I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 38 The king leaves Paris for the second time

Compared to the first time, when I left Paris for the second time, whether it was Louis, the Queen Mother and others, they were much more calm. Although they were scolded by the abominable thugs, their relatives and their close officials could not help but scold them. People were much calmer, and the king asked a little while playing cards before he understood ironically—compared to some poor people who they didn’t even pay attention to, who set off the second scorpion rebellion. Prince Dai is also an aristocrat and also has royal blood. Even if Prince Kong Dai is more threatening, they will not think that they have been humiliated.

However, this kind of tolerance is only for the nobles. After all, even if Prince Kongdai becomes the king, they will only be treated coldly and rejected at most, and the fiefs and titles will not be shaken in the slightest, and who knows, maybe after a few days. In 2009, the king will change his mind, or there will be another new king, look at the Duke of La Rochefoucault, because he was involved in a palace conspiracy, he was also exiled, and now he is not Condé The prince's guest, in Bordeaux, he unabashedly went out with the Duchess of Longueville, as if they were a legal couple - although the Duchess of Longueville had traveled to Bordeaux for help in order to rescue her husband and brother. .

But the change of the throne is not a good thing for the king. If nothing else, there is only Edward V of England, the poor young king. He was the same age as the current Louis when he succeeded to the throne. His uncle, the regent, the Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III), declared the marriage of King Edward IV and their mother, Elizabeth Woodville, illegal - one bishop came forward to declare himself Edward IV and another The woman was married, and the woman was still alive when Edward IV married Elizabeth, so the subsequent marriage contract was not established. Edward V and his younger brother, the Duke of York, also became illegitimate children, deprived of their inheritance rights, and the two children were imprisoned in the Tower of London , mysteriously disappeared a few months later.

Louis also went to find the whereabouts of these two children. Some people say that when Henry VII of the Tudor Dynasty tortured James Tyler, a supporter of Richard III, he admitted that he was in Richard. The two princes were killed at the behest of the third, and they were still in the Tower of London, the bodies were packed in a small clothes box and sealed in an alcove.

   When he saw this result, Louis couldn't help feeling chills all over his body. He had no doubt that if things really developed to the point where the Prince of Condé or the Prince of Orleans, Gaston, became king, the fate of him and Philip would be nothing but the same. The only consolation is that in France, the king's enemies are certainly there, and there are many people who are willing to support and loyal to the king, including even a young general from the Holy Roman Empire, who led about three hundred troops. Infantry came to fight for the king.

  Louis had asked the Bishop of Mazarin if he could take away the Prince of Condé, Conti and the Duke of Longueville, or at least Condé. The bishop, who now has some knowledge of his king, immediately understood what he meant, but as a church person, the bishop, who was better at conspiracy and trade than fighting with swords and guns on the battlefield, was in a dilemma again. Tell Louis that even if they take Prince Condé away, they must treat Condé as a prince along the way, because he has no real crime to speak of, but then some people may feel guilty because of Condé Shaken by Dai's words and actions, or directly helping Condé to escape, it is better to let the three of Condé continue to be imprisoned in Vincennes Castle, which is still the strongest military fortress in the whole of France. The caretakers are also Mr. Bishop's most credible subordinates.

   Louis didn't say anything about it, anyway, there would soon be facts to slap the sometimes over-headed Mr. Bishop in his place.

  —————

On the seventh day after the king's motorcade left Paris, one late night, a group of people rode a carriage to Vincennes. The forest at night was like an opaque cloak, swallowing all the light. Only occasionally can I hear the sound of Ye Xiao flapping its wings and flying over, and the clatter of the carriage was so harsh in the dead silence. The gatekeeper of the castle was awakened, he jumped up, rang the bell, and the guards Opening their eyes, they also hadn't had a good night's sleep for several nights. After all, everyone knew that the Prince of Condé and his brother, and the Duke of Longueville were in Vincennes, the mob of Paris, those loyal to Condé. Dai's army, or a careerist like Gaston, might break through the city gates so that Prince Kongdai could be rescued.

But when they came to the city wall, they felt a lot more at ease. Only artillery can penetrate such a thick city wall. There is no place to climb on the smooth wall. Even if someone can climb up by means of a ladder, the narrow window will still be open. Putting them in a dilemma, they looked down with their lamps - the people coming below also held up torches, and in the light of the flaming torches, the first thing they saw was the wide eaves that the cardinals often wear when they go out. He took off his hat, put it in the hands of the priest on the side, and raised his head.

   "Oh, my God," the headed guard shouted at once, "how could it be you? Mr. Bishop!"

Yes, the person who came was Cardinal Jules Mazarin. He was almost the same as when he left. While waiting for the guards to remove the bags of stones and soil piled up behind the city gate, he kept frowning, revealing that With an expression of impatience that he had to endure, the lines at the corners of his eyes drooped sternly, and the thin lips that once sealed the fate of countless people were even more tightly pursed. In such a situation, he immediately bowed his head wisely and did not say a word, and only took him to the room of the three nobles according to the bishop's request.

As the three most important "guests" of Vincennes, Prince Condé, Conti and the Duke of Longueville are naturally imprisoned at the highest point of the main tower of Vincennes Castle. Looking down from the tower, you can almost overlook Throughout Paris, as the guard said, the only people who can talk to His Royal Highness the Prince are birds. The main tower is surrounded by a square city wall. The stone bricks of the tower have no gaps, and the windows are narrow and rare. After arriving, the guards also sealed some of the windows below thirty feet.

When he saw Bishop Mazarin, Prince Condé was also surprised, but apart from his surprise, the proud prince and general did not show much emotion. Perhaps in his heart, Mazarin climbed to such a level His position is always just a priest from humble background; compared to Prince Condé, his younger brother Conti's performance is much worse. As soon as he saw the bishop, he thought that the bishop might have brought someone to execute them. , when the bishop asked them to go with him, Conte even shouted and refused to obey, grabbing a candlestick and waving it, vowing that he would never die silently like a coward.

The wax oil fell on the carpet with sparks and almost caused a small fire. Fortunately, the Duke of Longueville was there. He used a bottle of wine to avoid the tragedy of being burned first, and then used an empty bottle to let the Prince of Conti Be quiet, at least like a decent person.

Bishop Mazarin took them away from the main tower and the castle. When boarding the carriage, Prince Condé looked around and found that there were not many people brought by the bishop. He glanced at the Duke of Longueville, although he did not. As for the humiliating shouting and shouting like Prince Conti, it doesn't mean that they will die willingly.

When the carriage got slower and slower and finally stopped in a clearing in the Vincennes forest, Prince Condé was asked to get out of the carriage. As a prince should have, silk shirts, wine, steak, golden bread and carpets, soft beds, etc., no chores, no assassinations and plots, he's even a little fatter, he's healthy and energetic now Plenty, Bishop Mazarin was standing opposite him, less than six feet away, and Prince Condé could totally grab him.

   Duke Longueville thought so too, he moved his footsteps and walked to the side, blocking the way of the bishop.

Mr. Bishop didn't seem to notice, he smiled at Prince Kongdai, raised his hand to lift his wide-brimmed hat, and threw it on the ground, then unbuttoned, took off his bright red robe, and stepped on his feet. Stupid Prince Conte knows that something is not right... Not even the most absurd priest would do this, because the vestments are the best decoration, weapon and armor for them.

Finally, Mazarin, or the guy who didn't know what it was, raised his hand, pressed it on his face, and then gently removed it, as if removing an invisible mask, Prince Kongdai and others watched It was a completely unfamiliar face. His hair fell behind his shoulders, almost gray, and his eyes were like the darkest rubies they had ever seen.

  Prince Kongdai couldn't help but take a step back when he realized that he was facing a non-human being.

   "There is nothing to fear, Your Highness," said the vampire, "It is an honor to serve you."

   After he finished speaking, he let out a long, sharp whistle, and with this long whistling, those followers lifted their cloaks, turned into countless bats with him, and flew away.

   (end of this chapter)