Chapter 152: The Problem of Continuing the Lineage
At the welcome ball that evening, Clémentine showed her true social butterfly nature, joking and playing around with the nobles of Versailles, quickly becoming the center of attention.
Queen Mary watched her niece with satisfaction, nodding repeatedly, thinking, 'How wonderful it would be if she were my daughter-in-law.'
Any noble young ladies from Versailles who dared approach the Crown Prince were promptly warded off by his little cousin's fierce glares, allowing Joseph to enjoy a rare, relaxed ball.
Later that night, Joseph and Louis XVI emerged from the ball side by side.
The father and son chatted for a while about training percussion cap musket artisans. The King suddenly motioned for his attendants to step away, then pulled his son close and whispered, "Clémentine, the Grand Duchess, is very healthy and lively, but Princess Maria seems even smarter. Honestly, both of them are quite good."
"Indeed, they are quite good."
"So, what are your thoughts?"
Joseph turned his head in confusion. "Thoughts about what?"
Louis XVI gave a knowing smile, patting his son's shoulder. "Tell me honestly, which of them do you truly prefer? Ah, never mind your mother's opinion; marrying the person you like is what truly matters."
He couldn't really be blamed for being oblivious; in his subconscious, it was impossible for him to associate girls so young with the idea of a fiancée, which caused him to overlook such an obvious matter.
Joseph was instantly speechless. Maria was acceptable enough; though young, at least she had... *ahem*, a bit more of a womanly figure.
But Clémentine was clearly undeveloped, just a mere child! This was practically a crime!
Not to mention she was his first cousin. Was he aware of the dangers of marrying a close relative? He certainly didn't want to father a bunch of children with intellectual disabilities...
Joseph thought for a moment, then whispered, "Dear father, what if I don't like either of them?"
"Ah?" Louis XVI frowned. "My dear Joseph, as far as I know, you only seem to have that female doctor by your side, and you haven't, ah, been intimate with her, have you?"
"You must tell me the truth, are you... there..."
He glanced at his son's nether regions, asking with a worried expression, "Is it very tight, perhaps even painful? If so, trust me, a simple doctor's procedure can resolve it. Don't delay it for too long, as I did back then..."
Joseph paused, then realized that his father was likely referring to the problem of, well, being too long—a condition that had caused the King difficulties in that regard after his own marriage. Was he projecting his own experience, suspecting Joseph might have a similar issue?
Joseph quickly waved his hand. "No, no, thank you for your concern, I'm perfectly normal."
Unexpectedly, Louis XVI's expression grew even more serious. "Joseph, if you happen to... prefer men, you still must fulfill the duties of a Crown Prince..."
"Don't get the wrong idea!" Joseph was utterly exasperated. 'Isn't it perfectly normal not to have a lover when I'm only 14? Why is Father thinking so much into this?'
Oh, right. He frowned inwardly. 'Indeed, nobles of this era were expected to start indulging in romantic affairs by 14... Did he really need to find a mistress just to prove he was physically sound and of normal orientation?'
He could only earnestly tell the King, "Father, I truly just haven't met the right person. You needn't worry. As for the two princesses... my energy is currently focused on making France stronger. The rest can wait a few more years."
Louis XVI immediately spoke with sincere and earnest intent. "My boy, I know you have great ambitions, and you will undoubtedly become an excellent king someday, but you can also manage things with women as well..."
The father and son continued their conversation as they walked, and before they knew it, the night had grown even deeper.
Joseph, suffering an aching head from his father's relentless lectures on the "belief" of continuing the lineage, was pondering how to escape when he suddenly saw a white shadow 'whoosh' past him, instantly vanishing down the corridor.
"Watch out!" The Swiss Guard, responsible for their protection, immediately formed a circle, shielding the King and Crown Prince.
Then, a petite figure, followed by several attendants, hurried over, asking in clumsy French, "Have you seen Monsieur Moustache?"
"Clémentine?" Joseph was quite surprised. "Monsieur Moustache... what's wrong with your cat?"
"He's run off!" The little girl's face flushed red with anxiety. "He's usually very obedient, but for some reason today, he desperately wanted to run out, and I couldn't stop him..."
Joseph remembered the white shadow from earlier and quickly pointed down the corridor behind them. "He probably ran that way."
"Thank you, cousin," Clémentine called to the two maids behind her. "Let's hurry and follow!"
Joseph quickly held her back. "You haven't been to Versailles before; running around aimlessly like this, you'll easily get lost."
"What should I do then?" The little girl was on the verge of tears.
Joseph signaled to Clauzel. "Please, would you mind taking some men to look for the cat?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Meanwhile, Louis XVI also ordered the Swiss Guard to join the search for the cat. In an instant, dozens of guards put down their muskets and sabers, shedding their heavy gear to become cat hunters.
Joseph also wanted to take the opportunity to escape his father's continued nagging about continuing the lineage, so he called out to Clémentine and joined her on the cat hunt.
Before long, utter chaos began to erupt throughout Versailles Palace.
As the guard detail knocked open door after door, they usually found two panic-stricken individuals, hastily donning their clothes. And no, these were not exactly husband and wife scenarios.
Of course, this was a perfectly normal phenomenon in France at that time; anyone who didn't have several lovers simply lacked charm.
On Joseph's side, Clémentine was even more efficient, knocking on doors, offering a pathetic apology, and then entering to search for the cat. Since she had made acquaintances with most of the nobles at the ball today, and had a sweet tongue, not a single person got angry with her for interrupting their private affairs.
That was until she knocked on a door on the second floor of the South Wing, from which an annoyed roar erupted. "Don't you see what time it is? What do you want?!"
Joseph blinked. That voice sounded familiar, almost like... Interior Minister Monnot?
The little girl pleaded in a sweet and charming voice, "I am truly sorry to disturb you. But my beloved cat has run off, and I was hoping to look for him here. May God bless you, kind sir."
"There's no cat here!"
"He's very good at hiding. The air vent on your door is big enough for him to squeeze through. Please! I'll just look for a minute, that's all."
Silence fell within the room.
But the little girl was very patient, pleading desperately and knocking on the door intermittently.
Finally, the occupants inside couldn't hold out any longer. What sounded like a man and woman arguing in low voices ceased. Then, the door opened, and a noblewoman with disheveled hair, hastily wrapped in clothes, quickly walked out with her head down, turning a corner and disappearing up the stairs.
Joseph was immediately stunned. 'Wasn't that the wife of Marquis Saint-Priest?'
"Thank you!" Clémentine, utterly oblivious to the chaos she had caused, cheerfully darted into the room, directing her maids to search for the cat.
Joseph, meanwhile, met Monnot's gaze from where the minister sat on the edge of the bed, and they exchanged a knowing smile.
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