He had just picked up a piece of baked pancake and taken a bite when suddenly a harrowing cry came from nearby, "Poison! Someone has been poisoned! Help——"
This voice came so suddenly, like a clap of thunder in the quiet Tribute Court, startling Old Master Xun so much that the pancake "rolled" out of his hand and onto the ground.
He had no time to pick it up, instead pushing the window of his cell open to try and catch a glimpse of what was happening outside.
To prevent cheating among the candidates, each cell in the Tribute Court had been locked, and even the windows were secured with iron bolts, allowing them to open only halfway.
