Queen Elizabeth appeared in a gorgeous rococo style, which aroused exclamations from the audience.
Except for the palace, the nobles who knew nothing about this fashion style were shocked. Compared with the new fashion style, the old-fashioned clothes were so vulgar and could not express beauty at all.
Immediately afterwards, Ekaterina, who had the same rococo style, appeared. Ekaterina was dressed more conservatively, but her popularity was only lower than that of the Queen.
If this is acceptable, when the duchess and other countesses appeared, the nobles became dissatisfied.
Some of them set out late and came from St. Petersburg, and some came from other provinces and had never seen such fashion before.
Needless to say, the duchess of the Yusupov family, this family is too famous, but what are the four countesses Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, Rostov, and Kuragin?
Who can enter the palace without any background?
It's not that there aren't many families who can surpass these families, but there are quite a few, but at this time, the limelight is suppressed by these countesses.
There was a lot of discussion for a while, asking each other where the clothes came from.
Peter just glanced at these and didn't care. He saw Johanna.
Johanna was also well-dressed, and with her huge debts, she would never let her clothes slip.
Empress Elizabeth changed her clothes multiple times a day, and Russian court ladies also followed suit. The lowest one changed clothes three times a day. Johanna was not lenient in spending in this regard.
She never thought about her daughter at all.
If Peter hadn't paid attention, and if Empress Elizabeth hadn't given Catherine 30,000 rubles for personal expenses after the engagement, Catherine would have only had the few shabby clothes in her suitcase when she came, and a
A dress worn when meeting the Queen for the first time.
The dress was arranged by the Marquis de La Chatadier.
Johanna dressed up carefully and thought she would be the center of attention, but at this time she seemed to have been forgotten.
Looking at the empress and daughter who were all paying attention, as well as the splendid ladies, Johanna spotted an opportunity, pulled Ekaterina aside and asked:
"Sofia, where did you get these clothes?"
Ekaterina said happily:
"Mom, my husband gave this to me. It's so beautiful!"
As she spoke, Ekaterina turned around, but she didn't wait for an answer. All she felt was a depressing atmosphere.
Ekaterina instantly understood the reason. She was so happy today that she seemed so unresponsive.
But Johanna’s questioning words have already come:
"You have nice clothes but didn't tell me. Did you make me put so much effort into dressing up to make me look embarrassed?"
"No mother..."
Ekaterina quickly explained, but Johanna couldn't listen at all, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Johanna said with anger:
"If I hadn't taken you around to visit relatives when you were a child, you would still be a girl in Steding that no one knew, let alone Queen Elizabeth. How would you be where you are today without me? It's a good thing that you became the queen.
The Crown Princess forgot about me in a few days, and I have to inform you if I want to see you!"
Thinking of reporting this matter, Johanna felt even more angry, and her voice suddenly became louder.
Yekaterina suddenly felt a panic. She knew that now was the time when the Queen was happiest, because the ball was the Queen's favorite pastime, and now the focus of the audience was around the Queen. If the Queen was disappointed at this time, it would be simply
It's hard to imagine how it would end.
Catherine begged:
"Mom, I know I was wrong, please don't be so loud, okay? Please!"
Seeing Yekaterina's pleading look, Johanna finally felt a little happy. She didn't realize that in her heart at this moment, Yekaterina had become a woman who had taken away all the glory that should belong to her, and
Not a daughter.
Full of jealousy occupied Johanna's mind.
"What's wrong?"
What was Johanna going to say? A voice sounded next to her.
Ekaterina felt a little embarrassed. She immediately walked up and took Peter's arm and said:
"Your Highness, my mother and I have a few words of respect. It's nothing. Your Highness, why don't you dance?"
Peter smiled and said:
"I have already danced with my aunt, and now I come to dance with you."
Ekaterina was a little hesitant. At this time, she went to dance with His Highness and left her mother aside. Based on her understanding of her mother, her mother would definitely be even more furious.
This kind of anger will burn out the mother's sanity.
At this time, she longed for her father to appear, but Ekaterina knew that this was impossible.
As a devout Lutheran, my father was averse to dances and would never come here.
Ekaterina pleadingly said:
"Your Highness, could you invite my mother to dance?"
In order to avoid being heard by Johanna, Ekaterina kept her voice low.
Peter nodded in agreement. He walked to Johanna, looked at the mother-in-law of the four mountains and said:
"Madam, would you be kind enough to let me ask you to dance?"
Johanna smiled at Peter:
"Your Highness, your invitation is my honor."
Seeing that her mother agreed to dance with His Highness, Ekaterina couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief.
She waited quietly beside her, preparing to dance the second dance with His Highness.
Same dance partner, different occasion, what is in front of her is undoubtedly more grand, but Johanna has no intention of dancing.
She was thinking of His Highness's wealth.
Peter would not only be the crown prince, but also the tsar, and the whole of Russia would be his.
It's so charming that he is so rich now that he is a Grand Duke!
Johanna wants Peter to lend her some money.
But even if she is thick-skinned, it is still difficult for her to say these words to her daughter's husband.
"Madam, are you in trouble?"
Peter smiled slightly and asked.
Johanna gritted her teeth and said:
"Your Highness, can you take me to a quieter place? I have something to tell you."
Peter glanced at Ekaterina, nodded slightly and said:
"Okay, but I want your daughter to dance or she will be embarrassed."
Johanna could no longer care so much at this time, and she immediately nodded in agreement.
Seeing that Johanna calmed down after dancing, Ekaterina was surprised that her mother's anger dissipated so quickly, but she couldn't help but feel relieved.
Seeing Peter walking towards her, Ekaterina immediately quickened her pace.
"Aren't you afraid of others laughing at you when you run so fast?"
Peter and Catherine danced and whispered.
Ekaterina was a little shy and said:
"Your Highness, I can't help myself. Your Highness, you are so attractive to me."
Ekaterina's words were as unabashedly revealing as her eyes.
Looking at this pure and infatuated gaze, Peter hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to hold onto Johanna.
Considering his starting point, this is understandable.
"Baby."
Peter only smiled and said three words, which made Ekaterina blush.
Then her eyes became brighter, more gorgeous than her clothes, and her whole body seemed to be filled with a halo.
The change in aura was subtle, and the guests could not help but be attracted, and the focus gradually shifted.
Queen Elizabeth couldn't help but notice this.
She saw that it was Ekaterina who had taken the spotlight, and that Peter was dancing with her.
Elizabeth glanced at Catherine again and noticed that the crown princess was young, energetic, and at the same time stunningly beautiful under the nourishment of love.
Everyone could easily see that she was filled with happiness.
For the first time, Elizabeth felt old from Catherine.
She lost interest in dancing and went to the Queen's throne to watch people dancing, feeling a little absent-minded and angry.
Peter did not forget to pay attention to his aunt. He whispered to Ekaterina:
"You are too beautiful. My aunt is a little unhappy. You go and accompany your aunt. Don't dance anymore. I will ask Countess Roman to accompany you."
Ekaterina was startled. She looked immediately and saw that the queen had stopped dancing and was sitting there not knowing what she was thinking.
"Your Highness, I..."
Seeing Ekaterina, she was a little scared.
Peter hugged her and held her hand.
Yekaterina immediately calmed down, and her whole body seemed to have calmed down.
Peter pulled Catherine towards the queen and said with a smile:
"Aunt, why don't you dance anymore?"
Elizabeth glanced at Ekaterina, feeling that her clothes were a bit dazzling, and said calmly:
"I'm old and can't dance anymore."
"Auntie is not old, her hands are so white and tender, and her body is also young."
Peter held her aunt's hand and said shameless words, which reminded Elizabeth of the day she was seen by Peter and glared at him.
Peter didn't care at all, glanced at Ekaterina and said:
"Your clothes are dirty, go change them."
Ekaterina's heart was agitated and she immediately understood the meaning. She couldn't help but be extremely grateful to His Highness. She saluted Elizabeth and said:
"Your Majesty, your servant will leave temporarily and come back to serve you later, okay?"
Catherine's posture was humble and respectful, which reminded Elizabeth of the first time she met her, when she had the same posture.
It's just that she couldn't speak without speaking at that time, but now she is much more cheerful.
And all of this, Elizabeth knew, was Peter's fault.
"Go ahead."
Elizabeth said calmly.
She doesn't care if it's dirty, it just doesn't bother her eyes.
"yes."
After Ekaterina left, Peter pressed his aunt's legs through the skirt and said:
"Auntie, I will design a tea dress for you another day."
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ps: Look at the pictures for the genuine benefit. I wrote 10,413 words today. This is the last chapter today because more than a thousand words were deleted...