I Am Louis XIV

Being able to meet the king and being together with a group of important ministers and nobles is a pleasure for the people of Saint-Germain-en-Laye to talk about the next king in front of the fireplace, but for a child like the princess who was born in Versailles and grew up in Versailles, only Feeling bored, a group of young people who changed clothes left the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Palace as attendants and ladies-in-waiting with the tacit approval of Louis XIV. There were almost more such people on the streets of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. After all, the king's court also came with the king. There were more than a thousand people with names alone, not to mention ordinary attendants - but they still attracted a lot of attention. , after all, these children are so beautiful, especially the eldest princess. The Duke of Orleans was originally more beautiful than Louis, and Princess Henrietta was also a beauty. The eldest princess, who inherited their advantages, seemed to know how to do it among the crowd. glow.

Needless to say, Ferdinand was originally from the Medici family. The Medici family has never been short of beauties, and his mother, the second daughter of the Duke of Gaston, was also beautiful. Only Frederick was slightly inferior, but as a A young man who has joined the army, his serious-looking face adds a bit of martial demeanor to him.

The streets they saw were much plainer than before. The ribbons had been removed and the petals had been swept away. Only the wet chalk was still exuding a strange smell. Some people liked this smell, and some people hated it, but The princess and the people around her are the former, because lime water is often used for disinfection in the king's hospital. Once they smell this smell, they will feel that the place is clean and reassuring.

"How should we go?" the princess asked. She turned her head and looked around. "Is this street...the road from the monastery to the back of the Little Butcher's Square?"

The road from the Abbey to the back of the Place des Petits-butchers - don't be surprised, this is the name of this street with its houses painted in white from the waist down, since Louis XIV began to regulate every street from the towns of Paris and Versailles Everything must have a name. Some streets originally had it, but just like the street nameplate fixed on a gas lamppost as neatly as possible, most of the names inherited from the late Middle Ages are long and cumbersome, but the direction is obvious. It's like a living map.

Walking along the street from the monastery to the back of the Little Butcher's Shop Square, there is no doubt that they soon arrived at the Little Butcher's Shop Square. There is indeed a small butcher's shop here, and the butcher's shop is full of sausages. , exuding a sweet smell, thanks to the king's vigorous development of the cane sugar industry - now France's South Asia American colony, rubber and sugar cane are the main outputs, as the price of cane sugar has fallen repeatedly, it has been replaced by its widespread Application - In order to attract customers, the owner of the small butcher shop held up a fork and grilled sausages in the furnace. After the fat and sugar were burned by the flame, a strong Maillard reaction occurred, and the air was filled with a strong aroma that could revive a saint. aroma.

Of course, no one knows what the Maillard reaction is yet, but people have always had an unquenchable thirst for sugar and oil. Every once in a while, the man has to cut off a large or small root. Some people Just follow the boss's example and grill sausages on the small open stove, and then eat until your mouth is full of oil.

This small stove was also a derivative of the king's new industry, because it was not burning charcoal, but coal. Coal was much cheaper than charcoal and burned longer.

Frederick couldn't help but ran over and bought a few sausages and shared them with the princess. Although eating sausages with a fork is a kind of stupid thing even in ordinary families, not to mention in the palace, But the grilled sausage is so delicious - the thin layer of casing is grilled to be fragrant and crispy, and the hot red and white meat inside is mixed with black pepper, exuding a rich meat aroma, and there is a drop of sparkling sugar from the inside. Drips dripped out and hung onto the fork and hands.

Maybe this place will be turned into a calling square soon, because there are constant children who can't wait and take a big bite. As a result, their lips and tongues are blistered and they scream. But even so, they still stick together tightly. Holding on to this delicious snack and refusing to put it down - their mother cursed loudly while picking up her skirt and giving her money.

In just a short moment, the princess saw that three children had got their wish. She silently calculated the price of the sausages. Even if this city was not as prosperous as Paris or Versailles, it was still very wealthy. She turned her head and wanted to ask Eva next to her whether ordinary citizens could afford such extra expenses when she was in Dunkirk, but she saw Ferdinand helping Eva separate a piece of bread and put the hot The sausage was sandwiched in the bread so that the grease from the sausage would not stain her fingers and skirt. Perhaps her gaze was too meaningful. Ferdinand smiled calmly: "Frederick is right behind me. .”

Sure enough, Frederick also came over holding a piece of bread.

"Where should we go next?" The princess took the bread and felt the warmth emanating from the sausage. "Behind is Mill Road, and the second intersection of Mill Road is Wine Street." Not only did she buy bread, but she also inquired After taking a look at the surrounding scene, Frederick said: "But we are not going to Wine Street. Most of them are pubs. Next to Wine Street is Canal Street. It is a new street with several cafes."

If there were all men here, then the tavern would definitely be the most suitable place to gather, but since there are ladies here, the tavern is not a suitable place. After all, the women in the tavern are almost all famous ladies and wandering girls, and there may be some very An unbearable sight.

But cafes are different. Coffee became popular from Paris and Louis XIV. Compared with the Arabic coffeehouses in the 15th century, the Venetian coffeehouses in the 16th century and 40s, the British coffeehouses in the 1650s, the Dutch coffeehouses in the 1960s, and the French coffeehouses. The coffee house was a hundred years later, but even a hundred years later, it still became as popular as most of the king's favorite things, and because coffee has the effect of refreshing and clearing the mind, rather than the opposite, it has both The prices are not so affordable, and the customers in the coffee shop are always more gentle and polite than those in the pub.

As the name suggests, Aqueduct Street is a street through which the newly built aqueduct passes. The water in the aqueduct is drawn from the Seine River like Versailles and Paris. The clear water rushes forward in the gray channel. There are people swimming in it, and the attendants have to first Drive them away - people at this time don't have swimsuits. The college students were a little dissatisfied and noisy at first, but when they saw the princess and her party, they immediately ran away in embarrassment.

The cafe in Saint-Germain-en-Laye is located on both sides of the wide canal, because there are wooden planks on both sides of the canal. The flowers and trees are lush, the scenery is beautiful, and the people coming and going are like the scenery. Even in winter, the wind here is gentle. Some cafe owners have even learned to set up big umbrellas or canopies outside the cafes, allowing people to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the coffee and the beautiful scenery.

If you don't look at the people's attire, this scene is almost the same as it would be hundreds of years later.

The princess and her party came to the largest cafe on this street. This cafe made extravagant use of large and multiple pieces of bright transparent glass, making almost no difference between indoor and outdoor. Some guests stood up when they saw the elegant and well-dressed ladies entering the cafe under the guidance of the attendants. After bowing slightly, they held up their pipes and gave up the best seats. The princess smiled and thanked them. , when everyone sat down again, she couldn't help but curiously look at this hall that could accommodate hundreds of people.

Of course there are cafes in Paris and Versailles, but she has always lived in the Palace of Versailles. Although she was later taken to Nantes and other places by Louis XIV, she did not leave the team to move freely. This is the first time for the princess to step into such a place. : "It's so beautiful here." She said sincerely. She said this not because of how magnificent the decoration of this cafe was. To be honest, is there any place that can compare with Versailles? What she likes is the atmosphere here. ——The walnut-colored wall panels are inlaid with thick bookshelves. The bookshelves are equipped with mirrors, oil paintings and countless books, as well as newspapers, bulletins and various picture albums, some printed and some handwritten. Yes, in addition to coffee, they also provide water pipes, pipes, etc. The smell of tobacco is not strong, but only adds some fragrant and thick smoke to the air.

People here are either in groups, or sitting in pairs facing each other, or they are immersed in their own world alone. Some are reading, others are discussing, or exchanging information. Of course, Saint-Germain-en-Laye’s What people are most concerned about now is the king. A group of people vividly describe to others how they welcomed and received the king, and how they won the king's praise for their efficient work and calm posture. They went into every detail as much as possible. , from the king's cuffed boots, the embroidery on his clothes, the feathers on his hat, to the accent of his speech... In short, everywhere is so noble and inviolable.

The princess and Frederick looked at each other, but did not break the lies of these boasters - how could someone with real abilities or qualifications appear in the cafe at this time? They were all waiting at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Outside the palace, they are waiting to see the king. Even if they have to wait for a long time, they, like the provincials in Paris or Versailles, will try their best to stay as close to the king as possible instead of going to such a far away cafe to brag. Non-stop.

Ferdinand turned sideways and whispered to Eva: "They kept talking about the king's boots, clothes, feathers on his hat, ceremonial sword, the sound, etc. It's not because they couldn't see it at all. and heard something else." Eva laughed when she heard this. Ferdinand's evaluation was quite harsh, but very true and pertinent, because the king's entourage was all noble status, and ordinary servants would not be allowed to They straightened up and looked up before walking away - even some lower-status minor nobles and officials did the same. In this case, of course they could only see the part of the king below his knees, and the hat the king was holding - Louis X The four pairs of ladies have always been very respectful. When he saw a lady, he would always hold his hat in his hand, even for a maid.

But what the princess heard was two chuckles. She followed the sound and saw an old man with silver hair.

He also saw the princess and nodded.

"Who is that?" asked Frederick.

"I don't know him," the princess said, "but I think he should know me."

Frederick couldn't help but become worried, but when he turned around again, he found that the place was empty. The old man had left the cafe at some point.

——————

The old man walked on the wooden boardwalk. The dark brown wooden boards reminded him of the drinks rippling in the white porcelain cups. Coffee and other things introduced to the French by the Sun King Louis XIV have penetrated into the most remote cities and villages. No, it is more correct to say that the king's thoughts and policies should also be included. It is simply confusing. When did this king who ascended the throne as a child have such talent and ambition? Whether it is a businessman, an official, or a scholar, it is not something that can be achieved overnight in just a few years. He has been in power for only twenty years, and there is such a huge and unified country, with 150,000 or even more people. More standing armies, and the support of tens of millions of people.

When others saw the King's Parade, they only saw the power, might, wealth and perhaps the romance of the Sun King at the height of his power, but this old man had already seen something deeper. Yes, the King's Parade did not exist during the time of John the Lost King. Again, but no matter when, this behavior has far-reaching significance, and he does not think that Louis XIV is just an impulse, or in other words, he hopes that this is the king's impulse.

"Old man." A voice behind him said. The old man stopped. He turned around and saw another old man with white hair and beard: "The Duke of Vendôme." He said, raising his hat.

"The Duke of Saint-Simon." The Duke of Vendôme said, "Why did the meeting place suddenly change?" He poked his hat with his finger in return: "I saw many young ladies there. Is that the reason?"

"We are not English." The Duke of Saint-Simon said slowly. He stretched out his arm, and the Duke of Vendôme took his. The two Dukes, who were similar in age, walked slowly along the canal: "We 's cafes don't rudely turn away respectable ladies."

"Ladies also have the right to enjoy coffee." The Duke of Vendôme said: "After all, the king and the Duchess of Colonna shared the coffee from the beginning."

"Forget about the Italian woman," said the Duke of Saint-Simon. "We should be glad that the king finally made a wise decision."

"It seems that you are also on Madame Montespan's side."

"I am nobody," said the Duke of Saint-Simon, "and she is nothing but a wretch."

"Well, how can I say this?" Duke Vendôme sighed hypocritically: "She is deeply loved by the king."

"I saw a chair there," said the Duke of Saint-Simon, no longer continuing the subject. "Let's go over and sit down and talk, old fellow, we are not that young anymore."

The Duke of Vendôme agreed. Although the sun was still a little warm on his body today, he had spent a year or two in the damp and cold Dunkirk for the king. His old hands and feet, even if he stayed in the hot weather every day, There was no warmth in the room with the fireplace.

Their attendants had already rushed over a few steps ahead. They were all young and strong young men. The cloaks they wore were more decoration than necessary warmth. After they took off the cloaks and spread them on the bench, The graceful curves outlined by the belt and shoulder straps immediately attracted the attention of more women. The Duke of Vendôme chuckled. "Look," he said, "I remember how you were so dominant in the court."

Duke Saint-Simon glared at him. Others looked at the old couple holding hands like a pair of best friends. They would never have imagined that they were life-and-death enemies when they were young. Although the title of Duke of Vendôme is so long that it can be traced back to 1514, in 1598 Henry IV awarded this title and territory to his illegitimate son Cesar, who is now the Duke of Vendôme. The Duke of Vendôme and Louis XIII were half-brothers, but their relationship was extremely bad. The Duke of Vendôme participated in three rebellions and planned to assassinate Bishop Richelieu until he was expelled by Louis XIII. England.

Perhaps because of the passage of time and getting older, the Duke of Vendôme finally bowed his head at the age of fifty. He reconciled with Bishop Mazarin and continued to swear allegiance to him after Louis XIV came to power. Because of his status, the old man Specially, Louis XIV would not move this important chess piece easily, and, in a low voice, compared to the Grand Condé, Viscount Turenne and even Schaumberg, the Duke of Vendôme was not a very good general. Talent, the most impressive thing about him is his experience and pedigree.

What about the Duke of Saint-Simon? He was a humble man who was single-handedly promoted by Louis XIII. Of course, this humbleness was relative to someone like the Duke of Vendôme. He was also born in a knight family, perhaps because of his family background. He was very good at riding horses, hunting and handling horses. He was very fond of Louis XIII, who was so fond of hunting that he built a hunting palace in Versailles. He was handsome, tall, a good hunter and a good herder, and his attendants admired him very much. Thus, apparently at least, the title of Duke of Saint-Simon fell upon this provincial.

But this, like most legends, is absolutely unbelievable. Just like people insist that Bishop Richelieu could make the decision on behalf of Louis XIII at that time, the fact is that as long as Louis XIII is fighting or staying outside, political and state affairs will be affected. Being piled up, Bishop Richelieu never had the power to make decisions without authorization. He was more like a powerful minister than a tyrant, and was completely incomparable with his disciple Mazarin. Louis XIV was too young when he came to the throne. At that time, he was indeed Unable to handle state affairs.

As for how the Duke of Saint-Simon became the Duke of Saint-Simon, the Duke of Vendôme knows it very well. Speaking of which, Louis XIV and his father really have many similarities. They both love to promote those with high status, because these One must rely on the king to enter the court and court - what is the identity of Count d'Artagnan now, what is the identity of Duke Saint-Simon, the Duke of Vendôme suffered a lot at the hands of this guy, and even went into exile in England , and also encountered assassins from Duke St. Simon.

It's just that the Duke of Saint-Simon probably didn't expect that he had no one to rely on except Louis XIII, but Louis XIII had too many people at his disposal - not long after the Duke of Vendome went into exile in England, Spain and France A battle broke out in the Picardy region. During this battle, the uncle of the Duke of Saint-Simon was ordered to defend La Capelle. Because the person in charge of armaments and supplies at the time was Count Chavigny, the political enemy of the Duke of Saint-Simon, he made a move. A shocking thing was that he refused to support and provide supplies to La Capelle. The uncle of the Duke of Saint Simon had to abandon La Capelle. After that, although France regained the occupied area of ​​​​Picardy, the Spanish had already occupied this area. The area was almost trampled, and Louis XIII, instigated by the Count of Chavigny, vowed to punish all generals who failed without a fight - the uncle of the Duke of Saint-Simon was among them, even if the Duke of Saint-Simon begged the king, Bishop Richelieu And the queen has not been able to change Louis XIII's decision.

People say that the Duke of Saint-Simon submitted his resignation to Louis XIII in anger, and the king immediately agreed. He had to return to his fief sadly. So far, he has never returned to Paris or been to Versailles. But the Duke of Vendôme learned from Bishop Mazarin that the reason why Louis XIII favored the Count of Chavigny was precisely because the Duke of Saint-Simon made a mistake that many people make after suddenly gaining a high position, that is, he was complacent. Forgetting everything - especially the fact that he sent assassins to England did not come from Louis XIII's will.

Perhaps as a courtier who was loved by the king, he misjudged his own weight. After all, the Duke of Vendôme was still of Bourbon blood. Only Louis XIII could decide whether he should be beheaded, imprisoned, or exiled. , Saint Simon's background was still too low, and he could not understand the intricate emotions and relationships in the court and royal family. Count Chavigny naturally took advantage of it.

"Do you still hate my brother?" asked the Duke of Vendôme.

"I am only one of his subjects," said the Duke of Saint-Simon.

"No, you still hold some resentment. Of course, you think you are sharing his worries and eradicating the roots for him, but he listened to the slander, killed your uncle, and expelled you from Paris. But it doesn't matter, you got revenge anyway. Revenge."

The Duke of Saint-Simon trembled unconsciously: "Don't talk nonsense," he said: "What can I do.

"You did nothing," said the Duke of Vendôme, "and that is why Louis XIII died because of the conspiracy of the Duke of Gaston and the Spaniards."

"I left Paris stripped of all authority."

"Some things cannot be taken away with just a word from the king. Maybe you can, but it will take time. Count Chavigny thought that without you he could become the king's new favorite, but he is really not a talented person. , Louis XIII already regretted it at that time, but he died before he could summon you back."

"Do you still feel sorry?" Duke Saint-Simon glanced at the other party: "If he is still here, although you will not be assassinated, you probably won't be able to return to France and Paris."

"Of course I am very happy. He is not a good brother, but we are not good emperor brothers either," Duke Vendôme asked, "but he has been in heaven for decades, and you are still in your In the fief, you..."

"I think my life is very good now." Duke Saint-Simon said: "I am about to receive a vocation. Whether it is the Louvre or the Palace of Versailles, let young people be busy."

"That would be great," the Duke of Vendôme sneered, "but what do you want to do to the king? I mean, Louis XIV."

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