I Am Louis XIV

"Please come down, Mr. Count."

The Count raised his head and looked around. In addition to the two gentlemen holding muskets, there were four or five guys riding horses and wandering around to look out. He suppressed the panic in his heart and said, "If you need some help... …”

The visitor smiled, moved the barrel of the gun, and another person opened the door. The count had no choice but to get out of the carriage obediently. When he got out of the carriage, he saw his coachman and two attendants lying on the ground with pale faces, bowing to the ground. Not daring to move, the count cursed in his heart, but he didn't dare to say anything or do anything - these bandits were obviously well-trained and experienced, not to mention how they forced the coachman to drive the carriage here, and how they forced the coachman to drive the carriage here. How could the two attendants standing on the carriage frame never issue a warning? The fact that the earl did not notice anything during the whole process was shocking enough.

The count got out of the car, and one of the robbers nodded: "Sir," he said, "take out all the weapons you have."

The count wanted to say something more, but he changed his mind under the gaze of two pairs of bright eyes. The cloaks worn by these bandits were all expensive black wool. In addition to the muskets in their hands, there were also other items on their belts. Holding the spare muskets and daggers, the bayonet collided with their boots that reached above the knees - his eyes lingered on the boots for a moment, and then he showed a look of astonishment.

The boots are very beautiful, but only in the king's army, officers will wear these kind of sheepskin boots that tightly wrap their calves. Of course, there are also musketeers and guards. He pondered for a while and pulled out the musket in his arms. Come out, hold the barrel of the gun in reverse and hand it to one of the two people, then lean down and look out of the boot - the boots he is wearing have wide cuffs and are as high as the ankle, which is what most nobles wear - —draws his dagger.

"Are these just these two, sir?" one of the "robbers" asked.

"I am a gentleman, not a soldier." the earl replied, and the other party gently nodded to signal him to return to the carriage. Then before the earl could sit down, the two robbers jumped onto the carriage and the other jumped into the coachman's car. Position, I heard someone outside let out a soft sigh, and the wheels began to rotate from slow to fast.

The man was sitting next to the count, and the count sniffed gently as if by accident, confirming his guess. Because their king had high requirements for cleanliness when he was very young, everyone around him paid great attention to personal hygiene. This trend has continued to this day - now people bathe or wipe their bodies every day. It is a well-established rule. Even the villagers and women who are unlikely to step foot in Paris or Versailles in this life have learned to use coal stoves to warm some hot water to wipe their faces and hands in the morning.

For people like the Count, his family has renovated bathrooms and washrooms in accordance with the latest Parisian styles. Hotels in big cities also have such facilities, so there will never be any dirty and unpleasant smell on his body - this It's normal, but a bandit can be clean with only a little scent of pine and cypress. That's not right. It's not that they can't afford the cost of bathing, but that for most people, spending time and money on this is just one or two. It may be acceptable once, but doing it every day seems a bit... unrealistic. What can't be used for this money?

But what the nobles like most is meaningless throwing away of money, so that they can be completely cut off from the group of people they despise. Although they often cursed the king at home, they still tried their best to support the king's new industries - sweet candies, refreshing coffee, gorgeous silks and woolen fabrics, and porcelain as white as gelatin, so pure that it seemed as if they did not exist. Glass, bright gas lamps and candles...as well as bathroom and washroom furniture and utensils, pipes and equipment...and so on, and so on, the largest consumer for the time being - maybe within ten or twenty years, will be These lords and officials.

The Earl was younger than the king, and he seemed to have been spared from the sufferings of older people, that is, the filthy houses and roads, as long as he could remember. The smell is intolerable to people, especially those of...low-status people. Even wealthy businessmen, there are many people who would rather wear more perfume than enter the bathroom every day. The accumulated smell on their bodies seems to have been pickled into their skin. , even if I took a shower when I came to see him, it was still like a piece of fishy pork in a soup pot of boiling water.

But what the count smelled on this "robber" was the same kind of scent. He turned his head and stared at him without blinking. There was a kerosene lamp with a glass shade hanging in the carriage, because it adopted the latest fulcrum suspension method. So even if the carriage bumps slightly from time to time, the fuel inside will not spill out easily.

"What will happen to my groom and squire?" asked the count.

"They will be safe and sound. They only need to walk hard all night and they will be able to return to their homes." The man replied, his voice had a slight southern accent, and the earl immediately thought of the king's favorites. 1. Count d'Artagnan. The origin of Count d'Artagnan has always been criticized. He was not a count (at the beginning), but he often called himself a Count. He was also a Gascon, and Gasconians were regarded by Parisians as A group of country bumpkins. If it weren't for the favor of the king, d'Artagnan would not have climbed to his current position. The most hateful thing is that after he took the throne, he managed to promote a large number of country bumpkins, so that there were many more people with southern accents in Paris. people.

"What about me?"

"You..." The visitor gently took off his mask, allowing the count to see his smiling face.

——————

"You will certainly be treated to the best."

The Duke of Vendôme said that in front of him was the furious Duke of Saint-Simon. He pushed a glass of hot milk with whiskey towards him: "Age, age, good guy, you have to remember your age, we are not Boy, getting angry like this won't do any good to our health."

"The king's gallows and beheading stand are even less beneficial." said the Duke of Saint-Simon: "How dare he do this!" He was quite confident and unafraid. Although he was talking about the gallows and beheading stand, because he and his accomplices were still there During the uprising stage, no letters or documents were left behind, and there were even very few contacts between each other. Louis XIV could not easily convict him, let alone execute him or imprison him, and even deprive him of his territory and title. Impossible! Unless the king suddenly goes crazy - even though many nobles have become lackeys under the king, dogs also need to be comforted and fed. If the king really dares to attack a duke without any evidence, even if Being a Duke with insufficient foundation would inevitably cause widespread doubts and wavering. Louis XIV was a smart man and he would not do that.

"I thought you would be happy." Duke Vendôme saw that Duke Saint-Simon had no intention of eating, so he moved the big silver tray in front of him and began to eat Duke Saint-Simon's "King's Bread" and hot Add wine and milk, not to mention anything else, the king's cook is really good, even this kind of temporary snack is delicious: "This is the king's invitation."

"What invitation..." Duke Saint-Simon shouted: "I was caught here!" He clenched his fists. As soon as he left the conspirator's room, he felt something was wrong before he even got on the carriage - he After all, he was still a spy leader, but before he could react, several shadows emerged from the dark corner, and a large cloak covered his head and face in it, and then - about a moment Hundreds of bulls sat on him, and he could not move. He was tied tightly and was lifted into the carriage. The carriage walked for a while and ended up here.

It would be a lie to say that he is not afraid. He is older, and logically he should not be so afraid of meeting God, but his child is too young. He will have to live for at least ten years to ensure that he will be healthy and worry-free in the future. This is why he accepted bribes from Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and opposed Louis XIV. If he calmly hands over the list of spies in his hand, gives up his power, and stays in the mansion or a room in the Palace of Versailles... the future that his youngest son can have can be seen at a glance, that is, Ruwang Serve the king like the grandson of the Duke of Dome, serve for a while in the army or the king's company of musketeers, go to military school, and then start as an officer - if he is talented, maybe become a Vauban or People like Viscount Turenne, but even Viscount Turenne was injured on the battlefield, even fatally injured - how could he let his only son and old son suffer such a threat? !

Of course, he could also keep his youngest son by his side and not go anywhere. But for Louis XIV, there is no such thing as being able to rise to the top by relying on blood or the king's preference. He even uses the royal wife - although this can almost be said to be a joke, but it can also be seen It turns out that the Sun King must be surrounded by talented people - as a person who climbed from an ordinary attendant to his current position, how could Duke St. Simon not know what kind of hard work and difficulties there will be in this process?

What he wants for his son is an easy, wealthy and noble future... If the king is not willing to give it, he can get it himself...

But all the assumptions, all the conspiracies, all the planning seemed to have become an illusory dream: "I don't understand what you mean," the Duke of Saint-Simon continued, "Didn't I encounter a group of hateful gangsters?"

"That's not a good thing to say about the king's boys." Duke Vendôme raised his finger and scratched his nose: "Don't pretend to be stupid. How can I not know you? Louis XIII's little dog will not be so slow. You You should have guessed it. It was the king who invited you here..." He smiled: "And," he met the angry eyes of Duke Saint-Simon and said the next words: "You are allowed to accompany him, good sir, How enviable that you can follow His Majesty and bask in the glory of the Sun King during the entire grand parade.\

,"Duke Saint-Simon stared at him, as if he wanted to see a hell out of Duke Vendôme's face: "With you?"

"Come on," said the Duke of Vendôme, "smile quickly, this is really a wonderful thing!"

"how long?"

"Didn't I tell you, the whole Grand Parade," said the Duke of Vendôme: "One year."

One year.

The Duke of Saint-Simon fell weakly in his chair. As he said, the king has no power to arrest or murder a nobleman for no reason, nor can a baron, let alone a duke - the majesty of the king and the harshness of the law are in front of the nobles. He is always vulnerable. Even the Duke of Sedan, his territory was not taken away because of treason, but was returned to the royal family as part of the exchange for the lives of himself and his eldest son, so even the Duke of Saint-Simon It was similar to a semi-open opposition to the king, with the intention of destroying the foundation of the king's rule. Louis XIV was still difficult to punish directly, or even reprimand.

Perhaps in the long years to come, the king could expel the Duke of Saint-Simon from the center of power by marginalizing and downplaying him, but the problem is that Leopold I probably would not give them that much time.

But think about it on the other hand, if the king cannot belittle a minister or nobleman without any reason, then should his ministers accept the favors he bestows with fear? If Louis XIV sent an envoy to the Duke of Saint-Simon's residence today, the Duke of Saint-Simon could still try to politely refuse - he was not the first person to do so. After the completion of the Palace of Versailles, there were many people who tried their best to live in the attic. There are also people who are stubborn and just want to stay in the territory.

But now he is already... The Duke of Saint-Simon strode to the window. He is already at the Palace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He must be "lucky" to appear next to the king at tomorrow's banquet and accept people's envy and compliments. . Needless to say afterward, he was carried away by the king like a piece of luggage.

For a year, for a whole year, he probably couldn't contact his spy leader. Even if he could contact him, wouldn't it mean that he handed these people over to the king? But if there is no contact... these people are not saints... without a fixed capital injection, they will slowly disperse. After a year, even if he wants to gather these people, it will be impossible. If his son Now that he is an adult, he may still have a chance to redeem himself, but what the hell, he is only one year older than the king's youngest son, and now he can't even speak a complete sentence!

At this time, the Duke of Saint-Simon did not know that the most desperate thing was yet to come.

The next day he met all the accomplices at the banquet - of course, they were all people who were lucky enough to be invited by the king to accompany him. They would travel with the king through most of France, lasting more than four seasons. Of course, the king It was not difficult to bring the entire court and dozens of people, and the king generously provided them with servants and guards...

Damn the attendants and guards!