"Is that so?" the official asked cautiously. He dared not offend either of these young ladies.
Lan Yan casually replied, "No. I'm accusing her of trespassing and slandering me! The people at the restaurant that day can all testify that she and I were ordering food together, so how could I have had time to let anyone go?"
"And why would I let her slave go?"
The official nodded, finding her reasoning sound. He had heard of Miss Lan's reputation; she was not a benevolent person, nor would she kindly release any slave.
Seeing the official believe her, Liu Tingting's eyes blazed with anger. She pointed at Lan Yan and shouted, "She had an accomplice, a snake clan slave. And she treated that slave exceptionally well."
"Try calling him a slave one more time!" Lan Yan shot her a cold gaze, finding her words an insult to her ears.
Liu Tingting shivered, then, as if remembering something, continued, "Sir, do you see? This is how much she values that sla— *slave*. Therefore, I have every reason to believe she would detain my slave."
Utterly speechless, Lan Yan turned away, unwilling to look at Liu Tingting any longer.
The official hesitated and called out, "How about this, Miss Lan? Please call that person out, and we can question them face to face. Once it's clear, we will leave." He had initially intended to say "slave" but quickly corrected himself upon seeing Lan Yan's expression.
Lan Yan eyed the two of them coldly and said to Chun Tao behind her, "Go and ask Jun Yelan to come out. Tell him that a dog has come barking at the door early in the morning and he's needed to deal with it."
Chun Tao couldn't help but stifle a giggle, "Yes, Miss." She hadn't expected her young lady to be so clever. She went to call him.
Liu Tingting became even more furious upon hearing these words but was helpless. She couldn't stoop to the level of this rude person!
Jun Yelan soon arrived. Noticing Lan Yan's worried gaze, his heart fluttered slightly. He looked at the official, his face filled with indifference, projecting an aura of keeping others at a distance.
The official looked surprised. He had never seen such a strikingly beautiful snake clan man before. Furthermore, the man was dressed in extremely fine fabric and was not thin, instantly making him understand what Miss Liu had said earlier.
As Jun Yelan was stared at by the official, a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes. He disliked other people's gazes, but he didn't dislike Lan Yan's. Perhaps it was because Lan Yan's gaze was clear and pure, devoid of any calculation.
Sensing Jun Yelan's coldness, the official withdrew his gaze and asked, "Miss Liu claims that you and Miss Lan conspired to let her slave escape. Is this true?"
"Never."
"Lies! Sir, both of them are lying!" Liu Tingting roared. "Look how this snake clan slave lives better than any human man; it's all thanks to Lan Yan. He must have colluded with Lan Yan to do this to save his own kind."
The official's expression shifted, leaning towards believing Liu Tingting.
Seeing this, Lan Yan called out, "These are two completely different matters. Just because I dote on Jun Yelan, does that mean I must save all snake clan people! If that were the case, my General's mansion wouldn't be large enough!"
"Liu Tingting, you've taken a liking to my Jun Yelan and have always wanted to snatch him away. Since I refused, you devised this wicked plan to take revenge on me and Jun Yelan."
"Sir, if such slander can succeed, what will others think! I implore you to uphold justice." She lowered her head slightly, suppressing the smile at the corner of her lips.
Jun Yelan, standing beside her, also said, "Miss Liu has harmed many slaves before. Who knows the true fate of these two slaves now?"
The official's expression grew serious, finding merit in their words. He said respectfully, "Miss Lan, I believe you this time."
Moreover, Miss Lan had such a stunning slave; there was no need for her to seek out other slaves.
Lan Yan smiled, "Thank you, Sir, for your keen discernment. Sir, having spoken at the entrance for so long, you must be thirsty. I have freshly brewed floral tea and some pastries here. Please, partake."
She took the food box from Chun Tao's hands and offered it to the official.
The official's mouth curved into a smile, and he said, "Thank you very much, Miss Lan."
Seeing the two of them working in tandem, Liu Tingting felt a surge of resentment that wouldn't dissipate. Angrily, she stormed away, encountering someone holding a portrait. She snapped, "Get out of the way!"
The person asked, "Miss, do you recognize the person in the portrait?"
Liu Tingting was about to curse, but upon seeing the face in the portrait, she froze. She roared, "Yes, I recognize him! This is the snake clan slave that Lan Yan keeps. What, you're looking for him!"
"It's just a small matter. Thank you, Miss, for your assistance today." The person holding the portrait, wearing a bamboo hat, prepared to leave.
Liu Tingting felt something was amiss and called out, "If you have a grievance with that person, I can help you. Once he's dealt with, Lan Yan will suffer. I won't find peace in this life without avenging this."
The man with the portrait stopped and said, "Please follow me, Miss, to discuss with my master."
"Alright." Liu Tingting smiled smugly, anticipating Lan Yan's ultimate downfall.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lan Yan saw off the official and returned to her room. She immediately slumped onto the table, exclaiming, "I'm exhausted. This Liu Tingting is so idle, constantly finding trouble for herself."
"Is there any way to resolve this completely?"
"Kill her." Jun Yelan entered from the doorway and, seeing Lan Yan's astonished expression, said, "I spoke casually." His life on the battlefield had been one of constant danger, and he was accustomed to such methods.
Lan Yan shook her head, "We've already made an enemy of her. If she were to die now, it would surely attract the officials. It would be better to think of a more amusing method."
She beckoned with a finger and leaned close to Jun Yelan's ear, whispering, "We can teach her a lesson like this..."
Jun Yelan felt Lan Yan's warm breath on his ear and instinctively clenched his hand on the table. After Lan Yan finished speaking, he moved away slightly, not wanting Lan Yan to notice the blush on his ears.
"The method you proposed is effective."
"Hehe!" Lan Yan chuckled and instructed Chun Tao to arrange for people to carry out the plan.
At this moment, in the Liu residence, Liu Tingting returned with a smile on her face, calling out, "Someone, prepare a bath for me!" As she sat in the tub, she recalled the person she had just met, who was a natural enemy of Jun Yelan.
According to that person's methods, they would immediately send people into the Lan residence, thus killing two birds with one stone and making both of them pay. Her laughter grew louder, but suddenly she felt an unbearable itch on her neck.
She looked down and discovered red marks on her arms and chest, accompanied by intense itching. "Ahhhh! What is happening! Quickly, send for a doctor!" She scratched relentlessly, drawing beads of blood.
The maids outside the door pushed open the door and, seeing Liu Tingting's state, were greatly startled. Their young lady seemed to have contracted something unclean. None of them dared to speak, and upon hearing Liu Tingting's furious roar again, they hurried out to find a doctor.
Immediately, the entire Liu residence was thrown into chaos.