I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 186 Saint Denis (5)

In Rubens's pen, the original distorted picture has been corrected in a rather subtle but real way. Bosch turned a blind eye to it. He just sat in his favorite chair and began to draw the sketch in the middle. This is the most important thing. The scene, as mentioned before, the general painter will paint here the picture of Saint-Denis being blessed by angels and walking with hands in hand, but Bosch painted Saint-Denis and the torment of his three followers—Saint-Denis and The lion was locked together. The lion pounced on the saint and tore off a large piece of flesh. The skin and muscles that were still adhered to the body were pulled apart like a piece of rotten cloth, revealing a black hole. With a beating heart and white ribs, the saint fell to the ground with a smile on his face and his hands clasped together, as if praying and rejoicing for his entourage and his suffering.

   His two followers were just below the saint, one was beaten with a thorny whip and the other was burned with a red-hot iron rod. The strange thing was that they all laughed, even the angels flying in the air.

   "Draw me some more happy spectators," Jeromenes Bosch said to Rubens.

  ———

The malice of Hieronymus is not known for the time being. The king of France began to work in Lille after passing through the Paris Gate. It is difficult for people to imagine that if the king at this time went on an expedition, he would bring half of the court to the palace. Hundreds of ministers and officials were busy in the city hall of Lille. Fortunately, it was also because of the ravens and owls raised by the wizards of Gayola that all the urgent matters gathered in Paris could only be done in a few days. It reached Flanders within an hour. If there were more urgent matters, the king would pass the mirror to the queen mother who was guarding Paris for her two sons. Now that Arthas has also been in the hands of the king's loyal subjects, there are not many things for the king to worry about.

The Marquis of Lois came to ask for an audience once. He was the king's quartermaster and was also in charge of the army's supply, equipment and accommodation. Under the king's order, he relocated one-third of the citizens of Lille and brought them The house was turned into a barracks. This method was used by Viscount Turenne as early as Dunkirk. Although it inevitably caused the curse and disgust of the people, if they did not do it, would these Lille people love it? Are they? Those soldiers in the army, those who died, those prisoners, were not only Spaniards.

The soldiers and officers are well arranged, and the supply convoy has also followed up, as well as the replenishment given by the warehouse in Lille. The problem is those Bohemian women. When they were together, they angrily refused and protested. The Marquis of Lois was not a good soldier, but he was brave enough, but when a group of women rolled over with his soft body, he still had to flee in embarrassment. And the women were still laughing behind him, and the young but serious minister was so angry that he came to ask the king, with a slight reproach, for the presence of these women—not very respectfully, probably related to their His Majesty the King is concerned.

  The strictly trained Bontang brought a glass of milk to the minister with a stern face. After all, it was very late at this time.

   "What do you want them to do?" said the Marquis of Lois unpleasantly. After a pause, he said, "I know that among them, there may be...some people you need, but don't you have others here?"

   Those who don't understand may be confused, but Louis also guesses that Lois knows something he should know: "I want them to do... some nursing work."

"Nursing work?" The Marquis of Lois was puzzled. It was a new word, but he still analyzed the meaning of the word and figured out the general meaning: "Don't we have a doctor? You don't want to use those herbs to treat you. Soldier."

"There's a reason for this," Louis interrupted Lois with a raised hand: "I know what you're worried about, after all, wizards' herbs are as famous as curses, and the Church of Rome will be displeased, but The people at Gayola will help us monitor them."

   "Is there anything they can do that the people of Gayola can't?"

   "Yes," said Louis.

Yes, Louis is contemptuous and dissatisfied with these Bohemian witches. If Louis XIII's account is counted, they have to bear a great responsibility, but this war also made Louis think of other things. , For example, for the rescue and management of the wounded - in the seventeenth century, people were quite indifferent and sloppy about the rescue work of the wounded, perhaps because before that, countries and regions hardly had their own armies, and most of them were Use money to hire mercenaries to fight for them. Except for knights, lords, and kings who will be rescued after being injured, the other wounded are almost left on the battlefield and wait to die, unless they have friends who are unwilling to give up on them. and brother.

Since François I, people have gradually begun to look for the lucky ones who survived the battle, but whether they can recover still depends on whether they can continue to be lucky, except for the fatal infection in nine out of ten. In addition, it is almost difficult for the wounded to eat nutritious food, drink clean water, rest and recuperate in a warm place, and their disability will inevitably accompany them for life. Also the problem, there are many people who can be said to be dying of despair, and sometimes they would rather have a sacrament of death than a cure.

Louis did not intend to let this situation continue to worsen, don't forget, this is his army, and he also knows how important a veteran who has gone through the battlefield is, so from the beginning, he intentionally established a medical school to recruit more wise men. the doctor—that is, without a barber as an assistant, not a doctor who will only bled and irrigate that organ, or blow tobacco in that position you know, but the process is even slower than all the affairs of the king, It is not surprising that although Italy had a mature and sane medical school as early as the twelfth century (there were even female medicine and female doctors), the Roman Church has always been very wary of such academies that directly involve dogmas and religious theory. , to set up an academy under their supervision is no easier than dancing in shackles; and there are doctors of the kind that kings need, and true doctors are rare now, Ender, ancestor of Varo Vesalius Lie Vesalius is one, but unfortunately even a wizard, he was a hundred years ago, and his death was personally certified by the Church of Rome.

There are only three doctors in the army for the time being. Compared with 50,000 soldiers, this number is not even a drop in the bucket. The king thought of the nurses. Although it is said that men can care for the wounded, it is even more convenient, but in this era , Population is a precious resource, to say it is precious, that is to say, the number of soldiers recruited is already a heavy burden for the people. If young or prime-age men are recruited, then the king will immediately In the face of next year's famine, not even potatoes; what about women? Here we have to talk about people’s requirements for women at this time. Although “Ming Shu” is a well-known business, but even these “Ming Shu”, if you let them take care of the wounded full-time, they will also Seeing this as a burden and shame - let alone ordinary women, let them go into intimate contact (sometimes almost hugging) with a strange man, wipe their bodies including some hidden places ), feed them, water them, dispose of their feces, it is absolutely impossible!

  ———

   "This is absolutely impossible!"

   Manit said angrily.

"This is the king's order." Vauban said, he did not know that he was facing a group of witches, but he had always followed the king's orders, and he did not want to see others deny His Majesty's will: "This is you Promised." Vauban repeated His Majesty's words: "You use this in exchange for a shelter." Although he did not understand very well, these Bohemians were originally a group of refugees, and perhaps this was just a moment for His Majesty mercy.

Manit understood: "We are only responsible for the king." She said that she thought the king was only afraid of the dark wizards in Flanders. Although the number of the king's demands was a bit surprising, she also thought it was the exaggerated habits of the nobles. Caused—unexpectedly, he asked them to take care of a group of mortals? They are witches, they should be respected and worshipped by mortals, but they are not here to be servants!

   "If you don't do it," said Vauban, "then you must get out of here at once."

"What's the meaning?"

"I don't leave waste." Vauban said firmly: "Your Majesty asked me to convey this sentence." Even if it was conveyed, Manette could hear the ominous meaning in it - yes, she also noticed it, the king of France She doesn't care about them, even a little bored, but even if she is Manite, she still lacks political sensitivity, or, in other words, what the witches should have been deprived of them long ago when they abandoned the royal family, Percy The Miya people's survival wisdom makes them only know how to play some harmless tricks by virtue of their talent and appearance, and bold behavior. If the people they face are unwilling to pity them, and they are not seduced by them, it is difficult for them to do anything.

   "Manet," whispered a bohemian witch beside her, "I think..."

"what?"

   "We don't care about that," said the witch. "Many of us are married to soldiers who are just taking care of their husbands."

   "So what do you say if you're not married?" Manit stuck his waist in annoyance.

"Then get married." The witch said indifferently. Anyway, it's easy for Bohemians to get married. They don't need a church, a priest, or parents' approval. They just need to announce the two as husband and wife in front of everyone." But there are too many people here," Manitt said.

   "Then divorce first, then get married."

   "A marriage without love?" "It's to save people, Manet," said the witch, "We don't mind, and we need the protection of those soldiers too."

"If that's what you think," said Manette, who seemed to be thinking about it, but actually gave in. After all, the biggest card was still in the hands of the king. Drifting around, although Bohemians think this is a kind of freedom, they still don't want to leave here and face the sinister and strange world: "Okay, if you will."

While they were talking, Vauban had been waiting quietly, as if he had already seen through Manet's sternness, and Manet was a little annoyed despite his guilty conscience, "Why are you still here?" She looked at Glancing at Vauban's epaulettes, when people outside only thought that the shiny things on the shoulders of officers were just decorations, the witches who were good at observing words and expressions (the divination was so nonsense) had long understood the magic of the military rank. On Vauban's shoulders On the top, there are three silver stars and an arrow, "Mr. Captain?"

   "Follow me, Ms. Manette," said Captain Vauban.

The king not only prepared clothes for his soldiers and officers, but also uniforms for the bohemian witches. Manet glanced at them and couldn't help spit. The king even prepared these, obviously not. Intend to accept their rejection and coercion - these are not suits, but white linen aprons and headscarves, so that the Bohemian witches are not only different from the "names", but also look more formal, witches We thought that was all there was to it, but there were a lot of tedious things after that - like washing your hands with light alcohol every now and then (a king is a luxury!), changing aprons and headscarves every day, and following the doctor's instructions every day. There are regulations for changing medicines and bandages for the wounded... Even the food provided to the wounded is required, the house where they stay is cleaned every day, and animals (from mice to cats and dogs) are not allowed to run around.

Fortunately, there are almost all witches here, not only life expectancy, wizards are stronger and more agile than mortals, witches only need a little rest every day to be full of energy, when others can't see, they will use herbs and herbs. Magic cheating also freed them from a lot of complicated and heavy labor-they married and divorced with soldiers half-truths, divorced and married, which actually aroused the desire of many soldiers to survive, of course, they even Is bohemian, but also beautiful and young.

When he saw the number, the king was in a very good mood. Originally, he might have lost hundreds of soldiers, but now the number is less than one hundred. It is also possible that some witches used their herbs, but as long as the soldiers did not know, The witches won't be exposed, the Roman church won't come to point fingers, why should the king care?

   (end of this chapter)