Chapter 88 Traveling Through the Middle Ages 088

Chapter 88: Through the Middle Ages: Chapter 88

Crown Prince Jacques of Wasong and Prince Guillaume arrived at the last minute, just one day before the coronation. Since Crown Prince Jacques was representing his father, the King of Wasong, and Guillaume, as the Count of Zebland, was already one of the vassals of the Mubuhan region, they were among the most important guests. Therefore, a welcome banquet was inevitable, even though the coronation was scheduled for the next day.

However, Louisa did not attend the welcome banquet.

After arriving in the Palatinate, the endless series of banquets, ceremonies, religious rites, and entertainment activities left almost no one able to attend every event. As an unmarried noble young lady, Louisa had to attend some events where she played an important role, but for other occasions where she was merely part of the background or atmosphere, her absence was consistent with the expectations of a dignified and reserved noblewoman.

This, of course, aligned with Louisa's preferences, as most occasions required meticulous attire and careful attention to every aspect of social interaction, which was quite exhausting!

Although Crown Prince Jacques and Prince Guillaume were considered Louisa's future "brothers-in-law," it was only a welcome banquet. With Count Balzac present, it was permissible for Louisa not to attend. Naturally, there was an appropriate excuse—this time, it was the necessity of preparing for the coronation the next day.

Louisa was not the person being crowned, but anyone who had attended a coronation knew that even being part of the background was no small feat! Considering the fragile health of ladies and their meticulous attention to every detail during ceremonies, it was customary to rest and prepare the day before, arranging every aspect carefully... This excuse was entirely plausible.

Moreover, many people used this reason to miss the welcome banquet that night. Although Crown Prince Jacques represented the King of Wasong, and important families did not absent themselves from the event, most merely sent a representative.

In fact, Louisa did indeed rest to prepare for the next day. She went to bed earlier than usual, around 7 p.m., and woke up naturally before 3 a.m. the next day. Not just her, but her maids, servants, and attendants also woke up around the same time, or even earlier, to wash and prepare.

After waking up, Louisa first put on a thick fur robe and pulled on her stockings, tightening the garters (in the West, where women were not allowed to wear pants for a long time, women wore stockings with skirts for warmth) to prevent herself from getting cold. Then she began to wash up and sat at the dressing table for her maid to style her hair.

She instructed, "We'll be wearing a headscarf today, so gather all the hair and make a simple bun."

Most nobles attending the coronation would wear formal attire, and it was normal for ladies to wear old-fashioned headscarves. Louisa, as an unmarried young lady, had the privilege to dress more innovatively and flamboyantly, as long as it wasn't too outrageous... This was a time of significant change in fashion, and many noblewomen would experiment with their looks!

However, Louisa did not use this "privilege." It was just a ceremonial occasion, and she had no desire to compete for attention.

The maid followed Louisa's instructions, gathering all her hair to the back of her head, braiding and coiling it into a very simple and elegant bun without a single strand out of place. Honestly, it would have been perfectly fine to appear without a headscarf.

Finally, the maid even placed a gold headband about a finger's width in front of the bun, which not only secured the bun but also added a decorative touch visible from the front.

After finishing the bun, Louisa took off the robe she had been wearing and put on the formal dress prepared earlier—in those days, due to religious and other reasons, makeup was almost nonexistent. Women who did wear makeup were either prostitutes or considered "improper" in secular terms.

This meant Louisa could skip the makeup process, avoiding the risk of staining her dress, so she could wear the formal attire now.

The formal dress, besides the shirt Louisa was already wearing, consisted of three parts. The first was a tight-fitting, narrow-sleeved dress made of brown-purple woolen fabric, with no embroidery or decoration, quite thick, and once the maid tied the laces at the back, it was warm enough.

Next, the second piece was a dress with wide sleeves and a loose, straight-cut bodice. This one was quite luxurious, made of brown-purple brocade with a lining, and the inner lining revealed through the wide sleeves was a splendid golden silk.

Additionally, the front of the dress, from the neckline to the hem, was adorned with a rectangular panel of gold brocade, embellished with pearls, colored gemstones, and gold, forming intricate and ornate decorative patterns.

The third piece was a cloak, made of the same brown-purple brocade as the outer dress, but without a lining. Instead, it was edged with golden fur, highlighting its opulence—this golden fur came from the golden sable, a variant of the sable, considered the finest sable fur. It was only found in Ross, and only royalty and high nobility could afford it.

Louisa did not rush to put on the cloak; she could wear it when she went out.

At this point, she first wrapped herself in a large cloth to avoid soiling her dress, then ate a little something. She didn't know when she would be able to eat again today, so it was essential to fill her stomach first.

After wiping her mouth, she began to arrange the veil... This veil was quite troublesome. Nobles always had to add some flair. For example, the popular "nebula headdress" at the time sounded like jewelry, but it was actually a delicate rolled-edge decoration on the veil.

It involved folding the edge of the veil multiple times to create multiple layers (similar to ruffled lace?). Then, during starching, many fine pleats were added and set to dry...

This meant that every time this decoration was used, it had to be prepared in advance and could only last for one day... This reminded Louisa of the ruffled collars popular during the Renaissance. Though the styles were different, the hassle was the same. The name "nebula headdress" likely came from the way it stacked around the face, resembling a nebula or mist...

Louisa's white fine linen veil had a "nebula headdress." After draping it, she first secured it with long hairpins, and then it was time for the maids to work their magic—the hanging part of the veil was artfully draped and folded in a special, intricate way around Louisa's chest and shoulders, creating a seemingly casual yet beautifully structured arrangement.

This process was quite time-consuming, taking at least half an hour before everyone was satisfied. Then, pins and other fasteners were used to secure the carefully crafted arrangement, ensuring it wouldn't easily lose its shape (it could still move, not stiff, but the overall form remained intact).

In comparison, the headscarf draped over the veil, though luxurious, seemed much simpler.

It was a piece of brown-purple brocade with gold threads, matching the color of the outer dress and cloak, but with a heavier and more luxurious appearance due to the gold threads. Additionally, the edges of the headscarf were embroidered with geometric patterns in gold, orange-red, and peacock blue, striking a balance between subtlety and prominence.

This headscarf can be directly draped over the head, but care must be taken to coordinate with the inner veil. It should not extend beyond the veil, affecting the display of the veil's folds, nor should it be placed too far back, as that would lack solemnity.

Like the cloak, Louisa is in no hurry to put on this headscarf; it can be draped when going out. At this moment, she first sits down, putting on her shoes while extending her arms for someone to tie on a pair of ornate sleeve guards—these are directly tied onto the sleeves of the narrow-sleeved inner dress, so that the plain sleeves of the inner dress, revealed under the large sleeves of the outer dress, are adorned, ensuring they do not clash with the overall look.

These sleeve guards are in the same fabric as the central gold-woven brocade of the outer dress, with patterns made of gems and pearls in the same style.

"The shoes are on," Madam Hugo, who had been crouching to help Louisa put on her shoes, indicated that Louisa could now move her feet. Although the shoes are not easily seen while walking, they are equally splendid. They are satin leather shoes, with many small beads sewn on in patterns using pearl embroidery.

At this moment, Helena brought a box of rings, but Louisa shook her head: "No rings today, the attire is already complex enough, fewer accessories will do."

Hearing this, Helena put the rings back and, after a moment's thought, took out a long amber rosary with a small red coral cross attached. She handed it to Louisa: "Other accessories might seem redundant, but a rosary won't. Please hold it in your hand."

Louisa thought for a moment and found it acceptable, so she wrapped the long rosary around her hand several times and held it...

After a while, a knight from the count's side came to notify that it was time to leave for the ceremony. Louisa then draped the cloak and headscarf, securing the cloak with a large yellow diamond brooch she had worn upon arriving in Pfalz, and fixed the headscarf at the back of her head with hairpins. Concerned about affecting the natural styling, only two hairpins were used, so it still couldn't be moved freely, or it might get messy.

Next was a crown, this time Louisa wore a wide but not towering crown. The gold crown itself seemed to be made of several oval decorative panels, each surrounded by filigree decorations, with a white onyx cameo in the center. There were images of people, animals, and plants, all with symbolic meanings in religion.

With the headscarf draped, such a wide ring-shaped crown was suitable, otherwise, it would feel somewhat discordant—with the crown pressing down, the headscarf was less likely to get messy...

Before stepping out, Louisa took a final look in the mirror and was stunned—such a grand yet conservative dress, similar in style, was rarely worn by young noblewomen these days. It was generally considered bulky and clumsy, not at all reflecting the natural beauty of the human body. Of course, it could still be worn for formal occasions, as the focus of formal attire was on splendor and solemnity, not on the beauty of the human body.

But Louisa in the mirror had an extraordinary beauty... She saw herself in the mirror every day, yet today she felt as beautiful as a painting. This wasn't narcissism; she viewed it purely from a third-person perspective—in fact, the 'Louisa' in the mirror reminded her of the 'Weeping Madonna' image popular in Spain during the Baroque period of her past life.

It was said that past images of the Madonna always had a loving, serene face, even when mourning Christ, maintaining a peaceful demeanor. By the Renaissance, although artists emphasized the return of humanity, religious figures in paintings showed more emotion. Yet the Madonna's expression remained subtle... perhaps to embody endurance and resilience?

Some artists of the Baroque period couldn't help but think, with so much suffering in the Madonna's life, how could she not be sorrowful? Thus, they designed the 'Weeping Madonna' image. The weeping Madonna's face had seven tears, symbolizing the seven sorrows of her life. Hence, the 'Weeping Madonna' was also known as the 'Madonna of the Seven Sorrows.'

From an artistic perspective, compared to the more uniform Madonna images in other regions, the 'Weeping Madonna' in Spain indeed had more emotional tension, making a lasting impression.

Louisa wasn't studying art and originally wouldn't have known about this. She knew because the 'Weeping Madonna makeup' was popular in her past life... It was indeed beautiful, with its inherent religious atmosphere, capturing people's attention instantly in the era of streaming image information, and there was a reason it became popular online.

Louisa didn't have the porcelain-like makeup typical of the 'Weeping Madonna makeup,' nor the iconic seven teardrops, but the strong religious sense and the ethereal beauty of the Madonna naturally emanated... Seeing others wear such dresses, they didn't have this effect, so was it the person?

Gina whispered beside her: "You really look like the Madonna today... I mean, although everyone is trying to imitate and pursue the beauty of the Madonna, I haven't seen many who truly resemble her, let alone as much as you do. More often, people's imitations are superficial—loving? serene? plain? Using methods like shaving the hairline, eyebrows, bleaching body hair... just to get closer."

"Being 'superficial' is already good; more often, it just seems affected!"

This was the peak of Madonna worship, with women pursuing the beauty of the Madonna. The Madonna in the public imagination was undoubtedly beautiful, and her beauty must not be mundane or adorned, but saintly and ethereal—shaving or at least lightening facial hair to make the whole face smooth and translucent was for this purpose.

Louisa didn't respond to Gina's words but walked out just like that. As she boarded the carriage, Gina and the other maids around her were sure they heard small gasps... At this moment, who wouldn't be surprised?

In fact, when Louisa's splendid, open-sided carriage passed through the streets of Pfalz and was seen by the people, many couldn't help but bow—ordinary people at this time had limited knowledge and were long influenced by religion, so when someone appeared who was too beautiful, it was truly possible to think they were a saint descending.

People fervently worship beautiful individuals; a ruler with outstanding looks could basically just parade around in a carriage to gain 'loyalty +1+1+1+1+1+1'. Unless they later acted inhumanely, harming the people of their territory, the stability within the territory would be higher than others.

Outstanding looks, in the public's cognition, meant that the Lord had blessed this person, destined them to accomplish great deeds! Otherwise, why would this person have extraordinary looks?

This is similar to ancient China, where some handsome men appearing in the mountains and forests were seen by people and thought to be immortals (similar stories are common in the Wei and Jin periods, perhaps related to that era's peak worship of appearance).

Soon, the carriage arrived at the main church of Pfalz, where the coronation ceremony of the Duke of Alsace as 'King of Mubohan' would also be held today.

...

"What's going on outside? Has some important guest arrived?" asked Crown Prince Jacques. A group of guests had already arrived, and from afar, they heard some commotion outside, which seemed different from the usual cheers of the crowd. The sound wasn't as loud, but more unified.

"Doesn't seem like it, let Mr. Blanchet go out and inquire," Prince Guillaume succinctly said. Blanchet was one of Crown Prince Jacques's attendants.

Prince Guillaume looked completely different from his half-brother beside him; Crown Prince Jacques had chestnut hair, a burly build, broad shoulders, and features that could only be described as regular. His eyes were bright and lively, but combined with his always rough and ready demeanor, it seemed somewhat lacking in steadiness?

Prince Guillaume, who is just 24 years old, has black hair and dark eyes, often appearing serious and reserved, rarely smiling. Fortunately, he resembles his mother, a famously beautiful woman during her lifetime, which gives him a soft facial contour, preventing him from seeming dull or rigid at first glance, which might otherwise make people instinctively want to avoid him.

However, coupled with his naturally pale complexion, it is unavoidable to give off a sense of coldness. For this reason, although the knights in the court admire him, few truly approach him.

Mr. Blanchet, having received Crown Prince Jacques's nod of approval, went out to investigate. But before he could return, the guests in the church, including Crown Prince Jacques and Prince Guillaume, already knew what had just happened outside—Count Balzac had entered with a young woman.

Both Jacques and Guillaume had seen Count Balzac on several occasions and recognized him at a glance. Of course, this was not important; almost everyone's gaze slid past Count Balzac, absentmindedly, without pausing. Then, quickly and accurately, their eyes fell on the position slightly behind him.

There stood a young woman dressed in formal attire... which might sound rather ordinary, but in reality?

But the reality was that everyone who saw her felt as if a beam of light had pierced their eyes. After a brief dizziness and a physiological sting, many even felt a great sense of absurdity—to put it somewhat offensively, they thought the Virgin Mary had been reincarnated!

Indeed, this 'Virgin' did not have the deliberately smooth face that many women aiming to resemble the Virgin Mary had at the time. She also did not shave her hair to create a bright, broad forehead; within the layers of her veil, one could see her natural, unaltered hairline. Moreover, her eyebrows and eyelashes were perfectly in place, or rather, they were too 'perfect,' showing no signs of bleaching or plucking.

Her eyelashes were thick and straight, and her eyebrows, though as fine as if drawn on, were clear and prominent. At that moment, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, exuding a subtle sense of sorrow.

Of course, neither in paintings nor in statues did the Virgin Mary have such 'sorrow'; her face was always serene and peaceful—yet the people present still thought of the Virgin Mary. To put it bluntly, this young lady was simply too noble, rigorous, ethereal, and otherworldly.

She first made people feel that if anyone could make everyone believe in virgin birth, it would have to be someone like her. She was so pure and untainted by the world... so what she said must be true, completely reasonable!

The silence in the church caused by Louisa's arrival was not actually long, but to those experiencing it, it felt prolonged and disorienting. In fact, when the silence was broken, many were still immersed in the previous state, unable to extricate themselves, still dazed, or alternating between daze and clarity.

It wasn't that Louisa was so exaggeratedly beautiful; on one hand, in ancient society, people rarely had the chance to see top-tier beauties, and many beautiful women of ordinary origins would have their beauty worn down as they grew up, making beauty a much scarcer resource in ancient times than in modern times. The sudden appearance of one would naturally cause a much greater reaction than in modern times.

On the other hand, there was the religious bonus... Louisa's natural features and today's attire style were dancing wildly on the aesthetic preferences of the people at that time. Associating her with the Virgin Mary was an absolute killer for people of that era! Basically, once seen, it was impossible to remain calm.

Therefore, Prince Guillaume's gaze on Louisa in the crowd, never retracting, did not attract anyone's attention. And during his 'silent' few minutes, his inner feelings were actually no different from others—he saw the colorful murals on the ceiling of the church hall, depicting saints and angels.

Yes, the sunlight from outside passed through the stained glass windows into the church hall, the light beams were golden, and the dust danced within the light columns. Falling on the veiled girl, it made her seem surrounded by a halo of holy light... Guillaume saw, saw the angels waving their wings in the clouds, blowing loud trumpets.

The organ played majestic music... This was the most tangible revelation of the Lord!

Almost instantly, Guillaume decided to do something—this was probably what set him apart from others, his extraordinary ability to act and execute, always able to think and then do. Even if what he wanted to achieve clearly had insurmountable obstacles.

For example, this lady who came with Count Balzac must be 'Louisa of Brudo,' the fiancée of his half-brother Philip—this was not a problem at all, and he even remembered that this marriage should have been his. This matter had been arranged long ago, and he was going to correct the past mistakes!