I Am Louis XIV

Eralo's spell came over again, and the king felt something furry brush his cheek, and the kitten jumped on his shoulder and licked his face.

The king closed his eyes and tried to control himself: "What plague?" This time he heard his own voice.

"The Black Death."

The king's chest suddenly rolled violently, he leaned on the armrest of the chair, and it was dark for a while: "Duke of Orleans..." God, this is the first time he prayed so devoutly, please bless him, bless Philip, hope he is outside, No matter what it was for...even if it was captured by the rebels, but it didn't work out - he heard Eralius say mercilessly: "The Duke of Orleans is in Nancy."

The king finally vomited uncontrollably. He always ate very little at night, and this time was no exception. There was nothing in his stomach, and he couldn't vomit anything, but the huge mental pressure weighed down like a heavy stone. Looking at him, Eralio wanted to cast a spell, but was stopped by the king: "I'll be fine soon," he said, then he pulled out the drawer, took out a small bottle of wine and took a sip: "...this That's enough," he panted slightly, as a king, as an elder brother, he knew that what he needed most now was calmness and determination.

The Black Death is the plague, a severe infectious disease, and its latest major outbreak was just three hundred years ago. People still remember it. From 1347 to 1353, the whole of Europe was under the shadow of the Black Death. Covered——Its source comes from the Battle of Kaffa. When the yellow-skinned bandits who were expelled here by another powerful empire attacked the Black Sea port of Kaffa, they would die of the plague because they could not attack for a long time. Human corpses were loaded on catapults and thrown into the city, and a terrible plague broke out in the city. Afterwards, the plague was brought to Italy by Arab merchants, and then spread from Italy to France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and other countries. The local spread to Denmark, Sweden and other northern countries, and then spread from the former to the Baltic Sea region, and finally arrived in Russia. This catastrophe caused the death of 25 million people, accounting for almost one-third of the population at that time! And the place where the most people died was the Italian city of Florence, where 80% of the total population died.

According to the records and descriptions of the famous writer Boccaccio, Florence at that time was like a hell on earth, with black P letters everywhere... People used this symbol painted on the wall to warn that there was a Black Death patient here, and they had to be quick. Dodge, but it doesn't help - even in the seventeenth century, people still don't know that this plague is caused by rats, and as long as rats are running around, the disease will not disappear - Pedestrians in the streets Walking up and down suddenly, the people at home died silently. Before the corpses rotted, no one knew. Every day, corpses were transported out and dumped in valleys or swamps, but those People who transported corpses often fell down and died while walking.

Only a few lucky people can escape before being chased up by the plague, but it also depends on their status. If ordinary civilians are still rejected from cities and manors, soldiers of lords and even the humblest peasants will be rejected. Will kill them without hesitation, because they are likely to carry the plague on them-towns that are determined to be irreparable will even be burned, and if the city is blocked, until all the people in it are dead.

These are the only few ways people have fought against the Black Death for hundreds of years. There are others-killing black cats, killing heretics, holding mass, atonement processions, etc., always not to destroy other Life is to pray for the blessing of God. Louis knew that he should immediately order the blockade of Nancy, but the Duke of Orleans was in Nancy. He wanted to save the Duke of Orleans from the plague, but when he looked at Eralio, Eralio just shook his head: "Your Majesty," he said, "we are not omnipotent, or if we can drive out the plague , then the Church of Rome would not be so weak as it is today."

This is also a truth. If the church had mastered the method of treating or preventing the Black Death, they would not be silent until today, and countless fanatical believers would sweep away all obstacles for them. Perhaps the kingdom of God on earth would not have been written in A noun in a book.

"Where's the wizard?"

"It's the same with wizards," said Eralio. "Our bodies may be stronger than mortals, and we are less likely to be infected with the plague, but we have no cure for the Black Death, nor can we prevent it. Even if it is not easy to be infected with the plague, It's not easy, it's not impossible, if we stay in the epidemic area for too long, we will also be approached by death."

"Where are the bloodlines?" the king asked Theodric, that is, the kitten.

The kitty sighed quite humanely, and jumped off the table. A few minutes later, a swarm of black bats poured into the open window, and Theoderic appeared in front of them. Eralio had a strange look on his face, but Still, the king reluctantly endured it with an apologetic expression, "Please forgive me, sir, I didn't intend to put you in this embarrassing situation, but the matter is urgent," the king said, "Is it possible for the blood race to be infected with the plague?"

"The blood race will not be infected with the plague." To be precise, sometimes they will spread the plague. Among the thirteen holy artifacts of the blood race, there is such a thing as a rotten bracelet. It is said that it is the cause of all plagues, and all plagues in the world It was spread by it, but the sacred artifact was lost from the owner of the Nofil clan long ago, otherwise the Nofil clan would not be so contemptuous by other clans——vampires often wander around because of the black In a city blocked by death and disease, because there will be no priests and paladins there, they can hunt as they please: "But if the Duke of Orleans has been infected with the plague, then unless we convert him into one of us, Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to escape death."

The king didn't speak, but just looked out of the dark window. He almost insisted on carrying out the rebuilding project of Paris. He was worried that the too dense and dirty city would lead to the spread of the plague. Unexpectedly, Philip, the Duke of Orleans, did not suffer from the plague in Paris. , Lorraine, who fell a hundred miles away, fell—"I need the current situation of Lorraine." The king whispered: "And the Duke of Orleans."

"I'll let my children go and see it," said Prince Vatican, and he left the king's study, not even leaving behind the kitten, and staying with his sworn enemy for so long was unbearable for him that's it.

Eralio kept a half-smile expression, and only restrained himself when the king looked at him: "Your Majesty?"

"If it's just the black death that broke out in Nancy, you shouldn't be the one to repay me," Louis said, although his chest was still burning with fire, but his mind had calmed down: "What else do you want to tell me? "

"Your Majesty, don't you think the Church of Rome has become extraordinarily quiet since you besieged Rome?"

"You mean to say..."

"Yes Your Majesty, although I'm not sure, but think about it, who originally owned the Blood Cup? Mr. Bishop Mazaran," he said, "In fact, the Roman Church, which first owned it, once In the transaction, it was acquired by Bishop Richelieu. Of course, for the Roman Church, they thought that what they gave was only the right to use it. After all, as a deprivation of income, the inheritance of the priests should belong to the church. Who knows, Richelieu put It was left to Mazaran, and Mazaran left it to you... Oh, of course, it was so, and now it is said that it has been returned to the blood clan, in the hands of that Prince Vanjo."

"You mean they'll have rotten bracelets too," said the king, his voice deep and weak and unintimidating, but Eralius knew it was the calm before the storm that the king desperately needed now All the information related to this, so he is calm, like a hunter waiting for the prey to step into the trap, but immersed in a state of ecstasy. After the useless emotions are eliminated, the remaining things become horrible. get scared.

"I'm not sure, but some of our monks were called by the Roman Church - it is said that the priests of the Roman Church are busy preparing for all kinds of affairs required for the high mass, not one, but many, the dense number is more than ten From January to May, however, Your Majesty, the feast of the Holy Communion has just passed, and there are still two months before the Feast of the Assumption. Many of the mass supplies are not shelf-stable, and some merchants are required to deliver within two weeks , This makes people wonder... Has any king died recently, or the future king was born, it can only be said that they probably expected that there would be a high mass."

"What good is it to the church?" the king asked softly. "They are dangerous themselves."

"Well, it would be nice if the world were full of smart people like us, Your Majesty," Eralius said brazenly, "but that's the problem. The fear and shame you brought caused the entire Roman Church to fall into chaos and pain. Among them, you also know that for some stupid people, the powerful force may make them cringe, but if it is too much for them, they will jump up and bite you like a cornered mouse. , As for whether they will be thrown to death by you or burned to death in the future, they probably can't think of it-in addition, Lorraine and the Vatican are separated by half of France, one third of the Holy Roman Empire, one whole of Switzerland and three Two-thirds of Italy, they may think that the Black Death will not spread to Rome."

Eralius was right. People in the Roman Church may (they are very suspicious) not care how many people will die when the Black Death spreads again, but whether it is Louis XIV of France or Leo of the Holy Roman Empire Bode I, the Federal Council of Switzerland, and Spain, which controls the Duchy of Milan, will not turn a blind eye to this. They must be doing their best, and the Church...

"The church just needs to pray." Eralio said: "Yes, and they will also accuse certain countries, or a certain king, of needing to take responsibility for this catastrophe."

"Do they want me to stand barefoot outside the castle of Vanoza in a linen robe and beg for the Pope's forgiveness?" Louis asked mockingly, "Maybe my wife and my children are also expected to stand beside me in rags." ?”

"That's probably what they want most," Eralio said. "But maybe they want to take back the right to priesthood and church taxation."

"Do you know when they plan to let this blow up?"

"Just a few days, Your Majesty," said Eralio, "perhaps tomorrow."

"As long as it is not immediately, we have a solution." Louis stood up with a pale face, "Bang Tang, go and inform the queen mother, queen and prince, and let them leave for Notre Dame immediately - and Prince Condé, Prince Conti . . . " He named a series of royal blood princes and dukes.

It is late at night, and it can be said that most of the inner court and foreign courts have come out, which will inevitably arouse people's curiosity. On the road, the musketeers and guards ignited continuous torches, like opening up a river of light in the dark night, magnificent carriages followed one after another, and rare dignitaries and ministers appeared , Notre Dame's big bell rang, and Cardinal La Rivière led the priests dressed in holy clothes, holding Bibles, holy relics, candles, and censers in a dignified and solemn manner to welcome the king. It can't be seen that he was still on the bed of a plump "famous lady" when Count d'Artagnan pulled him up.

The king entered Notre Dame and went straight to the central point of the church, where the cross-plan buildings intersect. There are two symmetrical ear chambers, one of which is the altar of the Virgin, and the statue of the Virgin on the altar It was completed in the fourteenth century, but it was not until recently that someone moved the statue from a chapel to the altar of the Virgin on September 5 last year in order to please the king. The statue is almost as tall as two adult males , the Virgin embraced Jesus, wore a crown, and showed pity, and at the moment when the king knelt down to her, tears suddenly flowed from her eye sockets carved from stone.

There was an uproar among the people present, everyone was desperately making the sign of the cross, crawled down in fear and fear, and pressed their foreheads to the cold ground.

————

Before dawn, a rumor spread like wildfire and spread rapidly from Paris to all directions—the Virgin came to the king in his dream and told him that a great disaster was about to come to the north of France.

This kind of counterattack is too rigid for the strictness of the caring or smart people, but for ordinary people, they don't need to receive too many complicated news. They only know that there are miracles befalling their king and Paris. The Notre Dame is fine, and when the first pilgrims came to Paris, the Notre Dame was still crying. There is no doubt about such conclusive evidence, and the warning heard by the king was also certified shortly afterwards—— The Black Death broke out in Nancy.