I Am Louis XIV

Chapter 49: The King's Conversation with the Two Monsieurs d'Artagnan (Concerning Potatoes)

The king waited until the two musketeers had slowed down before asking, "How do you like today's dishes?"

The two Mr. d'Artagnan glanced at each other, "Very good." The elder one said that he seemed to have used up his share of words today in explaining the matter of d'Artagnan; "Your Majesty, this is the order My unforgettable meal." Maybe he also felt a little thin, and then he added, but he could already see that he was a little embarrassed, and the king couldn't help smiling. Such a response undoubtedly gave the young d'Artagnan courage, so He earnestly praised the king's chef's craftsmanship and His Majesty's generosity, but no matter what he said, he didn't say what the king wanted to hear, so the king could only nod his head, "That's it," he said: "I called you two here because I hope you can do something important for me."

Hearing what the king said, both Pierre and d'Artagnan raised their heads and listened carefully, unwilling to let go of a single word.

"Have you all eaten this?" said the king, forking a soft boiled potato from his plate.

"Here it is," said d'Artagnan. "Is it a beetroot or a sweet potato?"

"To my surprise," said the king, "you have eaten sweet potatoes! I thought it was not a very common food."

Mentioning this, D'Artagnan's face showed the smile that men know: "It was given to me by a worthy lady," he said, pinching his mustache: " Although there is only a small piece, it is indeed something on the plate of the king or queen." He paused and thought for a while: "But I feel that it is more delicate than sweet potatoes."

"I don't think it's sweet potatoes either," said Pierre.

"Why do you think so?" asked the king.

"Because I've heard that you served the people of the old city of Hertel with a vegetable similar to sweet potatoes." Pierre said: "This is a potato, isn't it?"

"Yes," said the king.

"It's a little unfair," said d'Artagnan. "I wasn't in Hautelles then."

"Then let it be a tie between you," said the king.

"You haven't said what you want us to do?" said d'Artagnan.

"This matter has something to do with the vegetables you eat, that is, potatoes." The king said: "I still have about one malto of potatoes here, and I want to bring them back to Paris to grow."

"That's good," said d'Artagnan; "it's so soft."

"But there may be some nasty thieves."

"Ah, I see," exclaimed d'Artagnan, "you need us to protect these potatoes." Although the task made him feel a little strange and disappointed, he still cheered up and tried to be willing. The appearance of obedience: "I will protect them, as long as it is your order."

"You will do it flawlessly."

"Waterproof, my lord, no one can steal an ounce of mortar from my sword."

"But I don't want you to be perfect," said the king. "I want you to spread the word about it as much as possible, and then..."

"Then?"

"If someone comes to bribe you..."

"Then they've got the wrong person."

"No, I want you to accept the bribe."

"What a damage to my reputation that would be."

"No worse than Monsieur Bishop's," said the King, "and when you have accepted the bribe, you quietly tuck the potatoes in your clothes and bring them to those who bribed you."

"Well, do you want these people to grow potatoes?" said d'Artagnan. "I understand, but why don't you tell them directly."

"Of course it's because people have weird ideas. They're sometimes very credulous, and sometimes they're stubborn. They're obsessed with conventions, but they're very interested in rebellion. If I say to them, go grow potatoes, it's a They will not believe that I can grow a good thing that can be used as bread, vegetables, and snacks, and a large barrel can be grown in three months. They suffer."

"Is it really that good?" asked Pierre, "but people say it's an apple buried by the devil."

"Then the devil is a good man," said the King, "and he has sent us such fine things."

D'Artagnan laughed, and his cousin Pierre gave him a look. "We will obey your orders," he said, "but I don't know if anyone will."

"Yes," said the king, "I will give you ten louis d'or first, so that you may invite your friends to drink and dine in taverns, and make the matter known, and then I will give you ten more louis d'or in every town you go to. "

"Then we shall be well fed all the way," said d'Artagnan. "And what about the bribes?"

"That is my reward for you," said the king.

"It seems I'm going to do my best," said d'Artagnan, and ate the last potato on his plate.

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D'Artagnan did what he said, and with the ten louis gold given by the king, he immediately invited several other musketeers to eat and drink in the tavern, spending two large crowns for each meal. In a few days, people in the old city of Hertel knew that the king ate a vegetable called potato and liked it very much. He even wanted to transport it back to Paris for planting. it.

Some of those who had been honored to dine with the king immediately boasted that in their mouths this strange vegetable was more luscious than a beetroot, more tender than a sweet potato (although most of them had never tasted it), and better than a sweet potato. Lettuce is more crisp, and it can be prepared in various ways, as the king said to d'Artagnan, it can be used as a main course or a dish, and as any kind of rumor, to When the king was about to leave the old city of Hetel, the potatoes had turned into the flesh and blood of the saints and were no longer apples of the devil. After eating them, not only would they not get leprosy, but they could also cure hemorrhoids and coughs. On his own wound, the wound stopped bleeding... Some funny words made the king feel unbelievable after hearing it.

But the king's original goal was still achieved. On the night before his departure, someone came to strike up a conversation with d'Artagnan. He thought it was not difficult. After all, accepting bribes was very common from bishops to soldiers, but d'Artagnan D'Artagnan turned him down, and when he asked, D'Artagnan said that the vegetable, though delicious and fruitful, was very demanding in its storage and use—well, he said, People who want potatoes become even more eager. It is complicated and troublesome. Otherwise, how to reflect the sincerity and identity of the owner? They were very willing, so the price was raised again and again, from five louis to a hundred, and d'Artagnan reluctantly hid a potato in his horse's buttocks and brought it out secretly.

D'Artagnan's behavior can be said to be narrow-minded, but his understanding of these nobles is much deeper than that of his cousin Pierre. Specifically, the number of people looking for d'Artagnan is the most, and he has not yet reached the halfway point. , his purse was full, and Pierre only had a few pitiful gold louis in his hands, but Pierre was relieved. After all, he was not d'Artagnan, so he couldn't do it. In other words, to do such a thing frankly - but he has nothing to blame for d'Artagnan's actions, this is the king's order, and d'Artagnan immediately borrowed his seven hundred The louis d'or was returned, so he is now a man of means.

They walked all the way, taking bribes all the way-although the peasants had boiled their children in the pot because of the famine, those lords and merchants were still rich enough to hate, and in the end even the frivolous Da Dagnan even took out a sum of money and asked the quartermaster to hire a lot of people to help them do some jobs that were not very necessary, and then gave them wheat. These people didn't even use it to grind into flour, but directly They ate it, because they didn't even have enough tax to collect firewood. Pierre saw it and asked the soldiers to boil the wheat and give it to these people.

These people were all men, and Pierre did not dare to think what had become of the old man, the women, and the children.

The king is also doing this kind of thing, and it is more extensive and comprehensive. Every time he stops at a place, he erects a cross for the queen mother, as a proof, everyone who is willing to go to the cross to pray for the queen mother Everyone gets a pound of oats. But this kind of behavior is not without disadvantages, that is, the line behind the king is getting longer and longer. It seems to be the case everywhere. People are struggling, just for a living food. Just follow whoever goes.

Queen Mother Anne no longer persuaded the king. Among them, the king's dignity gradually became more and more. As a docile woman, she habitually retreated, and there was also the passage opened by Colbert and Fouquet, who continued to follow the king's team. , because of the endless supply of wheat and other food, but sometimes she has to worry about how to deal with these people.

"Put them to Versailles first," said the king.

"Versailles?"

"Yes," Louis put down the book in his hand: "Father bought 117 acres of land there, which is enough for them to live in." He thought for a while, "Mom, I want to rebuild a palace there. "

"For hunting?"

"No, if it's just for hunting, then the palace that my father left me is very good." Louis said, "But it's too early to say that, it's a barren place. When these people arrive in Versailles, I will let them go to level it first. The land, the swamps to be drained, and some of the forests also need to be cleared so they can grow wheat or potatoes to feed themselves first."

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This matter involves the lives of thousands of people, but for the queen mother and the king, it is just a chat before going to bed. When the king's potatoes are only a quarter of Malto, they came to Romei, It is not far from Paris, and they stayed here. When the Queen Mother's cross was erected, Dean La Riviere asked the king to see him. Because this person is very knowledgeable, the king rarely Rejecting his request, this time as well, he came quickly, and presented a priest to the king.

The priest obviously belonged to the same breed as Abbot Larivier. He offered the holy book to the king, and the reliquary of pure gold inlaid with precious stones, the hair of the Virgin, and the baby teeth of the Son, before he respectfully said: The intention of coming was to apply to the king for the position of abbot. This monastery belonging to the royal family is not big, and the king agreed, but he still stood there after expressing his thanks, as if he still had something important to say.

"If you have anything else to do," the king said kindly, "please tell me. As I said, as long as you are my people, you can speak freely in front of me."

"...Forgive me for lying, Your Majesty," said the priest after hesitating for a while, "I have encountered a very absurd thing."

"Say, I'm listening."

"Not long ago, we caught a wizard."

"It's terrible, and then?"

"He said . . . maybe the devil was speaking through his mouth, and I shouldn't have believed it, but sire, it's about your honor—I mean, God, sire, he said he and you I know it!"