"What?" When Crown Prince Alexander said that his father was actually planning to receive him, Fran was inevitably amazed. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info "Your ...... Father? ”

She looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in disbelief, and naturally greatly satisfied the other party's vanity.

"yes, don't you remember? We wanted you to show us your prowess and talent for painting – that is, to paint us portraits, but now that the opportunity has come, why don't we seize it? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was still smiling, "Or do you want to give us a show?" ”

"No...... No, that's not what I meant. Fran quickly shook her head, she didn't dare to say that she looked down on the Russian Tsar and the royal family, "I just think it's ...... It's amazing, it's honorable, according to the general opinion, your father must be very busy, too much to be overwhelmed by domestic and foreign affairs......"

"Unfortunately, you're right, our Majesty is so busy - who called him the most indispensable man in this empire?" Crown Prince Alexander smiled and nodded, "But even so, my father is willing to take a little time for me, and even more so for you, after all, he also wants to meet you, who have recently become famous...... Is it as good and cute as I said. ”

"Is that so?" This compliment, intentional or unintentional, made Fran blush slightly, "I...... I'm really afraid that I won't live up to your and Your Majesty's expectations......"

"As long as you're as humble as you are now, I don't think anyone will be disappointed in you." Crown Prince Alexander said firmly, then pointed to a path in the corridor, "Well, let's go now, and don't waste my poor father's time any longer." ”

With that, he continued to lead the way with his head held high, and the people who passed by saluted them, whether they were uniformed attendants and guards, or courtiers and officers in formal robes, and this display of power, which Crown Prince Alexander had obviously become accustomed to and did not think was much worth showing off, but which Fran felt very strange - or rather, it was the first time she had encountered so many people who treated her with deference, though not because of herself.

Soon, they passed through the corridors and several foyers, and finally came to the door of a hall, when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince stopped and waited outside with Fran, evidently that His Majesty had agreed to take time out to receive the Mademoiselle de Treville, but he still had to deal with the business of state first.

They didn't wait long, though, and soon the door to the room opened, and several officers wearing military uniforms and ribbons walked out, and they immediately saluted the crown prince outside and left.

At the signal of a court attendant, Crown Prince Alexander sorted out his clothes quite easily, and then made a gesture to Fran, who also quickly tidied up his clothes, and then walked out lightly behind His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

As soon as she walked inside, she was wrapped in the golden light of the sky, which was a golden light, both bright and a little trance-like, as if she had entered a treasure trove of myths, and even the air seemed to have a little more heat of fire.

Fran knew it was just a psychological effect on her, but there was nothing wrong with that, it was indeed a pile of wealth here. It was a hall made of amber and gold, and although she had known this for a long time, she couldn't help but be amazed when she was actually in it and was shocked by the refracted golden light.

It took her moment to regain her consciousness from the shock, then she paused for a moment to look around, then glanced around with a gaze that was not greedy but admiring.

As far as the eye can see, panels of jewels and diamonds, with amber patchwork of various patterns, glittering in the bright candlelight and reflections, are enough to make one wonder if you have arrived in another world.

This is indeed an elaborate alternate world, but it is not a Russian creation, but a precious relic of Prussia, Frederick I, the founder of Prussia, who was known for his luxury.

As a small German country at that time, Prussia was a small country, with even more barren land and low agricultural yields, and was a down-and-out poor country, which could not be compared with other European powers in terms of national wealth. However, as a country on the Baltic coast, Prussia had a precious specialty - amber, and Frederick I, although a pioneering king, was also a monarch who was very fond of profligacy and extravagance, and regarded King Louis XIV of France as his idol.

As it was difficult to surpass Louis XIV in the court, he tried to lay out the king's pedigree elsewhere, and finally he decided to make an entire hall out of amber as a specialty, so as to be on a par with the King of France in one respect, and thanks to his efforts, the amber room was finally built a few years later, and it became a rarity.

However, after the death of Frederick I, he was succeeded by his son Frederick Wilhelm I, a king with a strange and cruel personality, his favorite thing was the army, and the most hated was luxury, so he could not get used to the treasure left by his father, and at this time he sought the alliance of Peter the Great because of his opposition to Sweden, so he gave the Amber Room as a gift to Peter the Great, and this magnificent hall became the most precious treasure in the possession of the Romanov dynasty.

There is no doubt that, from a general point of view, the undisguised decoration of wealth is a kind of boring accumulation and ostentation, very tacky, but this tackiness is no longer cheesy at a certain level, but an art, at least a tacky art, and this is the apex of that art.

As a semi-professional painter, that kind of beauty really touched her deeply.

It was only then that she noticed a man sitting in the center of the hall.

It was a tall middle-aged man who wore a dark green Russian-style military uniform with a large medal pinned to his chest. His face is oval, with a thick mustache on his lips, and with a military uniform and medals, he looks like a general who is about to lead troops into battle, and there is an unquestionable sense of authority in his seriousness.

However, even though she knew that this person was the supreme of the largest empire in the world, Fran did not have the shock she felt when she first entered this hall, because, in her heart, she didn't feel that these emperors were so strange that she needed to bow down.

With outward respect, she curtsied to His Majesty the Tsar. "Hello, Your Majesty."

"You're Mademoiselle de Treville?" His Majesty the Tsar glanced at Fran rather indifferently, and then asked calmly. "It's nice to meet you, you are indeed as beautiful as he says."

Like his own son, he used very standard French, but he was equally lacking in enthusiasm.

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty." Fran saluted again, and then shrank as if very uneasy, "But I also ask you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not to continue to praise me like this, otherwise I will really feel very uneasy." ”

Somewhat surprised, His Majesty the Emperor looked at Fran again, this time with a little more interest. "Why do you say that? As you know, not everyone gets my praise. ”

"Because I know I don't deserve your praise, and I have a lot less to do with others," Fran replied respectfully, "and I don't want to be praised for my looks......"

"Oh, what a sensible girl!" His Majesty the Emperor couldn't help but laugh, then shrugged his shoulders slightly, "I'm glad you're so sensible at your age, but I have to say it adds to your beauty—"

Then, he glanced at Crown Prince Alexander next to him, "And I heard him say, you are very good at painting?" ”

"I can't say it's superb, but I did spend a lot of time learning." Fran replied in a low voice.

"So—may I take the liberty of asking you to leave me a few portraits?" The emperor asked with a smile.

Although his smile is a little stiff because of the military uniform and serious expression on his body, this easy-going attitude is rarely shown to others.

Although Fran did not know how much favor she had received, she did know that the Emperor of the Russian Empire was intent on winning her favor. And as Emperor of the Russian Empire, he must have had countless people around him who helped him paint his portraits - and as a tsar, his portraits would be hung in official offices and public places all over the country - and he had no shortage of people to paint his portraits.

Therefore, in the final analysis, it is not her painting skills that the other party values, but her special identity.

"As the Emperor, you have countless important things to do, so I don't dare to disturb your time too much......" Fran whispered back.

"It's okay, now that I'm free, you can do it today, and I can enjoy a rare leisure, you can use this place as a background to paint a portrait of me." His Majesty the Tsar smiled and spread his hands, "Of course, I would like to ask you to finish this work, after all, I still need to meet the people outside at the dinner later." ”

"If you don't mind, we can start ...... now" Seeing this, Fran was not ready to refuse, she looked around with a slight hesitation, "But...... I don't have the tools around me. ”

"Luckily we have what we have, and it's the best." His Majesty the Tsar smiled and nodded, then reached out and pulled the bell line next to the desk, and soon a uniformed court attendant walked in without squinting.

"Bring me the painting tools for this young lady." After the attendants had left, His Majesty the Tsar turned his gaze back to Fran, "Now you will soon be ready to begin your work - I look forward to it." ”

"I hope I don't disappoint you." Fran replied slightly nervously.

In addition to her nervousness, she was also a little excited, because it was the first time she had painted a portrait of such a big man - for whatever reason, it was a rare opportunity for her.

"If you could, could you paint more? I would like to present two portraits to your brother and His Majesty the Emperor. At this moment, His Majesty the Tsar suddenly spoke again, "My portrait will be taken back to France by you as a proof of the friendship ......of the Russians" (to be continued. )