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Hedy didn’t join the dance but instead ate two more pieces of beef ribs.
The noblewomen twirled and swayed on the dance floor, their skirts blooming like tulips in full bloom.
In the crowd, Hedy caught a glimpse of Da Vinci, holding his easel. He seemed to have lost some weight.
Their eyes met from afar, and then, like strangers, they blended back into the crowd.
Botticelli was quite popular at the banquet, dancing several times with the young noblewomen, yet it seemed as though heknew about the unspoken rule and did not approach Hedy too closely.
Twelve days later, on January 6th, the story of the Three Kings was recalled and celebrated.
Children found lumps of coal and candy in their stockings and performed ancient biblical stories with wooden swords.
It was also at this time that Dechio, the maid, quietly informed Hedy of new developments.
The lucky servants, not only had their health improved significantly, but even their gum bleeding had nearly stopped.
They looked much healthier, with some even reporting that their migraines had disappeared.
Overnight, fresh orange juice appeared by the beds of all the noble guests at the Doge’s Palace.
CHAPTER 4
She was finally released from house arrest.
It was now the year 1479, and even Christmas had already passed.
Winter had arrived, and the city had seen a light snowfall, which seemed like a mere formality, as not even the holly branches had turned white.
Hedy had waited for a long time, but the glass vessels still hadn’t been returned, and she felt some anxiety.
It wasn’t that she was worried about whether the penicillin could be produced—what she feared was that the beef broth in the glass vessels might spoil and grow mold, attracting mice or scorpions to crawl out from the dark corners. If that happened, she might end up being suspected of being a witch again.
On the day of her release from house arrest, Dechio took her to his office.
The palace here was different from what she had seen at Buckingham Palace.
The outer walls of Renaissance-era palaces were simple and unadorned, with the bricks exposed, making the building appear like a fortress from afar.
But once you stepped inside, walked on the Persian soft rugs embroidered with golden lions, and looked at the off-white walls and countless famous paintings, a sense of awe and solemnity would immediately sink into your heart.
As Hedy approached the office, she felt a surge of fear.
The closer she got to Lorenzo, the more she could feel a sense of helplessness she couldn’t escape.
“Sit.”
The servant brought over a four-legged stool with a velvet cushion. Hedy lowered her head in a respectful greeting and satacross from the desk.
“Besides the citrus, what else?”
Lorenzo seemed to be writing something, not once looking up at her.
“My lord, different research results require different experimental periods,” Hedy said calmly. “I need time to confirm the principles.”
The quill paused on the paper for a moment before Lorenzo continued writing his thoughts.
“How long will it take?”
