monarch

On August 1554, 8, the king's army marched into Arlington Castle, where Princess Elizabeth was entrenched, and planted the king's flag on the tower of the castle.On the same day, the last army loyal to Princess Mary surrendered to the Guards in Kent, bringing an end to the civil strife that later historians called the "Summer of the Three Kings".

Only [-] days have passed since King Edward was poisoned and unconscious in Pembroke Castle, but the Kingdom of Britain has become a completely different country from before.The aristocratic class, whose influence was declining under the oppression of the royal power, used all the resources they could muster in their hands to launch the most violent counterattack against the royal power since the barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta.Like gamblers who have lost their eyes, they put all their chips on the table, but in the end it was the king who won the game, and they all lost.

More than two hundred nobles died on the battlefields of the civil war, and the same number of dignitaries were executed as traitors and enemies by all parties in the civil war. Merchants, nobles and bureaucrats linked to the rebels voluntarily "donated" their estates to the king in order to keep their heads, and the rebellion brought in over £3000 million for the king's internal coffers.With this income, His Majesty can not only pay off all the debts owed to the bankers, but the remaining wealth is enough to build thirty battleships.

The transfer of this huge amount of wealth also means that the increasingly prosperous banking industry in the City of London has ushered in an unprecedented reshuffle.The aristocrats have always been the largest customer group of London bankers, and the total number of loans of the entire aristocratic class even exceeds that of the king.Since Henry VIII, with the rise of bourgeois merchants and citizens, the economic advantages of the aristocracy have been eroded like granite by the sea, and the extravagance brought by the Renaissance has also made people who depend on land income The nobles were overwhelmed.

As a means of weakening the aristocratic class and stimulating economic development, King Edward not only did not prohibit the extravagant atmosphere, but actually encouraged it by himself.His Majesty has to change three sets of dresses every day, and each set of clothes will never appear in public for the second time, so the nobles can only follow suit and contribute their wealth to England's developed textile industry.In this depraved and pompous sixteenth century, what made a man a nobleman was not chivalry and noble blood, but silk, diamonds and pearls, thoroughbred horses and carriages with springs.At the end of the day, form creates content, but demeanor is all inclusive, and a person who dresses and behaves like an aristocrat is treated as an aristocrat by others.If someone can't afford the entry fee to this game, then he doesn't belong here.

In order to maintain their status, many nobles with poor pockets had to rely on debts to survive. Over time, even many nobles began to borrow large sums of gold from bankers to show their style of spending money. Their mansions and lands become collateral for borrowing.

When the dust of the rebellion settled, many of the bankers were horrified to find that many of their debtors had been decapitated, and that the real estate they had mortgaged had been taken by His Majesty.Legally speaking, they can sue the court to request the king's finance minister to return the property that should belong to them. However, in reality, such a lawsuit can be delayed for more than a year, and they are frightened by the king's resolute style. The judges are also more than happy to delay the ruling date as long as possible, without considering that the cash flow of these bankers basically will not last for a month, and they can only declare bankruptcy after that.

Under the instructions of King Edward, those bankers who had previously lent to the royal family will quickly get the mortgage objects they deserve, and the loans owed to them by the royal family will be returned readily; The bankers who doubted the credit of the king, and would rather lend their gold coins to the nobles than to lend money to the king, need to formally submit a petition to your majesty, or go to court, and after that they can only Can wait patiently.In the Kingdom of Britain, everyone should serve the king in his own way: soldiers with their swords, farmers with their plows, merchants with their taxes, and bankers with theirs. The cash box serves the king, and the best display of loyalty is to actively buy royal bonds.Those who refuse to take on their obligations naturally cannot expect His Majesty's Ron.

In this turmoil, the biggest losers are the Jewish bankers, who were expelled from their homeland and drifted in all directions, have an instinctive distrust of all powers, and their doubts also have sufficient grounds: for For thousands of years European monarchs had never felt burdened to write off their debts to Jewish moneylenders.Today, however, they paid the price for their doubts. London is destined to become the financial center of Europe, but under the rule of King Edward, this country only needs obedient bankers. If those Jews are not willing to be loyal to the king, then They can go to Amsterdam or Geneva to lend money, but if they want to stay here and operate, they must serve King Edward as their master.It is said that the King is about to set up a Bank of England, which will be the first central bank in the world, and all the bankers in Britain must dance with the baton of this bank, otherwise His Majesty will only have to set the repayment date from the beginning of the month If it is delayed until the end of the month, the financial building they built with cards will collapse in an instant.

The sovereigns of Europe were watching with interested eyes the changes taking place in the Isle of Britain: the country had been strengthened to a degree never before seen.Parliament, an institution that had played an important role in the political structure of the kingdom since the Oxford Ordinances of 1258, had been dissolved indefinitely, practically abolished; the nobility suffered politically and economically. In the future, they can only beg for mercy from the royal power, and serve as vases for His Majesty to decorate the prosperous scene in Hampton Court Palace; emerging businessmen and bankers find that their cash flow is firmly pinched by the king. In his hands, if His Majesty wishes, he can make any merchant or banker bankrupt within a few days; as for the church, they have been tossed to death as early as King Henry VIII, even if King Edward now lets them do it for them. Judas canonized, I am afraid they will do the same.

The shackles that King Edward's ancestors once suffered have been swept away. What he now holds in his hands is the kind of power possessed by the kings of the great autocratic empires in the East, even the Augustus of ancient Rome. Both and the Caesars are also far behind.

Now that His Majesty has become the master of the fate of all people in the entire kingdom, he needs to show his justice and benevolence to the entire kingdom, so as to dispel the public's fear of this new powerful royal power, and the best way is to treat his blood relatives leniently .The king has announced that Princess Mary will be deported, but His Majesty at Hampton Palace has never made a clear statement about the fate of Princess Elizabeth.

In the cabinet room at Hampton Court Palace, the king's ministers struggled with what to do with the princess.Princess Elizabeth was surprisingly shrewd in this rebellion, as slippery as a catfish.She never proclaimed herself king, never fought against Edward's army, and the accusations that she was in collusion with the rebels headed by the Chief Minister are now unsolved because of the death of the Chief Minister.It is obviously impossible to accuse Princess Elizabeth in court based on the existing evidence alone, and if the king forces the execution of Princess Elizabeth, it will make His Majesty bear the notoriety of a kinslayer. If he is not careful, King Edward VI will Will be seen as a tyrant like Nero and Caligula.

However, if Princess Elizabeth is allowed to escape from this storm without incident, there is no doubt that it will leave a huge hidden danger for the future: after all, Princess Mary is now exhausted, and according to doctors, she may never give birth again. The child is here.In this case, Princess Elizabeth has almost become first in line to the throne, and the only thing standing between her and St. Edward's crown is the beating heart of King Edward.As long as there is a little trouble, there is no doubt that she will show her fangs again.

The cabinet, which could not reach a consensus, had to kick the ball back to the king.

After shutting himself in the study for an hour, the king finally issued an order, but the order was limited to escorting Princess Elizabeth to Hampton Court Palace as a princess. As for how to deal with his own sister, His Majesty did not say anything. Not mentioned, apparently he has not yet made a decision.

On August [-], the carriage carrying Princess Elizabeth arrived at Hampton Court Palace amidst the attention of the whole society. Along with her, there were [-] cavalry sent by the king to escort her.Anyone can see that their swords, muskets and sabers are not used to guard against possible enemies, but the person in the carriage, just like the princess in the carriage is a three-headed and six-armed monster.

Princess Elizabeth may still retain part of her reputation among the common people, but in the eyes of those who know the ins and outs of the whole conspiracy, she has been regarded as a Medea-like existence.England's court is never short of people who are good at intrigue, but whether it is Isabella the French she-wolf or Elizabeth Woodville who is regarded as a witch, she is almost a merciful Madonna up.Taking the lives of one's own guests at a banquet is really appalling, not to mention that the planner of all this is actually a girl with a sweet face.No one will ever doubt that Princess Elizabeth is a poisoned white rose.

A servant informed Princess Elizabeth that His Majesty would receive her at Alexandria Hall as she disembarked from her carriage.Apparently the king chose this most splendid hall with the intention of impressing others.

Princess Elizabeth showed a clear smile on her face, smiled and nodded towards the servant, lifted her skirt and climbed up the marble stairs.Today the princess is wearing a blue palace gown with bouquets of white roses embroidered on it.The waist of this long dress is very narrow, and it looks a bit like a strong dress worn when riding a horse. If you put on a breastplate outside, it looks like a saint holding a spear on the battlefield. Joan of Arc.Her hair was pulled into a high bun on top of her head, wrapped in a pearl-studded hood, revealing a brow as smooth as ivory.

Under the forehead are a pair of intelligent eyes, a straight nose and delicate and dazzling lips.No one doubts that if they are lucky enough to meet the goddess Athena, she will look like this.

In the huge hall, in front of every window and mirror stood a guard holding a halberd. When the door of the hall opened, they raised their weapons in unison and turned to face Princess Elizabeth who walked into the hall. .The cold light of the halberd was reflected between the mirror and the window. From Princess Elizabeth's perspective, it seemed that the entire hall had become a jungle of sharp knives.

Princess Elizabeth's face turned pale instinctively for a moment, but this fragile gesture was like a shooting star across the sky, and it only stayed on her face for a moment.

Her back was straight as if she were at a ball, and she strutted toward the throne at the far end of the hall.

The side of the throne was not crowded with people as the princess had expected. The king sat high on the throne covered with gold paint, his eyes were glazed, smooth and indifferent.On both sides of the throne, William Cecil and Robert Dudley stood in a symmetrical position, one on the left and one on the right, like the two guardian angels often standing on both sides of the Virgin Mary, they looked at Princess Elizabeth Also quite bad.

Princess Elizabeth seemed to have fully adapted to the chilling atmosphere. She walked up to the king with a smile and curtseyed gracefully.

"Your Majesty." The clear greeting from the beauty's throat sounded like a siren's song, making the soldiers in the room feel as if a soft feather had just brushed over their hearts.

The king did not stand up, but straightened up slightly, and nodded towards Princess Elizabeth.

"Long time no see, my dear sister." The king greeted dryly.

"By the grace of God, Your Majesty, we had the last laugh in this dreadful storm," said Princess Elizabeth tenderly. "You are safe and sound, and the rebel is dead, and I must say it is just. ending."

She gave Robert a thoughtful look, as if hinting at something.

"Just?" The king snorted coldly, "Your conclusion is a bit premature."

"In addition, I noticed that you just said 'we'. If this word refers to me and you, then I have to ask you for advice." The king rubbed his hands lightly, "What do you come from?" When did you start to side with me? When you and your friends plotted to poison me? Or when you rallied in Kent? Or..."

He paused for a moment, and glanced at Robert from the corner of his eye, who nodded slightly.

"Or when you killed and murdered your accomplices?"

"What did I hear? Did you say murder? Your Majesty?" Princess Elizabeth said in a surprised tone, "For you, for the country's removal of treason, when is it called murder?"

"Removing treason for the country may not count, but removing witnesses who will testify against oneself in court in the future is undoubtedly murder."

Princess Elizabeth sneered, and raised her delicate eyebrows.

"I always thought of you as a philosopher-king like Marcus Aurelius, my lord, and I thought you had some philosopher's brains. You should understand that in politics there is no such thing as murder; I am British. Princess, for me, there is no enemy, only the public enemy of the country; when I kill a person, I do not remove a life, but remove an obstacle."

"And for whom did you clear a hurdle?"

"For us, Your Majesty." Princess Elizabeth said loudly.

"In this way, I should award you the Order of the Garter." The king looked at Princess Elizabeth with a half-smile, his eyes had lost all warmth.

"Then I will be disrespectful." Princess Elizabeth raised her head, with a mocking smile on her lips, and her eyes were shining with unruly light, as if to say, "You know what I did, but so what? Without evidence, who can do anything to me?"

"You think I can't do anything to you, right?" The king's eyes gradually became dangerous, "Even if everyone knows that you are a traitor and a murderer!"

"Verbavolant (Latin: unproven), my dear brother." Princess Elizabeth shrugged nonchalantly.

The king was outraged by this blatant defiance, his heart beating violently amidst the ruff collar and silk lace.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" He stood up suddenly, "Am I still the king? Am I still the master of the country?"

"Of course you are, Your Majesty." Princess Elizabeth replied with a haughty indifference, "Who said it wasn't?"

"Excellent!" exclaimed the King.

He looked at Cecil standing beside him, "Call Dr. Paganini in!"

Princess Elizabeth looked at the king in surprise, with an ominous premonition in her heart.

"Are you sick? Your Majesty? Are you feeling unwell?" She realized that she had lost her composure, and immediately softened her body, and her tone was no longer as aggressive as before. "Why did you call the doctor?"

However, the king did not answer her question. His Majesty was as indifferent as a statue, staring majestically at the small door that Cecil had just passed through.

Princess Elizabeth couldn't help shivering, she looked around the hall with some unease, the hostile gazes cast on her finally began to make her heart beat.She finally realized that in the face of absolute power, no matter whether it is a princess or a commoner, they are as small and helpless as ants.But along with the fear came a wave of jealousy and envy in Princess Elizabeth, who was dazzled by the vision of her own power.

After 3 minutes as long as three centuries, the door was finally pushed open by Cecil who was out of breath, followed by Doctor Paganini who was also in a hurry.

Cecil stepped aside, and when Dr. Paganini entered the hall, he immediately closed the small door.

"Bring it out," said the king to Dr. Paganini, who bowed to him.

The doctor opened his medicine box and took out a small glass bottle, which was half filled with a blood-red liquid, which looked like a devil's eye.

Princess Elizabeth took a step back in horror. Even the most ruthless person would feel pity for the terrified look in her eyes.

"Ah, Your Majesty!" She covered her heart with her hands, "What is this?"

Still ignoring Princess Elizabeth, the king watched curiously as Doctor Paganini poured the liquid into a gold jeweled cup that he carried with him.

Princess Elizabeth's face has long since lost its color, and now the luster has also disappeared from that youthful face, leaving behind a dead gray.

Her teeth started chattering up and down, making a creepy "cluck".

"What does this mean?" Princess Elizabeth's eyes were like a poisonous snake with its head sticking out and spitting out bright red letters in the cup. "What's in that?"

"I think you have guessed it," said the king calmly.

"You are right, I cannot deliver you to the examining magistrate, let alone to the guillotine... But don't misunderstand me, I am not thinking of evidence, but of the reputation of the royal family, do you understand?" said the king, "I don't care about your discredit, but I don't want our family to be regarded as an Atridian-style cannibalistic family. I don't allow you to use your shame to tarnish our family's surname and let the country's The monarchy is notorious, so you can't die at the hands of an executioner, do you understand?"

Princess Elizabeth seemed to be struck by lightning, her body stiffened, and her hair stood on end.

"You accused me of murder just now, and now you are going to do the same thing? To your sister?" Princess Elizabeth shouted angrily. "As a king, you are so disrespectful of law and order!"

"You also said that I am the king." The king's eyes were blazing. "Therefore, I am the judge, I am the law, and I am the country!"

Everyone in the room bowed their heads under the supreme majesty of this sentence.

"Kneel down, please, and drink up the liquid in the cup," ordered the king.

"You make me kneel!" cried Princess Elizabeth. "I, King Henry VIII's daughter, Princess of Britain, your sister... No, never! I will not touch the contents of that glass either, No matter what's in there."

"Then I will have to force you to drink it," said the king grimly.

"Oh, this is too much!" cried the Princess Elizabeth. "You make your sister drink poison, but keep the rebel's son at your side! Is this your justice?"

Robert's body trembled violently. Undoubtedly, for this young man, this incident has always been a heart disease, a wound in his heart. Maybe it can be hidden temporarily, but it is always aching. And it would burst and bleed again as soon as it touched it, let alone be torn apart violently in public.

Trembling all over, Robert looked at the king blankly, his pale and chapped lips moved slightly, but he couldn't speak.

"Look, Your Majesty!" Princess Elizabeth pointed at Robert, and her voice was as shrill as a night owl. "He has rebellious blood on his body, and the son of a traitor is naturally a traitor! You forgive him, you forgive the rebel Mary, do you want me to die? If I die, he deserves to die too! They all deserve to die!"

"Shut up!" The king felt blood rushing to his temple, "The Earl of Leicester saved my life, the Earl of Leicester commanded the army to crush the rebellion, the Earl of Leicester is my most loyal friend and subject, I will not allow You insulted him!"

"Let her kneel down and give her the medicine." The king ordered to the nearest guard.

The two guards hurried forward and pressed Princess Elizabeth's hands and feet with vise-like hands, ignoring her angry roar, forcing her to kneel down.

Dr. Paganini came forward, holding the golden cup in his hand.

Princess Elizabeth screamed in a way that was hard matched by the most horrific tones that a human voice could imitate.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty!" The cold-blooded monster controlled by the desire for power finally surrendered, "Show me mercy."

"It would have been the greatest kindness for me not to have you beheaded in public at Tyburn Market," replied the King.

"I am your sister!"

"What a sister who poisoned her younger brother!"

"For our mother's sake! For our poor mother's sake, be merciful, Your Majesty!" She shrank back as hard as she could, trying to avoid the cup that was getting closer.

"You have shown little mercy to your victim." The king's eyes were full of disgust.

Dr. Paganini bent slightly towards Princess Elizabeth, ignoring the other party's lioness-like devouring eyes, he pinched Princess Elizabeth's cheeks and forced her to open her mouth wide.

The bitter red liquid was poured into Princess Elizabeth's mouth, and those beautiful almond eyes watched in horror as the liquid in the glass became shallower and thinner.

The guards let go of Princess Elizabeth's hands and feet, and she fell to the ground in pain, "Okay, it's over!" She laughed wildly, "Are you satisfied now? This country is now in the hands of you and your lover , in order to protect him, you did not hesitate to ask your sister to die... I hope you feel it is worth it! You vicious sinners, I curse you, go to hell with this kingdom!"

"I warn you to watch what you say," said the king.

"Aren't I going to die?" Princess Elizabeth panted hoarsely, like a blown bellows, "You won't forget what happened to Edward II, right? One day your heads will be stuck in the On London Bridge, let the crows tear your beautiful flesh... There will be a day when this family will perish, and you will all have to pay the price!"

Cecil backed away in horror, while Robert stood there in a daze, as if he had lost his soul.

"If that's the case, we'll see you in hell." The king said lightly.

Princess Elizabeth twitched all over, and bloody froth flowed from the corner of her mouth.Her wrists and ankles were injured from the struggle just now, and her beautiful face was swollen to twice its previous size, and it was blue-purple.

Her eyes widened in horror, and then the light in the pupils gradually dimmed, staring straight at the ceiling.

Princess Elizabeth lay on the teak floor, her limbs no longer twitching, and jet-black blood flowed from her mouth onto the floor.

The huge hall is so quiet, it seems that even the breathing of birds can be heard clearly.

The king sat back on the throne, closed his eyes slightly and leaned back on the chair, no one dared to disturb him.

After about 10 minutes, the king opened his eyes, and he looked at Dr. Paganini.

"Is it almost time?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The doctor nodded.

The guards came in with a basin of water from outside the door. They walked up to Princess Elizabeth and poured cold water on her.

Princess Elizabeth coughed violently like a fish thrown on the floor.

She raised her head blankly and looked at the king on the throne with erratic eyes.

"Welcome to the afterlife." The king chuckled.

Princess Elizabeth seemed to have finally regained some sense of sanity. She put her hands on the ground and tried to stand up, but her arms were limp and powerless.

"What's going on here?" The sound in her throat sounded like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.

"Dr. Paganini modified the formula of the medicine you used, and the potion you drank will only temporarily make you unconscious for a period of time."

"So, this is a silly prank?" Anger reignited in Princess Elizabeth's eyes.

"I want you to experience what it's like for those who died under your hands." The king stood up again, walked in front of Princess Elizabeth, and looked at her condescendingly, "The next time you plan a conspiracy, you'd better think Think about how you feel today, think about the consequences you might face, and maybe you can learn to be more cautious."

"Mary will leave here in one month to go to Spain, and you will leave with her." The king announced the sentence to Princess Elizabeth, "I will make a list of potential husbands for you, and you will choose from them Choose one to be your husband, and after a month you will be sent to the country of your choice to be married."

Princess Elizabeth coughed violently.

When her breathing finally calmed, she raised her head again and looked at the king.

"I have to make a choice now, and I ask to marry the Crown Prince of Portugal, João Manuel."

"He's not on the list."

"Then add him in." Princess Elizabeth said firmly.

"He is deformed!" cried the King. "He is defective physically and mentally. The doctor says he will not live long. You want to marry such a man?"

"But he is the crown prince of Portugal and will become the king of Portugal in the future."

"He won't live to be king."

"Then my son will be the crown prince, succeeding his grandfather, and I will be the queen regent." Princess Elizabeth's eyes fixed on the king, as if to pierce him, "I am destined to rule a great country, Do you understand? I'd never want to be a duchess in some little German duchy, I'd be queen of Portugal, queen dowager, or anything... as long as I could rule over that country!"

"Do you think João Manuel is fertile?"

"What does it matter?" The expression on Princess Elizabeth's face made the king involuntarily fold his hands on his chest, "As long as I can give birth."

"You are such a lunatic." Edward looked at Elizabeth with disbelief.

"England and Portugal have been allies since the fourteenth century, and I cannot watch your madness ruin our long-standing alliance."

"However, Portugal is now about to completely fall into the arms of Spain. This so-called alliance is dead in name only. Don't you want Portugal and Britain to renew the old ways?" Princess Elizabeth wiped the blood on her chin with her hand, " As long as you support me, my dear brother, you will have the support of Portugal in the not-too-distant future."

"I thought you were a lunatic before, now I think you are a monster."

"Whether it's a monster or a devil, as long as the price is right, you will make a deal with me. I understand you, my dear brother. We all inherit certain characteristics of our mother, whether you want to admit it or not."

She pouted angrily and motioned Edward to come closer.

Edward squatted down and looked at Princess Elizabeth face to face.

"If that day really comes," Princess Elizabeth said softly, "I need your help to secure my son on the throne of Portugal. As long as you help me, you can get Brazil. I will do what I say."

The king stared at Princess Elizabeth with a complicated expression for a while, as if he wanted to lift the cover of the other party's celestial spirit, and see what kind of brain was brewing these crazy ideas.

After half a minute, he slowly stood up.

"I will summon the Portuguese ambassador," he said in a low voice. "I hope you will not regret it."

Princess Elizabeth nodded, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Send the princess back to rest." The king turned to the guards and ordered.

Two people carried a Roman-style soft sedan chair into the hall. They helped Princess Elizabeth lie on the sedan chair and carried her to the other end of the hall. Blood dripped down the princess' wrists, leaving behind There were patches of bright red imprints, as if bright red roses were blooming on the floor.