North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 276 The Weight of the Triple Crown

Cardinal Evan picked up the thick file folder, took out the documents inside, glanced at them briefly, and was instantly shocked!

"What, what, what are these?!"

Azu nodded with a smile: "That's right, this contains materials detailing the crimes of cardinals from all over the world!"

Ignoring the shocked Cardinal Evan, Azu took a sip of the premium Macallan whiskey in his glass and continued calmly, "From the day you became a cardinal, Uncle Evan, our Bureau 18 began to secretly investigate cardinals all over the world."

"In the past two years, all sixty-four cardinals of the Vatican, except for you, Uncle Evan, have been under our secret investigation."

"Among them, there are sixty European cardinals, two from the Americas besides you, and one from Asia."

"Through two years of investigation, in accordance with the Canon Law promulgated in 1550, twelve elderly people over eighty years of age, five people who were unable to move due to serious illness, and four people who were deprived of their rights were excluded!"

"In the end, there are forty-three people eligible to participate in the next papal election, including you, Uncle Evan!"

Azu continued, "This file contains the criminal records of 26 of these 43 cardinals!"

"Among these 26 cardinals, some embezzled church funds; some had secret partners, or even secretly married and had children; some colluded with local governments or even evil forces, bending the law for personal gain and disregarding human life; some were wanted criminals with criminal records before becoming clergy!"

"And there are several cardinals, even those who have long been hostile to the boys in the choir!"

Cardinal Evan's hands, holding the thick stack of criminal records, trembled violently, and his expression shifted from shock to terror!

The way he stared at the incriminating document in his hand was more like staring at an incredibly sinister and vicious venomous snake!

If this incriminating evidence is true, and if it is made public, not only will the reputations and status of the twenty-six high-ranking cardinals be destroyed, but everything else will be ruined! It could even shake the very foundation of the entire Vatican!

Half of the cardinals, who wear holy red robes and occupy the highest positions in the church, are secretly so despicable!
What appears to be a sacred, solemn, and supreme place is actually a den of filth and depravity!

How could Cardinal Evan possibly accept this?

In a short span of time, Cardinal Evan undoubtedly experienced another collapse caused by the breakdown of his faith!
"This, this, Li, is this all true?!"

Cardinal Evan, fearing it like a venomous snake, threw the incriminating document far onto the table and asked in terror.

Azu nodded calmly: "Absolutely true! Moreover, this list of crimes is not even complete; it only selects the most serious and well-documented crimes committed by the cardinals!"

Evan pulled a clean white handkerchief from under his robes and frantically wiped the cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Li, what exactly are you trying to do by secretly investigating and collecting information on the crimes of these cardinals?"

Azu grinned: "Uncle Evan, don't you understand?"

"All that I've done is so that one day I can place you on that supreme throne!"

"Gulp!" Evan swallowed hard. "You mean, you're going to use this evidence of their crimes to blackmail them into voting for me in the next papal election?!"

“Of course!” Azu nodded calmly: “Otherwise, what use would it be for me to secretly investigate and collect materials on the crimes of these cardinals?”

“I don’t have a hobby of collecting other people’s private information. Everything I’ve done is for you, Uncle Evan!”

"But this method is simply...!"

"It's really despicable, isn't it?" Azu smiled nonchalantly. "Actually, the despicable and vile ones are not me, but the cardinals who have committed these heinous crimes!"

"Even more despicable and vile is the seemingly sacred and supreme Roman Catholic Church!"

Azu continued, "Does the Vatican really know nothing about the crimes committed by these cardinals?"

“I absolutely do not believe that they are truly ignorant, but the Vatican has chosen to protect these beasts and become a den of iniquity that shelters crimes!”

"Who is more despicable and vile, my secret investigation and gathering of their crimes?"

Cardinal Evan was speechless.

After a long pause, he stammered, "But, but, alas!"

After a long sigh, Evan collapsed, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant.

Although he had some knowledge of the corruption of the Vatican, he never imagined that the entire Vatican was so rotten to the core, completely decayed from the inside out and from top to bottom!

After Azu waited for him to calm down a bit, he continued, "Uncle Evan, having this evidence of crimes is equivalent to having the votes of more than half of the cardinals."

"I believe that among these twenty-six cardinals, when faced with what they believed to be the most secret crimes and evidence, the vast majority would choose to yield."

"As for upright cardinals like Uncle Evan, I will provide ample funds so that you can make as many connections as possible with them and gain their friendship and support."

"With a two-pronged approach, Uncle Evan, your chances of winning the next papacy are extremely high!"

Evan's face showed an expression of great struggle, even though he had once had a slight, unrealistic desire for that throne.

But to use such despicable means to sit on that throne is absolutely not what he wants.

Overall, Evan is an honest and intelligent man.

He would never do, nor would he be willing to do, such a scheme as Ah Zu's.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Azu said seriously, "Uncle Evan, the Vatican is now so corrupt. As a high-ranking clergyman who has dedicated his life to the cause of the Lord, haven't you ever thought about saving the entire Church?"

“Me?!” Evan stared at Azu in shock once again.

“Yes!” Azu nodded and said, “The Papacy is already corrupt and rotten, and the foundation of the Papacy is equally fragile.”

"Perhaps, in a few years, the Papacy will be completely discredited, and the Papal States may not even be able to be preserved. Uncle Evan, the ideal you have fought for all your life could be destroyed at any moment!"

"Uncle Evan, you're the only one who can reform and save the church!"

"Only when you sit on that supreme throne, make a firm decision to completely purge the rotten flesh and blood of the Papacy, and thoroughly reform the entire Church, can you truly save the edifice from collapse and turn the tide!"

"I don't think I have that much courage or those ruthless methods!"

"Hehe!" Azu laughed, "As long as Uncle Evan is willing to do so, we will all help you!"

"Don't forget, behind you are me, Vivian, and the support of all of California!"

"We have the financial resources, the military strength, and the power to suppress all heresy!"

Cardinal Evan downed his glass of wine in one gulp again.

Under the influence of alcohol, his violently trembling hands finally stabilized a little.

Azu said bluntly, "Uncle Evan, if you can sit in that position, if you need my support, I can certainly dispatch a powerful army to help you solve all the troubles and problems facing the Papacy and the Papal States, and eliminate all heresy!"

Hearing what Azu said, Evan was immediately tempted, but still hesitated and asked, "Li, why do you want to do this?"

"What is your purpose in going to such lengths to put me on the papacy?!"

“We’re family, so let’s not talk about anything else. I know you; you would never do anything without a benefit to yourself.”

"You put me on the papacy; you must have some ulterior motive!"

"Hehe, Uncle, you really understand me!" Azu chuckled, looking down. "Of course I have my own agenda, but I also sincerely want Uncle Evan to become the Pope!"

"Although the prestige and status of the Papacy have been declining since the Middle Ages, it must be acknowledged that its influence remains considerable worldwide, especially in Europe!"

“When you become Pope, Uncle Evan, I will be able to intervene in the affairs of the European powers through you.”

"For example, I can help you, Uncle Evan, establish a powerful Papal Guard, or a new Papal Knights, so that you can legitimately seize territory and interests in Europe!"

"For example, through you, Uncle Evan, I can morally condemn and punish any European power that opposes us!" "Even, not only in Europe, but all over the world, we can use the name of the Papacy to suppress and punish all heretics and opponents!"

Cardinal Evan's heart pounded and his blood rushed to his head upon hearing this: "You mean, the Pope can also possess a powerful army?"

“Yes!” Azu nodded with a smile: “A pope with the highest status and influence, and a powerful army. I think, in the entire history of the Vatican, there has never been a pope with such power!”

In later generations, that Soviet father once joked: "The Pope, how many divisions does he have?"
When the Pope actually has several divisions, the world's great powers will probably have a headache!
Cardinal Evan became increasingly excited as he thought about it, feeling as if his blood was boiling and burning!
"Li, are you, are you serious?!" Evan couldn't help but ask again to confirm.

Azu nodded emphatically: "Absolutely true. This plan has been brewing since the moment I set foot in the Vatican more than two years ago!"

Cardinal Evan struggled to contain his excitement: "But His Majesty is in excellent health right now. For a pope, being in his early sixties is the prime of life."

"I wonder how many more years it will take for him to return to the embrace of my Lord!"

Azu smiled slightly: "Human life is like a summer flower, short and fragile!"

"Who can predict how much longer our Lord will live?"

"If Uncle Evan makes up your mind, our His Majesty could face any misfortune at any moment!"

"You, you!" Cardinal Evan stared at Azu in horror again: "You wouldn't do such a thing, would you?"

Ah Zu shrugged: "To be honest, His Majesty the Ninth Prince has treated me well. We were complete strangers, yet he granted me the title of Earl of Gold Mountain."

"So, of course I won't do anything out of line."

"But the world is so big, and there are so many people with ulterior motives. Who knows what Your Majesty might encounter tomorrow? You agree, don't you, my Uncle Evan?"

"Cough cough!" Evan tried to gulp down a mouthful of wine, only to find that his glass was already empty.

After coughing twice, Evan said, "Lee, I knew you were an extremely terrifying person years ago!"

"But I never imagined you could be this terrifying!"

"I even feel now that the whole world is being manipulated by you!"

"What Pope, what Vatican? In your eyes, they are nothing more than tools to be used!"

"Alas!" Cardinal Evan sighed deeply. "Even if I am unwilling to be used by you to sit on the papacy, you will surely find someone willing to be used by you!"

Cardinal Evan pointed to the criminal records on the table and said, "These twenty-six cardinals on the list are probably backup options in case I decide to step down. Am I right?"

Ah Zu grinned, said nothing, and got up to fill his glass with wine.

Then, he sat down and continued, "Uncle Evan, we are family. You have witnessed our growth from childhood to adulthood, from weakness to strength. Of course, I am willing to put you on that throne."

“As for these scumbags!” Azu pointed to the thick stack of criminal records: “Unless absolutely necessary, they don’t even qualify to be used by me!”

"Their only role is to cast that vote."

"Once you, Uncle Evan, take that position, the first thing to be purged from the entire Vatican will be these scum!"

Cardinal Evan pondered for a long time before finally nodding silently: "In that case, I'll be a pawn once more and be used by you one more time!"

"Since we're both playing as pieces, at least you'll find it easier to use me. Besides, it'll be a bit cleaner than the other pieces!"

"Haha!" Azu laughed heartily, "Uncle Evan, although I am using you, in my eyes you are not a pawn."

"If it's not a chess piece, then what is it?"

Azu stretched out his left hand and clenched it into a fist right under his nose: "Uncle Evan, you are my trump card, my iron fist to smash all the great powers!"

"Pah!" Evan couldn't help but laugh and curse, "No matter how nicely you put it, you're just a pawn that you use and manipulate, at most the difference between a pawn and a queen!"

"That makes a big difference! Small pawns can be sacrificed, but the Queen is the core and key to defeating the enemy. No matter what, she cannot be abandoned!"

Azu smiled and continued, "Uncle Evan, since you've made up your mind, I'll allocate some manpower and funds to you before you return to the East after Christmas, specifically to make friends with and win over other cardinals."

"As for the twenty-six people on this list!" Azu pondered, "You don't need to worry about them at all. I'll have the people from the Eighteenth Division take care of them for you in secret."

“When the time is right, Uncle Evan, I hope you can bear the weight of wearing the papal triple crown and the platinum robe!”

Cardinal Evan nodded solemnly: "I hope so too, but, Lee, I have a request!"

"What do you want? We're all family, so just tell us what you need!"

Evan lowered his head and said in a low voice, "I only hope that His Majesty the IX will naturally return to the embrace of my Lord. I am still young and in very good health. I can wait!"

Evan is just over fifty years old, which is quite young for him to become pope.

Azu nodded without hesitation: "Uncle Evan, don't worry, His Majesty will leave very naturally!"

"That's not what I meant. I meant, sigh!!"

Evan suddenly sighed again: "I understand. This old man can wait, but you, a twenty-two-year-old, can't!"

"I cannot persuade you, nor can I stop you. I only hope that my Lord can forgive all our sins!"

As he spoke, Cardinal Evan began to offer a devout prayer for himself and Azu!
-
That night, after seeing Cardinal Evan off, Azu returned to his own little courtyard.

If I do the math, tonight is Victoria's turn.

So, they went into Victoria's room.

"You rascal, why are you so late? Were you deliberately stalling for time?"

"Hehe, how could that be? I had a few drinks with Uncle Evan, just the right amount, and here I am!"

"Pah! You reek of alcohol! Go wash it off!"

A moment later, rustling sounds filled the room, along with an irrepressible, melodious chant!
After a long while, Azu, who had entered a state of enlightenment, held the smooth and delicate Victoria in his arms and asked in her ear, "How is the arrangement of the Eighteenth Bureau in the Vatican progressing?"

Victoria, curled up in his arms like a kitten, replied lazily without opening her eyes, "Our Hidden Knights have secretly replaced two of His Holiness the Pope's personal guards."

"As long as we give the order to act, Your Majesty can return to the Lord's embrace at any time!"

Azu's fingers slowly traced the curve of Victoria's back as he murmured, "Let our Her Majesty return to Heaven by the end of next year. Not too early, not too late!"

"Okay, my boss!"

"Remember, let His Majesty depart naturally, without leaving any trace!"

"No problem, my boss!"

"Also, let's begin the persuasion campaign against Lord Red Robe immediately!"

"Okay, my boss!"

"besides!!"

"Are you ever going to stop? Tonight, you're not allowed to tell me what to do. From now on, you have no choice but to obey me!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

"Swoosh!" Victoria, like a nimble cat, shrank into the blankets.

"Ouch, oh!"

(End of this chapter)