After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows-Chapter 841 - 831: Extra: Zhuang Zhou’s Butterfly Dream

Third-grader Shen Qiangqiang brought home an assignment.

Because they just happened to be studying a lesson about the Yinhe Palace Museum, and since they were in the Imperial City, and tomorrow was the weekend, the language arts teacher simply gave them such an assignment.

With one or two parents accompanying them, they would visit the Yinhe Palace Museum and write a travel diary of no less than 300 words.

It was, in a sense, bringing the lesson to life, an immersive experience.

However, compared to the other classmates in her class, Shen Qiangqiang was fortunate, thanks to her father, to have almost toured the Yinhe Palace bit by bit since she was a young child at the age of three.

She had even been taken into some areas not open to tourists.

So, after explaining the content of the homework, she immediately stated: she could manage to go by herself!

At worst, she could just add her two parents in when writing the diary, so they wouldn't be considered absent.

Jiang Lingxi: "I'm free tomorrow!"

Speaking of which, she hadn't been back to the Yinhe Palace to have a look for a long time.

Shen Yunqing: "Let's go together."

So, early the next morning on the weekend, the family of three set out together, without missing anyone.

Though they had prepared for the fact that there would be many visitors at the Yinhe Palace on the weekend, upon arriving and seeing the long line of people waiting in line early, Jiang Lingxi decisively chose to use Shen Yunqing's identity to go through the back door!

The family of three entered quietly through the staff entrance.

As for those most famous palaces with the most tourists visiting, they simply skipped them, opting for more secluded spots.

Also, there were the areas currently under restoration that were not open to visitors.

Passing by a palace where mural restoration was underway, Fu Yunchen just happened to be there. Seeing Shen Yunqing, he immediately shouted in surprise, "I just planned to call you for some consultation, and here you are!"

Jiang Lingxi simply waved her hand, "Just as well, I'm feeling a bit tired from walking, you go help out, I'll sit under that tree on a bench."

Shen Qiangqiang noticed the nearly empty water bottle in her mother's hand and volunteered to get water.

"Go ahead."

Jiang Lingxi walked to the bench, brushed away the leaves that had fallen on it, and sat down.

The sun at around ten in the morning in the autumn was not glaring, its warmth balancing the slight chill of the autumn wind.

It made one feel drowsy.

Jiang Lingxi watched Shen Qiangqiang bouncing away, squinted her eyes, listening to the faint voices from the palace undergoing restoration nearby, and unknowingly really fell asleep.

*

"The autumn wind is cool, Your Majesty has just recovered from a cold, why are you still out in the wind?"

Jiang Lingxi suddenly opened her eyes.

Before her was a bright window sill, outside were palace maids wearing light blue outfits, sweeping the dried yellow leaves into a pile, only for a gust of autumn wind to scatter them again.

One maid, bothered by the playful autumn wind, couldn't help but softly "Ah!"

Everything in front of her seemed too real, and along with the familiar voice coming from behind, she suddenly couldn't tell if it was a dream.

Jiang Lingxi turned around to look.

A glance of crimson official robes filled her sight.

"Shen Qing?"

"I am here."

Silence suddenly filled the hall.

Jiang Lingxi never liked having too many people around, even if the palace maids could be as still as wooden posts.

But just standing there was less appealing than going outside to sweep the leaves and stretch one's muscles.

At this moment, aside from Qing Yuan quietly standing by the door, there remained only the ruler and minister facing each other.

Though Shen Yunqing averted his eyes, he distinctly felt the unrestrained gaze from across falling upon him.

Even though autumn had arrived, bringing a chill, he felt his palms moist under that gaze, and a faint sweat formed on his forehead, wishing fervently to step forward and enjoy the cool breeze.

But alas, the spot by the window was firmly blocked by a figure dressed in ink-colored, gold-embroidered dragon robes.

Jiang Lingxi could naturally see the man's unease, and she didn't bother pondering if this was a dream, only wanting to follow her heart.

"Shen Qing, come walk with me."

Shen Yunqing paused, "Yes."

Jiang Lingxi took the lead, walking out of the hall where she handled official matters, hands behind her back.

Shen Yunqing, after settling his mind, followed behind her, one step behind.

Jiang Lingxi didn't have Qing Yuan escort them, only taking Shen Yunqing, wandering aimlessly after stepping outside.

She kept silent, and the person following one step behind did as well.

They walked until they reached a waterfront pavilion by the lake.

There was no path forward.

The already not-so-great weather had turned even gloomier.

Just as they sat in the pavilion, a light patter of autumn rain trickled down.

The moisture from the lake was carried by the wind into the pavilion, Jiang Lingxi felt warm in her thick attire, unlike the person beside her who stifled a cough.

She realized then that he was only wearing a thin official robe and seemed to have sweated earlier in the hall.

Looking back at the person turning his head to muffle a cough, eyes slightly red from restraint, she found her hand itching, wanting to touch and see if rouge had been applied there.

"Are you feeling cold?"

Shen Yunqing stubbornly shook his head, "I'm fine."

But soon, he suddenly raised his head, meeting the eyes of the smiling face in front of him.

He couldn't maintain his calm expression any longer.

Jiang Lingxi calmly withdrew her hand from Shen Yunqing's back, "Your hands are ice-cold, and you say you're fine?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"I, I…"

"Were you going to say it's your natural state?"

Shen Yunqing, whose excuse was just taken away, "...Mm."

Jiang Lingxi watched as a subtle blush slowly spread over his face initially pale from the cold wind, accentuating his clear features.

Should she relent now?

Not a chance!

"I bear the responsibility for taking you out knowing you could be cold. Nonetheless, there aren't any umbrellas in the pavilion, we'll have to wait for the rain to stop to head back." Jiang Lingxi said while glancing around, then patted the seat beside her, "Sit here, there's less wind and rain penetrates less."

Shen Yunqing hesitated a moment, then gritted his teeth and sat down upon meeting His Majesty's somewhat teasing eyes.

Albeit somewhat stiffly.

Compared to him, Jiang Lingxi remained more at ease.

She turned slightly, stretching out her hand to catch some of the raindrops dripping from the eaves, then flicked them away.

Shen Yunqing silently watched her actions, wanting to offer a word of caution, but just as he began to speak, a burst of tickle welled up in his throat.

"Cough, cough!"

Jiang Lingxi quickly withdrew her hand, turning to look at him.

She saw him with a sleeve covering half of his face, ears a little red from his coughing fit.

Deciding to shrug off the cloak Qing Yuan had swiftly draped over her before leaving and wrapped it over Shen Yunqing.

"Your Majesty, this isn't allowed!"

"If I say it's allowed, then it's allowed. Don't be stubborn. If you fall sick, it'll be a burden to me!"

Seeing him reflexively wanting to return the cloak, Jiang Lingxi simply wrapped an arm around his shoulders and grabbed his other hand.

Both of them froze.

"Behave!"

"Okay."

When Qing Yuan found them amidst the downpour, she hurriedly came over to see her Majesty and Lord Shen sitting shoulder to shoulder, with the cloak she had prepared for His Majesty draped over Lord Shen.

"Your Majesty?"

The two voices intertwined.

Jiang Lingxi opened her eyes, and the bright sunlight instantly filled her view.

Where was the chilling autumn rain from the dream?

In front of her was Shen Yunqing gently brushing fallen leaves off her shoulder and Shen Qiangqiang who had returned after buying water.

"Yunqing, do you remember, there was once a lake here?"

And by the lakeside pavilion, they had wrapped in a cloak, once shared the view of an unexpected autumn rain.

The autumn rain fell into Heart Lake, having once stirred ripples!

—The End—