Chapter 91: Fustat (Part 2) (13,000 collection bonus chapter!)

Cesar certainly knew that just because of such a short message, he was acting quite irrationally, even stupidly, by privately leaving the noisy hall without anyone knowing to meet a Saracen he had only met once.

Not to mention the things that had happened to the noblewoman Elena's team—just a few days ago, when they were still besieging Fustat, a knight fell to the ground because his horse was startled during a patrol. His horse immediately ran to a valley and disappeared in the blink of an eye. He chased after it anxiously, and his servants and attendants followed closely. The distance between them might have been only a few hundred feet—but by the time they arrived, there was only the horse wailing and covered in blood, and his headless corpse.

But he only hesitated for a moment. He could certainly get up immediately and return to the noisy hall, but he could guarantee that as long as he turned around, this eunuch and the people behind him would disappear without a trace.

And this person could send the message to him at this time and in this place. How could he be an ordinary person?

He decided to take a risk.

He still remembered the silver ring that Saracen had given him—he had gone to ask Heraclius, and Baldwin, and they said that Saracens, especially warriors, wouldn't have any ornaments on their bodies, such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets... but they often wore a silver ring.

Because their prophet Muhammad needed to correspond with foreign monarchs, someone told the prophet that foreign monarchs wouldn't look at letters without a seal, so the prophet made a gold ring, engraved with "Muhammad is the messenger of God."

But he didn't expect that people would follow him and also make gold rings. When the prophet saw it, he threw away the gold ring, saying, "I will never wear it again." However, because a seal was still needed in official business, the prophet had a silver ring custom-made, still engraved with "Muhammad is the messenger of God."

After he passed away, Caliph Abu wore this ring, and later, Caliph Umar wore this ring, and finally, Uthman wore this ring. But later, he accidentally dropped this ring into a well. Even if people drained the well water, they couldn't find it, so he could only have a new silver ring made to wear on his hand.

Since then, all Saracen men only wore silver rings on their fingers. They didn't wear gold ones because it disgusted the prophet, and they didn't wear copper or iron ones because they were materials symbolizing hell.

These silver rings were often also the seals of these Saracens, just like their most revered prophet Muhammad. And in their faith, an eagle often represented the rule of power—just like the "Eagle's Nest."

A person qualified to wear this ring couldn't possibly be just a merchant or craftsman. Cesar had even vaguely guessed who this person was—compared to this person, the current him was just an insignificant little character.

If the other party could come to see him alone, what qualification did he have not to meet him alone? His weight was originally much heavier than Cesar's.

And in Cesar's heart, a thought was surging. Since he entered the Crusader army, all he heard were irritable complaints, cruel shouts, and hateful screams. All he witnessed were ugly crimes, despicable betrayals, and painful struggles—but he couldn't confide in anyone. Who could understand him? And even if they were willing to listen to his complaints, what could a few people's strength change?

And what kind of thoughts did that Saracen who had discussed the good and evil of human nature with him have?

He followed this little eunuch silently through a fig forest. The forest was filled with the sweet fragrance of figs that had burst after ripening. Under his feet, he could also step on soft, plump fruits. They broke lightly, making a pitter-patter sound—so fragile that it almost made people want to step on more.

Afterward, they came to a pier, rowed a small boat upstream along a small river. The shore was still filled with countless fig trees. The moonlight fell on them, the boat, and the water waves through the dense branches. Frightened fish kept jumping up, even jumping onto their boat. Cesar grabbed one casually and found that the fish was covered in leopard-like patterns.

"It's a leopard fish," the little eunuch glanced at it and said indifferently, "from Gambia. One costs three gold coins."

Cesar let go, and the three gold coins fell into the water.

Then if he were Caliph Al-Adid, he would exchange all these things for soldiers' equipment, siege engines, and a third city wall, or take a step back, he would reward all these things to the generals sent by Nur ad-Din.

They went ashore, and then walked a long way surrounded by pomegranate trees and myrrh trees—even if Cesar returned immediately, someone would find him missing for a long time.

Afterward, they saw that person.

His attire was still no different from when they first met in the market—no jewelry, no silk, only heavy cotton cloth, dull chainmail, a turban wrapped around his hair, and a wide black robe. He tied his cowhide belt very tightly, hanging a scimitar and a long sword, and only a silver ring on his finger was shining.

A red Arabian horse stood beside him. Besides that, the only other person beside them was the little eunuch who brought Cesar here. As soon as he saw this man, he immediately performed a kowtow to him and retreated quietly.

"May I know who you are?" Cesar calmed down and asked.

"Saladin. Saladin ibn Ayyub. You can call me Saladin," the man said. Cesar sighed softly. It was indeed this person. After all, heaven was stingy; the treasures it bestowed on the world wouldn't be many, not to mention in such a place.

"I found this on your servant. Did you draw it?" Saladin said, showing Cesar a trimmed piece of parchment. As soon as Cesar saw it, he knew it was part of the discarded drawings.

He thought Longinus had burned them all, but he didn't expect him to leave one behind. However, there was no signature or handwriting on this piece of parchment, and no one could trace it back to him based on such a small piece of paper.

But sometimes judgment doesn't need evidence.

"Yes," Cesar didn't want to cover it up. He looked up at Saladin: "The Saracen Longinus met was also you."

"It was me," Saladin said. "I heard someone fighting there, so I went over to see. I didn't expect to see—a Christian fighting three other Christian knights for a Saracen girl, almost losing his life there—the girl wasn't saved, but the favor she received still exists and hasn't been returned, even if the person who lent a helping hand was a Christian."

"He walked past me, so I saved him," Saladin asked with interest. "What about you? Did you see those cows that walked past you?"

"I saw them," Cesar answered calmly and composedly. "I also saved them."

"I heard," Saladin's face showed a satisfied smile. "Those people from Bilbeis told me what happened to them." He wouldn't blame Cesar for why he didn't stop the knights' behavior, return the residents' property, allow them to continue staying in the city instead of being expelled, nor would he accuse or doubt why Cesar didn't do what he did in Bilbeis in Fustat?

No one could snatch blood food from the mouth of a hungry lion; otherwise, one had to be prepared to be torn apart and swallowed by it.

And this courage, this ability, not to mention Cesar, who was only a squire now, even Baldwin and Amalric I couldn't do it: "You did well. You did your part."

"Then may I ask a question?" Cesar asked coldly: "Have you never left Fustat?"

"Or rather, our army. Yes, we didn't leave. Although our Sultan Nur ad-Din demanded we return to Damascus, we didn't—well, or rather we didn't set off immediately. And if you want to say leaving Fustat, we left. Otherwise, how could your King come here?"

Cesar only felt his heart gripped by fear. Saladin and his uncle Shirkuh were equal to handing over this city, and why did they do this? If they hadn't given up their ambition and power, know that after the Crusaders entered the city, attacking Fustat again wouldn't be something a few thousand Saracen cavalry could do...

He looked at Saladin, but only saw a mocking smile and eyes full of pity. A strange thought rose in his heart, which he couldn't suppress. He remembered the strange scene since entering this city. At that time, he thought—those residents were either killed or hiding.

But now it seems...

"You bought off the people around Shawar."

"No, no need," Saladin said. "Sometimes we really can't underestimate those vicious and despicable guys," he nodded affirmatively. He looked at the child in front of him who guessed the truth after just a little thought, and then the fear that couldn't be described overwhelmed his beautiful face.

What kind of person was Shawar?

It could be said that from Christians to Saracens, from Kings to the humblest servants, no one looked down on him. He was servile, he was sycophantic and shameless. He could invite wolves into the house for his own selfishness, and after inviting wolves into the house, find a way to drive tigers and swallow wolves—he was short-sighted, reckless, and casually promised a price that couldn't be paid at all.

He fooled Amalric I, and also fooled Nur ad-Din far away in Syria. He manipulated these figures with noble status at will, just like playing with chess pieces on a chessboard. He manipulated Caliph Al-Adid. Everyone knew that this young boy was just a small doll he put in his hand to play with. He told him to do whatever he wanted.

But it was such a person, how could he do that? How dare he do that? Did he not care about his life and future?

"Why care? He was ultimately a Saracen, the Grand Vizier of the Fatimid dynasty. His baseness and lowliness were all for this position. If he lost his status and power, he would also lose all hope—you also know that the Christian King doesn't have the position of Grand Vizier, and even if he did, he wouldn't give it to him."

"Since that's the case," Saladin's lips floated with a smile, "being able to sink into hell with those cruel and despicable Christians can be considered a happy thing."

Cesar turned his head back abruptly. He stared at the distant palace. It was still trapped in darkness, with only a few places lit up. It looked so calm, and the chirping of birds and moving singing floated on the calm lake.

He was about to turn and leave immediately. Saladin called him to stop. "Are you sure?" he said. "You left inexplicably, and returned suddenly. And when you arrive, things have already happened. You can't do anything, can't save anything. And your abrupt departure and abrupt appearance will make people suspect whether you have anything to do with this matter. Can your Prince protect you?"

"I can even say, if he and you can survive by luck, will the people who question you include him?"

"The waiting will be torture and death."

He waited, but Cesar said nothing. He jumped up swiftly and rushed onto the road he came from. Looking at his distant back, Saladin remained silent, not knowing whether it was relief or regret. Not long after, the little eunuch who brought Cesar to him walked out from the dark, asking suspiciously, "My lord, why didn't you keep him by your side?"

"I've seen him. He is indeed a good person, although he is still so young and so weak, he still sighs from time to time for those innocent victims. Don't force him to do anything. He has a humble background, almost the same as me, although he is Baldwin's attendant, he hasn't obtained any power yet."

"People admire his beauty, admire his good deeds, but at the same time, they are vaguely despising his background. His words are light and powerless."

"Those Christians are always so greedy," the little eunuch continued. "When they see a gem fall to the ground, they pick it up, clean it, and inlay it on a ring or a crown. But whenever they admire its beauty and feel the miracle bestowed by God, they still say, 'Oh, if only it hadn't fallen to the ground.'"

"Isn't this a very stupid behavior?"

"An ordinary stone, even if it has been enshrined on a sacred altar since birth, is still a stone, and won't suddenly turn into a gem. If it loses those external things, it will immediately become plain and be trampled by people."

"Are you talking about your Caliph?" Saladin asked.

The little eunuch also laughed. Clearly, he was the kind of person who had no respect for the current Caliph Al-Adid. "I see there is no movement there. If he returns..."

"Don't worry," Saladin said. "What you hate has already started to burn."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 92 =====