I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 474 Backlash (Part 1)

  Alberoni was stunned.

The Archbishop of Toledo beckoned and asked Alberoni to follow him out. There were no seats in the prayer room, not even kneeling pads, so he could only kneel or lie down on the cold stone bricks. This was to show the priesthood. His piety, but since he was bitten off half of his face by Carlos II, the archbishop's body has become extremely weakened due to mental and physical torture, and he can barely maintain the majesty of an archbishop when he talks with the minister Perrault. , there is no need for this disciple who treats himself as a baby at the worst time.

Alberoni followed the archbishop to his bedroom, the archbishop sat back in the chair, and Alberoni stood with his hands lowered. He did not eagerly ask the archbishop how he would let him go to France. Did the archbishop intend to associate with Louis XIV? ? Or does he need an ear and eye to sneak into Paris? But whether it is a messenger or a spy, Alberoni thinks that it is not suitable for him - he is taciturn, but he cannot say that he is good at patience, otherwise the ending of Carlos II will not be as it is now.

   Bishop Toledo let out a long sigh.

"You know," he said, "you and Patinho," here he was referring to Jose Patinho, "the sin you committed, even if you were tied to a horse and pulled into five pieces It should be." At first, the Archbishop didn't know what role the two teenagers played in the riot, but when he recovered from the sick bed and could finally get up, he also figured out the whole night. Ins and outs - he regretted that he was not careful enough - yes, as a high-ranking person, he was born the youngest son of a great nobleman, and when he was in Rome, he also studied with a cardinal, and he did not have much contact with him since childhood. After those lowly commoners, to the archbishop, in order to appease the king, what is the meaning of a few humble lives?

   But he should not ignore Alberoni's thoughts, he should realize that since Alberoni was rescued from that hell, his inclinations had changed terribly.

Alberoni is different from the disciples of the archbishop's colleagues. Their disciples are often born into dignitaries, and the second and youngest sons who cannot inherit the family property either joined the army or the church. However, since the reform of the church, the church has also begun to value it. Character and ability, when the Archbishop of Toledo met Alberoni, he was just a gardener, but he had a face that could be kissed by an angel, gentle and polite, and knew how to say hello and goodbye in Latin (Teached by the master when he wanted to).

The archbishop took a fancy to him at a glance. It can be said that the archbishop was the one who pulled Alberoni from the barren vitality he could see, but it was this child who ruthlessly betrayed his teacher and pushed the riots with one hand. The itinerary - when the archbishop lay in agony on his sickbed, suffering from fever and pain, he only wanted to imprison Alberoni on the city wall or put him on the wooden horse of Judas, or some other torture, Resentment was poured on his heart like molten iron, making it extremely hard.

   But it was also Alberoni, who quietly took over the job of looking after the archbishop after the death of Carlos II.

Taking care of the archbishop at that time was not an easy task. It wasn't that there were no attendants or maids to do things. The problem was that faced with a face like a devil, very few people could insist on not turning their eyes away and not wanting to run away. The place where the archbishop was injured was the cheek, which healed very slowly and was very difficult and troublesome to care for - this was also because the church sent two priests of the Inquisition to treat the archbishop.

The archbishop's cheek was bitten off by Carlos II, leaving a big hole dripping with blood. If there is no church, he is not the archbishop, and he will surely die - this hole makes him leak whether he drinks or eats. come out and contaminate the wound (this is a new concept proposed by French priests and scholars), so the person who cares for him must use cotton **** to dab water on the swollen tongue and lips of the archbishop, and also use porridge and broth. The long-handled spoon is directly passed down the throat little by little. This kind of thing doesn't sound difficult, but the problem is that people who have lost half of their cheeks can see white teeth, mandarin fish-colored gums, and purple-black tongues from the wound. It looks really terrible.

Before Alberoni left the king's room, the maids and attendants who served the archbishop always avoided this horrific scene intentionally or not, and the frequency of feeding and watering was so low that the archbishop could only be kept alive - anyway, the archbishop was then He often falls asleep because of the fever, and loses the ability to speak clearly... Maybe he will die tomorrow.

Until Alberoni took over this arduous job, the archbishop can say without exaggeration that Alberoni is like an angel who came down from the sky to save him, and his life can be said to have been given to him by Alberoni. of.

When he recovered, the archbishop could not make up his mind to execute Alberoni. Even in exile, he was unable to choose a location, and because of the scars he left, he always had to wear a mask and reduce the frequency of speaking. Some things can only be handed over to Alberoni, so the disposal of this rebellious disciple has been delayed until today.

   Then he said, Alberoni, do you want to go to France?

"It's going to be a big battle here very soon," said the archbishop. "Anti-French and pro-French, Habsburgs and Bourbons, whoever wants to take advantage of fire, they take Spain as It's a good place to fight or make money, boy," he said a little vaguely, and in order to avoid pulling the tangled muscles around his mouth, he made some pronunciations abbreviated or changed, and it was only accompanied by this. It took Alberoni several years to understand: "The French ambassador to Spain is going back to France, and I entrust you to him, you follow him to Paris, and maybe you can find your future there. ."

   "What about you?"

"I'm here."

   "Then I'm not leaving either. Teacher."

"Don't be stupid, Alberoni, you are good friends with Jose, but you are different," said the archbishop: "He is Juan Patinho's nephew and is now staying well with his family. Madrid, surrounded by squires and guards, no one can threaten him, but you, you are just a little priest, no one will care about your life."

   "I won't betray you again."

"If you don't want to disobey me, Alberoni." The archbishop raised his hand wearily. "Then you should do as I say." He looked at the void: "Although I decided to stay here and welcome someone from to the king of the Habsburgs, but now I can tell you bluntly, boy, I don't think Spain or the Habsburgs will be able to win in the end, anyway, Louis XIV will not leave this to his children A hidden danger, as his enemy, I cannot beg the forgiveness of the sun king, but I think, you can go to Paris, to Versailles, you are talented, noble, beautiful, and the most popular in the court of Versailles That kind of person, waiting for you to go there..."

The archbishop paused: "I don't know how things will turn out in a few years, but if possible, Alberoni, if you can go to Charles de Bourbon, if he ends up in Madrid, I hope he You can have a place by your side - I can't ask you to ask for something for me, or for the Habsburgs, but if it's for Spain, you wouldn't say no, would you?"

"…teacher."

   "Go, if you can't, it doesn't matter," the archbishop smiled: "I just want one less fault that needs to be repented of.",

   He pointed to his face, indicating that he did not want to continue talking.

  ———

  The Archbishop may not be sure of many things, but what he said to Alberoni before, that the Duke of Orléans would never accede to the request of the Catalans, he was right - what kind of whimsy! But after thinking about it, the duke must also admit that this is a perfect opportunity for some careerists. Catalonia was originally an old country, and it was once owned by France and Spain in turn. At the beginning of the thirteenth century, in order to ensure the integrity of the French territory, Louis IX made a deal with the king of Aragon, but in the Thirty Years' War, it was occupied by Louis XIII, and Louis XIII declared its sovereignty. back in the hands of the king of France.

According to the law of succession, the title of Count of Barcelona should be inherited by Louis XIV, but if the Duke of Orleans claimed that he had recaptured Catalonia and claimed the title and territory of Count of Barcelona...it is not impossible - not only because This is already true, and because France is facing a long and difficult war, Louis XIV should have compromised if he did not want to be hindered at the beginning.

This is what Tamalet and his supporters thought. In the firelight, the Duke of Orleans' eyes widened slightly, then quickly calmed down: "I am very surprised by your suggestion," he said: "But I am I won't betray my brother."

"This is not a betrayal," Tamarit has been watching the Duke's expression closely, and he keenly captures that although the Duke recovered quickly, his pupils did dilate for a moment - in the Middle Ages women knew how to use belladonna Juice to dilate the pupil, because the pupil dilated means that its owner sees something exciting or interesting - the Duke's pupils can't be panic, he must be moved, but the French... always have to pretend to shirk. Fan: "You can tell your brother's messenger that the Catalans, seeing your greatness, would prefer you to rule them rather than your nephew, a child - this is also true, we are You don't have to worry at all, your brother will definitely understand you and be happy."

  Bah! The duke said in his heart that these Catalan nobles were obviously taking him for a fool. If he were another duke of Gaston, he might have hesitated, but if he lost the trust and support of the French king , what kind of situation can a foreigner make in Catalonia? Take a look at the kings of Poland, including a French duke, how did he run back to Paris in despair after being the king of Poland for three years?

   At that time he was just a puppet. Once the Catalans gained independence, he would either encounter some accidents or be deported back to France.

   "I won't do it," said the duke, but with a deliberately weak tone, Tamarit smiled, and he resigned happily, returning to his room with his slave.

While    was in the hallway, he met Gemma.

He stared at Gemma, Gemma bowed her head, Tamarit sneered, and Father Clarisse swore that Gemma was the only girl who wouldn't be robbed of the Duke of Orleans—so I guess, after all... just Orleans Is it really out of pity that the Duke is willing to keep her? But it doesn't matter, Gemma is a very useful tool, but it doesn't have a single star with them, and they never discuss any secrets in front of her.

Someone kicked Gemma. I don't know who it was. Gemma was used to it. When these people left, she slowly stretched out her body and walked towards the end of the corridor. When her figure was about to disappear into the darkness, Tower Mallett frowned: "Still..." He lowered his voice and said, and the attendant beside him listened and nodded.

The death of Gemma's father and brother, to be precise, the failure of the riot was related to Tamarit, but Tamarit was unwilling to admit his failure, so he put the blame on his deputy, that is, On Gemma's father, they were already hanged by the Spaniards at that time. Tamarit didn't pay much attention to what happened to their wives and children, but, of course, he met Gemma at the beginning, and Gemma also Having seen him, he had been worried whether Father Clarice's insistence on saving Gemma would be against him, and now it seemed that maybe not, but to be on the safe side, he would still send Gemma to see God or the devil.

  ———

  Gemma is no longer qualified to sleep at the Duke's feet or in the corridor. In the chapel, it is a last resort. She is now sleeping alone under the corner of a staircase.

In the middle of the night, a very heavy object was suddenly pressed on her body. She woke up suddenly, and when she began to struggle, she touched a pair of hands on her neck—they held it like a rough noose. Her neck was tightly restrained, causing her to suffocate. Her legs were kicking vigorously, and her strength was stronger than anyone the murderer met, including men. He moved while regretting not using the knife. Thumbs to pinch Gemma's ear.

Although the medicine of this era is not developed, there are always killing techniques. This time, Gemma completely lost the strength to resist. She opened her eyes, but except for darkness, she was about to die. She remembered her own Brother and sister... She thought she was always looking for an end, and only now did she realize how contemptible she was - she didn't want to die at all!

   (end of this chapter)