You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 365 Make the Roman Catholic Church Great Again!
Let's rewind time by more than half a year.

Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica.

In front of the church, countless devout ordinary believers gathered in the square, craning their necks to look at the chimney on the church roof, hoping to see the rising smoke.

Not long ago, Pope Innocent X entered Heaven.
Soon, cardinals from all over Europe flocked to St. Peter's Basilica to compete for the position of the next pope.

Before the election~
A group of elderly men in red robes, with tears in their eyes, lined up to touch the coffin.

Even though he harbored countless hatreds during his lifetime, they vanished at this moment. The crowd praised Innocent X's achievements and offered their remembrance.

Innocent X lay in a heavy coffin, where molten lead sealed all the gaps to ensure no odor escaped.

……

Under God's watchful eye, a new round of papal elections has begun.

There are more than 50 cardinals who are eligible to run for pope. They are also known as cardinals in popular parlance. It is a lifetime position.

Although these old men in red robes no longer wielded the immense power of the Middle Ages, they were still important figures, wielding considerable influence in the region and not to be underestimated.

After the voting ended.

The votes were counted in full view of everyone, with the entire process supervised by the Cardinals Committee.

This election process has been in place for over a thousand years and is a very mature system. The pope, elected by the bishops with one vote each, fully represents the will of God.

Ultimately, Alexander VII, who came from a family of financiers and clergy, was successfully elected!
Elect a pope.

Black smoke indicates an undecided outcome, while white smoke indicates an elected outcome!
This is a signal that has been established by convention for over a thousand years.

Soon~
White smoke billowed from the chimney at the top of St. Peter's Basilica, and the believers gathered in the square were moved to tears and cheered with joy.

Ah ~
The new Pope~
He will lead the world's lost sheep towards that bright future.
Rome cannot exist without the Pope, just as its subjects cannot exist without a loving father.

The cheers grew louder and louder.

Amidst thunderous cheers, Alexander VII was formally crowned. Receiving the scepter, he stepped onto the balcony and waved to the believers gathered in the square.

The situation spiraled out of control.

The guards quickly closed the heavy gates that had just been opened, desperately trying to stop the excited crowd.

……

The pope is elected by the bishops, so he represents the collective wisdom.

Unlike his predecessor, the conservative Innocent X, who "severely opposed Eastern believers' veneration of Confucius and their ancestors," the current Alexander VII is a well-known enlightened ruler who believes that local traditional culture should be respected.

Secularization!
Eliteization!
Be flexible!
Innocent X died at the right time; if he had lived, the Papacy might have missed the fleeting opportunity presented by the Eastern Empire.

"I hope His Holiness the Pope can lead the Vatican to a brighter future."

"God bless the Pope."

"We cannot miss the East."

"The Papacy has suffered setbacks in Europe, but we must seize the East."

"The Vatican desperately needs believers and gold and silver."

The bishops respectfully stepped forward to pay their respects to the new pope, which was both a blessing and a form of pressure. If they failed to live up to the collective expectations, they could simply prepare another coffin.

Alexander VII's words were simple, but they struck a chord with people.

"I will do everything in my power to make the Roman Catholic Church great again! And let the vastness of God shine upon the whole world!"

The bishops all nodded in agreement.

You made the right choice!
The right leader was chosen!
After the Enlightenment, its prestige was greatly diminished, its power was greatly weakened, it was suppressed by monarchs of various countries, insulted by intellectuals, and abandoned by the common people.

Beset by internal and external troubles, the Papacy, after assessing the situation and implementing several major reforms, barely managed to maintain its footing.

……

The choir sang repeatedly:
Make the Vatican great again!
During dinner, a servant asked the cardinal of the Paris region, "We've sung this 3520 times already, shall we change it?"

The bishop shook his head: "No! Keep singing. The voice of God is to make the Vatican great again; we could listen to it a thousand times and never get tired of it." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Holy music filled the air.

Repeatedly.

The more you listen, the more mellow it becomes; the more you listen, the younger you feel; the more you listen, the more hopeful you become.

As a result, my appetite has greatly increased.
……

A month later.

Alexander VII slammed the list on the table and flew into a rage.

"Gentlemen, what kind of insects are you recommending?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"The East is not South America, nor the West Indies. The people there are wealthy and civilized. They are knowledgeable, polite, and pursue noble character. They cannot tolerate scum and villains."

“When priests arrive in the East, they need to demonstrate noble character, extensive knowledge, and devout faith to guide believers to kneel before God and understand the doctrines.”

"We must send our finest and most learned priests to the East! What are these scoundrels for? To show the Eastern elites about alcoholism, mistresses, illegitimate children, money-making, balls, and little boys?"

"The reputation of the Vatican has been ruined by these scoundrels!"

"This is not a simple operation; it is another Crusade after hundreds of years, one that will be recorded in the Bible in the future!!"

The old men blushed slightly, each recommending one of their own trusted confidants.

These people are indeed of terrible character, but they are loyal.

Alexander VII:

"With the Enlightenment as a cautionary tale, the Papacy has encountered unprecedented setbacks. We can no longer act as we did before. We must take the path of intellectualization, elitism, and enlightenment. The war between papal and monarchical power has only just begun. This war will last for five hundred, a thousand, or even five thousand years before a victor emerges."

“You swear to God now that you will hand over two ships of truly elite priests to me next month.”

The bishops nodded vigorously, rejecting the entire proposal and calling for a new election.

……

St. Peter's Church.

"Chen, please~"

Guided by the guards, a young official dressed in the robes of the Ming Dynasty entered the church.

His name was Chen Ande. Several years ago, he was sent by the Yongli Emperor to travel from Guangzhou to Rome with Father Miguel to seek help from the Romans. However, the former Pope Innocent X refused to meet him, and he was forced to stay for three years.

"Chen, you've arrived."

“Your Holiness, the Emperor, Crown Prince and Empress of the Great Ming Dynasty have been baptized. If the Holy See is willing to send troops to support us, Catholicism will become the state religion of the Great Ming Dynasty after the restoration of the country.”

Alexander VII looked at the young man from the East who was making empty promises to him and sighed.

"Chen, I have some bad news to tell you."

Chen Ande was stunned after hearing this.

"The Ming Dynasty is gone? The Qing Dynasty is gone too?"

“Chen, all of this is God’s arrangement. You have completed your mission, and God will not blame you.”

"No!"

Chen Ande wept bitterly.

He traveled across the ocean to Europe seeking help, overcoming countless hardships along the way, and the result was...
“Chen, if you want to stay, I will arrange a tenured teaching position for you. If you want to return to China, there is a ship next month, and you can go back to Guangzhou with the priests.”

"I must go back."

"Okay, God will bless you."

Alexander presented him with a pure gold cross and a gold-leaf Bible, believing that all believers deserved respect, except for pagans.

(End of this chapter)