Chapter 47

On the eve of Christmas in 1563, another popular uprising against English rule broke out in Ireland.

This race, which had been conquered for centuries but had never yielded in the depths of its soul, was once again enraged by the atrocities committed by England.

On a night when they arrested the noble Count Desmond on trumped-up charges, they humiliated and tortured him in prison, and then tried to take him to the guillotine to be beheaded!

All of this happened simply because the Earl of Desmond was Irish.

Having Irish ancestry is considered a sin!

Rumors spread rapidly through every corner of the streets and alleys. On the streets of Dublin, every hardworking Irishman would gather together to whisper and earnestly exchange information they had heard from who-knows-where.

This person said that the Earl of Desmond was just the beginning. These Englishmen were no longer satisfied with riding on the backs of the Irish. They had secretly gathered soldiers and planned to wipe out all the remaining Irish nobles, one family after another, because the Irish nobles were not worthy of being compared with the English nobles.

The man said that it seemed Queen Elizabeth was about to wage war again, just like the previous two years, to invade Irish lands in order to plunder a fortune and then renovate her Whitehall Palace.

Some people say, no, no, no, the British soldiers intended to sell them as slaves to make money, just like the Spanish sold black slaves to the New World. Those British guys wanted to make a business with no risk and huge profits.

The rumors spread more and more fiercely, and it is said that the Governor of Ireland was furious about it. He was so angry in his house that he kept ordering people to go out and stop the rumors, but to little avail.

Finally, to prevent the situation from escalating further and to deter the restless Irish, the Governor of Ireland decided to behead the Earl of Desmond in the central square of Dublin ahead of schedule.

The riots took place on the very day of the beheading.

Among the civilians forced to watch the beheading, someone shouted slogans against English rule. Then, a clearly trained young army, dressed in ordinary clothes and dressed in plain clothes, mingled with the crowd and rushed onto the guillotine, saving the Earl of Desmond.

Immediately afterwards, amidst the cheers and jeers of countless Irish people, they stormed the prison, releasing all the Irish prisoners inside. Then they stormed the governor's house, dragging the trembling Irish governor, sent by Queen Elizabeth, out from under his desk. Using the fat man as a hostage, they secured the silence of the soldiers guarding Dublin, allowing them to successfully leave the city and disappear into the dense forests of Ireland.

From this day forward, the resistance army, which opposed the rule of the Communists and defended the interests of the Irish, officially stepped onto the stage of history.

Because their base of operations was in the Munster region, this uprising is also known as the Munster Uprising.

These Irishmen never engaged in direct combat with the British army. They were well aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and instead used Munster as their base of operations. Relying on their familiarity with the local terrain, they hid in the mountains and hills, launching attacks against the English army through harassment.

The British army was at a loss for what to do, cursing the Irish as hiding rats, but they couldn't come up with a better way to deal with them, which led to a stalemate in the battle.

Finally, in a decisive battle that captured Ashford Castle and solidified the rebels' rear, the British army was forced to yield and withdraw from the mountains, acknowledging that they could not eliminate the Irish rebels in a short time and could only slowly suppress them in the days to come.

...

Throughout this turmoil that lasted for several months, the Queen of Scots never left Ireland.

Mary knew that in order to control the overall situation, she needed to get first-hand information in a timely manner, so she could not return to Scotland. However, she did not presumptuously participate in the army. Instead, she simply let go and handed over all the authority in this regard to Albert to handle himself.

For nearly half a year, she stayed at Blarney Castle in Munster, controlling Scottish politics while using the Shannon River to bypass the English blockade and continuously supply the rebels with food and weapons, ship after ship.

Some of these food supplies and weapons came from Scotland, but most came from France, Spain, and even as far away as Italy.

Mary took out her personal stationery and badge and wrote to the Duke of Lorraine and Philip II of Spain, suggesting that they stand against Britain on the Irish question and help the local Irish people more.

Helping them would weaken Britain's power, cause British troops to bleed continuously here, and also suppress Protestant influence.

The native Irish people have always maintained a devout faith in Catholicism.

...

When the final battle ended, news of the victory and the fact that Albert Durst was seriously wounded and in mortal danger reached Mary's ears.

Upon hearing the news, Mary dropped the quill pen in her hand onto the desk, leaving a large, ink-stained mark.

...

With red-rimmed eyes, Count Dillon brought the unconscious, feverish blond youth back to Blarney Castle.

In the past six months, this Italian has won the favor of countless Irish people with his wartime bravery and resourcefulness. Even Earl Dillon was impressed by his ability to command troops.

Mary immediately went to visit Albert.

The handsome young man, who resembled Apollo, lay motionless on the bed. His face was pale, his lips were tightly pursed, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He was completely unlike his usual energetic and cheerful self, who had captivated the palace maids.

Mary frowned, lifted the blanket covering him, and saw two knife wounds and a gruesome wound on his abdomen where shrapnel had pierced his flesh. White gauze was wrapped around it, and dark red blood was seeping out faintly.

"Did you apply alcohol to his wound?" Mary asked.

"We used it on the very first day Mr. Destin was injured, pouring almost the entire bottle onto the wound, Your Excellency, but... but..." the doctor said, trembling with fear.

Mary nodded, had Seton give him some money, and said, "Continue to take good care of him."

Mary then gave the doctor and servants various instructions, including feeding him sugar-salt water continuously, continuing to disinfect his wound with alcohol twice a day, and ensuring that the gauze used for dressing changes was boiled in boiling water.

"I will follow your instructions meticulously," the doctor replied immediately.

After she finished, Mary stood silently by the bed for a while, then suddenly reached out and untied the cross necklace she always carried, and placed it on Albert's chest.

This seemingly ordinary, even somewhat rough, wooden cross was a gift from the Pope of the Vatican to her when she got married. It is said to be made from a fragment of the True Cross left behind when Jesus was crucified, and it is said to possess incredible power, able to protect everyone who wears it.

Mary didn't know if the legend was true or not, but she sincerely hoped that this sacred object could work at this time and help a Catholic who should have had a wonderful life regain her health.

“Albert, may God bless you,” Mary whispered, feeling a sharp pain in her heart at that moment.

She cherished everyone with whom she had a genuine connection, making Albert's departure all the more difficult for her to accept.

...

Perhaps God truly protected His believers on this day, and a miracle occurred. Albert's wound did not worsen, and he successfully survived this ordeal, improving day by day. His recovery speed amazed even the doctors.

Then, on a particularly bright moonlit night, after dinner, Albert invited Mary to stroll around Blarney Castle.

They are leaving Ireland tomorrow, carrying with them the gratitude and loyalty of the Earl of Desmond and the Earl of Dillon. After working so hard for the past six months, they deserve a break.

Mary nodded in agreement, and was about to call Seton along when she discovered that Seton had already disappeared.

“Your Majesty…Miss Emma Wilson?” Albert, who had already reached the restaurant entrance, turned back and asked.

"It's nothing, let's go."

Mary, who hadn't seen Seton stand up, went out with him.

The castle was originally built before the 10th century, and was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt due to wars. What stands before Mary now is the result of the third reconstruction.

On the meadow surrounded by the moat, there are two very romantic spots: the Wishing Steps and the Stone of Wishes. Legend has it that if you cover one eye and climb the steps while silently making your wish, it will come true. As for the Stone of Wishes, it was brought back from Jerusalem by a knight during the Crusades. Legend says that it possesses incredible power because it is stained with the blood of Jesus, and everyone who kisses the stone will become eloquent.

Since there was no cost involved, Mary and Albert each went up the wishing staircase and made their own wishes.

As for the Stone of Wisdom—this stone was actually placed on the edge of the canyon, requiring one to lie flat and lean out most of their body to reach it for a light kiss. After being brought over by a servant, Mary and Albert looked at each other for a few seconds and unanimously gave up on kissing.

"What did you wish for?" Mary asked.

Albert stood by the suspension bridge, his fingers unconsciously gripping the ropes tightly. He spoke as calmly as possible: “I have fallen in love with an incomparable woman. She is incredibly noble and extremely wealthy. In comparison, I have nothing, so poor that I rely on her charity for even a piece of clothing or a bite of food. This has made me feel deeply inferior for a long time, and I have found it difficult to express my feelings… Now, I hope that she can reflect my image for just a brief moment in the eyes of the scepter and the subjects, an image that has always been reflected only in them.”