Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 307 306 Shift Handover Ceremony

Further back in the temple procession were the officials from the government office.

Mayor Yen Ching-tien stood at the very front, occasionally tiptoeing to observe the progress of the fleet's docking.

The officials behind him would occasionally crane their necks to look—but they weren't looking at the fleet, but at Mike holding an incense burner in the distance.

After a while, the Cardinal's personal ship, the Silver Scepter, finally docked.

While waiting for the gangway to be lowered, Findlay had already arrived on the deck and was checking the creases in his robes one last time.

Perhaps because he often wore a stern face, Findrejou's face didn't have as many wrinkles as Vadragio's, making him appear several years younger. His hair was meticulously groomed, and his beard was deliberately trimmed into a sharp, angular shape, giving the impression at first glance that he must be an incorruptible elder.

As the gangway descended, footsteps echoed from the end of the walkway.

It was Vadragio who led the group over.

"Vadra, it's been a year, and I feel like you have less gray hair—you didn't secretly dye it just to see me, did you?"

Findlay Zhou walked down the gangway, leaning on his scepter, his face still serious despite his attempts to make jokes.

Vadrajo smiled silently: "Perhaps it's because there aren't so many worries in Sail City. On the contrary, your hair has turned much whiter, and I heard that your old knee pain has worsened."

"Humph."

Findlay Zhou scoffed, "Don't be so happy yet. You'll be the one who's going to have a headache over the temple's affairs soon—believe me, after staying in Taijing for too long, all you'll remember about it is how noisy and crowded it is."

Vadrajo shook his head and chuckled: "Fendere, what's crowded and noisy isn't the crowd, but your own heart."

"We've only known each other for a short time, and you're already lecturing me again."

Findlay frowned in displeasure: "Can't you say something that makes me happy?"

Vadracho chuckled and said, "Of course—I left you a recipe for a medicinal wine to treat rheumatism in my study."

The two elders' greetings were interrupted by the sudden sound of two bells, startling a flock of seagulls that were resting at the bow of the boat.

The auspicious time for the handover has arrived.

At this moment, Topherson Zhao presented an engraved bronze box: "Please have Elder Findlay examine the duty roster."

The duty roster is made in duplicate, with one copy recorded by the cardinal elders dispatched to the temple and then synchronized with the copy kept in the temple.

This is actually a restriction and precaution against cardinal elders who are sent abroad, so it is a very necessary measure for the new elder to conduct a strict inspection when the rotation period ends.

However, Fender Chow did not take out the document. Instead, he took out his own new duty roster from his sleeve, unfolded the parchment, put it in the copper box, and stacked it with the old document.

"Like the tide covering the beach."

He winked at his old friend: "Old textures will always be faintly visible under new ripples."

Having already studied the Canon of the Holy Scriptures in the Cathedral Library, Feng Xiuhu knew what this meant—if Vadracho really did something against the interests of the Church during his term of office, Findlay's actions were undoubtedly an act of cover-up.

He looked at Vadracho in shock: "You've been ripping off the church too?" Vadracho smiled helplessly and gave Findrejou a reproachful look: "Look what you've done, you've made me get misunderstood."

Findlay Zhou then looked at Feng Xiuhu—this unruly priest made him subconsciously feel dissatisfied.

With just a slight glance, Findlay could find many faults in him.

His words were inappropriate, his priest's robes were wrinkled, he hadn't even shaved properly, and—how could a mere priest stand in this position?
His critical gaze made Feng Xiuhu very uncomfortable, so she put her hands on her hips and asked him, "What are you looking at?"

Findlay was taken aback—to be honest, this was the first time a priest had dared to speak to him in such a tone.

Before things escalated, Vadracho introduced Feng Xiuhu: "This is my new student, Father Feng Xiuhu. Findlay, give the young man some patience. Trust me, his strengths are enough to overshadow his minor flaws in attitude."

Feng Xiuhu looked at him warily: "What flashbang? Let me make it clear first, I don't want to go back into that phone booth."

Findlay looked at Vadragio with suspicion—he was trying to figure out if Vadragio was joking with him.

Vadragho smiled helplessly: "Well, a penchant for rambling is part of the minor flaws."

The formal handover of documents was completed, and the two cardinal elders formally moved into the Great Hall of the Mist.

The luxurious carriages along the coastal road had been waiting for a long time. Vadracho and Findlay Zhou got into the first carriage, while Feng Xiuhu followed Toverson Zhao and the two bishops into the second carriage.

Inside the carriage, Topherson Zhao sighed and said to Feng Xiuhu, "You were very rude just now. Elder Fenderley is different from Elder Vadra. Elder Vadra may not mind, but that doesn't mean Elder Fenderley won't. If you have the chance later, I suggest you apologize to him."

Quivervan, who had been itching to speak, finally found an opportunity to say: "Father Feng Xiuhu, you don't need to worry too much. You are Elder Vadra's student. As long as you have the right attitude, Elder Findlay will not make things too difficult for you."

Even before the handover ceremony began, Quivorvan wanted to go up and greet Findlay Zhou, but Toverson Zhao anticipated his thoughts and informed Yukhu in advance, so Yukhu would block Quivorvan's every move.

Quiverfan pressed his hand to his chest and said, "As Elder Findlay's most trusted high priest of the temple, I am willing to plead for you and help you clear up the misunderstanding."

Feng Xiuhu asked him, "You've been asking about me for so long, have you finally found out anything?"

Quivervan paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I think I understand."

Feng Xiuhu sneered: "I think you've wasted your time asking around—I haven't done anything wrong, why should I apologize?"

Upon hearing this, the other three people's expressions turned somewhat unpleasant.

Topherson Zhao said seriously, "Once Elder Vadra leaves and Elder Findlay officially takes over Sail City, if you continue with your current attitude, you may not have the comfortable life you have now in the future."

Feng Xiuhu rolled his eyes, unconcerned—who was he trying to scare? Once his appointment letter arrived, let's see who could control him.

After the group arrived at the cathedral, the two cardinal elders talked privately in the study for a long time, while the bishops and archbishops, including Feng Xiuhu, stood obediently outside the door to wait for them.

Just as Feng Xiuhu had yawned several times and was about to make an excuse to slip away, Vadracho suddenly summoned him.

Topherson Zhao and others weren't even mentioned; only Feng Xiuhu was called in.

(End of this chapter)