kingdom of nations

Chapter 165 The Isaacs' New Year (2)

“Beware of these Isaacs. The Messiah sold them for only thirty pieces of silver. They are completely indifferent to any ideals, morals, or laws for their own selfish desires, and will even use slander and defamation of others to cover up their own crimes.”

I cannot say that there is not a single trustworthy person among them, but whether in Arazarath or Bethlehem, there are plenty of Christians willing to serve you; you don't need to worry about them at all.

After Bishop Andrei finished speaking solemnly, he then realized that he was only facing a boy of about ten years old. Boys are vain and weak-willed, and they are indeed easily deceived by the weakness and pain that the Isaacs pretended to have.

For some time now, the Isaacs in Bethlehem have been talking about how the Saracens forcibly took 100,000 gold coins from them because they wanted to ransom their master.

This figure would startle anyone who heard it; it could practically fabricate a king. But Bishop Andrei knew immediately that it was highly inflated. He knew far too much about the tricks the Isaacs played with currency exchange, after all, they also paid taxes to him in Bethlehem.

In the first few years after he arrived in Bethlehem, aside from hoarding, smuggling, lending and plundering, he had to hang many Isaacs to stop the rampant spread of counterfeit, minted, and impure coins.

They realized that Bishop Andre was not the kind of incompetent and mediocre person they had seen before, and thus reluctantly gave up.

Then the Isaacs' bribes arrived at his doorstep: money, treasures, and women. What he found most ridiculous was that the Isaacs' bribes were completely different from those of other merchants.

Other merchants offer goods or money to lords or officials in order to plead with them to treat them with kindness and tolerance. At most, they hope that the lords will not be too greedy and will reduce taxes, or at least not increase them arbitrarily, and that the lords will not ruin them for these jingling trinkets.

It should be noted that at this time, nobles often confiscate merchants' goods under various pretexts, such as land tax—whether it was mules or wheelbarrows, once the goods landed on the ground, they belonged to the local lord.

Or, when they wanted something but had no money, they would detain passing merchants and extort them under the pretext of damaging the lord's property—a charge that was easy to establish, since forests, lakes, and even bridges were considered the lord's property.

Generally speaking, as long as the merchants aren't too foolish and the lords aren't too demanding, both sides can maintain a polite and respectful relationship—although the merchants can basically only deal with the lord's stewards or guards.

Another reason is that merchants would receive large gifts when they wanted a lord to grant them certain privileges—such as exclusive sales of a particular wine, olive oil, or other essential goods—in order to monopolize the business and thus earn more profits.

But the Isaacs were different.

They have a very strange idea: if you accept their money or gifts, then in a sense you become one of them, someone who is nominally still a Christian but in reality has become an Isaac.

They bribe you to put you on the same side as them, but unlike the groveling of other businessmen, they seem to naturally feel that they can now stand shoulder to shoulder with you as equals.

This may be a delusion left to them by the ancient Egyptians and Romans.

In any case, while these two ancient empires still stood here, some Isaacs did indeed become their officials and governors, and turned to exploit and oppress the common people in the empires.

Unfortunately, they do not have such convenience in the Christian world.

The repeated probing was indeed both laughable and disgusting.

“I heard that you are very fond of an Isaac craftsman. I have also seen his work, and it is indeed exquisite. But you must be careful not to let him become your servant, and even more so, do not let him get close to you or stay by your side. You must show your disgust, not only to him but also to others.”

I've heard that many Isaacs frequently go to talk to him. You didn't make him any promises, did you?

"No."

Bishop Andrei nodded slightly, and then he said, “This is a word of advice from an elder. If you are willing to listen, then I would say that in your first year here, you might as well be strict with them. Those guys will only submit to power, violence and humiliation, but they will not be grateful for your leniency.”

You are a kind person, but kindness should be used with purpose.

Perhaps feeling that his statement was a bit too harsh, Bishop Andrei then added in a more tactful and gentle manner that he, along with the thirty Knights of the Holy Sepulchre who remained in Bethlehem, could request their assistance at any time if necessary.

He even joked that he repaired the wooden frame outside Bethlehem's wall every year, and that it was neither rotten nor collapsed, ensuring that a group of people and dogs could be hung on it anytime, anywhere.

Cesar could only thank him for his kindness.

He still couldn't get used to the overly intense way people expressed their emotions at this time; there wasn't much gray among them, only black and white.

What later generations consider unimportant is, at this time, one of the important conditions for determining whether a person is alive or dead.

There is a concern about the hypocrisy, cunning, and fickleness of the Isaacs. Baldwin warned him, Froe warned him, Saladin warned him, and now Bishop Andrei says so. If he were not a soul from elsewhere, but a child who had been here since infancy, he might have been swayed by them long ago.

No, it shouldn't be said that he was persuaded, but rather that he may have already had this deeply ingrained stereotype and didn't need anyone to remind him.

After Bishop Andrei left, he sat at the table, crossed his index fingers, and pondered for a long time whether he should follow people's current view of the Isaacs and treat them with a rude and cold attitude.
He couldn't be sure, but things should be viewed objectively before a judgment was made. "Tomorrow I shall have the Isaacs—the wise men of Bethlehem—come to me. If he asks why, I shall tell him that I want to know how the Isaacs intend to spend their New Year."

Longinus listened and withdrew. But a few minutes later, he knocked on Cesare's door again, and Cesare saw Bishop Andrea return, followed by a group of men wearing cloaks and with their hoods pulled up.

Bishop Andrei also held up a candle for the person walking at the front.

“Baldwin!” Cesar shouted.

After all, given Bishop Andre's status, there were only a handful of people who could command his obedience. Since neither the Pope of Rome nor the Patriarch of Allassae could visit him at this time, it could only be the King of Allassae.

The newcomer lifted his hood, revealing a smug face.

After this terrifying turn of events, Baldwin IV surprisingly did not insist on keeping Cesar at Holy Cross Castle on Arrassa Road, but allowed him to return to Bethlehem to recuperate after the funeral of Josephine III and his wife, which surprised those who knew them.

They assumed that even if Baldwin could restrain himself from going to Damascus to redeem his friend, he should at least warmly welcome him on Arrassa Road and arrange for him to stay in the room next to his own.

But in just a few months, Baldwin seemed to have emerged from the predicament of being eager to grasp at something after losing his father and king. Rather than keeping Cesar by his side despite his health, he preferred to let him recuperate peacefully in Bethlehem.

Regardless, Bethlehem was Cesare's territory, and in Bethlehem, the king was not the master; Cesare was. Moreover, he vaguely sensed that his subjects were more wary of Cesare than trusting him; his trust and affection for Cesare did not extend to them. Even though the deaths of Joseph III and his wife had been proven unrelated to Cesare, and he bore no responsibility—though some in Arathi Basin still questioned it from time to time—the couple's deaths seemed far too coincidental.

Of course, for César, the best way to know about his lineage would be for Josephine III to personally come forward and acknowledge him as his only son and sole heir—but the current Josephine III is unlikely to stand up and speak, so figures like Heraclius, Baldwin, and those who care for César can only find another way.

The remains of Josephine III and his wife were returned to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where, like Amalric I, they will rest alongside God's beloved Son. Moreover, like Amalric I, they could be said to have died as martyrs, and Josephine III's actions did not disgrace his name or bloodline in any way.

He was essentially raised in a pagan castle, but he did not convert, nor did he blaspheme icons or crosses. Even his wife was a Christian, and he never abandoned his faith and convictions—resisting to the fullest extent possible.

More importantly, he was dead, so there was no way he could add any more stains to his resume. His "canonization proposal" was submitted almost along with that of Amalric I.

Of course, this would also require a great deal of favors and money. But in fact, Josephine III is arguably more likely to succeed Amalric I.

In any case, if Amalric I is identified as "Saint Amalric," then it would be a matter of course for his descendants to continue to possess Arazare, and the Roman Catholic Church would probably find it difficult to intervene again.

But on Arrasa Road, a massive campaign and publicity effort had already begun. For a year, priests would continuously celebrate Mass for them, monks would pray day and night in shifts, and pilgrims would receive a silver coin for lighting a candle for them.

At their funeral, in addition to their children Natia and Cesar, King Baldwin IV also attended. His appearance was always accompanied by his entire court, with all the dignitaries of Arrassal following behind him, dressed in black mourning clothes and with sorrowful faces, immediately silencing some malicious rumors.

They say Baldwin didn't even let Cesar set foot in Holyroodburg because he was already tired of him and the close advisor would soon become a discarded pawn.

To their disappointment, the young king treated Joseph III's funeral with the respect due to a nephew. No one would assume he did this for the sake of the complete stranger Joseph III; it could only be for the sake of Cesare.

They had sworn to be brothers and friends to each other.

Therefore, Cesar's hasty return to Bethlehem after the funeral did not attract any gossip. But Baldwin was not the kind of person who would behave himself.
After rewarding and appeasing the ninety knights who had followed César to Apollo and escorted him back from Damascus, he stayed at the Castle of Sainte-Croix for only one day. That very night, he disguised himself as an ordinary knight and, with only two squires, hurriedly went to Bethlehem.

Not to mention how surprised Bishop Andrei was when he saw the King after leaving César's mansion, even César's sister Natia was shocked and clutched her chest.

Back in Apollo's time, she had heard that King Arazarus's only heir was a leper, and that he had a black-haired, blue-eyed attendant by his side, and that they were like brothers.

The Saracens, however, said contemptuously that this servant was originally just a slave, and that it was only because Baldwin had contracted leprosy that his servants and attendants fled in panic, forcing his father to send such a man to him.

At that time, Natia had a sliver of hope, after all, her younger brother was also handsome, with black hair and blue eyes, but even she herself felt that the possibility was slim.

Although she prayed to be reunited with her brother, she also knew that compared to her, a woman, her brother, as a man and an heir, was in the most dangerous situation. If the mastermind behind the scenes really wanted to eliminate all threats, how could he possibly let Cesar go?

He did not order his soldiers to kill them outright. Perhaps it was because he had made some kind of oath, and that oath prevented him from acting so bluntly.

But how easy it is to kill a nine-year-old child.

She also remembered what kind of child her younger brother was. Although he was handsome, like an angel, his temperament was no different from that of an ordinary boy. They had always been wandering and had no peace of mind. Although they did not have to work and were well taken care of compared to the sons of ordinary craftsmen or farmers, they did not make much progress in terms of human relationships and knowledge.

When Natia first arrived at the Sultan's harem, she was nearly driven to death by the harsh living conditions and heavy workload. How could her brother possibly condescend to do such menial tasks? Even if he were forced to do them, how could he possibly win the favor of Baldwin and the others?

When she arrived at the Castle of Sainte-Croix and saw the attendant standing beside the young king, she recognized him at a glance.

Unlike other boys who were delicate and adorable as children but became rude and unpleasant as they grew up, her younger brother remained the same, with emerald-green eyes, jet-black hair, and fair skin. If there was any change, it was that he was now much gentler and more approachable than when he was younger.

Even though he mistakenly thought Natia was an assassin, he did not act rudely, even though he was indeed as hard and cold as a shield.

She saw Baldwin even jump right onto his brother, and she was pleased to see how close and intimate their relationship was—but she was still startled that the young king was so happy, as if he had inherited another kingdom.

In the following days, Queen Mother Maria kept her by her side—not allowing her to have much contact with Cesare, and Natia could guess some of the reasons why the Queen Mother did this.

She was, after all, a woman in Sultan Nur ad-Din's harem. Even if she had proven her identity, it was hard to say whether she had converted or even betrayed him.
Queen Mary sent an older maid to live with her. From this maid, she listened with great eagerness to hear what had happened to Cesare after he arrived in Arrassa: how he won Baldwin's favor, how he underwent such a long and arduous asceticism, how he subdued those unruly youths in the contests, and how he and Baldwin saved the Queen Mother, who was then a Byzantine princess, at the entry ceremony. They were all promoted to squires ahead of time, attended classes together, received training together, played games together, and attended banquets together.

They once lived intimately in the same room, and even lay together wrapped in bearskins in front of the king's bedroom. They accompanied the king on his expedition to Egypt, and were knighted by Amalric I on the battlefield. Their bravery and teamwork on the battlefield earned them the respect and envy of many—not only for their achievements but also for their friendship.

She heard all of this and kept it in mind, but she never imagined that a ruler like Baldwin IV would be able to disguise himself and secretly visit César at his residence.

Cesar was also somewhat surprised. He had only been back in Bethlehem for a day and a night. In fact, he could still vividly remember the sweet taste of the honey water he had shared with Baldwin the night before. Before he could even think of Baldwin, Baldwin appeared before him.

"What's wrong?" Baldwin opened his arms. "Come and welcome me."

Cesar could only laugh and cry as he stepped forward and embraced Baldwin tightly. "Did Heraclius, the Queen Mother, and Earl Raymond all know you came here?"

“Of course I don’t know. But they can’t worry about me for now,” Baldwin said. Then, like Natia, he pushed Cesar back onto the couch, removed his cloak and coat, and sat down with Cesar in only a loose shirt.

“I’ll have a talk with you,” he said, “and then you have them prepare a room for me next door,” he calmly instructed, “I’ll stay here for a few days.”

"and many more……"

“There’s nothing to wait for, Cesar. Don’t worry, they won’t be in a rush to get me back. As for Raymond and Bohemond… and perhaps some others, they might want me to stay in Bethlehem, at least for the time being.”

Cesar's expression turned slightly cold as he grasped Baldwin's hand.

"What happened?"

"Hibil is pregnant."

(End of this chapter)