kingdom of nations

Chapter 173 Bloodletting Needle?
“Eat and drink more, I brought lots of good things. Although the New Year is over, children shouldn’t be restricted. Look how thin you’ve both become, you really should eat something good to nourish your bodies.” Witt’s mother encouraged them as she pretended to pat the two apprentices’ wrists.

In fact, the two children were not mistreated much by Harry. Although they were not as free as they were at home, they were much better fed and clothed.

But an older woman so gently and kindly urged them to eat more, and the two naive children immediately fell for her charm. With tears in their eyes, they looked at her expectantly, and she did not disappoint them, taking out more food from her basket and pouring them some wine.

"This was a gift from someone. I'm afraid it will turn sour if I leave it for too long. You all should drink it for me." As she said this, disbelief immediately shone in the eyes of the older apprentices. They had never drunk alcohol at home, firstly because they were not old enough, and secondly because alcohol was an expensive expense for their families.

Needless to say, this was even more true for Haredi. The most important skills for a craftsman are eyesight and hands. Although people at that time didn't fully understand the harmful effects of alcohol, it was an undeniable fact that excessive drinking would impair vision and cause trembling hands. Haredi would drink some light wine and ale, but his two apprentices were strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol, since fresh water was plentiful in Bethlehem.

Witt's mother sat down opposite them, a smile plastered on her face, speaking sweet words, but her heart was filled with malice. If she hadn't come to gather information today, and hadn't wanted to alert Harry and the others, she might have put some poison in the food and wine.

These two little brats were fat and stupid, with ugly faces and greedy tongues, and were no match for her clever, healthy, beautiful, and blessed son. Yet her son Witt died, while they were still alive and kicking.

Thinking about it this way, she felt that the world was really unfair, and she really wanted to poison them, to see their parents fall into endless despair like herself, suffering immense pain and unable to escape.

But there's no rush, she told herself, there's always something she can do in the future.

Given the trust these two bastards have in her, they would happily swallow poison even if she simply pulled it out and stuffed it into their mouths.

The two children had no idea that someone would harbor such malice towards them, whom they had never wronged. They enjoyed the things that Witt's mother had brought.

Witt's mother casually struck up a conversation with them, asking if they were comfortable and happy in the workshop, whether their master was strict with them, whether he often beat them, whether they were well-fed and clothed, and whether they had started learning how to make things or were still working as assistants.

Like any child who has been disciplined strictly, her words prompted the two apprentices to start talking involuntarily. Even though Haredi had been good to them, they still had to complain.

Haredi values ​​both character and talent, as well as the patience and sense of responsibility that a craftsman must possess. These two qualities are not innate but are cultivated.

The homework he made his two children do most often was the most basic stuff: cutting, grinding, hammering, dewaxing, molding, and so on...

Of course, it would be tedious and boring to have an eleven or twelve-year-old boy do this.

But Haredi would never let them move on to the next stage until they had fully completed the previous phase of their studies—which was already quite lenient, considering that some wicked master craftsmen would make their apprentices work as servants for ten years or more.

"I've heard from others that your master has fingers that look like they've been kissed by angels, and every piece of jewelry, reliquary, cup, or plate he makes can fetch a very high price."

Have you seen any of his works?

Both children nodded.

Before this, they had never imagined that such exquisite things could be made by an ordinary person. To be honest, they would never have been willing to use these things; they would only wrap them in the finest velvet and place them by their pillows, looking at them day and night to feel at ease.

“I really would like to take a look,” Witt’s mother asked tentatively.

Unfortunately, before the New Year, their master had already handed over all the work entrusted to him by others. His latest job was given to him by the local lord, the Knight of Bethlehem, and it was a very time-consuming task, for which Haredi had even refused the commission from the New Sage.

"It must be something very exquisite."

Was it exquisite? It probably was, but even the two children couldn't be sure. They could only tell Witt's mother that their master had worked for a week and only managed to make one needle.

“A needle?!” Witt’s mother feigned displeasure and put on a stern face. “How could that be? A craftsman as skilled as him could only make one needle after a week of hard work?”

Her words displeased the older apprentice. He quickly added that it wasn't an ordinary needle, but a hollow one.

Although Haredi didn't allow them to watch him make the item, he later had his apprentices buy some live chickens and rabbits.

He experimented on the chickens and rabbits, and even on his own arm a few times. "It was a needle for bleeding," the older apprentice gestured. "The inside and outside were very smooth. You could even see a human face reflected in your hand. He just stuck the needle into the rabbit's neck, and blood gushed out with a whoosh."

This is what he secretly saw—the scene was truly terrifying.

"What can this thing do?" Witt's mother asked, feigning ignorance. "Isn't bloodletting just done with a knife?"

"How could we possibly know what our esteemed master is thinking? But these past two days, it seems our master has already made a satisfactory needle. He's currently... making, making, making a cylinder." A younger apprentice put down the meat pie in his hand and said haltingly, because he wasn't quite sure what it was either.

"The master craftsman seemed to have thought of using a piston rod, and perhaps also adding a screw plug, but he hadn't been able to succeed. I saw him dispose of a lot of the failed products, although to me, they had been crafted to perfection."

"A very large cylinder?"

"No, it's very small, about the thickness of five reed tubes put together, somewhat like, like those things used for enemas."

"Do they really use pure silver or gold to give someone an enema?"

The older apprentice stared wide-eyed, utterly astonished by the other apprentice's guess.

“That’s how it is with the wealthy,” Witt’s mother said thoughtfully. “They just want to set gemstones into enema kits, and as long as they can afford the materials and labor, there are plenty of people willing to do it for them.”

The younger apprentice chuckled, clearly finding it quite amusing that his usually serious and unsmiling master was going to make an enema kit for nobles.

"Have some more," Witt's mother said calmly. She had already gotten what she wanted to know and didn't want to waste any more time on these two brats. "Oh, and," she said to the two children with a smile as she left, "don't tell anyone that I was here, not even your master or your parents."

If they find out you spoke with the witch and ate her food, they definitely won't let you off the hook. You'll almost certainly get a beating, and you might even be kicked out.

She spoke with sincerity, as if she were only thinking of them. But when she saw the two little brats' faces suddenly turn ashen, she tilted her head back and laughed silently.

"Bloodletting needles and enema kits?" Bohemond frowned slightly, sizing up the servant in front of him.

The servant only dared to slightly raise his head, and after glancing at him, he trembled all over and immediately knelt down. "That witch really said that. She swore oaths and made vows! I... I don't know if she's lying or not. Maybe we can call a few more people..."

“No need,” Bohemond said. He certainly knew about bloodletting needles and enemas, but even if people used bloodletting needles at this time, they rarely needed to make them hollow.

They usually just use a sharp awl or a knife to make a cut on the blood vessel and let the blood flow out.

But he didn't quite believe that a Christian knight, a lord, and a count could repeatedly demand and hunt down an Isaac craftsman just to perform bloodletting and enemas.

He first noticed Haredi because of Cesar.

Bohemond heard that this Haredi was originally an Isaac who had fled from Faust in Egypt to Arazari, and that he seemed to have played some role in the Battle of the Sea of ​​Galilee. But since he was an Isaac and a craftsman, after being given some rewards, no one paid him any more attention.

But after Cesar found him in Damascus, he insisted on taking the Isaac with him, despite the perilous environment and the important task—not only for Arazarus but also for himself.

Is there anything special about this person? At first, Bohemond was worried that he had found a blessed Isaac.

This is not surprising.

There are people blessed by God among Christians, Saracens, and Isaacs.

There were also outstanding individuals among the Isaacs who could cure stubborn diseases, but once they were discovered, they were immediately arrested. Then, they either converted or were executed. The church would not allow anyone among the Isaacs to compete with them for the right to speak.

Later, the feedback from those who went to investigate was that Haredi was a genuine craftsman who could not heal others; the power he received after being blessed by God was manifested in his eyes and hands.

His eyes can see farther than a human's and can see finer lines. His hands are exceptionally strong and steady, which allows him to make many exquisite devices, thus winning the favor of many customers.

But if you're talking about healing and saving lives, no, that has nothing to do with it. Since the person is fine, the key must be that thing.

Bohemond did want to send someone to steal those things and take a look. But if he did that, it would certainly alert Cesar, who was not afraid of this young advisor, but he did not want to clash with the king for the time being.

His previous probing of the new king had already aroused dissatisfaction among some people.

Although Bohemond was not alarmed by the gathering of these ants, he did not want to see the king use this opportunity to establish his own authority.

He had tried to exploit Baldwin's peculiar sentimentality and loyalty—before he had fully shed his old identity and become a king—but he overlooked it.

This relationship was based on his continued belief in the princess.

If Baldwin only had Hibler, Raymond and he were by his side, that would be fine—but now Baldwin has a friend he can be completely honest with, someone he can confide in without worrying that this honesty will become a dagger in the future, and Cesar has not disappointed him.

He immediately sensed something amiss. He revealed the matter to Baldwin IV, and such things, if left unsaid, would be fine, but once revealed, the ugliest truth is always hidden beneath the fragile, dazzling surface.

Baldwin was not a fool, or rather, he was always an extreme person; his love was as vast as the ocean, and his hatred as towering as a mountain. Fortunately, the child in Hibil's womb was, after all, the future king of Arazarus...

Baldwin hadn't yet been able to bring himself to completely sever ties with her. As long as he still harbored some affection and kinship for the princess, Bohemond could allow her to return to Arazare after giving birth in Nalazar.

He roughly estimated the timeline and found it to be quite subtle: by the time Princess Hibil gave birth, Baldwin would most likely already be able to rule in his own right.

“What should be more frightening is that I am Raymond?” he said, seemingly to himself. “Children always grow up so fast.” Grand Duke Antioch stood up, glanced uninterestedly at the kneeling servant, said nothing, and turned away.

This action was tantamount to a verdict. The attendants immediately covered the servant's mouth and dragged him away. The servant struggled, but was no match for the strength of the two attendants. He was dragged to a corner of the corridor and died without drawing blood. The next day, people would find that he had drowned in the toilet—he must have fallen in while drunk.

This kind of thing is common in castles.

Bohemond returned to his table and sat down again, tapping his fingers on the surface. Bloodletting needles and enema tubes could not serve as direct evidence.

Although the church places great importance on the medical profession, allowing it to be monopolized only by their priests and monks, owning and making these instruments is not illegal and will not attract the attention of church officials. César could even argue that they were intended as gifts for a particular priest.

But was it really that simple? Bohemond knew that Baldwin IV's condition had worsened due to the previous events. This was certainly good news for them, but for Patriarch Heraclius and his disciple Cesar, it was utterly bad news.

In the past few days, he had heard that Patriarch Heraclius had been preparing holy water for the king. It was more like a medicated ointment than holy water, but Heraclius was also a clergyman, and there was nothing wrong with him doing so.

But there are also reports that the ointment was originally prepared by Cesar for Baldwin, which is interesting.

César was a knight. He received grace from God, not a gift. To date, no one has ever received both grace and a gift at the same time. Or rather, even if such a person existed, he would have been nipped in the bud by the Church.

(End of this chapter)