When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#141 - There are two churches in this world, one in the Holy City and one in people's hearts.

"The Duke wants to cooperate with me to rebel against the Church? This doesn't seem like a cooperative attitude, does it? You're arresting people, and even my people?"

Horn really didn't expect that Duke Kush was behind all this.

Boolwarf, who had just recovered from the wet paper treatment, looked visibly dispirited.

Dressed in coarse cloth, he sat uneasily on a small stool, timidly looking at Horn, who was sitting imposingly.

"It's true, this is exactly how the Duke wants to cooperate with you..."

"Someone, bring more paper."

"It's true, it's true, that's what the Duke told me."

"Stop talking nonsense. You're with the Church, trying to help them capture me, right?"

"I'm not with the Church. Duke Kush helped me bribe the cathedral canon so I could get the holy order. I only listen to the Duke," Boolwarf said, shaking his head and waving his hands.

"Then why did you arrest my people? Why did you kill our guards?"

"Arresting your people was just to keep you in Thousand River Valley. Killing the guards was the idea of those bastards; they went too far."

"Keep me in Thousand River Valley?" Horn pointed to himself. "Why keep me here? What does this have to do with the inexplicable tax?"

Bishop Boolwarf looked at the people filling the room, a hesitant expression on his face.

Horn had a feeling that the bishop's next answer would unravel all the doubts of the past two days.

"You won't talk? Take off his pants and get the funnel and slime juice!"

"I'll talk, I'll talk."

After frowning and pondering for a long time, Boolwarf whispered, "Juanuo Yos is dead."

"What?!"

The news of Dean Juanuo being burned to death on October 27 was initially dismissed as just another rumor.

But as more and more eyewitnesses came forward, the rumor was confirmed.

Panic instantly gripped the region, and the previously restless farmers became docile again out of fear.

But everyone understood that this docility wouldn't last long.

The only ones who could ignite the three giants of Thousand River Valley were the Hema Stone Territory, the Kush Territory, and the Brago Monastery.

Now, the Duchess of Hema Stone hadn't made any moves, and the Brago Monastery was without a leader. It wasn't easy for the Empire and the Church to act against the former two.

The only one who was easy to deal with and had the ability to stand up and light the fuse was Duke Dane of Kush.

So, for Archbishop Constance, who was close to breaking ties, Duke Kush was a thorn in his side.

"The Duke rushed back from out of town because he was afraid of being detained by the Church. Plus, this sudden tax, even though the Duke didn't say it directly, I feel that war is probably imminent."

"But what does the tax have to do with me... Oh—" Horn understood now.

What cooperation? It was clear that Duke Kush wanted Horn to be his little Ming Prince.

Pushing Horn up as a puppet and removing Duke Kush himself from the equation.

But this still didn't make sense. Was it necessary?

Duke Kush was an old royal family of Thousand River Valley who had made a fortune through industrial development and could even support a standing army outside, the so-called secret army.

However, Horn had no money, no soldiers, and only a name, but even the legitimacy of that name wasn't as great as Duke Kush's.

Horn had previously conducted a sampling survey of the refugees in the camp, asking them whether they would rather serve as soldiers for the Holy Grandson or for the Duke.

Anyway, the result was hurtful to him.

If it weren't for the Duke, these refugees would never listen to Horn.

After all, the Duke's reputation had been established for twenty or thirty years, and if extended to the entire family, it could be nearly a hundred years.

That's why Horn was eager to find a territory of his own. His current power seemed strong, but it was a castle in the air.

"He doesn't have the guts to launch a rebellion, but he's afraid of being persecuted by the Church, so he's launching a rebellion in my name? If it succeeds, he'll kill me. If it fails, he'll sell me out. Is that what he means?"

"You, you're being too blunt..."

All the crows in the world are black, Horn thought. He was thinking of having Duke Kush be his Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, but Duke Kush was thinking of having Horn be his little Ming Prince.

"I'm just wondering, things have come to this point, rebellion is death, not rebelling is also death, just one last push, why don't they dare?"

Horn still couldn't understand. If he had the Duke's strength, he would have gone to the tavern and shouted, "Fifty thousand denarii for a loaf of bread."

"You know, despite all the noise these refugees are making now, they still recognize the Church as the legitimate authority," Boolwarf said with a helpless smile, probably guessing what Horn was thinking.

"Your Excellency, if you were to start a rebellion under a different religion, without using the name of the Misella Church, you probably wouldn't even be standing here. You might be angry, but that's the truth. I like to tell the truth."

In other words, Misella's intentions were good, but the popes below carried them out badly. Maybe a new pope would make things better.

Horn originally wanted to refute this, but thinking about how he still had to use the Pope's banner to deceive people and his previous experiences, he fell silent.

Weak nations have a simple nature, hoping that a change of ruler will bring good days, hoping that others, even a savior, will help them.

But Horn knew that the stronger you are, the more others will help you.

What's the use of changing people? Can't change it? Can't change the butt, can you change the head?

Boolwarf said with a bitter smile: "Back then, the Duke's ancestors were tricked like this, leading farmers to armed protests.

As a result, the Pope said I was wrong, let's each take a step back, and the farmers happily went home, causing the then Duke of Kush to lose his old home, True Jeanneburg.

These farmers are not firm at all, always thinking about their own small plot of land, afraid of implicating their families and children, afraid of implicating themselves, afraid of being retaliated against, afraid of not being able to go to Mount Bliss.

If they had been a little more firm, Thousand River Valley would have returned to the Kush family long ago, would we have waited until now."

Hearing this, Horn suddenly froze, and Armand, who was beside him, obviously realized something, and the two looked at each other at the same time.

After a full minute of silence, Horn coughed and looked at Boolwarf:

"If I said I had a way to make these farmers firm?"

"Your Excellency," Boolwarf sighed, "Most of us have thought about what you're thinking, and even tried it.

But the fact proves that the cost is too high, and it will even backfire on us. The Empire has two churches, one in the Holy See and one in the hearts of the people.

No matter which one you destroy, the other will help it revive. We can't destroy the church in reality at all, let alone destroy the one in people's hearts?"

Horn stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

He was originally planning to return to Thousand River Valley with a new identity after going to Black Snake Bay.

But now, he might be able to retain some influence in Thousand River Valley, so that when he wins the resurrection match and returns to Thousand River Valley in the future, it will be smoother.

This is also political capital, otherwise it would be a pity to lose such a big name as the Holy Grandson.

"I may not be able to completely dispel the image of the Church in their hearts, but I have a way to destroy all the trust and recognition of the Thousand River Valley people in the Thousand River Valley Diocese. At that time, they will naturally become firm."

Horn looked into Boolwarf's eyes and said, "Give me one of your tokens, go notify the Duke to discuss in detail. I know he's faking illness."