The Love Letters of Baldwin IV

[Flirty, carefree, and shameless heroine x masked ruler of Jerusalem]

[Le Qi x Baldwin IV]

1.

Le Qi woke up one day to find herself transported to medieval Jerusalem.

Plague was rampant, the three faiths fought for supremacy, war loomed at the borders, and white-clad fanatics roamed outside the Temple Mount.

It was the early years of the Third Crusade, and the holy city stood on the eve of a storm.

The good news: Le Qi had become Saladin's younger sister. In the struggle for power, Saladin was the strongest contender, meaning she could lie back and coast safely through the perilous Middle Ages.

The bad news: On her way to join her brother, Le Qi was accidentally caught up in a territorial dispute, captured by her brother's archenemy, and taken to the holy city. She was about to be executed!

The greatest hardship Le Qi had ever endured was iced Americano.

Jerusalem had no iced Americano, but it did have cold gallows.

Le Qi would have to be insane to want to experience the gallows!

She had to survive in Jerusalem until her brother came to rescue her!

But she was a heretic, and she had no connections in Jerusalem. With the enemy pressing her for answers, Le Qi panicked and blurted out a name she'd only ever heard in history books.

"I'm Baldwin's fiancee. I came to the holy city to join him."

Everyone was stunned. How could the king of Jerusalem possibly have a fiancee?

Le Qi had never met the king of Jerusalem and had no hope of ever meeting him. She only hoped the claim would intimidate the enemy and buy her some time to find a way out.

Who could have guessed that night she'd be brought before the king of Jerusalem?

The man had just dealt with several troublesome traitors. Though he looked frail, his movements were calm and elegant, and his presence was commanding. The traitors cowered before him, trembling in fear and submission.

The regent said, "Your Majesty, this woman claims to be your fiancee."

Le Qi looked up and met the king of Jerusalem's gaze.

A silver mask completely covered the king's face. The only thing Le Qi could see was his lake-blue eyes, cool and somber, impossible to read. His gaze was casual yet powerful and oppressive, making her breath catch.

Le Qi thought, Could I really be this unlucky? Did I just make that claim right in front of the actual person?

Baldwin quietly studied the woman before him.

He had no idea when he'd acquired a fiancee.

Seeing that the king did not respond, the regent assumed Le Qi could not be allowed to live. "Your Majesty, this woman speaks recklessly and insults your authority. I will deal with her at once."

He was about to act when the king slowly raised a hand, signaling him to wait.

Baldwin walked up to Le Qi and took down the riding crop with its golden handle.

Le Qi thought, This is bad. Am I going to end up like those traitors, beaten until I'm spinning like a top?

She frantically tried to think of a way out, wondering if she should repent to turn things around.

Then Baldwin removed his glove and said three things to her:

"Kneel."

"Lower."

"In God's name, kiss me."

2.

Baldwin IV became king at a young age.

At sixteen, in the Battle of Montgisard, he defeated Saladin's army of twenty thousand with a smaller force. His military achievements were illustrious, his courage unmatched, and in the hearts of countless believers, he was a bright moon in the heavens.

But leprosy ate away at his bones, so the young king kept his face covered to intimidate his courtiers.

Baldwin was born of faith, and guarded his kingdom through faith. He held Saladin's forces outside the city and dealt with one crisis after another. Baldwin's plans were laid out carefully, until Le Qi appeared and threw them into disarray.

This woman was greedy, shameless, and silver-tongued. To uncover her true identity, Baldwin had her confined in the church on the Temple Mount and placed under the watch of the Knights Templar. But all the reports he received said:

"Your Majesty, your fiancee got sleepy while reading the Bible and said she wanted an iced Americano."

"Your Majesty, your fiancee flirted with the new priest again. She said she wants to add him on Green Bubble."

"Your Majesty, your fiancee says... she says the church has no phone, no Wi-Fi, and no air conditioning. She can't stand another day in this dump."

Baldwin: "..."

What kind of heresy was this?

Later on:

"Your Majesty, your fiancee left with Sibylla. She said you're giving her the cold shoulder and she wants to break off the engagement."

Baldwin's temples throbbed. He ordered coldly, "Bring her back."

3.

After arriving in Jerusalem, Le Qi spent every day fighting to survive.

At first, she had no desire to empathize with this era of fervent faith. She only wanted to watch Jerusalem's last king live out his tragic life. After that, she could safely return to her big brother and go back to being an heiress.

Later, she wanted to save him, using everything she understood about this era to help him survive.

Later still, when the two kingdoms went to war, Saladin brought her back from the holy city. The king's regent sent her a short sword engraved with a cross.

Le Qi noticed a line of small, tightly written characters engraved on the hilt. They were in the king's handwriting.

"Al-Aziz 3:16"

Le Qi couldn't understand it. Later, her brother told her it was Revelation 3:16 from the Bible.

"Because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth."

"But I will keep you. Whoever remains in my name is with me."

It turned out this was Baldwin's love letter to her.

The king was confessing his love.

Theme: Live toward the sun and grow wild!