As soon as I put it on, I met a sickly man

The dim cell was filled with a musty smell.

Jiang Yue sat cross-legged on the straw mat, her slender fingers unconsciously stroking the rough straw.

Thoughts flooded in like a tide, from the initial cooking competition, to being framed by Master Zhao and Mr. Liu, to being defeated again today, every detail was replayed in my mind over and over again.

She bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes flickering as if trying to catch a fleeting firefly in the darkness.

What is going wrong?

Outside the cell, Ding Chen paced back and forth anxiously, looking at Jiang Yue through the gap in the fence from time to time.

He looked at her furrowed brow with heartache and said softly, "Jiang Yue, don't worry, we will definitely find a way out."

Jiang Yue raised her head and gave him a forced smile.

"I'm fine. I'm just wondering if we've overlooked something." She paused and continued, "Master Zhao and Mr. Liu's plan is so thorough, as if they've anticipated every move we make. This is truly unusual."

Ding Chen also fell into deep thought.

"Indeed, we were able to easily see through their schemes before, but this time we were repeatedly frustrated. Could it be..." He suddenly thought of something, and his face changed suddenly, "Could it be that there are other people behind them?"

Jiang Yue's eyes flashed, she had thought about this possibility.

Since the last confrontation, Master Zhao has become extremely cautious and even invited an assistant named Sun Moushi.

This person is secretive and unfathomable, and is very likely the manipulator behind the scenes.

"Strategist Sun..." Jiang Yue murmured to herself. This name was like a huge rock pressing on her heart, making her feel suffocated.

"It seems that we must reassess the situation and formulate a new strategy."

At this moment, Qiu'er's anxious voice came from outside the cell: "Commander Xuanyuan, what should we do now? Advisor Sun is too cunning, we are no match for him!"

Xuanyuan Che's voice was low and calm: "Don't panic. The more critical the situation, the more you need to think calmly. No matter how meticulous Advisor Sun's plan is, there will definitely be flaws."

"But..." Qiu'er wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Xuanyuan Che: "No buts, we must find a breakthrough as soon as possible, otherwise Jiang Yue and Master Ding will be in danger!"

Jiang Yue in the cell heard their conversation and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"It seems that the real show has just begun." She stood up, patted the dust off her body, and a gleam of determination flashed in her eyes.

"Ding Chen," she turned to look at him, her tone firm, "We can't just sit there and wait for death. We must take the initiative!" "Commander Xuanyuan, we can't wait any longer!" Qiu'er stamped her feet anxiously. "Strategist Sun is full of tricks. If he pulls any more underhanded tricks, Miss and Master Ding will be in danger!"

Xuanyuan Che frowned and paced back and forth, the sword in his hand creaking as he gripped it.

"I know the situation is urgent, but we can't act rashly. Advisor Sun is a meticulous thinker, and a head-on confrontation will only lead to losses. We must find his weakness so we can strike him with one strike."

"But where is his weakness?" Qiu'er's voice was filled with despair.

At this moment, Jiang Yue's voice came from the cell: "Maybe I know where to start."

The two hurried to the prison door and saw Jiang Yue with a calm expression, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Do you remember that forged joint letter?"

Ding Chen suddenly realized: "You mean, we can start with the joint letter and prove it's a forgery?"

"That's right." Jiang Yue nodded affirmatively. "As long as we can prove that the joint letter is fake, we can expose the conspiracy of Mr. Zhao and Mr. Liu, and we can also redress our injustice."

Ding Chen clenched his fists excitedly: "Great idea! As long as we find evidence, we can catch them all in one fell swoop!"

A cold light flashed in Jiang Yue's eyes. "I remember that the handwriting on the joint letter was imitated very vividly, but there were some subtle differences from the original. If we can find the original for comparison..."

"The original?" Ding Chen frowned. "I'm afraid it won't be easy to find."

Jiang Yue's lips curled up slightly. "How will we know if we don't try?" She paused, her eyes fixed on the two people waiting anxiously outside the cell. "Qiu'er, Commander Xuanyuan, we need your help." She lowered her voice, "Now, we..."

The dim cell was filled with a musty smell. The flickering candlelight reflected on Jiang Yue's calm face, but could not illuminate her deep eyes.

Thoughts flooded in like a tide, from the initial poisoning at the banquet, to the frame-up in the cooking competition, to now being imprisoned, every detail was chewed over and over again by her, looking for flaws.

The cold iron railings were like a shackle, imprisoning her freedom but unable to lock her soaring thoughts.

Outside the cell, Ding Chen's gentle gaze was always on Jiang Yue. He gently held Jiang Yue's hand that was stretched out of the cage, conveying silent comfort.

"Yuer, don't worry, we will definitely be able to get out." His voice was low and firm, like a warm current that melted the ice in Jiang Yue's heart.

Jiang Yue held his hand in return, feeling the warmth of his palm, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Miss, Commander Xuanyuan, I have already found out that Advisor Sun has been coming in and out of Master Zhao's residence recently, and they seem to be plotting something." Qiu'er's voice broke the silence in the cell.

Xuanyuan Che nodded and said, "It seems that they have not stopped, but are planning a new conspiracy." His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he could see through everything.

Jiang Yue pondered for a moment. "Advisor Sun is full of tricks, so we must be cautious. Qiu'er, continue to monitor every move at Mr. Zhao's residence and report any signs of trouble immediately."

"Yes, Miss." Qiu'er took the order and left.

"Commander Xuanyuan, we need to find evidence that Advisor Sun forged the joint letter." Jiang Yue turned his gaze to Xuanyuan Che. "I remember that the watermark on the letter paper is different from the letter paper that Mr. Liu usually uses..."

Xuanyuan Che understood and said, "I'll go to Liu's house to investigate right now." He turned and left, his figure disappearing into the night.

Ding Chen looked at Jiang Yue, his eyes full of worry, "Yuer, you have to take care of yourself too."

Jiang Yue smiled slightly, "Don't worry, I'm fine." She paused, lowered her voice and said to Ding Chen, "I need you to do me a favor..."