Episode 63
Saladin’s entry into Jerusalem concluded in a rather unexpected manner, even from his perspective.
Initially, he had planned to host an event for the religious figures residing in Jerusalem. It was meant to be a sort of revival meeting to boost morale in advance.
Naturally, the residents of Jerusalem were prepared to welcome the merciful Sultan, and he entered the city amidst tremendous cheers and blessings.
However, the unexpected overlap with the arrival of the Christian delegation was unforeseen. The Christians seemed equally taken aback, but Saladin maintained a composed exterior.
In fact, he felt it was fortunate to encounter them without any prior arrangements.
“Your Majesty, the man ahead seems to be the false prophet the Christians are promoting,” whispered a close aide beside him. Saladin offered no response.
It was their first meeting, after all. Lingering too long in conversation on the roadside wouldn’t look good, so he instructed his men to organize a grand welcome and set an official reception schedule.
Once inside the palace, Saladin calmly took out an Arabic chessboard, as was his custom. While exchanging moves with his brother Al-Adil, several officials arrived with a stack of documents.
Saladin glanced at the mountain of papers piling up beside his desk and remarked, “Do you think today’s encounter was intentional?”
It was a rather abstract question, but his brother immediately shook his head. “It didn’t seem that way. The expressions on the knights’ faces were clearly ones of confusion.”
“You have good eyesight, being able to discern facial expressions from such a distance.”
Of course, Saladin had no intention of attributing excessive significance to today’s encounter. However, even if the beginning was by chance, there are moments when the outcome becomes inevitable.
“Edward Marshall is young.”
“He’s just over twenty, so compared to us, he’s young. Didn’t you already know that?”
In terms of age, they were more than twice his senior, so naturally, he was younger. But that wasn’t the point Saladin was trying to make.
“He bowed his head, but not for long. Even when our eyes met, he didn’t seem intimidated.”
Unlike his brother, Saladin hadn’t scrutinized each knight. His gaze was fixed solely on the crux of the matter—Edward Marshall.
“If we had spoken, I might have learned more… but just by looking, I couldn’t discern much.”
“If you could tell everything just by looking at someone’s face, you’d be a fortune teller. But once you talk to him tomorrow, everything will be revealed. Who could hide their true self in front of Your Majesty?”
It wasn’t mere flattery. Saladin truly had an exceptional talent for seeing through people’s natures. What does a merciful and generous ruler need most to be effective? The ability to understand people.
A ruler who is lenient without understanding people is not generous but a foolish tyrant. And in most cases, a foolish ruler is worse than a tyrant.
“Still, it’s fortunate we met today. Now we can arrange a meeting promptly.”
“Indeed, if it had been delayed, who knows what tricks they might have tried. They couldn’t deceive Your Majesty, but caution is necessary.”
“Hmm… perhaps I’m being cautious because of a previous mishap.”
”…I regret that incident. But that was because I underestimated a young one, and I won’t make the same mistake again. In that sense, bringing Qadi al-Fadil along might have been excessive.”
His brother naturally shifted the topic. Qadi al-Fadil, the current head of Egypt, had a relationship with Saladin’s brother Al-Adil that was close to antagonistic. Thus, neither of them could fully welcome the other’s presence at the Jerusalem council.
“Al-Fadil is well-regarded among the Jewish community. Do you think there’s a better choice to gain their cooperation? If so, let’s hear it.”
”…As Your Majesty says. But leaving Egypt unattended for too long is also a concern…”
Saladin could see right through his brother’s intentions. Yet, he chose not to address it directly.
“This council poses a greater threat to us than the Crusaders. We must use every available means, or we risk facing severe consequences.”
Al-Adil nodded silently. There was no need to explain how sharp their attack on the Quran, the lifeblood of Islam, was. Understanding this, Al-Adil refrained from further questioning Saladin’s decision.
“Adil, summon the Jewish elders. We need to inform them of the precautions they must take.”
Before being brothers, they were rulers destined to be remembered in the annals of Islamic history. Al-Adil returned to his role as a vassal and bowed deeply.
“I will carry out your orders immediately, Your Majesty.”
“Once everything is settled, let’s continue this. There’s no one around me who plays well, so you’ll have to keep me company.”
He wondered about the chess skills of that prophet. Saladin chuckled softly, recalling the strikingly vivid face of the young man.
In the annex of the residence where the Christian delegation was staying, I examined the array of goods before me and picked up one item.
A merchant, as if waiting for this moment, scurried over, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
“You have a keen eye. Those are the finest tea leaves brought directly from the distant Southern Song. We’ve taken great care in their storage, so you can enjoy the best taste and aroma anytime.”
“But it’s quite expensive…”
“If you purchase other items, I’ll offer a bundle discount. You won’t find prices like these again.”
“True, buying this in Europe would cost several times more. Still, the price is a bit steep. Could we negotiate? I’d like to get some for His Holiness the Pope and our Majesty as well.”
“Ah, of course, that’s possible. But detailed prices and discounts are trade secrets, so it would be a bit awkward if others overheard…”
As the merchant prattled on, I pointed to an empty room with my finger. Understanding my gesture, the merchant quickly gathered his goods and entered the room, bowing repeatedly.
Watching the entire scene, Chancellor Robert burst into laughter.
“Even here, you’re busy finding gifts for His Holiness. You’re quite diligent, Prophet.”
“These are the times when we must be more attentive. If it’s something obtained from the Holy Land, His Holiness will surely appreciate it more.”
“That’s true. Then I should also look for an appropriate gift.”
I nodded slightly and followed the merchant into the room. Fatima, who had followed me, naturally positioned herself at the door to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
Once the door was closed and I sat down, the merchant’s obsequious smile vanished, and his demeanor changed entirely.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Khalid, here on orders from Nasr.”
“Nasr didn’t come himself?”
“Nasr has infiltrated the city disguised as an Islamic scholar. You’ll likely meet him on the day of the council.”
“Disguised as a scholar to participate directly in the council? That’s a bold plan.”
“Such disguises are nothing to us. Nasr has been designated as the successor to the Old Man of the Mountain and can wield all the authority of the Syrian Assassins.”
Recently, the leader of the Syrian Assassins, the Old Man of the Mountain Rashid, had passed away. And with Nasr accurately predicting this event through Allah’s prophecy, he easily assumed leadership of the Syrian Assassins.
This meant that I, too, could now command the Syrian Assassins as my own.
“What did Nasr say about me?”
“He said you are the 26th Apostle sent by Allah, the only one who can purify the corrupted words of the Prophet Muhammad to their original meaning.”
“And do you believe that?”
“To be honest, at first, I dismissed it as nonsense. Even if Allah sent a successor to Muhammad, the idea that it would be someone from the Christian world… But I’ve seen too much undeniable evidence. Not believing would surely invite divine retribution.”
With that, Khalid placed a parchment on the table.
“Nearly all of our elite are gathered in Jerusalem. Many have been established here for years, so no one suspects a thing.”
As I skimmed through the list, I was astounded by how deeply the Assassins had infiltrated Jerusalem. From merchants who visited regularly to Islamic scholars, and even individuals disguised as notable figures in the Jewish community.
It naturally made me wonder what they had been preparing for all this time.
“With this many people, we could not only ensure safety but also conduct operations.”
“If we were to commit to a full-scale operation, we could even take Saladin’s head.”
“No, that would be of no benefit. Don’t even consider it. Let’s think in a different direction.”
If negotiations with the merchant took too long, it might arouse unnecessary suspicion, so it was best to set a general direction for now.
“I’m scheduled to have a banquet with Saladin tomorrow. I’ll likely meet the Jewish elders there. Do you have any useful information?”
“We have someone working in the palace. I’ll have them relay the information.”
“Alright. Thank you. Let’s meet again next time.”
“This will likely be the last time I see you, to avoid raising any suspicions. I’ll visit under the pretense of delivering the items you ordered. After that, a merchant dealing in books will come in my place. Please take care of him.”
They never create even the slightest unnatural situation.
I couldn’t help but be impressed by their meticulousness.
If you try to carry out an assassination in a territory controlled by others, you’re bound to get caught. But this place has been under their influence for ages.
That’s why their confidence in pulling off something as daring as killing Saladin doesn’t sound like mere bravado.
Of course, doing so would mean risking complete eradication all the way back to their base in Syria.
I paused to consider the most efficient way to utilize the intricate network of the Assassins.
Once I had my thoughts in order, I whispered to Khalid before leaving the room.
“As soon as you return, tell Nasr to send over the arguments of the Islamic scholars we’ve gathered so far, in the most natural way possible. I’ll review them and provide clearer instructions for our next steps, so be prepared.”
Knowing your enemy and yourself ensures victory, but having the wrong information is worse than knowing nothing at all.
So, what needs to spread throughout Jerusalem now isn’t the truth about me, but cleverly disguised false information that everyone will believe to be true.