Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 54 Who is greater, the nobleman or the church?
After seeing Wang Liangyin off, Shunzi seemed a little uneasy.

It seems like something is on his mind.

Feng Xiuhu sat back on the bed and complained, "Why did you fall asleep again?"

Shunzi looked panicked: "I didn't! I, I closed my eyes and listened to the noise."

Feng Xiuhu didn't believe his nonsense: "People are leaning outside my window, how come you didn't hear it?"

Shunzi's face flushed red, and he bowed his head to apologize: "I'm wrong, big brother, I really didn't sleep well last night..."

Feng Xiuhu thought so too. Shunzi hadn't slept well last night because he was leaning against the door to protect him. Now with this incident happening again today, it would be impossible for him to sleep well.

Feng Xiuhu couldn't bear to blame him anymore - mainly because he himself hadn't made any progress in his cultivation, and the excuse of "protecting the law" was even more untenable.

So he waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Pay more attention next time. If it weren't for your poor protection, my training wouldn't be so slow."

Shunzi felt even more ashamed after hearing this: "It's all my fault! Big brother, let Miao Gensheng protect you next time. He's in good spirits and will definitely not fall asleep."

Feng Xiuhu quickly refused, scolding, "This is something that only the two of us brothers need to know about. How can you tell anyone else?"

When Shunzi heard this, he nodded, but his face was still full of worry.

Feng Xiuhu asked him, "Why are you looking so sad?"

Shunzi subconsciously glanced out the window: "Brother, if we do this, we will offend the factory."

Feng Xiuhu glanced over and said, "How could a factory be harder to offend than a temple?"

Shunzi said angrily: "...That's not the case."

Feng Xiuhu sneered, "Then why can't we offend him?"

Shunzi rubbed his nose and said, "Because the factory belongs to the noble family."

"Not just one noble lord, but many noble lords."

"There's more than one factory in the factory district: steel mills, textile mills, shipyards, processing plants, coal mines. The huge chimneys stand tall like a forest."

"Besides the nobles whose names I cannot remember, there are many factories owned by the Duke of Daguo."

"That Wang Liangyin is just a foreman, and the Master Cheng he mentioned is just a manager, not even a noble master."

Feng Xiuhu interrupted and asked, "Isn't living in Shangcheng District considered a nobleman?"

Shunzi replied, "Not all the people living in the upper city are nobles. There are also many ordinary residents, but their backgrounds are much more noble than those of the lower classes."

Feng Xiuhu nodded, having learned something new.

He began to argue: "I just stopped the owl people from working, I didn't close the factory."

Shunzi spread his hands and said, "Who will come to work at night? We can't let the daytime workers continue to work at night. It will be exhausting!"

"Besides, even if there are workers willing to continue working at night, how will they be paid? We can't just pay them the same as the Owlman."

"So by doing this, you're blocking the noble gentleman's path to wealth!"

Feng Xiuhu couldn't stand the argument and started to act like a spoiled brat: "So what if I blocked it?"

"What about nobles, masters, and great dukes? Am I familiar with them?"

Shunzi sighed, "If they were really acquaintances, it would be easy to deal with. I'm afraid that before the temple can settle accounts with us, we'll be targeted by the nobles again."

"Then let them worry about it."

Feng Xiuhu's eyes rolled: "Shunzi, let me ask you."

Shunzi raised his head and looked over.

"Who has the final say in this Fancheng?"

Feng Xiuhu asked.

Shunzi replied, "Of course it's the Duke of Daguo." Feng Xiuhu then asked, "The Duke of Daguo and the nobleman are family. Would the nobleman dare to offend the church?"

Shunzi thought for a moment and said, "The one who scores."

"If it's a deacon, then it's fine to offend him; but if it's a priest, you have to think twice; if it's a higher-ranking bishop, you're out of options and have to greet him first; and as for the archbishop above that, not only do you have to greet him, but you have to serve him very carefully."

Feng Xiuhu asked curiously, "Is there anything more powerful?"

Shunzi scratched his head. "The most powerful ones are the ones who have reached the highest level. Above the Archbishop, there are only four cardinal elders and the head of the church left."

"Take our Fancheng for example. The person in charge at the top is the Archbishop, but above the Archbishop there is actually a Cardinal Elder."

Feng Xiuhu remembered the old church man who sat on the left of the Duke in the meeting room of the Duke's Mansion.

Shunzi went on to explain, "I heard that the Cardinal Elders of Sailing City are rotated every year. The Mist Church's temple is located in the capital, where the head of the church and the remaining three elders are stationed. Although Sailing City only has one cathedral, it is highly regarded, so a Cardinal Elder was sent to take charge."

Feng Xiuhu thought for a moment, "I heard the temple's main hall is in Fancheng."

Shunzi nodded: "That's because Fancheng is the home of the Goddess of Wind and Rain, so the temple of the Goddess of Wind and Rain is located in Fancheng."

Feng Xiuhu suddenly realized: "The leader of the temple..."

"The temple deity is not called the head of the sect, but the temple deity."

Shunzi said, "The temple master is in Fancheng, but he rarely shows up. He's usually in charge of the temple by a supporting elder."

It seems that this was the person sitting on the right of the Duke of Daguo at that time.

Feng Xiuhu blinked and asked, "Who is greater, the Duke of Daguo or the Temple Monk?"

Shunzi subconsciously raised his voice, "Of course the Temple Master is more important. Even the President has to bow his head when meeting such figures as the Temple Master and the Head of the Church."

Feng Xiuhu took a step back. "What about the elder? Who's more powerful, the elder or the Duke?"

Shunzi thought for a moment and said, "It's hard to say, but I think the Duke of Daguo has to give the elders face. After all, whether it's a church or a temple, there are gods watching over them. Who wouldn't be polite when seeing them?"

Feng Xiuhu clapped his hands. "That's enough, isn't it? I have the God of Mist above me, but who do you nobles have above you? The Great Duke? Does he dare to challenge the God of Mist?"

This made sense, but Shunzi always felt something was wrong.

Before he could figure it out, there was a knock on the door.

The movement was very quiet, as if he was afraid to disturb the people in the house.

Shunzi walked over, opened the door, and saw Xiyao squatting in the corridor beside the door with tears in her eyes.

She folded her arms and shivered. When Shunzi opened the door, she asked aggrievedly, "Brother Shunzi, are you still not feeling well? I really can't stand it any longer."

The village building is built on a high place and is not very windproof. In addition, it is winter now, and the sea breeze at night comes in through the cracks in the building, which can freeze people's bones brittle.

Shunzi let her in. Xiyaoer stood at the door and looked at Feng Xiuhu - Feng Xiuhu was sitting on her bed.

Feng Xiuhu was not the kind of person who was unsympathetic, so he patted the side of himself.

Being so cold, Xiyaoer no longer had the heart to show off. She quickly walked over and climbed onto the bed, wrapped herself in the quilt, rubbed her feet to keep warm, and made the quilt move slightly.

Feng Xiuhu stared at the movement in a trance.

He suddenly said, "I'm sleeping here tonight."

Shunzi was stunned for a moment, then immediately felt happy for Xiyao: "Okay."

Xi Yaoer's cheeks flushed red as she whispered, "I'll do as the master says."

As she spoke, she leaned on Feng Xiuhu's shoulder.

Feng Xiuhu also took her out of the bed and handed her to Shunzi: "Find her a new bed."

Then he crawled into bed - he had just discovered that Xiyao'er's bed and mattress were all brought from the house, and were much more comfortable than the rat skin quilt in his original room.

(End of this chapter)