monarch

Tower of London, May 1540, 5.

The entire court watched anxiously at the newly erected wooden guillotine on the grass under the Green Tower. It was a clear morning, after a week of continuous rainy weather, London finally ushered in the sunny day, but the atmosphere here was like the cold winter. Everyone in the city is silent, and the usual noise and whispering are all gone now.

At ten o'clock in the morning, the Countess of Salisbury was brought out of the Green Tower. The nearly 70-year-old woman had white hair, and two guards walked forward with her two arms.She struggled violently, shouting that she was innocent, that she was not a traitor.Her bun was thrown loose in the struggle, and her skirt was dusty, making the present scene look particularly bleak.

The king's patience finally ran out after the pope had once again condemned Henry VIII and reaffirmed the Countess, the son of the last Plantagenet descendant, Cardinal Reginald Pearl, as the rightful heir to the English throne. He felt that it was time to give the cardinal a warning, and the execution of the old woman who had taken care of him in swaddling clothes was the first step in Henry's revenge.

Almost everyone looked terribly disturbed as the venerable old woman was roughly dragged to the guillotine by her jailers.This old woman has been cautious in her words and deeds for more than 50 years, and is deeply loved by the entire court. Even the current king's father, Henry VII, respects her and even asks her to take care of her children, including King now.When Henry VIII's mother, Queen Elizabeth, died, the king's cousin became his half-mother.Many people were shocked by the king's cruelty, and some people still couldn't believe it. They looked at the king, as if expecting him to issue a pardon at the last moment.

However, the king still had that inscrutable look. He sat there with no expression on his face. No one could guess what he was thinking at this moment.

The executioner was a red-haired young man less than 20 years old. His master was sent to the north to execute the rebels there, and now this unenviable job fell on him.He was a little nervous and didn't dare to look into the countess' eyes: "Madam, please put your head on the wood and lie down."

The countess was still struggling violently: "No, I'm not guilty, I'm not a traitor, you can't do this." The jailer roughly pushed her down and crushed her to the stump.The young executioner took a deep breath, stretched his shoulders, and raised the ax in his hand.

However, this is not the end, but only the beginning of a farce.When the ax was about to fall, the two jailers holding the countess subconsciously let go.The Countess of Salisbury almost burst out with all her energy at this moment, she broke free in an instant, the ax fell dully on the stump, and the Countess who broke free stood up, ran outside.

Everyone was shocked by this change, and the first to react were the two jailers, who hurried to catch up.However, the countess showed the speed and agility that only young people have at the critical moment of life and death. The chase lasted for almost 2 minutes. The two guards finally caught up with the exhausted old woman. One of them drew his sword and pointed at the countess. Cut off, she screamed and fell to the ground.

The two jailers quickly bent down and pressed the old woman to the ground.The one with the sword yelled at the executioner who was hurrying up with the axe, "Come here, boy, and finish your work!"

The executioner was a little annoyed that this was his first job.He approached the countess who was still struggling on the ground, raised the axe, calm down, he said to himself.

The ax fell.

The countess screamed, and the ax fell on her shoulder.

Tiny beads of sweat trickled down the young executioner's nose.

He raised the ax again, and the ax fell sharply.

Another scream.

And again, and again.The countess screamed continuously, and when her voice finally stopped, her upper body was already bloody.

The king frowned, obviously dissatisfied with the performance of the executioner.He stood up, didn't say a word, and didn't greet the queen beside him, but walked indifferently through the fearful crowd who saluted him, and left the scene.

Queen Anne slumped on the chair, her face was pale, almost without a trace of blood, she didn't even notice that the king had left.Mrs. Lutland walked to her side lightly, and tugged at the queen's sleeve: "Your Majesty."

The queen suddenly came to her senses: "Oh, yes, yes, Mrs. Lutland." She seemed to have no idea what she was talking about.

"It's time for us to leave, Your Majesty." In the past few weeks, the queen's maids have taken a long vacation one by one like a plague broke out here. Of course, Miss Catherine Howard and Mrs. Rocheford left first. Miss Catherine is now Having moved into a room adjoining the King's Bedchamber, she also had her own lady-in-waiting, and Lady Rocheford became her lady-in-waiting.Lady Rutland took her place, trying to maintain order in what was already a chaotic Queen's small court, but it was clearly some sort of Sisyphus' mission, doomed to futility.

The queen's face was still very pale, and she seemed to be absent-minded: "Oh, yes, you are right, we should, yes, we should go." Her voice was a little trembling, and when she stood up, she almost lost her footing. After falling down, Mrs. Rutland quickly helped her up, but the queen didn't thank her. She seemed preoccupied and seemed to be isolated from everything outside.

The queen's ship was moored on the pier outside the Tower of London. The ship was luxuriously decorated, and the strong smell of incense covered the stench on the Thames.The boat sailed steadily towards the Whitehall Palace. The sun had already risen, and the warm sunlight shone on the river. Passers-by on both sides of the bank waved and cheered excitedly when they saw the fleet of ships flying the king's flag and decorated with the Queen's badge passing by. .According to the usual practice, the queen should step out of the cabin and wave to both sides, but at this moment Anne is sitting there like a zombie, motionless.Mrs. Rutland wanted to remind her, but quickly changed her mind. It's not okay for her to appear in public like this, so let her go if it's not a big deal.However, the countess couldn't help feeling a little powerless. She had tried her best to save the wrecked ship of the queen, but she was still sinking inch by inch.She looked at Annie, who was still out of her wits, her time was numbered, and maybe she was too.

Queen Anne returned to her suite almost unconsciously. She sent away all the maids and sat alone in the room.She tried to calm herself down, but the bloody corpse of the Countess of Salisbury kept flashing through her mind. "It's terrible, it's really terrible," she whispered to herself.The cold expression of the king when he left appeared again in her mind, oh my god, he has made up his mind, and I will be next... The queen's mind is in a mess, what should she do?Escape back to Cliffs?How could she get a boat?What would her brother say?Is it possible to stay here?The king would kill her, no doubt about it...the queen slumped in her armchair, unable to think, just staring at the beautifully decorated ceiling.

There was a knock at the door, but the queen did not notice.After half a minute, Mrs. Rutland opened the door and walked in: "Your Majesty? What's wrong with you?"

The queen forced herself to sit up straight: "I'm fine, ma'am, what's the matter with you?" There was an unconcealable exhaustion in her voice.

Mrs. Rutland was a little suspicious, but she wisely didn't ask. "Ambassador Cliffs, Dr. Hearst," she said.

What is he here for?The queen was a little irritable.The ambassador's work ability is really unsatisfactory. Almost everyone in the court regards him as a joke, and every time he sees him, he either cries and hopes to win a wave of autumn wind from the queen, or conveys her brother's urging, Ask her why she is not pregnant yet.She really didn't have the energy to deal with the ambassador today. "What's the matter with him?" Annie asked, trying to think of a reason to dismiss him at the same time.

"The ambassador didn't say anything, he just said it was urgent." Mrs. Lutland was also a little puzzled, what urgent matter could this clown have?But the anxious expression on his face did not seem to be fake, and the countess was also a little undecided.

"Okay, let him come in." After all, Queen Anne was very upset that she had to see him.

Dr. Carl Hearst still wore his half-worn gown, in fact it seemed to be the only one he could wear in court.Dr. Hurst, in his late twenties, had a round, flushed face that looked like a vicar in the Westphalian countryside, always with a slightly goofy smile.Today, however, Dr. Hurst was frowning, and his flat features were wrinkled together, making him look so funny that even the queen was almost amused.

"Welcome, what can you do, Mr. Ambassador?" The Queen's voice was still lukewarm, but much more amiable than before.

"Ah, Your Majesty, yes, there is something I must tell you," said the doctor, and Anne was again annoyed by the way this man always stammered. "Speak quickly, then, sir," said the Queen coldly.

"Ah, that's right. Three days ago, the Duke of Suffolk sent someone to invite me to his mansion." The doctor said.

"Duke of Suffolk?" Anne couldn't believe it.

"Yes, the Duke of Suffolk."

"What's the matter with him?"

"When I arrived at the Duke's mansion, I found that there were several other adults besides him, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Hertford, and several lawyers."

"What are they looking for you for?" Annie's voice was a little frightened.

"They asked me about your engagement to the Duke of Lorraine. They wanted to know whether the Duke's dowry had been returned in full."

"What did you say?" Annie's face was pale.

"I said I didn't know, everything was handled by His Excellency the Duke himself."

Fortunately, Annie let out a long breath. Fortunately, this idiot still has some brains.

"Then they asked me, your dowry has not been fully sent to England, when will the rest arrive?"

"My dowry? Didn't arrive? What's the matter?"

"This..." the ambassador hesitated, and the queen finally lost her patience. She said sharply, "Sir, I order you to speak quickly!"

"As you know, the principality's current financial situation is a bit tight. The war between the Protestant Alliance and the emperor is really costly, so His Highness first used part of your dowry. He hopes that I can get the king to agree to postpone the payment..."

Anne fell into an ice cave.

"Has the king agreed?" she asked with a last hope.

"I... I have never had a chance to meet the king..." the ambassador looked a little embarrassed, "But I told the Duke of Suffolk about the situation three days ago, and he promised to tell the truth to the king. I don't think it makes any difference ..." He saw the queen's face getting darker and darker, and his voice became smaller and smaller.

"There is no difference, yes, there is indeed no difference now..." The queen laughed back angrily.

"Your Majesty, what are you referring to?" Dr. Hurst felt guilty.

"You know, the king has been trying to get rid of me? It's been since the first day, because I didn't recognize him and spit in his face." Annie said coldly, and she watched with satisfaction Dr. Hurst's face gradually turned pale. "He's angry because I'm not pretty enough for the portrait he received, but my brother manipulated it! He's angry because I exposed his fantasy and let him know that he is not some handsome prince , but just a disgusting, cruel old fat man who stinks of rot! Did you go to the Tower of London today? Lengtouqing hacked into meat paste with axe and axe! Who do you think will be next? Well? Of course it will be me! And you and my brother handed the king the reason with your own hands, I curse you, my cruel brother And you bloody charlatan!" The queen was already hysterical.

"Your Majesty, please calm down, I don't believe it will be..." The doctor was a little frightened, and he quickly tried to explain.

"Do you believe?" said the Queen sharply, "it is your misjudgment that has brought us to where we are. My brother, he has always put on an air of intelligence, as if he were some great figure in the European political scene." Same, but the only thing he can do is to marry off his sisters, and use marriage to get in touch with other monarchs! You come to me all day to convey his words to me, let me speak good things about Cliffs in the king's ear, But he won't even pay the dowry in full. He's got nothing now, sir, and you too, go back, sir, to Cliffs, and see what my brother will give you reward."

"Then what should we do?" The ambassador seemed to be at a loss.

"You ask me what to do? You are the ambassador!" Queen Anne said with a sneer.She rang the bell, and the Countess of Rutland entered a moment later. "Send the ambassador out." Annie turned around, not even wanting to look at Dr. Hurst.

"Your Majesty, please let me explain..." Dr. Hurst wanted to make a last-ditch effort.

"Get out! Get out!" Annie finally broke out. She grabbed the oriental vase on the table and threw it at the doctor's feet. The vase broke into countless pieces with a bang, "Don't come again, I don't want to see you again !"

Dr. Hurst seemed dumbfounded. He stood there motionless.Mrs. Rutland was the first to react. She grabbed Dr. Hearst who was stunned, curtseyed to the queen, and quickly dragged Dr. Hearst out of the room who was already like a puppet.

Annie stood alone in the middle of the room, looking at the fragments of the vase on the ground with shortness of breath.Suddenly her feet went limp and she sat on the ground. She finally couldn't restrain her emotions, lay down on the armchair next to her, and began to cry.