Just after 10 a.m. on Saturday, the day before the Lord's Day, a young man in a hood, a loose lacing tunic with bag-like sleeves, a silver cavalry cuirass, leggings and high riding boots, and a cross-handed half-sword at his waist galloped through a deserted, narrow street on a black warhorse.

Perhaps, he did not know that the street was called Austin Fia Street, or that the Draber Hall, the official residence of the Chief Minister of State, the Count of Áachs, was the property of the royal family. His first visit to the city of London was guided by a few merchants and apprentices to a nearby street. Although he was tempted to pull over to the side of the road and drink some ale before heading away, the letter in the saddlebag seemed to remind him that he must complete the task of delivering the letter at once.

The young man reined in his running horse and stopped in front of a traditional two-story house with white walls and black wooden frames. He looked up at the house, and then at the motionless manservant standing outside the door of the house.

He took the letter from his saddlebag and walked towards the manservant. The manservant spotted the young man and nodded slightly in respect of him, "Squire, do you have any business here?" ”

"Is this the residence of the most famous artist in Europe, the court painter Herr Hans Holbein the Younger?" The attendant asked directly.

"Yes, squire."

"I am the Duke of Richmond's bodyguard, and here is a letter to be given to Mr. Holbein."

When the manservant heard the word duke, he blinked in disbelief and took the letter with both hands, "Please wait, squire." ”

At this time, the court painter was sitting with two new merchants drinking and chatting in the small garden behind the house. One of the woolen merchants complimented the painter with a smile on his face, "Dear Mr. Holbein, the portrait you have painted of me is really beautiful. Not only can the words on the stationery placed on the table be depicted, but even the pattern of the tablecloth is depicted in such detail. ”

Another grocer smiled and said, "Mr. Holbein is a famous artist in Europe, if he can't even paint these things, how can he paint for His Majesty the King, members of the royal family, nobles and ministers?" ”

Hans Holbein Jr. smiled dismissively, and just drank his wine. At this time, he was planning another thing in his mind, "The portrait of Queen Anne that His Majesty is painting for me is angry with the Secretary of State. But why should the title of Earl of Essex, Minister of State, be bestowed upon him, and the post of Lord of the Seals? ”

"Whatever it takes, as long as Thomas can continue to stay with His Majesty, my portrait will not be afraid that no one will buy it."

A middle-aged manservant came to the little garden with a letter, came to little Hans and saluted, and then whispered, "My lord, a letter has been sent from a man who claims to be the Duke of Richmond's bodyguard. ”

"Oh...? Give me the letter quickly. Little Hans put down his glass and took the letter from the manservant's hand.

After the manservant left, the grocer sitting opposite looked at the painter's expression, "Sir, is it your wife who wrote a letter to you?" ”

"Wait." Little Hans looked up at the grocer, and as he opened the letter and stretched out the letter, he saw a beautiful hand of French font. While reading the contents of the letter, he replied to his fellow merchant with a smile, "No, it was not written by my wife, it was a letter written to me by Miss Anne Parr, the lady-in-waiting of Queen Anne of Cleves. ”

The merchant looked at the painter enviously and praised him, "Sir, I didn't expect you to get acquainted with the lady-in-waiting who served the queen. ”

The grocer took the wine glass and glanced at the painter's relaxed face, "That's for sure. The gentleman can paint for His Majesty and the Queen, and of course he will get acquainted with the young and beautiful lady-in-waiting. ”

"Yes, I made a pencil portrait of Miss Anne Parr a few years ago." Little Hans had finished reading the letter. At this time, his face became a little solemn, "Partners, do you know? Queen Anne's lady-in-chamberlain intended to introduce me to a nobleman of the highest rank and let me paint for him. ”

"The highest rank of nobility? My God, what kind of aristocrat will this be? The woollen merchant immediately stood up and walked over to little Hans to see what was written in the letter.

The court painter unhurriedly rolled the letter back into a letterbox, put it on the small table on one side, and looked at the two merchants in the city of London, "Friends, this nobleman is... The noblest Prince Henry, Duke of Richmond and Somerset I. ”

The two merchants looked at him dumbfounded, and the velvet merchant, who looked a little older, nodded, "Well, I know who this duke is. When the Duke sailed down the Thames to Bredwell House in the west of London on a barge more than a decade ago, many people stood by the river to express their most pious wishes to him. ”

"I've heard about the Duke of Richmond, too. Guys, let's keep drinking. ”

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Just after 5 a.m. on Monday, the rising sun was once again in the sky on time. About two hours later, the court painter walked out of the room on the second floor in a newly made costume, and when he came to the studio on the first floor, he looked at the painting assistant standing outside the door, a young manservant, "Have I packed all my painting tools?" ”

The boy saluted respectfully and replied, "Yes, sir." ”

"Well, grab something and lead the horse."

"Yes, sir."

Before little Hans Holbein could get up, Isabel Walton jumped out of bed with the rising sun. After washing up and dressing, he instructed the manservant on duty to bring some bread, fruit, and red wine to the dining room. When several of the manservants, under the supervision of the housekeeper of the manor, had placed the plates on the table in turn, Isabel asked the butler, "Has anyone come to the manor since I came back last night?" ”

The neatly dressed butler saluted and replied solemnly, "No, miss." ”

"I see. If two people claiming to be His Highness's guards come to the manor within today, let them in. ”

"Yes, miss."

"There you go."

As soon as the butler turned around, Isabel stopped him again, "Butler, go tell a few of the guards who came with me to tell Fast that they can eat something first." Then, come to the back garden at 8 o'clock and come to me with your own sword. ”

Isabelle's purpose in telling the butler was to practice the sword that the Earl of Surrey had given her yesterday. Since there was no mature related swordsmanship at this time, she had to sum up a set of stabbing swordsmanship from the battle training with Fast and others.