The Sensory Animals of Ston Hill

No one spoke anymore, but Grace could feel the tension in the atmosphere.

At first he didn't understand what national bankruptcy meant. In fact, he just learned that the king was also borrowing money to spend.In his life, the most money he had ever seen was the thirty gold louis, none of which could be earned by a poor man in his lifetime.

So how much is 100 million?He knew that "one hundred million" was one million times "one hundred", and he couldn't think of anything more.

Then he saw William's fingers trembling violently on the arm of the sofa.

"Why do you owe so much money?" William's voice trembled slightly, but his eyes looked fierce.

"Don't think of me that way, Colonel," His Majesty said with indifference, "it's not my debt. Our country has been at war almost all the time for the past 100 years; Enemy with five countries, the battlefield extends from the mainland to the sea, and later even colonies are not safe... You are a military officer, you should know how expensive it is to fight..."

"Honestly, I appreciate you and General Verrick's performance on the border. I didn't expect you to be able to keep the enemy out. At this time last year, I thought our country was going to die...but I don't agree You always want to keep throwing money into the war, which is turning the last bit of energy of this country into smoke in the barrel."

William stood up, "But if we don't win this battle—"

"Colonel!" His Majesty also raised his voice, "This is not a problem that humans can solve, we can only accept God's arrangement...Grace, help me into the room, I am a little tired."

Grace first handed him his handjob, then took his other arm and helped him up from the sofa.He felt that His Majesty was indeed a little weak, almost leaning on him.

When he helped His Majesty walk to the bedroom, he couldn't help but glance back.

William chased up from behind, "Your Majesty, as long as we borrow some more money to expand the army on the border to [-] times the current size, General Verwick will be able to win a complete victory! After that, we can sign a contract with the enemy country to demand compensation, Use those indemnities to turn around, and then carry out effective economic reforms, you can completely solve the financial crisis!"

He figured out a way so quickly, but—

"No money, Colonel, no more than a pound," said His Majesty flatly. "No bank will lend us any more. My mother fought the wars by raising taxes more than a hundred times in ten years; and I Only increased seven times. The people have been wiped out long ago, and there is nothing left to scrape. Which country's banks dare to lend us money again? Accept reality, Colonel, as I said, wait for God's arrangement— —”

"Chris," Grace said suddenly, "the church has money."

His Majesty stared at him strangely, "Who taught you to say this?" But he didn't have time to answer, and directly raised his handcuff and waved it at William's head!

William subconsciously blocked it with his arm, Grace screamed and hugged His Majesty's arm, trying to pull him away.

"How dare you teach him to say these words!" His Majesty angrily beat William's arms and shoulders with his cane.William did not dodge, but raised his arms to protect his head.William's soldiers and the king's guards standing guard not far away both wanted to come, but they were both stopped by them.

"Chris!" Grace yelled, "No one taught me, I figured it out!" He called William, "Get out of the way!"

He wanted to take the cane back, but His Majesty raised the cane high, as if he wanted to hit him with him.William rushed to protect him.

But in fact, His Majesty didn't want to hit Grace, he just raised his hand to prevent Grace from grabbing something from him.But now he had to support himself with a cane, watching Grace almost completely blocked by William's back.He stared at it for a few seconds, then passed out.

His Majesty suddenly had a terrible fever, and Dr. Herman, having examined the rash on his arm, said it was a little bad, probably the worst kind.

At that time, His Majesty was not completely unconscious. He was lying on the bed, holding Grace's hand, and asked him, "Why would you say that?"

Grace said: "I was not taught by others. I saw that the churches were built so magnificently and the furniture in the monastery were so high-grade. I thought that the church must be rich. You said that you are waiting for God's arrangement. Is the tax also arranged by God? Does God also rob money from the people?...Why don’t the money that the church defrauded from people be used where the country needs it? Chris, this is really what I think, not who taught Give me the word."

His Majesty's eyes were half-opened, and his lips showed some dry skin, "You are too smart, Grace, you were just a servant before."

"Servants also have brains. 'The best wine is hidden in the servant's cabinet'. I have understood this truth for a long time. Not only the church is rich, but the ministers should also be rich—"

"Grace..." His Majesty called him weakly.

"Okay, I won't talk... Chris, you should sleep for a while, you need to rest."

His Majesty closed his eyes, "You shouldn't know this, you shouldn't think about this, it's too dangerous..." He muttered like this, and fell asleep drowsily.

His Majesty has had a high fever for four consecutive days, and has been in a coma almost all the time. In the only moment he was half awake, he would repeatedly confirm two things: confirm with Grace that no extra person has entered the bedroom, and confirm with William that Xia The palace was tightly guarded, and no rumors spread.

William persuaded His Majesty to find another person to take care of him. It was too hard for Grace alone, and Grace needed to sleep.But His Majesty refused anyway, he said that Grace could sleep when she wanted to, but he did not allow anyone else to enter his room, not even his closest attendant.

Dr. Herman said that he had never seen a person as weak as His Majesty. Overly refined food and lack of outdoor exercise made His Majesty weaker than a noble lady. The luxurious life completely destroyed his fortitude as a man, making him become Be like a woman.

Grace asked him not to say such things, saying that he had seen many women stronger than men, and he did not believe that women's bones were inherently softer than men.He also told the doctor that if you really can't help complaining, please do it after you leave His Majesty's bedroom, because His Majesty may hear it and punish him.

"Okay, doctor, Grace," William stopped their angry conversation, "we've been too tense these days, and we've been seriously deprived of sleep. Doctor, listen to my advice, you go to rest now, You need to get a good night's sleep. Grace, come with me, I have something to talk to you."

He took Grace to an empty room with an unusually serious face, "Grace, you need to pack up the necessary items in a while, not too many, just bring two sets of convenient clothes that can be replaced. If His Majesty really... you can leave, I have already made arrangements."

Grace felt like she was going to be sick too, her forehead was tense like a thread was tightly wrapped around her.He was very scared and asked William: "What will happen if His Majesty really died from vaccination?"

William hesitated for a moment, but explained to him: "Your Majesty has no heir, and there may be big troubles."

"I mean us! You, Alan, and Dr. Herman, all those who support the vaccination of His Majesty..."

William suddenly hugged him tightly, and kissed his forehead forcefully, "You will be fine, Grace, you will be fine."

On the sixth day after the vaccination, His Majesty's condition improved. Although he still had a fever, he could sit up and eat something with Grace's help.

When Grace helped him to the small cloakroom for convenience, His Majesty saw in the mirror that he also had a few abscesses on his face, so he immediately turned his back and asked Grace: "Have you been facing such a person these days?" Is the face taking care of me?"

Grace patted him on the shoulder from behind him, "I've seen other people have this kind of sores, Eva is. Don't be afraid, I'm sure these sores will disappear eventually."

"Will it leave a scar?"

"I kid you not, Chris, there might be a little scar, but you're light-skinned, and that little scar won't be noticeable on your face."

His Majesty did not turn around, but he seemed less agitated than before.After a while, he asked Grace, "Do you think I'm weak, too? Like the old doctor thought."

Grace was amazed at his sensitivity.He didn't answer, because in the face of such sensitivity, deceitful words of comfort are useless.At the same time, he felt that His Majesty was so keen, why didn't he solve problems for the country?

"Actually, I'm not afraid of death, Grace. On the contrary, I always have a little expectation for it. The best part of a play is the end, and that's the climax of the whole play. I'm just afraid of dying without dignity. Really Sorry, you're not interested in drama."

Grace wanted to deny it, but His Majesty immediately exposed him, "You are so smart, but you can't always remember your lines. Our play has been scheduled for more than two months, but there is almost no progress. Not only drama, food, Balls, clothes, card tables, flattery, money... people go around like flies to sweets, and you don't like them all."

Grace fell silent, because His Majesty was talking about money again, and he hadn't thought of a very good lie to explain the disappearing three thousand pounds.Especially next, His Majesty said: "You are only interested in what Colonel Ston wants to do."

"Grace," His Majesty turned around, "from the moment your status was promoted, the main faction began to gain the upper hand. If I can survive this time, the colonel and his allies can get more, But the premise is that you can accompany me to the last moment."

"William is not here to get anything." Grace finished, and added: "You will heal."

His Majesty ignored his last sentence, "I know, so even though I don't like him, I still choose to rely on him. But you can't expect others to be as noble as Colonel Ston. Let's make a bet, Grace, if three If rumors spread within a few days, and I am not dead, you must allow me to kiss your lips—of course, I will wait until my face looks good again."

"There will be no rumors," Grace said stubbornly. "The soldiers are very responsible and have guarded this place well. No one goes out to gossip. I have answered all the important letters I received in the past few days. Use your A paper prepared in advance with the king's signature, no one will guess that you are sick. When you are well, people will know that the king has been vaccinated."

His Majesty smiled weakly, "Then I think you have accepted the bet."

On the early morning of the seventh day, the archbishop of the country led a group of conservative nobles and their knights into the summer palace.

Grace was still sleeping at the time, jumped out of bed alertly after hearing the sound, opened the curtains and looked out.The high steps in front of the palace were full of people, and William's soldiers and well-dressed noble knights had already clashed into one ball.

There were more well-dressed knights than soldiers.

A man dressed as a nobleman shouted that the war faction poisoned His Majesty with cowpox, and took advantage of His Majesty's critical illness to hold him hostage.Grace knew the man, who had called him a "popular whore" at a court banquet.

He also recognized the archbishop, from whom he had once tasted communion.At this moment the old man was declaring William a sinner and a rebel.

Fortunately, no one actually used weapons, although swords and guns were already in their hands.

The door of the room was knocked open, and it was William's adjutant who rushed in and said to Grace, "The colonel asked me to take you out!" Several of the king's guards also piled up at the door, looking nervously into the room.

Grace opened her mouth, but said nothing.He pointed at His Majesty who was still sleeping, and the adjutant ran over and hugged him, carried him on his shoulders, and ran out the door.

"Let me down!" Grace was shaking her head upside down several times before she found her voice, "I can walk by myself!"

The adjutant put him on the ground, Grace immediately turned around and ran back to His Majesty's bedroom, and locked the door.The adjutant knocked hard on the door, and Grace rushed to the bedside of His Majesty, grabbed one of his hands and raised it to her forehead, unconsciously began to pray.But he soon gave up praying, and took down the sword that was hanging on the wall as a decoration, and held it tightly in his hand.

His Majesty finally woke him up and asked what happened.

Grace rushed to the window and opened it, and the noise from outside broke in immediately.

"Help me up, Grace, and I'll ask our archbishop what he wants."

Grace ran to take his arm, helped him out of bed, and put his dressing gown on again.While doing this, his hands kept shaking.

"Look, you are so scared, why did you get involved in these things before?" His Majesty said, "Let me see you, is your little face pale with fright?"

Grace raised her head, not only was her face pale, her lips were trembling, "What happened? Chris, is this a coup? Why did such a terrible thing happen all of a sudden?"

"When the scale first began to tilt, who could have predicted how far it would tilt? Someone must have spread the word that the king had smallpox, and maybe someone said I was dead."

"It's impossible for news to spread!"

"Come on, Grace, are you talking about this now? Put down the sword and pick out a nice dressing gown for yourself. We've got to get out and show them the king's alive."

The author says:

Let’s take a look at the political line: the factions themselves are balanced, starting with Grace’s entry into the palace, because he was recommended by the Earl of Arundel and raised by the Stons, and William even fought a duel for him. In the eyes of others, Grace Lace is the representative of the war faction --> Grace and Mrs. Denell run for the "Chief Mistress", which is the competition between the war faction and the conservative faction --> In order for Grace to win, the king uses Mrs. Denell's backer, That is to say, the Duke of Varna, the central figure of the conservatives in the aristocracy, died --> Grace's "father" took the position of the Duke, and the balance began to tilt --> William was able to fight and rich, so capable, especially for the The fact that the army was vaccinated made both the old faction in the army and the church feel threatened.Allen placed the teacups at the time, both parties were conservatives --> the king brought William and Grace to the summer palace, coupled with rumors, the two groups in the conservatives quickly united.So the question is, who spread the news of the king's vaccination?