I Am Louis XIV

Chapter 73 How to Meet the Former Swedish Queen Christina (Part 2)

It is not difficult to add bathrooms, "private places" or dressing rooms. After all, the power of the king is still trapped in the Paris Basin. There are not many people who have a room here, the problem is that it is not easy to correct people's ideas-people who fantasize about going back to the seventeenth century and having a romantic history with those beautiful ladies probably did not expect However, when these noble ladies are eating and drinking happily, dancing heartily, or talking elegantly, once nature calls them, they will go to the corner very calmly and easily solve the so-called personal problems.

Of course, the habit of women not wearing trousers (both internal and external) at this time also contributed to this trend, and the king was not yet able to show concern for the too private personal issues of the noble ladies-he meant that he could not go to the Interfere with how they dress. As for the men, they are a little more difficult, but they can sometimes complete the task standing up, but this inevitably turns the corner of the palace into an alternative meeting place.

Some more introverted, or more noble people would choose the private room set up by the king, but before Louis intervened, they used all kinds of things to wipe the dirt, some were ropes twisted with silk, some were Use fresh salmon fillets, some use wool balls, some use goose necks - after hearing about this material, even Louis was surprised for a long time, he couldn't even imagine what it was like, and someone suggested that the king Use a more ancient material, that is, a sponge. The Romans used this salt-soaked sponge stick in public toilets to clean the hidden places. Of course, just like the previous rope, this is public, a Once used by one person, the next person will continue to use it-this point was immediately rejected by Louis.

The more extravagant thing is to use silk handkerchiefs, which can be thrown away after use, but even for the empty treasury, Louis could not do this. He used wool balls for the time being, and at the same time ordered his craftsmen to make soft paper as soon as possible. Beginning in the twelfth century The papermaking technology from the East was introduced to the West. In the 14th century, the papermaking technology had become very mature. The problem is that most of the time people still use old clothes to make paper, and sometimes flax and straw are used. Not to mention the low efficiency, the quality of the paper It is also worrying, but since Louis is already here, he directly ordered the flax and wheat straw to be crushed into pulp before starting the next step, so it only took a month or two for the new paper to be produced—as long as Put it in the room to dry, the paper is soft.

After one problem was solved, it was the turn of another problem, which had to be handed over to Philip. Of course, Brother Wang also had his own way. He tried his best to make a reincarnation place as comfortable and elegant as possible, even making people feel uncomfortable. Can't recognize its original use—his first work was dedicated to the king, an armchair carved with grapes and cherubs, covered with velvet and silk, hollowed out in the middle, and a bucket was placed underneath, There was a cover to cover it when not in use, and there was a round curtain around the chair, because he knew that his brother Wang valued his privacy very much.

It's just that when Bishop Mazaran was lucky enough to witness it, his face was strange and inexplicable. The king knew what he was thinking, because he had a certain understanding of the church since he came here. It is hard to say whether the inspiration for this chair came from the Pope. The special chair used to test whether the body is "incomplete" before ascension to the throne.

Louis pretended not to know anything, he thanked his brother, and asked him to install these "chairs" in the palace as soon as possible, and gave some suggestions, such as putting some dry sawdust in the barrel to avoid the smell overflowing.

Philip happily accepted the king's suggestion and went to complete his work. Of course, this was only the first project, and there were countless other matters after that, including the Queen Mother, the Duchess of Montpensier, and even Queen Mary of England, Princess Henrietta took part to do it, and even Marie Mancini was caught to help-this is not only to welcome an abdicated queen, but also to establish Paris People’s positive impression of the king—although the king’s coming-of-age ceremony was also held in Paris before, but at that time the king’s thoughts were more on rebellion and the high court. Although the ceremony was grand, the guests were still limited to some nobles Among the officials, the majesty of the king cannot really be revealed.

Louis also specially ordered that the streets that Mrs. Christina might pass by, as well as the surrounding areas of the Louvre, should be renovated and decorated. This is a considerable amount of money, but it is also necessary, because they are also crowded by Fortunately, after two riots in Paris, some streets have declined, and many houses cannot find their original owners, which saves Fouquet a lot of words.

"Have you heard?" Philip said as if he just mentioned it casually while straightening his cuffs.

"What?"

"Fouquet is in the buying and selling window."

"Business window?" The king raised his head, the term made him feel strange.

"It's the window on the street that Mrs. Christina needs to pass through when she comes to see you." Brother Wang explained, "Many of the houses inside have lost their owners, or the owners have fled to other provinces. Fouquet sold them. Go out, from a hundred livres to three hundred livres, according to where the window is."

"Really?" The king smiled: "Are there many people who buy windows?"

"There are quite a lot," said Wang Di. "It is said that the windows closest to the Tuileries Palace have been sold out."

"Then you know?" said the king, "Fouquet has already reported this to me, and all the money he got from selling the window will be used for street decorations, and I don't need to pay an extra riad for it. "

Philip froze visibly.

"And one more thing," said the king, "I don't think you know, Philip, that although he told me so, he collected a lot of money besides the fact that the window money was spent on the decoration of the streets. Presents, which he never mentioned."

Philip thought for a few seconds before he understood immediately. His face was full of anger, and he obviously thought of how Fouquet cleverly pocketed his own money. He sold the windows in the name of the king, but the number of windows was only so few. In order to get a good place to watch the ceremony, people have to bribe him, but on the other hand, he did, as the king said, use the cost of buying the window directly to decorate the street, even if the king knew that he had taken bribes, he would not There is no way to blame him, because he really did a good job in this matter.

"But he failed your trust!" Philip said angrily. He was wearing one of his favorite clothes today, a coat with silver-gray silk satin interspersed with gold thread, full of delicate bows, cuffs and neckline The silver lace has been turned out, which is more dazzling than any lady around Louis, but he also wears a sharp sword. Although the scabbard is inlaid with rubies and pearls, the blade inside is also It was so sharp that at least the king had no doubts that it would never break or bend when Philip pulled it out and stabbed it into Fouquet's chest.

The king had to put down his work and comforted Philip for a while. After all, he was short of manpower now, and he couldn't let Philip go—of course he wouldn't let Fouquet go, or in other words, he wouldn't in the future, how much Fouquet accepted He didn't care about the illegal income. As long as Fouquet didn't leave Paris, then the money was just the money that Louis had temporarily deposited with him, and to be serious, Fouquet was just a little witch. As a great witch, Bishop Mazarin never The money obtained from everywhere is even more astonishing. The accusations of Prince Condé and Prince Gaston against him are not without purpose, but the same, the king still needs this elder—in the past few years, although the autocratic rule has made people Pleasant, but this chaotic country does not allow Louis to do so.

It was hard for Philip to calm down (the king paid the price of three meals and one shared dormitory), and the king lost his mind to continue working. He walked to the bookshelf and was about to find a favorite book to read. Bontang came to ask him if he would accept the audience of a man. . ;

"He only said his first name," said Bontang. "Theoderic, Sire, do you want to see him?"

———————

From the outside, Theodric is even younger than Amon. He has a pair of quiet red eyes, but they look more brown in the candlelight in the middle of the night. His dark brown curly hair hangs over his shoulders. He always looked worried and unhappy, as if he was burdened with an inescapable burden. To Louis, an existence like Amon was more like a vampire—an absurd race that wandered in the dark and had no scruples. But from the standpoint of the king, he is of course more inclined to Theoderic.

There was a slight flicker of candlelight as the vampire, who was probably over a centenarian, entered the room, his shadow casting blinding gray trails on the wall, and he turned to the king as the king looked at him. Bowed: "A simple spell, Your Majesty." He said: "This will ensure that our conversation will not be interrupted."

"Sit down, Mr. Theodric." Louis said calmly, "I think I must first thank you for your help."

"Not at all," Theodric said. "It's just my duty."

"If you are concerned about your descendants," Louis asked curiously, "then you should know that the current French royal family has almost no relationship with the Merovingian dynasty. Lorraine, Capet and Valois, what made you stick to your original idea so stubbornly?"

"It's very simple, Your Majesty." Theodric said, "It's as if you built a solid and magnificent fortress with your own hands. Although you have to leave later, wouldn't you be willing to watch it slowly fall into disrepair? Is it collapsed? As for whether the owner inside is my descendant, it is even more ridiculous. Your Majesty, I have already plunged into the darkness. When I obtain eternal life, I am destined to no longer belong to the world. That's all."

"May I take the liberty to ask a question." Louis asked: "Which Theoderic are you?" There are different methods. Although Theodric is now a vampire, his every move clearly shows that he still has nostalgia for his dynasty and country. In this case, Louis must know what he wants to write , at least to know what he might be thinking.

Theoderic smiled. He obviously guessed the king's intentions, but he was more willing to talk to smart people: "I am the second Theoderic."

Louis also guessed that he was that Theoderic. During that period, there were many disputes within Frank. The person who may rule the whole of Frankland, he inherited Burgundy when he was born, but in the subsequent war, he not only defeated his elder brother Theodebert II, but Brun even sent him to Burgundy on the advice of his grandmother. He and his heirs were all killed to ensure that he was the sole heir of Austrasia. And just when he was integrating the two countries, intending to eliminate Crotelle and unify Frank, he died mysteriously at the age of twenty-six.

There are different opinions about the cause of his death, but now it seems that there are obvious signs of the direct intervention of the inner world. It is no wonder that both the church and the big families who migrated to the inner world have formulated relevant strict laws to prohibit the inner world from interacting with him. Louis could hardly imagine how the order of a country would be shattered if the king of a country was suddenly turned into a werewolf or a vampire—and when he thought of this, another name came to mind , "Amon..." Louis said: "You came to see me in person, is it for the sake of that gentleman?"

"Yes." Theodric said, he even looked like a gentle and withdrawn scholar, he couldn't see at all that he had killed his brothers and nephews, and he was only one step away from the most glorious laurels.

"Has he still not given up on his original plan?"

"Amon is the prince of the Zmich family, and belongs to the Demon Party just like the Le Senbai family, and he has been extremely crazy since he was only a child. Although every Zmich is like this, he has always had a Weird thought."

"Strange idea?"

"Yes, the leader of the Demon Party is Le Senbai. The Zmihi family's blood clans are not so keen on power, but Amon wants a descendant who is good at leading others. He has chosen many people... Your Majesty, There are many outstanding kings or dukes among them, but these people finally let him down, and now he has chosen you."

"Should I say I'm honored?"

"No, not at all." Theoderic showed a wonderful smile, which seemed to be regretful and jealous: "You know I almost became the king of the Franks once," he said, "I know that being a worldly How does it feel to be a king—no, Your Majesty, although you are still very young, you already have the embryonic form of a wise king. I am willing to hand over my country to you, and I hope you can make it stronger—and from On the other hand, Amon also hopes so."

"He hopes so?"

"Exactly, for him, you are an unopened treasure box, an unfruitful flower, and an ungrown chick. He will wait, and then pick or plunder."

"Then I needn't worry about him for the time being."

"This is exactly why I came here." Theodric said: "Your Majesty, I don't want you to go through what I have experienced before, so I am here to warn you."

"I'm listening."

"I know that two people brought you Amon's message. I beg you, don't believe it, don't be moved by him, don't use the power you can't control, they will bite anyone who dares to use them .”

"But you should also know." Louis stared at him: "I have been expelled from Paris twice by my people. If I continue to be cowardly and indulgent, there may be a third, fourth, and more likely, They will treat me like Charles I, I need someone who will be loyal to me, or someone who will be used by me, whether he is a human, wizard, werewolf, vampire - if you just stand there and talk It is impossible to ask me to give up the power at my fingertips."

"Have you not spared your soul?"

"Going to heaven now or going to hell fifty years from now, you know I'll always choose the latter."

"What did Amon promise you?"

"Just like you think," said Louie.

"Give me a moment, then," said Theoderic, "I need to think about it."

"It's okay," Louie said, "but not for too long."

————

Louis doesn't care what Theodric thinks, and he won't really believe in Amon, a crazy vampire. Who knows when he will feel that the fruit of Louis is ripe enough?

Just like everyone who needs to make a living, for a king, no matter what happened the night before, the mountain of official business will not disappear when he wakes up the next morning. Call Fouquet, although he said so to Philip, it is impossible to let Fouquet go so lightly, otherwise who knows what this talented but without moral character can do—— — Maybe sell the windows of the Louvre.

Fouquet hurried to the Tuileries Palace. When he came before the king, he was still carrying a rush of heat from running fast, his hair was disheveled, the feathers on his hat were a little crooked, and there was still some mud on his coat. Point, the boots are even more gray, but when the king saw it, he knew that this kind of behavior was deliberately made to please and show merit. He would not be deceived, but he didn't bother to point it out. He didn't even let Fouquet Sit down and just give him another job.

This job immediately made Nicholas Fouquet frown, because although this job can also get a lot of benefits, it is also extremely cumbersome, and it must be completed before the former Queen of Sweden arrives in Paris. The king originally wanted to finish this matter later, but since Fouquet still remembers to make profits for himself, he can be said to be able to handle the previous job with ease, so it shouldn't be too much for him to take on another job.

To say that this job has something to do with Fouquet's previous mission, it can even be said to be an extension and expansion-the king has never forgotten that when Prince Condé met the assassin on the street next to the Red Boy Market, they were in Saiba. It is no wonder that as long as a person infected with the disease enters the city at this time, an unstoppable disaster will erupt immediately.

There are also those mobs and assassins, they are like dirt and feces hidden in the crowded and dark neighborhoods, and they can never be cleaned up. This time the king will not wait for riots or wars, he will directly take them out first. Knock it out.

So there are two things Fouquet has to do. The first thing is to start from the Louvre, to the Bastille Square, and then to the former Red Boy Market, the triangle on the north bank of the Seine, to re-divide the area and name the streets , Registered population... Everyone must either have a real estate or a real estate certificate, or a lease contract, and if they are serving a noble person, then they must have the guarantee of the noble person...

Just thinking about it, Foukai's head was about to explode with pain.

—————

And some provincials who were entering Paris did not know that they were about to face the most stringent interrogation ever. They were very excited and cheered all the way—the leader of a man was particularly eye-catching because he was dressed as Julius Caesar , with a gilt brass crown on his head, a white toga, and a scarlet cloak.

"Is this Paris!" The female companion, also dressed as a Roman lady, put her head out of the caravan and took a deep breath: "Baptiste! What a sweet air, this is Paris! God, I feel it , This is the taste of freedom!"

"Is it the smell of feces?" said the person named Baptiste: "Indeed, it is much stronger than San Fargo. Also, don't call me Baptiste, as I said, I am now called Molière !"

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