I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 176 Louis XIV's first expedition!

The witches thought it was going to be a serious meeting, but it didn't seem to be the case from what they saw. There was water and cake where they waited - this delicate food made them involuntarily take a lot, and still counted in the sugar. The witches who lived incognito, carefully out of sight when they were precious, certainly wouldn't have the chance to enjoy sweets and pastries, and when they were announced to meet the king, the place they went didn't look like a heavily guarded place. It was a prison or court, but a small courtyard half-shaded by vine leaves, and the sun shone through the emerald net, leaving mottled shadows on them and on the ground.

The king and the Duchess of Colonna, and their son, together on a fine silk rug, like the sultan and his concubine in the picture, the appearance of the little duke inherits all the virtues of the duchess and the king, that one His lips that were slightly curved even when he didn't smile made him look extra cute, and the witches' eyes were briefly taken away from him for a moment, before returning to the king - who could say nondescript salutes to the king, because they cut off For nearly a hundred years, they have forgotten too many things, except for etiquette, that is, the reverence for power - the witch looked at the king boldly, he was a young man with fair complexion and golden brown curly hair casually draped. On his shoulders, he has a high forehead that is only found in people with strong will, and a pair of long eyebrows like the wings of a falcon. Under the long eyebrows are gray-blue eyes, and the bridge of his nose has a prominent hump, which means that He has ambitions that no one else can match, and if these are the only characteristics, they would have to worry about meeting a cruel king, but he also has full lips, especially the lower lip, which is rosy, which means He is kind-hearted.

While the witches were assessing the king with physiognomy, Louis looked at them too—unlike the witches of Gayola, the witches of France were dark-skinned, rude, and, though leaders of the cult, they It also seems to be extremely lacking in talent and sanity, the kind you can see in all rulers, their long skirts with raw edges, their colorful but rough shawls, and their unrestrained tousled hair, It reminds the king of a race that is not friendly enough to anyone, and is hated and despised by many people, etc. It is not right to say race, because it is eclectic, no matter what kind of people, black skin, white skin and other Or brown, or men, women, children, old men, criminals, scholars... as long as they are willing to obey the so-called laws and regulations, they can join them, these people are called gypsies by the British, and the Spanish called them. Flamingos, Russians call them Tzgan, Albanians call them Ephgit, Greeks call them Akinjano, Arabs call them Loli, Turkish Ottomans call them Ekuntaka people, while the French call them Bohemians…

Among the Bohemians, there are indeed many women who are good at divination and casting spells. Among them are many liars, but there are also real witches mixed in. If the witch sect wanders in France in this capacity, until It's understandable that he was driven out by the werewolves today. Louis smiled: "Please sit down, ladies."

The witches glanced at each other and sat down on the velvet cushions scattered everywhere. They crossed their knees carelessly. Several of them even pulled down their shawls and completely exposed their considerable side to the king. Mary was disdainful. With a soft snort, she moved to Louis' side and leaned on his shoulder. The witches giggled, apparently finding it very funny. Unlike ordinary French women, Bosnians don't care about festivals and marriages. Whoever they want to marry, all they have to do is walk in front of the crowd and announce it loudly. Divorce is the same, women among them will spend a short night with people for money and food, for a pretty face and a strong body So will be.

And, since they are Bosnians, the plans for the Serbian werewolves and the Gayola wizards can no longer be used. When Louis was not Louis, he still knew something about the gypsies. The people in the caravan are neither as eager for power and glory as the wizards of Gayola, nor as urgently in need of a place to rest, as the werewolves of Serbia, they can be at home in the world, and they are unwilling to receive anything. Shackles, and will not be bound by morality and law, although they can extort and cheat, but it is almost impossible to tie them with money - they never save money, and once they get it, they exchange it for food and wine, and then it is all night long carnival.

"We've considered the three requests you made." Manit was the first to speak, "but we can't, Your Majesty," she blinked slyly, "it's not that we don't want to, it's that we simply can't do it. , you see, we are Bosnians, we are nowhere, we are wandering, you can see us in many places, and you may never see us."

She waited for Louis's answer, but Louis just glanced at Mary, "You have to obey Mary's will on this matter," he said: "Marie is also a witch, and my wife in the inner world, I Grant her this right." After speaking, the king stood up unexpectedly, took the little duke's hand, and with a smile, stepped back to the side, posing a gesture of indifference.

This change surprised Manit a little. Of course she had heard that the king of France had a beloved lover, she was a witch, and they had a child in common. For Bosnians, this It's not surprising, after all, their enthusiastic characters, attractive bodies, and looks have also attracted countless people, including many officials and nobles, but to say that they are unlikely to let a Bosnian give birth to their children, It is even more impossible for a woman to intervene in government affairs, even if, no, it should be said, a witch.

   Didn't Charles VII trust and admire Joan of Arc? And those generals and ministers, those compliments and real money did not come out of nothing, but as soon as it was revealed that there was a witch hidden behind Joan of Arc, there was no one except Marshal Gil de Lei. Willing to say a word for Joan of Arc, they are not hard-hearted, nor ungrateful, but... There is an iron rule between the inner world and the outer world, that is, the power of the inner world and the outer world must never overlap. part.

"But now these so-called iron rules are dead in name only." Mary said, from ten years ago, or even earlier, this is not so surprising, after all, the bait of power is so sweet and attractive, even if it is torn by an iron hook So what if you open your mouth, there are so many big fish that go forward one after another - now the Roman Church will not hesitate to use the vampire's rotten bracelet. It is conceivable that if Carlos II of Spain recruits the dark wizard, the story of Louis XIII cannot be repeated. .

   "But then we have to face the dark wizards of Spain," Manit said, "then we might as well go to Spain."

   "In Spain you are alone, in Flanders you can be guarded by at least a hundred thousand heavily armed soldiers."

   "Why do you still need us when you already have so many soldiers?"

   "Mortal to mortal, wizard to wizard," Mary said.

   "Where's your clan?" Manit asked coldly.

   "They'll fight for the king on another battlefield, for the king of France," Mary replied, equally deadpan, "though they're Italian wizards—"

   "It has been many years since we left the court, the king's patronage," Manit said. "We don't need these anymore, we are Bosnians now, we have no state, we have no nation."

"As long as you stay in France, drinking the water of the Seine, eating the food of Provence or Rouen, and running in the sunshine of Conflan or Marseille," Marie said sharply, "you will endure it. Favor from France, if you are unwilling to undertake your obligations, then leave France and go where you will endure you."

   "There is no benefit for us to stay in France, and we cannot do it," Manit said. "Our children are scattered everywhere."

   "When they knew there was a place that would allow witches, they would come."

  Mary's words gave Manit a shudder: "I don't understand what you mean."

   "It's easy to understand," Marie said. "The king will demarcate an area in Orleans as a... special area where French wizards can build their own inner world."

Of course, the wizards of France also had an inner world, even near Reims, but because of Joan of Arc, their inner world was destroyed by the wizards of the Valois dynasty, and since then they have lived like a A cat-and-dog-like day - precarious and unreliable, but time can always change a lot of things. A hundred years ago, this reward would have made witches grateful and surrendered without hesitation, but now, they are used to "freedom" They didn't think it would be such an interesting thing.

With Louis' tacit reminder, Mary was not annoyed or frustrated by the witches' indifferent response. "Ah," she said briskly, "I haven't finished," she said calmly: "The King A date will be set, and from that day, except for Orleans, in other places in France, once a wizard appears, he will be arrested and tried." She stared into Manet's eyes: "And then executed."

  ————

   "This is really a close and exciting battle."

Louis murmured that before Marie's voice fell to the ground, he and the little Duke of Colonna were moved by Gayola's wizards to the top of the tower of the palace, just like in a fairy tale, the witch was imprisoned in the tower. Like the princess at the top, he held his son's little hand and looked down together. From him, he could see all kinds of strange scenes erupting in the courtyard.

  Louis has been in the inner world for a while, and even learned how to become a wizard, but he has never really used magic to fight, not only not, but not even witnessing it with his own eyes.

Contrary to people's imagination, when witches and wizards fight, although they need to utter spells, make gestures, and use various magic materials, most of the spells do not require the help of a staff - flames burst from their fingertips; the ground and running water; the hurricane rolls up the enemy, and then throws it heavily on the ground; the vines sprang from the cracks in the slate, strangling the limbs or the neck; some wizards and witches who are good at martial arts will also transform into huge long swords Or shields, fighting each other, and some wizards directly turn themselves into water, wind and fire, tightly wrapping the enemy, and a few wizards become manticores, three-headed dogs or big vultures, directly using The fangs, claws and beaks attack.

The Bohemian witch who came here, as the elder of the order, is of course not timid or incompetent, but Calais has long since become half of Gayola. There are more wizards here than the witches imagined, and, Mary didn't even summon too many people, she prefers to use financial resources rather than force - yes, with the support of the world, Gayola's economy is no longer as chaotic as Louis sees it, middle and lower The contradiction between the wizards of the class and the big family is no longer so sharp - or, after the Duchess of Colonna, that is, Marie Mancini, has almost become Gayola's manager, ruling has become easier. .

In the past few years, due to the internal strife of the Mancini family, as well as the Marie who fought against several other big families, the will and skills alone can make Manet have no time to take care of others. As for the other few Personally, Marie drove the golems and beasts in the courtyard, and they, along with Gayola as a squire, were enough to confront and control these daring ones—maybe for a few minutes, and Marie didn't even let the battle spill over Outside the palace, the Bohemian witches were forced to be captured.

When the king took the little duke down from the tower, the witches were much more embarrassed than at the beginning. Manet was stabbed by the manticore's tail and had to cut off his arm immediately. , lost too much blood, her face was gray, and her companion was no better, and when the king's boots stopped in front of her eyes, Manette struggled: "...I, how can I... believe...you..."

  Mary tidied up her sleeves and took the king's arm: "We don't need you to believe it." She said, "Just to let you know."

  ———

  The witches of Bohemia were thrown into the prison of the palace, and someone came to visit them the next day, and that person was Varo Vesalius.

   "How are you thinking?" he asked.

"Do we still have room to consider?" Manit asked sarcastically, yes, Marie Mancini made it very clear that now most of the French tribunal is in the hands of the king, and the two kings of Spain (Aragon) What the king and the Queen of Castile did, the king of France can't do it again, as long as there is the king's will, the stake to burn the witches can stand in every corner of France, unless they leave France, But just like Spain has Spanish wizards, Italy has Italian wizards, Britain has British wizards... Europa has long been divided up by wizards, and their relationship is not even as good as the blood clan. If the blood clan passes through the prince's territory, as long as the former Going to see the prince means that you can live for a short time or leave, but wizards are also a rare good material for wizards...

Of course, the previous Louis XIII, or the earlier Henry IV did not do this, because at that time there were wizards left by Valois around them, and they were not very interested in arguing with these witches. , but Louis XIV was obviously a different person. "His heart was castor beans soaked in the venom of aconitum," Manette couldn't help saying.

   Vesalius knew she was mocking Louis XIV for being narrow-minded and vicious. But now he knew something about Louis XIV: "It's not entirely wrong for you to say that," he said, "but so is our king," he considered his words: "for there are so many things to do Done, so no matter what, he is very urgent, time, money, manpower," he leaned down: "So, he can only see two kinds of people in his eyes, one is useful, and one is useful. It is useless, for the former, he can be tolerant in every possible way, for the latter, His Majesty will not allow him to waste even a drop of water or air, from this point of view, our Majesty is really stingy." This is also what he experienced so much A lot of things were only understood after the teacher's reminder.

   "People who ignore virtue like this..."

"But only such people can tolerate you," Vesalius said. "I see you, and it always feels familiar. Yes, I used to be. I think that there are always some things in the world that are inherently better than others. Above, this is a mistake, guys, I mean, there are some things that always trump others, but not love, or family, or any kind of precious emotion I think, but family names and bloodlines, which Makes me despair because it can't be broken no matter what, I was born a Vesalius, not a Mancini or something - fortunately we still have Your Majesty, for His Majesty there's more than a surname And bloodline is more important, that is interest.”

   He straightened up: "So be grateful, witches, if the one standing here is a monarch who values ​​faith, blood, and surname above everything else, you would have been burned to death long ago."

   So, from the beginning, witches had no bargaining power.

  ——Sudden power outage, sorry for the delay for half a day. But add more thousand words to complete!

   (end of this chapter)