Chapter 921

Episode 921: The Imperial March 2 – Assault return, running on the ground. (9)

The Cardinal was unable to properly counterattack the Hyang’s attack.

‘Holy shit! If this was going to happen, His Holiness should have come!’

Alexander VI. No, Rodrigo Borgia received a doctorate in canon law from the University of Bologna. He was not just a legal scholar, but he was highly praised as ‘the most outstanding and discerning legal scholar.’

If he had come in person, the outcome of this debate would have been different. No, even if we couldn’t guarantee victory or defeat, it was certain that we wouldn’t just be pushed back like we are now.

However, once he was seated as Pope, it was difficult for Alexander VI to move around Rome.

Additionally, the cardinal who was stationed here was not a good legal scholar. Although he was not of Borgia family blood, he became a cardinal and came to this position because of his loyalty.

Therefore, he had no choice but to repeat the basic defense.

“The position and duties of the Pope are inherited from St. Peter, and St. Peter was chosen by the Lord...”

“If you read the scriptures, this is true.”

Hyang interrupted the cardinal and continued his attack.

“The founder of Christianity told Peter to become the rock of the church. If the Pope succeeds Peter, why does he want to be a crown on his head when he should be a rock? In the same way, the religious leader said to Peter, “Fish for people,” but did he say, “Judge people?”

“That is...”

The cardinal, who was desperately searching for a logic to refute while stuttering, brought out the most commonly used logic.

“The Lord said to Saint Peter, ‘I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. So whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ To judge a man, your Majesty said, is to bind and loose, and this is the power of the Pope, handed down from generation to generation from St. Peter.”

When the cardinal asserted the supremacy of the Pope that has been passed down from generation to generation, Hyang smiled even brighter and asked again.

“okay? Then I will ask. “Is it the human soul or the human body that binds and looses?”

“Eh... isn’t that... everything?”

“I’ll say it again. The dogma said, ‘To Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’ Binding and loosing even the human body seems to be coveting even Caesar’s things? Are you even violating the teachings of the dogma?”

“Ruthless!”

The cardinal shouted, but Hyang concluded with a calm expression.

“Now this is a place where Caesars’ representatives gather to discuss worldly issues. It’s not a soul problem. Nevertheless, if I were to sit here and talk, I would have no choice but to think of the Pope as a secular monarch. “If you acknowledge that, I will acknowledge your right to speak.”

“Infidels are cruel!”

The cardinal shouted hysterically. Looking at the cardinal, whose complexion had turned bright red with shame and anger, the fragrance continued.

“That shameless heretic will ask. Did your religious founder say to spread the truth to the ends of the earth, but to kill and destroy the heretics? Are you following the teachings of a dogma? Or are they following the orders given to the Jews who were trying to escape Egypt and return to Jerusalem? “Do you believe in Christianity or Judaism?”

“He truly has the devil’s tongue!”

Finally, the cardinal could not stand it anymore and left his seat. Before leaving the conference room, the cardinal looked at the seated envoys and his assistant Lorenzo de’ Medici and left a warning.

“Anyone who joins hands or negotiates with the heretics, the seed of the devil, will be regarded as a heretic and excommunicated!”

In response to the cardinal’s warning, Hyang responded by resting his chin on one hand.

“I guess that part is the Pope’s authority? Are you superior to the Pope?”

“urg!”

The cardinal fluttered with anger and left the conference room.

As the cardinal and his followers disappeared from the conference room, Hyang looked back at the envoys.

“How about we stop here for today?”

Louis quickly responded to Hyang’s suggestion.

“That would be great. “Others will agree.”

“Hmm... Huh?”

“what?”

The residents who were reading the poster looked perplexed. It was because of the excommunication mentioned by the cardinal.

“It’s an excommunication... what should I do?”

“But I don’t think there was anything wrong with what the emperor of the ‘Land of Flowers’ said...”

“Yes, but it’s an excommunication!”

As the story spread, the residents of Florence began to get upset. Although the authority of the church was greatly weakened compared to the period before the Black Death, its authority was still strong among ordinary residents.

In a situation where not only daily life but also interactions between residents mostly revolved around the church, being excommunicated was a matter of survival.

However, rebelling against the Medici family and the empire was also a problem. This was because he was well aware that other cities and powers could not touch Florence because of the Medici and the Empire.

“No, war will break out anyway, but then we need the ‘Land of Flowers’ even more.”

“This is it...”

While many residents of Florence were confused, there were some who looked up at the sky and cheered.

“This is the Lord’s protection!”

It was Savonarola.

* * *

Savonarola, a nobleman from Ferrara and a member of the Dominican Order, was famous for his outstanding learning and ascetic life.

Savonarola, who arrived in Florence in 1482 after being dispatched to the Monastery of San Marco, gained high reputation and support from the Florentine residents.

Afterwards, Savonarola toured Florence and nearby cities, preaching republicanism and political liberalism.

Politically he was a liberal, but morally he was an ascetic, so he even created a famous anecdote in which the residents of Florence, influenced by his sermons, burned paintings and colored novels in a square in Florence.

As he was a republican and a political liberal, the targets of his attacks were Lorenzo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, and the Pope.

“Lorenzo de’ Medici is a terrible dictator! “The freedom of the people of Florence is being suppressed!”

“The Pope and the Church must wake up! Look at what the Vatican and the church look like now! “The merchants whom the Lord had driven out of the temple are now sitting in priestly robes!”

In some ways, Savonarola was an extreme republican and liberal, but he was surprisingly friendly towards the empire. “Republicanism is the ultimate system, but if not, the emperor and political system of the ‘Land of Flowers’ are the best!”

When it came to the empire, Savonarola always spoke favorably.

It was when Savonarola heard about the actions of King Sejong and Hyang that he began to criticize the empire favorably.

“If there must be a monarch, it must be done like this!”

What made Savonarola, who had developed an affinity for him by reading books written at the level of a memoir, become completely pro-imperialist was the acquisition of a Latin translation of ‘The First Law’.

“yes! Equality before the law! “This is a must have!”

Savonarola, who had become pro-imperialist, shouted to his supporters after reading the leaflet that recorded the war of words with the cardinal.

“When the Lord was born, wise men came from the East! And this time a wise man came from the East! This is the Lord’s blessing!”

Savonarola ascended the pulpit and preached loudly to his supporters.

“Everyone, what is wrong with what the wise men of the East said? doesn’t exist! What is Caesar’s is Caesar’s, and what is God’s is God’s!”

“It is absolutely wrong for the successor of Peter to behave like Caesar!”

“Do not give in to the Vatican’s threats of excommunication! Trust your conscience!”

“Threatening monarchs with excommunication is a symbol of the corruption of the Vatican. Do you know how much money you have to give to be pardoned from excommunication? So where do those riches come from? “These are things that were taken from you with your taxes!”

“The Vatican must go back to the Vatican! “This war is a holy war for him!”