Chapter 64
Even a three-year-old playing on the street could tell that this was Elizabeth's counterattack.
The first Queen of England, after her mother's death and her father's aversion and neglect, was reduced from a beloved Princess of Wales to an illegitimate child, and even had to serve as a maid to her own brother.
Perhaps it was because of this terrible situation that she placed all her spiritual support in Catholicism. After she ascended the throne, she began to do everything she could to restore the former glory of Catholicism and burned at the stake all the Protestants who had insulted her, such as Archbishop Cranmer, who had declared the marriage between Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine the Spanish princess, invalid.
While such revenge was undoubtedly satisfying, it also destroyed the general sympathy and pity the British people had for the Queen. The black smoke that lingered on the pyre day and night instilled a deep fear in people, leading to the nickname "Bloody Mary."
It is said that on the day Mary I died and was buried, the bells that rang throughout London's churches were not for mourning, but for celebration. People in the streets and alleys were secretly drinking, singing and dancing to celebrate that they had finally escaped the control of a female tyrant and no longer had to worry about dying one day.
Now, isn't she, Mary I, from Scotland, who is very likely to become the new Queen of England, also a queen known throughout Europe for her fervent Catholic faith?
With such a negative example before us, who can guarantee that the Queen of Scots will not persecute Protestants on a large scale next?
No one can guarantee that.
Even if Mary were to summon the Protestant nobles and ministers now and assure them that she would not interfere with their religious freedom, it would be of no use.
When Mary I came to power, didn't she also solemnly promise everyone that she would not force anyone to convert to Catholicism?
Later, irrefutable facts proved that, if the monarch was not willing, their oaths were worth less than a roll of waste paper.
Thinking of this, Mary pressed her temples in exasperation.
...
"What should we do with these disgusting Protestants?" Duke Giss asked.
As far as he knew, these Protestants had found a place to meet in secret, led by a few minor nobles. At each gathering, they would hurl insults at the Queen of Scots while showing the highest respect and pity for Queen Elizabeth, who was in exile. They even planned to secretly assassinate the Queen of Scots to prevent England from falling into "dark turmoil, enveloped by the great shadow cast by Rome" again.
The Queen of Scots was pondering and did not answer her uncle's question.
After bringing this bad news to his niece, the Duke of Guise, in his true heart, should give those Protestants a severe shock by storming their secret meeting place, burning the ringleaders at the stake or beheading them, and letting the people of London watch. Only in this way could they be instilled with fear and never dare to have any more thoughts of stirring up trouble.
But the Duke of Guise also knew that the decisive battle was about to begin, and now was the time to stabilize the situation and appease the people. A brutal crackdown similar to that of Bloody Mary would only fuel rumors and unite the heretics, which would be very detrimental to seizing the British throne.
After much deliberation, Duke Giss, considering the bigger picture, reluctantly backed down and decided not to take action against them for the time being, but to settle accounts later.
“Although people always say that rumors stop with the wise, in fact, Mary, rumors never stop with the wise, but rather with the cessation of time or are covered up by another, more outlandish rumor…” After thinking for a long time, the Duke of Guise gave his advice, saying in a long, operatic tone: “...Anne Boleyn is a witch who has slept with a hundred men behind the King’s back. She has a huge black mole on her neck and six devilish fingers.”
Mary had a vague idea of what Duke Guise wanted to say.
Sure enough, he said, "Such a notorious witch, after death, would naturally become an evil spirit. She wanders around Blickling Manor all day long, holding her severed head and weeping. She also travels around London in a carriage driven by a headless horseman. Out of hatred for Henry VIII's abandonment and at the urging of her daughter Elizabeth, this woman has been secretly committing evil deeds for many years, causing the Tudor family members to die one after another... Poor Queen Mary, Edward VIII, these people all died at the hands of Elizabeth's evil spirit mother."
“This is absurd. No educated person, except for a blockhead farmer, would believe it,” Mary said, shaking her head.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it. What’s important is that we pin the deaths of Queen Mary and Edward VIII on Elizabeth. It was because she killed her sister and brother that she was able to become Queen of England. What do you say?” said the Duke of Guise.
Only a rumor as chilling as this could overshadow the name Bloody Mary.
Such methods are despicable, but effective enough.
Mary was silent for several seconds before saying, "Anne Boleyn has been dead for many years. Let's find another person to be the subject of this rumor."
The Duke of Guise failed to perceive the Queen of Scots's complex emotions. After some thought, he changed the story to another version.
“That’s true. Then let’s direct our criticism at Elizabeth herself.”
"As a witch, would Anne Boleyn's daughter be a normal woman? Elizabeth has remained unmarried for so many years because of her physical ailments, making her far from a normal woman."
“What’s wrong?” Mary asked, her brow furrowing unconsciously.
The Duke of Guise said, "Elizabeth I never menstruated. From her teenage years, she did not have the physiological response that a woman should have, so it was impossible for her to give birth. This poor woman who occupied the British throne has been reluctant to marry and have children for so many years because she was afraid that her worst secret would be exposed and that she would be despised and scorned by her husband."
"This natural ailment tormented her, making Queen Elizabeth extremely irritable. During dinner, she once broke off a maid's finger and chopped off another maid's hand with a knife. The poor woman's maids could only flatter Elizabeth and praise her as pure and beautiful as an angel in order to avoid punishment."
"She always had an ulcer on her leg that was constantly oozing pus and emitting a foul odor that could only be masked by perfume, which was of course inherited from her father, Henry VIII."
"Furthermore, the affair between Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Leicester can be brought up again. Let's say that it was out of jealousy that she sent a spy to murder the Earl of Leicester's former wife. In addition, like her mother, she had countless lovers, and often visited other people's husbands' bedrooms in the middle of the night wrapped in a cloak with only a long undergarment underneath..."
Unable to bear listening any longer, Mary stopped Duke Guise from continuing.
“Let’s deal with this by other means! This is too shameless and despicable. Although we are mortal enemies, I must admit that Elizabeth is a very wise and outstanding queen who deserves respect,” Mary couldn’t help but say.
Instead of pouring buckets of filth into them, spreading rumors about their physical disabilities and engaging in slut-shaming, they didn't even spare their own deceased mothers.
“Good heavens…” Duke Giss glared at his niece, whose brain had suddenly gone mad, and advised, “…Don’t be foolish at a time like this and try to uphold some chivalrous code. You should know that if you fail, you will lose your life! That woman didn’t hold back at all when she spread rumors that you would become the second Bloody Mary.”
“It’s not for Elizabeth, it’s for myself…” Mary calmly confronted the Duke of Guise, refusing to back down on this point, and her reasons were reasonable. “…A physical disability without intellectual impairment does not preclude one from being a queen. The kings of Spain are the best examples. As for having lovers, so what? If a king can indulge in pleasure with various women and appoint his favorite woman as his chief mistress, then a queen of equal status should also have the same right to seek lovers at will, instead of being faithful to her husband. As for using the spirits of the dead to haunt the dead, that’s even more ridiculous. I would never do something so absurd that would be recorded by historians… Elizabeth is a queen, and so am I. Even if she did, I wouldn’t do such a thing, because allowing people to use such methods to attack her and use them as a powerful weapon to bring her down is also allowing people to use such methods to attack me one day.”
This is similar to the broken window theory.
If something sets a precedent, then people will follow suit.
Just like in the previous life when Elizabeth wanted to behead her, France, Spain, and Scotland all sent envoys to London to passionately oppose the execution of the Queen of Scotland. This was not to maintain any political interests, but to maintain the hierarchical system belonging to the king.
Cutting off a king's head—this almost shattered the sacred aura surrounding European monarchs, making people realize that kings were not sacred and inviolable.
She was the first king in Europe to lose his head.
It was precisely because of her example that people later dared to cut off the heads of Charles I and Louis XVI.
The Queen of Scots was adamant in her stance, and no amount of persuasion from the Duke of Guise could change his mind. In the end, he could only reluctantly abandon this convenient solution.
“Alright, so what do we do about the rumors about Bloody Mary now?” Duke Gis asked, reclining in his chair.
"Secretly, I'll send a few spies disguised as Protestants to infiltrate their community, guiding them to 'endure humiliation' for the time being, observing their every move, and then quietly reporting back. I'll handle the situation promptly. Publicly, I need to be closer to the Protestants, trying to soothe their emotions in a normal way, doing more charity work for the poor in London, and proclaiming myself a tolerant queen, completely different from the previous Mary I except for the name. This should curb some of the rumors about Bloody Mary," Mary said.
These groups, which are spontaneously organized and driven by public discontent, are both powerful and fragile.
Their strength lies in the fact that if one of them is not handled properly, they could turn into an uncontrollable mob that burns, kills, and loots, and then strike her in the bud at a crucial moment.
Their vulnerability lies in the fact that they are not well-trained and are actually very disorganized, fragmented, and affected.
Mary had no intention of arguing with the Protestants at this time.
It doesn't matter if they want to form a gang, it doesn't matter if they secretly curse her, as long as they restrain themselves from assassination and don't become Elizabeth's dagger to stab themselves at this crucial moment.
Her mind is still mainly on Scotland right now.
Just today, Ireland, having heard of the turmoil in England, seized the opportunity and, at Emma's urging, the Earl of Desmond led 5,000 soldiers by ship to London to formally submit to the Queen of Scotland.
Once she regains Edinburgh, she can focus entirely on her battle with Elizabeth.
...
After the Duke of Guise left Whitehall, Mary dipped her quill in the silky ink and began writing a letter of reconciliation to the Earl of Morrie.
The letter roughly conveyed the following meaning:
James' brother:
Dear brother, I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you. I heard that although you took Edinburgh with Elizabeth's support and gave yourself the title of King of Scotland, the nobles and officials in various places are not convinced by you, so rebellions are breaking out one after another.
Please don't take it personally; I'm not here to mock you, but to make peace with you.
There have been too many misunderstandings between us in the past.
You wanted to possess immense power, and I wanted to reclaim the king's rights. This was the biggest disagreement and conflict between us, which destroyed the bond between us siblings and ultimately led to the worst possible outcome.
In the years since we parted, I have often regretted that after our parents passed away, you are, after all, my last relative in this world. Deep down, I really wish we could live together in harmony.
As for the current situation, you know it.
I could mobilize my army to retake Edinburgh, with the support of the Italian army, the Duchy of Lorraine army, the Irish army, and the Scottish mainland. It would be easy for me to reclaim my throne, but I don't want to go that far, because if I did, I would be a true traitor.
When that time comes, even if I am unwilling to kill you, I will have to behead you for the sake of the Queen's dignity and the dignity of Scotland. This is an ending I do not want to see.
Now, we both have a choice again.
If you hand over Edinburgh, which you have occupied, and abandon those delusions, I can then declare to the whole of Scotland and even the British Isles that "the Earl of Maurice returned to Edinburgh after hearing that the Queen of Scots was far away in Italy, in order to prevent Elizabeth from seizing the throne. Everything he has done in the past six months has been to maintain the rule of the Stuart family and to prevent any treacherous villains from causing trouble in secret!"
With such merits to his name, your previous crimes will naturally be wiped clean, and you will regain your title.
I can bestow upon you the title of Duke of Rosk and grant you a large sum of money, so that you may henceforth possess the honorable titles of "Queen and Brother," and live a comfortable and respected retirement.
I have always kept my word, so there's no need to doubt my credibility in this regard, nor to worry that I will seek revenge later.
If you cannot put aside your doubts, you may remain in Edinburgh and hand over Maitland and my ladies-in-waiting to the troops guarding the border. Then I will send the document of your pardon and your investiture as duke to all parts of Scotland.
Only God knows how much I don't want to fight with you, how much I want to live in peace with you and have a pleasant dinner like before.
The choice of your future is in your hands.
—Your eternal sister, Mary Stuart.
Her years of dedicated governance of Scotland have not been in vain.
The situation in Scotland was far better than Mary had imagined.
Apart from some of the old nobles who lost power and wealth in the land reform, everyone from the common people to the nobles, to the promoted government officials, and even the professors and students of the three universities, was outraged by the Earl of Morrie's usurpation of the throne amid the chaos. Some radicals even gave impassioned speeches in the square, cursing the Earl of Morrie as nothing more than a bastard who had no right to the throne of Scotland. They recognized only one monarch, Mary Stuart.
Thinking of this, Mary, despite her busy schedule, couldn't help but smile.
Despite occupying Edinburgh and Holyrood Palace and proclaiming himself King of Scotland amidst resistance from various regions, the Earl of Maurice only controlled this one city and palace. He received no support from the surrounding areas, let alone the deployment of officials and command of troops.
There were also reports that even the people of Edinburgh and many servants in the palace were dissatisfied with this so-called King of Scotland, who was actually an illegitimate earl, and were shirking his various orders and assignments.
This situation, which was completely unexpected by Earl Morley, undoubtedly put him under tremendous pressure, making him increasingly irritable. He cursed all day long and would hang a few unfortunate people every now and then.
Beside the Queen of Scots, Seton, who was doing needlework and embroidering a beautiful tapestry with two-tone gold thread, also noticed the letter and, with the Queen's permission, read it over.
After reading it, Seton said anxiously, "Excuse my bluntness, Your Majesty, are you still going to forgive that despicable man and have feelings for him? Don't forget that Fleming, Livingston and the others were tortured at his hands?"
“No, there is no affection between us anymore,” the Queen of Scots said calmly.
Even if there were feelings involved, they would only amount to hatred.
Seton thought for a moment, then seemed to understand something, and reluctantly said, "So you're planning to forgive him now out of necessity, and then cut off this sinner's head later?"
“Seton, I am the Queen. Any promises made in public must be kept, or I will lose all my authority,” the Queen of Scots said helplessly.
If she were to truly elevate Count Morrie to the title of Duke of Roscoe and forgive all his crimes, then she would never be able to deal with him openly again.
What Mary didn't say was that while she couldn't do it openly, she was happy to assassinate him in secret—a few belladonna pods, a rusty nail, a horse that suddenly went mad… Years later, when the turmoil subsided, these things could all help her get rid of Count Morrie.
"Then why...why do you want to..." Seton couldn't finish his sentence.
She was unwilling to accept this, yet also unwilling to defy the Queen's wishes.
In Seton's heart, the Earl of Morrie was absolutely her greatest enemy. Her hatred for him far exceeded that for Queen Elizabeth and anything else. She wished the Earl of Morrie would fall into hell the next second.
The thought that this person had done so many evil deeds and would still become a duke without any harm, enjoying wealth and luxury for the rest of his life made Seton feel as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.
Noticing Seton's anxious and aggrieved expression, the Queen of Scots smiled helplessly, then sighed, picked up a piece of intelligence from her desk, and explained a few words.
“Look closely, he’s already started hanging innocent civilians… If we don’t give him even the slightest hope, he might think about taking everyone down with him. At that point, the Flemings and Livingstons will probably be in the guillotine, not the underground prison,” Mary said.
In Mary's heart, saving the living was more important than saving the dead.
She had no intention of continuing to fight Earl Morley in a real battle, even though she was absolutely certain of winning given the favorable situation.
Seton was successfully persuaded.
The pristine white letter was missing one final step. Mary picked up the Queen's personal seal, dipped it in ink, and stamped it, leaving the red mark of authority on the lower right corner.
Immediately afterwards, the Queen of Scots rang a bell to summon her servants and ordered them to send the letter to Edinburgh by fast horse.
Unexpectedly, Albert arrived before the servants. He rushed into the palace to see the Queen of Scots, still slightly out of breath from running all the way, all to report something extremely important.
"Your Majesty, Scotland has returned to your rule. The Earl of Morrie—that presumptuous false king—has returned to heaven. Under the leadership of the Maitland couple, the people of Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh have mustered their courage and overthrown his rule, causing him to ride off a cliff in a panic and lose his life," Albert said.
"..."
Mary blinked.
Unlike Seton, who was overjoyed, the Queen of Scots fell into a rare silence at this unexpected stroke of good fortune, because she thought she had misheard.
“Just now, your two most loyal servants rode to London, but they are too tired to see you immediately… They need half an hour to have a proper meal before they come to report on the situation in Scotland,” Albert continued.
The blond youth tried hard to keep a serious expression and control the corners of his mouth from turning up too obviously.
Just then, a servant, awakened by the ringing of the bell, knocked on the door and came in to ask what Her Majesty's orders were.
"...It's alright, you may go now," said the Queen of Scots.
The servant blinked in confusion, then left as the queen had instructed.
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