Chapter 1247: The Clash of Civilizations

France, the Château de Saint-Germain.

Louis XIV, King of France, sat in a slightly shabby bedroom dressed in magnificent silk nightclothes, holding a cup of Mancini milk tea with a look of complete contentment. Hortense Mancini, only twenty years old and in the full bloom of youth and beauty, lounged lazily against the soft, large bed, covered only by a silk sheet as thin as a cicada's wing — truly graceful in every curve, indescribably lovely.

"Queen of America," King Louis said with a smile, "I am truly reluctant to let you go to that barren land across the ocean."

Hortense Mancini pouted. "Then will you find me a crown here in the Old World?"

King Louis shrugged. "My dear, you know how the monarchs of this continent choose their spouses."

Hortense snorted. "That is very backward! Your Majesty, do you know? The Emperor of China is now preparing to choose consorts for his sons by examination. Now that is a progressive method!"

King Louis looked at the beautiful and highly intelligent Hortense and nodded gently. "That is indeed a progressive method! Once I dominate Europe, I shall do the same!"

Indeed, if there had been consort examinations earlier, how could Mazarin's nieces possibly have failed to outdo those fools of the House of Habsburg?

Louis XIV's height was not quite adequate, but his intelligence was very high. Back when he was courting Marie Mancini, he had learned Italian in a very short time. Yet his wife Maria Theresa had spent six years without managing to learn French properly. Moreover, she had no interest whatsoever in literature, art, or the natural sciences; she cared only for cards and gambling... Louis XIV dared not imagine what would become of France if he were to die young and leave the regency to Maria Theresa!

"Your Majesty," Hortense Mancini said, gazing at Louis XIV with tender affection, "once I am in America, I shall pray to God every day for you and for France!"

Louis XIV looked at Hortense Mancini and smiled. "My dear Queen of America, I need not only your prayers but also your help. Without you... I have no way to dominate Europe in a relatively short time!"

"Me? What can I do to help you?"

Louis XIV smiled. "You can do me a great favor... You can propose to Charles II that the wedding be held in Italy. My cousin Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoy, will place his royal palace in Turin at your and Charles II's disposal, and I shall bear all the expenses of the wedding. I guarantee it will be a wedding of the century that all Europe will envy!"

Hortense Mancini looked at the King of France. "Your Majesty, I do not understand your meaning... You say this is me helping you?"

"Exactly!" said Louis XIV. "You need not know why — you need only enjoy it thoroughly!"

Hortense Mancini gave a charming smile. "Very well then, I shall speak with Charles about it. I do not think he will object to such a fine thing!"

Charles II certainly could not object to holding the wedding in the Duke of Savoy's palace... It was not merely a wedding but a highly conspicuous diplomatic event, and an opportunity to meet with the bankers of Genoa and Venice to discuss investment in the development of the Kingdom of America.

And with the King of France paying for such a lavish wedding out of his own pocket, could there be any finer thing in the world?

"Marry Hortense Mancini? And hold the wedding in Turin?" When Johan de Witt heard the news, he felt something was off. "What is Louis XIV up to?"

Cornelis de Witt laughed. "Need you ask? He obviously wants to use a woman to keep the King of America on a leash."

"Is that so?" Johan de Witt remained somewhat doubtful.

"Perhaps," Cornelis de Witt said after a moment's thought, "perhaps he also wants to use the occasion to display his generosity and power to the Italians... I hear that the Pope and the cardinals, the leaders of Genoa and Venice, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Duke of Parma, and others have all accepted invitations and will attend the wedding."

"Will Louis XIV also go to Turin?" Johan de Witt asked.

"Of course!" said Cornelis de Witt. "Louis XIV is spending so much money — it cannot be only for the sake of Charles II and Hortense Mancini. He must have a larger scheme, and winning over the Italians in order to replace Spain's dominance in Italy is surely another of his aims.

It is said he also wants to ask the Pope to mediate, so as to obtain part of the Spanish Netherlands peacefully. If Spain is willing to cede Franche-Comté and Lorraine, war can be avoided."

"Is that so?" Johan de Witt thought for a moment. "Will Mariana agree?"

"She will probably agree to cede Franche-Comté," said Cornelis de Witt, "but she will not agree to hand Lorraine over to the French."

Franche-Comté lay between France, Switzerland, and Lorraine. Its border with France was too long to defend, while its border with Lorraine was too short; unless it obtained Swiss support, it could not be held at all. But how could Switzerland possibly support Spain?

Johan de Witt shook his head. "Giving up a piece of land that is bound to be lost will not buy peace..."

"But it can delay the war," Cornelis de Witt said with a smile. "That is to our advantage! Because the later the war breaks out, the more secure young Cromwell's power in England becomes, and the greater the likelihood that he will intervene."

Johan de Witt nodded. "That is true... Cornelis, make another trip to London and talk things over properly with the English. Try to persuade them to send troops. After all, Charles II has now left the Spanish Netherlands."

Charles II had indeed left the Spanish Netherlands, but he had not yet left Europe — he had gone to Italy, the center of Catholicism!

The cautious young Cromwell was not pleased by this. At Hampton Court Palace in London, young Cromwell still refused to relent — in truth, he had no intention of sending troops at all, and Charles II was merely his excuse.

After rejecting the Dutch request for an early deployment of troops, young Cromwell declared righteously: "The traitor has not left Europe! He has gone to Italy, where he can conspire with the enemies of the Republic... If Spain expects England's help, then Mariana ought to prove that she is England's friend and not its enemy.

Given Spain's past misdeeds, not a single soldier of the Republic will fight for the Spanish Netherlands until Charles II and his followers have left the European continent!"

When Cornelis de Witt, having been snubbed in England, hurried back to The Hague, he heard a comforting piece of good news: King Louis XIV of France and the Prince de Condé, France's most formidable general, had together left Saint-Germain and set out for Turin to attend the wedding of Charles II and Hortense Mancini.

"At least until the two of them return from Italy, war will not break out," Johan de Witt said to his elder brother. "I think we still have a month for mediation and preparation."

Cornelis de Witt still looked deeply worried. "A month will not change anything... The likelihood of young Cromwell sending troops is extremely low! Spain is, after all, a detestable country that adheres to the Roman Catholic faith. Most English Puritans would be glad to see Spain suffer misfortune, and young Cromwell is just like them.

Johan, I think we should begin mobilizing the army! Once France launches its attack, the Spanish Netherlands will fall completely within a few months!"

Johan de Witt nodded. "I know. I will find a way, but it will take time! Our country is a federal republic, not an absolute monarchy. Short of the most critical moment, I will find it very difficult to persuade the seven provincial assemblies to support expanding the army!

Fortunately, however, we still have a little time.

Also, I have already sent an envoy to Austria... Perhaps we will have to provide Leopold with a huge loan, but in the end there will be an army to help us."