Crusade against the Pope

Chapter 300: Be Salt and Light

[Elsewhere, the first nobles protected the interests of their class and failed.]

[In Venice, the nobility defended themselves as a nation and ultimately won complete victory.]

——G. Mararini, The Constitution of Venice

In the Middle Ages, every country and society gave birth to aristocratic groups without exception.

They control the military, politics, economy, and beliefs, and become the real masters of the country.

The old Kingdom of Jerusalem was established by Frankish nobles.

They brought tens of thousands of Franks with them, killed their way through Asia Minor, and arrived in the Levant.

They captured city after city, divided territories, and built a kingdom.

For the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the nobles were the unquestionable masters and the cornerstone of rule.

For the Second Kingdom, this situation has not actually undergone any earth-shaking changes.

Although the Palatine group brought by Gellis built a basic government framework, the source of the government's legal principles relied on the framework of Old Jerusalem.

Even if the House of Commons is established, in this era with an illiteracy rate of 95%, it can only provide a stepping stone for the "new rich" to advance in the short term.

This means that the political foundation of the Second Kingdom did not change drastically. It just replaced the old aristocracy with a group of relatively progressive "nobles" who were more inclined towards Geiris and willing to obey Geiris.

Whether the "new elite" group can further support reform will naturally depend on future developments.

But this does not mean that the old rules of the game are invalid.

After all, politics is like a game. If you don't follow the rules and cheat, you can naturally gain temporary benefits.

But if cheating persists, it will undermine the game participants' trust in the rules of the game.

Then the struggle between game participants is bound to slide into a bottomless direction.

It will almost inevitably lead to a winner-takes-all situation with no bottom line, causing political players to focus on zero-sum games rather than on creating bigger profits.

The reason why the Luoshui Oath is so notorious is actually very obvious.

Even Garys is not willing to make a bad start, and prefers to use more "gentle" methods to slowly cut it off.

After all, he is young enough and is not in a hurry. From the moment he entered the game, he had already won the game.

Gellis's attitude had a profound impact on Isabella and provided the ideological basis for the siege of Jocelyn's estate.

The city defense force of about 100 people, under the dispatch of the Ministry of Military Affairs, cooperated with the police operation. However, after they deployed their vehicles and raised the flags.

The people in the manor had actually surrendered, so there was no need to fight.

Only a few landless nobles truly wanted to stop the police department's search.

After all, if we continue investigating and find something we shouldn’t, that would be bad!
At this moment in the manor, behind a heavy oak door, the sound of a low argument could be heard as they discussed how to escape and avoid the disaster.

However, their conversation was interrupted by a rough slam on the door.

"The search warrant has been executed. Everyone stand up and be inspected immediately!"

Gilles entered first, followed by several fully armed soldiers. Then, he scanned everyone's face and landed on a man who looked unfamiliar.

The air in the room suddenly stagnated, and the blood on the faces of several nobles was instantly drained, and their faces turned pale.

"Who is he? He doesn't look familiar to me."

"This is my butler, he--" Someone on the side tried to cover up.

"Butler? Then why is he wearing a Saracen hat? Take him away!"

Following Gilles' order, panic broke out in the room.

The man tried to stand up, but was immediately held down by two soldiers. He showed no fear, but just stared at Gilles coldly.

"Take everyone away and seal off the manor!" Gilles waved his hand and gave the order.

When the news spread outside and was known to Gothel and his men, Gothel stood under the scorching sun, quietly watching the chaos before his eyes.

"Sure enough, some people are either too greedy or too stupid..."

He whispered to himself, his tone almost contemptuous and indifferent.

What awaits these former nobles will be judgment from the law.

Pulling out the radish will bring out the mud. Jocelyn's estate has become a den of poisonous snakes. It is not just about trafficking children, but also has close ties with slave traders in Damascus.

This issue can be big or small, but it is serious enough to be considered a major issue.

"Morris, it is written in the Bible that God created man in His image."

"In this case, every person, regardless of skin color, birth, or wealth, is noble because they bear the image of God and should enjoy inherent freedom and dignity. If someone turns his brothers and sisters into slaves because of greed or power, isn't that blaspheming the image of God and despising His creation?"

"In the Book of Exodus, God Himself freed the Israelites from Pharaoh's bondage and led them into a land of freedom. Isn't this clear evidence that God hates all forms of slavery? The Law of Moses repeatedly emphasized: 'You shall not oppress the alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.' Otherwise, you would be missing the fleshpots of Egypt..."

Morris, who was standing by, recited a verse in a low voice: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed."

How can this gospel be complete if slaves still exist in the world?

Is not this good news of the Jubilee dissolved by the chains of the powerful?

They should follow the example of the prophets, speak up for the enslaved, and fight for freedom for the oppressed…

For in the kingdom of God there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is no slave nor free, but the heavenly Father is Lord of all.

【It is He who calls us to be the light and salt of the world, and to be witnesses of love and justice. 】

【It is important to remember that if salt has lost its flavor, it is useless; if a lamp is hidden in the bottom of a bushel, it cannot shine. 】

【We are vessels in your hands, protecting and purifying society like salt, and illuminating dark corners like light.】

[We are the chosen ones, servants of servants, we speak for the poor, fight for freedom for the oppressed, and bring liberation to the enslaved.]

[We will not be cowardly bystanders, nor will we remain silent because of fear of power, nor will we deviate from Your righteous path because of temptation.]

Gothel whispered another of the Paladin's oaths.

He may have been dismissed from his position in the cult, but the divine seal bestowed upon him by Garys still shines brightly because he abided by his oath.

The prototype of this oath comes from Matthew 5:13-16, which is Jesus' teaching to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its flavor, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

[Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.]

In ancient times, salt was often used to preserve food and preserve food, symbolizing that the Paladin must purify people's hearts and uphold justice in a corrupt world.

At the same time, salt makes food more flavorful, implying that Paladin's mission is to bring love and truth into the world and make life rich and meaningful.

[Salt that has lost its flavor] is a metaphor, meaning that if salt loses its function, it is useless.

This warned the Paladins that they would fail in their mission if they strayed from their beliefs.

Light is to dispel darkness, representing that Paladin should use his actions and beliefs to guide people towards justice and truth in the world.

A city built on a hill cannot be hidden, and a light cannot be put under a bushel, which means that the Palatine’s faith and good deeds should be publicly demonstrated, rather than hidden or retreated.

These were what Gellis had reiterated time and again, and what Gothel was unwilling to abandon even after leaving the cult.

He lost his position, but he followed his heart.

PS: It seems that some brothers cannot see the author's comments, so I will just say it in the main text. The content of this volume is mainly some extras, some short stories, a full timeline, and a full background.

The middle-aged Garys mentioned earlier jumps directly to the eve of the Fourth Crusade, which is another journey of Garys himself from north to west, which is also the new main line of the story in this article.

Because of the Chinese New Year, the mid-year chapter will be published after the New Year. I wish you all a happy new year! Good luck and good fortune!

(End of this chapter)