After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety
Chapter 719 - 709: Defaming Short Essay

Chapter 719: Chapter 709: Defaming Short Essay

"Have our gift boxes all been sent out?"

Tong Yue nodded, "This time we sent out about fifty sets. Besides the major media outlets we’ve collaborated with, we also sent them to Director Zhao, Director Li, and Director Wei who we’ve previously worked with. We didn’t send them to directors we’ve worked with even further back, nor to Actress She, as she’s currently recuperating abroad, and it seems like your relationship is just so-so. But we did send one to Xu Yin, and also to Lin Yan Studio, which sang the theme song for ’Yuan Zhao Empress’..."

Jiang Lingxi raised an eyebrow at this, "Lin Yan?"

Tong Yue shrugged with a smile, "I actually didn’t think of him initially. After all, the only contact between you two was at the recent new drama promotional event and the ’Yuan Zhao Empress’ show. It’s a pre-production versus post-production scenario. But since he sent a gift box first, it would be impolite not to reciprocate."

She said, pulling out a plain-looking gift box from the stack on the table. When opened, a delicately carved wooden box was quietly placed in the center of a serene dark blue velvet cloth. Without even opening it, a faint scent of incense wafted from inside, "Is it incense?"

"Yes, I had Yaoyao check this brand just now. It’s quite a surprise, as it’s a custom-made item. This small box alone is worth tens of thousands, and it’s not something you can buy even if you have the money. Compared to this, our gift boxes seem a bit lacking, but among all the boxes, only his contains something so valuable."

Lu Zhengzheng sighed from the side, "Such wealth! Lin Yan’s Studio has had way more collaborations than us. Just with these public relations gift boxes, they’ve probably spent millions!"

Fang Yao, holding her phone, said, "But I just searched, and what Lin Yan’s Studio announced in their PR gift box wasn’t incense at all!"

Lu Zhengzheng immediately turned to grab the phone from her hand, "Let me see."

The screen showed an unboxing video posted by a media person, with a box stamped with a calligraphy-styled ’Yan’ character. Aside from the box looking different, inside there were multiple items, definitely not incense.

There was a New Year calendar with Lin Yan’s famous song printed on it, a portable coffeepot, and tea he endorsed, a set of family-friendly assembly toys, and a personalized card.

Though varied in items, they were far from matching the value of that incense box.

Lu Zhengzheng finished watching the short video and then looked at the incense gift box in front of her, "Could this be a mistake?"

Tong Yue hadn’t specifically checked what Lin Yan Studio’s New Year gift box looked like; she didn’t have the time for that now either.

But hearing what Lu Zhengzheng said, she shook her head confidently, "I remember clearly; I personally received this gift box. It was delivered by Lin Yan’s Studio."

As the three looked at each other, Jiang Lingxi reached out and picked up the incense box, noticing a finely crafted card underneath.

She opened it, first seeing the signature ’Lin Yan’, then read the message above.

"Incense casually made during leisure, hope you like it. Happy New Year! Lin Yan."

Hmm, it’s a special little gift from a fan.

Then she would gladly accept it!

"It is indeed from Lin Yan Studio," Jiang Lingxi decided, "No need to fret; let’s clear everything up for dinner."

Tong Yue watched Jiang Lingxi take the incense separately, then looked at the now-empty gift box in front of her.

Something felt off.

Shen Yunqing, holding the wooden box, asked, "From Lin Yan?"

"Yes, how do you find the craftsmanship?"

"It’s average."

"Oh, but at least it’s the thought that counts. Could you put it away for me?"

"Don’t you need it, Your Majesty?"

"I’ll just use the ones you make; I’m used to them."

Shen Yunqing promptly placed the wooden box inside the deepest part of the cabinet.

Making sure it wouldn’t be seen unless during a big cleaning, he contentedly closed the cabinet door.

Jiang Lingxi stood there watching his small actions, tsk, a bit cute!

*

After lunch, Jiang Lingxi unfailingly went for a nap, while Tong Yue took Lu Zhengzheng and Fang Yao to continue handling work, aiming to wrap up everything before the year-end so the whole team could go home for a peaceful New Year.

Only when Jiang Lingxi woke up, washed her face, and came out, did she notice the atmosphere outside had become rather tense.

Tong Yue’s face was clouded with gloom, and both Lu Zhengzheng and Fang Yao looked so angry they seemed about to explode.

"I just took a nap, did some sky-falling event happen?"

Lu Zhengzheng, impatient and quick to speak, exclaimed, "Sister Xixi, some account suddenly posted a picture online of you and Mr. Shen without a mask in International Fashion Town, claiming that in reality, you have, um, an unspeakable relationship, questioning how you can play such famous historical figures as ruler and minister with a straight face in a drama. They even implied that Prime Minister Shen might have been the Empress’s... what in history. Ugh, I’m so furious I could explode!"

Jiang Lingxi extended her hand to Fang Yao, "Give it to me."

Fang Yao hesitated, retracted her hand slightly, but ultimately couldn’t resist Jiang Lingxi’s gaze and handed the phone over obediently.

Jiang Lingxi skimmed through the nearly hundreds of words on the screen.

After reading, she realized Lu Zhengzheng had been polite in her recount.

The author of this piece spared no effort in being disgusting, taking things out of context and generalizing, yet their language is highly inflammatory. Looking at the likes and comments below, it was clear many had followed and agreed.

Tong Yue spoke in a deep voice, "This account definitely bought popularity, and there are quite a few trolls in the comments fanning the flames. ’Yuan Zhao Empress’ has the potential to become a hit, and you’re a leading role. Some people apparently can’t sit still."

Jiang Lingxi clicked on the picture accompanying the post, it was taken while she was talking with Shen Yunqing side by side, the angle was rather tricky, looking overly close and a bit ambiguous.

Yet she and Shen Yunqing had maintained a distance all along when they were outside then, and the person who stealthily took the picture clearly had ulterior motives.

"The people attending the International Fashion Festival were just those few; I and Yunqing standing outside like that were only on a few occasions, and for someone to be so close to me in such a public place, who now views me unfavorably..."

Lu Zhengzheng promptly answered, "Zhou Lingyue!"

Jiang Lingxi looked at her approvingly, "Smart."

"Hee hee!"

"But she did choose this timing quite well," Tong Yue was still frowning, pondering countermeasures, "I need to think of a way to counteract this, I can’t let this kind of article and bunch of trolls mislead the audience."

The most straightforward way would be for the two main characters mentioned in the article to directly dissociate themselves or find a way to prove they’re just friends, with absolutely no ambiguity.

But this method she dared not mention to either of them.

Seeing Tong Yue’s troubled look, Jiang Lingxi could only remind her, "Sister Tong, what’s the most criticized focal point in that article’s narrative?"

Tong Yue frowned, pondering, and replied, "It says there’s an improper relationship between you and Mr. Shen, involving some sort of transaction?"

"But our relationship is always above reproach. Who says a married couple can’t play ruler and minister? And what about couples playing father-daughter or mother-son roles, why doesn’t anyone say anything?"

A wake-up call!