kingdom of nations

Chapter 325 "The Knight of Adelaide and the Priest of Thomas"

When César saw the name Adélie, he had a premonition. He certainly hadn't forgotten Count Étienne.

When he first arrived at the Castle of the Holy Cross, people saw him only as a lucky slave, a choice Amalric I had no other option but to make. The prince had no servants of noble birth or precious blood, and even servants like Witte dared to lay a hand on him—though they were indeed foolish, one could say that Cesar's extremely lowly status gave them immense courage.

At that time, only Amalric I was willing to show him the pity and expectations of someone in a position of power. Baldwin, on the other hand, offered him the tender warmth of a peer, but among the nobility, the only one who truly regarded him and treated him as a real person was Count Étienne.

Although he did not use the identity documents and travel permits left by Count Étienne, he truly remembered this kindness.

He had also inquired about Count Étienne's past, and thus learned the name of his wife, Lady Adelaide. Among knights, it was common to use the name of a beloved noblewoman as a code name to conceal one's identity. This is why Count Étienne was not immediately thrown into prison, but was brought directly to Cesar.

That was even the inner courtyard where César and his family lived.

As soon as Cesar saw him, he immediately stood up. Count Étienne had hardly changed, except that the gray in his temples had now turned snow-white, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and lips were more pronounced. His eyes were still as bright and clear as ever.

The last time they met, he was the high and mighty royal envoy, while Count Etienne was just a lowly servant. Now their positions have been completely reversed, and Count Etienne has been sent to Cesar for such an absurd and ridiculous reason.

When he first met Cesar, if it weren't for those still pure, emerald-green eyes, he would hardly have believed that the little giant before him was actually Cesar.

“God,” he murmured, “you have grown up, child, but perhaps too much.”

Upon hearing this, Cesar burst into laughter. He strode over to Count Etienne, pulled him up from the ground, and then embraced him tightly.

Count Étienne was also a tall man, but he found that he had to raise his hand to pat César on the shoulder, and he couldn't help but feel a sour feeling in his heart. "Alexander III must not have seen your portrait, or his spies lied to him," he said sincerely. "If he saw you like this, he would never have issued the decree of extermination so easily."

In this era, people still closely associate appearance with character. Moreover, César's beauty is not the kind that is pretentious, frivolous, or exaggerated, but rather a kind of righteous, awe-inspiring, pure, and noble beauty.

If a sculptor or painter in the Apennines had seen him, they might very well have described him as the majestic King David, or as St. John the Baptist—who has always been known for his handsome appearance among the saints.

Even if someone like him commits evil deeds, there will be people to excuse him. Not to mention that Cesar's hands were never stained with the blood of innocents. He was always an honest, humble, and gentle man, full of love and kindness for everyone (even former enemies). He was even willing to take on people's sins, like that person, and grant forgiveness to innocent people.

The Roman Catholic Church may have had it too easy. Those who had been excommunicated by them in the past almost all lost their spirit. Even the Holy Roman Emperors were no exception. Even if they were pardoned or humiliated the Pope in the same way as Henry the Conqueror, their fates were still inevitably turbulent and full of twists and turns—it seemed that from then on, they became forever inferior livestock or slaves.

But in Cesar's presence, the Pope's excommunication would only raise questions.

How could someone like that be a devil? Nowadays, some people say that if a devil is like this, then we don't care if we go to hell.

Alexander III knew he didn't have long to live, and he couldn't wait any longer. Although he went through the necessary steps of forging miracles, evidence, and witnesses, it was obviously too crude and hasty. He even issued the decree of extermination before the conspiracy was fully developed.

His current failure can be entirely attributed to his own fault.

But in other words, who can do what Cesar is doing now? Just like Count Etienne also thinks he is a good lord, but he would never easily give farmers tax exemptions, nor would he support so many officials and soldiers for nothing, and he would not care how much his people or even just passing pilgrims would have to spend to eat an egg. Or rather, eggs are a joke. They are already in paradise if they can eat beans to fill their stomachs.

"I came here with work to do..."

César made a gesture. "I know, Count Étienne."

Although pilgrimage is considered by the church to be an obligation for every believer, traveling thousands of miles from Frankish to Jerusalem is not an easy task and will cost a lot of money.

Count Étienne had already visited Arrassa Road and Fort Sainte-Croix, as well as Nal'essa, Bethlehem, and Antioch—for pilgrimage purposes only, he probably wouldn't be so quick to embark on another long journey.

"You need to rest for a while, take a bath, eat something, and a monk will treat you."

These farmers' fists were quite heavy.

“I have one right here with me.” Count Etienne gestured for Cesar to look behind him. Cesar laughed when he saw the man. The monk stepped forward and bowed deeply to him. “This is quite an unpleasant meeting, isn’t it, Your Highness, and my self-righteous master?”

Even if you simply state your purpose as a Knight of Adelaide upon landing and tell the officials of César your intentions, instead of wandering around the village asking all sorts of questions, they could at least walk straight in.

Count Étienne, unusually, did not say anything to the monks' complaints: "I didn't expect it either," he said with admiration, "You have a good group of people."

"Oh, that's because I told them that if anyone came to bribe them, they could take it, and when they left or ran out of money, they could bring them back to me and get some money from me."

“Hey!” Count Etienne couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’re too mischievous!”

It is impossible to get the poor to resist temptation. Jesus was sold for only thirty pieces of silver. Back then, for five hundred pieces of gold, the guide dared to lead a group of knights to their doom. Cesare never tested human nature.

Now farmers and soldiers could get a windfall, and catch spies for even more money—people at that time didn't trust outsiders much—and maintaining a long-term relationship was simply wishful thinking.

Moreover, once this news spreads, even spies will have to think twice. Who knows what the person in front of them is thinking? Could someone who is willing to betray his lord be a person of high moral character and who keeps his promises?

“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” Cesar said gently, “but you really need to wash up right now.”

Of course, there couldn't be any neat, tall, and sturdy cages in the village. The cages that held them were originally used to hold pigs. To prevent the pigs from struggling during transport, they were made to be long and narrow. When they were stuffed in, they were straight, like candles wrapped with hemp rope, and it was impossible for them to even turn over.

After several hours, they were almost completely suffocated by the smell of pig saliva, feces, and urine on the cage.

Count Étienne felt that his current appearance was a disgrace to his reputation for debauchery. He took his leave of César and then went to the bathroom with his servants. There, he thoroughly enjoyed the hot bath, iced wine, soap from Apollo, Damask rose oil, and Timor sandalwood, while a maid gently washed his hair. The long journey of traveling had left every strand of hair tangled—an inevitable torment of travel.

There were also fleas, tiny black dots bobbing among the red and white rose petals floating on the water's surface. Some were even hopping around, which was quite an eyesore. Count Étienne picked them up, pinched them one by one with his thumb, and then threw them out of the bathtub.

This bathroom was constructed with the same opulence and exquisite detail as every room in the Governor's Palace, its ceiling inlaid with glass, making the room bright and airy. The walls were adorned with magnificent murals, some painted with gold leaf and others with silver lines, depicting either a grapevine or an olive tree, all enveloped in a misty haze. Count Étienne could not be certain.

When he stepped out of the bathtub, his body clean and comfortable, his limbs relaxed, he was standing on a marble mosaic—an intricate mosaic of human figures.

But Count Étienne, who had spent a lot of time in the court, could tell at a glance that apart from the new bath tub, everything else in the bathroom was old. It wasn't that they were broken or dirty, but it was clear that they were not recent creations.

As he walked, the corridors, halls, and rooms were all the same, with hardly any curtains, tapestries, or carpets. The niches contained only statues and no other decorations. The place where César met him had only a few chairs and a table. Where had all the gold, silver, glass, amber, and ivory vessels gone?
If a local lord is already living in such dire straits, how could he possibly be willing to exempt those lowly people from taxes for three whole years?
And does he really intend to just stay in this corner and stop fighting? According to Count Étienne and others, even if it were for the sake of fighting, more taxes should be collected—this young man doesn't think that Cyprus will be peaceful just because he's back, does he?

His enemies, having failed to achieve their desired outcome, will undoubtedly become even more ruthless and unscrupulous.

With a heavy heart once again, Count Étienne put on a loose silk robe, which César had prepared for him. It was dark blue with gold trim, long sleeves, and the hem reached his ankles. He also wore a pair of light leather slippers and a deep red wool cloak over it.

“You look like a Byzantine nobleman,” the monk said.

"Aren't we being entertained by a Byzantine monarch? Although an absolute monarch is not an emperor or a Basilius, he is equivalent to a grand duke or a prince, and it is always commendable for him to share his clothes with his guests."

Count Étienne was no fool; he readily accepted Cesar's offer and left the monks and servants behind—though Cesar had not requested it—before walking alone into the deeper courtyard, led by his servants.

Before he even stepped into the layers of greenery, he heard laughter coming from within. The laughter was so loud, so unrestrained and fearless, that one could tell at a glance that the person was a fearless individual. However, the laughter also sounded somewhat childish, like a fledgling bird still in its nest or a baby animal still nursing.

Count Étienne parted the vines that had fallen in front of him and looked intently. The first thing he saw was a silver cradle, about the width of an adult man's shoulders, covered with soft wool and silk. But the cradle's owner was not inside; she was placed on a blanket, surrounded by his dearest family members, his father, mother, and aunt.

The laughter that Count Étienne heard did indeed come from that tiny body, wondrous and awe-inspiring. As she called out, she kept looking around, even spotting Count Étienne before anyone else. The toddler immediately turned her head nimbly, stretching out her strong little arm and pointing in his direction.

"Ah, this is our victorious king."

Count Étienne said with a smile, then bent his knees, knelt on the ground, took the baby's little hand and kissed it.

Victory King Lorenz stared intently at him with his bright, turquoise eyes, clearly inherited from his father, and after a moment, burst into another hearty laugh.

César and Portia sat behind her, smiling as they watched Count Étienne bow again to César, Portia, and César's sister Natia, who, according to Byzantine tradition and law, was now also a noblewoman dressed in purple robes.

There was another person, a chubby old man, sitting on the other side of César, with a chessboard in between.

They were clearly playing a game of chess before.

"Dean John?!" Count Etienne exclaimed in surprise.

“No, no, no, I am Father Thomas.” Abbot John immediately held up one finger and waved it. How could it be Abbot John here? He didn’t want to give the Roman Catholic Church an excuse to strip the Gerard family of their assets and ordination in Italy. Of course, only Father Thomas could be here.

"So it was Father Thomas."

"Isn't that right, Sir Adelaide?"

These two cunning old foxes exchanged a glance and knew that they had the same intention.

The reason the Knights Templar had to obey the Pope's orders, sever ties with Cesar, and even outwardly confront him was because the Knights Templar, along with the other two religious armed forces—the Knights of the Good Hall and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre—could be said to be societies founded on faith.

Compared to the Knights Templar, the other two orders were slightly less affected—the Knights of Charity were more troubled by the Gerald family.

The reason why the Knights Templar were able to establish their dominion in so many places, owning churches, monasteries, castles and vast fields, was precisely because they were knights fighting for God. To this day, they are still able to collect taxes throughout Europe in the name of holy war—these are temporary tithes, and like the Church, they are entitled to collect taxes and accept donations from the people.

Leaving aside the small donations that accumulate over time, many people leave their entire estate, even their land, to the Knights Templar on their deathbed. This is why the Knights Templar have rapidly expanded into a behemoth in the past few decades.

Without the church's endorsement, their credibility would be greatly diminished, so why would people pay taxes and donate to them? Some lords and kings might even drive them away because they did affect their profits.

The Knights Templar did not initially expect Alexander III to do that. After all, the Church's methods were always mild and covert. Even if they wanted to obtain Cyprus, they could have used their existing methods, such as infiltration, provocation, and enticement.

Just as they had threatened the dying with hell, forced them to surrender their lands and workshops, or made illiterate lords sign forged documents, this was the first time they had issued such a decree of annihilation without asking any questions.

But on second thought, perhaps Alexander III was exploiting this blind spot in people's understanding; after all, he was going to die anyway. So why not issue a decree of excommunication to bring tangible benefits to his family and illegitimate children?
This decree truly put the Knights Templar in a dilemma. Although the Gerard family and the Good Hall Knights were the first to support Cesar, strangely enough, those closest to Cesar were Geoffroy, who had gone with him to rescue Count Étienne, and Walter, with whom he had become acquainted through a misunderstanding. They even disregarded the Grand Master's orders and outwardly complied with the Roman Catholic Church's envoy, causing that fool to die at his most triumphant moment.

Not to mention the famous "wandering around," which many people now consider an essential post-meal activity, spreading the word everywhere. And everyone who hears it, even knowing the outcome, can't help but slap their thighs and laugh hysterically.

But when the Grand Master asked them to see Cesar to renegotiate the matters concerning those ports and cities—which were practically a pilgrimage route paved with gold—the Knights Templar were reluctant to give up.

But both Geoffroy and Walter refused, and their reasons for refusing were straightforward and even correct.

They are all good knights of God and defenders of the Church. How could they possibly contact and speak with someone who is being excommunicated?
No, no way, it can't be done.

Grand Master Philip knew they were intentionally venting their anger, but he couldn't really do as much as the two of them.

Later, the Grand Master thought about it carefully and finally remembered someone who had connections with both the Knights Templar and Cesar, and who had also joined the Crusades. After further consideration, he realized that both the Knights Templar and Cesar owed this person a debt of gratitude. So the Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Frankish territory went to find Count Etienne in Sancel.

When Count Etienne heard that Cesar had returned to Cyprus and become an orthodox believer and a true absolute monarch, he was naturally overjoyed. He had no reason to refuse the Templars' request; even without the request, he would have liked to see his little friend and benefactor.

Louis VII had already passed away, and Philip II, who was four years younger than César, was sitting on the throne. He was also a young monarch and had a great fondness for and high regard for the Count of Étienne.

Count Étienne had been staying at the king’s court for a long time—since his wife had already ascended to heaven, there was no point in him returning to Sancel—so when Philip II asked him why he had left, he frankly told him about César… He was worried that someone might detain César to curry favor with the church while he was away in Sancel.

Who doesn't know about the series of adventurous experiences Count Étienne had in the Holy Land? They also yearn for that blue-eyed young man. Philip II even whispered that if he were as the Count described, even if only half as he claimed, he would be willing to give him a new identity and let him work in his court.

Later, Count Étienne had to write a letter to Philip II, subtly telling him that it was unnecessary, that the young man had not been coerced by the Church at all, and that he had demonstrated through his actions that the Church's excommunication did not always work.

And Dean Ruowang goes without saying.

Dean John had once refused the Gerard family members because they intended for Cesar to marry a woman from the Gerard family—regardless of whether the Gerard family could provide Cesar with the same generous assistance as the Venetians, they clearly wanted to leech off Cesar but were unwilling to give anything in return.

Dean John even felt a sense of relief. If he hadn't firmly refused them, and Cesar had actually married the Gerard family woman because of that shallow favor, he might now be facing enemies on both sides—the Gerard family would definitely not be on his side. They had always been quite indignant, believing that Cesar hadn't given them enough in return, but everyone knew that wasn't the case; they were just greedy.

But now he really has no choice but to come.

The Gerard family members panicked because not only did they fail to help Cesar when he was excommunicated, but they also took advantage of the situation to loot some merchants and local residents. Furthermore, they expelled the officials and soldiers Cesar had stationed there and deliberately broke into the rock sugar workshop, trying to steal the artisans and secret recipes.

The devil himself testified that Dean John had never seen anyone more stupid, disgusting, or despicable than them. He gave them a good scolding, but still had to clean up their mess.

However, neither of the lobbyists was too nervous. They knew that Cesar was a good boy and wouldn't make things difficult for them, but they also wouldn't become arrogant and unwilling to give the due reward.

"Alexander III is nearing his death. People are now anticipating a new pope, but the bishops have also gathered in Rome, busy with bribery, collusion, and blackmail."

We're currently unsure who the new pope is, so we can only narrow it down to two or three people. I know your friends and teachers are trying to bribe those cardinals in hopes of having your death sentence rescinded.

But my advice is, don't think about this anymore until Alexander dies. To the clergy in Rome, you, and even Cyprus, are insignificant; the papacy is their top priority.

At this point, no matter how much bribe you offer, they won't take your matter to heart; they might even laugh at you as a bunch of fools spouting nonsense.

Dean John added, "It's impossible to get close to the Pope at this time. Countless vultures are waiting around him, eager to devour his flesh and blood. Anyone who tries to approach him will be attacked by them all."

Although I know Baldwin and Patriarch Heraclius are very anxious, this is not the time to be anxious and change the outcome. Even after a new pope is elected, you will have to wait for a while. Now that the extermination order has been issued, the facts cannot be changed. But you have broken the iron cage that those conspirators set for you in your own way. While you were in Cyprus, you were no longer a Christian knight, but a Byzantine autocrat, a member of the Komnenian dynasty.

At this point, Count Étienne jokingly interjected, “You can now even put Komnen’s surname after your name,” and then he continued, “They probably never imagined that the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I would be so useless—he wasn’t like this when he was young,” Count Étienne shook his head. “But for you, for us, this is all good.”

The laws of the Roman Catholic Church can no longer restrict you, but if you show a very urgent desire…

Dean John continued, “Yes, I have been to Rome and seen the faces of those people. If they discover that you are afraid of being excommunicated, they will certainly not hesitate to make exorbitant demands, and it is not impossible for them to even ask you to hand over Cyprus. But if you maintain your identity as a member of the orthodox church and ignore them, they will panic.”

"Don't regard those priests as servants of God; see them as businessmen using God's blessings to make a living." These words alone would be enough to send Abbot John to the dock for excommunication, where here, he would be labeled a heretic or a traitor, and no one would be moved by his words. "Then let's wait a year, two years, three years, until our new pope's power and position are secure, before we discuss this matter again..."

“No,” he denied himself again, “Don’t talk about it. You shouldn’t bring this up first. The Pope should bring it up. The Pope is always short of money, people, and land—when he’s short of these things, he’ll think of you.”

"You're thinking of every way to make money, aren't you?" Count Etienne said sarcastically. Dean John simply shrugged, as if this was commonplace.

Alexander III sold his excommunication for a good price, but he should have realized that if he was shameless enough, others certainly couldn't be noble either. "According to letters from some of my friends in Rome, although Alexander III hasn't truly gone to meet God yet, the forces he left behind have already been wiped out."

And those relatives and allies he formed were all unreliable individuals. Or rather, when the empire truly collapsed, they would still have the advantage of proximity, since his foundation was unstable.

He looked at César: "Just like you."

But what does the Roman Catholic Church's excommunication have to do with a Byzantine autocratic monarch? Didn't you see the Patriarch of Constantinople still happily exchanging insults with the Pope? He wasn't stripped of his patriarchal robes and dragged into the street to be paraded naked and confess in front of a crowd.

"Therefore, your decision to convert to Christianity was correct."

Cesar nodded. He could even sense that when he returned to Cyprus, the nobles were more welcoming than before, and many of the wavering men came up to him to pledge their loyalty.

"The only possibility is that the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I, in his final madness, will gamble everything and refuse to acknowledge your marriage to Princess Anna."

After all, the Patriarch of Constantinople was under the Emperor's control. If that were the case, Cesare might indeed have some trouble dealing with.

"This matter has been resolved." Dean Ruowang clicked his tongue: "Woman..."

Anna's foster mother, Theodora, swiftly resolved the matter for Cesar. Furthermore, the departure of Mary of Antioch with the Emperor caused Grand Duke Bohemond of Antioch considerable trouble.

The Byzantine emperor married Mary, the Grand Duke of Antioch, and went so far as to expel his wife and make his two legitimate children illegitimate. Was it all for Mary's beauty and her womb?
Of course not. He already has a son, and several illegitimate children. He is just using this to gradually take over Antioch.

Conversely, this marriage can also be seen as a manifestation of Grand Duke Antioch's ambition for his own monarchy. If the empire were to fall into decline and the emperor were to die unprepared as he is now, Grand Duke Antioch could participate in the rule of this vast empire under the guise of regent.

However, the conflict between the Franks, or rather the Crusaders, and the local nobles had a long history. Even after Mary of Antioch gave birth to an heir for the emperor, they still referred to her as that Frankish woman and looked down on her. Compared to Queen Bertha, who was also an outsider, the people of Constantinople preferred to remember her fondly rather than Mary, a sudden intruder.

If Prince Alexius were still alive, perhaps someone would have actually recommended him as emperor. But Alexius was dead, and he died rather foolishly. So the matter was shelved. Besides, for a powerful minister, a child is always better than an adult. This child might have an uncle who would be difficult to deal with, but wouldn't the other illegitimate children have the support of powerful figures behind them?

Dukas was locked in a fierce battle with the quick-witted Grand Duke Bohemond of Antioch, and was naturally powerless to push forward the subsequent conspiracies against Cyprus and Cesar—although Cyprus was an important asset to Byzantium, it was not as important as the empire as a whole.

This gave Cesar another opportunity to consolidate his rule.

(End of this chapter)