Rembrandt's "Night Watch" was completed more than 20 years ago, when Captain Benning Cork, the captain of the Dutchman marksman, came across a portrait of a merchant and his wife, the famous Anslow husband and wife, and liked it very much, so he invited the painter to paint a portrait of himself and his men. Silverware and abundant food, everyone was in good spirits and elegant posture – of course, as most painters of the time did.

But Rembrandt clearly had his own ideas, and he placed this group portrait on a night stage, in which the captain of the shooter and his team set out in unison after hearing an alarm and took to the streets, surrounded by people, in this portrait, not only the composition is unusual, but even the image and light are different from usual, only the captain and the lieutenant are in the center, and there is a little blonde girl snuggled up to the captain, only these three people are bathed in bright light, and the others are hidden in the dark background of the center and back, perhaps only showing a face, or only a vague outline。

Although this narrative method created a picture effect like a grand drama, it made Captain Cork and his team angry, because each of them gave Rembrandt a hundred guilders, that is, they thought that (including the captain and the lieutenant) should all occupy an equal position in the picture, the same clear face and body, and not a vague mass, even Captain Cork, who occupies the very center, was not happy, because Rembrandt also added a little blonde girl in the main position of the picture, of course, she was the finishing touch, but Captain Cork and the team obviously did not have that kind of appreciation, they only felt that their money was wasted, almost taking Rembrandt to court.

Rembrandt was devastated and lost his good name, and his life became more difficult ever since, so that although King Louis XIV of France was a devilish figure in the minds of the Dutch, he made the long journey to Paris at the age of sixty-eight in the hope of finding an opportunity here.

But seriously, even in a dream, Rembrandt did not expect that such a poor man who was not even qualified to enter the Academy of Painting and Sculpture (he was not recommended) would be favored by the Dauphin of France, and even introduced to the king, and the Sun King, who was hated and feared by the Dutch, was unexpectedly amiable, he not only appreciated Rembrandt's use of color and light, but also invited Rembrandt to enter his Royal French Academy of Painting and Sculpture as a professor, and of course, gave him the title of a court painter, given that Rembrandt was good at depicting group portraits like stage scenes, Rembrandt would succeed LeBlanc, to make a "record" for the king's banquets and processions, as well as for Versailles and Paris, but this is all for later.

The Marquis de l'Oiss must have had the same aesthetic as the king, and he even duly and accurately complimented Monsieur Rembrandt's new Night Watch, and the Duke of Orleans, who touched the handle of his cane, laughed unabashedly - even Louis could not help patting the Marquis de Lois on the shoulder, even if he knew that the gentleman was flattering, His Majesty must be grateful for this affection - although it was probably because of the recent suggestion that the Marquis de Lois should not be allowed to succeed his father as Minister of War.

This suggestion may be selfish, but it is not entirely unreasonable, because if an important position is held by a family for too long, it is easy to breed all kinds of ambitions, the most impressive example is in France, that is, Pepin the Short who ended the Merovingian dynasty, he was able to become king precisely because his grandfather, his father, he himself was the court minister of the Merovingian dynasty, England also had such problems, and the kings could not help but be wary, and the ministers were not worried.

The Marquis de Lois was of course well aware of the problem, and so he had been more and more attentive lately, and Louis suspected that if he felt that the sun was square, then the Marquis de Lois would at once try to pass a law that it would be rude and criminal to the king and France to say that the sun was round at any time, in any place, and in any way...... Louis hoped that all the excesses of the Marquis de Lois would be temporary, lest he really have to find a new Minister of War.

Louis didn't intend to change his mind, not that he was too arrogant, but he really didn't think that in his court, there would be a second dwarf Pepin.

"You have come to see me to-day," asked Louis, as he sat back in his place, "I guess you have come to discuss Monsieur Rembrandt with me." ”

The Marquis de Lois hesitated for a moment, for he could see that the king was in a good mood today, and since his glorious victory in Holland and Flanders, his Majesty had begun to concentrate on the affairs of the interior, the people, and perhaps the arts...... Everyone could feel that His Majesty's tight heartstrings were slowly relaxing, and this was a good thing, and this was what many had always hoped for—that the king should be served by thousands of subjects and enjoy himself to the fullest, as if he were a puritan.

But if he puts that matter in front of the king, at least in a good mood today, the king will not want to keep it up.

"Tell me," Louis said, sensing the other's hesitation, and asked him to sit down, "if it's something I have to let know, I'll always know." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Marquis de Lois said, and then he saw the Duke of Orleans stretch out his hand, "Wait, brother, do you need me to get out of the way?"

Louis glanced at the Marquis de Lois, the Duke of Orleans said this, it was able to make an important minister like the Marquis de Lois hesitate, he must be a key person, he could discuss the evening menu with the king, but sometimes he still had to know how to avoid it.

"Who is it?" Louie asked simply.

"Duchess of Bouillon," the Marquis de Lois took a deep breath, "and the Duke of Luxembourg." ”

Louis leaned back slightly, "You can stay, Philip." He called the Duke of Orleans by name: "Now you can tell us in detail." ”

If Bishop Barras had arrived in Versailles, he would have felt a familiar scene.

It is not uncommon for a greedy woman to murder several people in a row in order to obtain the inheritance of her father and husband, even if the dead father and husband have a knighthood, but a baron and a knight (knight) in a small town like Pliva can still attract a little attention, but in Paris - they are afraid that they are not even qualified to meet the king.

The matter was finally brought to the High Court because the priest who provided the woman with the "potion of inheritance" produced the carte blanche of the Duchess of Bouillon and the Duke of Luxembourg respectively, that is, they worked for these two big men, and they also said that most of the bribes and illegal gains they received from others were taken by the Duchess of Bouillon and the Duke of Luxembourg, and they were only agents at most.

Since Louis came to power, the High Court of Paris had become his second court, and the judges did not dare to delve further into the case - the Duke of Bouillon had sided with the king in the first and second Fronde rebellions, and even after the Prince of Condé fled to Spain, his wife and son were warmly welcomed by the group in Bordeaux, although Louis XIV said that he was not to blame for the past- Even the Prince of Condé was sent by him to be King of Poland, but the Duchess of Bouillon was never eligible to return to Versailles or Paris.

No one knows what His Majesty the King of France was thinking, and this case was undoubtedly in the hands of Louis XIV, who, with a single push, could have plunged the Duchess of Bouillon into the abyss of no salvation, and even reclaimed the fief of the Duke of Bouillon, for the crime of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and witchcraft was ...... Whereas, that potion was truly a wizard's handiwork.

But the problem is that the other person to whom this case is referred to is the Duke of Luxembourg, François-Henri de Montmorency-Bouterville.

This man, although he could also be said to have achieved great success in the army of Louis XIV, was mediocre at court, and for no other reason, except that he was the brother of the Prince of Condé without blood, and his closest friend, and in the second Fronde riots, he not only always sided with the Prince of Condé, but also fled with him to Spain after the defeat of the Prince of Condé, and considered himself an enemy of Louis XIV.

Louis has always been tolerant of those who have talents, and the Duke of Luxembourg is no exception, but he always seems to be a little unable to accept that the Prince of Condé returned to Paris, returned to the young Louis XIV, and swore allegiance to him, even if the Prince of Condé also said that he could become the Duke of Luxembourg, and the great help of His Majesty the King was indispensable, and he always maintained a relationship with Louis that could not be said to be estranged, nor could it be said to be close- At least he would never have come to see the king without being summoned, in stark contrast to General Vauban, who had recently returned to Versailles.

Of course, this situation is also seen by people with a heart, the Duke of Luxembourg and Louis XIV do not think that this is an unacceptable bad thing, the former because they do not know how to face the king, and the latter because they are willing to tolerate it - even if the Duke of Luxembourg has no military talent, when the Prince of Condé left France and went to Poland, one of the little Dukes of Engian and the other was the Duke of Luxembourg, and Louis had to treat him well.

But the distantness of the Duke of Luxembourg from the king has given some people the opportunity to stir up the dots, and they do not intend to start with the Viscount of Tyrrenne, General Vauban, or the Duchess of Montpensier from the beginning, like the Duchess of Bouillon, and the Duke of Luxembourg, for a small-minded king, who may not be able to wait to accept the evidence presented by the Marquis de Loiss and send his former enemies to hell in one fell swoop.

"Forget the Duchess of Bouillon," Louis shook his head, "as far as my mother told me, that is a fool, but how did they get the carte blanche of the Duke of Luxembourg?"

Hearing this, the Marquis of Lois immediately pressed his forehead, "Your Majesty, you probably didn't expect such a ridiculous thing to happen......"

"My royal lady, one is a witch and the other is a werewolf," Louis said without looking up, "and what do you think I can't accept?"

The Marquis de Lois's head ached even more, and he had only learned after Madame Lavarière had gone to Halepur with her son, that the shy, gentle lady of the royal family had turned out to be a werewolf, and that Halepur had been given her by the king—not because she had served the king for so many years, no, wait, he said, not just from bed to bed...... Well, he shouldn't have cared too much about a royal lady, but when he thought of Queen Theresa, she smiled and told him these two strange things...... The Marquis de Lois felt that perhaps the position of Minister of War was not so important.

"You are right, Your Majesty. The Marquis de Lois did not know whether to compliment or mockingly, and said, "Compared to you, this is really not a big deal. He gathered his thoughts: "Your Majesty, you know that the Duke of Luxembourg has a secretary by his side, named Bonnard. ”

"Well, I really don't know about that. Louis said, and then he saw that the Marquis de Lois finally couldn't help but glare at him.

"Look at your majesty," interjected the Duke of Orleans, without losing any time, "how lively, you ought to be pleased." ”

The next thing he was glaring at, but fortunately the two royal brothers were just trying to make the Marquis of Lois stop being so nervous, and they made a casual joke - and it was also a hint that His Majesty had no intention of taking the opportunity to exterminate the remnants of Prince Condé's forces.

"This Monsieur de Bonnard," said the Marquis de Loiss, "was ordered to send an important letter of appointment to Bordeaux, and he took it with him and went from Luxembourg to Bordeaux, but he was unlucky enough to lose it, and he went to the priest for help......

Now Louis Ke was a little surprised: "You mean, he lost the papers, didn't look for the police, didn't look for the judge, but went to find a priest." ”

That's what he did, a devout to the point of fainting. "He went to a priest, and the priest told him that if he wanted to get the documents back, he would have to recite three hymns in three different churches over nine days," said the Marquis de loiss, "and he did." ”

"The documents have been found?" asked the Duke of Orleans with great interest.

"How could it be. "He went and pleaded with the Duchess of Bouillon, and the captain of the Duchess's guard helped him find it with a young girl, but she was not willing to return the paper." ”