Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 371 370 Subduing the Enemy Without Fighting

Shunzi carried Zheng Ajuan on his back, while Xiao Liangbin and Runrusu flanked Zhuo Sushou on either side, helping him up. The group then walked out of the temple gate together.

The path outside the temple was completely blocked, and dense crowds of people could be seen scattered among the surrounding bamboo groves.

The one in the middle holding the tin megaphone should be County Magistrate Ma Sanjiang; he does look somewhat similar to Ma Sihai.

Seeing the crowd emerge, Ma Sanjiang raised a megaphone and shouted, "Ma Er, Ye Sanfang, Liu! Don't think we'll compromise just because you have hostages. There's no point in resisting. I advise you to turn back before it's too late..."

Before he could finish speaking, Run Rusu suddenly interrupted, beckoning to the opposite side: "Disciples of Fengyu Temple, listen to my command."

"Put away your weapons and stand behind me."

Upon hearing this, the people on the other side were all stunned.

The astonishment lasted only a moment. Although the disciples of Fengyu Temple did not understand, they were obedient and left the crowd to come to Runrusu's side.

Shunzi glared at Xiao Liangbin: "Old man, why aren't you saying anything?"

Xiao Liangbin smiled wryly: "Your Excellency is unaware of this. Before breaking through to the Divine Travel Realm, the disciples of my Barefoot Temple have no practical combat skills. They are fine for treating illnesses, but if they were to fight, they would be asking for trouble. Therefore, I have come alone this time."

Feng Xiuhu kept his eyes on Ma Sanjiang. When the disciples of Fengyu Temple stepped forward, Feng Xiuhu clearly saw a subtle change in Ma Sanjiang's expression. He tried to give Zhuo Sushou a wink, but Zhuo Sushou was hanging on Runrusu's shoulder looking half-dead and didn't respond at all.

Then Ma Sanjiang quietly took a few steps back, and raised the megaphone again, shouting, "Chief Sacrifice, wake up! Have you fallen under the spell of evil people?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed again—what Ma Sanjiang said seemed to make sense.

But then Run Rusu smiled slightly: "No need for County Magistrate Ma to worry, I am perfectly clear-headed."

He cupped his hands in greeting to the person opposite him and said in a loud voice, "Fellow priests, please hear what I have to say."

"Ma Sanjiang, driven by selfish desires, committed acts that angered both heaven and man. He colluded with Caiyi Temple to indiscriminately kill innocent people and reap huge profits. This evil deed has continued for several years."

Run Rusu pointed to Feng Xiuhu: "These three beside me are the special envoys who have been sent by the temple master to investigate this matter. I will explain the details later. I hope you will not be deceived by Ma Sanjiang and act on your own. I do not expect you to lend a hand. You may stand by and do not get involved in the karma."

These priests, one by one, would be considered prominent figures in the small county of Jiangluoxi. But to put it bluntly, they were actually marginal figures sent out by various temples to serve as priests in a small place, and that was the end of their lives.

Therefore, given that the facts are still unclear, they have no need to risk their lives for Ma Sanjiang.

After listening to Runrusu's words, the chief priests exchanged glances, and after a moment of eye contact, they tacitly made way for each other in the middle of the road.

Everyone's eyes turned to one spot—the place where Ma Sanjiang had just stood was now deserted.

Looking further back, Ma Sanjiang had somehow retreated to the very back.

There was also a group of people gathered there—church priests and a squad of the church's guards.

Ma Sanjiang was speaking to the priest at an extremely fast pace: "Father John, I am willing to donate a large sum of money to the Misty Church and will also help you rebuild the prayer hall, making it twice as big as it is now—no, three times as big!"

Father John thought for a moment and said, "I talked to you last month. The cathedral sent a letter personally signed by Elder Vadra, saying that they need to expedite the conversion of officials around Sail City to the Church..."

"enter!"

Ma Sanjiang nodded hastily: "I'll go! I'll go as soon as I get back today!"

Father John nodded in satisfaction.

Feng Xiuhu and the others also arrived at this time.

He looked at Father John's familiar robe and a nostalgic expression appeared on his face: "I should have brought mine too."

Father John ignored Feng Xiuhu's mutterings and put on a stern face: "I don't care who sent you. I worship the God of Mist, and your rules cannot be applied to me. I only know that the Great Xuan has its own laws, and neither the temple nor the church has the right to interfere in government affairs. Whether Magistrate Ma is guilty or not is not for you to decide."

This argument was well-reasoned and cleverly presented—with so many high priests watching over them, it was hard to say they wouldn't intervene if a real fight broke out. So, it was better to use this illogical rhetoric to make the temple back down and also gain Ma Sanjiang's favor for nothing.

Feng Xiuhu looked at him curiously.

Father John, despite his foreign name, was undeniably of Chinese descent—that's correct, the same rule applied in Fancheng. Even if a Chinese priest was promoted, he wasn't qualified to preside over a church. The best outcome for such priests was to be sent to a local chapel for missionary work. This was Qian Guangtong's initial dream.

Feng Xiuhu pointed to his own nose and asked Father John, "Do you recognize me?"

Father John frowned slightly, staring at the bloodshot eye on Feng Xiuhu's nose: "Do I have to know you?"

Feng Xiuhu laughed, "It's good that you don't know me."

He patted Shunzi next to him.

Shunzi took out a badge from his pocket and pinned it to his chest. Feng Xiuhu pointed at the badge and asked, "Do you recognize this?"

Father John's expression had changed, but he seemed unable to recall for a moment what the emblem represented.

Feng Xiuhu asked him with a stern face, "Father John, it seems you haven't memorized the 'Ordinance of Clerical Titles' very well. Let me remind you, on page three, the section on the composition of the papal authority, the scourge of holy authority."

"Agent!"

Father John was speechless for a moment, but then he remembered.

"You're from Taijing?"

He stared at Feng Xiuhu in astonishment.

Feng Xiuhu, using the tiger's skin as a banner, said in a deep voice, "Go back and copy the 'Clerical Titles and Regulations' fifty times."

Father John dared not refute, and bowed his head in a gesture of respect: "I will follow your teachings, Your Excellency the Actor."

Seeing that things were not going well, Ma Sanjiang had already retreated to the very back.

Father John turned and pointed, his face now stern and righteous: "Bring him back to me!"

Ma Sanjiang was escorted to Feng Xiuhu by two Divine Guards, and the priests gathered around him.

Things have progressed to this point, and regardless of the final outcome—at least they haven't made a move.

Just watching for fun.

Feng Xiuhu drew a long sword from Run Rusu's waist.

Runru exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really going to kill us?"

Feng Xiuhu glanced at him sideways and handed him the sword: "Why don't you take it?"

Run Rusu quickly waved his hand: "I'm not coming—what I mean is, he is, after all, the county magistrate. Shouldn't we inform the prefectural government first?"

The chief priests all nodded in agreement.

Feng Xiuhu said impatiently, "Stab him to death and be done with it. I'm in a hurry to leave."

Having said that, he was about to give Ma Sanjiang a quick death.

Ma Sanjiang suddenly shouted, "Wait!"

Feng Xiuhu nodded: "Please give your last words."

Ma Sanjiang pointed at Zhuo Sushou opposite him and said, "If anyone's going to die, it'll be him! He's the root of all this!"

The chief priests all looked at Zhuo Su Shou again.

Zhuo Sushou, who had been half-dead, suddenly perked up and raised his head high, speaking with a straight face.

"That's right! The Crimson Scale Brocade was made by me!"

(End of this chapter)