monarch

The day after the First Minister left London, that is, on July [-], Princess Mary and her army entered the city of London. The capital welcomed her as a legitimate queen, and the mayor of London handed over the keys of the city. she.

Princess Mary returned to the Whitehall Palace again. After decades of ups and downs, she finally became the master of the palace, and her first order after sitting on the throne was to order Westminster Abbey to The family of the chief minister, who had taken refuge in its crypt, surrendered—with a cardinal from Rome at hand to pardon her sins, and she had no fear of offending the God she had always admired.

Let's say that the Chief Minister and Lord Guildford drove in the direction of Kent day and night, with only more than 100 cavalry with them.Almost at the same time when Princess Mary entered the capital, Arlington Castle, the temporary residence of Princess Elizabeth, also appeared before their eyes. Now Princess Elizabeth is his guest.

Passing through the Italian-style gardens around the castle and the corridors decorated with white marble, you come to a quaint library decorated with mahogany and oak.Huge three-man-high shelves lined the walls of the library, filled with exquisite collections of gilt-backed volumes, many in expensively purchased manuscripts from Italy and Germany, and even from Constantinople and Damascus.

Princess Elizabeth is reclining on the oval sofa in the center of the room, flipping a copy of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" in her hand. This immortal work of the ancient Roman poet is an Italian manuscript in the 12th century. One of the favorite collections of the library's original owner, the famous poet Sir Thomas Wyatt Sr.

Young Sir Thomas Wyatt was standing beside the princess, leaning one arm on the back of the sofa, and gently tossing his thick black hair with the other.He was dressed in a Greek-style robe, but with white stockings and pumps on his feet, he looked like a hybrid monster of an ancient Greek bard and a Florentine playboy.

Sir lowered his head, pretending to be looking at the pages of the book in Princess Elizabeth's hand with great interest, but his eyes didn't pay much attention to the contents of the book, but were busy casting waves of captivating glances at the princess, and at the same time Accompanied by bursts of poetic sighs.

Old Sir Thomas Wyatt, mother to the Princess and King Edward, and a favorite at Queen Anne Boleyn's court, must have touched Queen Anne's heart in this way.In the storm that destroyed the Boleyn family, old Sir Thomas Wyatt was fortunate enough to retreat unscathed, returned to his castle, and devoted his energies to the world of sonnets. The memories of the perishing queen filled his leisure time.

Unlike his father, Sir Thomas Wyatt Jr. was an impulsive and irascible young man who could have achieved military success, but whose deadly temper made it difficult for any military officer to give him full confidence.He adores his radiant father, but he is born lacking in talent as a poet, so he can only make some nondescript imitations in his daily life and dress.His fanatical admiration for Princess Elizabeth is also largely derived from this-since his father is an admirer of the princess' mother, as the son of the old knight, he naturally also wants to be the favorite of the princess.So much was his obsession with imitating his father that in fact there was always a touch of fanaticism about him, which may have been due to his experience of the inquisition-ridden lands when he accompanied his father to Spain as ambassador. Fanatic atmosphere.

The young knight's glances and deceptive sighs got what he wanted in return, and Princess Elizabeth raised her head from time to time to let him see her blushing face and the look at the corners of her eyes.Both knew what the other wanted, and to Sir Wyatt, Princess Elizabeth was just a symbol, a setting on a stage, a partner in a pas de deux, and he turned it all into a play, He plays an admirer who falls under the princess's dress, and Elizabeth just needs to stand there and pose like a statue like a princess.Such performances made him feel he was the spiritual heir of his talented father, and Princess Elizabeth didn't mind satisfying his urge to perform in exchange for all the gold and soldiers Sir Thomas had collected for her.

The book turned to the last page, and Princess Elizabeth gently closed the book in her hand, "I didn't expect you to be interested in Ovid, dear Thomas." She yawned lightly.

"What you like is what I like." Sir Wyatt tried to smile a melancholy, but it looked so nondescript on his bushy bearded face.

He moved the robe that covered his tall body, and sat beside Princess Elizabeth, looking like a Hercules in women's clothes, "My father taught me how to write sonnets, but I really Lack of talent, so that now I want to write a poem for Your Highness in praise of your beauty, but I don't know where to start." Another artificial sigh followed.

"Play for me," said the princess. "You are a good musician, and your music and singing always make me feel at ease."

She yawned lightly, leaned on the cushion of the sofa, and looked at Sir Wyatt with a smile. However, although those beautiful eyes were overflowing with moving autumn waves, the waves had no warmth, and could even be said to be irritating. There was a hint of sarcasm.

Sir Wyatt did not notice this, or did not care if he did.He picked up the lute placed on the small coffee table next to him, plucked the strings lightly, and sang an ancient Roman ballad at the same time:

"God Larys, help us!"

"God Mars, don't let diseases and disasters harm your people!"

"Satiated God Mars, God Mars who is crazy, stand on the threshold and guard us!"

"God who guards the sowing, we will call your name endlessly."

Princess Elizabeth listened to Sir Wyatt's singing with a smile on her face. I have to say that this singing voice is the most noteworthy part of his few artistic talents.

A footman entered the room with his head bowed, holding a silver plate with a note in his hand.

Princess Elizabeth took the note and unfolded it. Sir Wyatt also stopped his singing, put the lute back to its original place, and looked at the princess with probing eyes.

Princess Elizabeth finished reading the note, her two beautiful eyebrows raised, and she smiled softly.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Sir Wyatt.

"That person is here." Princess Elizabeth did not hide her contempt, "He is in the waiting hall downstairs."

"Who are you talking about?" Sir Wyatt looked bewildered.

"It is the contemporary Cassander, the connoisseur of poisons." Princess Elizabeth flicked her well-maintained rosewater nails, "the one who treats the kingdom like a twopenny turnip on a market stall, A thief who thinks he can hide it in his cuff while the street vendor is not looking! And everyone thinks he is some kind of clever thief."

"You mean the Chief Minister?" No matter how stupid Sir Wyatt was, he guessed who Princess Elizabeth was referring to. "You said he came here?" He had an incredulous expression on his face.

"That's what the people downstairs said." Princess Elizabeth yawned again, "I don't think they can even get such a simple thing wrong."

"But what is he doing here?"

"A lost dog has been kicked out of the house, so he naturally wants to find a new owner to beg for mercy." The princess said nonchalantly, "He was completely defeated by my dear sister, now who can he turn to if he doesn't come to me? Should he go to France or Germany as an apartment? That would be more painful to him than killing him."

"In that case, I will drive him out." Sir Wyatt was about to get up, but Princess Elizabeth grabbed his cuff.

"Let him in," said the princess. "Although he is a lost dog, he can still be of some use. Besides, if he comes here to visit me, he must bring me some presents. Why rush him away?" where to go?"

She sat up straight and adjusted her clothes. "Go and bring him in, Thomas. Don't be too rude to him, after all, he is an old man; but don't look servile, he is begging us now."

Sir Wyatt smiled, bowed and exited the room.

Princess Elizabeth got up and went to sit in an armchair by the window, which she adjusted so that her face was hidden in the shadow cast by the silk curtains.

It was not long before Sir Wyatt returned to the library with the Chief Minister.

"The Chief Minister, Your Excellency the Duke of Northumberland." He addressed Princess Elizabeth.

Princess Elizabeth cast a look of undisguised curiosity at the figure following Sir Wyatt.Compared with a few months ago, the contrast of white and black in the gray hair on the chief minister's head has undergone a decisive change. Although the face under the hair tried to put on a solemn expression, it was like a spider's web. Generally, the ever-expanding wrinkle network still unreservedly shows the inner exhaustion and anxiety of the princess in front of the princess.

"Your Highness." The Chief Minister forced a smile on his face and bowed slightly.

"Why do you salute me?" the princess said in a naive tone, "In your opinion, I am just the illegitimate daughter of the late king, while you are a minister, a duke, a knight of the Garter...you don't You have to salute me for a reason."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at the slightly flushed face of the chief minister, and there was a bit of interest in the expression on that face hidden in the shadows.

"That is a political necessity, Your Highness," said the Chief Minister.

"So your visit to me is probably also a political need?" The princess chuckled, "After all, we are not old friends."

"I have always regretted this, Your Highness. But it is not too late, and it would be a great honor for me to be your friend."

"So you've come to be my friend? I suppose our relationship is, if not an enemy, at least a competitor."

"You must understand this simple truth: you were an enemy yesterday, but you can be a friend today. Everything depends on your needs." The Chief Minister said, "Everything is relative. Enemies with the same interests can shake hands and make peace, while those with conflicting interests Friends will inevitably turn against each other."

"So you've come to shake hands with me?"

"Indeed, Your Highness." The Chief Minister bowed again, "To express my sincerity, I brought a gift."

"You mean those precious files of yours?" Princess Elizabeth showed a calm smile, "After my dear sister declared that she will not blame everything in the past, those files are no different from waste paper."

"You can't say that, Your Highness," said the Chief Minister. "Mary Tudor did declare that she is not responsible for everything, but for those people mentioned in the document, these secrets are after all a thorn in their hearts, just like Like a smoking Vesuvius, who knows when it will suddenly erupt?"

"Perhaps you are right," the princess yawned lazily, "but those secrets have greatly devalued after all."

"I don't deny this." The Chief Minister sighed softly, "So I also brought you an army."

"You still have the rest of the army?" Princess Elizabeth admired the gloom on the chief minister's face because of her words.

"There are about 1000 people left." The Chief Minister replied dryly.

Then he added: "However a small weight, if placed in the right place on a balance, can completely change the balance."

Princess Elizabeth raised her eyebrows noncommittally.

"Mary Tudor has indeed achieved a temporary victory at present, but it is only a Pyrrhic victory. Her army has suffered heavy casualties, especially her precious Spanish legion. My people and your army, We can completely defeat her." He paused for a moment, "Mary Tudor has the support of the Spanish, but the Emperor has given her all he is willing to give; but your friends have not given you any help yet. ...if they will support you with a few thousand people, then we have won and you will be queen of this country."

"My friend?" Princess Elizabeth asked with a half-smile.

"Yes, don't you have many friends in Germany? The correspondence between the Protestant princes and you has never been broken. They have always hoped that England will have a Protestant on the throne. This will be the first Protestant country. .”

"You read it from Sir Walsingham's files, right?" Elizabeth sneered.

"Sir Walsingham is not the only one who knows the art of surveillance and espionage." The chief minister stroked his beard lightly, "I also have my sources of information."

"Well, even if what you said makes sense." Princess Elizabeth shrugged, "We defeated Mary and drove those Spaniards back to their hometown, but it doesn't mean that I can sit back and relax. Have you forgotten that in There is another army in Wales, an army stronger than all the rabble in the country at present put together."

"You mean the Praetorian Guards," said the chief minister, "you don't have to worry for now, my son is busy mourning his king who died young, and a person immersed in grief cannot make any valuable response in time of."

"But there will always be times when he withdraws from grief, won't he?" the princess retorted. "When Edward is buried and everything is settled and irrevocable, grief will turn to anger, and the desire for revenge will take over." His soul, and he will avenge whoever sat on the throne at that time, and set the whole country ablaze with vengeance."

She gently brushed the hair on her forehead, pointed to the sofa opposite, and signaled the chief minister to sit down, "You are the one who lit this fire, my dear lord, how do you plan to put it out?"

"About this matter, I will rely on your help." The chief minister sat on the sofa and tapped the cushion of the sofa with his knuckles, "I proposed to you the marriage contract between you and Robert , you also agreed at the time."

"And your son refused, because he thinks my younger brother is more attractive than me." The princess in the shadow moved slightly, "Are you planning to bring up the old story now?"

"Why not, Your Highness?" The chief minister smiled like a profiteer, "You are about to become a queen, in order to continue the dynasty, you need an heir, and to obtain an heir, you must first find a husband... The husband I found for you also comes with an army of more than 1 people as a wedding gift. Although he is only an earl in this regard, he is much better than those German princes who are penniless but pretend to be stylish."

"It doesn't matter to me." Princess Elizabeth said lazily, "As you said, a husband is just a need to me, and I don't really care who it is, as long as he is capable of giving me a child. The key to this matter is not me, but your son. He rejected me once, and he will probably be able to reject me a second time...Although I don't care who I marry, I will never accept a man who rejected me twice .”

"I believe there will be no second time." The smile on the chief minister's face deepened, "Now the biggest obstacle between you and Robert no longer exists."

"You mean my brother?"

"That's true, Your Highness. Now King Edward is not only an obstacle between you and Robert, but a help."

"Why is that?" Princess Elizabeth asked curiously.

"You and His Majesty King Edward are of the same mother. From some angles, you have many similarities in appearance."

"You want me to be my brother's substitute?" Princess Elizabeth's voice suddenly became sharper, and the face hidden in the shadows must also have an angry expression, "You are so brave !"

"When the sun goes down, we can only accept the moon as a substitute, even if we don't want to."

"You have made a good plan." The princess snorted coldly, "Compared to you, as long as the future king's surname is Dudley, as for the child's parents, Guilford and Jane, or Robert There is no difference between me and me, we are all just tools to achieve your goals... No matter whose child inherits the throne, he is your grandson."

"You really hit the nail on the head."

"I heard that your son Guilford is downstairs. I wonder what he will think?"

"He and his wife have no interest in the throne themselves." The chief minister curled his lips, "I did them a favor by removing a heavy burden for them."

He stood up and took a step towards the princess, "So we have reached a consensus? I support you as queen, you marry Robert, and I will still maintain my current position."

Princess Elizabeth raised her head, "You are so straightforward."

She stretched out a hand towards the chief minister, "I accept your proposal."

The chief minister gently cupped that hand, bent down and kissed it, "You won't regret it."

"I hope so, my lord, I hope so." She took her hand back, took out a handkerchief and wiped the back of her hand in front of the chief minister, "I hope you will not regret this."