Mary Su Stuart

Mary Stuart would travel back and forth between Scotland and France in her later life.And this time, it was also the first time she visited France to see the welcome ceremony, and its level of extravagance definitely ranked among the top three.

The lively and ceremonial French court had long decreed that the Queen of Scots, who set foot on the land for the first time, must be graciously entertained.Every town that Mary arrived received a grand welcome: Archways were erected at the entrance of the street, fireworks and guns were set off, delicious food and wine were served, and hundreds of children formed a special guard of honor, playing trumpets and drums, cheering to celebrate the future prince. The arrival of the concubine—even though the official announcement has not yet been issued, the well-informed administrators have already heard the wind.

All kinds of mindless worship and intentional flattery seem to be the air lingering around the little queen, pervasive and ubiquitous.

After a long journey, Mary finally arrived at her destination, Paris, the Louvre.

The highest standard gourmet feast here completely moved her for the first time.

Mary almost wanted to be like the Han Gaozu who was born as the pavilion chief in Peixian County, and said with emotion, "I am the noble king who is known today."

She has been in that barren Scottish village for more than five years since she was a child. In Mary's opinion, the clothing, food, housing, and transportation in France are definitely a qualitative leap compared with the "homeland".Although the overall convenience and comfort of modern society is still incomparable, at least in terms of food, it is absolutely worthy of its reputation-as a country with relatively developed agriculture, it has absorbed Italy's advanced hedonic culture, plus various new things brought by great voyages. Ingredients and spices; French cuisine has already taken its luxurious and delicate prototype.

Variety, a dazzling array of beautiful things, competing for beauty...the color, fragrance and taste are all available, which makes Mary feel great enjoyment.

In her previous life, she heard a joking summary: Almost time-traveling in the novel, after the protagonist returns to the past, the great efforts made are often nothing more than restoring the living standards of modern society.

But when Mary faced the shiny silver tableware and the assortment of delicacies developed on the Apennines, she deeply felt that this, at least, surpassed the ordinary modern level of affluence.

——The presentation of the plate is indeed quite artistic.

——It’s delicious, let’s have one; it’s delicious, eat more.

——Who hasn't had a little belly yet, don't be afraid, don't be afraid!

——Sure enough, people live to eat.

——It’s cool to not bring heavy samples every day.

The four Marys who accompanied them also tasted everything new; however, they were not as comfortable as the queen.They have to suppress the little girl's greedy nature, hide their real appetite, and try their best to serve the queen who "appears to be gentle and feasting".

Occasionally, they still listen to the hostess's seemingly complaining: "If only the fragrance could be a little lighter."

Cough, what a picky majesty... This is no less precious spice than gold!

However, Mary's nitpicking is genuine.When there is no one around, she often pinches her nose secretly, hoping to adapt to this fragrant palace as soon as possible.

These Frenchmen are really... too much.

Regardless of the slight discomfort in the sense of smell, Mary insisted on attending one welcome ball after another.With the attitude of a child, she doesn't need to worry too much about her identity and obligations for the time being.So, she calmly faced those enthusiastic nobles, enjoying those skillful and wonderful blowing and bouncing, novel and interesting court repertoire, and colorful poetry and singing.

After all, now, in 1548, the French court under the Valois dynasty has become the highest standard of European entertainment—just when the birthplace of the Renaissance and the decline of various Italian city-states due to years of competition and wars, the relatively stable royal power France took the baton of talent and entertainment.

As the bridge and symbol of this handover, Catherine de' Medici, the then French monarch and wife of Henry II, came from the Medici family, which funded most of Italy's literary and artistic undertakings.

The queen, originally an orphan girl of the Medici family known for "starting in the banking industry" and "cultivating the pope", gradually gained a foothold in the French court.Although some people once despised her for her "copper smell" and questioned "the promised dowry was not fulfilled", she not only withstood those contempt, but also made good use of her status to bring numerous Renaissance gifts to France.

One of them is the Italian American recipe system, the basis of the current French cuisine.

And Mary's new marriage object is the queen's eldest son, Francois, who is only four and a half years old.

As later described, the Dauphin of France was thin and pale.He rode a pony, wobbly.But well-dressed, she still looks well-behaved, honest, and tenacious.This kind of shy, pretending to be strong, and polite little boy can almost make the soul of the strange aunt under the appearance of the little queen of Scotland cute.

In these glamorous occasions, he is like a pure flower bud that needs to be cared for.Mary wondered.It's actually quite cute, but I hope it doesn't become disabled in the future.

A political marriage does not depend on the personal wishes of the spouses; therefore, the superficial harmony between her and François is enough to satisfy the dignitaries of the two countries.

Although Mary had a good impression of her fiancé whom she met for the first time and had not had time to say a few words, she cared more about her new life in the French court.

The Queen of Scots is not only a guest of honor, but also a future hostess; however, she is a minor and a special child bride.Therefore, even if she lives here with a noble status, she is bound to be subject to many constraints.

As an outsider, she has to be more cautious, find her own position as soon as possible, and gain a firm foothold here.

Of course, the time-traveling female Mary also wants to quickly integrate into her "new home" and find a balance between the environment and her willful self as soon as possible.

After all, this is a court with complex personnel, not comparable to those rough and loose castles in Scotland.

Luckily, Mary started off with a decent hand.

Henry II, who covets the Scottish crown and is happy to cultivate allies to deal with England, is very satisfied with the identity of his future daughter-in-law.Although he had heard that she had some "precocious" tendencies, but when he saw this pretty and romantic girl with his own eyes, the king felt that he was really embarrassed to find fault.As an aspiring monarch, Henry II imagined the future merger of the two countries, smiling all over his face, and even excitedly called Mary "the cutest child I have ever seen".

In addition to being the most powerful hostess in the French court, Mary also had other support.

Her mother was from the Guise family, a recent offshoot of the Duchy of Lorraine, one of the German princes and neighboring France.Her grandfather, the first Duke of Guise, was the second son of the Duke of Lorraine. He was educated and raised in the French court and married the daughter of the royal family and the Bourbon family. The Valois royal family took an oath of allegiance and was appointed as ministers, and has since become the French upstart who has won the favor of the king.

Mary's grandfather passed away not long ago. 【Note [-]】At present, one of her uncles is serving as the second Duke of Guise, and the other uncle is serving as the Cardinal of Lorraine through family connections.They all accompany the king all the year round, hold important positions, and are very popular in the court.

Mary brought it from Scotland, and she was also a relatively reliable subject.The four little maids are not only obedient to the queen in terms of status and emotion, but also made docile by her mysterious and accurate "prediction".There is also a 17-year-old half-brother James who takes good care of his smart and lovely younger sister.

Oh, and don't forget that this one, James, Mary's cheap daddy's illegitimate son, will "maybe" be an important figure in taking power from his sister in the future.But Mary, who is familiar with the funeral, is confident that he will not give him a chance to threaten her.However, fortunately, in the French royal court, their interests and goals are absolutely the same—to make the Queen of Scots a high status in France and to obtain more aid for Scotland—and Mary accepts his protection with peace of mind.

In this way, the much-anticipated Mary started her new life in the Louvre.

In Mary's opinion, the spiritual outlook in this palace is just right.The shadow of ignorance and barbarism in the Middle Ages has gradually dissipated, but the romantic afterglow of the knights is still shining; the classical beauty and people-oriented thoughts brought by the Renaissance are surging and inspiring.In short, the ratio of toughness and enthusiasm to elegant restraint is just right, making the entire upper class look thriving and full of vitality.

Today's French court has not been overshadowed by the artificiality of towering wigs, white face, and mixed powder two centuries later; heavy makeup and fresh and natural aesthetics are also quite marketable.Although there are many rough and backward places, "this kind of vitality is the ideal and hope of civilization." Mary couldn't help sighing.

In particular, she heard that in the property of the French royal family, there are many works and design drafts left by Da Vinci, and she became even more obsessed.

The three masters of the Italian Renaissance are familiar to modern people.Among them, Raphael died in 1520, only one year later than Da Vinci, and he died at the age of less than 40.Michelangelo, who is 73 years old this year, is still sticking to Italy (this gentleman will live until 1564!), but unfortunately his creations are becoming rarer and rarer - but, even if he is the princess of France, it is not easy for him and his works See.

As for Da Vinci, his fate with France was quite different.Da Vinci, a great painter, scientist and engineer who is said to be comparable to a time traveler, moved from Milan to Paris at the invitation of Henry II's father and former king Francois I in his later years, bringing his "Mona Li". Shasha and a large number of invention manuscripts; he designed and built many royal castles, and eventually died in the arms of his close friend, King Francois I of France.

So, to be the future hostess of this place and the Louvre, with countless treasures... What is political marriage, completely acceptable?

Every time she thinks about this, Mary, the time-traveling girl, is elated.She was almost like a dragon staring at her own treasure house, laughing and her eyes shining.

No, it is absolutely unacceptable to openly ask for the royal collection now, she has to be reserved.

Cough cough, let's talk about coaxing the people in the court who can control her first.

In fact, the main thing is to deal with the parents-in-law well-as for their son, due to various reasons, there are not many opportunities to meet each other at present, so we can ignore it for the time being.

In addition to Henry II, who had a high initial affection, the "two mother-in-laws" are the focus of Mary's future work.

One is the genuine queen Catherine; the other is the more important "Uncrowned Queen", "Chief Mistress", "King's Concubine", Madame Valentinoy, and Diana de Poitier.

Uh, since Diana's name is too long and her identity is ambiguous, Mary privately calls it "that lady".

That lady was able to collect all the strings of titles, obviously she was not someone who would take it easy.Diana knows how to measure, staying in the court all year round, she will somewhat take care of the real queen's emotions.At present, after "deliberate consideration", Henry II has temporarily handed over the work of educating his future daughter-in-law to Diana; and she at least took Catherine's face into consideration, and nominally invited the queen to supervise her before starting to make teaching plans.

By 1548, Catherine had one son and two daughters.These two daughters are one or two years younger than François, and the royal family has no other girls of the right age; therefore, it is best for the future French princess to study and live only with her Scottish maid for the time being.To this end, Diana also expressed "regret" to Mary.

In this relatively open Western European society, the education of girls and boys is not necessarily separated.What's more, unmarried couples don't need to avoid suspicion too much.So Mary wanted to take advantage of the course to get in touch with Francois more closely—to weigh in and out, and to develop a relationship along the way.However, as a newcomer, she is not yet suitable for making suggestions in this regard.

However, this does not mean that she has no idea about her teaching plan.

After all, the future princess of France is also the legitimate Queen of Scots; her father-in-law's mistress cannot be the master of the cultivation of the king of a country.

"French and etiquette are really the top priorities." Mary looked at the schedule. "Other classical and modern languages ​​can't be ignored. However, I don't think so much time should be spent on these 'others'."

"No history and geography for the time being? I hope that I can add more knowledge about these aspects. Not only the surrounding countries and overseas conditions, but I also want to know more about the customs, customs, religious forces, dignitaries and monks of Scotland and France. The common people want to..."

Mary thought while talking: As for science, it is still relatively sloppy in this era, so she doesn't count on it.As for political tactics and so on, they have always been veiled, and it is by no means easy to learn well in class—let alone let foreigners teach them.Anyway, she is still young, so she pretends to be stupid for the time being, and then see if there are any available people around.

"I think outdoor activities should be extended as much as possible. Alas, here, poetry, music and painting are all very good... The premise is that I must ensure that I get enough sleep."

Her uncle, the cardinal of Lorraine, who is probably reliable, is listening carefully.He suppressed the churning emotions in his heart and looked at her with a smile.

"Think very carefully, really too carefully... Well, as the monarch of Scotland, you should really focus on it."

Mary looked up at him. "Yes, my dear bishop. I am a 'highly expected' monarch, not a standard sweetheart, or a literary lady."

Although he had heard a little about this niece at first, the cardinal was still surprised when he saw her precocity with his own eyes.However, considering the weight of the family in the French court, for the source and stability of power, he basically appreciates and approves of her shrewdness under her sweet appearance.

"So, all of this...do I need to talk to Madame Valentinoy?" He was very amiable.

Mary gave him a trusting look. "Dear uncle, I believe that you have always had a good relationship with that lady, and you will be able to help me express my heart as an elder and avoid speaking abruptly."

Of course, she added in her heart, anyway, no matter what, she had to take the initiative with her schedule.If the message didn't work well, she didn't mind asking the lady herself.

When necessary, she was not afraid to "cry" to Henry II.

Anyway, with the stubbornness of a little girl, coupled with her pitiful appearance, I believe that even if she can't achieve her goal, at least it will be difficult to annoy a bold and straightforward king.

However, if "that lady" is not too much, she is also happy to get along with her for a long time.

Oh, Mary has been warned by her two uncles that to survive in the French court, besides the king, the most important person is the mistress, followed by the queen.

Catherine has given birth to an heir to the kingdom, François.But he was so weak that his mother was always in fear, lest he die young.As for Henry II, although he liked the eldest son, he was also worried about his health, and had some reservations about getting close to him.Therefore, the real queen's right to speak is really subtle.

The Duke of Guise and the Cardinal, although it is equally important to keep up with the king and flatter the concubine, they also pay attention to flattering both sides, and avoid neglecting the queen who is not valued.As the daughter of the Medici family who started out in finance, Catherine knew that her status was inferior to the traditional blue-blooded nobles, so she had to be virtuous and virtuous, be polite to Diana, and even shy away from her.

What the queen is most concerned about now is her stomach.She only wanted to have a healthy son again.Therefore, Queen Catherine seemed very tolerant towards the Duke of Guise and his niece who performed well.However, Mary, who knew that she was good at patience, really paid more attention to the queen when implementing the policy of "taking care of both the big house and the concubine" guided by her uncle.

Leaving aside the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and leaving aside the queen's potential as a big boss behind the scenes, Mary is actually quite happy to make friends with Catherine.She is the Medici of Florence, and the Uffizi Museum has been passed down from her ancestors!Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli... The treasures of countless eras all have the support of this family behind them.And Mary, occasionally coveted "David" and "The Birth of Venus"...

Therefore, the queen signaled to her subjects that while bribing "that lady", they must think about how to give the queen a gift that is comparable in price but more artistic.Moreover, even if Henry II publicly favored Diana on various occasions, their small group must never neglect Catherine.

What the king values ​​is the country, what the mistress loves is property; what the queen needs is her own dignity.

Mary maintained her balance carefully.

In this way, through more than six months of hard work, she has gradually gained a firm foothold in the French court, enjoying a peaceful and relatively free life, and began to try to release the tentacles of freedom.

However, one day, she suddenly encountered a thunderbolt from the blue.

A rare quarrel suddenly broke out between her maids.

At first, Mary, who happened to be arguing with her, wanted to walk away, pretending she didn't see it tolerantly.However, the tall Mary Beeton grabbed Mary Fleming, the most beautiful among them, and screamed: "Your mother, Mrs. Fleming, is pregnant with the child of His Majesty the King of France. I am not the only one who knows!"