monarch

On the evening when the party ended, King João III received his lawyer, and the two stayed together in the king's bedroom until late at night. The lawyer finally left at 03:30 in the morning.

When the lawyer left, the king immediately developed a high fever again. According to the doctor's advice, the entire court moved to the Sintra Palace in the suburbs the next day.This palace is located in the forest outside Lisbon. It is now late autumn, and countless golden leaves are gently swaying on the branches with the cool breeze, like the golden waves on the sea at dusk.

When a wealthy old widow is about to die, her hospital bed will always be crowded with relatives who never see each other. They are like vultures and hyenas, watching the old man on the bed with greedy eyes, eager to be there. Get a piece of the battle for inheritance.

At the door of João III's bedroom, those who waited were hoping for roughly the same thing.The moment when the throne alternates is when the power is reshuffled. Those who have drawn bad cards before are counting on drawing a big card this time to make a comeback, while players with good cards in their hands want to include the big and small kings as well. own hands.Under the rule of the old king, the courtiers who enjoyed high officials and generous salaries stared at the power and wealth in their hands like misers, lest they be touched by new challengers; and those who bet on Princess Elizabeth , the Duke of Braganza and even the speculators on the Spaniards are holding the lottery ticket stubs tightly with their sweaty fingers, waiting for the moment of the lottery to reveal whether they have made a lot of money, or whether they want to buy a lottery ticket. Lost my own head.

The tiny Sintra Palace is now home to such a brood of biting snakes that crowd the narrow corridors and terraces, leaving everyone in the palace feeling suffocated .Although they were in a resort, they couldn't see the beautiful scenery around them at all.Countless gazes gazed ambitiously at the bedridden king through the thick walls and tightly closed doors, waiting for that historic moment to arrive.

Their wait did not last long. On the third day after the king came to the palace in Sintra, that is, at noon on October 1557, 10, a terrible cry suddenly came from his majesty's room, followed by It was a series of shouts like "Doctor, call the doctor quickly, come and save Your Majesty!"

All the people crowded in the hallway started to move like a nest of ants. They scurry around in the corridor without knowing what to do. Most of them didn't know where the doctor was. They ran around like this It's just to show other people your passion.

After a great commotion, the doctors finally entered the room, and when they walked up to the patient, João III was staring at the painted ceiling with his lifeless eyes, his hands hanging limply by the bed , The cold sweat on his body soaked the silk sheets and quilt.

The doctors also acted in a hurry. Although what they can provide the king is only smelling salt bottles or painkillers, but when everyone else is busy, you'd better follow suit, otherwise you will risk something. Risk of being forced to take responsibility.

Two cups of painkillers finally calmed King Joao III, and the blood on his face became even thinner.The biggest difference between the king's body and the one just now is the eyes that become more desperate every minute.This old man in his twilight years finally saw the truth that no one dared to point out to him—his time was approaching.

"There's nothing you can do, right?" He glanced at the doctors in the room with their heads bowed, hoping that someone would stand up and tell him that this was just his illusion, but they were all like stone statues General hold your breath, no one speaks.

Joao III finally accepted the mercy of fate, and he let out a long sigh.

The king was lying on the bed panting. He heard the voices of arguing outside the door. Among them, a familiar high-pitched female voice sounded particularly harsh to his ears.

"What are you doing outside? Please go and have a look." He ordered to the personal attendant who was preparing painkillers for him by the bedside.

The attendant led the order and walked out of the room. Not long after, he came back and told the king, "It's Her Royal Highness. She wanted to see His Majesty outside, but was stopped by the guards... because His Majesty had given an order before, no Meet any guest, even Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess."

"Especially Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess." Joao III breathed heavily, "The person I don't want to see at this moment is her."

"But Her Royal Highness is unwilling to leave, she said... She said she is the mother of your grandson, if you have reached the end of life, since your son is also sick in bed, only she is qualified to stand beside your bed .”

"Ah!" uttered a terrible roar from the dying king, causing the servant to jump back a step. "Is she impatient to see me die?"

The king burst out with astonishing willpower. He supported himself with two arms and sat up. The silk sheet under his body was torn a few holes by his fingers due to excessive force, and tiny drops of blood leaked from the king's nails. It came out and hung on his fingertips, like dewdrops hanging on the branches in autumn morning.

"I want to die peacefully, has this become a luxury?" the king said loudly in a fierce tone, while twisting his thick beard with bloody fingertips, "this woman Turned me, my son, my family into a laughing stock, she put the mud of scandal on my coat of arms. She had Portugal in her pocket, but apparently that wasn't enough for her !"

"Then I'll ask the princess to go back." The attendant said tremblingly, just like everyone else in the room, he was startled by the king's sudden emotional outburst.

"She won't go back. Now she feels that she is the master of this place, so she doesn't need to listen to anyone's orders." The king looked like a ghost that had just risen from the grave when he spoke, and when he returned The only purpose in the world is to drag the princess to hell together, "Let her in, let me hear what she has to say..."

The servant ran out of the room without looking back as if he had been pardoned.

Princess Elizabeth came to the king's bed one minute later. She curtseyed with a smile on her face, and then stretched out her two hands to the king on the bed, but as soon as she touched the king's eyes, those two hands Involuntarily stopped at the same place, as if there was an invisible wall between the princess and the king.

"Your Majesty." The smile on Elizabeth's face was like a flower that bloomed too early in spring and suddenly withered under the attack of the cold wave. She put on a timid expression on her face, as if she was trying to disturb her. The king's rest was deeply disturbed.

"You said you wanted to see me, what's the matter?" the king asked coldly.

"Is Your Majesty angry because of my disturbing?" A crystal teardrop appeared in the corner of Elizabeth's eyes, and she dabbed it lightly with a silk handkerchief, "I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but I'm really sorry I'm afraid... Manuel's health has been bad, you are my only relative, I don't know who to go to..."

The king stretched out a hand and interrupted Princess Elizabeth's wailing. He turned his face to look at the doctors, "Please go out, my daughter wants to talk to me alone."

The doctors stepped back quickly, their black robes fluttering because they walked too fast, and it looked like a flock of crows flew out of the room from behind.

"Well, I guess before I die, the two of us will have to talk after all." When he and Princess Elizabeth were alone in the room, the king said seriously, "You just said you were afraid, you What are you afraid of? I really can't think of anything you need to be afraid of."

"I can't sleep at night because of His Majesty's illness."

"This really touches me." The king sneered.

"It's true, my dear father." The princess knelt down in front of the king's bed, and grabbed the king's shirt cuffs that were completely wet with sweat with both hands, "What would I do without you?" What should we do? What about Manuel? Everyone is eyeing us and wants to deprive your son of his birthright, without you, how should we protect ourselves?"

"Who do you mean all the people?" asked the king.

"Naturally, it's the Spaniards who are eyeing tigers and the big nobles with wolf ambitions."

"You are too arrogant to belittle yourself." Joao III looked at the top of his daughter-in-law's head with a half-smile, "I fully believe that you have the ability to protect yourself."

"I am willing to do my best to protect the lives of my husband and his descendants, and I am willing to use my own life to defend their rights!" The princess said excitedly, "but I can't do it alone... I need your help." help."

"My help?" said the king calmly. "Have you forgotten that by then I will be dead?"

"But you can make a will, a will with the seal of the state." Elizabeth said excitedly, "This document can make everyone understand your will. Nor can it deny the legitimacy of your descendants' succession to the throne."

"Ah, that is a very good idea," said the king. "And what do you think I should write this will? To pass my throne to my son, João Manuel, is what you wish Is it?"

If it was normal, Elizabeth would definitely be able to hear the irony in the king's words, but now she is immersed in ecstasy, so that all senses and brains have become much duller than usual.

"I very much hope that my husband can inherit the throne." Elizabeth is completely like a considerate wife at this time, "but I am afraid that such a responsibility is not a blessing for him, but a shackle. "

"Oh?" The king's gaze was fixed on Princess Elizabeth, as if he wanted to pry into her inner world, and see what kind of dirty and cruel soul was hidden under this beautiful skin.

"Manuel is not fit to inherit the throne. If you let him sit on the throne, it will only make the nobles and foreigners despise the Portuguese kingship. That kind of life will be a complete disaster for him and Portugal. Tragedy. Fortunately, you have a better choice now." She straightened up proudly, and brought her belly to the king. "A healthy child is conceived in my belly. He is my son, yes Your grandson...he is young, but with my guidance as his mother, he will surely become a great king. As for Manuel, he will be revered as the father of the king, and live in peace and happiness I don’t need to be trapped in a role that he is not suitable for, isn’t it good?”

The expression on the king's face was extremely complicated. After half a minute, he suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.

"Okay, great!" King João III laughed and clapped his hands, "You have considered everything, my dear daughter, if what you are carrying in your belly is really my grandson, then I will definitely agree with you."

Princess Elizabeth's face turned paler than the dying king in an instant, she jumped up from the ground in horror, and flung off the king's cuffs, as if those lace would sting.

"I... I don't understand." She stammered, "What do you mean?"

"I think you understand very well." The king wiped his cuff, as if something dirty was on it, and his voice became very calm at this time, as if he was talking about today's weather, " I am denying that the child in your womb has anything to do with me or my son, I don't know who his father is, but I know he is not Manuel's son."

"Ah, what are you talking about!" Princess Elizabeth seemed to be about to faint, "How can you say that?"

"I did hope that Manuel would have a child, but I have long since given up such unrealistic expectations." The king's expression was as severe as that of a judge, "He doesn't have this ability, five different doctors have said that to me."

"What the doctors said may not be right." Elizabeth was still defending, "Your doctors are a bunch of liars, if it weren't for them, your body would not have deteriorated to the point it is today."

"Maybe I don't have to trust the doctor, but I have to trust my own eyes." The king no longer concealed his dislike for Elizabeth, and his condemning eyes stared straight at Elizabeth, making her move back slowly involuntarily, " I saw with my own eyes your dislike for him, the look and the look in your eyes can't hide it. You never considered him a husband, he was just a tool you used to gain power, and now this tool is useless, you Just throw it away without hesitation... I would rather go to hell than leave my only son in the hands of people like you!"

"Then to whom can you leave the throne? You have no other relatives? Your blood is dying."

"Who said that?" João III's deathly gray face blushed briefly because of the joy of revenge, "The king of Spain is my nephew, and the heir to the Spanish throne, Prince Don Carlos, is my grandson. Besides Nuer, they are my closest blood!"

"Did you just talk about my will? Yes, there is such a will, but I'm afraid you won't like what it says! I'm leaving Portugal and my son to the care of my nephew and grandson, and Not irresponsibly handing them over to a slut and the bastard in her belly!"

"You want to hand over Portugal to the Spaniards?" Elizabeth stared at her father-in-law in disbelief, "Are you crazy? Portugal will become a vassal state of Spain!"

"I don't care!" The king trembled with excitement, "Philip and Don Carlos will treat my son well, Manuel will not live long, as long as they take good care of him in the last time, I will treat Portugal as my son." Give them a reward."

"You're throwing away the liberty and honor of Portugal because of that freak son of yours?"

"Please watch your words," said the king in a threatening tone. "If you say that again, I'll have you thrown headfirst from the tower with the wild seed in your belly!"

"How dare you threaten me like this? I am the princess of Britain!"

"If you weren't the princess of Britain, you would have gone to the guillotine long ago! I will leave you a manor for retirement, where you can raise the illegitimate child in your belly. This is the greatest kindness I can express. Your brother will thank me for my magnanimity. I chose not to make your scandal public out of the consideration of maintaining the friendship between our two countries. Please don't mistake it for a sign of weakness."

"If you have nothing else to say, then please go out, I will send for the Spanish ambassador, and now I want to talk to him." As the king said, he reached for the silver box on the bedside table. bell.

Princess Elizabeth's gaze closely followed the king's hand. At a certain moment, she seemed to be about to pounce on the silver bell and snatch the silver bell, and then smother the king with a pillow.But while she was still hesitating, the king rang the bell.

The servant who had gone out just now came in, Elizabeth's hands fell limply, it was too late.

"Call the Spanish ambassador to see me!" The king gave the order while looking at Princess Elizabeth with threatening eyes.

"The Spanish ambassador is in town, your majesty, and his son is ill."

"Then let him come now!" cried the King, "here I will wait for him."

Princess Elizabeth let out a roar like a lioness, and rushed out of the room as if to flee under the watchful eyes of the stunned servants.