kingdom of nations

Chapter 257 Baldwin's Day (Part 2)
Although Baldwin appeared quite indifferent, Cesar keenly sensed that he was somewhat downcast.

Of course, before Cesar appeared, Princess Hibil was the person who accompanied him the longest, especially before Baldwin unfortunately contracted leprosy. She acted exactly like a gentle and understanding older sister.

Especially after their birth mother, Countess Jaffa (who was then Queen of Arrassal), was forced to acknowledge the invalidity of her marriage to the king because Amalric I wanted to marry a princess of the Byzantine Empire, and was expelled from the palace, Baldwin's only remaining female elder was Hibil.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been repeatedly fooled by Hibler.

Why do people compare their brothers and sisters to blood and bones? It's because once you have to sever ties with them, no matter what mistakes they've made, you'll feel unbearable pain and feel like you're bleeding.

Even César struggled to find a quick solution to this problem. Fortunately, as the servants set up a pergola, laid out carpets, and began serving a sumptuous meal, he looked up and saw a familiar figure hurrying across the path in front of the courtyard.

“David!” Cesar’s shout not only stopped the knight, but also made Baldwin look up.

Although the Assassins' threat was not enough to intimidate the seasoned Raymond, he had to consider the safety of his only son. Therefore, he summoned David to the Castle of the Holy Cross early in the morning. His original intention was to have David share a room with him, but David declined.

He preferred to sleep in the main tower's hall with the other knights.

At this time, the castle could not compare with the palace complexes of later generations that often had hundreds of rooms, or even with the palaces of the Sultan or Caliph. Whether it was the side towers or the main tower, their more important function was to defend against enemy attacks.

Generally speaking, from bottom to top, the structure of the towers is largely the same: underground water storage wells, cellars, halls, then bedrooms for one or two guests, storage rooms, armories, chapels, or the lord's bedroom—this arrangement may be slightly altered at times, but it is largely the same.

Therefore, when Baldwin was still that pitiful man whom everyone avoided, the left tower where he lived would seem empty with only him, Cesar, and a few rough servants.

But now, his illness has been proven to be a test from God. Cesare, who often served him, has not contracted leprosy, so people are less wary of him. Moreover, because he was not challenged as the heir and then ascended the throne surrounded by knights and lords, even more people want to come to his side.

For someone like Cesare to have a room in the King's Tower, even if it's not large, is considered an exceptional honor.

In the right tower, Raymond, the Count of Tripoli, as the ruler of one of the four major Christian states, was naturally assigned a room, just like the Grand Duke of Antioch and the Count of Belion.

But David considered himself just an ordinary knight and not qualified. So he slept in the hall with the other knights.

Of course, they didn't sleep directly on the ground. The dining tables that were provided for the knights to eat and drink became their best beds, and some slept on long benches.

This kind of "bed" is certainly not very comfortable, but who else but the king could carry a bed with them at any time? Any knight who has been on the battlefield would not find sleeping on a long table to be a difficult thing.

Raymond had tried to persuade him several times, saying that his concern wasn't about comfort but about safety. However, David bluntly pointed out that if a fox were to enter a doghouse, it would be extremely cautious, fearing it might anger these irritable creatures.

But if the dog lived in a separate shed, the fox would certainly not hesitate to take advantage of its carelessness and bite its throat. These words enraged Raymond so much that he almost followed Bohemond's example and gave his son a few lashes, but he didn't know what to say. After all, at that time, the common understanding was that a knight should not show fear even when facing a fire-breathing dragon, otherwise he deserved to be ridiculed and despised.

His performance did indeed change Baldwin's opinion of him, especially with Abigail's "highlight" in the past. Now, he felt more and more amiable towards David. "I don't remember giving him any orders. Was it his father's command?"

David saw the King and Cesare, and of course he couldn't just curtsy and walk away like Hibil did. He quickly came to the two of them, bowed to them, and was naturally invited to join them. However, as he sat down next to Cesare, he felt the impermanence of life.

From the courtyard, one can see the shooting range where they once played. Back then, he looked down on Cesar with contempt and resentment, while feeling guilty towards Baldwin. Little did he know that their fates would change so drastically just a few years later. Now, whether in terms of blood ties, affection, or even the blessings bestowed by God, he has been far surpassed by Cesar.

David is not the kind of person who would lose his mind because of jealousy. He can face his mistakes, and he also has to admit that he may not have the same loyalty, steadfastness and luck as Cesar—Cesar had put his life on the line several times for Baldwin.

David knew he couldn't do it; he still had his father, his country, his family—things he couldn't abandon. Besides, if you were willing to offer your sincerity, César could also become a friend. A brother.

After he sat down, the food that had been laid out earlier was not quite enough. Fortunately, the kitchen knew that the knights' appetites were insatiable, so they prepared extra meat and bread these days. Soon, even more food was served, which allowed the small banquet to continue.

Once they finally felt less hungry, they began to sip tea or wine. Wine was, of course, David's request; he still didn't like tea much, and whenever he drank it, he would gulp it down instead of savoring it.

As for why he dislikes tea so much yet still drinks it, it's obviously to relieve the greasiness caused by oiliness; this beverage is indeed very beneficial to his stomach and intestines.

His bowel cleansing has become much smoother now.

"Did something happen that you came in such a hurry?"

“This is not your will, nor is it an order from my father; it is a private matter,” David said somewhat embarrassedly, then he glanced at Cesar unconsciously. “You know that Sir Andrew of Bethlehem and his nephew will also be participating in this expedition, right?”

This is to be expected. Bishop Andrei is the Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, and in ordinary times, he can manage the surrounding territories on behalf of the King. But when going on campaign, he must accompany the King (the Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre), and his nephew is also one of the knights participating in the expedition. He is currently stationed at the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre with his uncle.

Bishop Andre had a letter to deliver to the Knightsmaster of Bethlehem, who was unable to participate in the expedition due to his recent injury—although the priests had treated him, both his internal organs and the laceration required him to rest for the next few months.

Bishop Andrei kept him on to oversee the pagans and heretics in Bethlehem, lest they plot anything during the army's expedition—Knight Longinus was also going on the expedition this time.

The knight happened to be on patrol when he heard that David was going to Bethlehem, so he entrusted him with an important task—to deliver a gift to Damara, who was in Bethlehem.

Damara was a noblewoman to whom Cesar swore allegiance.

Although people generally admire the spiritual bond that knights and noble ladies can achieve rather than the decadence of desire, it is quite common for a young and handsome knight and a girl just beginning to experience love to develop feelings like lovers.

This is why Gerard's patriarch, Damara's father, insisted on opposing the marriage between Damara and Cesar, which puzzled many people.

Damara is sixteen years old this year. For a girl, she should be married off as soon as possible, but it is impossible to persuade Bishop Andrei's nephew to refuse the expedition because of this.

Perhaps to express his apology, Bishop Andrei's nephew brought Damara a beautiful relic. It was said to have been carried by St. Agatha of Alexandria—a small gold wheel inlaid with rubies.

There are many such so-called relics in Yalasar Road and the surrounding area, and the golden wheels are bright and shiny, with round and clear gemstones, unlike other sacred objects that are old and dull.

David could only guess that this must be a gift specially found by a young knight who was in love with his fiancée. After reading the letter and the gift, Damara immediately wrote a letter back to him and took off the veil she was wearing at the time as a return gift.

He had just returned from his new friend's place when Bishop Andrei's nephew was overjoyed to see Damara's return gift. He immediately took the veil in his hands, kissed it, and vowed to tie it around his neck and never take it off unless someone cut off his throat.

Upon hearing this, both Cesar and Baldwin subconsciously frowned. They had initially disbelieved in such prophecies or omens, but hearing such words with a major battle imminent was truly worrying. Baldwin had already decided to bring the young man to his side, placing him alongside Abigail, believing that Abigail's keen sense of danger would be of considerable help to the young man.

“I’ve also heard that we might run into Saladin, is that right?” David asked, somewhat presumptuously—he wasn’t Baldwin’s minister yet.

“Not surprising, it was within our expectations.”

It is impossible to completely conceal the news when attacking a city like Damascus. To have an army of tens of thousands of men suddenly descend upon the city like thunder is something only God could do, and is beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Two years ago, Baldwin began preparing for this expedition, and news of it was carried to Damascus by merchants like birds carrying grain. Damascus also began preparing food, water, oil, charcoal, coal, and even bricks and stones, as well as other necessary defensive equipment and reserves. After the last wheat harvest, the surrounding people hurriedly fled into the city with their harvest.

Damascus will not so easily sit idly by and wait for its demise.

Here we must mention the unfortunate Lazis, who was forcibly placed as the lord of Damascus. After Saladin left, everyone thought he wouldn't last long, but unexpectedly, thanks to his father's past connections and achievements, he has managed to persevere until now.

However, he was now at his last gasp. Upon hearing this devastating news, Lazis did not hesitate to send letters seeking help in all directions. From Mosul to Apol, from Apol to Hama, from Hama to Idlib… but most of his letters went unanswered. It wasn't that these people didn't want to help Damascus, but rather that they were either struggling to survive themselves or unwilling to weaken their own forces by fighting the Crusaders at this time, only to be outmaneuvered by others.

In the end, this guy could only turn his hopes to Egypt.

Saladin did indeed respond to his prayer.

Therefore, unlike the Second Crusade, the problem they faced was not Damascus, but Saladin, an old general in his prime, who had previously fought for years as a general under Nur ad-Din against Amalric I, who wanted to seize Egypt.

Now he has become the Sultan of Egypt, possessing a fearsome army, and he is equally eager for victory in this war.

The Crusaders could not continue their reckless siege knowing of such a formidable enemy, unless they were certain they could capture Damascus within three days, but they all knew that was impossible.

This was also one of the major events Baldwin was going to discuss with his ministers that afternoon. They were constantly monitoring the movements of Saladin's army and had marked them on a map. It was clear that they were afraid they would not be able to cross Saladin's lines to attack Damascus.

In fact, this war was no longer a siege, but a positional war. They needed to defeat Saladin and preserve their own strength in order to conquer Damascus.

This was a far more severe test than ever before for the new king of Arathi. Everyone was waiting for him to show any signs of anxiety or hesitation. But unfortunately, Baldwin remained remarkably calm, even cheerful—and the Knight of Bethlehem, the Earl of Edessa, and the Lord of Cyprus, sitting beside him, offered him silent support.

Patriarch Heraclius, who was standing nearby, kept a close eye on the situation. If anyone tried to put pressure on Baldwin, he would remind them that the Crusaders had probably suffered more setbacks than the flower buds that had been knocked down the night before.

These words left the newcomer speechless, their faces filled with shame, especially Raymond and Bohemond, who both showed signs of discomfort.

After all, their crushing defeat in their first campaign against Mullai had made them a laughingstock among the Crusaders. It can only be said that if they hadn't had past achievements to offset it, and if they weren't lords among the four major Christian nations, the criticism would probably have been even greater.

Cesar would glance at Bohemond every now and then, which annoyed Bohemond. The secret buried in his heart was like the fish entrails under a swamp; even though he knew no one else knew, he was often uneasy because he didn't know when the stench and pus would surface.

He didn't know that Cesar was wondering if he already knew about Abigail's affair, but it seemed that Baldwin's grasp of Holy Cross Castle was much more comprehensive than before, and Abigail's foolishness had not yet been exposed.

It seems that Abigail's beating can be postponed until dinner time.

Baldwin then dealt with a number of other matters, such as tax collection—Cesar could reduce the taxes of the people, but Baldwin found it difficult to do so, especially since part of the cost of the expedition would have to be borne by the people of Arrassa.

Fortunately, Cesar found him a new channel for processing coffee. He gathered merchants and amassed a sum of money from them through licensing agreements, along with the large donations that inevitably followed each expedition—the holy war—from all over Europe, which greatly alleviated Baldwin's financial burden.

However, if this expedition fails, the next expedition may have to wait another three or even five years.

Afterwards, Baldwin appointed and dismissed some officials. When there was no war, Arrassa was peaceful and tranquil, but once there was war, the whole city would fall into endless chaos. Some officials who were usually incompetent were exposed and were immediately removed by the ruthless king and replaced with capable young people.

Once these new officials had sworn an oath to the king, it was time to discuss matters of military preparedness. Horses, armor, tents, provisions… the unification of the knights and the competition between lords were all headaches.

While there were certainly some cowards like Abigail who preferred to remain in the reserves and logistics, some lords declared that they had sworn an oath to God and left behind heirs. They came here determined to take the heads of three, six, or even more Saracens. They were determined to be the vanguard or the main force, and would not stop until the sun had set on those pagans.

Baldwin could only appease and encourage these people, but he still had to persuade them, since some people were not suitable for being placed in important positions.

But if he dared to say it out loud, it would be an insult, and even if he were the king, he would still have to face the challenge of the nobles.

After dealing with these matters, both Baldwin and César felt somewhat exhausted. Interestingly, sometimes these nobles might not listen to the king, but once César intervened or persuaded them, their attitude would soften.

It's not that they would be influenced by Cesar's appearance like noble ladies, but rather that they were facing the Lord of Cyprus. The importance of Cyprus goes without saying, and these nobles' fleets frequently passed through Cyprus. Even without fleets, their merchants needed to operate in Cyprus. In any case, they dared not offend the Lord of Cyprus at this time.

However, as he left the hall to rest, Baldwin still showed a stern expression. He nudged Cesar with his elbow and said, "Go and arrange a musician."

Cesar understood that Baldwin always liked to chatter on and on during meals whenever he was around, so he rarely called musicians to eat with him so that they could hear each other. He felt helpless and amused, but he still complied with Baldwin's request and arranged for musicians to be played at dinner.

The number of people attending dinner was much greater than at lunch. Count Raymond of Tripoli, Grand Duke Bohemond of Antioch and their only son David sat beside Raymond, Abigail naturally sat with Princess Hibil, Patriarch Heraclius, Count Belion, Countess Jaffa, Queen Mother Maria and her youngest daughter Isabella, and even several visiting lords and some knights who had won the tournament.

Once everyone had arrived, the musicians began to play a familiar tune. This piece was a great satire of a cowardly knight—the outsiders were initially somewhat confused, but then they saw Bohemond's ashen face and suddenly understood. They exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of wanting to laugh and not daring to.

Baldwin had no intention of covering for Abigail. Even if he still agreed to Abigail's request because of past favors, Abigail would not tell Princess Hiberna and his father the truth—he didn't have the guts. Yes, he would definitely pin the blame on Cesar or Baldwin, claiming that they were jealous of his marriage to the princess, or that they feared his child with the princess would usurp Baldwin's throne, and therefore resorted to this tactic to prevent him from gaining merit in the battle.

He would definitely do it; Baldwin had no doubt about it.

Abigail's face turned deathly pale. He was used to Baldwin's repeated indulgence and always thought that Baldwin would cover for him this time as well. He did not expect that Baldwin would show no mercy. He looked helplessly at Princess Hibil, who just stared straight ahead without saying a word.

Baldwin was somewhat surprised; whatever the reason, it was a good thing that Hibler had learned to be patient.

Even if Hibil hadn't jumped up and slapped Abigail, Abigail would have disappeared for a long time afterward, until the army set off and he staggered out in front of Baldwin.

(End of this chapter)