The next morning, cool and shining sunlight shined through the clouds, and two black cars, one large and one small, sprayed heat and gradually drove away from the bustling city of San Porto.
The temperature in January is even colder than before the New Year. There are persistent cold winds and heavy drizzle in the suburbs, and the ground is dry and brittle from the cold - you can hear the grinding sound of the tires.
bring out its texture.
The configuration of the inspection team was very streamlined. There were two drivers from both sides, two assistants, Ms. Hermosa and "Bishop Lavoisier" who accompanied Roy, plus a group of priests in charge who contacted each diocese they visited.
More than ten people.
The bulky box-type three-row car led the way, followed by the sedan. Roy and her aunt were sitting in the back seat, and Fan Ning was in the passenger seat.
I have a lot of experience riding together, in various positions. Maybe if you shift your sitting posture or sight line to a moderate angle, you can see a more complete figure in this or that mirror, rather than an awkward one.
A glimpse of the corner of my eye.
Of course, Fan Ning was always closing his eyes to rest, or looking intently at the windshield. At the end of the road were white flowing clouds and mist. As for the wet grass and bushes hanging with broken ice shards on both sides of the car window, they were bloated.
The snow-covered scarecrows are all very unique scenery.
Today Roy is wearing a bright white and flawless woolen windbreaker, which is enough to know when meeting and greeting.
In the car at this time, she took off the silk scarf from her windbreaker, and her long untied hair was draped naturally and gracefully on her shoulders. She was holding a few stacks of newspapers in her hands, showing an interesting expression while reading.
look:
"Recognize the situation clearly and give up your illusions. Well, I heard Bishop Lavoisier say it at the dinner that day, but now I see these large bold headlines published in your country's official church media and municipal official media.
And in the authoritative art media, um, it still feels a bit powerful?"
After the Baptismal Feast, for a day and a night, the name "Antoine Lavoisier" could be said to be known to everyone in the whole church, including the two countries of Janus and Theoline, and in the Bishop's Church
In a broader public context, the artistic response triggered by "Mass in B Minor" is equally eye-catching.
This happened the first night.
Beginning on the second day, as he took office, Cardinal Richelieu of the Western Continent paid a visit, Bishop Lavoisier and deputy presiding judge gave a talk, and Pope James XIX personally witnessed the signed interview article "Recognition of the
"Clear the Situation, Give Up Illusions", and the premiere report of "Mass in B minor" were published in more than ten official Janus newspapers and radio stations.
Within the church, the Pope issued a unified statement that "Father Lavoisier devoted himself to the study of Scripture and art, and after breaking through the three realms of understanding, he was born to teach."
The official media made the first report, and other media followed up with reprints and comments.
"Mainstream" does not mean that everything is "official." Many independent private mouthpieces and unofficial comments also have considerable social influence.
At first, there were some voices who believed that the church had been dissatisfied with the country's internal abuses for a long time, and now it was taking advantage of Lavoisier's teaching opportunity to issue a more intense and wider-ranging warning to certain people.
At least it can have some restraining effect;
There are also some arguments that claim that the current external situation is too complicated, and that after the war started, the operating logic of the state machinery has changed. There are contradictory relationships within the church, political figures, military leaders and their soldiers, and the industrial aristocrats and factory owners.
, it is not so "black and white". Lavoisier's strategy is completely the opposite of "long-term thinking". In normal times in previous years, it might have been possible to suppress it, but it is not a wise move now.
However, on the third day, the head of a large media company that held the latter view was directly taken away by the Inquisition at the church headquarters for "smuggling and colluding with heresy."
Moreover, some military personnel related to it were also implicated, and preliminary evidence was publicly displayed directly outside the church.
Thinking about this, and then looking at the bottom of the interview, there is even a schedule of various places visited by Bishop Lavoisier when he took office. The whole process is made public. This becomes more and more like "waiting for someone to come and explain the problem".
"Nowadays, there are many people in various cities who do not believe in sincerity. These words must be loudly announced to everyone." Fan Ning, who was sitting in the passenger seat in front, still closed his eyes and meditated. "If these people on the list will always be
If you don't stay alert, everything will come true soon. Ms. Roy has seen so many things that she will think that she is used to it as usual."
"Just getting used to it." Roy couldn't help but blinked.
Compared to Janus and Theoline, there is indeed something different.
Although it is also a country where the Holy Sun Church preaches, since the rise of the Special Patrol Office and the booming development of industrial technology two hundred years ago, the proportion of believers may not have dropped much, but the proportion of "pan-believers" has greatly increased.
.
Well, but the principle is the same: first publicize and build momentum, and then plan the action. Roy believes that this is the first part of Father Lavoisier's plan.
As for the practice of "publicizing the itinerary", it is also a psychological means of deterrence.
But it didn’t take long for her to discover that, based on the usual thinking of the Northern Continent, she had completely underestimated the impact of Bishop Lavoisier’s investigation in Lebici and the premiere of “Mass in B Minor”, as well as this “report”
The Deterrence of "Guide to Surrender"
When the car passed through the small town of Lebici again, drove out of the southwest city gate, and completely left the jurisdiction of San Porto, she saw a group of people waiting in front of the road, as well as two people standing on the roadside.
A carriage.
Two in front and four in back, two more were tied to the ground.
"Priest Reik Jacob of Tocharan Parish in Pontua County came to see him."
The leader, a middle-aged man with a "bearded" look that is more common among priests, stepped forward.
"Welcome His Excellency Bishop Lavoisier to accompany Miss Roy and his delegation to visit our diocese." Another deacon who greeted him was also saluting.
"Thank you, but is this?" As the car approached, the window rolled down, and Roy looked at the two people on the ground who were wrapped like rice dumplings in confusion.
Another man who looked like an officer with white gloves bowed deeply:
"I am alert."
"My father suffered from severe liver disease. After witnessing that mass ceremony, he immediately went for the long-delayed and undecided abdominal surgery. What was originally a very dangerous thing, passed completely safely. I asked Father Jacob to do the surgery.
After confessing, the priest suggested that I come together to see His Excellency the Bishop.”
Fanning found that he met an acquaintance. This officer was Brigadier General Boles who had dealt with him in Lebich that night!
"I fully explained the smuggling issue to the priest, and based on the bishop's warning in the interview, I added an extra quarter to the money I obtained and returned it to the dioceses where the goods originally came from."
When Brigadier General Boles was explaining the problem, his vision first darkened and then brightened. A strange lantern, emitting some kind of thin and alert light, actually floated in front of him out of thin air.
His eyes looked through the complex hollow frame, which was as black as ink, and inside the smooth golden lamp cavity embedded in it, and saw piles of confusing and fragmented reflective objects flashing rapidly in his pupils.
The sound of swallowing saliva was heard.
Boles felt something scratching on his neck - something sacred, pure, sharp and invisible.
He also felt that the eyes of Bishop Lavoisier, who was sitting in the car, seemed to be looking through the "other world" of the lamp cavity, staring at him without any emotion.
"He could sense my state when I said these words. He could directly and clearly illuminate and see the images passing through my head!"
He was glad that he had no reservations when explaining before. At this moment, he calmed down and pointed to the two people on the ground and continued:
"These two guys are informants in a secret organization. They were not caught by me, but before I provided the information I could provide, I had been lax in my discipline of the people below, which led to collusion with heretics. Also, and
, there are also some clues to the 'higher level', which have been given to the priest."
Father Jacob respectfully handed another pamphlet toward the car window:
"The Diocese of Tocharan also has some preliminary clues that have been discovered, which have been summarized and are awaiting further processing and sent to Bishop Lavoisier for review."
He further expressed his position: "In the past few nights, the Pope has been dreaming in batches and summoned more than a hundred priests from Janus. The saints are also watching from high places. We must have sufficient determination to follow Bishop Lavoisier's will.
."
Fan Ning raised his hand, and the "night watchman's lamp" turned into a shuttle-like light, entered the car window, and fell back into his hand.
He motioned to Pastor Jacob to hand the booklet to the assistant in the car in front, and then said softly:
"I made it clear that day. If anyone rushes before the judgment and frankly admits the crime he has committed, he will repay the full amount of what he has wronged according to the estimated price, plus one-fifth.
and to the one whom he has wronged, so that he will be forgiven.”
"Brigadier General Boles deserved credit for catching the false teacher at that time, but now he speaks the sincerity and is alert and repentant early. The crime he committed is a crime that has room for forgiveness, and the restitution amount is more than the law. You
The priests of this city will make atonement for him."
"You get back on the carriage, guide it to the church, get some food and drink for the guests, escort the idolaters into the discipline room, then go to the street and explain the construction of the hospital to Miss Roy in detail."
"Thank you for your mercy." "Do as the bishop said." The two people standing in front immediately expressed their stance.
So, as soon as they entered the border of Pantua, there were two cars and two carriages traveling on the road.
At dusk, when meeting with another diocese, a similar situation happened again.
The priest took the mayor of the local small town to the boundary to greet the confession in person, and arrested an important deputy official who was suspected of harboring smugglers.
There has been an increase in the number of confessors coming to churches from various places, and people coming to hand over ill-gotten money, food, and cloth have also come to the door from time to time.
Roy knew that what she saw before her was just a matter of "proportion", but she was indeed surprised.
It should be noted that there are still people who are lucky and want to stop, or who are seriously bewitched by secret organizations, and some may even get worse. However, in such a situation, it is still so early, and every diocese has taken the initiative to attack, and there are traces of people taking the initiative to surrender.
, the loose clues are pulled layer by layer, and the forces that collude secretly have become somewhat panicky.
As for the argument that "the conflicting relationship between the wartime situation is not black and white", she remembered a piece of "tattletale" that leaked out yesterday after the person in charge of a large cultural media territory was arrested -
The Pope said meaningfully in the presence of many dignitaries and nobles:
"Don't look at Bishop Lavoisier from a 'political perspective', remember that he is a purely 'religious figure'."
In addition, judging from the words of Priest Jacob just now, the Pope met with more than a hundred priests in a dream, and the saint personally stood behind him. This time, the Holy Sun Church took advantage of the opportunity of Lavoisier’s birth to make a serious move.
The chaos has been rectified
Thinking of the current decline of the two schools of Tioline, Roy expressed his sincere admiration for Bishop Lavoisier's charisma and strength: "This time the priest comes to teach, maybe the situation in Janus will be completely new in a few years.
"
"I won't stay here too long."
Roy was startled by Fan Ning's answer from the co-pilot.
"How long, if not too long?" she asked.
It stands to reason that for such a core position, an average tenure of three to five years is the most basic. Only within this length of time can some concepts, ideas or methods be effectively implemented.
Even if he has a faster "promotion" expectation, he should still coach in this country.
"Maybe it will take the same amount of time as Miss Roy's trip," Fan Ning said.
"Ah, me?" Roy subconsciously calculated the progress, "I'll probably take about four months. It will take two months to visit all the counties. After confirming the list of hospital construction for this round, I won't
I will return to China immediately and will stay for another two months to follow up and guide the initial construction and operation of some locations, so I can leave in early summer."
"Nothing else to prepare?"
"Other things? None."
After receiving confirmation, Fan Ning nodded, but thought deeply in his heart.
President McAdam led a team to the Western Continent to secretly discuss the "avant-garde music" plan with the church. She seemed to really not know?
Roy did not realize the meaning behind Fan Ning's question. She still sighed: "The Western Continent is just a place for me to stay, but Father Lavoisier, as such a powerful and important figure, is just a coach.
Four months is probably too long for Janus—"
She was organizing words like "regret" or "rare" in her mind, but Fan Ning emphasized again:
"It's just the time of this trip."
"I think that in as little as ten days or as long as twenty days, I can complete a tour of Pontua County and Apail County. At that time, the fate of searching for the 'God's Theme' will befall me. This is not the case in Janu
The days of Sri Lanka will also become a thing of the past.”
"Ah! Just more than ten days?" Roy finally exclaimed softly.
Father Lavoisier has not been in the church for ten days, right?
She had vaguely heard of the term "God's Theme" in the church, but she had not yet connected it with anything else. At the moment, she just responded with a polite look of regret.
Judging from some of Lavoisier's discussions on art management along the way, it can be seen that the other party also has profound insights in this field, and some of his ideas can be said to coincide with Mr. Fanning.
"That can only be said to be a pity. Originally, as Father Lavoisier's 'deputy presiding judge', he accompanied the diocese during the inspection, even if it was beyond the scope of these two counties, it was still within the scope of supervisory duties. But now that there are important matters
For the time being, the operational issues of the theater chain can only be discussed later.”
Leave important matters temporarily
The car was driving on the twilight street. Fan Ning looked at the sparsely lit lights outside the window. He was hesitant about what to mention and fell silent for a while.
The first day's outdoor trip is over, the inspection team needs to work in the evening, and Fan Ning himself also has many academic affairs to deal with.
Everyone got off the car in front of the hotel in the small town. At first, the street lights in the courtyard were out, the fountain had been out of service for several months, and the dead leaves were sealed in a thin layer of ice like specimens. Later, people from the parish may have gone to remove them.
After saying hello, the streetlight was partially turned on, but under the backlight, the outline of the fountain became a more blurry black shadow.
However, due to the loss of characteristic details, the intensification of abstract features, and the same night, it is more like the fountain that Fan Ning once saw in a certain manor.
When the three groups of the inspection party, accompanying party and reception party separated in the lobby, Fan Ning responded to what Roy said five minutes ago.
He was sure that this was a redundant sentence that had nothing to do with his current identity, but he still couldn't help but want to say, of course, he would not make the transition appear so abrupt:
"I must give my best wishes to Miss Roy in advance regarding the theater chain. The place where the 'God's Theme' is buried is not in the world, and we may not see you again in the future."