A royal attendant in a brightly colored uniform traversed the entire vestibule of the Golden Lake Palace, entering the more heavily guarded inner court area of the palace.

He passed through a thick oak-clad iron door, on the outer layer of which was a brass plaque fastened with rivets, on which was engraved a row of large, striking red letters:

The capital of the Valstad Empire, Fort Midknight, the inner court of the Golden Lake Palace, this place is the residence area of the royal family members of the Valstad Empire, uninvited personnel are strictly prohibited from entering, security alert level: SSS level (head of state level).

The Empire's most elite Guards Grenadier Battalion has set up a large number of armed posts here, and soldiers dressed in ornate Guards uniforms and armed with ammunition can be seen everywhere.

Twelve large-caliber cannons were erected on the forts on the left and right, and the road to the inner court of the palace was firmly blocked with crossfire.

The royal attendants passed through several gates and checkpoints to an open area with gardens and flower beds of different styles, gardeners toiling at work, stone paths paved with fallen leaves and flower petals, and several natural hot springs steaming.

During this period, the westernmost building was the residence of the Imperial Princess, and the royal chamberlain came to the door to report:

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty Princess Rosemary, there are people outside the palace who have asked to see you, according to the latest order from His Majesty the Emperor, we must not ignore the demands of the people, and we must inform you of this news, and I ask for your understanding."

"It's okay, I'm idle now, come in, squire, who asked to see me this time?"

"Uh...... It was a commoner man, who called himself Mr. Auberdin, the great artist of the Vale. The royal attendant said with a bitter face.

"Squire, what's that expression? Looks like you have some opinions about this man. ”

"Yes, I seriously suspect that there is an element of braggado in this person's self-introduction."

The royal chamberlain walked up to Princess Rosemary and whispered to her:

"Your Majesty, don't you see that guy is sneaky, looking like a hillbilly who has never seen the world, wearing a particularly cheesy embroidered silk jacket and an exaggerated pair of yellow leggings.

The clothes were apparently just bought from the shopping streets in the city, and the guy seemed to be trying to prove that he knew how to eat, but he didn't know how to wear them, and he even wore his belt upside down.

Your Majesty, in my opinion, this Mr. Auberdine is completely incompatible with the great artist, but rather like a vulgar country nouveau riche, who somehow made a windfall, a little spare money, but has never seen the world. ”

"Haha! Little Bourne, I love to hear you,

You are the most humorous of the royal chamberlains, if only everyone were like you, lately engaged in military training all day, and the entire Golden Lake Palace has become lifeless.

I don't think you should be a royal attendant, it's too condescending, change your career to be a courtier to make everyone happy! Hahaha! ”

"Rigoletto...... Makes sense, I'll consider your suggestion, Your Majesty. Excuse me, do you want to decline this request for this meeting? ”

The Rosemary Empress laughed a few times, then thought:

"Hmm...... Mr. Auberdine, I have some impression of the name, I can't remember who it is, and you know that there are so many people who ask to see me every day, most of them are here to deliver love letters, and they are idiots with desires and no brains!

Her Majesty the Mother Queen is really! She tasked me with meeting at least ten visitors a day, saying that in order to bring the royal family closer to the people, and to listen to their rude requests......

There are many scoundrels among these visitors...... When they saw me, they all looked squinting...... It's annoying! Sick of it! ”

"I'm sympathetic to what you're going through." The squire said.

Rosemary pursed her thin lips, and she tried to remember it again, but she still couldn't remember:

"Hey...... It's so hard for my forgetful brain, wait, did he mention the reason for asking to see me. ”

"As I mentioned, this man was carrying a very large picture frame with an oil painting in it, which you ordered a few days ago.

But we already have a lot of excellent court painters in Jinhu Palace, do you want me to blow this hillbilly away? Your Majesty the Princess? ”

"Oh! It's that group portrait painting! I remember! Princess Rosemary jumped to her feet with joy like a childish little girl, and said:

"It's a painting I ordered when I went out on an outing a while ago, so please ask this gentleman to come in! I'll see him in the parlor later. ”

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Half an hour later, a middle-aged man wearing a gentleman's wig and a silk coat walked into the inner court of the Jinhu Palace.

He stared at a pair of small dark eyes, and kept looking around,

Whether it was the gold leaf on the pillars or the jade ceiling above his head, it deeply stimulated his visual nerves.

He was amazed by the sight of the splendor along the way, and the most luxurious building he had ever seen before was the mayor's mansion.

He used to think that it was very luxurious and magnificent, but compared with the historic Jinhu Palace, he suddenly felt that the mansion of the mayor's family was pitiful.

After two successive guards guards, several guards confirmed that there were no weapons on his body and in the large box he was carrying, and only then was he allowed to let him go.

After that, he followed the royal attendants through a long corridor that was home to the famous Hall of Mirrors of the Golden Lake Palace, known as the "Continental Art Corridor of Olasis".

From time to time, he glanced at the armor or other works of art placed in the hallway, which were far inferior to the vast collection of the Imperial Museum,

As a folk artist, this fantastic journey is rare and unattainable, and what he has seen and heard along the way has made his heart surge.

As they approached the golden, leaf-covered gate, the royal attendant said, "Please wait a moment while I will go in and tell you." ”

Mr. Auberdine was pacing alone in the cloister, when suddenly he caught a glimpse of a famous painting by a famous ancient artist hanging on the wall, and he stopped to look at it, just as he was fascinated by it. ”

A tall royal salute came up to him:

"Mr. Auberdine, Her Majesty Princess Rosemary has agreed to meet you, please get dressed and dressed, please come here!"

They entered a large room flooded with sunlight, and the soaring floor-to-ceiling windows faced a tulip garden in the inner court of the Jinhu Palace, and the elegant fragrance of flowers wafted from the window, and from time to time colorful petals drifted into the room.

Near the stained glass, several aristocratic ladies sat on the sofa drinking tea and chatting.

They are all friends of the royal daughter, these girls from the aristocracy are well-dressed, their hair and makeup are extremely fashionable, and they are rare beauties to choose any one and put them on the street.

One of them, a tall girl with silver hair and golden eyes, stood up and said with a smile, "Long time no see, Mr. Auberdine. ”

"Thank you for meeting me." The painter respectfully held a slender jade hand and kissed the hand.

This beautiful girl is the light of Valstad, Princess Rosemary Midknight.

Her beauty is completely different from ordinary people, inheriting the characteristics of Empress Valsta, with a slightly otherworldly temperament, and does not look glamorous and tacky at all.

If the little princess Edgar is an undomesticated carnivorous bird of prey.

Then the eldest princess Rosemary in front of her is a statue of a saint suitable to be enshrined in the temple to be worshiped by the priest, which makes people feel sacred and inviolable.

Auberdine half-knelt down: "You are much more beautiful than you were a while ago, Your Majesty Princess." ”

Rosemary's expression didn't change, she had been sought after since she was a child, and she was tired of hearing such compliments, "Your work is going well, right?" ”

"To be honest, it didn't go well,

I'm a perfectionist, and I've undergone a few drastic revisions along the way.

I considered this painting the most important work of my life, worked on it for three months, and finally completed it last week.

Look, it's in this crate I'm carrying. ”

"Excellent! I can't wait to see it. Come on, I want to see the paintings. ”

Mr. Oberdeen carefully pried open the crate, and two tall Guards grenadiers grasped the upper corner of the frame with their white-gloved hands, and two valets grabbed the lower corner, revealing a huge group portrait of the group.

Princess Rosemary looked at the painting for a few seconds and looked very satisfied:

"You're really not talking big, Mr. Oberding, it's ten thousand times better than the best I can imagine!"

(I did it!) I did it! Approved by the royals! Now the road to the court painter is clear! Auberdine thought excitedly, still speaking with cautious modesty:

"I am really flattered to have your appreciation, Your Majesty."

"Sisters! Check it out! Rosemary beckoned to her girlfriends next to her, "This is the painting I ordered when I went out on an outing a while ago!"

On the canvas, the tall and muscular Baron Victor occupies a large space, and the Rosemary bird leans against his chest like a human.

Next to him, the tall, thin man with glasses was the crown prince Constance, and on the wheelchair he was pushing in his hand sat the marquis's son, Young Master William,

Princess Edgar was holding her twin brother Maxim, who seemed very lively, carefree, and optimistic.

Everyone's image is depicted in three parts, and it is hard to imagine that the painting was just based on the model's sketch and then created entirely from the artist's memory.

The princess's best friends looked at the oil painting and thought about it.

Some of them are choosing a wishful lover for themselves.

The most handsome of the most handsome princes, Prince Maxim, was a playboy, but also a famous drunkard and gambler.

Despite his notoriety, there was a steady stream of aristocratic maidens who took the initiative to pursue him.

Rosemary looked at the painting and said:

"It was a very uneventful journey, but it was also a good memory, and in a few years everyone should be married, and it is estimated that it will be difficult to have the opportunity to get together and travel again.

Servants, put it away for now, and later go to the craftsman to make a gilded frame, and I will hang it in my bedchamber. ”

Princess Rosemary turned her head and called to her valet, "Elizabeth, take 50 gold guilders from my safe and give them to our venerable painter." ”

Mr. Auberding hurriedly thanked: "You are so generous!"

One of the princess's best friends said, "Your work is worth the price, and we can see the quality of the painting."

Another aristocratic girl said: "My father, Viscount Sestein, also wants an oil painting of such a family portrait, Mr. Painter, come to my house next time to paint, the remuneration is not a problem."

At this moment, Mr. Auberdin, a civilian painter from Fog Pine Town, was full of happiness, and he felt that his future was bright.

In Valstad, it is difficult for a wild painter like him who has never visited a famous teacher to get ahead.

And now, with one foot on his feet, he has stepped into the ranks of court painters, and the luxurious life of the aristocracy beckons to him.

All this is thanks to the appreciation of Her Majesty the beautiful Princess Rosemary in front of her, who is undoubtedly the great lady of her life.

As soon as the painter had said his leave, a tall, thin young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses pushed the door open and entered.

"Your Majesty the Crown Prince!" The crowd saluted him together.

Rosemary beckoned to him happily:

"Brother Constance, come and take a look at this painting, this painter has painted you very spiritually, you will definitely be very satisfied!"

Konstanz's actions seemed a little strange, and his gestures were all different from usual.

He casually glanced at the painting:

"Hmm...... It's really good, it's a masterpiece. ”

Then he took Rosemary's pink little hand, approached her, and whispered to her:

"There's news from Master William's side! Let's go to the hospital to see him! ”

"What's wrong?" Rosemary chuckled in her heart and asked worriedly, "Is he okay?" ”

"Rest assured, this time it is no longer an aggravation of the disease, it is rare good news! Our best friend is finally in luck! ”

"What's wrong? He won another prize for his paper? ”

"Much better than that! I couldn't believe it when I first heard it, William's spine miraculously recovered! ”

"God, gods have mercy, is he going to get rid of his disability?"

"Yes, spinal rehabilitation means that he can hope to walk on his own legs!"