Chapter 1096: Chapter 1035: When Reason Fails, Use Other Means
The first day of the Great Duke’s meeting ended with Grandiva being urgently carried away on a stretcher.
As for the outcome of this Great Duke’s meeting, it remains unresolved.
Although from the scene, Horn basically completed the critique of the Divine Essence Sect and established the new Holy Sect.
This was accomplished in just one day.
Worldview, outlook on life, values, the reconstruction of the three views.
Among ontology, epistemology, and praxis, only the specific process of praxis remains unconstructed.
Next, the major direction and program have been established, only the details of the doctrine need to be perfected.
But it all happened too quickly.
You should know, past Great Duke meetings often lasted one to two months, with some even extending over ten years.
During this period, the multiple approving and opposing factions that represent doctrinal definitions often engage in alliances and debates over each change of doctrine.
But Horn completed the subversive doctrinal construction within a day.
First, he used "Saint Rania’s Life" to overthrow the legitimacy of church rule, then used the ogre allegory to subvert the authenticity of extraordinary revelations.
Too fast, the monks simply couldn’t bear it.
It’s equivalent to Horn creating a new rule that all monks need to adapt to and accept, which takes time.
It can basically be concluded that Horn has already gained a significant advantage.
On the ideological level, they were convinced by Horn, but ultimately, the clergy still controlled their minds.
The bishops and abbots present, along with various grassroots clergy representatives, repeatedly discussed it and finally reached a compromise.
"Since the doctrines proposed by the Holy Alliance are too subversive and involve too many new theories, more time is needed for the monks and clergy present to think and understand.
Meanwhile, due to Grandiva Pope’s illness, the Great Duke meeting will be suspended for seven days and will continue after seven days."
In fact, Horn still felt somewhat unsatisfied, but with his opponents down, he had no choice but to stop.
However, Horn doesn’t plan to idle during this period.
He specially set up a lecture hall in the scripture library beside Bolon Cathedral, explaining daily to the monks gathered at Spring Castle.
As for scholars or monks trying to refute Horn, they are welcome to come, the door is open anyway.
Of course, those from the windmill land Holy Sect naturally hurried over to find Horn.
Horn did not refuse, trying to unite all possible strengths, relying solely on Holy Alliance fighting alone is not enough.
Although these grassroots clergy seem powerless, in the future, they are potential allies.
According to the history from Horn’s hometown, by now, the citizens should be united to drive out bishops and nobility.
The reason the Leia Region remains in this state is simply because of the huge gap in power between citizens and nobles.
After breaking through ideological barriers, as long as armed power is appropriately allocated, the only thing left is armed rebellion.
Civil war, Thousand River Valley War, Windmill Land War, the noble and church forces within Leia are already unprecedentedly weak.
Leia has completely become the weakest link within the empire.
Internally, the Holy Alliance is completing industrialization and industrial reforms, and if they interfere with the Leia Kingdom, the Falan Kingdom will surely intervene.
Horn and the staff monk simulated this, and concluded that locally, they have an advantage, but the overall national resource consumption may not surpass Falan.
Moreover, in Horn’s own view, it’s best to let them rescue themselves instead of waiting for the Holy Alliance as a savior.
The Holy Alliance can only provide them critique of weaponry and weaponry for critique.
But when Horn prepares to expand his ambitions, it doesn’t go well on Grandiva’s side.
In a royal lodge outside Spring Castle.
The "Gospel" was harshly thrown onto the silver candlestick, the candle toppled over, almost igniting the tablecloth.
"What that demon monk said! Which one isn’t nonsense! But yet... yet those foolish monks actually started nodding!"
Unlike his somewhat irrational but still relatively amiable demeanor during the day, Grandiva was now clutching his bishop’s crown and slamming it onto the ground, the gem-encrusted crown top striking the marble floor and shattering into three or four pieces.
"Your Grace." Cambertel used the silver scepter with a Holy Tree relief to brace against the ground, "Horn’s reasoning isn’t nonsense, we must take it seriously."
"Take it seriously?" Grandiva suddenly let out a weird laugh, "If belief is established by reason and experience... then what does our day and night prayer mean? What do those monks copying scriptures mean?
If further deduced, according to the Holy Sect’s philosophy, nobility, bishops, us, each one is a devil."
He picked up "Saint Rania’s Life Analysis and Research" from the table and handed it in front of Cambertel, "Even ’Saint Rania’s Life’ can be falsified, what’s his next step? Accusing the holy relic of being rotten bones?"
Cambertel coldly watched him, without speaking, causing Grandiva’s momentum to suddenly falter.
Just at this moment, Rockruwa, leading his debate team, happened to walk in.
Grandiva turned abruptly, grabbed his robe, crumpling the crimson robe’s hem.
"Aren’t you best at debating? What happened today? Go debate! Burn those pamphlets, nail that old Blo to the stake!"
"Can’t debate." Facing Grandiva’s accusations, Rockruwa smiled wryly, his voice desolate, "’Saint Rania’s Life’ has been falsified, all our preparations were in vain.
And their system is too complete, no suitable basis for counterattack can be found in the short term.
The monks’ trust in us has collapsed, we made too many mistakes before.
Unless we can get back the triple crown, we cannot reverse the trend of Divine Essence Sect monks changing beliefs."
"Get back the triple crown? It’s already been offered by the ogres as tribute to the Vampire Dukes!"
"I’m sorry, Your Grace."
"You really can’t find a flaw in this theory?"
"Sorry, Your Grace, I can’t."
In dead silence, the two faced off, only the tick of the wall clock echoed like striking a coffin lid.
Grandiva let go of the grip on Rockruwa’s collar, slumped in the plush velvet chair.
He let out a self-deprecating snort from his nose, casually picked up the wine, and took a large gulp, "Alright, it’s all over, then let’s watch him turn the church into ruins!"
Cambertel slowly straightened up, the scepter scraping the ground with a piercing sound.
"If reasoning fails, use something else." He walked to the window, gazing at the dense night sky, "The twenty thousand corps in Clove Corridor weren’t fed by scriptures."
Grandiva suddenly lifted his head, eyes flashing with a trace of ruthlessness and delight, "You mean..."
"Teach them a lesson." Cambertel’s voice was as cold as ice, "Let those wavering monks see whose sword is sharper.
Let Horn know, even if his reasoning can reach the heavens, the places driven over by iron hooves, the scriptures still have to kneel."
"But that’s twenty thousand men..." Grandiva licked his chapped lips, "Without declaring war, would His Majesty the King agree..."
"Of course, it’s not without declaration." Cambertel sneered, the scepter pointing towards Dragonfly Port in Black Snake Bay on the map, "The Prime Minister’s spy has already found out, that Saint’s Grandson spends money like water, and by September has almost depleted last year’s savings.
As long as our corps block this crucial passage, the Holy Alliance’s sugar can’t be shipped out, spices can’t be sold, Horn’s treasury will run dry within three months.
We don’t want blood to flow, we want those foolish monks to see whether extraordinary revelations can truly represent the Holy Father!"
Turning around, Cambertel took a deep breath, "Draft a letter."
Grandiva personally picked up the quill, swiftly writing on the paper.
"Command Montel, Legion Commander of the Second Corps at Storm Cape, to lead the Second Corps of Storm Cape east along Clove Corridor, blockade Dragonfly Port in Black Snake Bay for me.
Let those monks know, this is the power of the church!"
Cambertel took the parchment, looking at the twisted handwriting, suddenly shivered inexplicably.
"I want Horn to kneel before us and beg for mercy!" Grandiva gazed at the candle flame, his mouth forming a sinister smile.
Cambertel didn’t say a word, only roasted the sealing wax over the candle flame until it was glaringly red.
