At the Russian New Year Ball in 1751, Empress Elizabeth played a masquerade ball for men and women.

All men, including Peter, were dressed in ornate dresses and long silk stockings, while the Empress and Catherine wore green Praetorian Guard officer attire, and even the ladies of the court at the ball were dressed in the style of male nobles.

"Your Highness, this morning, Her Majesty the Empress came to talk to me"

Catherine, dressed as a handsome Praetorian Guard, put her arms around Peter's waist like a male knight, while Peter put his arms around her shoulders.

"Ha, I've already guessed, otherwise Duke Saltykov wouldn't have rushed all the way back from Vienna"

Peter did not look Catherine in the eyes, but stared at a pair of dancers not far away.

"Your Highness, please do not doubt my loyalty, I have no personal relationship with Duke Saltykov"

"Well, I know, after all, he's married, and he's in Vienna."

This Count Saltykov can be called Catherine's first lover in history, and Peter is naturally wary of the possibility of being green, even if the former Peter and the Duke are close friends.

"But Your Highness, if we don't... I'm afraid..."

Even on this night of warm and joyous celebrations, Catherine's expression was still gloomy and hesitant.

"Are you afraid that you will not be able to come back for the rest of your life when you are sent by your aunt to the monastery in the North Pole? Do you need me to find another woman to prove that it's my problem, not yours, so you're satisfied? ”

Peter's tone was a little cold.

"Not like this, Your Highness!"

Ekaterina said urgently.

"You can't blame Your Highness, it's all my fault, it's my stomach that doesn't fight... It's just that I hope that Your Highness, I beg you to increase the frequency of your visits in the future..."

Speaking of this, Catherine's originally pale face was only slightly ruddy.

"I think if we can increase... maybe..."

"Well, I'll think about it. Winter in St. Petersburg is so cold that it seems that I have to find more things to do in the house."

"Then thank you, Your Highness!"

"Don't say that, maybe it's really my problem, right?"

Peter smiled with the corners of his mouth upturned.

It has been more than half a year since their first time, and as a result, Catherine's belly has not changed at all, and for Empress Elizabeth, the later the heir is born, the greater the danger to the empire, which she must not tolerate, which is why she constantly puts pressure on Catherine.

Suddenly, all the music stopped, and I saw an old man in a black robe and a white beard, supported by two slightly younger old men, enter the ball hall.

"The Bible says that a woman should not wear a man's clothes, and a man should not wear a woman's skirt, because it is the act of a blaphemer."

Empress Elizabeth's eyes flashed with a hint of anger, and then she changed to a beaming expression to greet her.

"Don't be angry, Your Excellency Bishop, it's just a joke, it's just a masquerade."

The Empress raised her hand, and the cheerful music began again.

"There's another thing that I'm very unhappy about, and I want to talk to you about it"

The protagonist responds with a look of disdain.

The Empress pursed her lips and left the banquet hall with the bishop.

"It seems that my aunt doesn't want to see the bishop show up."

Peter took Catherine's hand and continued to dance.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid that the Bishop should be here for something important this time."

"Ha, it doesn't have anything to do with me anyway, let them go. By the way, you can dance with Duke Saltykov in a while, after all, old acquaintances rarely see each other."

Peter laughed playfully.

"Your Highness, please don't say that, I don't have any undeserved relationship with the Duke..."

"I've already said it, everyone is an acquaintance, it doesn't matter"

"Can I think Your Highness is jealous?"

Catherine was a little angry, and her tone suddenly turned cold.

"Jealousy? Of course, Saltykov is tall and handsome, very attractive to women, it is said that he has read countless women, he is a veteran of the love field, and many ignorant girls have been planted in his hands"

When he said this, Peter deliberately put a small provocation against the base of Catherine's ear.

"Poof, Your Highness, you're really scaring me, okay! I just realized that when Your Highness is jealous, you are so cute and playful."

Catherine gave him a smirk.

"And I can feel the raging fire from the eyes of the two of you."

Peter pressed against Catherine's cheek, but his gaze swept over his shoulder to the duke, who was drinking alone not far away.

"Don't worry, Saltykov is a good man, he just can't help himself, only the game world can enjoy a moment of self and pleasure"

"Your Highness, is this implying something?"

Catherine recalled her conversation with Empress Elizabeth in the morning, and her brow was cloudy.

"I suddenly remembered a poem: We are all in a hurry to get away and forget the way out, seeking occasional satisfaction in disappointment; We are all relieved of the suffering of wakefulness in our dreams, alone in the lamplight; Since there is no end, let's go back to the original point, I think we all don't care."

Peter remembered a song that had been looped all night and read it out in Russian.

“... Your Highness, I think I can understand your feelings at the moment, I can empathize, really, I..."

Catherine's eyes were rosy.

"Okay, today is a happy day, I wish we can all be relieved of our boredom"

At the end of the song, the two immediately separated their holding hands.

Perhaps, this little trick of wanting to indulge in the past can really capture Catherina's heart.

Peter thought as he walked.