Golden dust rose and fell in the air, and sunlight shone through the crystal roof of the gallery,
After a hundred years,
On the paintings that were still brightly colored,
On the reliefs of the saints on the pillars of the corridor.
The attendant walked past the soft Persian carpet on the ground and smelled a faint fragrance in the air,
It was endless,
Like a summer rose.
The fragrance continued all the way,
Along the gallery,
The fragrance became stronger and stronger, as if he had already seen the face of the beauty.
At the end of the corridor, the huge arched window faced the garden. There were seventeen mirrors inlaid on it, and the ceiling was painted with famous oil paintings,
Each painting was the magnificent story of Luster's hundred years of history.
Reflected in the mirror was an open-roofed royal greenhouse garden. It was built on expensive geothermal heat,
It was like spring all year round.
The moment the attendant walked out of the gallery,
The blue sky without any variegated color blew in his face,
The breeze blew, and the fragrant grass and green silk swayed into a sea.
On the green grass, beside the exquisite afternoon tea table and chairs, the noblewomen surrounded the Empress and laughed.
The young Empress was holding a folding fan,
She seemed to be amused so much that her hair, which was the same color as the sun, was slightly tilted,
Water appeared in her eyes that were as natural as gemstones,
It was breathtaking; half of her clothes had slipped off,
Revealing the skin on half of her shoulders that was even whiter than snow. Her full and plump chest rose and fell, piercing straight into people's eyes.
She didn't know her own beauty and showed it generously in front of people.
The attendant, however, was melted at a glance. He couldn't help but think of a noble poet who had witnessed the royal wedding. He had once described the Empress with emotion:
The sun weaved golden hair,
The green eyes hid all the passion,
The rose wanted to kiss her lips of the same color.
A rose was left behind in the Divine Kingdom,
Gently, gently,
Fell on Luster's crown.
No wonder when His Majesty Allen got married, the people were fascinated by the beauty of the young Empress and followed the carriage all the way to the palace.
A noblewoman noticed the attendant and sent a maid to inquire.
The attendant hurriedly stopped his reverie and did not dare to look at the Empress, for fear that someone would complain and make His Majesty unhappy. He replied respectfully,
"Mrs. Brown has entered the palace. She is on her way to see the Empress. "
The maid delivered the news.
The Empress tapped her hand with the folding fan and happily smiled to her left and right. "Hathaway is finally here. I'm going to be bored to death."
One of the noblewomen pretended to be displeased. "Your words have hurt us. Don't tell me that our daily companionship doesn't count? "
"Everyone is fine." The nineteen-year-old Empress held her chin and sighed. "It's just that Annie and Hathaway haven't been here for a long time …"
Another noblewoman covered her face with a feather fan and laughed, "If you had agreed to go with us to see the play, you would have had a lot of fun. I'm afraid you would have forgotten about Mrs. Brown and Miss Annie for a while. You live in the palace, but you don't know about the two dramas that have been buzzing in Bona these days. "
The Empress had always loved drama, painting, music, literature, and many other arts. Hearing this, she hurriedly asked, "Oh? That's because I'm too ignorant. May I know which two? "
"One is called 'Lady Peony', and the other is called 'Wrong Marriage'. These two plays have recently swept through the major theaters in Bona, and countless scholars have fallen head over heels for them. They have even argued endlessly in the newspapers about which one is better. "
"'Lady Peony'?" The Empress was the first to express her interest in the former play. "I've heard my tutor mention that in the distant east, there is a famous flower with a graceful and luxurious beauty called the peony. The Easterners believe that the peony is the most respected flower. Lady Peony … Is this an Eastern noble lady? "
Without waiting for the noblewoman to answer, a smiling voice answered the Empress's question. "You are truly intelligent. That is indeed the case. Lady Peony is the beloved concubine of a great emperor in the history of the East. She is a legendary beauty in the East. "
"Hathaway!" When the Empress heard this voice, she looked over in surprise.
Hathaway walked to the Empress with a spring breeze smile and curtsied. "Your Highness, it's been a long time."
The Empress took a lively step toward her, and then was caught by her bra. Remembering her years of upbringing, she hurriedly walked over in small steps, held her hand, and taught her to stand up. She rebuked, "You are really! You didn't say goodbye to me when you left the City of July; you didn't come to see me immediately when you returned to the capital. You made me miss you very much. What should you do? "
The beauty pouted coquettishly, adding a trace of innocence to her originally coquettish appearance. Hathaway glanced at her royal sister-in-law and said in her heart, 'She is naturally coquettish, charming but naive. No wonder my royal brother values her more than his eyeballs. '
"You must forgive me. In the future, I will definitely offer a gift to atone for my sins. "With that, Hathaway smiled slightly." Now, let me solve your doubts first to atone for my sins. Didn't you say 'Lady Peony' before? "
"You also know about this play?" When the Empress was mentioned like this, she forgot to pursue the matter. In the blink of an eye, she remembered the previous topic.
"This play is about the love tragedy between Concubine Dongfang and the emperor. Although it is beautiful, it is full of sadness. I'm actually more appreciative of the other play, 'Wrong Marriage'. "Another crisp and clean voice like a girl's suddenly interrupted.
The faces of the noblewomen changed, and they whispered to each other.
Hathaway's smile didn't change at all, but her eyes were colder.
Only the Empress didn't notice it at all. She was more interested. "What good day is it today? If you two don't come, you'll be able to gather all of them together. "
Annie walked briskly to the Empress, then tiptoed and kissed the Empress on the cheek. She tilted her head and looked at the Empress. She said innocently, "You are so beautiful. If I come every day, I won't be able to look in the mirror anymore. Who is that ugly thing in the mirror?"
The Empress was amused and trembled with laughter. The noblewoman who was in charge of the Empress's maids slightly darkened her face. This shameless Annie is still so unruly!
Although Her Highness was born in a noble family, she had always been well-mannered and had received orthodox education. She had always listened to the words of these female officials. However, she was just like the late emperor, indulging this seductress in every way.
His Majesty Allen even condoned such a phenomenon.
But seeing the Empress' happy expression, she could only clench her teeth and restrain herself. She gave Hathaway a look.
Hathaway nodded imperceptibly and greeted Annie warmly, "Miss Annie." "Ms. Annie, long time no see." Her figure moved and separated Annie and the Empress.
The red curly hair made the heart-shaped little face look particularly rosy and sweet. Annie blinked her blue eyes like the sea and pouted her delicate little mouth. "Your smile is too hypocritical! I know you don't want to see me! "
"Annie." The Empress shook her head disapprovingly.
Annie shrank. "Okay, it's my fault. Please, please don't take it to heart. " As if she was avoiding her mistake, she bypassed Hathaway and went to the other side of the Empress. She hugged the Empress' arm and lowered her head, not saying a word.
The separation was unsuccessful.
The other noblewomen almost spat out when they heard this. She was already twenty-three years old and had been the mistress of two old men. She still pretended to be a little girl and acted coquettishly with the nineteen-year-old Empress. Shameless!
Hathaway said calmly, "You are twenty-three years old, but your temperament is still as straightforward as a child. How can I take it to heart?"
"Twenty-three." The word was clearly enunciated.
Annie's face froze, but the innocent and sweet smile on her face did not change. She pretended not to hear the accent and said to the Empress with a smile, "Lillian, these two plays are really popular among the people. They are popular among the nobles and the third-rank gentlemen. It's just that Lady Peony is a recognized classic tragedy, but the wrong marriage is a comedy. "
Comedy? Empress Lillian was stunned.
The head of the palace maids, Countess Mrs. Kundera, smiled contemptuously, "Is a comedy worth mentioning here?"
Annie shook her finger and showed her dimples, "No, this is an old idea. The great writer Mr. Ocot wrote after watching the play: Comedies are not lowly, and tragedies also have dirty plays. It's rare that 'Wrong Marriage' takes a different approach. It's beautiful and extraordinary, with sorrow hidden in joy and profound meaning. "
Ocot? The illegitimate son of a great noble and a third-rank lowly woman, the crazy writer who relied on his father's favor and took a different approach to get the title of nobility?
It was said that he was a guest of honor in Annie's literary salon.
The noblewomen showed disdain. Such a person complemented this Annie.
The Empress was pleasantly surprised, "Does Mr. Ocot like it too?" She had been well-behaved all her life, but she only had one harmless hobby: romantic literature.
Ocot's early works were one of her treasures.
The Countess hurriedly motioned to Hathaway.
Hathaway received the look and smiled, "My taste is slightly different from Ms. Annie's, but I love 'Lady Peony' more."
Annie looked over. Under everyone's gaze, Hathaway unhurriedly threw out a piece of information. "However, I also agree with Mr. Orcott's opinion. 'Wrong Marriage' is indeed not a comedy."
The streets were fighting over these two plays.
Those who supported 'Lady Peony' said that the play's lyrics were luxurious and beautiful, but not lacking in freshness. With the Holy Sage as the protagonist, the style was extraordinary. The story warned the world, and the tragic ending moved people.
Those who supported 'Wrong Marriage' said that the play was beautiful and extraordinary, joyful but not shallow, with sorrow hidden in joy and profound meaning. It opened a new realm and style of comedy that had been around for decades, enough to compete with many tragedies.
Both sides attacked each other for "erotic plots" and "men and women committing adultery to express their love". For this reason, they were condemned in the newspapers and almost beaten to death.
Hathaway thought of this and smiled, "It's just that you don't know. These two plays were written by the same author. "
There was a low exclamation in the audience. The noblewoman who had seen both plays couldn't believe it, "The theme, genre, and style of these two plays are completely different. They were actually written by the same author?"
Annie was also stunned.
"Indeed. I brought these two plays from Abat, and they were written by the same person. "
If that was the case, there would be a young talent in the theater world.
The Empress' curiosity had been aroused by the information they revealed in a few words, but she was also in a difficult position:
"Sigh, I really want to see it with my own eyes. It's just that after a woman gets married, it's against the rules to go out without her husband's permission. Without His Majesty's permission, how can I leave the palace without permission? "
Hathaway smiled and said, "If it's your wish, I'm sure Old Leslie of the Rose Theater would be very willing to teach actors to perform in the palace. To him, this is an honor. "
Annie glanced at her and agreed, which was rare, "Yes, His Majesty dotes on you so much. It's not a problem to recruit actors to perform in a few plays. Lillian, after you married into the royal family, you haven't exercised any of your rights as a mistress! "
The Empress' heart palpitated, and she hesitated for a moment, "Let me ask His Majesty."
*
"The Empress gave the first decree, and you said it wasn't?"
Ever since the royal family ordered the two plays written by Abat to be performed in the palace, the lounge of the Rose Theater was full every day. The noble youths who were waiting to enter whispered to each other, exchanging gossip about the royal family.
Ever since the beautiful and charming Empress entered the palace, the first decree in the name of the Empress was issued:
Invite actors to the palace to perform in the plays "Lady Peony" and "Wrong Marriage".
"Which one do you think the Empress will like more? I heard that the nobles support Lady Peony, and most of the people in the third rank support the "Wrong Marriage". Clement, I heard that you and Ocote have a good relationship, what do you think? "
Clement, who was sitting in a slightly remote seat, crossed his hands and placed them on his legs. His eyes were misty and he was lost in thought.
The noble ladies half covered their blushing faces and secretly glanced at him. The youths had been jealous for a long time, and they would not let go of any opportunity to drag him into the topic and maliciously attack him.
Hearing this, Clement let out an "Ah", as if he had just recovered from his deep thoughts, and looked up at the crowd.
His long black hair was slightly curly, flowing down like waves, and was only lightly tied with a piece of silk. It made his skin look fairer, and even a little transparent under the sun; his green eyes looked more dreamy, like the lake water that was blown by the spring breeze.
"How beautiful, you should like all of them."
The beautiful young man replied gently.
His temperament and tone were always elegant and soft, without any offensive power, but always with a little sleepwalking.
"Mediate! You … "A noble youth was dissatisfied and wanted to say something bad, but he was almost pierced into a sieve by the ladies' daggers.
Dong — — Dong — — Dong — —
The manager of the Rose Theater on the side quickly rang the bell, cleared his throat, and stopped the young masters and ladies who could not be provoked from looking at each other, "A new show has begun! Those who are looking at Lady Peony, please go to the right! Those who are looking at the wrong marriage, please go to the left! "
Clement went to the left.
The left and right sides were clearly separated. On the right side were noble youths who wore beautiful feathered hats, thick curly hair, makeup, and countless ribbons, wrinkles, and bows on their bodies, wearing long sleeves and high heels. On the left side were rich youths who were dressed more simply and less feminine. They wore black top hats and were full of vitality.
Among them, Clement stood out like a crane in a flock of chickens.
His attire was more simple than that of the wealthy gentlemen of the third rank, but it was tranquil, clear, and natural beauty, which made all the extravagant clothes and jewels of the nobles, including those of the nobles, pale in comparison to him.
People whispered to each other, "This is the Queen's distant cousin. His mother was a famous beauty who married a big merchant of the third rank. What a pity. I heard that he studied classical literature in a foreign country a few years ago and returned to Luster after the banquet countercurrent. "
The bell rang one after another, urging people to enter the room, and the discussion gradually quieted down.
Clement fell into his seat and focused on watching the first performance of "The Wrong Marriage".
The curtain hung down, and on the sea, a travel ship of upper-class people called Lily was holding a banquet.
At the ball, toasts were exchanged. Among them, the most eye-catching was a young lady from a noble family, Nightingale.
Since the banquet countercurrent, the rule that women could not be on the ship gradually disappeared.
Nightingale was still unmarried and was a famous noble beauty in the local area. But in order to continue to climb up, the family wanted to find a good son-in-law for her. When the wild bees and butterflies got the news, they surrounded her tightly at the ball.
However, although this radiant beauty had a mellow voice and a beautiful appearance, she was not the usual flower vase.
In the dazzling gold and jade, in the pile of cosmetics, the noble children dressed up gorgeously and flattered. Nightingale covered her face with a fan, her appearance was not disturbed, but her heart monologue, sarcastically sang:
Looking at their rustling cosmetics falling to the ground,
Ah, better than my snow skin and natural beauty!
Look at their monotonous arias,
Ah, better than my witty words in a hundred scrolls!
Looking at them chasing after the stench, seeing their eyes red with riches,
Ah, better than my contempt for the family, a trace of arrogance in my heart!
Using three "better" in a row, in fact, full of contempt, wonderful!
The audience cheered in a low voice. Crémont savored the characters' personalities that jumped out from the three "wins" and smiled slightly.
All the frivolous children on the field were quietly dismissed by Nightingale, and none of them could invite the young lady to dance.
The men flocked to Nightingale's side, one by one defeated, but the women's line of sight gradually condensed on a man in the field who suddenly emerged as a new force.
He was wearing a half mask, wearing a formal dress, handsome and extraordinary, dancing lightly. The men in the audience were covered in dirt.
The women blushed and posed, hoping to be invited to dance.
But this gentleman was too arrogant, ordinary women could not even get his attention.
The women sang in unison:
Theodore, Theodore, Apollo! Where do you come from?
You are mysterious,
You are like a god,
You should fall in love with me!
But you ignore me!
Arrogant!
Arrogant!
You are as bright as the stars,
Where will you stay?
Nightingale spun, her feather fan hiding contempt, pushing, pushing, and gradually entering the center of the stage.
Theodore spun, a mysterious smile on his mouth, passing, passing, gradually entering the center of the stage.
Their backs touched each other.
The spotlight suddenly fell. Looking up, looking at each other.
Two bright stars met here.
The crowd held their breath, thinking that love at first sight was about to happen.
"Who is this woman? Look at her pretending to be noble, oh, an empty appearance, arrogant young lady! "
"Who is this man? Look at how arrogant he is, oh, an embroidered flower bag, an arrogant peacock! "
Who would have thought that because these two outstanding people were overconfident, when they saw each other who was on par with them, they only looked at each other with disgust.
They were at each other's throats at the ball, their words were humorous and sarcastic, not giving in to each other.
The audience below the stage laughed from time to time.
In the confrontation between the two, Nightingale lost slightly in the end.
After the ball ended, Nightingale, who was full of anger, sent her personal maid, Red Sister, to inquire about this person.
Red Sister turned back and told Nightingale, "Theodore is a third-rank merchant. I don't know how he got on the ship."
Red Sister was indignant: "He has a lowly status, yet he dares to tease you! I'll take advantage of the situation and report to the master, telling him to swim back to shore! "
Nightingale was stunned. She did not expect that Theodore, who had an extraordinary temperament and outstanding handsomeness, who had mocked her for the entire party, and even suppressed her, was a third-rank merchant.
The audience heard Nightingale's inner monologue and sang:
He is detestable,
He is disgusting,
He is arrogant and hateful,
I intend to tell my parents, to wash away my hatred today.
After singing, Nightingale made a move to get up.
Just as the audience's hearts tightened, they suddenly saw Nightingale sit back down and fall into deep thought in front of the mirror, singing:
I don't like to talk about family in my life, so how can I fight for power because of personal hatred?
Ah! I almost became a lowly person!
She stopped Red Sister: "Forget it. You're not allowed to go out and brag. If I meet him again, I'll definitely use my own ability to make him apologize respectfully. "
Red Sister suddenly laughed, no longer pretending to be angry. She covered her mouth with her hand and monologued: "Acting coquettishly hides kindness, a hibiscus smile hides arrogance. My matchmaker didn't follow the wrong person. "
On the stage, the curtain was pulled down, and Nightingale and Red Sister temporarily retreated.
Suddenly, it turned to Theodore's point of view.
Theodore was monologuing, describing his life experience:
"I'm tired of currying favor with people, tired of seeing vanity. I've changed my appearance and surname. I'm a baron and a businessman. "
It turned out that Theodore was a baron. He was a rebellious descendant of the family. After returning from his studies, he disdained to be perfunctory with those vain women who were aiming for his identity as the heir. He was tired of the endless toasts and banquets, so he made a bet with his companions and snuck into a noble's traveling ship with a third-rank identity.
The audience was shocked by this unforeseen event. Merchant Theodore was actually a baron?
They heard Theodore sing: "Meet the maid, find out her identity. That young lady, could it be that she's narrow-minded and intolerant, telling me to break the bet? "
He sneered and said, "I'll test her!"
After that, sure enough, when Nightingale and Theodore met on various occasions on the ship, they went back and forth, testing each other, hoping to suppress each other.
However, there were wins and losses, and they were evenly matched.
After a series of laughter and misunderstandings, the two of them gradually understood each other. After many confrontations, they realized that they had the same arrogance in their hearts, and they both hated hypocrisy and the atmosphere of looking at others.
Nightingale seemed arrogant, but she was actually affectionate, kind, and cynical.
Theodore seemed arrogant, but he was actually talented and meticulous.
"So he's a bosom friend."
"She's actually sincere."
The two of them couldn't help but have feelings for each other.
Enemies suddenly became bosom buddies.
The entire venue was filled with a sweet atmosphere. Even the audience smiled knowingly when they saw this.
At this moment, Nightingale's mother found out about their frequent interactions and gradually developed feelings for each other.
This was a noble lady who wanted her daughter to marry into a good family. When she found out that her daughter was secretly interacting with a third-rank merchant, she was furious and angrily put Nightingale under house arrest.
Nightingale was not afraid at all. She entrusted Sister Red to deliver letters for her and act as a middleman. She met Theodore in private and pledged her love.
The two of them met more frequently in private, and paper could not hide the fire. Finally, Nightingale's mother and family found out.
It was a scandal for a man and a woman to be in love in private, not to mention a noble daughter and a merchant boy.
On a dark and windy night, Theodore was invited out in the name of Nightingale with a sweet heart. She said that she wanted to discuss eloping.
Theodore was still thinking on the deck: Although I love her, I can't neglect her. Tonight, I'll reveal my name, and from then on, I'll be engaged to the beauty, and the two families will be together forever.
But he was hit in the head. The servants of the Nightingale family, who had been lying in ambush, swarmed forward. Under the command of Nightingale's mother, they threw the unconscious "merchant boy" into the vast sea.
"Too cruel!" Crémont heard the angry whispers of the youths around him.
*
"Too cruel!" Queen Lillian saw this and burst into tears. She made a gesture in front of her chest and prayed. "God, bless this poor baron!"
The Queen's prayer seemed to have worked.
On the stage, the next day, Nightingale learned of her mother's understatement and was devastated. She was under house arrest and stopped eating. She washed her face with tears and called out Theodore's name day and night.
God probably heard the prayers of this believer day and night. The curtain on the stage fell again, showing that seven days had passed.
Theodore appeared on the stage again!
He was still alive.
Theodore was well-versed in both the pen and the sword and had a strong physique. After being hit and falling into the water, he quickly woke up, but the ship had already sailed away. He relied on himself and swam to the port, where he found his good friend, Captain Shar of the Sea Guard, and received help.
For the first time, he couldn't wait to restore his surname and go back to announce his identity. He wanted to give those villains who loved glory and wealth a slap in the face so that he could marry his beloved girl.
But Shar told him a piece of unfortunate news.
While he was floating on the sea, the Sea Guard received reliable information: pirates were eyeing the rich, aristocratic tourist ship Lily.
*
The scene on the stage changed again.
"Isn't this a little too fast? It doesn't fit the situation. "A young man with some knowledge of theater appreciation muttered, but he heard a" shh "from beside him.
He saw a pair of green eyes like a spring lake blink disapprovingly, indicating that he should be quiet. He couldn't help but blush and didn't dare to make a sound.
On the stage, Nightingale was frightened and weak in the corner of the room. She heard the sound of fighting, screaming, and crying outside the door.
They had encountered pirates.
While she was curled up in a ball and praying, the door was kicked open.
Nightingale mustered her courage and was about to pick up a pointed candlestick to commit suicide. She didn't want to be humiliated by the pirates, but in front of her was Theodore, who was holding a gun and covered in blood, like a god.
Theodore's eyes were filled with stars. He hugged the frightened Nightingale and kissed her very gently.
"I'm here. In the name of God, in the name of you. "
*
"I'm here. In the name of God, in the name of you. "
The Empress clasped her hands and watched this scene. Along with Nightingale on the stage, the prayers stopped. In a daze, with red eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her body swayed, and she seemed to be a little dizzy.
Hathaway hurriedly supported her. "Your Highness, you've been concentrating all day. Take a rest first. It won't be too late to watch the next show tomorrow. His Majesty will be distressed if you do this. "
The noble ladies who were lucky enough to accompany the Empress to watch the palace performance were also constantly wiping their tears, as if they were thinking of something sweet and touching.
"Oh, oh." When the Empress heard His Majesty's name, she came back to her senses. She looked at the stage with some reluctance, but still restrained herself meekly. She suddenly asked Hathaway in a low voice, "Do you know the name of this author?"
Hathaway did know.
It was just that she admired this author, so she didn't reveal the author's name in front of others.
"Anna," she said. "This author's pen name is Anna."
After a pause, she added, "A female author."
*
"A female author?" Ocot raised his thick eyebrows and waved the newspaper. "This is the information you got. Are you sure, Daniel?"
Daniel touched his nose and was a little embarrassed. "I heard from Abat's friends that it was written in their tabloids. However, I personally think that the person named 'Anna' might not necessarily be a female author. It's not like you don't know that there are writers who use the pen name of a certain lady, but are actually bearded and full of muscles! "
"I think that these tabloids who rely on nonsense to survive might be right for once," Ocot said. Ocot said, "Although these two plays seem to have different themes, genres, and styles, they actually have something in common. It's a kind of delicate and deep emotion, a kind of meticulous observation ability, and a touching method to move one's heart."
He pushed the manuscript away carelessly and stood up. "I'm going to Abat."
"Go to Abat?" Daniel was stunned.
"I want to meet this playwright," Ocot said. "I admire these talented literary authors. This kind of talent can't just stay in a place like Abat. "
Daniel blinked. "Okay. I'll go with you. However, you might not be the only one who wants to meet this author. "
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