I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 205 The Triumph of Louis XIV (5)

   Parisians left Paris, Parisians returned to Paris.

This is not a joke, it is true, the Parisians are full of resentment at the king's decision to hold a victory banquet at Versailles, but resentment returns to resentment, no Parisian can afford to go to Versailles and stay in Paris, so while the king is still in Paris When in Flanders, Paris was almost an empty city. Unexpectedly, a few days later, another news came, which made Parisians both excited and anxious - it turned out that the king was still going to hold a parade ceremony in Paris. And to do Mass, that is, the Triumphal can still be said to be done in Paris.

  So the Parisians returned to Paris again.

The Duchess of Montpensier, who witnessed all this at the Louvre, made a contemptuous gesture and sighed at the same time. After returning to Paris for so many years, she also gradually understood the king's heart and methods - he may be very I have seen through these Parisians for a long time. They are ruthless, chasing fame and fortune, and they can do whatever they want. For example, this time, the gala dinner was held in Versailles, which caused dissatisfaction among many Parisians. They dared not even a word of sarcasm in the tabloids before the kingship that came with victory, and when they were extremely disappointed, the king generously promised that a grand mass would be held at Notre Dame, and the following The parade, also in Paris and not in Versailles - an act like pushing a man into an abyss and giving him a rope, Parisians fell into an unprecedented ecstasy, even more than they had heard about Brussels at first. The joy of the great victory.

As far as the Duchess of Montpensier knows, the dignitaries in Paris also intend to build a majestic Arc de Triomphe to commemorate the king's great victory. They have already prepared the necessary funds and materials, just waiting for the king to return to Paris. Just a finger on the map and you can start work. Of course, the Duchess didn't hesitate to pull out her own purse, and as one of the richest women in France, she was never behind anyone in this regard, and she got it earlier than anyone else. The king's reply, the king said that he intended to place the Arc de Triomphe on the Boulevard Queen's Boulevard, which was built in the time of Henry IV by a woman of the Medici family, the Queen Mother Mary, under the presidency of Louis in Paris. In the major renovation, the designer Le Notre, who is now running for the gardens of Versailles, expanded and extended this avenue, and set its end in a flat circular square.

This avenue pierces straight into the center of Paris from the front of the Louvre, and stretches out several wide roads from the circular square, leading to the various districts of Paris, like the branches of a big tree. The top is Boulogne, and the bottom is the Tuileries and the Louvre. It is said that the king intends to build the Arc de Triomphe on the west side of the circular square. When the Duchess of Montpensier instructed the maid to bring the map, she took off the earring and poked on it. When the small hole was marked, the maid next to him asked curiously, "Why did your majesty choose this place?"

The duchess glanced at the maid, who was also the daughter of an earl, and was so close to the duchess that she was sometimes too… dismissive, the duchess thought that maybe she should change to a valet, and replied kindly: "Because This will not be the king's only victory." This is just the beginning, Flanders' Arc de Triomphe is not yet qualified to stand in the most important position, this cousin of hers is ambitious, and Flanders is completely The expected victory, for Louis, is not worth mentioning at all.

"I don't know if Prince Condé will be able to come back together." The maid said again, now the Duchess of Montpensier has firmed up her determination to replace her. At the court, Prince Condé and Montpensier The Duchess can be regarded as a beautiful couple. The only regret is that the Duchess of Montpensier is not married yet. It is too frivolous to be close to a prince as an unmarried woman. The duke chose not to marry, so the moral requirements for her were no longer so harsh - she was not annoyed that the maid casually put Kong Dai on her lips, but that she was not for the duchess, but for her Own.

The Duchess has never been short of decent attendants, musicians and poets. Although the wife of Prince Condé returned to the fief with his heir, the gentleman's dewy love is also countless, but this kind of thing will not make the Duchess. Angry, although from the beginning, she did have some sincere feelings with Prince Kongdai, but she still longed for the crown more - in the battle of Bastille, she brazenly betrayed her father and helped Kongdai, is it just because love? No, just because if Condé was really pushed to the throne, then the Duchess of Montpensier could be the queen of France through a reasonable operation.

   After all, the wife of Prince Condé was not from a famous family. The reason why she could become Condé's wife was because her uncle was Bishop Richelieu.

It's just that Kong Dai finally stepped back before the throne, and she was almost abandoned by her father and the court. Fortunately, Louis still needed her, and now, she and Prince Kong Dai are another alliance. Prince Kong Dai is outside, and she is in the palace. , exchange information, help each other, and occasionally have a good night - but she is not sure whether the king will let Kong Dai come back, or stay in Flanders, but the biggest possibility is the former, anyway, in the past few decades, Kong Dai has only Afraid of not being able to leave the king's side, who asked him to do such a thing?

Thinking of this, the Duchess felt relieved. It was not her fault. The more the Duke of Condé was unable to be fully trusted by the King, the more he needed the help of the Duchess of Montpensier. They were unable to conclude a formal marriage contract. , and it will not cause the king's suspicion. If this goes on, it's really not a bad thing for the duchess. The Duchess of Montpensier thought so, she picked up an emerald necklace from the box, put it around her neck, and looked around, "How?" In her jewelry, this necklace is not the most precious, but it is It was given to her by Prince Kong Dai at the Red Children's Market. At that time, the Queen Mother was really angry.

After a few seconds, she untied it: "When we are going to meet the king, wear it with that diamond necklace." Later, when she is going to see the queen mother, she can't let the queen think about it again. This is embarrassing.

This emerald necklace came in handy a week later. It is said that the king specially arranged the itinerary. He and the army entered the city of Paris at the moment when the sun was the brightest. In the cheers as loud as thunder, the king and him Loyal generals, ministers, and soldiers rode their horses through the city. Not many soldiers came back, but everyone wore the gold Louis bestowed by the king, illuminating people's eyes. The carriage was full of sacrifices from the captured and Flemish people, and the gold plate of victory left by people who persuaded the king before was also in it. The king did not change his mind, but Philip, the duke of Orleans, who liked to play tricks, let the craftsmen imitate them. I made a brass one, and then gilded it with a layer of gold, which pierced people's eyes in the sun.

The musketeers walking by the convoy stretched out their hands from time to time and grabbed a handful from the seized, no matter what coins, jewelry or small utensils were, and threw them at the crowd. Gorgeous nobles are no exception, because this gift has other meanings.

The King returned to the Louvre surrounded by people, and after a brief meeting with the Queen Mother, the Queen and the children, he changed his clothes and went to the Notre-Dame Basilica, where after Mass, the procession was huge. He set off in a mighty manner, and no one noticed that Mr. Corneille in the procession had a strange expression - he had only followed the "Saints" in a parade not long ago, and he almost lost his life, and now he can't even see the portrait of Saint-Denis - a When he saw the portrait, he felt that his head would fall off his neck at any moment.

But very few people knew about it, and the people had no way of knowing that the parade ended successfully and they climbed on their horses or carriages, satisfied and weary, for the banquet at Versailles was to follow. .

The ministers couldn't help but feel a little tired. Only the king and the younger brother were still in good spirits, but they also rode the carriage when they went to Versailles. This time, the younger brother rarely sat with the king, but with his wife. Daughter sitting together, he looked down at his daughter, his daughter was born in a year with the king's daughter Elizabeth, and she is 7 years old today, she grew up carefree in the palace, innocent and lovely, and inherited The beauty of Philip and Henrietta, just thinking of her subsequent marriage, Philip was troubled for a while - looking at his expression, Henrietta rarely guessed the king's brother's mind, although there was no love between them, only responsibility, but The love for my daughter is the same.

Princess Elizabeth has already confirmed the engagement with King Carl XI of Sweden, so there is less room for manoeuvre for the daughter of the Duke of Orleans. It is not that there are no kings or princes of the same age, but for France, now is the best The candidate is Carlos II of Spain. The problem is that Philip has been with the king for a long time. He also knows that after the Habsburgs spread the noose of marriage all over Europa, they won not only the crown, but also the genetic disease. Carlos The evil consequences of the second world are particularly clear - as the king's eyes and ears in the court, Philip, the kings of Europa, knows all about it. He knows that Carlos II not only has a deformed face, but also a very weak body. Law has his own children, and his illegitimate uncle Don Juan's ambition comes from this.

   He is unwilling to marry his daughter to such a monarch with a false name, but if it is for the sake of France...

   "I may be in Paris for a while." At last the Duke of Orleans said dryly, "We can have another child, Henrietta, a boy, maybe."

For Henrietta, a boy, a duke's heir is of course the most important thing, but she also understands what the duke is saying... It's a consolation and a reward, given what she might have to lose - but she couldn't even refuse, not to mention that the Grand Princess must take her own responsibility, even her brother Charles II wrote to her, urging her to give birth to a boy as soon as possible - even if it was not her responsibility, the child's Birth needs a mother and a father, and the Duke of Orleans has stayed in Paris for a short time since he married her. At first, he was sent by the king to Lorraine, and then he was transferred to Alsace and returned from Alsace. Afterwards, he went to Flanders with the king not long after.

   After saying this, Philip fell silent, only gently stroking his daughter's curly hair. He loved his child, but even if it wasn't for France, he couldn't veto the king's brother's will.

While in Flanders, Philip thought that maybe the king would keep him in Flanders as the king's younger brother, the Duke of Orleans, as governor of a newly conquered land, but the king eventually changed He and the king knew as soon as he stepped into Paris when he had made up his mind, and the king gave him his splendor and success without any stinginess, just as he had given him the army and power in his hands.

   He has been unable to repay Brother Wang any more.

  ———

If someone can look down from the sky at this time, he will be surprised to find that on the three-mile road from Paris to Versailles, there is a bright bead chain stretched by torches and kerosene lamps, and people rush to Versailles. , from the humblest beggar to the most illustrious lord, they are both eager and curious about the banquet in the king's new palace and the new palace, and some people are worried that the banquet that the king announced that anyone can participate will not let anyone They sat with the inferiors, but they were soon at ease, and when they were still a thousand feet from Versailles, bread and light wine began to be distributed, but those who had a little self-awareness stayed and ate and drank, While shouting long live the king.

   Further on, there is a large and brightly lit market, where the artisans of Limoges and the residents of Versailles are in the market, and more people are left here.

On the hard road leading to Versailles, there were almost only the rumble of wheels and the sound of hoofs, and every other distance along the road, a musketeer stood proudly under the torch, with their hands on the hilt of their swords and their chests. It was full of gunpowder packs and cartridges as in battle.

When the carriages and horses finally reached the huge square, Versailles was already waiting for their admiration like a burning city - although it was not yet perfect, the great gallery and the central building were fully tested, and the two sides of the great gallery The holly labyrinth has also grown, and at night, no one will enter without permission, only torches illuminate the green foliage and dancing springs.

Countless water droplets were thrown into the air, reflecting the light like a diamond version in the light. People who came to participate in this grand event walked into the large gallery in admiration. The first thing they saw was along the five hundred-foot corridor. The dining tables set out in the domed promenade, each covered in white linen, are flanked by neat armless seats. When we got here, only the gentlemen and ladies who came to guide us were qualified to move forward, and the people who stayed were not dissatisfied. The portraits in the large gallery had been placed and hung, and the candles on the multi-lane stand had been completed. There are a lot of points, and even the men's beard and the women's lace can be clearly seen.

As requested by the king, Mr. LeBlanc and his students, as well as the recruited painters, worked hard day and night for several months and got the best reward here. Some people may say that as the king's royal painter LeBron lacks the soul that an artist should have, but how many people here have enough appreciation? Seeing portraits depicting one thing in succession at a time, some people even forget their fear and etiquette and run from one end of the grand gallery to the other.

This kind of action soon stopped when the musketeers stopped drinking, or there was a neat and loud trombone sound. A gentleman thought that there was another war, but he was laughed at, and then someone explained to him. He listened, it was the sound of the trumpet announcing the start of the banquet.

The sound of the trumpet is not entirely correct. The attendant blew a reed pipe decorated with golden lilies. Before that, the chief steward of the palace solemnly walked up to the crowd and announced: "Let us share the meat that the king has rewarded. .”—this is also a tradition, which Louis has no intention of changing, and there may be fewer than a hundred people who can sit before the king, but all are the most loyal and capable, and their tables are covered with silver studs. The linen tablecloths on the sides hung down to the feet, and their cutlery and utensils were either silver or glass, and they shone bright white in the candlelight.

At the long table where the king is, to the left and right are his younger brother and the queen mother, then the dauphin, the queen, the duchess of Montpensier, the princesses and the duchesses, the duchess of Orleans... that is, all the members of the royal family. Several noble people next to the king can use gilt tableware, and the linen tablecloth on the long table is also decorated with gold rather than silver. A warm orange-yellow.

   Under the leadership of the attendant of the pantry, dozens of attendants served the first dish—sweet and sour appetizer soup.

   It's late, add a thousand more words.

   (end of this chapter)