I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 113 The choice that Philip, Duke of Anjou will face

The Duke of Anjou is already a strong young man. Although he looks slender and gentle, he has daily martial arts lessons and horseback riding. Into the wool mixed with gold threads, the sterling silver base of the button was deformed at once, and the ruby ​​inside flew out, bounced on the door frame, and then hit the Queen Mother's bun with a scream. .

  The Queen Mother Annie took off the cracked gem from her bun in annoyance, looked at it, and threw it on the ground. "You all go out," she said: "Let me and the duke be alone for a while."

The tailors and servants filed out, the queen mother's maids also retreated, the queen mother sat down on the chair in front of the window with her skirt on, the Duke of Anjou was still on the wooden platform for measuring, in the brother's room. Taking care of him, his height exceeded the standard of French men at that time, and with the high platform of one foot, he looked down at the Queen Mother in a condescending manner, but this was only a matter of physiology, not Psychologically—for 18 years of deliberate indulgence, doting, and restraint, the Queen Mother was not as silent and obedient in front of Philip as she was in front of Louis. She stretched out one foot and kicked the clothes on the ground: "You are right What's the dissatisfaction? Philip? About the clothes, or our arrangement?"

  Philip stared at the Queen Mother: "Brother Wang will recover soon."

"Not now." Queen Mother Anne said ruthlessly: "The envoy from the Protector Richard Cromwell has been waiting in Paris for three days. How long do you want him to wait? The British are waiting for us. 's reply..."

   "We have nothing to say about this kind of rebellion," Philip said. "The prince has plans for Dunkirk. They just need to do as he says."

   "They?" The Queen Mother said, "What about you? Your Highness? Are you just watching?"

   "I am very willing to help and serve the king," Philip said with a pale face: "But the bishop and you want me to..."

   "Your Highness!"

   "Let me replace the prince!" Philip said angrily: "Louis is still alive, he is just ill and needs treatment, and he will be back soon! But you and the bishop want me to be the king regent!"

   "If you're worried..."

   "If the prince really needs me, I am willing to give him my life!" the young duke shouted, "but you are trying to take away his trust and love for me!"

   "Louis will understand..."

"It's not Louis's problem, mother, it's my problem. I can't believe that you would do this. You are cheering for the new king when your brother is in danger and his life is uncertain!" Here, Philip thinks of those dignitaries who suddenly came to him to flatter, and they felt that King Louis XIV would die, and when the Duke of Gaston was dying, and the Prince of Condé had succumbed to the royal family, the Duke of Anjou was The only heir to the French throne - Philip scoffed at this despicable act, but he did not expect his mother and the Bishop of Mazarin to do the same, where did they put Louis? Where did you put him?

   Or, for these people, the so-called king is just a **** on the chessboard? Can be discarded or replaced.

"Philip!" Philip's words deeply pierced the heart of the Queen Mother Anne, doesn't she love her son, of course not, she is even willing to use her instead of Louis to suffer these hardships, but the news from the world always It is intermittent and ambiguous. Even if there is a sacred relic of a blood family disguised as a king, it cannot exercise its power in place of the king. The United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands... These countries still surround France and stare at them. France must have a king.

Queen Mother Anne knew that she was too indecisive in this matter, just like Bishop Mazarin. If it was her mother-in-law, Mary of the Medici family, she might directly announce that the previous king was dead and let Philip succeed him. Anyway, they They are all her own children, she is still the queen mother, and Cardinal Richelieu will do the same, but... she slumped her upright body and raised a hand to her forehead: "I thought, Philip," The Queen Mother whispered: "You will be happy to accept such an arrangement."

This sentence made Philip embarrassed. He stood on the high platform and felt like a criminal who was publicly exposed. He was also the son of Louis XIII. , he was born two years later than Louis - to say that he has never held any resentment or jealousy after being sensible is pure deception, and he also knows that the Duke of Gaston is likely to be his future - for this reason, the Queen Mother Anne and Bishop Mazarin deliberately indulged and even lured him to the path of sin, just so that the French royal family would no longer have a brotherly wall.

As for Louis, his king and brother had been hesitant too. Philip knew what he was thinking, but he would sometimes get angry, annoyed by his distrust, but ever since the king stabbed Felipe Mann in front of him Chiney, he is no longer anxious about these little things - even if he still has delusions occasionally, but think about it, if he and Louis' identities are interchanged, can he do what his brother did for him? Louie didn't even need to fall into the trap, just stand by and watch.

   "I can't," said Philip. "Mother, please, I can't. Don't force me to hurt Louis. I don't want to see him hate me."

   Are we willing? Queen Mother Anne could hardly help but want to roar, but a strong sense of exhaustion came over her heart, "Okay," she compromised: "I'll discuss with Mr. Bishop."

  ———

  Mary gently held the parchment in his hand. It was thinned to the point of being almost transparent. The words on it were written with a needle. The small size was like a fairy's foot, and a magnifying glass was needed to see it clearly.

She burned the parchment on the candle and walked lightly to the courtyard where she taught - almost all wizarding children teach outside, or in a place big enough, because they are not skilled enough in spells, causing Fire or lightning might hurt yourself, and the basilica-style atrium of the Palazzo Colonna is a good place to be. The statue is silently watching Louis and his mentor, who was walking in when Marie entered. Holding a flame, the flame burned in his hand, illuminating his eyes, Mary's heart melted as soon as she saw this scene, but the steel-like core still made her say that Sad news for Louis.

   "Philip, Duke of Anjou, in the name of King Regent, has granted the request of Richard Cromwell, Duke Protector."

  Louis listened, did not speak, but silently extinguished the flame in his hand.

"Okay," Murfa said understandingly, "it seems that our lesson for today is over, Mary, come with me," he deliberately pretended not to see the little witch's resisting eyes: "It's better now Leave him alone," he stretched out his arm, and Mary had to reach out and hold it, "let's see where your homework review is..."

   The conversation between the two gradually faded away, and Louis returned to his room. His heart was full of sadness and some vague anger, but it fell not on Philip, but on Mary.

Mary thought he was half-imprisoned in the Palazzo Colonna, where the world could only rely on her and the Mancini family behind her. This was a big mistake. Power and wealth go hand in hand everywhere. Following this, Bishop Mazarin can be said to have poured out his power in the inner world, just to ensure the safety and freedom of Louis in the inner world - the Colonna Palace is not achieved overnight, Luca and even Tuno and others, Although they were nominally recruited, their loyalty and obedience to Louis were not groundless, and Murphy also had a gift from Mr. Bishop in his hand. Compared with his students, the older wizard was obviously Much sharper and sleeker.

It can only be seen from some details that Bishop Mazarin also made two preparations. One is that Louis will return to the outer world after he recovers, and the other is that Louis may actually become a wizard and stay in the inner world. This is also true of Mary. Leigh Mancini's wish.

   It's just that Marie Mancini has been by the king's side for so long, he shouldn't have thought that Louis would be as willing to be manipulated by others as a dazed and ignorant child.

   "So, Philip received Richard Cromwell's messenger as the Duke of Anjou." Louis said.

"Yes, she lied to you," said the blue-gray kitten, who had never spoken to Mary or displayed human-like intelligence, so the little witch didn't take it to heart, and Louis entered When he was in the inner world, it got into Louis's pocket. Magical creatures are very common in the inner world. It follows Louis or walks in other places without attracting anyone's attention, but as a part of Prince Vanderbilt, it can easily The unmistakable message from Theoderic is that when you speak, you can't help but put on a little accent—perhaps because the cat's vocal organs are still different from those of humans or vampires.

"What are you going to do next?" Kitten asked: "As far as I know, the Mancini family is preparing for a **** marriage, they dare not kill you, but they want to keep you there forever. The world is also equivalent to erasing your existence in the external world."

   "I think I need to know about the blood oath marriage first."

  ——

"Blood oath marriage?" said Murfa. "It's the Mancini family, indeed," he said. "Although they've been denying it, they're said to have intermarryed with the devil while they were still in the world. Both men and women are beautiful, and sometimes there are atavisms, like my poor little Varro's wife, and they want to get her back precisely because she can make any wizard who is in the Mancini family's fancy and She made a blood oath marriage so that if they could get hold of her, they could also get hold of a wizard who was powerful enough to threaten them."

   "But she's married to a mortal now."

"The same, it's all what the Mancini family needs." Murfa said: "If you and Marie Mancini enter into a marriage contract, then they can kill three birds with one stone, you know, first of all you will not be Allowed to be king, replaced by your gentle, rather cowardly younger brother; then even if your younger brother becomes king, as long as your relationship remains strong, you will still be his handicap; and finally the blood of Bourbon It is mixed with the blood of the Mancini family. Although there is a strong gap between the world and the world, who knows, maybe one day in the future, just like the original Medici family, no one can think of a wool merchant. To be able to become the Grand Duke of Tuscany, their daughter will become the Queen and Queen Mother."

   "They think a long way." The king said, rubbing the kitten's back.

   "They cast a great net," said Murfa, "and you are the biggest fish they have ever caught, and now it is up to you, Your Majesty."

"Decide?"

"I am your mentor," Malfa's expression suddenly became solemn, "in magic, I must say, you are extremely gifted, and over time, a Mancini family can't suppress you, you It is even possible to turn against the guest, after all, Mary is also a direct line, and you should also be able to obtain the title of a duke - of course, you can also choose to give up being a wizard, and leave as a mortal, which will be somewhat difficult, but not impossible, but Even if I don't think wizard students are superior, I have to say, Your Majesty, you can make a difference in the world..."

"I see what you mean," interrupted Louis gently, "Mr. Murfa, but I have been a mortal twenty years before, the education I have received, the teachings I honor, and the laws I obey. , are teaching me how to be a king, not a wizard, the wizard's world amazes me, maybe there is some nostalgia, but like a traveler, I always have to go home."

  Merfa couldn't tell if it was a pity, but he sighed with relief: "A friend of mine has a lot of research on blood oath marriage contracts. Your Majesty, I will go and meet him."

  ———

What Murfa didn't understand was that the king was also a great lord, and his thirst for territory was never ending. Louis didn't know whether the previous kings had any desire for the world, just out of fear of faith or It is because of ignorance that he shy away from moving forward, but since he came here, he has never stopped wanting to take it into his pocket. In addition to the various outputs, ores and manpower here, there are also their Geographical location, it is said that wizards can walk in various worlds at will, so even if mortals cannot cross the cornerstone on a large scale, as long as they can master the wizards here, they can launch surprise attacks on other countries - and they can't even find them. Where the troops are stationed or where they go to battle... that's enough for Louis to take risks.

   (end of this chapter)