Chapter 168: The Isaacites’ New Year
“I remember you,” Caesar said.
The name recorded for this woman in the trial records was Neili, a quite common name among Christian women, but more often found in farmer or craftsman families. The reason Caesar remembered her was that she had once received three favors from Caesar.
The first time was when Caesar first arrived in the City of Ayyarasa Road. To compensate for his humble origins, he practiced asceticism for dozens of days and nights in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. To fake a holy relic, their teacher Heraclius specially arranged for a woman and her infant to act as “actors” to prove that his asceticism was being watched by God and the saints, in order to counter the pressure from the Church.
That time, Caesar gave her a date.
The second time was at the market, where she knocked over those pigments. Without Caesar, she would have been buried alive.
The third time he saw her was in the Bethlehem courtroom, and it involved a case that would be decided by life and death.
She and her husband accused each other of being a wizard, so according to customary law and doctrine, Bishop Andrew ordered them to prove their oaths through a divorce duel.
The entire duel was of course bloody and horrific. What was even more surprising was that this thin, small woman actually defeated her husband with an indescribable courage and strength.
Her husband was deemed guilty of slander and beheaded, while she was declared innocent and inherited all the property left by her husband.
“How have you been?”
Caesar asked kindly. He was also examining the woman’s clothes and complexion. “Thanks to you, master, I’ve been doing well.” It certainly seemed so on the surface. She was fuller than before, her clothes were neat with few patches, and she even wore a copper bracelet on her hand.
Caesar smiled. Her husband had perhaps deceived many women with nowhere to go under the guise of marriage, using them as free laborers. Some escaped, some died, but her husband surely never imagined that a woman he picked up from the roadside could be this dangerous.
Neili must have faced precautions, discrimination, and cold treatment. Even knowing she had been a victim, how many people would dare to associate with a woman who killed her husband in a divorce duel and become friends with her?
But Neili clearly was not the type who needed such things. She was always very practical. When Caesar asked, she didn’t waste time and directly pulled open her collar, yanking a cloth bag from her loose undergarment, then untied the rope on the cloth bag and took out what was inside to show Caesar.
Longinus took it: “It’s a bread.” He said, then handed it to Caesar. Caesar weighed it in his hand; it was indeed a hard, solid bread.
Of course, it wasn’t like the white, soft, sweet, and fragrant bread enjoyed by the king or queen at a banquet, but for commoners, it was much better than those flashy little pastries. It weighed a pound and could ensure a family didn’t go hungry for a day.
Caesar broke the bread into small pieces and was surprised to find it was purely bread, with no wood shavings mixed in or mud. He pinched a small piece and tasted it. Besides being sour and bitter, there was nothing strange about the flavor: “Is there something wrong with this bread?”
“Wasn’t it you who commissioned those Isaacites to distribute it to us?”
“No,” Caesar said. Although he had been granted Bethlehem as a knight’s territory, he had been busy with matters in the City of Ayyarasa Road these days. If not for Heraclius’s request, he would have postponed his trip to Bethlehem. Even if he went, he had no intention of easily changing Bethlehem’s current state for the time being.
He would govern Bethlehem, but that would certainly be after Baldwin’s Imperial Court was fully stabilized.
Neili showed a relieved expression. “I knew it wasn’t you,” she said abruptly, but she quickly added, “You really don’t know yet, master. Someone in Bethlehem is doing good deeds in your name.”
This was something even Caesar hadn’t expected. Doing good deeds in his name didn’t sound bad, but anyone acting must have motives. Who would give freely to enhance someone else’s reputation while gaining nothing?
He wasn’t some elegantly poised noble lady needing knights and priests to proclaim her piety, goodness, and virtues.
“Do you know who it is?”
“Of course I do, master. It’s those Isaacites in Bethlehem. They’ve been sneaky in their synagogue these past few days, discussing who knows what, but yesterday they suddenly rushed in a big way into the areas where commoners live—a place they almost never set foot in.
They brought out basket after basket of bread, ale, salt, and precious sugar, distributing them while saying it was by your command, all to celebrate the upcoming September Festival.”
Longinus snorted coldly from the side. It was quite subtly put. September certainly had many feast days, anniversaries, and festivals, like Saint Gregory I, Saint Rosalia, Saint Gaudentius, Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Holy Name of the Virgin Mary, Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, Saint John Chrysostom…
But a group of Isaacites in their distinctive native attire, led by their sage and his students, lavishly distributing aid—others would instinctively see this September Festival as the Isaacites’ New Year, not a Christian feast day or festival.
“Their scheme is clever. With just a few baskets of bread, they can make people think you’re on their side, even already an unconverted Isaacite.” Caesar waved his hand, signaling Longinus to say no more.
The deed was done, and they chose a clever time. It was also because Neili came to inform on the first day; otherwise, by the time he settled in Holy Cross Castle and returned to Bethlehem, everything would be settled. Not to mention the good deeds faked in his name—the Isaacites’ New Year might even be over.
Caesar tried to stand from the chair but felt a wave of weakness surging from deep within his body. He had to sit back down.
“Longinus, take a few knights back immediately. If necessary, you can also seek Bishop Andrew’s help. First go find the Isaacites in Bethlehem, arrest their sage, then order the Isaacites following him to retrieve every bit of the bread, ale, or other items they distributed from the commoners who received them.
If anyone has already drunk or eaten it, give them some holy water.”
Longinus showed a sly, knowing grin.
“Don’t worry, master. Except for some fools tricked by the devil, most people probably didn’t dare touch it,” Neili said from the side. “Some even threw the stuff back at their heads, giving them lumps.”
A faint smile appeared on Caesar’s lips but quickly vanished.
He looked up: “No, arrest all the Isaacites involved in this incident. Find out their chief envoy and bring him before me.”
Longinus immediately set off to carry out the order. Neili stood there, somewhat at a loss, about to awkwardly take her leave like Longinus when Caesar stopped her: “Wait, Neili, don’t go back to Bethlehem. Stay in Holy Cross Castle for these few days. I’ll have the castle steward prepare a bed for you and give you some work. When you leave, tell others you’re going to work elsewhere.
Neili came to inform because she had received favors from Caesar before, but while the first incident might be unknown, the second was public. Caesar worried she would face revenge from the Isaacites if she returned.
Neili had to think carefully to understand Caesar’s intent—after all, such seemingly casual care was rare among masters. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t do it; their minds simply weren’t on a commoner. “How wonderful,” she said sincerely. “You’re still the same, Little Saint.”
Longinus always acted swiftly, and Bethlehem wasn’t far from the City of Ayyarasa Road.
That very evening, he brought back the Isaacites’ sage as the leader, along with several merchants from the city and their students as followers.
They had orchestrated the matter.
In the Isaacites’ scripture, there is much emphasis on people doing good deeds, even giving rise to many proverbs.
“Those who share wealth for good deeds are like sheep shorn of wool; only shorn sheep can cross through water”; “A door not open to charity opens to the doctor”; “Charity equals all other laws combined,” and the like. One of their sages even listed a chart detailing the characteristics and returns of various good deeds.
From the highest—give a man a fish is less than teaching him to fish—to the lowest—purposeful or reluctant alms—totaling eight levels, strongly advocating that people should complete the first and second levels of charity, at best the third.
Some Isaacites even claimed that beggars receiving alms should also do good deeds.
Those unfamiliar with this people’s customs, seeing these things, would think them a generous and benevolent group, completely unaware why, since Egypt, they have been constantly driven from ruler to ruler, wandering homeless without a temporary refuge.
Gentlemen, no matter how loftily the Isaacites speak of charity, their good deeds are not indiscriminate. More accurately, they do good for only one kind of person—their own kin.
They regularly aid the poor in their group and find work for their craftsmen and scholars.
When an Isaacites merchant, robbed or shipwrecked and left penniless, arrives in a familiar or strange place, he can seek aid from the local Isaacites. He can borrow money interest-free three times. When he has more money, he can repay the debt.
But only three times. After that, even the most foolish Isaacite will clutch his money bag tight and not give him a penny.
And the Isaacites’ alms, as Neili said, do not earn the trust of Christians. In Christian countries, Isaacites are often accused of casting curses or poisoning wells—even if some are slander, it proves Isaacites in Christian countries do not gain trust or gratitude.
The reason Longinus was sent to retrieve the distributed bread, ale, and salt and sugar was also this: in his world, food could be traced, but here…
In this world, Isaacites did good deeds in his name without his arrangement or credible oversight, making the outcome unpredictable.
If a malicious person mixed poison into the food and a few died, it would utterly destroy his reputation—he would rather have gone to Bethlehem himself than sit here.
Fortunately, the Isaacites this time truly just wanted to flatter the new lord.
For the first time, Caesar lost patience. When the men were brought in under guard, the half-broken bread was flung directly at their feet.
He said nothing and needed to say nothing. These shrewd fellows knew at once that their plan was exposed before completion—Lego’s face showed a trace of regret.
He wasn’t regretting the bread but lamenting that their plotted scheme had completely failed before unfolding.
“I give you two choices,” Caesar said. “One: I drag you all out and hang you on the gallows, none spared. The charge: poisoning the residents of Bethlehem in my name.”
Hearing this, the Isaacites paled in shock: “We were doing good deeds, lord, following our traditions and doctrine. We harmed no one!”
The leading sage even bent down, grabbed a large piece of bread, and stuffed it in his mouth. “I don’t know which wolf-hearted, ungrateful person came to you without reason to slander us.
But we truly did this with fervent and pious hearts. It’s your first Isaacites New Year spent in Bethlehem, and having received many favors from you, we hoped to give return.
This return is small, not worth a golden crown—just some bread and water.
You didn’t see those people’s faces; they were exceedingly grateful, loudly thanking God and you…”
He spoke sincerely; anyone else might have believed him. But Caesar just raised his hand, cutting off his words. Whether true or false didn’t matter to him.
What mattered was he couldn’t let these Isaacites arbitrarily link him to them. People’s discernment now was poor; they were easily swayed. He didn’t want to become like that Roman governor, the Isaacites’ knife for murder or scapegoat.
“Two,” he said wearily, “go back to Bethlehem. My knights will supervise you. Apologize and explain to every recipient of your alms—this charity was not by my order but your fraud.
No matter how angrily they accuse or revenge on you, you cannot evade, retaliate, or insult—when done, you’ll be paraded to Bethlehem’s largest square.” He pondered, “thirty whips each.”
“But it was good deeds, lord. Our only fault was not seeking your consent, but you are so merciful…” the Bethlehem sage couldn’t help arguing.
Caesar just gave him a half-smile. “Like when you took a hundred thousand gold coins to ransom me from Saladin?”
This left them speechless; with their ulterior motives, they knew how much exaggeration and malice it contained.
They might have wanted to say more, but Caesar had no patience to listen. He waved, and two nearby knights stepped forward, seizing the sage’s arms.
The other Isaacites panicked, rushing forward to pull their leader back, but the knights drew long swords. They immediately let go and retreated.
The sage’s eyes bulged in rage; he burst into curses. He called his kin cowards, Caesar a hypocrite. He foresaw his end.
Indeed, a gallows was already erected in Holy Cross Castle’s square, and busybodies had eagerly fetched a basket of unopened puppies.
They would be hanged with this Isaacite sage. Facing such utter humiliation, the sage struggled madly. He too had received God’s blessing—though Caesar didn’t know if Isaacites had priests and knights—he was immensely strong; two knights could barely hold him.
But when Longinus joined, he weakened.
Longinus grabbed his hair, dragging him out like a dead dog. A crowd had gathered outside, excited and spreading the news, especially upon hearing an Isaacite sage was to be hanged.
Lego was ashen-faced. He dropped to his knees, crawling to Caesar on his knees, hands clasped begging mercy: “You are such a kind man.
You even wouldn’t let that woman who abandoned her husband face retribution. You once aided all the poor in the City of Ayyarasa Road. When the king and Tortosa Castle’s Templar Knights confronted, you risked alone for the lowly in that castle. People call you Little Saint.
Little Saint, why can’t you show us mercy?”
Before the near-deception and betrayal that almost drove Baldwin from Holy Cross Castle, Caesar might have shown mercy. But now he realized most people in this era wouldn’t thank you for kindness.
They would see you as weak and push further. He had given these Isaacites two paths, but since they wouldn’t choose, he would choose for them. He ignored the hoarse threats and pleas.
Saladin had once hanged several sages outside Damascus; hanging just one was already merciful.
By now, the sage was bound. Before being hoisted, he still roared and thrashed.
For Isaacites, Christians rarely hanged them cleanly upright but upside down, feet to sky, head to ground, with squealing puppies nearby.
This inverted state soon caused blood to rush to the head and fluid in the chest. Because this sage had received blessing, he endured longer than ordinary men, persisting until sunset.
From fish-like frantic flopping to maggot-like writhing, finally to intermittent cries and appeals.
When night fell, Caesar had Longinus bring back the Isaacites forced to watch, questioning them again. This time, they eagerly accepted Caesar’s second punishment.
When Longinus first retrieved the distributed bread and water, some had secretly kept some out of selfishness. But when these Isaacites were paraded back to Bethlehem, going house to house along the streets in hoarse voices admitting their sin, people realized the alms weren’t from their new lord but an Isaacite trick.
They were terrified and handed over the hidden food. Longinus promised the new lord’s alms would come soon, to be issued on September’s feast days and festivals—please not be too anxious.
In the meantime, if anyone truly couldn’t endure due to hunger or illness, they could seek help at Bishop Andrew’s monastery and church.
Of course, these plotting Isaacites unanimously faced residents’ curses and beatings. Only because soldiers supervised did they avoid being beaten to death.
Still covered in thick mud and feces, they trembled with humiliated rage but were helpless.
After all, they started it, and the Knight of Bethlehem merely punished according to law. Then they were taken to the pond to wash, as they still faced whipping.
Though thirty lashes could easily turn a live man dead, without washing, they would soon fever and die.
“You don’t think they’ll thank you for it.” Longinus asked upon returning to report.
“I don’t need their thanks, just their obedience.” If he had any patience for Isaacites at first, it was now exhausted.
“Did you bring Haridi?”
“Yes.”
