Chapter 62: Arrogance

Box No. 1.

Earlier, when the Queen mentioned romantic comedies, Marguerite felt a twinge of excitement, but she had been holding back, fearing it might disrupt the Queen's enjoyment of the play.

Finally, as the curtain slowly fell, the second act of "Yes! Prime Minister" came to an end.

"Ah~" The Queen sighed with satisfaction.

"Since I can remember, I don't think I've laughed so much in one sitting. What's most remarkable is that 'Yes! Prime Minister' is not only amusing but also profound. Those at Westminster, Whitehall, and Downing Street should all come and see it."

That was high praise indeed.

Lu Shi modestly responded, "Your Majesty, you are too kind."

Marguerite, beside the Queen, poured her a cup of tea and seized the opportunity to interject, "But... 'Yes! Prime Minister' probably couldn't be performed at the Royal Opera House, could it?"

The Queen nodded. "Hmm, not at the moment, it's too sharp."

Marguerite sighed. "It's a pity for Professor Lu's theatrical talent."

The Queen raised an eyebrow, sensing her granddaughter's hidden meaning.

After pondering for a moment, she quipped, "If Professor Lu could write a romantic comedy, it would surely have no problem being performed at the Royal Opera House. However... Professor Lu's political satire is sharp and, I believe, much more entertaining than those lovey-dovey plays."

Marguerite blushed instantly. The Queen had repeated her exact words about political satire being more entertaining than lovey-dovey plays, word for word.

Lu Shi, unaware of the underlying dynamics, pondered, "Regarding romantic comedies..."

Seeing his expression, Shaw couldn't contain his excitement. "Lu, do you really have a good script idea? Considering the current reception of romantic comedies among the British public, there would definitely be more audience for them than political satire plays. Moreover, if it could be performed at the Royal Opera House, its reach would be even broader."

Thinking of romance, Lu Shi's mind immediately went to "Titanic," but that seemed unrelated to comedy. Besides, steam turbine-powered ships like the Titanic weren't yet in use by shipping companies, and a luxury liner weighing 46,000 tons seemed less reliable than a battleship in the eyes of ordinary people.

Then he thought of "My Fair Lady," but with Shaw right there, he decided against it. After all, "My Fair Lady" was adapted from Shaw's "Pygmalion."

Thus, the box fell into silence.

After a while, Lu Shi raised his head and found everyone's eyes on him.

He said, "There is one. I've titled the story 'Roman Holiday.' It's about Princess Anne, as the heir to the throne, embarking on a tour of Europe's major cities. The journey goes smoothly until she arrives at the last stop, Rome. Princess Anne wants to enjoy the beauty of Rome to the fullest, but her attendants refuse, citing her noble status and the inappropriateness of exposing herself to the common people..."

In Lu Shi's narrative, the princess of the beautiful era briefly escapes the confines of royalty, reveling in her true self under the bustling sunlit streets, greedily enjoying the freedom of being a commoner. She encounters a journalist and embarks on a Roman holiday. During this short day trip, the princess and the journalist gradually fall in love, but as happy times pass, the princess knows their relationship cannot last and returns to their respective life paths.

The story was told.

Shaw solemnly commented, "It's a great story. Let me ask, is the journalist an American?"

Lu Shi was baffled. "Why would you say that?"

Shaw burst into laughter. "I think only Americans or Frenchmen can pull off such a thing, and Americans are more likely."

Lu Shi was speechless. In fact, the journalist Joe in "Roman Holiday" was indeed an American, daring and adventurous, who kidnapped the princess.

Moreover, Shaw's observation wasn't entirely wrong. American scriptwriters always seemed to enjoy such plots, just like "Before Sunrise," where an American guy picked up a French girl.

Well, very American.

Marguerite sighed. "Is this considered a comedy?"

The Queen looked at her granddaughter, helpless. "Of course, it's a comedy. In the affectionate gaze between the princess and the journalist, the princess gently says 'goodbye,' this ending, undoubtedly, is the most realistic and romantic."

Marguerite felt a bit annoyed.

The princess's love ended in tragedy, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of frustration.

The Queen knew her granddaughter had projected herself into the role of Princess Anne, so she reminded her, "Weren't we discussing Professor Lu's creation of a romantic comedy? I think if 'Roman Holiday' could be performed at the Royal Opera House, it would certainly be popular."

That remark awakened Marguerite, and she felt somewhat embarrassed, softly murmuring, "Hmm."

Fortunately, this awkwardness didn't last long.

A knock came from outside.

Stevenson frowned. "Again!?"

He strode over to open the door.

Standing outside was the same servant.

Seeing Stevenson, he immediately spoke cautiously, "Sir, just now... um..."

Stevenson frowned. "Why are you stammering like that? Spit it out!"

So, the servant relayed Cecil's words exactly as they were.

Their conversation drifted into the box.

Instantly, the Queen's expression darkened.

"Are you sure you made it clear about 'Her Majesty's Marguerite'?"

The servant nodded vigorously.

"Of course, I didn't say a word more than necessary."

As the saying goes, "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat are affected." Faced with a showdown between titans, the servant dared not add fuel to the fire.

The Queen's expression grew colder.

After a while, she snorted but said nothing more, hiding her figure in the armchair.

Was that all?

Marguerite whispered, "Grandmother, this matter..."

But she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

The atmosphere around the Queen was too heavy, like an Antarctic glacier at minus fifty degrees, seemingly capable of freezing everything.

Lu Shi looked at the Queen, figuring out what to do.

He asked the servant, "Is Mr. Salisbury looking for me, correct?"

Seeing Lu Shi speak, the servant breathed a sigh of relief.

If Professor Lu was willing to come over for a drink and resolve this matter, it would be a great help.

The servant nodded repeatedly. "Yes, that's right, he's looking for you."

Lu Shi chuckled.

"Alright, help me pass a message. Tell him I'm tied up here and can't make it. If Mr. Salisbury really wants to have a drink with me, he can come over, and I'll be waiting for him in Box No. 1."

The servant was completely dumbfounded.

This... darn...

The person in Box No. 2 was the Prime Minister of Britain!

Unexpectedly, Lu Shi's arrogance knew no bounds. He even upped the ante, "By the way, tell Mr. Salisbury that we're only having tea here, we haven't prepared any alcohol. So, he needs to bring his own."

"Gulp..."

The waiter audibly swallowed.

Having seen arrogance before, but never quite like this,

Today, they encountered a real character.

Lu Shi waved his hand, saying, "Alright, stop standing there dumbfounded. Aren't you going?"