Anning had one drink and was not yet satisfied, so he asked a waiter for another and then toasted everyone, "I’m really happy today, let’s drink more! Wishing everyone good health!"
Everyone also raised their glasses, "Good health!"
As soon as the words fell, a messenger sneaked into the banquet hall and headed straight for Bertier, whispering something into the ear of the Chief of Staff, who had also been promoted to Brigadier General.
Anning joked directly, "Bertier, what are you scheming behind my back? Are you thinking about wearing a maid’s outfit again?"
Vanni silently picked up a cup and smashed it on the ground.
"Oops, sorry, it slipped, I was really careless."
Anning said, "You don’t need your maid’s outfit, why so nervous?"
"It’s not my fault. I had to get rid of the maid’s outfit Bertier wore last time, which left me without a new maid’s outfit for several days afterward. That awkward feeling is still fresh in my memory."
Anning said, "Just because Bertier wore it, it has to be disposed of? As a maid, do you have a cleanliness obsession? Then, isn’t every time you clean like fighting a difficult battle?"
Napoleon commented, "Vanni is also fighting in her own field, truly a respectable maid."
Anning said, "Alright, Bertier, you have even scared Vanni into breaking a cup, quick, tell us what the news is."
Bertier nodded, "It’s good news from Italy. Davout on the plains north of Mantua Fortress defeated the Austrian army and captured the Austrian Commander, Earl Bellegarde. He had the Earl personally persuade the Mantua Fortress, which had been besieged for over a year, to surrender."
The officers in the hall voiced their approval:
"Davout is truly commendable," Napoleon was as thrilled as if he himself had won the battle, "He indeed is the best fighter among us, I saw that during the fight at the beech tree!"
Lasalle commented, "It’s a pity his ability to fight came at the cost of his hair."
Well, wherever Davout goes, jokes about his hair are unavoidable.
Bernadotte remarked, "I have long heard of General Davout’s fame, said to be a fierce fighter no less than Mr. Frost himself. I really hope to meet him one day."
Anning said, "You’ll have your chance. Bertier, draft a congratulatory telegram—in my name, I mean a congratulatory letter, use all the praise you can, and then tell him, the rank of Major General isn’t given just for his recent victory, it is a reward for his accomplishments prior to this battle; the reward for this victory will be sent later."
Davout is actually already a Major General now, and a promotion would make him equal in rank to Anning, so thinking about further promotion is currently out of the question unless Anning really becomes the Grand Marshal himself.
However, medals and such are still possible, especially since the Parliament is now preparing its own medal system for the Republic.
Considering Davout’s valor, Anning could already picture him adorned with a chest full of medals in the future.
The group then discussed Davout’s military exploits and hair for a long while until Christina came in to announce, "It’s time for lunch, let’s all dine together."
Lasalle said, "I’ve been hungry for a while, let’s eat!"
The day was spent in jovial "fellowship" with his subordinate officers, and since Anning had already moved back to the Royal Palace, he bid farewell to the officers as night fell and returned to Paris City.
Versailles Palace was now completely a barracks, where officers could enjoy luxurious suites, which was only fitting.
Upon returning to the Royal Palace, the butler informed Anning that the ball was ready.
Previously, because Anning did not want to be too extravagant, there had not been a single ball at Versailles Palace, at most a tea party.
After all, the main expense of a tea party is on the pastries, which is relatively low in cost.
Today is the first ball hosted by Anning, and naturally, there are many respondents.
Anning stands on the terrace of the Royal Palace, looking towards the main gate, watching the carriages arriving for the ball forming a long dragon, their lanterns merging into a long dragon.
Recently, due to the chaos in Paris, and all the men having joined the army, Paris has no one to light up the streets at night, and the street lamps have become mere decorations; the streets of Paris turn pitch black at night.
Therefore, carriages have no choice but to hang lanterns next to the coachman’s seat to illuminate the road, like traveling in the wilderness.
Some carriages are even equipped with mirrors to reflect the light of the lanterns forward.
Anning, watching the long "river of carriages," joked: "If one didn’t know better, they might think the King has returned."
Hearing Anning’s self-mocking complaint, Christina laughed: "Tonight is, after all, your first appearance in Paris’s social scene, and all the high society of Paris has come."
Anning: "I hope they don’t look down on me, a leatherworker."
"Why would they, who dares to look down on Mr. Andy Frost, the ever-victorious general, the protector of Paris, and the founder of the Republic?" Christina laughed, then corrected herself seriously, "Oh, I mean, Your Excellency."
He wrapped his arms around Christina’s waist, said something flirtatious, but Christina said: "Alright, I need to go down and welcome the ladies who have already arrived."
Anning could only shrug his shoulders, reluctantly letting go of his fiancée’s waist.
Christina was about to leave, but suddenly laughed: "What’s this, I’m merely the fiancée but doing everything a wife after marriage would do."
Indeed, according to the customs of this era, a fiancée would not act as the hostess of a banquet to welcome the guests.
Anning: "Let’s just get married then, since we’ve been engaged for a while, we don’t need to stick rigidly to the rule of being engaged for a full year."
Christina was stunned: "Eh? I hadn’t considered that, mainly because you’ve always seemed disinterested in this aspect, and you are so busy..."
"The foreign enemies have been temporarily repelled, I won’t be too busy recently, it’s a good opportunity to get married, so you’ll have to be busy back and forth like a real hostess."
"I’ve already been busy back and forth like a real hostess." Christina paused, then sighed, "Oh my, I have imagined countless proposal scenarios, but never thought it would be . You should pay more attention to the atmosphere, romance, and stuff like that."
Anning: "The most romantic thing I can think of is growing old with you."
Don’t laugh, appreciate the poor romantic words of an older workaholic; managing to come up with this lyric is already quite good.
But it seems like Christina was struck by this earth-shattering romance; her expression noticeably softened: "Andy... you always do this, always giving me unexpected surprises."
Anning wrapped his arms around his about-to-leave fiancée: "So, your answer?"
Christina: "Isn’t the answer obvious? I agree, I also want to grow old with you."
Anning naturally kissed his fiancée.
Although they had kissed countless times before, this time felt even sweeter than before.