I Am Louis XIV

"But..." a servant boldly persuaded: "Your Majesty, France is our enemy after all."

"I've heard a saying that there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends." Charles II calmed down unexpectedly, "The reason why we want to marry Henrietta to France is because we When fighting the Netherlands, I don’t want the Netherlands to have an ally like France, and this alliance needs to be maintained until the end of our war with the Netherlands, but they still rejected Henrietta’s request, why?” He viciously Smiling and looking around, "Because they know very well that as a king, Louis was born to stand by me, so they can bow to the French, but they will not bow to a king. Whether he is French or British, He looked out the window, "Why, everyone, don't you understand? Their rejection is because of me, not because of France."

These congressmen are also blackmailing King Louis XIV of France, asking him not to interfere in the struggle between Charles II and the nobles, whether it is money, troops or equipment. In the final analysis, they still regard their king as an enemy, Oliver Cromway Al's head hangs from the cathedral's steeple, and there may be more heads to hang in the future.

Charles II has such a desire, but he also knows that it is difficult to achieve this. If he is not careful, he will be the second Charles I. The people of London have killed a king, and they will not care Killing the second one, he now finally understands why Louis announced his mourning for his father Charles I when he was executed. This is not only a mourning for a relative, but also a mourning for a king, He also finally understood why Louis was still unwilling to recognize the legitimacy of Oliver Cromwell, the protector of the country. Still only Bishop Mazaran's attendant.

"It's probably like the difference between a tiger that has never tasted blood and a tiger that has tasted blood." He remembered what Louis said when talking about another trivial matter, "A tiger that has hunted people must be killed." , whether it is old, sick, injured, or young, because the tiger will remember the smell of the prey, it will remember, this is the smell of flesh and blood, this is the food, and it will never forget."

He was right, thought Charles II, that the people were tigers who had tasted the blood of the king, who was no longer in their eyes a lofty monarch, a half-god, but a mortal man who could be humiliated, beaten, Sinners put to death, how can they really respect their king, or any monarch for that matter? They won't, they just need a... a decoration, a chip, a scapegoat.

Charles II's sudden silence made his attendants at a loss. After looking at each other for a while, one of them was about to suggest that the king go to one of the latest salons to relax, but at this moment, there was a knock on the door.

The Duke of Albimar couldn't even wait for his attendants to inform him, so he strode in. As soon as he entered, he first bowed to Charles II, and then quickly said: "Your Majesty, London...the Black Death patient appeared in the port area of ​​London."

For a while, Charles II couldn't even understand what the Duke of Albemar was saying: "Paris?" He asked subconsciously. Hadn't they been talking fiercely about the Black Death, which was rampant in northern France?

"No, London." The Duke of Albemar said, completely contrary to Charles II's expectations, his expression was so serious that he didn't seem to be joking again: "Port area, Your Majesty."

The port area—is the most chaotic area in London, even surpassing the poor areas of Paris. There are people everywhere, and because it is filled with countless prostitutes, sailors and merchants always like to go there. The plague is there It is not surprising at all that it broke out first, even as a matter of course, but... But as soon as the news of the Black Death came, the British Navy cut off the British and French routes at sea, and even the ship of Princess Henrietta's envoy was almost sunk. Not to mention ordinary merchant ships and fishing boats, it is impossible for the Black Death to cross the sea.

"Blockade there... No, no, please take the army with you immediately," Charles II said hastily: "No matter what those councilors say, it doesn't matter, they won't live in the port area. Blockade there, Duke, I will An order in his own hand, that anyone who tries to leave there shall be executed—wait, bring pen and paper!" He called eagerly to his squire, "Take your time, Your Majesty," said the Duke of Albemar : "My nephew has already brought the army there. Now, you should first write a letter to the French king. It is said that their doctor has developed a very effective medicine that can prevent the plague from invading the human body..."

Charles II put down the quill with a snap. "You are the one who rejected Louis XIV," he said.

"Oh, it's nothing," the Duke of Albemar finally showed his politician's true colors: "We can pretend that nothing happened, or treat this problem as your clerical error."

The key point is that they knew that the Black Death had invaded Britain a bit late, and it was even later that the French had a drug that could resist the Black Death.

Charlie's hand stopped there, with a half-smile on his face. He said just now that he was a scapegoat, but he didn't expect to fulfill this statement so soon: "It's nothing," he said calmly: " Anyway, I'm getting used to it, but you have to tell them, duke, that I want Sir Morley to return to the court." Sir Morley was also a minister trusted by Charles II, but like Hyde, he became a member of Parliament A thorn in the flesh, but a man of the utmost prudence and intelligence, who had only been expelled from court a few days ago on a charge that amounted to a semi-imposed crime, and I am afraid he has not yet left London.

"This is your country."

"not completely."

The Duke of Albimar looked at Charles II - he once supported Oliver Cromwell, but unfortunately Cromwell let him down, he turned to support Charles II, but Charles II and the parliament The conflict has become the biggest internal friction in Britain, but regarding this point, he cannot completely stand on the side of Charles II, because he knows very well what kind of monster will that person become if all the power is concentrated in the hands of one person, But as a king, even if he is regarded as a playboy, Charles II, known as the "Happy King" and "Banquet King", is also a monster, especially when he lived in Paris for a while and saw the French King Louis XIV with his own eyes. How to take the power back into his own hands step by step, and knowing that today, Louis has not stopped the pace of centralizing the kingship.

It is not surprising that Charles II has such ambitions.

"Write, Your Majesty," he said at last, "and I will do everything in my power to bring him back to you."

————

And when Charles II dropped the first letter on the parchment, the Duke of Orleans was also writing a letter. To be precise, he was writing—the last letter to his brother, which is his deathbed entrustment , although he believed that his elder brother would not give up on him, Louis was still only a king after all, not a god, and he could not save anyone from the sky, so the Duke of Orleans had already prepared for the worst.

As long as he looked up, he could see the red fire light reflected from the glass window. These people probably felled all the trees around Nancy. He remembered his brother and some things he had complained about, so he talked with the castle. No tall trees can be left around, lest the enemy use them as siege equipment, so from the Louvre to the castle of St. The thing was to cut down all the surrounding dense forests, which made the king feel helpless and angry. Of course, he rejected this request. In Louis' words, if he took power after taking charge, he would still have to rely on the castle to ensure his own safety. , then he might as well be beheaded like Charles I.

Philip found that he could understand his brother's meaning, and his brother would not allow himself to end up like Charles II. Although the latter was also a king, the king's rights might not be as great as that of a member of parliament. The parliament despised him The king is also afraid of the king. The two emotions make them suppress their monarch by all means—as a vicious circle, Charles II’s hostile attitude has become more and more obvious. Of course, this is a good thing for France, just like Dunkirk, if the king and courtiers of England can be unanimous, its price will not be so cheap, and it will even take another battle for France to get it.

"I am really surprised," a voice suddenly sounded behind the Duke of Orleans: "Your Highness, is there anything else that can make you laugh now?"

The Duke of Orleans calmly inserted the quill pen back into the ink bottle before standing up, turning around to face the uninvited guest: "Who are you?"

"Theoderic of the Ventrue," said the man.

"You're not Theodric, and you're not even a Vanjo." The Duke of Orleans said, "I'll ask again, who are you, do you need my help?"

This sentence made the person who came, no, it should be said, the blood who came laughed for a long time, "No," he said: "Although I don't know why you think I shouldn't be Theoderic, but you seem to be confused. Wrong situation, now you need my help, not I need your help."

"And who are you? Monsieur, it is impolite not to give your name, or to lie before a duke."

"I'm a Zmich."

"Prince Amon?"

"Oh," Amon said happily, "You haven't seen me, but you've heard of my name. Could it be that His Majesty the King mentioned me to you?"

"Yes," the Duke of Orleans said frankly: "Brother Wang said, if possible, when I see you, stay as far away from you as possible. If possible, it's best not to talk to you."

So Amon broke out into hysterical laughter again, and then he wiped away the tears that didn't exist, and looked at the Duke of Orleans with those red eyes from between his fingers. To be honest, since he saw Louis , a heart that stopped beating was all put on this majesty, but who knew, his younger brother was so cute, he even regretted not meeting this majesty earlier——"I thought you A child," he said, and then he saw the Duke of Orléans straighten his back proudly, and the vampire laughed uncontrollably again, indeed, the two brothers were taller than the Frenchmen of today. There are many averages, "How outstanding," he murmured, "It seems that this time I will not return for nothing."

He turned his head, as if he was going to say something to the Duke of Orleans, but what he met was a short crossbow bolt exuding a chill.

In this era when the firing speed of muskets is still not satisfactory, the defensive weapons around the king and the duke are still crossbows. It passed through Amon's left eye. When he grabbed it casually, there would be bloodstains from the thick black hair. "It's a bit cold," he said softly, "Your Highness, I need some blood."

"Is mine okay?" Another voice replied, the firelight from outside the window suddenly disappeared, the corner of Amon's mouth twitched, the glass was densely packed with little bats, and then there was a rattling sound, the glass cracked, and the bats rushed into the room, instantly occupy every corner of the room.

Theodric stood in front of Amon angrily, "The territory of the Zmihi family is in the Carpathian Mountains," he said, "If you continue to pester the king of France and his relatives, I will question you Are you deliberately provoking the Fanzhuo family?"

"No way," Amon said, while moving away the hand covering his left eye, the blood slowly disappeared from his skin, that eye blinked, and it was as intact as the previous one, "John II. Kazimierz is a stupid and incompetent pig, he has almost lost Zmich's territory, I just want to make him a ham."

Although he knew it shouldn't be, a slight smile could not help but pass by Theodric's lips. After he heard a loud laugh, he thought it was his own mistake - it is rude to laugh at a king, But then he discovered that it was the Duke of Orleans, his brother Philip, who was laughing.

"Why," Philip looked at them, a little puzzled, "shouldn't I be laughing?"

When he was sorting out the information, he laughed once.

Note 1: John II Kazimierz was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Captured by the French for fighting with the Habsburgs against France in the Thirty Years' War, he was imprisoned for two years. After the death of his brother Wladyslaw IV, he was elected King of Poland (1648). During his reign, he faced an uprising of the Ukrainian Cossacks. In 1654 Russia raised troops to support the Cossacks, and in 1667 was forced to cede Eastern Ukraine to Russia. In 1655 Sweden launched an attack on Poland, and Poland lost northern Livonia.