The next morning, as Lan Yan slept, she heard a violent commotion outside her door.
She pulled the quilt over her head and frowned, hearing Ruan Yuan's voice.
"General, something's wrong! Your mansion's entrance is surrounded!"
"What!" Lan Yan sat up abruptly. Without bothering to dress, she opened the door and saw an anxious Ruan Yuan. "Explain yourself."
She had been doing her job as a female general, not causing any trouble!
Ruan Yuan panted, "Someone spread the word that Jun Yelan can divine. Those people are specifically here for him. More and more are gathering. I came in through the back door."
Lan Yan's expression turned grave. "Let's go. Come with me to take a look." She walked towards the door, feeling that something was amiss. Jun Yelan had only gone to the palace twice since his return.
That’s right, she had met Ning Yuan at the ancient temple before and offended him.
With these thoughts, she reached the door smoothly and saw a dense crowd. Just as Ruan Yuan had said, the entrance to her home was so crowded there was no room to stand.
Some people were dressed in coarse cloth, others in fine silks, and some wore the uniforms of household retainers, sent by various households.
When they saw the door open, they all turned to Lan Yan, shouting, "It's Young Master Jun! We want to see Young Master Jun." With that, a group of people rushed towards the door.
Lan Yan immediately slammed the door shut. These people had ill intentions. She looked back at Ruan Yuan. "You guard this place. I'll go notify Jun Yelan."
"Yes, General." Ruan Yuan brought a stool, sat down, and stared intently at the door.
Lan Yan felt more at ease and ran to Jun Yelan's courtyard. Jun Yelan was washing his face.
His slender fingers held a cloth, wiping away the lingering water droplets from his face, revealing his flawless countenance.
She froze for a moment, then quickly shook her head. Now was not the time to be captivated by beauty!
Jun Yelan noticed her, seeing the beads of sweat on her forehead as she rushed over. "Is something wrong?" His room was at the back, so he couldn't hear the sounds outside clearly, but he could faintly hear some noise.
Lan Yan composed herself and stepped forward, grabbing Jun Yelan's sleeve. She said earnestly, "Jun Yelan, don't leave the house today." The situation at the entrance was too terrifying.
Jun Yelan, seeing Lan Yan so serious for the first time, lowered his head to look at Lan Yan's hand, then looked up. "What happened at the entrance?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Lan Yan saw Jun Yelan nod, then angrily continued, "Someone spread rumors, causing many people to come looking for you, wanting you to divine for them."
She raised her fist. "I fear some people will use divination as an excuse to have ulterior motives for you."
Jun Yelan's eyes darkened. These people weren't after him, but after the recognition he had received from the Emperor. He clenched the cloth in his hand. So soon, someone had set their sights on him.
He said coldly, "If they want to see me, they'll need the skill for it. I will not divine for them."
"With your words, I know what to do." Lan Yan smiled and patted her chest. "Leave it to me. I'll drive them away for you."
She released his sleeve and turned to run towards the courtyard gate.
"Wait."
Lan Yan stopped in her tracks and turned her head, looking at Jun Yelan with confusion. "Do you have any other instructions?"
Jun Yelan remained silent. He picked up a clean cloth from beside the washbasin and walked to Lan Yan's side. He lowered his head and wiped the cold sweat from Lan Yan's forehead.
Lan Yan was stunned, her earlobes slowly turning red, her heart pounding. She simply lifted her head to make it easier for Jun Yelan to wipe her face, then stared at his face.
At such close proximity, Jun Yelan looked even more handsome.
Jun Yelan put down the cloth, looked at Lan Yan's bright eyes, and a hint of an unusual emotion flashed in his gaze. He almost fell into them, then averted his eyes and said, "That's enough."
"Oh, I'm leaving then." Lan Yan turned again and walked to the courtyard gate, a smile curving her lips. Her steps were light as she headed for the mansion entrance, feeling that her task had hope.
Jun Yelan looked at the cloth in his hand, then deeply threw it into the washbasin and followed her.
At the mansion entrance, Ruan Yuan was still guarding. Seeing Lan Yan approach, she said worriedly, "General, they still refuse to leave."
"Leave it to me." Lan Yan patted Ruan Yuan's shoulder, told her to open the door, and walked out boldly herself.
The crowd surged forward, but stopped when they saw Lan Yan draw her sword.
Lan Yan snorted, holding a sword casually against the door. "What, not coming in anymore!" She tapped the door with her sword, watching the people outside retreat, their eyes filled with coldness.
"Do you know what this place is! The General's Mansion. How dare you cause trouble at my doorstep! Do you wish to die!"
The people at the entrance were taken aback, intimidated by Lan Yan, and fear appeared on their faces.
Lan Yan continued, "I'm only saying this once. There is no diviner here. If you have matters, do not come to my mansion. Find the person you should find. Remember all of this!"
If she didn't assert herself now, it would never end.
The people at the entrance were momentarily stunned. They had only heard rumors, and now, under Lan Yan's imposing presence, many felt the urge to leave.
Just then, a luxurious sedan chair arrived and stopped beside these people.
Ning Yuan alighted from the sedan chair, looking at the scene with an arrogant air, and shouted, "Oh, isn't this General Lan! I thought someone was blocking the road."
Lan Yan's gaze fixed on Ning Yuan. Why was he here!
She said, "Censor Ning, you've arrived at a good time. These people are blocking my mansion's entrance, making it inconvenient for my household to come and go. Since you've brought people, why not drive them away."
She needed to be cautious about what ulterior motives this Ning Yuan harbored and drive these people away.
Ning Yuan stood his ground, anger surfacing in his eyes. This Lan Yan was truly calculating.
He said with a fake smile, "General Lan is joking. I only brought a few household guards. Besides, how can I interfere in General Lan's affairs!"
Lan Yan's expression turned cold. She recalled that before she even returned to court, someone had impeached her and targeted her at every turn. "Then why is Censor Ning still here? Isn't it more of a hindrance!"
"You!" Ning Yuan was about to fly into a rage, but remembering the main purpose, he suppressed it. "As the Censorate official, I am here to perform my duties. General Lan, with so many people at your doorstep, there is suspicion of spreading seditious rumors."
"I thought General Lan was upright and wouldn't believe such things, but now I see it with my own eyes. I will prepare a memorial and report this matter to the Emperor tomorrow morning." He said this with a triumphant smile.
Lan Yan's eyes turned icy. She finally understood why this morning's mess had occurred; the problem lay with Ning Yuan. "Censor Ning, where are these seditious rumors coming from? Who is the seditious one!"
"I also happen to want to impeach Censor Ning for slandering a colleague and inciting the public." With so many people present, she didn't believe Ning Yuan wasn't involved.
Ning Yuan was enraged and shouted, "What evidence do you have?"
"And what evidence do you have!" Lan Yan, holding her sword, walked directly towards Ning Yuan. She raised her sword and let it fall at Ning Yuan's feet, watching him tremble, and said with a smile, "My residence is not to be trespassed upon by just anyone!"
This Ning Yuan not only wanted to harm her but also dragged Jun Yelan into it. She would not let this person off!
Ning Yuan, seeing Lan Yan raise her sword again, took a step back in fear, bumping into the sedan chair and bending over in embarrassment. He pointed at Lan Yan with his finger and said angrily, "I want to see the Emperor immediately and file a complaint against you."