I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 72 Some things about welcoming the former Queen Christina of Sweden (Part 1)

How the Count of D'Artagnan and Mr. Colbert returned to Paris, and how they were comforted and rewarded by the king, we will not mention it for the time being. People in Paris are only discussing one thing, and that is the former Queen of Sweden, Christina . Alexandra is coming to Paris, before that, as mentioned, the female ruler had converted to Catholicism in Rome, so the French royal family also showed her full goodwill.

If there's anything else worth mentioning, it's the Duchess of Montpensier, who exchanged half a million livres for the king's forgiveness, and the mercy of the queen mother, who, as soon as she got the news of her pardon, immediately Riding to Paris in a carriage, for others, it is enviable that this grand county lord can return to the court in less than a year, only the Duchess of Montpensier knows this. It was as if she had died and lived again in a month, and her attitude this time was unusually respectful, especially when I heard that Bishop Mazarin intended to let Madame Christina go to see the king first instead of herself - she Another 100,000 livres were taken out to pay for the subsequent reception.

Even the Queen Mother Anne had nothing to say about this, after all she knew that Louis had been worried about the empty treasury, she met the Duchess of Montpensier at the Tuileries Palace, and as soon as the Duchess saw her, she Immediately he knelt down in front of her, kissed the hem of her skirt, and washed the Queen Mother's feet with tears. The Queen Mother forgave her and let her sit beside her, and then, in the presence of the Duchess, sent an envoy to summon the King With the Duke of Anjou - of course, this is also a gesture, just like the Duchess received the king's special envoy at the beginning, she could not let the king and the Duke of Anjou wait here to wait for her to visit.

It was raining in Paris that day, and the rain had made the dusty ground muddy, and when the king returned to the Boulevard Tuileries with his musketeers, not only their horses, but also the cloaks they wore It was also full of filthy muddy water. While the king put the production of cement on the agenda, he could not help frowning because of the extra expenditure. The two armies who made great achievements in the battle to retake Paris are still stationed at Versailles. , Although both the bishop and the queen mother think that the king should give them a reward and send them away, not to mention General Schumberg and Viscount Turenne, even if it is to keep these soldiers who have experienced war, Louis will not. Will take their opinion - but the question, yes, is money, money, money.

Sometimes the king could not help but think that it would be good to continue the business of winning prizes, but Fouquet reported that before he returned to Paris, several lords tried to make the same installation and print tickets. To make a profit, but they are too greedy, and they drain the prize pool every time. People gather together and find that they are not trustworthy. Even Fouquet's business has been affected. Yes, set the first prize high, and put the box of gold coins clearly where everyone can see, I am afraid that he will even be sent to the office on the charge of fraud because he is a foreigner. Prison.

   And Louis is also very clear that the gambling business like blood draw will only make France weaker, and if it is not against his own enemies, he will not do it.

But what surprised him was that the Duchess of Montpensier was able to make such a generous return at this time. Although she wanted to return to Paris and regain her favor, these were exactly what the king could give her. He even Thanks also to her, at least now he doesn't have to worry about how to receive the former Queen of Sweden in a few days.

In such a complex mood, the king strutted into the room of the ladies. The Duchess of Montpensier left Paris and left the king only a few months ago, but she could hardly recognize Louis—Louis was in her impression. He had always been a gentle and cowardly boy, but now he was a manly young man, about five feet six inches—the Duchess of Montpensier was so sure because she was about five feet five inches now, When he was a child, his light curls, which were like morning light, began to darken, showing a color like old gold, which made his skin fairer. He wore a dark purple brocade coat with diamond buttons, which was long after wiping. Boots are black and shiny.

   As soon as the Duchess saw the King, she fell down deeply, and the Queen Mother asked the King to kiss her hand before she brought Louis to the Duchess of Montpensier.

"I have come to introduce you to a rebellious princess," said the Queen Mother: "she did some very sad things not long ago, but now she knows she was wrong and repented, sire, and now she hopes to get Your forgiveness, what do you think?"

Although they all knew who the other was, the process had to go, Louis glanced at the Duchess of Montpensier, who was still bowing her head - she was not so docile a year ago, and now he can only hope that she does know What a mistake he had made, he took two steps forward, stretched out his hand, and the duchess took it and kissed it. "Let the past be in the past," said the king gently: "Just don't let me go. Disappointed, cousin," he took the duchess's hand and let her stand beside him: "I was in Versailles," he pointed to his clothes, "as soon as I heard you came, I hurried back. Paris—and Philippe, but he dressed up to see you, and when it was raining he got a lot of mud on his horse, so he rode in a carriage."

The Duchess tried her best to show an understanding smile, but there was no one who didn't know that, although at the insistence of the king, the Duke of Anjou finally gave Shanshan's late trousers salute, but he had been upbringing for more than ten years before. He still left deep marks. He still loves to dress up. The clothes he wears are not only more luxurious and gorgeous than the king, but even more luxurious than the queen dowager or princess. Some people say that the lace, lace and bows on the Duke of Anjou have fed Half a Parisian female worker, this sentence may be a bit exaggerated, but it is not without reason.

The Duke of Anjou returned to Paris only the next day. Once he returned to Paris, the king gave him an important task. To be precise, let him be the supervisor and assistant, for the coming former Queen of Sweden, and for the sake of the future. In his own future, the king hopes that he can change, at least to change the concept of cleanliness and hygiene in the court.

It is disgusting to say why they had met the Duchess of Montpensier at the Tuileries, since it had been refurbished and renovated in the few short months when the king returned to Paris. The Louvre is back to what it was before—to put it simply, piles of human-made filth are hidden everywhere—the velvet and satin drapery absorbs so much urine that it turns discolored; In the corner, there is a pile of dried flowers and plants, but don't turn it over, there must be a mass of feces under it; people spit at will, even the most noble ladies are no exception, when they eat their bones and skins are everywhere they want. Littering, of course, and dogs, cats and mice, you'd never imagine running under a snow-white linen tablecloth.

The king who was busy with government affairs and understanding of the world even lived for a long time eating only boiled eggs, and didn't even notice that the Louvre had become a dung heap that he hated, until one morning he went to a place that he used from time to time. In his room, the curtain was drawn on a whim, and a group of flies covered his face...

How the king was angry needs no description, but they really couldn't stay in the Louvre any longer, so they followed tradition - yes, it was tradition, they moved to the Tuileries so the servants could clean the Louvre, it is said , when they have finished ruining the Tuileries Palace, and there is still Richelieu House to move, and when Richelieu House is finished, then they can go back to the Louvre, or go to Fontainebleau.

"I absolutely can't stand this." The king said to the Duke of Anjou, but whether the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Richelieu House, or Fontainebleau, there is no such thing as a sewer, so: " Prepare more rooms to deal with..." The king made a gesture, Wang Di couldn't help but raised his hand and pressed his nose: "These things."

Ugh…

   He never thought that the first thing he did for his brother was this...

   (end of this chapter)