I was the Founding Father of the United States

Chapter 112 Versailles

Chapter 112 Versailles

3 month 18 day.

6:20 a.m.

The passenger ship, the Garfield, carrying Chen Wenbin and others, docked at the port of Le Havre, France.

This was one of the most important ports in France, and a transit point for French participation in European trade and the West Indies slave trade. As a result, it attracted many merchants, sailors, and artisans, as well as those who provided services to these groups.

Chen Wenbin got up early that day and went to the deck, accompanied only by his young maid, Catherine, who served him.

Standing on the ship, he looked around and saw at least fifteen sailboats moored in the harbor, while the shore was mostly lined with Baroque and Neoclassical buildings.

If Chen Wenbin were to offer his opinion, he would say he prefers symmetrical, dignified, and orderly neoclassical architecture, rather than the opulent Baroque or the delicate and effeminate Rococo styles.

Language, clothing, and architecture can all subtly influence a person's thoughts and personality; conversely, different thoughts can shape different languages, clothing, and architecture.

The Rococo aesthetic, characterized by its delicate, graceful, and sweet nature, is popular among the French upper class, leading one to conclude that the French ruling class had long been indulging in hedonism.

Even if Louis XV had not chosen to go to war with Britain, France could not have maintained its hegemony in Europe for long—people must first indulge in self-degradation before their enemies can take advantage of their weakness.

As he was reflecting on his actions, Louis Fabien, a man in his early thirties dressed in a French suit, approached him and smiled, saying, "—Ah! Sir Robin, are you already up?"

He then noticed Catherine behind Chen Wenbin, smiled slightly, and explained, "Sir, please do not rush to depart after disembarking. His Majesty the King has prepared a Royal Musketeers Company for you in Le Havre, who will escort you to Versailles."

It seems Louis XV was truly in love with Madame de Pompadour; he even sent the royal musketeers.

Chen Wenbin nodded and said, "Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Fabian."

Louis Fabien bowed slightly, then smiled and said, "You are a great doctor; it is my honor to serve you!"

As the two were talking, Chen Wenbin's butler Richard and the others came out of the cabin. They first greeted Chen Wenbin and Louis Fabien, and then noticed Catherine, whose complexion was obviously different from yesterday.

However, they all tacitly turned a blind eye; the boss was just sleeping with a maid when he felt like it, it was nothing.

Franklin chuckled, stepped forward, and patted Chen Wenbin's arm twice, teasingly saying, "My dear Robin, I really envy you. I wish I had been as rich as you when I was young!"

'

Chen Wenbin glanced at him, ignoring the fat old man. Diana's intention in sending Catherine with him to France was quite clear: Catherine was there to handle his needs and prevent him from getting involved with those French women.

"----master!"

At that moment, Richard, dressed in a tailcoat and wearing a wig, glanced at Catherine casually, then reported expressionlessly, "Your carriage has been unloaded ashore. We still need to hire at least five more carriages—"

"No need, Mr. Butler!"

Louis Fabien, standing nearby, quickly added, "His Majesty the King will cover all of Sir Robin's expenses in France; he only hopes the Sir can reach Versailles as soon as possible!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Chen Wenbin—all expenses were to be paid by the King of France, a privilege that even a British duke could not enjoy in France!

Chen Wenbin felt a little uncomfortable under their intense gazes and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, everyone get ready to disembark! Anthony, Shelby, make sure you don't leave anything behind on the ship!"

"Yes, Sir!"

The two readily agreed, feeling that they too had shared in this honor.

After landing, Chen Wenbin boarded the same carriage made by Robin Metals as the one used by King George III. This carriage was not the one with the red dragon emblem, but a new one made in a factory in South London using parts brought from North America.

It will be presented to King Louis XV of France as a gift from Chen Wenbin.

Half an hour later, Louis Fabien returned to the dockside restaurant where Chen Wenbin and his men were resting with a squad of French cavalry. The leading officer approached Chen Wenbin, sized him up for a few seconds, and then said in French, "Englishman, I am Lieutenant Pierre Lubert. By His Majesty's orders, my musketeers and I will escort you to Versailles!"

Louis Fabien frowned, about to translate, when Chen Wenbin said directly in French, "Lieutenant, then I'll leave it to you. Let's set off now!"

"You speak French?" Lieutenant Lubert asked in surprise. "Aren't you from North America?"

Chen Wenbin looked at him and said calmly, "Lieutenant, does that mean North Americans can't learn French?"

Lieutenant Lübert paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "You're right, let's set off then!"

His Majesty the King has ordered me to bring you to Versailles as soon as possible.

There is a royal road from Le Havre to Paris, built during the reign of Louis XIV. It has special royal postal carriages and stagecoaches, just like roads in England, and you can change horses and take a short rest at the stagecoach stations along the way.

-

Because of the king's decree, Chen Wenbin's carriage convoy was exempted from tolls and was also allowed to use the best horses. As a result, it only took two days and one night to arrive at Versailles Palace on the evening of the 19th.

It must be said that the Versailles Palace complex, built with the combined resources of France over a century, is truly magnificent!

Especially under the glow of the sunset, the entire palace complex was almost bathed in gold.

The only downside is that, due to the season, the gardens and flowerbeds filled with geometric patterns don't look their best at this time of year.

Louis Fabien produced the king's warrant and showed it to the infantry guards stationed outside Versailles. After a brief inspection, the carriage convoy officially entered the area surrounding Versailles.

Soon, the convoy arrived at the golden gates of the Palace of Versailles.

The royal cavalry guards here conducted a more thorough search, and the short-barreled flintlock muskets carried by Antony and Shelby, as well as the Robin rifles on the carriages, were temporarily confiscated.

Chen Wenbin, Franklin, and others also got off the carriage. The rest of the people were led to the barracks' lounge by Lieutenant Lübert. Only Chen Wenbin, Franklin, and John Canton followed Louis Fabien on foot through the gate and arrived at a reception hall in the south wing of the palace.

"Sir, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Canton, please wait here for a moment while I go and inform the Marquis de Lafarge, the chief steward of the court."

After Louis Fabien finished speaking to the three men, he turned and left. A maid then brought them hot coffee and some French pastries.

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