I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1394 Hunting
Gunshots rang out from the woods to the west. Joseph quickly put down his half-eaten "Courtesy Lion" and turned to look: "Is Father hunting wild boar?"

June is the milking season for red deer, so now we can only hunt wild boar and birds.

Queen Mary smiled and nodded: "Yes, Charles and Earl Artois are here too. Let's go over there quickly."

After riding for a while, the three saw guards surrounding the king and his entourage, pointing to the dust kicked up by the hunted animals in the distance and talking to them. Behind them, seven or eight women were watching with great interest.

Antoine, the eldest son of the Count of Artois, was the first to see the Queen and the Crown Prince. He quickly turned his lead horse and bowed with his hand on his chest.

Upon hearing this, the others also turned and bowed, and the previously cheerful atmosphere suddenly became more serious. There was no way around it; while the high-ranking nobles, including the Count of Artois, were relatively relaxed in the presence of Louis XVI, they were genuinely nervous when they met the Dauphin.

Joseph nodded to the crowd, then went to his father's side, bowed, and said, "I'm sorry I'm late."

Louis XVI smiled and handed over the short-barreled shotgun, which he had converted from an Auguste 1798 rifled musket: "No, just in time, the herd of wild boars is coming soon."

Queen Mary greeted her husband, but instead of returning to the women's group, she pulled Charles aside and began to chatter: "My dear, how was the day?"

"Well, we only managed to shoot two grey partridges. You see, the wild boars haven't been driven over yet."

Queen Mary gestured to the ladies behind her: "Princess Maria is here today, so you'd better show off your marksmanship."

Seeing that her son's smile was forced, she nodded and said, "Alright, you might not like her very much... What about Miss Ariana? I specifically asked her to come."

She considered arranging her eldest son's marriage as a major achievement in her life, and thus always wanted to achieve the same success with her youngest son.

A noble girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old in the distance seemed to sense the Queen's gaze and immediately showed a sweet smile.

Queen Mary continued, “My dear, if you think she’s good, I can help you persuade the King and Joseph.”

“I know she’s just the Viscount’s daughter, but she’s very well-mannered, a student of Monsieur Le Sueur, and plays the piano very well…”

Well, she saw Ciel and Ariana chat for a bit last month, and Ciel smiled happily as he left, so she concluded that she had "seen through everything."

In fact, Ciel was just reminded of another noblewoman by the girl's dress.

Beads of sweat gradually appeared on Ciel's forehead, and he could only keep pleading with his eyes for help from his brother.

Joseph had also experienced the predicament of being pressured to get married by his mother. Feeling a bit bored while waiting, he looked at the wild boar herd in the distance and shouted, "Perhaps we should have a real hunt."

Charles quickly replied, "What do you mean by 'truly'?"

Joseph looked at him: "Do you know why nobles must know how to hunt?"

"That was to train the knights' teamwork, marching formations, and pursuit skills."

He then gestured to the large group of followers who were driving wild boars away in the distance: "But now it is the servants who are being trained by hunting. We just need to wait here and fire."

"Who wants to come with me to personally hunt down those wild beasts and actually kill them in the encirclement?"

Louis XVI's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and he was about to say, "Count me in," when Queen Marie Antoinette said nervously, "No, no, how can that be? It's too dangerous. That's a wild boar. If it were a deer, perhaps..."

She wasn't being overly pessimistic—wild boars are incredibly strong creatures. Even a mere brush against them while they're running can rupture your internal organs and kill you.

Historically, many important figures have died at the hands of wild boar tusks. Joseph smiled and brandished the hunting rifle in his hand: "Don't worry, this gun's accuracy and power far surpass those of the old flintlock rifles; it can pierce a wild boar's skull."

"Moreover, everyone was also equipped with revolvers, so even if a wild boar came running at us from 50 meters away, we would have two or three chances to shoot."

Louis XVI and Charles nodded vigorously.

Seeing this, the others quickly echoed their agreement.

Queen Mary repeatedly confirmed the request before hesitantly "let them go".

Charles breathed a sigh of relief and nodded gratefully to his brother.

Alexandra, having noticed the Queen hadn't joined the other women, stayed behind as well. Now, hearing that she could participate in the hunt herself, her heart pounded with excitement. She snuggled close to Joseph, winking sweetly, "Darling, um, can I go with you? I swear, I won't get in your way! Please!"

Joseph looked at his wife, who was dressed in a light green dress and sitting sideways on the horse, and shook his head, saying, "You can't do it like this."

Alexandra was somewhat discouraged, but not surprised, because according to court etiquette, ladies usually only watched from a distance during such hunting occasions, let alone chase wild boars on horseback.

However, just as she was about to take her leave, she heard her husband continue:

"It's not safe for you to be like this. If you want to go, please change into hunting clothes."

Joseph had full confidence in his wife's horsemanship and swordsmanship; even if she wasn't good at archery, at least she wouldn't be hurt by the wild boar.

“You are the best person in the world!” Alexandra kissed him twice on the cheek with excitement, then pulled on the reins and galloped toward the rest area.

Before long, she returned dressed in a dashing red hunting outfit—the Crown Princess's maid was very dutiful, bringing all the clothes she might need.

Joseph had also checked the weapons and ammunition, and had Krsol select more than 30 experienced guardsmen. Looking at the wild boar herd in the distance, he raised his hunting rifle and said, "All of you, line up!"

Alexandra blushed with excitement, as if she could see her hero on the battlefield, and immediately clung tightly to his side.

Charles and Antoine were squeezed to her right. To Joseph's left were Count Artois and others.

Louis XVI released the safety on his shotgun and walked excitedly toward his son, only to feel someone grab his clothes from behind.

He turned his head and saw Queen Mary's angry eyes, and immediately said somewhat nervously, "Um, I also..."

The Queen shook her head firmly, leaving no room for argument: "My dear, you're 46 years old. How can you follow the young people and act recklessly? That's too dangerous."

Louis XVI pointed aggrievedly at Count Artois: "But Charles, he..."

Queen Mary immediately shook her husband's arm gently and said softly, "Why don't you stay here with me?"

The king immediately gave up resistance, handed the hunting rifle to his attendant, reined in his horse, took two steps back, put his arm around his wife's waist, and watched with her as the crown prince led the hunting party, raising clouds of dust.

The noble ladies in the distance stared in astonishment at the Crown Princess, who was dressed in a red hunting outfit, straddling a saddle, and galloping across the fields with a hunting rifle on her back.

(End of this chapter)