Surprise! The Supposed Talent Show Was Actually–?!

Chapter 127 - Madame de Pompadour

translator: xiin

editors: apricot & juurensha

The door leading out of the dance floor was kicked open by the White Moonlight captain.

Behind him, the two chattering female contestants joked about how Zoe was like a little bird who’d been let out of its cage, full of energy during the competition and making people feel very relieved. Wen Lin could only stride with big steps behind his sniper, leaving a distance of 1.5 meters between them.

Wen Lin: “Cut him how?”

Zoe’s expression was cold, “Feed him the blade.”

Wen Lin tried to dissuade him, “You’re a sniper, and Wei Shi is an assault and scout...”

However, even before Wen Lin could finish speaking, he could see that Zoe had already charged up and grabbed a wandering ghost, “Have you seen the first group?”

The ghost waiter was given a scare, “Go away, you rude man!”

Zoe described what he was looking for, “A blonde lady in a long, red dress, very dazzling and pleasing to the eyes, with two noble ladies, and a pervert.”

The waiter suddenly understood, “Your excellency is talking about the three ladies and the gentleman. They are in Madame de Pompadour’s reception room. Wait a minute, what is a pervert? Could it be that it’s a new word for ‘gentleman’ after the Enlightenment salons...”

There was a flash in front of his eyes, and then the machete-wielding warrior was suddenly nowhere in sight.

Pompadour’s guest reception room.

The hostess stepped out of the room and served warm black tea to the guests. Wu Jin accepted it from the 4D projection ‘maid’ holding the suspension meal delivery equipment, his eyes darting everywhere.

He had to find a dressing room as soon as possible and take off this long, heavy dress...

Wei Shi: “Hm?”

At this moment, Wu Jin once again thought of the scene from prior to the dance. Three law enforcement machines had pressed him down onto the ground, tossing a bunch of corsets, panniers, and petticoats over the helpless trainee’s head in turn before finally settling the wig on his head.

Wu Jin lowered his head and poked at the girdle around his waist, “I can’t take this dress off by myself...”

Wei Shi was satisfied, “I’ll take it off for you.”

From beside him, Vera almost choked on a sip of tea, her eyes dazed and shocked, “You-you- you dare to, during the competition––”

Chu Chu was oblivious and quickly raised up her hand, “Little Witch, don’t worry. I know how, I know how, I can also help you!”

Wei Shi swept Chu Chu a glance.

Chu Chu made an ‘ah’ sound and shut up in bewilderment. She waited for a while, then whispered the words quietly to show her worth, “Really! I’m a professional at it, I live in dresses...”

At her desk in the reception room, Madame de Pompadour was seated in a chair and enjoying the roses that had been sent in the morning. A maid unfolded a letter to one side, and the lady casually pulled out a pair of small flower scissors from the cabinet, scattering the six bright and delicate roses.

The maid bowed her head and accepted them, “Would you like to use the white porcelain vase?”

Madame de Pompadour nodded.

The maid: “Deliver it to His Majesty?”

Madame de Pompadour signed the light colored stationery paper and inserted it into the flowers. “No need. Send it to the Queen and tell her that I was fascinated by Her Majesty’s red dress today.”

To the side where the guests were seated, Chu Chu was left stunned after watching this interaction, “She’s the King’s mistress, and the Queen is the King’s legal wife. Can she really do this?”

Wu Jin stared for a long time and finally gave an answer, “She really has ideas.” Her EQ was very high. If the entire Palace of Versailles was the game board for Pompadour’s big strategy game, then she was fully proficient in how to kindle goodwill with every important person.

Louis XV was surrounded by hundreds of women, but only Madame de Pompadour was able to obtain the Queen’s support.

Wu Jin narrowed his eyes slightly and began to think about the task for Madame de Pompadour’s instance. From the point of view of this ‘King’s mistress’, everything she had was enough to make the Madame de Montespan from half a century ago full of envy. She went from being Cinderella to becoming the shadow queen, from mistress to politician, and even after retiring from her role as a mistress, Pompadour still remained as the King’s close friend. A character like this should not have a ‘dying obsession’.

By the window, the little maid read out Voltaire’s letter in a low voice, “Dear Marquise de Pompadour, please forgive me for calling you Jeanne the way I used to. Dear Jeanne, this small piece of stationery is unable to convey how much I miss you. In recent months, when I was summoned by Frederick II to his court, I would always think of...”

Chu Chu’s ears perked up when she heard the beginnings of gossip, and she couldn’t help but move her stool forward again, then shift it forward again––

Vera had sharp eyes and nimble fingers, holding back the Chu Chu who was practically about to lean her head over the letter paper.

Chu Chu’s eyes seemed to emit light, “Voltaire and her&#k2026;”

Wu Jin explained, “There were rumors throughout history, but nobody can be sure. Even if there was, the mistress was adored by the literary masters, and it was an indirect form of flattery to King Louis XV.”

Chu Chu’s expression was full of yearning, “That’s amazing! I also want to transmigrate to the past and raise up 90 spares&#k2026;”

Vera frowned slightly. She was obviously not in favor of this distorted view on love. With the White Rose’s strength, if anyone interfered in her love relationships, she was very likely to cut down the scum man with a knife.

Vera shifted the subject, “Was Madame de Pompadour a commoner? How did she get involved with the King?”

Wu Jin was still thinking when the big boss to the side gave a lazy reminder, “Voltaire.”

A light flashed across Wu Jin’s eyes as he nodded quickly, “Yes. She was born to a middle-class family. Madame de Pompadour was trumped in the beginning as the ‘first beauty of Paris’, and married into aristocracy at the age of 19. Then, she came to know Voltaire through the aristocratic salons and put together one of the earliest marketing strategies in history––”

“She borrowed Voltaire’s pen and began to package and publicize herself as the ‘first beauty of France’. After ascertaining that Louis XV had heard about it, she invited numerous painters to draw portraits of her and tried to arrange for those to enter the Palace of Versailles. When the time was right, she went straight to the King’s hunting grounds and showed her face.”

“Then, she got together with Louis XV.”

Chu Chu was very excited, “Amazing!”

Vera didn’t care. Chu Chu chattered, “Isn’t this the same as our own Empire? Those female stars, those little fresh meat offerings, and online celebrities are all packaged up and married off to aristocrats. It’s already the 31st century, and things haven’t changed at all!”

Wu Jin’s brain also felt like it had been stabbed. In the book <Young Emperor’s Secret Love: I became his mysterious fiancée>, there were also countless soft little sisters who sent their photos to the ‘Floating King’s little inbox for the benefit of the people’, just like Madame de Pompadour.

Wu Jin squinted at Wei Shi.

Wei Shi raised his eyebrows.

Chu Chu was still chattering on, wanting to kiss Pompadour’s little cheeks when Wu Jin explained to the two of them that this Madame was more famous for her political acumen than her position as a mistress––at this moment, the door to the reception room was suddenly filled with the shadows of several figures.

There was a flash of cold light.

Wu Jin’s back straightened, his eyes catching sight of the 1.5m machete of the other party right away. He looked up further, and it was a person standing there full of murderous, killing intent.

The White Moonlight captain stood against the light streaming in from the crack in the door. He’d tossed his combat jacket back to Wen Lin, revealing his knotted shoulders and arm muscles. His eyes were murderous, his blade tilted towards the ground as his other three teammates rushed in from the side. Only Zoe stood there coldly––

There was a bang.

The door closed completely, and Zoe was sent stumbling forward with a thump. The maid who’d closed the door complained, “Don’t stand there foolishly! The madame is waiting for you!”

The lighting in the reception room was very bright. Wu Jin only had enough time to give his captain a happy greeting when countless cameras rushed over to hover around them.

The Madame de Pompadour instance activated.

Wen Lin gave Wu Jin a look.

Wu Jin’s eyes were wide and bewildered.

Wen Lin shaped words with his mouth.

Wu Jin... Zoe looked at Wen Lin, and Wen Lin finally shut up.

The hostess, Madame de Pompadour, finally stood up. However, the person she received wasn’t the 8 guests in the room, but rather the messenger who’d delivered the letter. The messenger was about 30 years old, had a standard Germanic appearance, and a proud, indifferent manner. He seemed to be a Prussian aristocrat.

Madame de Pompadour’s smile remained polite.

“Madame, His Excellency Voltaire has mentioned you to His Majesty Frederick.” The messenger spoke slowly.

Madame de Pompadour showed an expression of curiosity on her face.

“His Majesty Frederick said,” The messenger finally gave a charitable smile. He obviously felt that King Frederick of Prussia was more than one rank above the cowardly and chaotic King Louis XV of France, “His Majesty said that he had never heard of you, and that he has no interest in a commoner mistress from France.”

Madame de Pompadour’s smile finally disappeared, “Is that so. In that case, thank you for telling me.”

The messenger continued on indifferently, “He also wanted to know, when will the King toss the French army beneath his mistress’s petticoats.”

The maid sucked in a breath of cold air.

In the guest area, Wu Jin immediately sat up and listened carefully.

Petticoats were the most intimate piece of women’s clothing.

If the words earlier were ironic, then once the word ‘petticoat’ came out of the messenger’s mouth, it was blatant shaming. Not only for the profession of being a mistress, but also to the woman herself.

Madame de Pompadour paused for three seconds, and when she spoke again, her voice was still gentle and slow.

“If I remember correctly, His Majesty Frederic has never worn any ‘petticoats’ before.”

“The Queen of the Holy Roman Empire, Marie Theresa, carried out reforms and trained the army. The war academy named after her in Vienna shared all the knowledge the Habsburg family had regarding geometry, geography, and defense free of charge. Her army has fought and defeated His Majesty Frederick.”

“The first beauty of Moscow, Her Majesty Elizabeth I, has just cleared out the Prussian traitors in the Winter Palace. His Majesty Frederick must have suffered a great loss.”

“If His Majesty Frederick had put on his petticoat, perhaps he could have been able to fight against them.”

Wu Jin immediately looked towards Pompadour. The lady took a sip of tea, regaining her gentle and quiet temperament while the messenger’s face changed dramatically.

Pompadour was fighting back against his insults.

In Europe in the 18th century, women’s status was even worse than it had been during the middle ages. Suggesting that the King wear a petticoat was like spitting on his face.

“She’s very clever.” Wu Jin spoke in a low voice. She was calm, dignified, and her responses were quick. Pompadour had all the potential required to become a politician.

Chu Chu’s eyes were crystal clear and bright.

The messenger stood up with a swish. This AI was already furious, “The Alliance between France, Austria, and Russia is unjust. If you offend God, you will inevitably be defeated.”

In the guest seats, Wu Jin quickly explained to his teammates, “Austria is Queen Marie Teresa’s territory. The Queen is unwilling to give up the land to others, and she allied with France and Queen Elizabeth of the Russian Empire to resist Prussia, which is King Frederick II’s territory.”

––This was an alliance between three women.

Pompadour’s calmness was in complete contrast to the messenger’s rage. She finally stood up and said, “Your Majesty Frederick cannot win the war and has to hope for God’s assistance? Can war be won solely by prayer?”

The messenger sneered, “Hasn’t the madame heard of the Battle of Lobositz?”

Wu Jin explained in a low voice, “The Battle of Lobositz, one of Frederick’s early military victories. Frederick II was a military genius and led Prussia to defeat the Austrian army...”

Pompadour made a gesture to the maid.

The white cloth covering the sand table was finally uncovered. The terrain and flags of various armies were all arrayed out in a dense circle.

It was clear that Madame de Pompadour had planned out battles countless times on the sand table, and the effort expended on it was no less than the effort she spent on being a professional mistress.

“Lobositz town, the river, hills, cavalry, cannons.” Pompadour began.

The messenger frowned, “You want to go over the battle?”

Madame de Pompadour spoke proudly, “I want to prove that Frederick’s victory in the Battle of Lobositz was only an accident. He won Austria, but not France.”

The messenger: “Where are the pieces?”

Pompadour suddenly curved her lips.

The lady slowly moved the vase that had been used to hold roses away from one end of the long table. A card had been pressed beneath the container.

In the guest area, the eyes of all eight trainees turned bright.

A purple card.

If things were as expected, then it was the identity card for Madame de Pompadour. It would guarantee their identity credentials for the next ‘ball’.

Madame de Pompadour finally looked at her guests, “Warriors of France, please show your bravery in front of this guest from Prussia. This card that I have in my hand can be taken as the reward for winning the battle.”

Wu Jin stilled.

Prussia, Austria, battle review, the Battle of Lobositz. The card acquisition conditions were clear, but where was the battle––

There was a boom.

Wu Jin caught hold of the edge of the long table as the mechanisms beneath his feet suddenly rang out. The floor to the reception room rotated, forming a funnel with the wall behind them. This scene was extremely familiar and had appeared more than once during the gallery instance. The contestants would be dropped forcefully into the battle scene.

Chu Chu gave a shrill scream.

Wu Jin looked up quickly. All the players, Zoe, Wen Lin, and the big boss included, were all falling down. No, that wasn’t right, there was only the big boss who’d jumped down by himself...

Wu Jin no longer tried to hold on and protected Vera out of habit during the drop. The lower part of the reception room was dark; there was no light, and no end could be seen. Wu Jin protected Vera from harm using the 7 layer skirt on his body, all the way until he fell down onto the cushion with a plop.

The eight contestants all landed. Eight players were now on the ground.

The lighting was faint. This was a map around the size of a football field. Rivers, mountains, and small towns were gradually coming into view, but Wu Jin was still unable to see clearly. Even so, his teammates who could see had already exclaimed, ‘The Battle of Lobositz’.

The scene and the sand table were as alike as two peas in a pod.

The black eagle that represented Prussian Empire was planted to one side, and the double headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was on the other.

The conversation between Madame de Pompadour and the messenger continued from above them, “For the sake of justice, four warriors will fight for Prussia, and four for the Holy Roman Empire...”

Wu Jin suddenly realized and informed his teammates, “It’s a 4v4 battle!”

“The flags represent each camp. Let’s grab the double headed eagle flag first! This is Madame de Pompadour’s sand table. The Holy Roman Empire is allied with France...” Wu Jin stood up instantly, then thudded back to the ground, the 7 layers of skirts taking him by surprise and causing his center of gravity to become unstable.

The lights turned bright at last.

Wu Jin squinted his eyes and looked up.

The big boss looked at him expressionlessly. The golden haired beauty Wu Jin was still in a protective position against Vera, his arms wrapped protectively around the young woman’s waist. Vera’s cheeks were red.

“!!!” Wu Jin was very eager for survival. He drew close to the big boss as quickly as he could, grabbing his lover’s hand and placing it on his waist. “The dress, untie it for me, I can’t fight with so many clothes on––”

Wei Shi turned his back to the camera and obtained his revenge by pinching the young man’s waist.

Wu Jin trembled.

Unexpectedly, at this time, a 1.5 meter blade swung over diagonally.

Zoe was enraged, “Let go!”

Everyone jumped up in unison.

The battle began.

Juurensha: Hahahaha, Zoe is all fired up! And in the background, Wen Lin being like oh dear.

xiin: lol, Wu Jin’s rabbit instincts for survival~ also, this Madame is fascinating.