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Lorenzo had lived a life of strict self-discipline since childhood, so adapting to these strange new habits didn’t seem too difficult.
His health was indeed gradually improving, with gout attacks becoming less frequent.
At the same time, there was now a piano in his bedroom.
When he fell into a deep sleep, the sound of the piano would flow out, like the quietly winding Blue Danube.
"The Blue Danube" quickly became a sensation throughout Florence and even began to spread to foreign lands.
This piece was originally recorded by Hedy herself, but people tended to assume that it was entirely Leonardo's creation, with Hedy's role as a collaborator being nothing more than providing tea, snacks, and support.
Leonardo, already well-known in Florence for his unique portrait paintings in the past few years, saw his popularity soar even higher. Many people now eagerly sought to discuss marriage with him.
The beautiful young lady with light blue eyes was said to be an alchemist who had inherited ancient teachings, and she was from a noble family closely tied to the Medici family. Naturally, the common folk didn’t dare to approach her, instead sending poems, fresh flowers, and various gifts daily.
Leonardo, at the prime age for marriage and with a respectable career, still continued to reject one marriage proposal after another.
His father, Piero, was increasingly concerned and visited him several times, seemingly hoping to find a pretty young lady to settle him down.
"First, I’m not gay—I’ve said this many times already."
"Second, please stop bringing up marriage. It’s not going to happen."
These two statements were overheard by a maid and quietly spread throughout the neighborhood, leading to new rumors. People began to assume that such a handsome and talented young man, not gay and unwilling to marry, must have someone special in his heart.
Upon further thought, the most beautiful woman he was ever seen with had to be the brilliant Miss Kiesler!
So, the gossipers began to speculate on all sorts of possibilities, even adding some spice to the story, making it sound convincing.
One noblewoman claimed she saw the two of them wandering in the royal garden, with the painter leaving in sorrow after being unable to win her heart, later drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
A stableman firmly stated that Leonardo was secretly in love with Miss Kiesler, and when he saw her off from the Doge’s Palace, he quietly watched her until she disappeared into the distance, lingering long after she had gone.
Various rumors grew and spread in different ways, with some even saying they saw Botticelli and Leonardo dueling in the courtyard over her.
When Leonardo heard these absurd and ridiculous rumors, he rolled his eyes but couldn’t help feeling somewhat relieved.
Some of the rumors were true—but the reason he stood there for so long had to do with thinking about the formation method of a cobalt blue pigment, and had absolutely nothing to do with romantic feelings.
This relief seemed a bit self-serving, but overall, it didn’t bother him much.
Hedy was an open-minded and intelligent young woman, so when she heard such rumors, she simply smiled and didn’t get upset.
With these rumors circulating, the chances of him being accused of homosexuality and brought before the Church significantly decreased.
This meant more time he could spend in the theater.
It truly was a win-win situation.
Hedy also heard Dechio’s colorful descriptions of these jokes but didn’t take them to heart.
In fact, those stories barely registered in her memory, passing through her ears without leaving any lasting impression.
She had more important things to focus on.
The maps of this era were somewhat unclear, and there were no clear historical records.
She had to go to the library to borrow old books, trying to piece together the past and present situation.
