Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 252, Chapter 251: A Tough Problem

Feng Xiuhu never expected that even the bone he thought would be the easiest to gnaw on would be impossible to chew.

They launched their campaign but failed to achieve their goal and returned in defeat.

After leaving the Qin residence, Feng Xiuhu seemed lost in thought.

He realized he had oversimplified things.

This matter is not as simple as "officials who support the Duke of Daguo agree to convert to Christianity" and "officials who do not support the Duke of Daguo will oppose it".

Rather, it is the officials themselves who instinctively resist being associated with religion.

Essentially, this is a natural divide between "divine authority" and "royal authority," and these people had already made their choice when they became officials.

Therefore, Feng Xiuhu did nothing to Qin Xiuyuan. Even though he used violence to force Qin Xiuyuan to agree, he still failed to change the attitude of the officials and only ended up turning against the Duke of Daguo for no reason.

Walking down the street, Gu Zhili, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

"Let alone the church, even if it were a temple, they wouldn't agree."

Feng Xiuhu looked over: "Even the Xijun Temple won't do?"

Gu Zhili thought for a moment and said, "I'll just tell you this way."

"People will worship gods when they have something to ask for: marriage, health, many children, career success... whatever they ask for, they will worship the god of that family. This is normal."

"Officials are human too, and they also have desires, so they do worship gods—but they can only do it secretly, or have other family members do it, because they need to avoid suspicion."

"But you must know that worshipping gods and becoming believers are two different things. As an official, if you really become a believer in any temple, you will lose your official position. You must be wondering, even the president only secured his throne because of the Xi Jun Temple, so why doesn't everyone become a believer in Xi Jun?"

Feng Xiuhu looked up; he was indeed puzzled by this.

Gu Zhili was silent for a moment: "Because the temple only receives offerings from the people, and is indifferent to the vicissitudes of human life."

"Throughout the centuries, dynasties have come and gone, but the temple has never intervened; it has always been so."

"To put it bluntly, if the Grand Duke hadn't taken the initiative to involve the Western Church, the Temple wouldn't have bothered with his open and covert struggles with the President. Regardless of who won or lost, the Temple would have simply turned a blind eye."

Feng Xiuhu finally understood.

Temples need believers, which in turn require a well-functioning state. For the monarchy, preventing officials from becoming believers is a way to better maintain the regime's operation, thus achieving a tacit understanding between divine and royal authority.

Gu Zhili continued her analysis: "Let's get back to the present."

"When officials join the church, it's obvious to everyone what the church is really up to."

"It's one thing for the church to enter Daxuan to spread its teachings, but now it even wants to extend its reach into the imperial court and seek its own benefit by manipulating politics. This matter may have started in Fancheng, but once it reaches the ears of the President, it will inevitably cause a chain reaction—it may even bring the conflict between the President and the Duke of Dadan to light in advance."

"If the Duke of Da Guo doesn't want to sit idly by and wait for his death..."

Feng Xiuhu's eyes lit up: "A war might break out."

Gu Zhili said, "This is a conspiracy by the church."

“A relatively stable Great Xuan slowed them down, but a Great Xuan that was in the midst of a civil war was a different story.”

Feng Xiuhu laughed and said, "You're talking about the church's conspiracy in front of me, a priest. Aren't you showing me too little respect?"

Gu Zhili glanced at him, then looked away: "I only told you this because I consider you one of my own."

"One of our own?"

Feng Xiuhu put his arm around her shoulder: "It's your sweetheart, don't be shy."

Gu Zhili struggled for a moment but couldn't break free, so she gave up and let him hold her, muttering under her breath, "I'm just repaying your life-saving grace, it has nothing to do with that glass of wine."

Feng Xiuhu ignored her stubbornness, smiled, and remained silent.

"This is not the way back."

Gu Zhili then realized that they were not heading home.

Feng Xiuhu said, "I'm not in a hurry to go back. If I can't handle the easy ones, I want to try the harder ones." ...

Different bones require different ways of gnawing.

Feng Xiuhu divided the officials on the list into three categories: those like Qin Xiuyuan, who belonged to the faction of the Duke of Daguo; those who were neutral, such as Zheng Muwen, the Director of the Education Department; and those who were staunch supporters of the government, such as Shen Yanzhi, the newly appointed Director of the Planning Department.

It is obvious that the most difficult group to deal with is the government faction.

These people already disliked the Duke of Daguo and the church, and with Gu Zhili's analysis, it was almost impossible for them to agree to come to the cathedral to listen to the doctrine.

We arrived at the gate of the Shen residence.

This time, Feng Xiuhu didn't knock on the door—mainly because even if he did, the person inside might not open it.

Bang!
Feng Xiuhu showed no mercy and kicked him.

The black lacquered door shook violently, but it didn't open.

Feng Xiuhu took a few steps back, then used the momentum to charge forward and kick again.

Bang! !

This time he put in all his strength, and the result was remarkable—the door opened with a bang, and even the copper nails flew out.

Gu Zhili, who was standing to the side, twitched her eyelids slightly: "You don't look like a priest at all. Your brute strength is no less than that of the Divine Guard."

Several gatekeepers, carrying weapons, rushed out to greet them, but before they could even see who it was, they froze on the spot, unable to move.

Feng Xiuhu swung the chain of his pocket watch as he led Gu Zhili into the mansion.

Gu Zhili reminded him, "Many officials live on this street, and the patrolling police will arrive soon."

Feng Xiuhu said, "Director Shen is a reasonable person; he will explain for me."

Feng Xiuhu grabbed the steward who was hiding behind the door and asked him, "Don't you think so?"

The butler nodded with a forced smile: "What you say is very true, but my master has already gone to bed. How about we visit again tomorrow?"

Feng Xiuhu kicked him in the butt: "Then please inform him that the Duchess has come to meet him in secret."

The butler was shocked to hear this: "You can't just say things like that!"

Feng Xiuhu made a move to kick again, and the steward quickly scrambled away.

Upon entering the main hall, Feng Xiuhu casually found a seat and sat down.

Shen Yanzhi came out not long after.

You could tell he came in a hurry; he hadn't even finished buttoning his shirt.

But when he saw that it was Feng Xiuhu sitting there, his expression changed drastically: "It's you!?"

Without even thinking twice, Shen Yanzhi turned around and ran back the way he came.

Feng Xiuhu sat calmly, not in a hurry at all.

A short while later, Shen Yanzhi reluctantly returned and sat down opposite Feng Xiuhu.

He said with a stern face, "What Duchess? I advise you not to talk nonsense. Speak your mind quickly."

Feng Xiuhu ignored him and pointed at Shen Yanzhi, asking Gu Zhili beside him, "Did this kid drink too?"

Gu Zhili nodded with a cold expression.

Shen Yanzhi then noticed who was standing next to Feng Xiuhu, and his expression immediately turned even more unpleasant.

He hesitated for a long time, but finally couldn't suppress the pounding in his heart and asked Gu Zhili in a low voice, "Ali, is Madam... alright now?"

P.S.: Director Shen is truly devoted to her.

(End of this chapter)