Chapter 68

Only hearing a crisp knocking sound, the flint was struck, and a candle was lit—the person who came didn't seem to have any intention of lifting the tapestry, opening the wooden window, and letting people peek—the candlelight flickered, illuminating his face. It was none other than Prince Baldwin and Cesar's teacher, Heraclius.

Heraclius turned his head and looked at Cesar: "Close the door tightly," he said. While Cesar turned to close the door, he stood up from the chair, walked to Cesar, bent down, and picked up the package. The package was small and light. Heraclius placed it on a large clothing chest without a word, opened it, and began to rummage through the things inside.

"What are these?" Heraclius asked.

Cesar hesitated: "Herbs."

"I'm glad you haven't treated me like an idiot yet," Heraclius said: "I thought you would tell me these are all seasonings and spices you use for cooking, just like you told those fools."

"You are cautious, you are also careful, you don't make appointments with anyone, nor do you make a second transaction with them. You wander in the market, and there is a Damara beside you, a bossy, demanding noblewoman. No one will think you are the guy who is keen on the market. That's right, most people will think that you bought these things just on a whim, or were deceived by others."

He held up a tuber: "Aconite, uh-huh," and then grabbed a handful of plant stems and bark: "Elder, cocklebur, licorice..." He stared at Cesar: "But do you know how many people are watching Prince Baldwin? Do you know how many people are watching you?"

"Teacher..."

"They really don't understand what these are, nor can they get any—you and Baldwin might think you have done it seamlessly. If it's for taking, Baldwin chews it up and swallows it without leaving anything; if it's for wiping, it's mixed into the lard and palm oil used for wiping weapons; if it's for bathing, they are put in a gauze bag, and when they are dried, they are thrown directly into the fire."

"We..."

"But they can always find the person who buys and sells herbs, or record the characteristics of those few things. One cleric doesn't know, two clerics don't know, can three clerics not know? Of course, you can say that you just use them for cooking delicious food, but... sometimes, many things just need an excuse."

Heraclius said sternly: "These days, it's the King and I who have been cleaning up the mess for you," looking at Cesar's slightly stunned expression, he curled his lips without any smile: "Surprised? When I discovered that you would use herbs, and these herbs actually worked, I was even more surprised than you!"

"This..."

"I'm not that surprised by this result. You even pity those lowly peasants and prostitutes..." The distance between Prince Baldwin and Cesar was only one bloodline away from being true brothers. No, they were closer than true brothers. After all, true brothers would still scheme against each other or draw swords for the throne.

"I can't just watch..."

"Baldwin's current condition is much better than I imagined," Heraclius said: "Your medicine is indeed effective, but precisely because it is effective, you will cause big trouble."

"Baldwin told me that the Church does not allow people other than clerics and monks to practice medicine."

"Practice medicine?" Heraclius let out a loud sneer: "More than just practicing medicine, Cesar, you haven't asked me—even for Amalric I, I wouldn't just watch Baldwin suffer, but why don't I do it? Only getting some St. John's wort every day to fob you off? Or do you think I'm as ignorant as those dull guys?"

"I didn't..."

Heraclius just waved his hand, "Baldwin contracted this terrible disease. Indeed, as far as I know, perhaps there are some herbs that can alleviate his pain and the development of the disease, but we have still been praying, mediating, and negotiating hard.

Why? It's very simple. Even the use of herbs is monopolized by the Church. Only herbs recognized by the Pope of Rome are holy objects; otherwise, they are the devil's poisoned bait. We cannot take this risk."

He pointed to these things on the table: "You haven't encountered real malice yet, and this is not a secret and law that everyone can come into contact with—Baldwin only knows one or two of them. But if it is definitely proven that you used these herbs, and you are not a monk or a cleric, you can only be the devil's servant."

"But aren't you already the Patriarch of Lazarus?" Cesar asked.

"The Patriarch will also fear enemies, especially when they are numerous," Heraclius said calmly, "You are still a bit naive, nothing, this is our fault—at that time we really didn't think you could really do it—is there really a thousand-year-old devil hiding in this perfect body?" He actually had the mood to joke: "But things end here."

"But!" Cesar whispered.

At first, Baldwin also disagreed, but the symptoms in his left hand had developed to the point of affecting balance and grasping. This important limb sometimes suddenly became a useless burden. He would even forget what he was holding, letting it fall or crash—and those plaques, they began to bulge and crack, or ulcerate. The first time he saw the festering marks like countless whip marks in the morning sun, Baldwin almost collapsed...

He had still held some fantasies before, and these fantasies shattered so quickly and vividly that he couldn't even deceive himself.

Baldwin couldn't sleep. He was itchy all over and bleeding from his nose and mouth. He prayed for the saint's favor again and again. Saint George's lance was still bright and sharp, but it could never dispel the fear for him—his strangeness, of course, could not be hidden from Cesar, who spent most of the day by his side.

Cesar proposed, and he firmly opposed, but Cesar would not force him to agree eagerly. He just kept persuading Baldwin.

The left tower was now "very clean." He used Damara as a cover to go to the market to buy some spices and seasonings, which was understandable. Who would believe that a knight who received "Grace" would know herbs? Although he was Heraclius's student, Heraclius had never let him cross the line on this point.

Baldwin nodded, but at first, he only allowed Cesar to get a little medicine for him. It was also gradually discovered that people only regarded the alleviation of the disease as the saint's favor, and they became bold.

"Ancient Greek iatrós, Latinized spelling īātrós, we have had the word 'doctor' for a long time, and in ancient Rome and earlier records—as early as before the appearance of the Church, a doctor was a profession, although many of them were slaves. So when did doctors disappear?"

"Probably in this hundred years." Heraclius answered this question himself: "It's time to let you know some knowledge outside of books, child. This question goes back to the beginning of the 'Selection Ceremony'—what, you don't think the Selection Ceremony has existed since God created all things, do you?"

He pointed down, signaling Cesar to sit down.

"In fact, it was only in the second century that people had the concept of pilgrimage, and it wasn't to Lazarus, but to Rome or the Apennines. It wasn't until the fifth century that there was the saying of saints, and by 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne in Rome, and there was the divine right of kings—and in these few hundred years, the miracles shown by clerics and monks have made indelible contributions—who wouldn't fear illness and death?"

And in these few hundred years, people discovered that not every monk and cleric could perform 'divine arts,' and some devout warriors or knights, after praying, would also gain power different from monks but worthy of people's awe—there are always smart people, at least as far as I know, some people started organizing the locations, numbers, and frequencies of receiving blessings very early."

"You said that the more sacred the location, the more likely it is to receive a blessing."

"Isn't it? At first, people focused on those spiritual churches, monasteries, and saint tombs, but later they discovered that the key was still in the holy objects. You know that not every holy object is real, but those highly authentic holy objects can indeed increase the probability of receiving a blessing—so, in the tenth and eleventh centuries, there was 'penitential pilgrimage.' Tell me, what is penitential pilgrimage?"

The surprise question startled Cesar, but he also had an indescribable wonderful feeling: "Penitential pilgrimage is when a person commits a crime, he can atone for his sins by saying mass, praying, or buying indulgences, or he can go on a pilgrimage. They need to travel a long distance to Lazarus, and then bring a real holy object to the local church as a way of atonement."

Heraclius showed a faint smile: "Yes, I don't know which cunning cleric thought of it, but it is indeed effective. Even if most people bring back fake holy objects, some people have brought back real ones—and after possessing real holy objects, young clerics immediately received blessings..."

"Wait, teacher, you mean to say..."

"Hmm, otherwise? Lazarus and the surrounding areas have been occupied by heathens for hundreds of years, and prosperity and wealth are also known to everyone. The road for pilgrims hasn't been blocked for a day or two, not to mention that most Sultans and Caliphs are very tolerant—why did Pope Urban II start inciting the Eastern Expedition only in 1095?

Don't say that the Byzantine Emperor wrote a letter for help—the Seljuk Turks weren't wandering under the walls of Constantinople on some morning..."

"I can only say that there is action only when there is demand. Before the Crusaders attacked Lazarus, they had looted a large amount of wealth in Byzantium and sent it back to Europe and the Apennines. It was also from that time that more and more people received blessings."

Heraclius held up a finger: "Do you know? Before seeing the holy light covering you, I felt that you might not be able to receive a blessing. You are an extremely arrogant person—don't deny it, I know you don't believe in God, even if He appeared in front of you, you would be a donkey more stubborn than Saint Paul. (Saint Paul once refused to believe in Jesus' resurrection until Jesus appeared)"

He muttered in a low voice: "I don't know where you came from—no, I should say, you don't believe in anyone, Allah, Ra, whatever, it doesn't matter..."

"Of course, you can receive a blessing, this is a good thing, but unfortunately, this kind of good thing is still not something everyone can have. Even if they are clerics, monks, or the illegitimate children of some bishop, the lover's father or brother won't work. So for these people, they can still get a satisfactory position. What do they rely on?"

"Are they... doctors?"

"Yes, who won't get sick or injured? Knights will, lords will, and Kings will. Isn't Baldwin an example? Even if the saint favors him so much, he is still a patient—the Roman Church can still use him as one of the most important chips in its hands—not to mention, the profession of doctor originally conflicts with monks who receive 'blessings'."

Cesar nodded. He could understand. Not every monk and cleric could immediately make a cripple stand up and walk, or make a leper recover immediately. This was something only Jesus Christ could do. The illnesses that ordinary monks and clerics could treat were only fractures, bleeding, fever, or diarrhea, etc. But if doctors were allowed to continue to exist, people might not choose them.

After all, if you want to get treatment from monks and clerics, the price is really not something ordinary people can afford—sometimes you will be threatened to give up a large piece of land or hundreds of serfs, or even a forest and a lake.

At that time, Cesar could be taken care of by the monks who received "blessings" at the Church of St. John the Baptist because he only had a slight fever and fainted, and was not seriously injured, and also because he was indeed pitiful.

Even so, Dean John had "inadvertently" mentioned that if this cost were to be calculated, even if Cesar became a knight, he would have to pay off the debt for ten full years.

"So can you understand now?" Heraclius pointed to the herbs Cesar brought: "If it is discovered that you can use herbs to delay the symptoms of a leper, even if it is not a cure, every monk or cleric will hate not being able to eat you alive. This is not a problem of one or two people, but the entire Church will be shaken by this."

"Then will those lords and Kings think so too?"

"Tsk," Heraclius made a "this is really fatal" expression: "The devil wants to recognize you as a teacher, child, but you are only one person. Amalric I protects you because you are protecting his heir, but others won't, unless you can suddenly conjure ten thousand doctors. They might then deal with the Church."

"And you hit the nail on the head," Heraclius continued: "The Church has no army. What they have are clerics, monks, and God's earthly dwellings (monasteries and churches). If these two things are gone, our previous Patriarch is the warning for all clergy."

Thinking back now, it was also because the Patriarch had clearly refused to treat Baldwin, and even prevented Amalric I and his heir from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during the "Selection Ceremony," that the King decided to turn against them completely.

And, those oil lamps added with poppy paste—later it was left unsettled. As those people expected, Heraclius's potion was also something that could not be put on the table. Saying it out was also a big uproar.

"But Baldwin..."

"At least not in the time that follows," Heraclius said, "We are about to join other Crusaders, and merchants will follow us, but who doesn't know you are Baldwin's close friend? Anything you do is equivalent to what Baldwin did..." He shook his head: "May God bless Baldwin, and you—"

He put his hand on Cesar's shoulder: "Then, leave these herbs, and the things that follow, to me."

(End of chapter)