to hurry and make arrangements."

When the news spread, the camp was abuzz with discussion. The soldiers were overjoyed to have such a brilliant commander. Even the vendors and servants responsible for logistics began to relish the impending victory. "Oh my god, this General Lin is amazing!" the old woman selling dumplings said excitedly. "He just caught a villain who wanted to harm him yesterday, and today he's thinking about how to beat those villains to a pulp! If only he had come sooner, life would be much better for us ordinary people!"

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince's side was also busy. After a night of discussion, they decided on a new strategy—to try to divide the enemy's forces and create chaos. The key to implementing this plan was a handsome young man. Although he appeared gentle and refined, he was actually notoriously ruthless. "Let's go meet our captured friend," he whispered to his deputy. "See if we can find a way out... We have to make him talk no matter what! If that doesn't work..." He suddenly laughed, "Then why not just surprise our opponent."

At this moment, at the edge of the enemy camp, two patrolling soldiers were lazily walking on the empty road. "Hey, brother, I heard that we don't have to go to the front line to die today!" The younger one said excitedly. "Huh? Really?" The other one didn't seem very interested. "Really! It seems that a powerful person has come from above, and he said he wants to join forces with our boss to do something big... I don't know if it will succeed. After all, the other side also has a big shot named Lin Chen in charge!" After saying this, the expressions of the two suddenly became serious. "Anyway, it's good. I hope we don't lose too badly this time... Otherwise, what will happen to the old people at home?"

Back at their own lines, Lin Chen was leading his men to the place where the prisoner was being held. "Sir, are you sure you want to use this strategy against him?" Li Hu couldn't help but ask on the way, feeling somewhat worried about whether it would backfire.

"Don't worry, I believe as long as we handle it properly there will be no problem." Lin Chen patted the young man's shoulder and comforted him. At this moment, hurried footsteps came from the front: "Oh no, sir! The enemy seems to be making some moves!" A soldier hurried over and reported nervously.