I Am Louis XIV

Louis laughed at the question.

He looked at Bishop Mazaran: "Mr. Bishop," he asked modestly, "Who do you say I am?"

"Louis XIV," Mazarin replied, although he did not understand why Louis asked this question, "His Majesty the King of France and Navarre."

So Louis turned to Queen Mother Anne again: "So, mother," he repeated the previous question: "Who am I?"

In ordinary times, Anne would have answered, You are my dear little Louis, but since Bishop Mazarin had set the right example, she added: "You are King of France and Navarre."

Louis nodded, and then asked all the people present who were qualified to stay in this room—there were not many, but they were all credible ministers who had to rely on them to deal with the matter.

All replied, "You are His Majesty the King."

Only then did Louis lean back gently in his chair, and continued to ask: "Then Charles, Duke of Cornwall, who is his father, and who will he be in the future?"

The room was suddenly quiet. Bishop Mazaran frowned and thought for a while before tentatively replying, "Your Majesty the King of England?"

Louis looked at the others, and the others gave the same answer one by one. Only Queen Mother Anne added with some dissatisfaction: "A Protestant."

Louis patted his mother's hand reassuringly: "I know that your devotion to God makes you unable to bear a Protestant." He said: "But mother, we must be clearly aware of one thing, that is, whether it is me, Or Charles, or any emperor or king, they may be Protestants, they may be our enemies, but one thing we are absolutely the same, that is... we are the only ruler of this world, the country By."

"And." He looked around, "This attribute is more important than beliefs, positions, and personal grievances. No, it should be said that it is the foundation of everything. Without it, we have no qualifications to continue to exist." , let alone others."

He looked at everyone. Although he was only eleven years old, his stern eyes still made many people press the words that were on their lips... This is too... But seeing Bishop Mazaran who is calm and confident, and even though he wanted to say Something but refraining from the Queen Mother, they wisely kept quiet.

"I know you will have a lot of opinions. Yes, Charlie is not only a Protestant, England is also our enemy, but today, we must accept him and support him until he returns to England and is crowned king—maybe you It would be confusing, of course, it would be a pleasure to be able to laugh and tease an enemy that was once so powerful, but first of all, it must not be based on rebellion, and any rebellion, especially for kings and royal families, is absolutely impossible. Tolerant, everyone, I mean." Louis emphasized his tone: "Even if the sultan of Ottoman Turkey was betrayed by his subjects, I would not be happy about it, or publicize it, or even help his enemy, even if it is a Heretic to the letter...for I too am a king."

The king's sharp eyes swept over everyone present one by one: "All rebellious things will be condemned. From today onwards, I don't want to hear any frivolous comments and rumors about Charles I in the court. Nor do I wish to see any encouragement of such conduct in the papers or books, nor do I wish any of you to have any dealings with Oliver Cromwell, the traitor and bandit of England—so far, I Will welcome my cousin Charlie and do what I can to help him, and I hope you will too."

This is the first time that the important officials of the French court have faced such a king - although he has not grown up in stature, his thinking...is obviously as organized as an adult, and his understanding and interpretation of the term king has also been improved. It reached heights that many people could not reach-until they entered this room, there were still people laughing at Charles I, and trying to persuade the bishop and the queen mother to refuse to give Charles, Duke of Cornwall aid.

But the king is right. Charles I may be mediocre, but he is a king anyway, and Cromwell may be heroic and wise, but he is a courtier after all. They can rejoice at the death of their old enemy, but they must not encourage it. This behavior, because they also have a king, and they are born by the king.

Queen Mother Anne looked complicated. She understood Mazaran's worries and comforts. Not every king could realize his meaning and responsibilities so quickly. She knew that she should be happy, but there was always an indescribable feeling. The pressure made her unable to let go—maybe she suddenly realized what kind of dangerous and magnificent road this huge French carriage would be driven by her son Louis.

Bishop Mazaran, on the other hand, watched his colleagues stunned, but before he could say anything, one of them stood up suddenly, "Your Majesty, please follow the imperial edict," he said resolutely. Shouted, "Ah, Your Majesty, I am willing to obey any order of yours, not to mention it is so wise and correct! Please rest assured, we will do as you say, and for you, even if we are smashed to pieces, we are willing! "

This sudden occurrence, not to mention the Queen Mother, Bishop Mazaran, even Louis was taken aback, he subconsciously looked at the bishop, the bishop shook his head, this is not the person he arranged, and then Louis recognized this Man, it was at the time of Saint-Germain-en-Laye that Mr. Nicolas Fouquet, the procurator who raised a large sum of money, was sent like a timely gift. In order to reward him, the cash-strapped king even gave him a hunting companion It's just that after returning to Paris, the physically and mentally exhausted king couldn't think of this person for a while.

Fouquet came in with Particherry Emery, the financial director. It can be said that he was an entourage, but he was so bold as to speak before the Queen Mother and the bishop. It was really beyond everyone's expectations. The king showed his loyalty, so the king would not reprimand him for such a trivial matter. Sure enough, the king just waved his hand helplessly and let him sit down: "You are a little too rude." Louis reprimanded gently, but everyone It can be seen that the king is not angry at all: "I should punish you," he looked at the bishop: "What punishment should he receive?"

"How about letting him take charge of the living and living of the Duke of Cornwall in Paris?" Bishop Mazarin certainly understood what Louis meant: "If he can do as well as he promised."

"Well then," said the King, "I don't need you to be broken, Monsieur Fouquet, and if you do well, you will serve me for many years."

Fouquet immediately sprang up from his chair, and he saluted first the King, then the Bishop, then the Queen, and everyone in the room.

Finance Director Emery's face was green and pale. Fouquet's move was undoubtedly stepping on his face to climb up, but none of the bishops, queen mothers and kings present cared about him. Emery's background is not high, he He was able to stand out because he was a relative of Bishop Mazaran. In fact, he was just a Siena peasant not long ago, but after he came to power, he used his identity and the power of the bishop to make a lot of money for himself. However, after the royal family was forced to flee Paris and came to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, he showed his despicable nature and short-sightedness. With the bishop's daily expenses, the entire royal family was in a state of embarrassment. The reason why he could still attend such a meeting was because he couldn't find someone who could replace him.

Nicolas Fouquet seized this opportunity well.

———————

Charles, Duke of Cornwall, came to Paris, and he was surprised by the treatment he received, after all, he knew that Anne, the queen mother of France, didn't like him and his father very much, or any Protestant, and many people in Paris did, but When he came this time, he had nothing but his title and a few cronies. His country was occupied by traitors, his army was scattered, and his treasury was looted by a group of mobs. something to draw.

But his cousin, Fouquet, a servant of King Louis of France, prepared for him the mansion, carriage, food and clothing as if he treated a king, which moved the Duke of Cornwall to the extreme. On the third day in Paris, he took care of Don't be tired from the journey, insist on going to see the king.

King Louis was, as his sister Henrietta said, a gentle young man, and they talked for a long time, even at dinner, and did not part until they had to go to bed.

The entire audience ceremony was impeccable, except that a maid beside the Duke of Cornwall suddenly exclaimed and fainted when she saw the ferocious wolf skin (a gift from Prince Condé).