I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 309 Bishop Barras interviews King Louis XIV of France

Ballas didn't wait too long, he was still the Pope's special envoy after all - on the surface, Louis XIV of France was still a very devout believer. I didn't see him only parading in Rome but not inviting the then Pope to Paris or Paris. Is it Alvignon Residence?

Only unlike the king that Frederick saw, Ballas met the king in the splendid and solemn Hall of Jupiter, and in this hall, almost everyone who was entitled to a room at Versailles arrived, Even Mrs. Montespan, who had just given birth to the king's third son, insisted on coming to the scene. She was extravagantly dressed and heavily makeup, reclining beside the king's throne, and the fan in her hand opened and closed quickly from time to time. Sometimes pressing her chin, sometimes pressing her chest, she tried her best to appear safe and sound, but the more she did, the more strange it would be to those who knew her well.

The person who was closer to the king than Madame de Montespan was the Duke of Orleans, who today wore a crimson jacquard coat in woven gold, embellished with ribbons and gems, but today he was not as dazzling as his own brother, Louis XIV wore it today. A quilted royal blue velvet robe with all quilting threads in silver, each intersection embellished with a rounded pearl that any lady will be unable to resist - coming out in a new cut of diamonds Before, in the hearts of the nobles of Europa, pearls were the champions on the jewelry list. After all, it was too difficult to get a perfect round pearl. When Columbus went to sea to find the new world, Castile at that time The Queen also specifically asked him to bring back pearls - but after Louis ordered jewellers to develop new ways of cutting diamonds that would allow them to shine like the stars, diamonds were also sought after... and then around each pearl. , are surrounded by a circle of small diamonds, the fire of the diamonds and the soft light of the pearls complement each other, setting off the king like a mortal god.

  Louis XIV therefore did not wear more jewels, only a pin was pinned to the scarf, but this pin was set with a diamond the size of an apricot.

Ballas must admit that he was full of jealousy and remorse, and he did not hesitate to abandon his duties and obligations, because at that time Louis XIV was only a mob who would be driven out by a mob wielding pitchforks and clubs The Louvre and even Paris are just poor people. People first thought that Gaston, the Duke of Orleans at that time, would become the king of France, and then they thought that the great Condé, who had made great military achievements, would become the king. No one thought—except the Queen Mother and Mazarin Bishop, this young boy will step up step by step, not only trampling on the former enemies of Gaston and Da Condé, but also defeating the Spaniards, Austrians and the Dutch, and marching on Rome, letting the entire The church trembled.

Not to mention that the power of the outer world cannot affect the inner world, no matter how arrogant the wizards and monks are, as long as they still rely on the outside world and communicate with them, they cannot ignore such a powerful ruler - although they have magic and Talent, but if wizards, vampires, and werewolves could fight against humans, it wouldn't be them who retreated to the inner world, but mortals.

  It wasn't that Barras didn't expect that he would still bow to the king of France. What he didn't expect was that he would bow to Louis XIV, whom he had abandoned and scorned...a fatherless child. When he bent down deeply, even though his face was expressionless and he murmured pleasant words, Louis could still guess what he was thinking, and would not be with any gambler who had lost, Barras. He will repent for his greed and viciousness, and will only hate that Louis and Philip did not die.

   Of course, if Gaston was sitting here today, Barras would be treated better, after all, it was this ambitious guy who colluded with the Roman Church.

  ———

Just a few days ago, Mrs. Montespan also wanted to ask the papal envoy to baptize her newborn baby, but this request was rejected, and the person baptizing the newborn will have an inescapable bond with the newborn. This point, Iraleio reminded the king long ago, so every child of Louis was baptized by Cardinal La Rivière. This timid cardinal who likes food and gold Louis, Louis can guarantee that he can firmly grasp him, but Ballas? Even if Elarius were to baptize Louis, he would not let him get close to his own children.

"You know it too, ma'am," Louis said kindly to his royal wife: "I am not ignorant of where you come from. You have shown me your power, and I will naturally trace it back..." He paused for a moment, for Madame Montespan was already at his feet: "Please forgive me, please protect me," she cried, with her temples disheveled and pale, although Louis knew very well that if it was selfish No one can compare to Mrs. Montespan's fickleness - when she was only seven years old, she was determined to stab her own father in the heart.

But in the same way, if Mrs. Montespan wanted to ask for someone's love and forgiveness, she was also very sincere... This kind of belly exposed like a beautiful and fierce beast can make the hardest the stone melted.

Louis also once wondered how his physician Varo Vesalius could be willing to forgive his eldest daughter, and how the Duke of Mortmar could consider her like a real father... Now he finally understands, because He, too, hesitated: "Stand up, ma'am," he said, "since I have not asked the judge to judge you, and your room is in Versailles, not in Bastille," he said meaningfully: "you should understand I will not punish you for your previous deceit."

   "A plant has sprung up in the wrong place," said Mrs. Montespan, "but it must still be directed towards the sun. Your Majesty, I have bloomed and borne fruit for you."

   "That's why I can put up with you...accept you," Louie said. "It's actually very unfair to the other person, she's being punished, and you're still at large."

Madame Montespan clenched her skirt, she knew who the king was referring to, she had to do it, Marie Mancini had a special place in the king's heart, unless she committed indulgence - even if only a little It's a big mistake, she couldn't get the king's attention, although she regrets it now - she shouldn't be so impatient, no, it should be said that she was wrong from her husband, because he is doing things for the Marquis of Lois , his death is very likely to be investigated... No one else knows, her father Varo Vesalius only needs to look at him to know that he was poisoned by the wizard's poison.

What she could not have imagined was that her master, Clement X, had lost control of Rome, and the chief cardinal not only disapproved, but even opposed his actions, so much so that he sent Obi Madam Nie, at once, lifted her last layer of fig leaf—she didn’t rely on many things now, except for her children, her two fathers, and the power that belonged to Clement X in her hands.

   "Then please tell me what role Ballas played in this conspiracy?" Louis asked.

"He?" Madame Montespan barely managed to hide her contempt. "You know Gilead, right?" Louis nodded - Gilead and Gayola were separated by an Italian distance, and she went on. , "The monks of the Church of Rome are not all from the same world," this Louis also knew, because Balas took his people with him when he left, and Elarius was able to take over quickly and easily. The power of the Paris Inquisition, and later he brought many of his people from the island of Gayola to fill the void left by Barras: "He sold the island of Gielle to Clement X, the whole." Monte. said Mrs Spahn.

   "Sold to Clement X?" Louis pondered: "Is that what I thought it meant?"

"Obviously, Clement X has the same idea as you." If it was Charles II or Leopold I, although he knew the existence of the inner world, he would not allow the wizards to appear outside the veil— The wizards have been silent in the shadows for hundreds of years since Merlin. It can be said that if there is no Louis XIV who has no faith and no scruples at all, this situation may continue until mortal science can overcome. Wizard's magic.

   But Louis XIV's indulgence and use of wizards not only stimulated the kings, but also stimulated the priests in Rome. When it comes to the use of wizards, Louis XIV will not be as skilled as them.

With the help of the Mancini family, Louis XIV has acquired Gayola, other monarchs may follow suit, and the Church of Rome certainly will not give up - this power may be the last thing that belongs to them, Ballas has been depressed in Rome Widow Huan, when he was in Lorraine, he was defeated by his former student Elarius - of course he would do anything to get what the church once promised him, but Louis only knew from Mrs. Montespan that Ballas It was even crazier than the Mancini family, or even Marie Mancini, who gave Clement X the "key" of the inner world of Gilead just for a bishopric without a diocese.

Seriously, if this is the case with wizards, it is not surprising that there is no second Merlin - no, Louis thought, even the outcome of Merlin being imprisoned in the boulder by his disciple and lover is still up for debate. How to make him believe that someone who made an illegitimate child into a holy king would be tricked by a woman like an alcoholic butcher.

   "Everywhere has Judas," Louis shook his head: "Just tell me how much you know about Barras."

Of course, Mrs. Montespan doesn't have much contact with Barras, but a large part of the wizards and monks under her command come from Jilie Island. The wizards of the family and the family, almost all turned against Mrs. Montespan-they made this decision is understandable, and the people who think that such an impeccable beauty as Mrs. Montespan must be favored by the king are not only those courtiers and nobles, Montespan They don't know Barras, but they must know. Several of them followed Barras all the way from Paris to Rome.

   After having a detailed understanding of what kind of person Balas is, there is today's extravagant, spectacular, dazzling and stressful interview ceremony.

  Barras was intimidated and treated coldly, and the negotiations after that were much simpler. Barras brought the decree of Clement X. Of course, it can be seen as a joke.

Those who tried (for those whom Clement X considered blasphemous and witchcraft - such as the Duke of Luxembourg); the restoration of the old canon, that is, the refusal to pay the poll tax, the demand for the king to allow the outflow of gold and silver coins (the various fees paid by the priests to the church); ) and so on, and then there is the tithe that the church levies on the common people...because this tax has never disappeared, and the church has not received it for hundreds of years anyway; and Louis clearly said, The bishop of the church will not be appointed or dismissed - Louis XIV took the so-called letter written by the Pope and threw it on the table casually. Ballas moved his lips, but in the end he could not speak.

   "Perhaps I should speak to the real headmaster," said Louis, "Barras, your master."

  Balas's face flushed suddenly, he raised his head and glared at the king, but the two monks beside the king forced him to bow his head again with more indifferent eyes.

"The expectations of the church," Louis said slowly, "I will do my duty as a pious monarch—the reasonable part." He said, stretching his shoulders and quieting A few years later, he was about to go on an expedition again—compared to Clement X's babble, the head of the cardinal was much more sober. It was the threat of the Ottoman Turks to Austria.

Although Poland had Grand Konde-Ludwig I and Sobieski, the Ottoman Turks created Tekei Imre, a man who had lost his father and many relatives because of his rebellion against Habsburg rule. The Hungarian nobleman was the Grand Duke of Transylvania, in order to be able to attack Austria through Transylvania when necessary.

Hungary is divided into three parts by Habsburgs, Transylvania and Ottoman Turkey. Upper, middle and lower, Tekei Imre has hit Upper Hungary, which is equivalent to opening a road to the sky , Although Ludwig I and Sobieski were also trying their best to stop the Ottoman Turks, it was clear that they could not pass through the territory of the Grand Duke of Transylvania, so whether France was willing to lend a helping hand would become reached a very crucial point.

Although Louis was very willing to watch Leopold I die, as a member of the Catholic Union, he could not stand by and watch, so he had to send an army - this expedition was also necessary, otherwise Leopold I would become the commander-in-chief of the coalition. (This is almost certain), his generals will be very passive, this time Louis will not even use Schumberg, although Marshal Schumberg has volunteered.

   But Ballas must be taken away.

   (end of this chapter)