Chapter 218: The ambition to dominate is in vain
People's vision is very short-sighted, and almost everyone can only see their own immediate interests.
In front of the farmer's eyes are his dilapidated thatched houses, the livestock sleeping with him, and the harvest in the fields.
The knight would think about the manor, glory, family crest and faith.
As for the lords, they had many things to consider, but no matter how many things they had, they were often only about their own interests.
Everyone has his or her own ambitions, and the level a person is at often affects their vision.
But vision determines what a person can achieve.
Those who can break through their own layers and examine history and the world from a more holistic perspective are often more likely to leave a lasting mark in history books.
Of course, thinking that your horizons are broadened is not the same thing as truly broadening your horizons.
Now, Prince Bohemond III of Antioch was so high-spirited that he led an army of 4,000 people all the way south without anyone stopping him.
The princes in the north of Tripoli all treated each other with courtesy. Wherever the king's master went, the people all drank from the pots of pulp.
You know, his biological son, Raymond de Poitiers, is the godson of Raymond III, now Count of Tripo.
While Raymond III had no other children, his own children were the strongest claimants to the county of Tripoli.
The northern princes of the County of Tripoli were all well aware of this. Facing Antioch's army, most of them surrendered directly, showing their support for the County of Tripoli inherited by Raymond de Poitiers.
As a result, the number of troops under his command increased and now numbered five thousand.
Looking at the large stretch of tents and looking to the south, Bohemond the "Stutterer" immediately wanted to recite a poem.
"Above the wasteland... uh, the tower stands in the wind!"
"Battle flag, battle flag...what can you do with hunting and hunting...show your ambitions!"
In this way, Bohemond, without realizing it, recited a sonnet in front of these vassals around him.
"But, but after all...who can sit on the throne for a long time?"
"The winds and clouds are surging, and the years are coming, going, going...self-persistent!"
"What a poem! What a poem!"
After Bohemond finished reading with difficulty, the princes on the side stepped forward to flatter him.
Now the royal family of Jerusalem is relatively safe, and Antioch has leapt to the top of the Crusader kingdoms.
When Antiochus unifies all the countries, he will be the mainstay of the Franks and the hope against Saladin!
These guys who have the power of following the dragon naturally have to flatter them more now.
……
The rain has stopped, and the city of Tripoli has changed.
Vaccinium transplantation is not a very complicated task. First, disinfect with alcohol or spirits, cut the superficial skin surface of the person, and apply vaccinia liquid.
A skilled operator, with the assistance of others, can handle three hundred to five hundred people a day.
It is not difficult to vaccinate a large area of Tripoli.
However, due to the obstacles of the Tripoli Church, many people have missed the vaccination period.
In the quarantine area, hundreds of straw sheets were spread on the ground. They were filled with smallpox virus. The people lying here could be said to be waiting to die.
Among them, at least 20% will not survive this plague.
But, this is already the limit of what Garris can do.
The fight against the smallpox plague cannot be stopped by simple vaccination with cowpox.
It can only be said that the fight against the plague is an endless war that will not end even after a thousand years.
However, no matter what, it is Garris who has temporarily gained the upper hand.
The dark clouds have temporarily dispersed, and Garris has used his actual actions to prove that the plague is not unstoppable or incurable.
There was a sharp contrast between the Greeks who believed in Gallis's words and were willing to obey Gallis's treatment and isolation, and the original Catholic Franks.
Because the Greeks had been vaccinated against cowpox earlier, the number of deaths was quite small.
This time, about 2,000 people died in the whole city, and they were basically concentrated among the Franks.
When such statistics were released by Garris, the original reputation of the Catholic Church was completely ruined.
After this, many Franks took the initiative to approach Gehris, hoping to convert to Orthodoxy.
……
The rainy season in the Levant has completely passed, and bright sunlight passes through the narrow windows of the castle and shines into the luxurious palace.
However, no matter how luxurious the palace is, it seems to be filled with a dead air because of its owner.
The ornate chairs and desks seemed to have lost their luster, and the wood gave off an unsettling sour smell.
Raymond III, Count of Tripoli, was lying on his soft bed, reciting scriptures.
"Hail Mary, you are full of grace, and the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your Son Jesus."
"God, Holy Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
The Hail Mary was repeated over and over again in Raymond's mouth, and it was difficult for him to think about anything else.
He had also heard about the great changes in Tripoli.
But Raymond couldn't make any effective response. After all, he didn't even have a child of his own.
What does worldly power and wealth mean to a dying man?
After he repeated the Hail Mary countless times, an attendant opened the door of the palace, came to Raymond, and said to him.
"My lord, Dr. Garris has come to see you, but..."
"But what?"
"However, his titles are: Saint of Jerusalem, Knight of Villeroy, Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom...and behind him, there are hundreds of troops."
"Villeroy? Villeroy..."
When he heard the name, Raymond reacted.
Although the Villeroy family is not a wealthy family, it is still a somewhat obscure aristocratic family among the Crusader countries.
When he recalled what he had seen in the royal court of Jerusalem, he realized who Gerys really was.
"Let him in...ahem..."
After the attendant who reported the news left, Raymond couldn't help but start reciting the scriptures again, but this time it was changed to the guardian angel.
It was unclear how much time had passed. When the door of the palace was pushed open again, Garris walked in from the outside.
Turning his head slightly, Raymond saw Garris, whom he had not seen for some days.
At this moment, Garris was different from the past. He was wearing a noble purple robe, and the gold-plated scepter in his hand was dazzling.
All of this is to declare that Gareth's identity is unusual.
Of course, Raymond also noticed a detail. Garris wore a familiar seal ring on his ring finger.
"You have become Isabella's husband..."
"I know that Humphrey guy, mud can't hold up the wall, but why didn't you say it before... ahem." Raymond couldn't help coughing a few more times.
"The city of Tripoli is in decay. I don't want the church, and I don't want the Frankish feudal system."
"The authority I took over from you is continuing the old sin."
"I am not the king of the Franks, but the king of Jerusalem."
"I am the prophet, the eternal priest, and the king of all...I do not favor the Franks. In my eyes, the Greeks and Armenians are also brothers."
Listening to Garris's words, Raymond couldn't help but speak.
"I guess your next sentence is going to be that you are Melchizedek...ahem."
However, Raymond suddenly felt that something was wrong, because Garris did not speak, but just looked at him like this.
What he saw made him hairy.
A gust of wind blew, and nothing changed, but Raymond felt that something had changed.
Melchizedek is a mysterious and important figure in the Bible.
In Genesis 14, he is described as the king of Jerusalem and "priest of the Most High God."
He met Abraham with bread and wine, blessed him, and accepted a tenth of the spoils from Abraham.
Melchizedek's name means "King of Righteousness", and as the king of Jerusalem, he was also regarded as the "King of Peace."
He held the dual status of king and priest at the same time, and was regarded as a type of Jesus Christ, symbolizing the union of righteousness and peace, and the unity of the king and priesthood.
In Christian tradition, Melchizedek is seen as a type of Jesus Christ, symbolizing the eternal priesthood and the union of righteousness and peace. His presence emphasizes the uniqueness and transcendence of Jesus Christ as High Priest.
King Hongtian once called himself Melchizedek.
"Do you think that the wisdom of people of your time alone can prevent a smallpox plague?"
"In other words, do you think that the wisdom of your time alone is enough to cut open a person's abdomen and remove the internal organs?"
"I have been resurrected once. I do not belong to this era."
Raymond was a little shaken, because when he carefully recalled the rumors about Garris, he realized that what Garris did was somewhat beyond the scope of human understanding.
After a long silence, Raymond finally asked again: "What is the purpose of your visit?"
"I'm giving you a ride, that's all. The land in Tripoli will be returned to the kingdom, and there will no longer be the next Earl of Tripoli."
"This is not a discussion, but a notification."
After another long silence, Raymond finally spoke in a humble tone.
"Your Majesty, please give me a ride, can you? The time is almost up..."
Raymond called Gareth your majesty, which was against the rules, but it was already this time, so what were the rules?
"I know what you want, and I let you."
"Your coffin can be moved to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after the recapture of Jerusalem."
Under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, there is a huge tomb where the coffins of many kings of Jerusalem are placed.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the place where Jesus was reportedly buried. It is the place where Christ Jesus was crucified, where he was buried, and where he was resurrected.
As the site of Jesus' resurrection, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is also considered the center of the world.
If we say where people were resurrected first and where they received the Lord’s mercy the most, then in the hearts of Christians, the dead buried under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher undoubtedly bear the brunt.
"Got it..."
……
As night fell, a few lonely candles burned in the palace, and the swaying light and shadow reflected on the dome carved with complicated patterns.
Raymond was lying quietly on the bed. In the past, Raymond was thin, short, dark-skinned, and had a pair of sharp eyes. His thoughts were orderly and cautious, but his actions were strong and he also knew what moderation was. ,.
But now, his face was sallow and his eyes were sunken.
His breathing was heavy and slow, but even so, his hands still held the crown that symbolized his status and majesty.
The end is near, the time has come.
When the door was slowly pushed open, even the low gnashing of teeth sounded like a death knell, echoing in the silent palace.
Following steady footsteps, Garris entered the palace. He was followed by several silent Cypriot churchmen.
These priests carry holy oil, bread and censer.
This was a last sacrament in which Guerris exercised his priestly ministry.
He brought the Bread of Pilgrimage and gave it to Raymond, Count of Tripoli, to receive the body and blood of Christ who died and rose again.
This is the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection.
Along with the dying oil, this is the passage from death to life.
【Altar of God, please remain in peace】
[May the sacrifice I receive from you wipe away my debt of sin and forgive my transgressions, making me worthy to stand before the judgment seat of Christ without condemnation or confusion. 】
[I don’t know if I still have a chance to come back and sacrifice myself on top of you again. 】
【Lord! Please protect me】
【Amen】
When it was all over, Garris stood beside the bed and looked down at Count Raymond. There was no contempt or pity in his eyes, only unfathomable calm.
This once ambitious lord finally came to the end of his life.
Raymond struggled to raise his eyes and looked at Garris.
His old lips trembled for a moment, trying to say something, but in the end it just turned into a weak sigh.
His fingers trembled slightly, but he still refused to let go of the crown, because this was his last nostalgia.
"Your Majesty..." Raymond spoke hoarsely, his voice so low that it was almost impossible to hear.
"Give up your power and position, and return to dust to dust. These things will not be taken with you until death. Instead, they will become your shackles, binding your heart and preventing you from ascending to the kingdom of heaven."
"It does not belong to you, it belongs to heaven, to faith, to a will that is more eternal than you and me."
Listening to Garris's words, Raymond's fingers resisted stiffly for a moment, and then slowly relaxed. The crown slipped from his hand and was caught firmly by Garris.
At this moment, Raymond lost his last support. His body trembled uncontrollably, and then he fell back into the bed, and his eyes gradually lost focus.
His eyelids were closed heavily, like an ancient city gate that had finally been blown shut by a storm.
There was silence in the palace, only the candlelight was still beating, singing in low voice for the passing of the old king.
An era in Tripoli has ended, and the door to the new world has also been pushed open through a gap.
……
There will be a second chapter later
(End of chapter)