I Am Louis XIV

Once Prince Kongdai makes a decision, the next thing will begin.

The first thing is to send some of the spies to Poland - because Poland was separated from France by the entire Holy Roman Empire, so France's power was not strong there, while the Holy Roman Empire was just the opposite, but the problem was still the same, then There are not enough spies, and they are almost all scattered in the Netherlands and Flanders. After all, the latest conquered territories are often the places where rebellions are most likely to start. The governors, generals and administrators that Louis throws out now will all be in the future. What needs to be reused cannot be wasted in a place like this - like what happened in Lorraine, the king will never allow it to happen again.

"If I leave this matter to you, madam." Louis turned around and asked, "Can you handle it properly?"

If other ministers saw that their latest royal wife actually participated in such an important meeting, they would be surprised. Although there are precedents for royal wives to participate in politics, this also requires accumulating their own authority and the king's trust. Prince Kong Dai Weiwei He moved, but still said nothing. He should be used to the king's whims, especially after so many years - the king has not made any big mistakes in government and state affairs.

"I think I can." Mrs. Montespan said proudly, her face flushed with excitement. Although the king did not sleep with her last night, which caused some rumors, the diamond necklace sent by the king was enough to offset this unpleasantness. , give those noble ladies who are gloating over misfortune a good look, but it is a pity that they cannot know that she still bears such an important responsibility with the king.

"Are you sure?" Duke Orleans said indifferently: "As far as I know, there are twenty-three members of the Polish Parliament of Nobles who can speak, and eight or nine who can control the situation. They use one vote. Veto the system, and the basis for our decision will all depend on the intelligence you provide, are you sure you can?"

"My spies will be more trustworthy and faster than yours," Madame Montespan retorted sharply: "You will see how correct their intelligence is - I guarantee that they will never commit such a minor crime. Mistake, otherwise I will punish me however you want."

The Duke of Orleans glanced at Louis behind the desk calmly. His brother seemed to be carelessly fidgeting with the feathers on his pen. Although Madame Montespan insisted on not telling how she established her own team of secret agents, As long as there is trouble in Poland, they can compare the sources of intelligence and know where the spies come from. After all, the sources of spies' intelligence are often related to their identities, just like the same thing, the Duke of Orleans, D'Artagnan The count and Lady Milady's spies must have said different things.

"It doesn't matter," Louis said: "We can accept some losses." Before Prince Condé was elected as the King of Poland, bribery, bribery and even assassination were expenses that not only the king of France, but even Prince Condé could bear. In any case, it was a kingdom, and Prince Condé also plundered many cities in the Netherlands and Flanders, and there was also a reward from the king - once he became the king of Poland, his territory in France would also be returned The royal family, this was what Louis had agreed with him.

"You need an army," Louis said to the Prince of Condé.

"I need an army, yes," said the Prince of Condé, "but not too many, and not all French."

"General Schaumberg is willing to provide part of it, and you can also hire part from Switzerland," Louis suddenly smiled: "But if there are only a few French people around you, although the Polish nobles will feel at ease, they will also be suspicious... …”

"Just have a big quarrel with me." Prince Condé also said with a smile: "Anyway, I have committed the crime of rebellion before, and established another alliance during the war against the Netherlands and Flanders. With such outstanding achievements, they will not doubt your fear of me and my dissatisfaction - for those Poles, they were originally sinners who despised the royal power. Their king treated them, and they treated their Kings are like a pack of greedy hyenas and a crazy lion, and they must think that others are too."

"I'm not willing to do this, good sir," the king said affectionately: "But only in this way will your chance of winning increase."

"Maybe you can..." The Duke of Orleans interrupted: "A few times of illness or something," he said: "Compared with the strong and young Mr. Lorraine, they will definitely want a weak king, lest he There’s too much energy fighting them for power.”

"This is a good idea," Louis said. "I will ask my royal doctor to do a favor for you. I will make sure that anyone who sees you will think that you are a person who is not going to die soon."

"I really don't know how to thank you." Prince Kongdai said respectfully while savoring the king's words. Of course, it was not just the king's imperial doctor, but also the unknown support and... He raised his head He looked at each other with the king. To be honest, his wife, Richelieu's niece, probably had no way of knowing the inside story, because she would definitely think that this was the king's conspiracy. When Prince Condé led his army to the Netherlands She had made a noise once when she was a child, and this time - Prince Condai could not help but tremble slightly. Once he accepted the throne of Poland and handed over the territory, then he would really have no way out, no, no The same is true for him alone, and for his son, the Duke of Enghien - he was born in 1943 and is thirty years old this year. During the Fronde rebellion, he was forced to live in exile with his mother, and later with Confucius. Together with the Prince of Confucius, he fled to Spain. As an adult, he became the most effective subordinate of Prince Condai and served in the army for many years...

"The Duke of Enghien is going with me," said the Prince of Condé. "I need him. The son of a father who should not cause much alarm, but may his son, Your Majesty, remain at Versailles?" Saying this While he was there, he quickly glanced at the Duke of Orleans. The Duke of Orleans' eldest daughter was born in 1962, and his eldest grandson was born in 1968. Although there are inevitably some differences in age, the difference between the two is A marriage contract was not impossible, once he became King of Poland, the real King, the daughter of the Duke of Orleans would be the Queen of Poland.

As long as Louis XIV has not made up his mind - just like what the eldest princess Elizabeth has to face, the daughter of the Duke of Orleans will also have to accept a marriage with a well-matched family, or a marriage for political purposes. It is said that several envoys are already inquiring. Regarding the situation of this princess, she is not the one who attracts the most attention because of the presence of the Crown Prince Louis.

"You made a wise decision," Louis gestured. Bontang took the basically copied documents and distributed them to the people in the room. This is the general situation within the Kingdom of Poland.

Although everyone here will have a certain understanding of the situation in the outside world, after sorting and elaborating, the so-called "Schlachta" in Poland, that is, the power system composed of members of the Noble Council, has become more clear.

Unlike France, which has sole royal power, the members of the Polish Parliament of Nobles have extremely huge and wide-ranging powers - they have the freedom to revolt or rebel, as long as they think the king has violated their freedom; they can use the free veto power, a person They can oppose everyone else and veto any regulations or decisions made by the parliament; they can also ally with any country or force they want.

They could build their own armies, veto the king on important matters, taxes (changing existing taxes or imposing new taxes), foreign affairs or laws, and even any decree that they considered illegal.

Then one may ask, what does the king have? Well, it's probably the Treaty of the Nunnery - that is, the treaty agreed between the original King Henry and the nobles to restrict and restrain the king.

No wonder Henry III of Valois only served as King of Poland for a year before returning to France unbearably...

And even if the king is willing to swallow his breath and suffer silently, just for the crown, look at John II, he was directly deposed, and then look at his next successor, the miserable Majesty Michael, Could those Polish nobles still predict that he would soon go to see God? Of course not, this person's fate may not be better than that of John II.

Thinking of this, Louis also hesitated for a rare moment: "The situation in Poland is indeed difficult to grasp." He looked at Prince Condé: "We may be able to try to get John II to return to Poland."

John II, who was almost made into ham by Amon, ran to France to seek asylum in 68 years. At that time, Louis was busy with the war, so he gave him to Bishop Lariviere. The bishop reported, He was sent to the monastery of St Martin in Neville.

It is said that he became a monk there and lived a peaceful life, with good health and a happy mood. Although Amon was quite disdainful of this human being, judging from what Louis XIV learned, this king was not that mediocre. , he fought with the Russians, and almost married Queen Christina of Sweden. Later, he went to Vienna, and as a foreign minister, he joined the army of the Holy Roman Empire and fought against the French, but that time his legions were on the battlefield. failed.

He once tried to woo the Habsburg princess and rule Courland, but failed. Later, he came to Spain and became the governor of Portugal, but was caught by Bishop Richelieu's spies and secretly imprisoned for two years. Only then was he rescued,

He joined the Jesuits in 41, became a cardinal in 43, and resigned from the priesthood in 47 to become the King of Poland.

The decline of Poland cannot be entirely blamed on him. He once defeated the attacks of the Cossack uprisings and fought bravely against the Swedes. The problem was that not only did Schlachta interfere and contain him at all times - the worst time They couldn't even get supplies and armaments, and there were threats from the Grand Dukes of Brandenburg and Transylvania, and while Russia, Denmark and the Netherlands were all on Poland's side, they were unwilling to give real support - or Said that they also had ulterior motives.

John II can be said to be a tragic figure, but for such a person, Louis would not regard him as his first choice. The same was true for Prince Condé. When the king mentioned John II, he shook his head and refused: "I am willing to go. Give it a try," he said: "What you said to the Vicomte de Turenne at that time was also relayed to me. Yes, Your Majesty, you are right. When I dreamed of the throne of France, I was a A shameful traitor, but when I was elected king by Shila Chita, what I did to them was what God and the law allowed - maybe it was God who was disgusted with their despicable behavior and gave this opportunity to them. Delivery is in our hands.”

"If you are willing, that is best." Louis said: "Let the son of the Duke of Enghien stay here. He can live in Versailles with the son of the Dauphin and the Duke of Orleans. My mother and wife will take good care of him. of."

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty." Prince Kongdai stood up and bowed.

"I trust you, sir, that this branch of the Bourbon family will flourish in Poland," said Louis.

————

When Prince Condé left the king's room with both joy and worry, before dusk arrived, the Earl of Clarendon came. This old man with frosty temples asked to see the king - something about the Duke of York. Louis did not want to hide his former father-in-law and Charles II. Even if the Duke of York could return to London this time, nothing good would be waiting for him. If he could be full of resentment towards Princess Henrietta, how could he still respect and love him? Brother, pity his little nephew?

Taking a look at the small bottle in front of him and the shining small bottle inside, the Earl of Clarendon had nothing to say. As a loyal man who had followed Charles II for nearly twenty years and never left him when he was in exile. Of course, he would not deny or shirk like a scoundrel - and Louis had no need to do so. The relationship between the Duke of York and Charles II had reached the extreme after the queen became pregnant and gave birth to a child. Charles II was still the Duke of York. When he was in Beihai, he canonized his son as the Prince of Wales, that is, the Crown Prince. The Duke of York's dream suddenly came to nothing, and his new engagement made ministers worry that he would become a Catholic king, and those who supported him did not The Duke of York, who had the upper hand and discovered that he had been deceived, even quarreled with Charles II, but it ended in nothing.

Louis still had some sympathy for the old man. Without saying anything, he asked the Marquis of Lois to take the Earl of Clarendon to the Bastille - of course the Duke of York could not be left in France, and now Britain and France were barely allies.

Although the Duke of York was said to have been interrogated, he was not tortured - the king's priest just showed him the torture instruments, the cell and an iron mask, and he said everything - when he realized that although Louis could not kill After killing him, but being able to imprison him forever as Charles II expected, his anger and courage disappeared together.

Even so, when Count Calalundon saw him, he almost didn't recognize him. In just a few days, the Duke became thin and pale, as if he had endured several years of torture. He had no appetite and was restless. , for fear that Louis XIV would reach an agreement with Charles II and leave him in the Bastille.