Versailles is worse than being queen

◎The concubine was openly open at the ball...◎

On such a joyful occasion as the ball, Her Royal Highness is actually reading a newspaper!

This is so unusual.

Before Antanya could speak, everyone around her had already gathered.

Immediately, someone recognized the name on the newspaper, and said in amazement, "This is..."Rheinische Zeitung?"

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay.It hasn't closed down yet?

Even the officially supported "French Times", "Courier" and "Scholar" are half dead, but this one is still alive.

But... I thought it would be some special newspaper that the princess would like, but I didn't expect it to be the mediocre "Rheinische Zeitung".It seems that the princess's vision is not very good.

Henriette felt a sense of desolation in the eyes of everyone around him.

Yes, she originally thought that the newspaper that entrusted her literary dream was about to go bankrupt—until she met the mysterious boss behind the scenes, the noble person she hit!

"Well, I'm reading this column."

Antanya pointed to the page in the lower right corner of the newspaper, "It's called 'Novel Serial'."

"A novel?" Henriette exclaimed in an exaggerated tone: "Shouldn't a novel be a book? How can a newspaper fit in it? Oh my God, this is really a miracle of the Creator!"

Antania: "..."

How should she tell Henriette that she's overacted?

Yet it turns out that this exaggeration is quite effective.

Everyone's attention was attracted: "What? Is there a novel in this newspaper!"

"How small should that word be?"

Fortunately, Mrs. Prince Lamballe, who was the closest, caught the point: "Serialization?"

She poked her head curiously, "What does that mean?"

Everyone pricked up their ears.

In Versailles, the pursuit of fashion is never-ending, and new things often mean new fashion.

That's the trend and the wind direction!

"Probably a novel is published in this column, but only one chapter is published at a time." Antanya said in a speculative tone.

"Oh, so it is like this!" "I've never seen it before!"

"May I take a look at it?"

Her Royal Highness graciously gave up the newspaper to the neck-crawling people around, and gracefully picked up a glass of wine from the small round table.

Just halfway through the drink, she noticed from the corner of her eye the boy in black leaning on the window sill with his hands folded casually on his chest, looking at her with a half-smile.

Antanya's fingers curled up involuntarily.

Oops.She couldn't control her embarrassment in front of people who were also in the know.

At the same time, the people surrounding the newspaper over there started to chatter: "The Sorrows of Young Werther?"

"And editor's note!"

There are many people who want to read it, but there is only one newspaper.Someone immediately read it aloud: "'Loving a girl who shouldn't be in love, chasing a dream that is doomed to be broken... Who will cry for you the moment the gunshots sound?'"

"Listen!" exclaimed Henriette, "how touching. I think this must be an unforgettable love story!"

Antanya lowered her head to cover the twitching corners of her mouth.

Some things, it's really embarrassing to read.How did Henriette not blush or skip a beat when someone else read this copy she wrote?

She looked back subconsciously, and found that Nicholas turned his head and pretended to look out of the window, his shoulders were shaking slightly.

Well, the shame doubles again.

At this moment, everyone's attention was on the newspaper, and no one noticed the abnormality of the princess.

"What do you mean by a girl you shouldn't fall in love with?" Someone frowned.

"I guess it's...that's what it means." "Ah! That's what it means!" Several people winked at each other, and everyone "Oh—" suddenly realized.

"What? What are they talking about?" Seeing the crowd gathered here, more and more people came over, wanting to know what happened.

"Everyone, what are you looking at?" Even Madame Dubally came over, her face flushed bright red from dancing.

This is great, the two most dazzling women in the palace are gathered here at the same time.

There are mainly two types of people in the palace—one type of people rely on their status and look down on women like Madam Du Barry, who detoured from the neighborhood to a brothel and climbed onto the king's bed, and want to get close to Her Royal Highness; To show his face in front of Madam du Barry more, so that she can find a fat job for him.

At this moment, they have the same goal as never before—what kind of story does this "Rheinische Zeitung" publish?

"I want to read everything I've said," Madame Lamballe exclaimed.

She was embarrassed to be crowded with others, so she graciously passed the newspaper to the person next to her, and she also wanted to know what was written on the back: "Do you know that there is still a place that sells the Rheinische Zeitung in the Palace of Versailles?" ?”

"Yes, yes!" Henriette nodded hastily, "The newsboy is over there, you can buy one for four sous!"

It's so cheap?

At the gaming table, livres are thrown out in hundreds and thousands, and one livre is twenty sous.Everyone from Versailles to Paris knows how boring newspapers are, so they almost never buy them.

Hearing this small change, they didn't even have to raise their eyebrows, and hurriedly called the newsboy over.

The newsboy was simply stunned by the scene.

He was always selling newspapers at Versailles, maybe he could sell a few copies of "Scholar" or "French Affairs" a day, but "Rheinische Zeitung" almost never sold.

Today, a beautiful maid came to him and brought a large stack of "Rheinische Zeitung" for him to help sell.He refused at first, but the sister-in-law said that the Rheinische Zeitung used to cost four sous, but in the palace it was sold for five sous, and as long as one copy was sold, he would be given one sou, and he didn't need to buy it first. Advance money, so he agreed.

God, how much is that!

The newspaper boy was very clever, and immediately distributed a large stack of newspapers with quick eyesight and quick hands, and collected money one by one when everyone had a copy-many nobles felt that five sous was too shabby, so they directly threw him ten sous. There are many silver coins.

The newsboy was almost jumping for joy.

By the time the newsboy finishes his work with a smile on his face, those who read quickly have already seen the end of this chapter of the story.

The young Werther came to the picturesque and remote mountain, lingering in the beautiful scenery all around.He is going to a dance.

["You're going to meet a pretty lady," said my partner as the carriage drove through a large sparse wood to the Huntington. ]

[—"You have to be careful," put in the cousin, "don't fall in love!"]

["Why?" I asked. ]

"Huh? Is this gone?" The man turned the newspaper over and over several times without giving up, and then said in disbelief, "It's broken here?"

"Ah! So why? I want to know, too," he said angrily.

After a while, all the people who bought the newspaper saw the ending, and all made angry voices: "It's too much! Why did it end here?"

Madame Dubarly looked at the newsboy: "When is the Rheinische Zeitung published every day?"

"Eleven o'clock at noon, the same time as the etiquette of getting up in the palace, madam." The newsboy immediately replied obediently.

"Oh, that's great." Madame Dubally fiddled with the ring on her hand, "Please give me a copy tomorrow morning, thank you—just send it to His Majesty's bedroom on the east side of the marble courtyard."

The surrounding air froze subtly.

The next moment, Antanya smiled: "I also want to know what happened next. Please send me a copy, thank you!"

"Your Highness, I want one too!" Henriette said immediately.

"I got up early, and the maid will go to buy it for you, Mr. Little." Mrs. Prince Lamballe smiled and nodded to the newsboy.

The subtle atmosphere just now disappeared unconsciously.

A few people started, and everyone immediately opened their mouths one by one, either asking the newsboy to deliver the newspaper tomorrow morning, or ordering the servant to go to him to buy it tomorrow morning.

Versailles was a social society, everyone knew that.

This also means that once there are any new topics and trends, if you don’t understand them, you won’t be able to participate in chatting in social situations immediately.

That was disastrous.

Just as everyone was dancing and discussing what kind of girl Werther would meet next and what kind of story would happen to the two of them, the side door of Mars Hall suddenly opened again.

The cold wind blowing outside made the thinly dressed ladies shiver.

Standing at the door was the tall Duke of Choiseul, his gray eyebrows were tightly knit, and he was incompatible with a joyful ball.

"His Royal Highness," he looked at the panic-stricken Louis with a serious expression, "please follow me, His Majesty the King is looking for you."

Louis had just swayed to Antania's side, and he leaned over to read the newspaper curiously.Seeing Choiseul, he subconsciously stood up straight, then couldn't help but pursed his lips and looked at Antanya.

At this time... Antanya thought about it quickly, and probably knew what was going on.

She patted the little prince's slightly trembling hand comfortingly: "Don't worry, Louis. It's just that His Majesty wants to discuss something with you, and it has nothing to do with you—I won't punish you."

She lowered her voice and winked at him: "If there's anything, just tell me, and I'll help you think about it."

The little prince dragged his feet and followed Choiseul, and the news brought by the Duke's entourage quickly spread in the hall.

"What? That Prussian monster has sent troops again?"

"Yes... I heard that the Prussian army is now stationed on the border of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania. It's scary." The ladies rubbed their hearts.

There are already Austrian and Russian armies confronting each other on that small piece of land.

Add to that Prussia, known for its belligerence—even people as far away as France smelled something horrible.

Earlier, during the Seven Years' War with Great Britain, this air of terror had cast a deep shadow on them.

Fortunately, this time the battlefield is far away from France, and they should not be involved in the war.

Long live peace!

People here are more concerned about whether Werther will see the girl who seems to have finally killed him tomorrow than a distant war.

When the people dispersed after the late-night dance, the candles in Mars Hall were snuffed out one by one by the servants.

Madame du Barry took a comfortable bath in the king's bedroom, and did not get up to scrub until the king came back.A moment later, her half-wet hair fell over her shoulders, and she changed into a light and transparent purple gauze dress.

She walked to the bed, and the king raised his head when he heard the sound: "My dear, you are very beautiful today."

"My Mr. France is also very handsome." Madame Dubarry sat down with a smile, "Are you worried?"

"It's really nothing." Louis XV shook his head. "It's nothing to France—I received a letter from the Queen of Austria. Russia, Austria, and Prussia plan to carve up Poland-Lithuania together. But of course, this requires the approval of France." .”

"As for whether I agree or not, I still need to see how the little Austrian princess is doing when she gets married. There seems to be no movement at present..."

As the king spoke, he fixed his eyes on Madame Dubarry's tall white chest.He smiled: "What do you think?"

It seemed to him no problem to consult his mistress on such matters of state.

After all, he is a beloved woman, and he will be happy if he makes her happy.Otherwise, what's the point of being a king?

Madame Dubaly rolled into his arms like a cat, holding his neck to close the distance with her: "Honey, that little Austrian princess... I like it very much."