Chapter 1379: A Moment of Spring Night is Worth a Thousand Gold
In the guest room on the west side of the Crown Prince's bedroom.
Joseph's younger brother, Charles; the Count of Artois's sons, Antoine and Ferdinand; the Duke of Broglie's grandson, Achille Léonce; Baron Breti's son, Louis Auguste; and about a dozen other young men from France's most influential noble families were making merry around the Crown Prince.
Two of them played music on a violin and a guitar, while the others tossed Joseph towards the ceiling, all the while singing loudly:
"On the battlefield, late at night, the horns blare, Joseph is already prepared.
With determination and conviction etched on his face, The warrior still stands tall at dawn..."
The tune was indeed "Glory and Victory," but the lyrics had been completely mangled.
In the room on the other side of the bedroom, the Countess of Provence held a makeup box, diligently curling the Crown Princess's eyelashes.
Under her tireless efforts, Alexandra's already long eyelashes became even more exquisitely curled, making her large eyes appear incredibly alluring.
Standing behind Alexandra, the Countess of Debeninac gravely explained the important considerations for a wedding night. Although Alexandra had long since learned all this in court etiquette lessons, hearing it again still brought a flush to her cheeks.
The Countess of Provence raised her knee, braced it against the Crown Princess's back, and pulled hard to tighten the corset laces, then deftly tied a knot.
After another noblewoman helped Alexandra into a white skirt suit with light purple patterns, she patted Alexandra's back and smiled, "Go on, Your Highness, you look absolutely captivating!"
Amidst the cheers of the assembled nobles, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were ushered out from the rooms on either side of the bedroom.
After a long wait, Louis XVI finally lowered his head with difficulty and said, "Well, please retire."
Charles and Antoine helped Joseph shed his outer garments.
On the other side, two noblewomen also took Alexandra's skirt.
Under the eager gazes of everyone present, Joseph, dressed in his shirt and breeches, leaped onto the bed.
Alexandra reacted swiftly, taking a few steps to climb onto the bed and lie beside him. Then, with an unspoken understanding, they pulled up the covers.
Duke d'Aiguillon and the other grand nobles immediately looked at Queen Mary with "disappointment."
"That's enough," Joseph quickly declared. "Old customs always have to change."
Queen Mary smiled and gestured to a nearby maid, "Alright, alright, hand out the candies to everyone."
Soon, every noble present received a handful of exquisite candies.
This signaled the end of the "body inspection" ritual for the newlyweds.
Seeing that both the King and Queen had given their approval, the nobles had no choice but to abandon the "honorable" inspection ritual. Uttering blessings, they smilingly tossed candies onto the matrimonial bed.
This was a French custom, symbolizing a sweet life for the newly wedded couple, much like candy.
Even after the "candy rain" ceased, the nobles were reluctant to leave. It wasn't until they saw the Crown Prince's knife-sharp gaze that Archbishop Brienne and Mirabeau were the first to turn and take their leave.
Only then did the others realize the "traditional activities" were truly off, and grumbled to themselves as they followed them out.
The moment the bedroom door slammed shut, Joseph quickly brushed the candies off the bed, grumbling to himself, 'It would have been better to scatter some red dates or peanuts instead; at least they wouldn't make the bed sticky, and I could even eat them if I got hungry and tired.'
Once the bed was tidied, he turned his head and met Alexandra's large eyes...
In the corridor, several "tradition-minded" nobles still refused to leave, attempting to peek through the keyhole into the room—a practice that was permitted within Versailles.
Two Royal Guard soldiers immediately stepped forward to stop them. "Gentlemen, we apologize, but His Highness has given orders that no one is to approach within ten meters."
Those nobles tried to emphasize "tradition" again, but then they saw the Royal Guards unholster their rifles from their backs.
Indeed, these were soldiers personally chosen by Joseph, men who had fought alongside him on the battlefield, guaranteeing their unwavering execution of orders.
The "tradition-minded" faction fled in a panic. Not long after, seven or eight "maids" arrived, carrying towels, water cups, and other items. Seeing the guards blocking the way, they wisely stood outside the door.
However, all of them had their ears perked, and some were even glancing at the square cover plates on the wall—those were likely "observation ports," where only lower-ranking nobles, unable to enter the room, would previously have peeked to watch the Crown Prince and Crown Princess on their wedding night.
At this moment, that was their "only hope."
Little did they know, Joseph had long since ordered the observation ports to be bricked up.
Less than ten minutes later, what sounded like talking emerged from the bedroom. Several "maids" were just beginning to stir when Camelia quickly approached, demanding sternly, "I don't recognize you. Who are you?"
The Royal Guards immediately moved closer, alert, and in the lamplight, noticed stubble on one of the maids' chins.
Soon, these nobles, disguised as maids, were unceremoniously chased away...
Inside the bedroom, Joseph gently wrapped his arms around Alexandra's waist, feeling her warm, soft body press tightly against his.
The girl's eyes were tightly shut, her nostrils filled with the man's robust scent. A profound sense of happiness made her tremble slightly.
From the first time she saw the Crown Prince, she had been captivated by his handsome appearance and his legendary deeds, moving from admiration to worship, and then from worship to ardent love...
More than a decade had passed, and now she could finally be certain that this most exceptional man in all of Europe belonged to her!
And in the days to come, she would forever belong to him.
She tried to recall the "key movements" that the Countess of Debeninac had just explained, but her mind felt utterly blank, and her body was so weak she couldn't exert any strength. For a moment, she was completely flustered.
It wasn't until Joseph cradled her flushed, pretty face and gently kissed her.
His lips felt like a raging flame, melting her instantly.
The Crown Prince's hand slid towards her neckline, making her breath quicken.
"Your Highness..."
Just as Joseph unfastened the first button, he suddenly detected a faint movement outside the window.
He frowned, gestured for Alexandra to remain silent, then padded barefoot to the window, gently drawing back the curtains. Outside the second-floor corner window, about seven or eight meters away, several figures were "hanging."
It seemed the spot was too crowded, as they were jostling each other back and forth, which was what had created the sound.
"You're absolutely—!" Joseph's face darkened, but from the corner of his eye, he suddenly spotted several more people perched in the tree opposite the window.
He turned, ready to order the Royal Guards to chase these audacious characters away, but then he realized that these "peeping toms" might all be hereditary dukes, counts, or even princes.
If the guards chased them away once, they would dare to come a second and a third time.
He shook his head, turned, and brightened the lamp wick, asking Alexandra, "My dear, did you bring your pistol?"
The Crown Princess's eyes lit up, and she nodded, "I always carry the things you give me."
"Excellent. May I borrow it?"
"Mmm!"
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