Chapter 8, Accompanying the Merchant Colbert

However, he soon ceased to be entangled in this matter, as there were more important affairs awaiting his attention. In the evening, the teacher of Prince Philip was reprimanded for praising the prince's exceptional intelligence and diligence, which was not what the Queen Mother wished to see

Although Bishop Mazarin was burdened with numerous affairs, he had to calm himself down to reassure Queen Anne that the young king posed no cause for concern. In fact, it was precisely because there was nothing to worry about that it seemed strange, after all, he was merely a ten-year-old child—a child, especially a boy, whether a king or a beggar, is bound to engage in some bewildering antics that leave adults both amused and exasperated. Yet, Louis's sensitivity to power still managed to astonish the bishop.

Such an honor has truly taken Mr. Fukai by surprise, especially since he learned that he is the first minister to enjoy such a distinction. In light of this, he specially presented the king with a red velvet coat valued at 500 livres, adorned with rows of silver buttons and lined with deep brown marten fur

The young prince Philip's teacher was soon replaced, and the queen mother and her maidservants became even more enthusiastic about dressing up their "little girl." Even the ministers had to compliment her natural beauty, elegance, and charm when they saw her. Louis, who wanted to take his younger brother hunting, was surprisingly scolded by the queen mother—perhaps it was related to his mention of when to hold the "breeching" ceremony for Prince Philip.

Moreover, they are now unable to even offer small favors. Although Cardinal Mazarin is highly successful at the negotiation table (he signed the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, securing Verdun, Metz, and the Alsace region for France), finance is not his area of expertise

That was when Baptiste Colbert, Louis said: "When I encountered the werewolf, my horse broke its leg and neck. Later, they found a suitable replacement from Colbert. Mr. Colbert was very willing to dedicate his horse to his king, so the bishop granted him the status of a merchant in attendance, and now he is guarding the gate for me along with my guards"

Louis had no choice but to take Marie Mancini hunting, of course, accompanied by many loyal attendants, with the foremost being the governor Nicolas Fouquet, a man of keen insight and considerable skill. The Fronde rebellion forced the King, the Queen Mother, and Cardinal Mazarin to abandon Paris and temporarily reside in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which he viewed as a tremendous opportunity. He not only brought along some reliable officials but also raised a substantial sum of money from the merchants accompanying the court to cover the daily expenses of the Queen Mother and the King.

However, Anne did not do so; not only did she not comply, but she even disregarded Louis XIII's command to establish a council to manage state affairs. Instead, she acted as regent herself, appointing her brother-in-law Gaston as the Grand Master of the Kingdom and naming Cardinal Mazarin as Prime Minister to maintain the operation of this vast empire. Consequently, there have been persistent rumors suggesting that Queen Mother Anne and Prime Minister Cardinal Mazarin had an ambiguous relationship—people claimed that Cardinal Mazarin was the "ruler" of France alongside Queen Mother Anne.

But this is a good thing, is it not? Queen Anne was quite composed, "It is Louis, not my little princess Philip, nor His Highness Duke Gaston, or the Chief Prince (referring to Prince Condé, a branch of the Bourbon dynasty), what is there for us to worry about?"

Saint-Germain-en-Laye has been home to many French kings. It was originally a monastery built by Robert II in the 11th century. As the monastery gradually expanded into a city, Louis IX constructed a palace here, and Charles V erected a new residence on the ruins of this palace. Francis I, Henry IV, and Louis XIII also made renovations to this castle-like palace and city. Therefore, the people here are not those impoverished country bumpkins, and gaining their recognition cannot be achieved through mere small favors.

Such a person certainly deserves to be rewarded, but currently both the bishop and the queen mother are financially constrained. Therefore, the king granted Mr. Fuke the honor of hunting alongside him and allowed him to keep the powder bag for himself throughout the entire hunting process

As they were leaving the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Marie, who was traveling with them, saw the king on horseback deliberately nodding to a gatekeeper, but that face was very unfamiliar. "Who is that?" she asked curiously

Queen Anne furrowed her brow, unable to comprehend the meaning of Cardinal Mazarin. This Spanish princess was not particularly sensitive to political matters, but she was known for her tolerance and patience. For instance, the Cardinal Mazarin before her had once been a disciple and political heir of Cardinal Richelieu. During the early years of Louis XIII, this Austrian Anne had suffered considerable blows from the then-Queen Mother Marie de' Medici and her ally Richelieu. Once Louis XIII passed away, people expected her to use her position as the mother of the king to severely suppress Mazarin, even to imprison him.

However, after understanding the details, he changed his original thoughts. This is not a momentary whim of a child; Louis's thoughts are evidently more complex and profound than he had assumed, and he is also colder than his peers. The bishop attributed this to the insecurity brought to the king by the rebellion of the stone-throwers and the atrocities of dark creatures. Yet, he could not help but pay more attention to his king amidst his busy schedule. Surprisingly, those who had interacted with the king all said that he was an elegant and kind sovereign, humble in nature, fair in dealings, and of noble character.

In the face of having to dismiss many court attendants and even sell the jewels and fine garments of the Queen Mother, the young king was still able to maintain the dignity expected of a ruler and earn the love of the people of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. This is truly a matter worthy of admiration and praise, which is why today Bishop Mazarin could not help but express such a sigh.

Fukai was astonished by the king's approachability. Mr. Colbert appeared somewhat ill at ease in his clothing and sword, suggesting that he might have originally been a gentleman or a merchant. He quickly dismissed this fellow from his mind—just a fortunate individual, he thought, refocusing his attention on the king.

You are correct, said Bishop Mazaran, but he was unable to find peace.

They encountered many people along the way, including farmers, soldiers, and clergy. They bowed to the king, who humbly removed his hat and placed it on his chest in return. However, upon closer observation, the situation of the Bourbon monarchy in Saint-Germain-en-Laye was not as dire as he had assumed

Only the Queen Mother and the Bishop know that this is purely nonsense, and the relationship between the two of them can hardly be described as harmonious; their ability to get along is merely for the sake of France and the King