xymnovel Chapter 162 Reinald's True Colors
Chapter 162 Reinald's True Colors
Chapter 162 Reinald's True Colors (Part Two)
Faced with the king's fury and the torrent of condemnation from his colleagues, Reynald, at the center of the storm, remained completely unfazed, crossing his legs with a rosy glow on his face that seemed to indicate satisfaction or even reminiscence.
It seemed as if the angry outbursts were not meant to belittle him, but rather to praise him for accomplishing a remarkable feat.
Once the clamor of the crowd subsided, he slowly stood up and walked towards the throne.
He knelt on one knee at a proper distance from the throne, bowing his head, but his spine remained straight.
"Your Majesty," he said matter-of-factly, with a shameless expression, "I, Reinald of Châtillon, listen to your teachings and the criticisms of my colleagues."
He raised his head, his gaze calm, even somewhat innocent, as he looked at Baldwin: "Your Majesty, I did indeed—without your permission, mobilize ships and personnel to go to the Red Sea. This act disregarded Your Majesty's orders and was an unauthorized action; this is my first crime, and I have no further complaints."
"As for the operations in the Red Sea and Hejaz regions," he said, sounding aggrieved, "Your Majesty, as a knight of the kingdom and a warrior guarding the Christian faith, I have witnessed the infidels' wealth continuously nourishing Saladin's war machine through the Red Sea, and countless of their followers safely making pilgrimages to their holy sites, bolstering their morale and faith—my territory in Outer Jordan has long been the first to suffer from their cavalry raids. I have pondered day and night how I can alleviate the kingdom's burdens, how I can strike at the enemy's lifeline and shake its foundations?"
His voice gradually took on a fervent sense of mission: "Saladin is looking north, his rear is empty—this is a golden opportunity! I believe we should attack his supply lines and trade routes, shake his heartland, and leave Saladin unable to attend to both ends. This will also demonstrate God's protection over us and boost the morale of all Christian warriors! Let those infidels know that their Sultan is not omnipotent, and that we can just as easily invade their supposedly safe backyard!"
"I know this action is daring, but for the kingdom, for God, I am willing to take the risk! If I can truly break Saladin's defenses, I will laugh in my dreams! I will bear all the responsibility and consequences! If he dares to attack, I will make sure he suffers a crushing defeat at the gates of Caleb!"
Finally, he bowed deeply again: "Therefore, I plead guilty today for acting without authorization and disobeying the king's command! I beg Your Majesty to punish me! Whatever you decide, I will have no complaints! But I absolutely refuse to acknowledge that the attack on heretics, especially the shock to the core of their arrogant faith, was a mistake, a crime! I believe that was the duty of a Christian knight!"
"...
An eerie silence fell over the council chamber once again.
Raymond and the others turned pale with anger, but were speechless for a moment.
Balian shook his head, giving Reinard a look of utter contempt.
Trying to reason with someone whose values are completely different and who is not ashamed of it is like talking to a brick wall.
Guy sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. That guy Reinald was really something else—
Leon glanced furtively at Reinald, who winked slyly, as if to say, "My lines weren't badly memorized, were they?"
Lyon quietly gave a thumbs up: Not bad, impressive!
Baldwin, seated on his throne, heaved his chest more violently, his eyes behind the mask fixed on Reinard kneeling below.
He knows this guy too well; a leopard can't change its spots.
But what could he do? Reynald was the kingdom's sharpest and most uncontrollable blade.
In the face of the immense threat posed by Saladin, disabling or severely punishing this weapon would be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm.
Moreover—Baldwin's gaze swept over Lyon again with lightning speed.
Was Reinald the only one driven to madness in this whole affair? What role did his brother play? Was his performance of complete "ignorance" too perfect?
All sorts of concerns, speculations, anger, and helplessness churned within Baldwin's heart.
In the end, all his emotions turned into a long and heavy sigh, as if it had drained most of his strength.
"—Enough." Baldwin's voice was filled with exhaustion. "Reinald, your—your statement, I have fully understood. Your unauthorized actions nearly dragged the kingdom into an abyss of no return; this is a grave crime."
"But considering your past achievements and your hard work in guarding Transjordan," he practically spat out these reasons, "this time, I will not strip you of your title or lands. However, I will forfeit your royal annuity for the next two years, and forfeit thirty percent of this year's tax revenue from your lands to the national treasury as a warning to others! You must return to Caleb Castle immediately, and you are not to leave without my orders! Be on high alert to deal with any possible retaliation from Saladin!"
Reinald immediately looked up, flashing a rather obsequious smile at Raymond and his colleagues, then bowed gratefully to Baldwin, saying, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Majesty! I obey! I will defend Transjordan to the death and will not fail Your Majesty's great kindness!"
Although the other lords were resentful, they understood that this was almost the most realistic choice the king could make in the current situation.
To really hand Reinald over to Saladin? That's a pipe dream.
Severe punishment, even demotion? The risk is too great; this is the only option.
After dealing with Reynald, an even more pressing problem lay ahead: how to respond to Saladin's harshly worded letter of inquiry.
Baldwin leaned wearily against the throne, catching his breath for a moment. Then, he looked at Raymond and spoke again: "Count, you shall write a reply to Saladin."
The hall fell silent, and everyone pricked up their ears, eager to hear how the king would salvage this situation where he was clearly in the wrong.
Baldwin began slowly, "Let's begin with the usual formalities. Then, firstly, I would like to express my regret and concern regarding the recent violent clashes in the Red Sea and Hejaz regions."
"Secondly, it is clearly stated that, based on preliminary investigations, Duke Reinald of Châtillon recently engaged in personal military actions without explicit authorization from the Kingdom of Jerusalem's court. King Baldwin de Anjou of Jerusalem has severely reprimanded and punished Duke Reinald for such unauthorized actions that disregard the overall interests of the Kingdom and violate the King's orders. The punishment may briefly mention a fine and confinement, but need not be elaborated upon. It is also emphasized that this was his personal act, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem's court was unaware of it beforehand and subsequently did not approve of it."
"Thirdly, regarding the specific atrocities mentioned in the document concerning Mecca and other places, the Kingdom of Jerusalem has not yet obtained independent and conclusive information to verify all the details. However, based on chivalry and the laws of war, we have consistently opposed and condemned senseless atrocities against non-combatants, religious sites, and cultural treasures, regardless of where they occur or who commits them. This position remains consistent."
"Fourthly, it should be mentioned that both sides inevitably suffer losses in war. Towns and churches in the Kingdom of Jerusalem are often affected by the fighting, and civilians also suffer, such as in Ramallah, Lida, Beirut and other places."
Fifth, we firmly reject the unreasonable demand to hand over Duke Reinald. We clearly state that Duke Reinald is a legitimately appointed nobleman of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and his wrongdoings should be judged by the Kingdom according to its own laws and traditions. It is absolutely impossible for him to be handed over to foreign powers. This is a matter of principle concerning the Kingdom's sovereignty and dignity, and there is no room for compromise.
"Finally, we express our sincerity: The Kingdom of Jerusalem is willing to conduct further investigation and clarification into this incident. We reiterate that the Kingdom remains committed to seeking a sustainable peace arrangement based on the status quo. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation that could lead to more loss of life. May God or Allah guide us to a wise solution."
"The closing ceremony remains the same."
After Baldwin finished dictating, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength and closed his eyes slightly.
The hall was silent except for the soft scratching of Raymond's quill as he wrote on the parchment.