kingdom of nations

Chapter 134 The Words of Queen Mother Maria
As a Byzantine princess rather than an Arathi prince, Maria didn't have much contact with men while she was in Constantinople, and most of them were her brothers, uncles, or blood relatives such as her father and grandfather. But to say that she was completely ignorant of male psychology would be a big mistake.

In Byzantium, primogeniture was the system of succession. However, after the eldest son, the emperor's brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, daughters, and grandsons also had inheritance rights, leading to constant intrigue and undercurrents within the Byzantine court. Elsewhere, women might have been servants, slaves, or livestock to men, viewed as unintelligent beasts or children. But in Byzantium, women were also equally powerful adversaries to men.

Just like Mary was nearly killed by a grieving mother bear during her entry into the city—her enemies showed no mercy just because she was a woman.

The reason why the passersby in Arrasa used the proverbs of the saint to mock and warn her was for this very reason.

Since she chose Baldwin, she would naturally pay extra attention to his close friend.

In the Byzantine court, same-sex relationships were not uncommon, and the restrictions were not as strict as those of Allassaro. Even if discovered, only "minor repentance" (a form of repentance) was required.

She had recalled whether their relationship was too intimate, but unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, both of them were actually the kind of people who were emotionally detached and had shallow desires—Baldwin perhaps because of his chronic illness, and Cesar perhaps because of his background—when his identity was unknown, indulging his desires too easily would only bring disaster upon himself.

Leaving aside noble ladies like Damara, the maids and servants in the castle might also be the private property of some nobleman—besides, he didn't have any elders who could take him to brothels.

His close connection with Baldwin was likely due to the fact that although they were of different social statuses, their circumstances were surprisingly similar. Also, their mothers and fathers came from the same womb, like a flock of lambs raised by the same ewe—even if they did not know each other, they would still huddle together by some unseen guidance.

For Maria, this profound emotion, a blend of friendship, gratitude, and familial love, was far more difficult to deal with than romantic love, or more directly, desire. Romantic love is possessive; a little provocation can turn a couple into bitter enemies. Desire, needless to say, is like the first cup of water when thirsty or the first bite of bread when hungry—once satisfied, it becomes tasteless.

Baldwin and Cesar were like two exceptionally weak saplings, one scarred by swords and the other teetering on the brink of collapse due to a serious illness. They unexpectedly stood together, their roots intertwined and branches entwined to withstand hurricanes, torrential rains, and scorching sun.

Amalric I's concerns were not unfounded. As Maria observed, Baldwin should have been the superior between Baldwin and Cesar, but Cesar never seemed to back down. He was not a greedy man. The problem was that in maintaining his independence, it was destined that the one who had to step down could only be Baldwin.

Baldwin seemed to sense it too; he was vying with Cesar for control, and the advantage seemed to be on his side.

He had just become king when he achieved an unprecedented victory. This victory was enough to make every Crusader knight willingly follow him, watching the white banners with yellow Aalazar crosses fly across the battlefield. The people sang his praises of his achievements, his bravery, and his justice, considering him a paladin like the first Godfrey. It could be said that even the stain of leprosy on him became a sunspot in the sun, not only unable to obscure its brilliance but even making its color more vivid and intense.

Maria had seen this kind of willful and reckless behavior many times before, both in history books and in real life. Frankly speaking, Baldwin had already shown considerable restraint by going to such lengths. It's also possible that Cesar was the only person he truly respected.

If someone were to say that the king's favor was insignificant or even troublesome, others would surely condemn him as ungrateful and treacherous. But Queen Mary, who had witnessed countless high-ranking officials fall from grace, knew all too well that this situation could not continue.

The scorching sun can make a tree's branches and leaves flourish, but it can also make it wither and die.

Heraclius first reminded Cesare to inspect his territory, and then sent Cesare as an envoy to Apollo, perhaps for this very reason. But analyzing these advantages and disadvantages with a young and promising monarch would probably be of little use—he certainly believed that as long as he remained the king of Arazarus, Cesare would be able to secure his position of wealth and power, unshakeable by anyone.

Finally, Queen Mother Maria thought for a moment and decided to approach the question from another angle: "So, what are your plans after that?"

Baldwin was prepared to be persuaded by her. But he hadn't expected the Queen Mother's first question to be this—what were her plans? What else could she possibly have?

The things that had troubled and constrained them were gone. Even though Raymond was still his regent, and there were some old ministers led by Bohemond, he could regain all his power and become a true king when he turned sixteen next February.

The biggest problem that had been plaguing Cesar has now disappeared. He is no longer a slave of unknown birth, but the only son of the Count of Edessa. They may still fight the Saracens, or force some cities to submit to them, or they may even try to get Edessa back for Cesar.

Cesar was right. He certainly did not intend to spend his entire life confined to the city of Arazarus—even if his life was not long, perhaps a few years later he would launch a third expedition to Egypt, or, depending on the circumstances, send troops to Damascus or other cities in Syria, further bringing the glory and splendor of God to the deeper parts of this sacred land.

César, of course César will always be by his side.

He was his friend and his brother. They fought side by side on the battlefield and shared glory and disgrace in the court. He might have a wife, or he might not, but that didn't stop him from finding a more suitable woman for César.

He had quietly raised the bar for César's wife's qualifications.

Baldwin glanced at his stepmother. Princess Maria of Byzantium had earned everyone's respect entirely through her own abilities and shrewdness. If that noblewoman could be on par with her in this respect, and also had a title and land—no, no, he thought to himself, she still had to be prettier, not to mention that she wouldn't be overshadowed standing next to Cesar—at least she shouldn't attract ridicule.

Queen Mary, seeing Baldwin's expression, guessed that he hadn't even considered the important matter she had put in her memo long ago—perhaps from a man's and a king's perspective, he could hardly imagine that once Josephine III returned to Arrassal, it would immediately trigger a series of related reactions, and the impact of these reactions... Cesar would be the first to bear the brunt.

Of course, she was not saying that Josephine III and his wife would deny Natia and Cesar's identities. They might not remember what the child looked like, but they would certainly remember the Archbishop of Edessa's discovery and the evidence they left on the birth certificate.

After news of the "handprints" spread, people both inside and outside the castle tried to prove or deny the discovery—using their own servants and relatives, or directly pilgrims or residents of the holy city for verification. While it's uncertain whether these lines would change as the infants grew, one thing is certain: each person's palm and footprints are unique, as if branded by God. To date, they have not found even a single pair of identical lines.

It is said that Patriarch Heraclius has already begun writing a paper to widely publicize this as a holy discovery made by the Archbishop of Edessa, and perhaps in the future the archbishop himself will become a saint.

However, it's also difficult to say whether Chirac's move was to prevent anyone from questioning the evidence again...

“I think you should understand by now that the world is not what you think it is,” Maria said in a very gentle voice, but with a rather cruel tone: “You should know—I mean, there are fathers who don’t love their children.”

Baldwin was a lucky child, the only son of Amalric I, which meant he encountered almost no significant rivals during his upbringing. And even after Baldwin inexplicably contracted leprosy, Amalric I never wavered—was it out of a father's love for his child? If you're willing to interpret it that way, yes, but it's also possible that the enraged king was using his own son as a pawn in a game against his adversaries.

But Baldwin is unable to see this now. He has become king but not yet a father. His love and hate are equally pure, and he does not know what a father means to a child.

Cesar's previously unknown identity was both a bad thing and a good thing. It meant that, apart from Baldwin, almost no one could restrain him. But if Josephine III returned to Arathor Road, even just to appease his mother, he would surely be able to obtain a prominent position by Baldwin's side.

You might ask if there have ever been instances of fathers and sons serving in the same court, and yes, there have been, but for both to hold equally high positions of power is impossible. Even if Baldwin were willing, no one else would allow him to do so.

Seeing Baldwin unconsciously frown, she smiled and continued, "And then there's the property worth two hundred thousand gold coins."

The Saracens were willing to return Josephine III without paying a single gold coin in ransom because Cesar had performed the 'purification' for Sultan Nur ad-Din on their behalf—an act that should have been done by the deceased's blood relatives. Even the Saracens were obliged to accept his goodwill, even if he did not seek any reward when he did it.

But do you think that when Joseph III returns, he will be willing to return the 200,000 gold coins to Cesare for his own use, out of gratitude for this favor?

Baldwin pursed his lips. He knew very well that it wouldn't happen. Even his father, Amalric I, would have hesitated. What did two hundred thousand gold coins mean? It was roughly equivalent to a country's annual tribute and taxes, enough to support two hundred knights, wage a war, or repair a long-neglected castle. Only after he became king did he realize that governing a country, managing his vassals, and ruling his people—everything required money.

Sometimes he would complain to César that he felt like a paperhanger, patching up whatever was missing or leaking.

Baldwin could return the two hundred thousand gold coins to Cesar without hesitation, and Cesar could also fill the treasury of Arrassa without the slightest hesitation. Would Josephine III do the same? You must know that Josephine II spent his entire life trying to reclaim Edessa. Josephine III is unlikely to be the exception. Moreover, even a landless knight is ridiculed, let alone a landless earl.

"Do not test human nature," Queen Mary said softly. "Even God's original creations could not withstand the temptation and deception of the serpent. Having eaten the fruit of knowledge, we are their offspring, and our hearts will only become more fragile."

We know nothing about Josephine III. He could be another César, or he could be a madman, or he could just be an ordinary man—and you know what an ordinary man is like when faced with sudden power and money—more importantly, he is César's father, and anyone can tell how deep your relationship with César is just by looking at him or listening to him.

He might try to extort things from you through Cesar. And if you refuse, have you ever seen how fathers treat their sons?

You don't need to go too far, child. Just look at your companions around you: David, Abigail... Raymond never allowed David to have his own thoughts and actions, and Abigail was even worse. Even though he was married, his father would still slap him and whip him frequently. The only consolation was that his father was finally willing to beat him behind closed doors.

But even more vicious than the whips and slaps were his words; they were like the sharpest knives, turning him into a timid, subservient monster. Can you imagine Cesar becoming like that?

"I am the king!"

"Yes, you are the king, and the power of the monarch is greater than that of the father. Just as Louis VII could instigate his vassal, the Duke of Aquitaine, to attack his father, Henry II, in the name of his lord, but could you do that?"
Can Cesar do that?

Even if Josephine III was an incredibly wicked man, he couldn't have done that. Was he the only Christian saved by Amalric I? Didn't you have servants and attendants before you contracted leprosy? Why weren't they willing to stay by your side like Cesare did? Whether you were a king or a monk.
He was tightly bound by his own morality, something you should know better than we do.

Our ancestors destroyed Rome and also inherited it. The father was the patriarch—everyone in the family was his slave. Slaves had no private property and could even be bought and sold at will—although he wouldn't go that far, do you think he would interfere with Cesare's rule over Bethlehem?

He might see Bethlehem as a storehouse, constantly drawing resources from it to support his army and ministers, hoping to one day reclaim Edessa. But as you know, Edessa has already fallen, and the city now belongs to Sultan Nur ad-Din. If he wants to reclaim Edessa, it would be like starting a new country. Can you imagine how much effort, time, and money that would take?

Moreover, compared to a subject's loyalty to his king—a son's loyalty to his father is always predetermined. If Cesar had that innate affection for his father, while the father did not, it would be…a truly terrible situation.”

Baldwin's cheeks, which had previously been rosy from wine and fine food, slowly turned ashen.

(End of this chapter)