I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 306 Frederick and the Grand Princess (2)

The princess has also heard about this, but she is no longer the little girl who panicked at the slightest disturbance two years ago. Even if someone deliberately whispered something to let her hear it - she will soon find her father or The uncle, the king and the duke of Orleans, if not cut off each other's tongues, will immediately expel them from Versailles.

  Anyone who can be allowed to live in Versailles will not be an ordinary nobleman. It has been said that they are a little king when they are in their own domain. But when they were really "invited" out of the room and saw the carriage waiting outside and their luggage being rudely packed and thrown out, some people would even cry loudly—if it was 20 years ago, although they were a little regretful But it is not unacceptable, but twenty years later, the king's custodian, the magistrates who walked out of the high court, the police system and the garrison have long created a steel-like net for this majesty, anyone, any Nothing can get rid of their eyes and shackles. When they return to their territory, they are at best a little more respectable than ordinary squires. It is impossible to hold the power as before.

The Grand Princess was unsympathetic at all, and his resolute behavior made the envoys of Brandenburg hesitate. He felt that the princesses of France were not as gentle and amiable as he had learned before, "Who gave you Such an illusion?" Frederick said in surprise: "Her father is the richest duke of Orleans in France, the king's most trusted brother, a famous general who has never been defeated, and her uncle is Louis the Sun King with a standing army of 150,000. Fourteen, the latter had laid down a new territory for France that was almost equal to one-third of the original territory before the age of forty. Even the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Leopold I, did not dare to attack it directly - she Why should you be submissive to a group of villains who should be snorting?"

He smiled: "I also know a little about what my father thinks," said the young lord, who was romantic in the court gossip, holding his cane: "But the problem is, for an empty promise, it is necessary to go with such a... He pointed out the window. "Look at the officers and soldiers, sir, while we and Leopold I were still dealing with the head of the mercenary army, the French we saw were entering the king's army." And pride, women chasing them like butterflies chasing flowers - look at them, what do you think?"

  The envoy was silent for a while: "Romans, Your Highness."

"It's the Romans," Frederick watched as he watched a line of soldiers walking down the street from a furniture store, one carrying a small wooden horse, one carrying a beautiful chair, one carrying a Folding the ladders, they lined up on the pavement, and walked forward in unison: "How beautiful, sir, I read in books Lucurus, Scipio the Great, Pompey, Antony, Caesar, House When I was with people like David, my blood was boiling. How I wish I could go back a thousand years ago and fight side by side with those wise and heroic generals. Unfortunately, when I walked into the military camp, I What I saw, I saw corruption, depravity, shamelessness and inferiority... The so-called general is like a businessman who buys and sells the lives of soldiers. The soldiers are scrambling to avoid the battle, escape and surrender. To **** and slaughter, even on those who employ them, and wherever there is a war, people are roulined twice, once as an enemy and once as a 'friend'."

"In the Holy Roman Empire, in Brandenburg and Prussia, in Italy, in Hungary or Spain, everyone around him feels ashamed when he talks about someone working in the army, but in France, Louis Fourteenth has a standing army of 150,000, which has shocked the countries. Now please tell me, if Louis XIV issued an edict to recruit more soldiers, how many people would swarm?" He said calmly: " And with the victory of Holland and Flanders, all the bankers can't wait to agree to the king's loan, even if he has no mortgage. Sir, the army is well funded, the number is large, the weapons and tactics are advanced, and so on. There are many famous generals, and he even opened a military academy - what kind of victory can't he get?"

   "But other nations will not turn a blind eye - they will not allow a second Roman Empire to appear," the envoy whispered.

"I also used this reason to convince my father." Frederick grinned, "Sir, the world is now doomed not to allow giants like the Roman Empire to appear again, so what will Louis XIV rely on to make France? Forever, if not forever, to continue its splendid life as long as possible? In fact, Louis XIV is already doing this, if the marriage with Karl XI of Sweden is for Holland and Flanders, The French crown prince married the Portuguese princess for the sake of faith and Spain, so what happened to his plan to make Prince Kongdai the king of Poland? If he is tolerant, wouldn't it be better to keep generals like Kongdai by his side? it is good?"

   "He was for the Polish-Bourbon dynasty." Frederick exclaimed: "Habsburg did such a thing, and now it's Bourbon's turn."

   "I think I understand what you mean," said the envoy, "but if you decide to marry the grand lord, Leopold I will never allow Prussia to establish a state."

"Could it be that Leopold I was immortal?" Frederick said lightly: "With the support of Louis XIV, the dowry of the great county master, what does a name matter? As long as Brandenburg-Prussia can There will always be someone to compromise to become a great prince equal to Austria in the Habsburgs." He stood up: "I think the most important thing for us now is to settle this marriage."

   He sighed: "The princess is not the kind of lady who will giggle and fall in love with me as long as she speaks sweet words and presents some jewels."

   Frederick's distress is also the biggest obstacle for all the great princesses and even the suitors of the great princess.

Because the eldest princess was determined to be the queen of Carl XI of Sweden a long time ago, in order to ensure that her daughter would not suffer the torture her mother and grandmother had encountered, Louis ordered his ministers and generals Opening a lecture hall in the palace - this kind of thing is shocking. At this time, let alone a princess who either married or entered a convent, even the second son such as the Duke of Orleans would not receive such a systematic and profound education - Louis XIV Not only did he do this, but he also made the big princess a classmate of the eldest princess.

But now it seems that this kind of education is still quite effective (although it has a little reaction to the lord of the grand county). It can be concluded that Karl XI is very satisfied with this future wife who can communicate with him in literature, art and even politics as easily as he can, and can also gallop with him and hunt and swim in the river. Stupid, narrow-minded idiots, as husbands, would of course like a partner who can walk side by side with them.

In the past two years, the king discovered from the grand county master that they still lacked a little in education, so he and the Duke of Orleans took the children to travel around most of France, broadening their horizons and clearing their minds. , so that they will not be trapped in a little setback and cannot break free - at least the children have seen that, compared with the poor civilians, their worries are not only worth mentioning, but also easy to solve.

  The Duke of Orleans even joked that he was raising kings and queens when he was drinking with his brother... The king replied that he was right.

A great county master raised like this is like a beautiful castle. Everyone will be shocked by its magnificence and grandeur, but it is not an easy task to capture it. The gentleman under a lady's skirt is probably no less than the soldiers lost by Louis XIV in the Battle of Holland.

  Especially now that she has almost nothing missing—jewelry, status, honor, love, and the hospitality of anyone can only be said to be icing on the cake. Not to mention marriage, just want to impress the big county lord and let her have a good word in front of the Duke of Orleans and the king. Under the peaceful but clear eyes of the princess, she insisted on a minuet dance.

  Frederick was well aware that he had few but significant advantages, one of which was that he was the eldest son of the Grand Duke of Brandenburg-Prussia, destined to inherit everything from his father.

   What else…

   He stood up, tidied up his clothes and put on his hat under the suspicious eyes of the envoy. "Today you have to do it yourself, sir," he said, "I have made an appointment with the grand princess to meet."

The envoy opened his mouth suddenly: "Wait? Who?" He looked at Frederick with disbelief. Today Frederick's clothes are not as good as his usual clothes in Brandenburg, and it can even be said to be a little bit Shabby-dark brown jacket with only a little tonal embroidery on the edges, buff amber buttons, black military boots down to the knees under the tights, muskets and daggers hanging from the calfskin belt, only the diamond pin on the hat, flipped over. The white lace collar on the coat barely matched his class.

   Frederick didn't say much, went out the door, mounted his beloved grey horse, and waved his hat at the envoy before leaving.

As he rode his horse across the two streets, into the market, and trotted past the people, he watched everything on the street with the curiosity of any young aristocrat tired of hunting and poker. Politely nodding, saluting, or bowing to him, but no one recognized him, he was sun-baked and smiling, and one of the shopkeepers couldn't help shouting, "Beautiful sir!" he asked, "God bless, Did something good happen to you?"

   "Yes," replied Frederick: "I have a great blessing waiting for me!"

This is also different from Brandenburg, Vienna and other places. The people of Paris and Versailles don't seem to have much disgust for the nobles - but this is also a matter of the past two decades, mainly because of the most vicious and condescending people in the past. After the riots of Richelieu, Mazarin and the two Fronds (not to mention who these two bishops are good people here, just greedy hyenas and cruel lions), the nobles were cleaned up a lot, until Louis X. Four pro-governors, and the old people headed by Fouquet were cut by the king. When the war between Holland and Flanders ended, a large number of new nobles appeared in the army. They were just like the original robe nobles. It was because of the king's promotion that they moved beyond the original stratum, and they must have formed their own system. Because they were only craftsmen and farmers before, they did not immediately forget their relatives and friends.

It is amazing that when there were only nobles and commoners, the conflicts in France became more and more fierce, but since the middle class of the new military (from officers to suppliers), the highest class and the lowest class have become more and more fierce. Like a buffer, although the commoners will still ridicule the incompetence of the nobles and tell their jokes in taverns and churches, they really want to raise crude weapons, set fires, loot everywhere, build fortifications with carriages and straw bales The idea of ​​a fortress is already very few.

If Louis XIV knew what Frederick was thinking, he would have told him that the nobles and priests always regarded the common people as foolish beasts, but as an Eastern philosopher said, if you regard a man as a prisoner, be wary and abuse, he will hurt you like a dangerous sinner, but if you will treat him like a friend, he will pay you back with his own life.

The French people don't want many things. They can now feed every family member, have a shelter from the wind and rain, change their class by entering the army and school, and ensure their survival. Seeing hope at the same time, they were willing to die for the king and France.

Looking at the scene on the street - people and horses and carriages are bustling to and fro, there are lords, judges, officers and civilians, who would have thought that twenty years ago, people with slightly more luxurious clothes were walking on the streets, If there were no attendants and servants, would they be honored to be "bathed" by the feces thrown by the poor, dead cats and dogs?

A few peddlers crowded in, raised their baskets to Frederick, and offered him biscuits, nuts, or preserves, as well as embroidered handkerchiefs, little toys, and other odds and ends, which Frederick had exchanged for a large Egyptian A handful of red and white hibiscus flowers, ready to be given to the grand princess.

Like Frederick, today's grand dame's description is also quite plain, of course, only compared with what she wore at the banquet and ball at Versailles, but let Frederick say that wearing only a creamy white dress, like It was the big princess who sat quietly by the fountain like the hibiscus flower in his hand, but it made his heart beat.

   (end of this chapter)