Mary Su Stuart

In November 1560, Prince Francois of France returned from Italy; on his way back to Paris, he was assassinated by extreme Protestants near Fontainebleau.

This news made Mary, who thought she was at ease, suddenly fell into sleepless nights.

She almost forgot that France, which seemed to have supreme monarchy, actually had endless assassinations of monarchs.

Take the two incidents she can remember from the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century: Henry III, the last king of Valois, and Henry IV, the founding king of Bourbon, both died of assassination due to religious conflicts.

Mary once worried about the stubbornness of fate, and she also turned to some alarmist content in "Hundred Poems".However, with her intervention, Henry II passed the whole year of 1559 safely.From this, Mary believed that the future of the Valois royal family could be easily changed.

She also told Francois from afar to keep exercising and prevent epidemics.In history, he was easily killed in an infection because of his long-term frailty.Now her husband seemed to be in good health and strength, and he did not look like he would die prematurely.Mary gradually lost her vigilance, and only concentrated on tinkering with the mess in Scotland...

Obviously it was too early to worry.Mary was secretly annoyed.

François II in another time and space succeeded Henry II who died unexpectedly in July 1559, and died of illness in November 7.

Now, where she is, it is also November 1560.

It's like God's will.

The "previous" Francois died sickly on the hospital bed amidst the overt or dark curses of the Protestants; The ultra-Protestants who were blocked were attacked with muskets.

The killer fired three shots.Fortunately in misfortune, none of them fell on the crown prince.However, the horse that was hit was demented and went mad, causing him to fall and fall, and then suffered a trampling accident, and was carried back to the palace.

Mary hesitated for a moment, and then resolutely made the decision to return to France.

At the Queen's order, the Scottish fleet quickly set sail.

Because she was concerned about François' situation, Mary lost interest in other things: her brother, the Duke of Longueville, said that John Knox wanted to return home, and she had no time to study it carefully, so she let him handle it by himself; Weir sent back news from London that Robert Dudley's wife had died unexpectedly, and the cause of death was suspicious. Elizabeth and Cecil almost had a quarrel, and Mary also put it aside, allowing England's ministers to suppress the matter.

Originally, she was very concerned about these two situations.Knox, a Calvinist, has been trying to leave France and return to Scotland to spread his radicalism, so Mary asked her brother to monitor and stop him for a long time.In the past few months, the news that Robert Dudley and Elizabeth have an ambiguous relationship and that the Queen of England wants to marry a married man has spread in England, and Mary has also contributed a lot to it...

The previous one is fine; people say that Scotland is not what it used to be under the Queen's rule, and the initial religious reform has eased the contradictions; even if the culprit Knox appears on the scene, the relatively stable society will not be easily disrupted by extremists.Mary had prepared for the latter for a long time; but when Mrs. Dudley accidentally fell to her death and took the opportunity to smear Elizabeth, she was distracted and had no energy to command diplomats to make waves, create troubles, and shake the authority of the Queen of England in time.

This restless and distracted state did not improve until Marie saw Francois again with her own eyes.

Women are really emotional animals.While criticizing herself inwardly, the Queen of Scots hurried forward and hugged the boy who had lost a lot of weight.

"Francois, Francois..."

This behavior that seems to be contrary to etiquette has been unanimously understood by everyone around.How can we ask every frightened wife to calmly salute and salute her long-lost, injured husband with a straight posture?

François is clearly treating Marie with equal enthusiasm.He was originally leaning on the armchair, but now he leaned forward slightly, struggling to hug her back; and the tears that could not be suppressed suddenly even dripped on the sleeve robe.

Mary tenderly buried her head into his neck, listening to him choked up and said:

"Honey, you're back."

Marie lightly touched the splint straps on François' body and glanced at his blanket-covered lower half.She has already learned about his injuries: about one or two broken ribs, a broken leg, a head injury and a little memory loss (Mary guessed it was a concussion)... Fortunately, the internal organs are safe; The scrapes and bruises are almost healed.

Thankfully, he was sitting on the chair as smoothly as possible and still talking to her normally.

"Francois, how afraid I am..."

Mary felt as if there were a thousand words in her head.But as soon as she opened her mouth, she almost forgot the words.

Her feelings for him are really complicated.

The first is guilt.In any case, Francois' trip to Rome has a lot to do with her.And his visit to the pope may also intensify the contradictions between Protestants and old believers in the country.

The second is mercy.Since he was a child, he has been using him intentionally or unintentionally.Of course, she was satisfied with the sincerity that Francois gave, and she accepted it all; what she returned to him was nothing but care like a charity from a superior.

After all, the sense of superiority in the bones of modern people made her conceited, and she often regarded him, who was gentle and obedient, as a devout believer.Although she accepted and recognized the status of "wife", what she actually gave was only a few real friendships-a fact that she became more aware of after two years of separation between them.

Even if it's to appease him... Right now, she really wants to show such deep love like him.However, she doubted that no matter how hard she tried to act, she would not be able to be authentic.

After two years of solitude and freedom in Scotland, Mary was not accustomed to concealing herself.During the ten years she spent in France, although she had thought hard, she never felt that she needed to suppress herself too much and maintain such a false appearance—it was not until she got married that she used deception completely—and not long after that, she Back to Scotland.

However, now, the gap between her true feelings and what she wants to show is widening.

Getting along with Francois seemed to be adding to her psychological burden all the time.

Because of the need for rest, patients with little exercise are often sensitive and fragile.Francois is no exception.He noticed his wife's emotions were a little weird and tangled.However, out of his trust in her all the time, he only thinks about the good side for the time being——

She must have been overly frightened and perhaps needed his reassurance.

And François did the same.He held back his tears and said softly, "Don't worry, my dear Mary. How merciful my Lord is, and how lucky I am. The critical moment is over, and I will definitely recover as soon as possible..."

For a split second, Mary felt her intelligence come back to her.Recalling the past, she turned her head and stared into his eyes.

Slowly mobilizing her emotions, she felt that her eye sockets were hot, and her nose seemed to be sore.

"Fortunately, fortunately...you will recover quickly, my lord."

The sudden change to "honorary title" is because Mary realized that reminding him of his other identity at this time is more conducive to emphasizing the fact that she and him cannot be separated.

"France needs you, and Scotland cannot live without you. Our kingdom is looking forward to your visit..."

Francois immediately said: "Honey, I already know, I have fully understood that you worked very hard there, in that dangerous environment. I also earnestly hope that the Kingdom of Scotland will continue to develop steadily and stand strong .”

"And I am not afraid of crisis. I have full confidence in the future."

Mary took his hand eagerly. "Yes, I believe that distress is only temporary. We are never afraid of being knocked down."

All these things motivate each other.The sad and sad atmosphere was transformed into comfort and happiness.Under the watchful eyes of all the servants, the princess lay on the crown prince's lap for a while, then wiped each other's tears, kissed the cheeks, and rubbed each other's ears.then……

It was interrupted by someone sent by the queen.

In fact, even if Queen Catherine does not come to summon Mary at this time, it is absolutely impossible for this couple to develop in an indescribable direction.It's not that the 16-year-old crown prince can guarantee Liu Xiahui's undisturbed pregnancy—in fact, the married man who has been banned for two years is already a little ready to move—but that he is injured and the conditions do not allow him to take the initiative.Otherwise, there is no shame in asking him to directly speak out, clear the scene and pull the curtain to announce that day.

At any rate, he has already traveled to Italy and seen the feasting and luxury in the birthplace of the Renaissance.Those lairs of indulgence, the so-called "everything is going well, except for Zhen (;;) operation", taught him to open his eyes.

Moreover, the atmosphere of the French court has never been so pure.In the past, Henry II and other nobles were slightly concerned about his status as an unmarried person, and did not open certain banquets or activities for adults to him.And since the crown prince got married, he has obtained tickets to almost all venues, seeing and hearing, there are quite a lot of large-scale entertainment of all kinds.

At first François was shy and shy, but later he got used to it.However, thinking of his pure wife, thinking of the oath he made with her before God, thinking of his most pious and noble promise to her... This sense of holiness made him continue to maintain his original reserve.

Besides, although many popes in history have been deeply involved in rumors of wantonness, the one he met in Rome this time was full of solemnity and solemnity, and tried his best to promote the spirit of innocence, which invisibly helped him once again stabilize the heart of the knight .

Right now, Francois who was interrupted was a little upset, while Mary relaxed to visit her mother-in-law.Well, father-in-law Henry II is entangled in "official affairs", and the "household affairs" such as the return of the daughter-in-law have to be handled by the wife first.

Because several days had passed since the assassination of the eldest son and his condition was stable, Queen Catherine was relatively calm at this time.Therefore, seeing the eldest daughter-in-law with red and swollen eyes, she was in a good mood and expressed her understanding of Mary's concern about the country's situation.

"Your Majesty is extremely angry," Catherine said. "Since the Cato-Cambrezzi Peace Treaty, he has decided to gradually rectify the rampant heresy in the country. Yes, in recent years, those Calvinists in the country, oh, they are called Huguenots, have frequently fought with Geneva. Interaction, and openly holding conferences in the country, are constantly eroding the foundation of Catholicism. Even Admiral Coligny and his brother Andro are moved by it..."

"His Majesty has hoped to solve the problem with thunderous means from the very beginning. The Chief of the Royal Family and the Duke of Guise are also very supportive. Now that something like this has happened, His Majesty has no reason to appease those rebels."

Saying that, Catherine, who was eager to love her son, couldn't help gritting her teeth. "Although I have always advocated tolerance, I cannot bear the conspiracy of those Huguenots. They must pay for it!"

Marie found out more details when she got in touch with one of Guise's uncles who were still in Paris.

"Someone once told me that France and Spain should end the war as soon as possible, and unite to eradicate heresy and defend the faith. Therefore, since the beginning of the year, His Majesty has started to rectify those cancerous tumors. Unfortunately, he was blinded by some shameless villains .”

The Cardinal of Lorraine was outraged. "That Montmorency suffered a disastrous defeat at St. Quentin, which cost the royal family a lot of money to redeem him. He accepted the favor of the king, but he didn't want to repay it. And his nephew Coligny, who was more heretic than him who was not strong in faith. He On their return, they managed to free Andro, who professed to be a Protestant. They, and especially Montmorency, evidently influenced His Majesty's strategy!"

"The High Court is also hesitating, and even repeatedly stopped the introduction of the Inquisition from Spain. However, those Protestants did not appreciate it, and even feared that the crown prince would contact Rome, so they would assassinate and cause chaos... Therefore, His Majesty Henry has already planned to forcefully pass this resolution."

"Fortunately, His Majesty the King finally made a wise decision." Cardinal Lorraine sneered. "And the high court that sings the opposite tune is not stupid at all, nor is it for any other selfishness, but some of them have already betrayed their faith!"

"In particular, there is a little judge named Dibble who actually accused the cardinals of blasphemy and hindered Protestants from studying the Bible. What a joke! He dared to accuse 'adultery' in front of the king, obviously It implies that His Majesty and 'that lady' have misbehaved." The cardinal felt relieved when he said that. "Your Majesty was naturally very excited, and even swore to burn that heretic to death."

Mary sighed: "I heard that His Majesty issued a decree a few years ago to strictly prohibit those Protestants from engaging in activities in the country. However, some people are obsessed with it..."

The Cardinal of Lorraine clenched his fists. "So, this time, no matter who intercedes, His Majesty will punish him severely!"

If you listen to one side, you will be dark, but if you believe in it, you will be bright.Mary visited her half-brother James again, and got more comprehensive information from him.

Lord Merry has been appointed "Ambassador of France" for the past two years, and he is quite comfortable enjoying the honor in the court.After all, because his sister respected him blatantly, the two Guise brothers, who dared to offend even the French clan Bourbon and had eyes above the top, were also kind and polite to him.However, at the age of nearly thirty, he finally felt very homesick.

Merry has ambitions of her own.Although Paris is good, he has no roots, and his wealth is not as good as that of the local nobles.Even though he holds the title of ambassador to France, his younger sister Mary often contacts the court on her own as the princess.If he could return to Scotland, he would be the son of the late King James V. He would have a title and a small fief, and his mother’s family would have many relatives. He would also be quite familiar with other lords, and he would have a better chance of gaining real power...

This kind of hope became stronger after he discovered that Boswell, who was under him in the past, became the commander-in-chief of the Scottish army.

Therefore, in the conversation with Mary, Merry tried her best to show her political opinions, hoping that the little queen would trust her as before, rely on him, and find him a better position in Scotland.

"This assassination is certainly related to Protestant opposition to Rome and opposition to repression; but more importantly, it is related to certain administrative mistakes that caused more people to be dissatisfied with the status quo and turn to support the Huguenots."

"Before the reconciliation between France and Spain, the country's finances were in a bad state. In order to reduce expenses, the Cardinal of Lorraine racked his brains." Meili glanced at Mary carefully, and continued after seeing her calm expression. "For example, tearing up some contracts with the Parisian business community and writing off some bad debts... In this way, many businessmen have suffered heavy losses."

"The cardinal also cut a lot of government positions, involving the royal family, courts, and the army. Therefore, many minor nobles are also dissatisfied with this."

"The most important thing is that after the war, the demobilized soldiers and generals were not well settled. They have not been paid and compensated, and they will definitely protest to the court. I heard that in this assassination case, some people, It was the veteran who later defected to the Huguenots."

Mary listened, nodding frequently.At present, the French royal family is heavily in debt. In order to balance the budget and solve the deficit, the ruling minister had to bite the bullet and offend a large group of people.This is also helpless.

When a government has aroused the anger of so many classes, it is not difficult for them to defect to its opposition party.In particular, in the past few years, the Catholic Church has been exposed by various Protestant forces to be corrupt, extravagant, and depraved; and the representative of the current government is an extreme old church pioneer, the Cardinal of Lorraine.

The religious wars in France will continue for many years [Note [-]] in history. Under the appearance of the disputes of beliefs, there are still many social and realistic reasons.

Mary thought that it was not unreasonable for economic problems to trigger religious conflicts.No, she sent the mercury mirror formula to Henry II two years ago, and now, the production line and sales line should be almost spread out.As long as the royal family survives this difficult time, when the products start to make profits, and when the financial pressure is relieved, there will be more secure solutions to those social problems.

Thinking about it, Mary wanted to visit the secret production workshop again.After all, she still wants to learn from it and use it to go to her hometown of Scotland...

But it was really late, and the queen's maids reminded her earnestly.

At this time, Mary Stuart, the political animal, suddenly discovered that she had spent a long time looking around, and that her husband, who was handicapped, was almost forgotten at home again.

The author has something to say: [Note 1562] The French Wars of Religion refer to the civil war between French Catholics and Huguenots between 1598 and [-].The long and bitter civil war saw eight violent clashes, including such tragic events as the massacre of St. Bartholomew.

Special thanks again to Li Leyao, Tian Lanlan, Chloe Su, Lin, Lu Huai'an, V7V, Yuelian Yingyan, Davina, patients with advanced lazy cancer, and Freya for their watering these days, making me look radiant and energetic... ... love you~

Thanks to Chloe Sue for the landmines in the background~ hugging and turning around~