monarch

The king's huge procession left London in mid-December.To celebrate the conquest of Scotland, every town the king passed through held a grand celebration.King Henry VIII rode from town to town on a white horse with the help of his attendants, was cheered by the people, and received the keys of the city from the fawning mayor.

The royal family spent Christmas in York. In the official residence of the Archbishop of York, a grand ball was held, which was unprecedented for the unpretentious north. York white roses cultivated in the greenhouse decorated the entire hall.The king and crown prince received the nobles and gentry of the north, a land that had just erupted in a major rebellion a few years ago and was now going to great lengths to show its loyalty to the Tudors.

After Christmas, the King continued to drive north at a slow pace, and on the third day after New Year, the king's white horse crossed the Scottish border, where he was welcomed by the Scottish representatives.

In Edinburgh, the Earl of Hertford had been preparing for the king's visit for nearly a month.Both sides of the road are decorated with paper strips of holly trees, the coat of arms of Tudor roses is hung on the gate of Edinburgh Castle, the road leading to the castle is swept every day to prevent snow accumulation, and a post station is set up fifty miles south of Edinburgh to ensure that News of the king's arrival could arrive two days early.

On the morning of January 1546, [-], the dawn was very late, but the dignitaries in Edinburgh had already stepped out of their homes in the dark.It was snowing lightly outside, and some muddy roads were deeply rutted by the wheels of the sunken carriage.The servants walked in front of their master, holding torches to light the master, and the dots of fire formed long rivers that flowed from all parts of the city to the gates.

When it was dawn, the south of the city gate was already full of people. Hundreds of soldiers shouted loudly to maintain order. Squires and merchants in black robes, teachers in purple robes, and nobles in gold-embroidered gowns crowded into each other. Talking together makes it look like a Mayfair country fair.The overcast sky was leaden gray, and the cold wind blowing from the North Sea made people feel chilly even wearing a heavy cloak.

At 10:30 in the morning, Edward Seymour, the Earl of Hertford, finally arrived on the scene and was immediately greeted with enthusiasm. Make a good impression.Nodding to the crowd with a gentle smile on his face, the Earl wore a newly awarded Order of the Garter garter around his leg, with a St. George's Cross that dazzled many of the new Yasukuni's supporters.Behind the earl is the newly named Viscount Rosyth, Robert Dudley. As the number one celebrity around the crown prince, this teenage boy faces every man and woman who comes to greet him with an elegant attitude.Behind the earl and his entourage were three hundred heavy cavalry led by Lord Gray. When these heavily armored knights appeared, everyone unconsciously lowered their voices and became cautious.

The Earl of Hertford galloped to the head of the procession. "Your Excellency Speaker." He nodded to Earl Lennox who had already arrived.

Earl Lennox's complexion looked a little pale, his eyes were obviously powdered, but the bluish black was still clearly visible. "Hello, Your Excellency." There was a hint of flattery and caution in his voice.Then he turned to Robert behind the count, "Hello, Viscount."

"Your Excellency, Speaker." Robert bowed and saluted. Seeing the nobleman who was higher than himself so cautiously, he couldn't help feeling a little sympathetic in his heart, but this was his own choice, wasn't it?He was blinded by illusory power for a while, but now he has to pay a huge price.The earl had evidently been up all night, and no doubt spent his entire evening guessing at the king's mood.There was a wry smile on Robert's face, why didn't he toss and turn all night.

"I don't know what His Highness's attitude will be." He regretted his abrupt words after leaving the ball the night before. If he had known what the crown prince was thinking, maybe he would not have angered His Highness.He was a little secretly pleased with the crown prince's reaction. It seemed that he was not the only one who valued the relationship between them. However, at the same time, he felt a little heavy in his heart. The dynasty needed an heir, and if Edward wanted to inherit the throne, he must be responsible for it. .Robert clutched the glove that had come off in his hand, he could not allow their relationship to plunge the country into civil war.

The sound of hooves interrupted Robert's thinking. He raised his head, and a messenger rode up to the Earl of Hertford. The panting horse was breathing heavily, and was still sweating profusely even though it was winter. "Your Excellency, His Majesty the King is about to arrive," the messenger said.Robert looked to the end of the horizon, where a long line of convoy shadows had already appeared.

The count got off his horse and lowered his head to check his clothes to make sure everything was normal. "It's time, gentlemen." He solemnly looked in the direction of the convoy.

In front of the king's convoy was a vanguard team of [-] cavalry. Normally, the king would ride at the forefront. However, he had caught a cold since entering Scotland, so he could only sit in a carriage with a heater at the moment.The heavy four-wheeled carriage struggled in the mud, creaking all the way to the front of the welcoming team.A royal servant hastily stepped forward to put a footstool under the door and opened the door.

King Henry VIII struggled out of the carriage door, and with the help of two servants, he limped out of the carriage.The king's face was gloomy, obviously suffering from a bad cold, and it is well known that people who are sick will get worse tempers. The dignitaries who were frightened by the king's brutal deeds were all silent, fearing that they would be the first bird. Hit the wrath of the king.

Robert didn't pay much attention to the king, he was closely watching another carriage behind the king, with the Welsh red dragon flag flying on it, it was the Prince of Wales' carriage.

Crown Prince Edward looked pale, but he was much better than the king. A guard stretched out his arms and carried the little prince out of the car.The crown prince looked around, and when his eyes met Robert's, he froze for a moment, then immediately turned his eyes away, looking very deliberate.

"It seems that you haven't calmed down yet." Robert was a little helpless.

The Earl of Hertford stepped forward and greeted the king and the crown prince respectively, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, welcome to Edinburgh."

The king coughed a few times, looked at the Earl of Hertford, and hummed slightly, which meant he heard it.

"You did a good job, Earl." The crown prince greeted Earl of Hertford, and the atmosphere eased slightly.

"Thank you for your compliment." The earl breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." Earl Lennox took this opportunity to step forward and bowed deeply, "On behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland, I welcome the arrival of her appointed legitimate monarch and heir."

"Long live the king!" shouted the nobles behind the Speaker.

The king looked sullenly at Earl Lennox, whose sombre gaze set the earl agitated, and there was an awkward silence.When the earl was already in a cold sweat, the king finally broke the silence, "Hello, speaker." The king pronounced the word "speaker" emphatically, "Or do you prefer me to call you my vice-king? "

The count turned pale with fright, "Your Majesty, I...please believe..." He stuttered a little frightened by the current scene, but the king was not in the mood to listen to his faltering defense.His Majesty walked away on his own, to meet the next groveling nobleman.The crowd around the earl consciously stepped aside, causing a small no-man's land around him.

With the same impatient attitude, the king dismissed the nobles who showed their loyalty to him one by one. When the last visitor bowed and left the king, a servant brought his white horse for the king, and then squatted on the ground, Let the king step on his back to mount the horse.Moaning, the king struggled to climb onto the horse's back, "My son!" he ordered to the servant who was leading the horse, and a servant hurried forward with Prince Edward in his arms and put him in the king's arms.

His Majesty pinched the horse's belly with his legs, and the white horse walked forward docilely. The adults also got on their horses quickly and followed His Majesty in order of status.

Both sides of the King's Road were crowded with people, some people were cheering, but the cheering was not very loud, and more people just stood there stiffly.Some people have fear in their eyes. King Henry VIII's brutal reputation has been well-known throughout Europe; some people have anger in their eyes. The centuries-old feud between the two countries cannot be erased by a bill.Yet no matter what they thought, Scotland once again lost her independence more than 300 years after the Battle of Bannockburn.

"The city is full of hostility." Sir Thomas Seymour rode alongside his brother, the Earl of Hertford. "Are you sure all is well?"

The count shrugged his shoulders. "There are ten thousand soldiers in this city." He said coldly. "The Scots have reason to be hostile to us, but so what? Muskets and bayonets will calm them down."

Sir Thomas was noncommittal. "I'm surprised that His Majesty didn't pursue Queen Mary's escape." He changed the subject, "Bishop Gardner planned to make a big fuss."

The earl raised his head and looked ahead. The team had already arrived at the gate of Holyrood Palace. "What His Majesty wants is Scotland. The little queen is just a means. Now he has got what he wants."

"Thanks to the Crown Prince's plan," said the Sir.

"I also repaid His Highness's favor," the earl looked at Robert Dudley who was not far away, "I supported his people."

"If you become regent in the future, you and the new king will get along very happily."

"It's always easy for smart people to get along with each other." The count smiled slightly.

……

The Palace of Holyroodhouse has been refurbished, with the king staying in King James V's suite and the prince living in Queen Mary's suite.The Queen, Lady Mary and Princess Elizabeth did not attend the ceremony, but went straight to the rooms prepared for them in the palace.The king's flag is hoisted on the flagpole on the roof, marking the temporary residence of the English court.

Edward sat in an armchair in front of the fire, frozen to death by the long entry into the city.The prince, who had been weak from the near miscarriage of Queen Anne Boleyn's pregnancy, was exhausted by a winter cruise of several hundred miles.

There were several knocks on the door, and the door creaked open.

"Your Excellency Viscount Rosyth is in the waiting room, Your Highness." The attendant walked into the room and said with a bow.

Edward was stunned for a few seconds, "Viscount Rosyth?"

"Lord Robert." The servant reminded in a low voice.

"Ah, thank you, I remembered." I arranged this title, the prince thought to himself, it seems that he has been really tired recently.

"Your Highness? What should I say to Lord Robert?" the attendant asked, but the prince still didn't reply. On the contrary, he turned his face away and quietly looked at the flames dancing in the fireplace.

When the attendant felt that he would not get an answer from the prince, and was about to bow and leave, the prince finally spoke. "Ask him to come in."

"Yes, Your Highness." The attendant bowed and left.After a while, he walked into the room again, "Viscount Rosyth, Lord Robert Dudley." He reported.

The servant left the room, and Edward was still sitting there with his back to Robert.Want to talk?He thought, what can I say? "I forgive you?" sounds silly; "How are you?" is embarrassing; just say "Hello"?No, it must not be a good idea... A shadow flashed before his eyes, and the prince looked up, surprised to see that Robert had pulled his cloak over himself.

"You look...a little pale," he looked a little nervous, his hands grasping each other as if he didn't know where to put them. "I think it might be because of the coldness in the room...I mean..." He suddenly thought of something, "I'm sorry Your Highness, I was rude."

He stepped back and bowed to the prince. "Your Highness," he said.

"Thank you for the cloak," said the prince, biting his lip. "I have..."

"sorry."

The prince looked at him in surprise, "What did you say?"

"I shouldn't have said those things that night," Robert knelt down on one knee, looking straight into the prince's eyes, "I've been thinking about all kinds of things, all kinds of plans, to make sure..." He There was some pain in his voice, "Make sure you don't get hurt by all of this."

"But the day I got the news that the Queen of Scots had escaped, I swear it was one of the happiest moments of my life, and it freaked me out. I just realized I couldn't stand that scene, you walking with her Entering the Great Hall of Westminster Abbey...I can't imagine that scene..." He reached out and took both of the prince's hands, "I'm too conceited, I've always been like this."

Looking at his expression, the prince couldn't help laughing, "You are such a conceited bastard."

"Yes, I am indeed." Robert stretched out his hand and hugged the boy in front of him into his arms.

"We'll work it out together." Edward inhaled, he could smell the scent of cypress on Robert's clothes. "Stop making decisions behind my back."

"Never again," said Robert.He hugged the prince and did not let go for a long time.

"How long do you want to hug?" Prince's pale face showed a little red.

Robert laughed, "Hold you until you warm up." He squeezed the prince's arm, "You're a little thin, don't you have a bad appetite?"

"The court usually doesn't travel far in winter. I think everyone is a little tired." The prince shrugged. "As far as I know, the queen hasn't eaten much for several days. She has been staying in her car."

"Smart one," said Robert. "She knows not to upstage the king, and that may make her last."

"I hope." Edward was noncommittal, he looked at Robert's face, "You've lost weight too."

"After all, we are at war. Although the Earl is a Luculus-style gourmet, we don't have a big feast every day."

"It is a good thing that all this was not in vain," said the prince. "Do you like your title?"

"My father likes it very much." Robert shrugged his shoulders. "You know he's obsessed with things like family glory. Power, title and wealth are like air and water to him."

"I'm sorry that I can only give you a title but no territory. I don't have enough bargaining chips to convince the Earl of Hertford. He is an old fox."

"I don't care about this at all." Robert said, "Keep those bargaining chips, we still have a long time with the Earl of Hertford."

"The king seems to be dissatisfied with him." The prince said, he stood up and poured a glass of wine for Robert, "I can't say why, maybe it's because the earl has accomplished what he couldn't? Of course, it's more likely because of the earl's prestige It made him feel threatened."

"Maybe, but because of his great prestige, the king can't get rid of him for a while." Robert raised his head and drank the wine in the glass, "But we really want to spend the rest of today's time discussing Enter the Earl of Hertford?"

Edward smiled, "Then do you have any suggestions?"

"Perhaps you are interested in visiting this palace? I mean, although I'm not a professional guide or something, I've lived here all this time, so I'm considered half a local resident." Robert smiled speak.

"Okay, Mr. Guide." Edward stood up, and Robert helped him put the cloak around his neck. "I happen to be very interested in architecture."

"This way please, Your Highness." Robert took the prince's hand and walked towards the door of the room.