I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 30 The Fantastic Threesome

Prince Kongdai's hands are very rough. Of course, the hands of a soldier are definitely not delicate and soft. The palms are very hot, and you can almost feel the blood vessels beating. He is still breathing violently, so he can't speak for a while, but Louis He still saw suspicion passing by his eyes, which was normal. After all, he mocked Queen Mother Anne and even the entire royal family at the Red Kids Market, which was only a few hundred feet away from here not long ago.

   "Please get up, my cousin," Louis said softly. "It's comforting to see you safe and sound."

Prince Condé hesitated for a moment, stood up, and the strange color slowly disappeared from his eyes. It was not that he believed that Louis was not malicious to him, but he also thought that the king did not need to do anything unnecessary, and he was honored by the king. Even if he doesn't appear here, he must be grateful for the king's kindness. He even has a hint of happiness. Bowing to Louis is enough to make him unhappy. If the person coming is from Cardinal Mazarin, isn't it? More disgusting?

At this time, the assassins were either killed or caught. Two people who had fought alongside Prince Kongdai also came over. They saluted the king, and a king knew him. He was Prince Kongdai's brother-in-law and also It is the Duke of Longueville. He was injured in many places, but not very serious. For an old man of nearly sixty years old, it is not easy, but it can also be seen from this how brave he is, and he is also politically. Not useless - he led the French embassy to sign the Treaty of Westphalia not long ago, which ended the long Thirty Years' War, although it also included Richelieu, Louis XIII, Mazarin The efforts of others, but to say that France was able to acquire the three dioceses of Lorraine-Nemelin, Tours, Verdun and the whole of Alsace except Strasbourg has nothing to do with him at all, then Pure nonsense.

But for a young, beautiful and attractive young woman, being forced to marry such a gray-haired, wrinkled widower in the year of the flower letter was a torture, so even Madame Longueville's affair has Münster (Münster is a city in the northern part of the German state of North laiyin Westphalia and the place where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed, when the Duke of Longueville was appointed as chief envoy by Mazarin) spread to Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the Duke of Longueville also graciously forgave her, not angry at her infidelity.

Here we shall mention another man, François de La Rochefoucauld, a gentleman of only thirty-nine years old, a man of grace and grace, and one of the oldest families in France. His father was highly valued by the Bishop of Richelieu, so in 1622, the Countess of La Rochefoucault was promoted to the Duchy, and François also became the heir of the Duke. Six years later, he came to Paris, became the lover of the Duchess of Chefus, and even participated in an anti-Richelieu conspiracy, for which he was imprisoned and exiled.

Now he came to the Duchess of Longueville, the sister of Prince Condé, and claimed that he was in love with this lady. In order to win her heart and make her happy, he immediately sided with Prince Condé, with Poitou The high official status (inherited from his father) served the prince.

People in the court now generally have two views on him. One is mostly from women. They think that the duke is very affectionate, but his lovers obviously value power and status more than his love. Not loving him, but taking advantage of him, made the duke all the more pitiful and lovable; but the other, the man's view (the women's thought made them sneered), they thought that La Rochefort The Duke of Cox is actually an ambitious villain. He can be said to be a model of using women and priests to climb to high positions. Take a look at the Duchess of Chefus for details. When the Duke of La Rochefoucault was in the palace The upstarts do not have many ways to cling to the powerful. On the contrary, the Duchess of Shefos first married Luina, the chief minister of Louis XIII, and then became the court chief of Queen Anne of Louis XIII. After Luina died And married the powerful Duke of Shefos, Claude - it can be said that this lady was very popular in those years, and she was a teenager who was a teenager of the Duke of La Rochefoucault. No one would believe that there is any sincere love, but it was this lady who brought the Duke of La Rochefoucault to the king and the prince, so that he could occupy a very good place in the court.

If it weren't for the later conflict between the Duchess of Sheves and Mister Richelieu, this gentleman would have continued to flourish. After that, he was imprisoned and exiled. People thought he was finished. Who knows that he has become a Madame Longueville's lover returned to Paris with grandeur.

Let Louis see that there is a reason why this gentleman was able to confuse two powerful ladies in succession without being revenge by a jealous husband or rival - this gentleman is probably the most beautiful he has ever seen. of men, not even one. He has fluffy golden-brown curly hair, parted to the sides, a delicate point in the center of his forehead that is desired by countless women, his eyes are extremely deep dark blue, like the surface of an autumn lake, and his lips are thick, showing An extra-moist, light rose color that makes people want to kiss it when they see it.

   In addition to his impeccable skin, his quiet temperament has also become a feature that cannot be ignored. In addition, as far as the king saw just now, he took the lives of two assassins in a row and captured one, which was a remarkable feat, so in terms of bravery, he had nothing to blame.

And to the king's surprise, the Duke of La Rochefoucault should be thirty-eight years old, but he looks younger than the Prince Condé, and it would be wrong to say that the Prince Condé was treated more severely than he was. , because he served in the army at the age of sixteen, and Prince Condé did not become an officer until at least eighteen.

The Duke of La Rochefoucault was one of the people who accompanied Prince Condé at the time of the assassination. He just didn't know whether he and Prince Longueville were summoned together, or if they met occasionally. If it was the former, Louis would really praise Condé. The Prince on behalf of the prince said with a big heart, but he soon stopped worrying about it, because Madame Longueville came.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, the lady immediately jumped down with her skirt in hand, and after saluting the king (quite perfunctory), she first embraced her brother with tears in her eyes, and then squinted tenderly. The Duke of La Rochefoucault glanced at the Duke of Longueville before going to check on the injury of the Duke of Longueville - they were temporarily repaired in the tavern next to the antique shop, and the Duke of Longueville's head was gently placed on the lap of the Duchess of Longueville. , but her eyes could hardly leave the Duke of La Rochefoucault, although her hand was held tightly by her husband.

Louis has heard a ridiculous rumor that the eldest son of the Duke of Longueville and his step-wife may be the child of the Duke of La Rochefoucault and this lady. Seriously, he doesn't believe it. It's not that there has been such a scandal. But generally speaking, the husband will not admit it. The most likely is that the child will become a monk or a squire, but in such an obvious formula of Duke of Longueville → Madame of Longueville → Duke of La Rochefoucauld Come on, he almost believed it.

   I heard that the child is five years old.

   About a quarter of an hour later, Cardinal Mazarin led the soldiers to greet the king. At this time, the light had become very dim. The king saw the disapproving expression on the bishop's face, but he pretended not to see it.

  Slightly.

As soon as Louis returned to Richelieu's house, he heard that the Duchess of Montpensier was imprisoned, and he was not surprised or sympathetic, since the Duchess had been draining the Queen Mother ever since she came to Paris. For her patience, the Queen Mother did have a sense of pity for her, and maybe a little family. After all, after the birth of the Duchess of Montpensier, she was almost brought up by her. Anne, who was still the queen at that time, still Without Louis and Philip, she devoted almost all her maternal love to the Grand Princess (the title of Duchess).

Unexpectedly, in just a few years, the mind of the Duchess of Montpensier was completely turned by her father Gaston. It is difficult to say whether her infatuation with Prince Condé is real, or because she hates Louis and her son. , as long as it makes them unhappy, she is willing to do it.

   (end of this chapter)