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"Francis, are you pleading for him?" Father Ferdinand asked. "You are a kind person, but Frith has committed a crime, and he must be punished. This is the Holy Church's law, and no one can break it!"
"But, but I heard there is a redemption fee!" Du Cheng timidly said, revealing his true intention!
"Yes, according to the thirteenth article of the Holy Church's law of redemption, a titled Dou-Shen descendant may pay a gold fee to atone for crimes, except for treason or blasphemy against the Holy Church. However, Frith is not a titled Dou-Shen descendant!" Father Ferdinand responded.
Du Cheng quickly retorted, "But the sixteenth article says that if I choose to forgive Frith, he can make amends in another way!"
Father Ferdinand smiled and nodded slightly, "You are well-versed in the law, that's good! Kind child, do you truly choose to forgive Frith?"
"Yes!" Du Cheng said firmly, while secretly calculating in his mind—Frith was the son of the Imperial Finance Minister. "Finance" Minister! Surely the redemption fee won’t be small!
At that moment, Frith saw a glimmer of hope and shouted, "I’m willing to pay the redemption fee, no matter the amount! My father is the Imperial Finance Minister! I can even use the Empire’s military funds to help pay for my redemption!"
Poor child, in his panic, he revealed the truth!
"Frith, if you dare speak such things again, I will send your father to the pyre!" Father Ferdinand said coldly, giving Frith a stern look. "Take him away, imprison him, and inform his father after the Imperial banquet is over!"
Frith was taken away, but he had a relieved look on his face. No matter what, surviving was already a good outcome.
"Thank you for delivering justice on my behalf, respected Father!" Du Cheng bowed to show his gratitude.
"Protecting humanity is the duty of every Dou-Shen. As the Father of the Lanning Empire dioceses, it is my responsibility. Moreover, you are the descendant of the Saintly Dou-Shen, our ancestors were once close comrades!" Father Ferdinand, the old priest, was quite fond of Du Cheng's appropriate manners and his warm and friendly aura. He patted Du Cheng’s forehead, "I am Ferdinand, and I bless you, Francis Saint Sigru Cain!"
Du Cheng didn’t quite understand the specific significance of this blessing, but since he was the religious leader of the Lanning Empire, his blessing must carry some weight! With that thought in mind, Du Cheng respectfully bowed again, "Thank you for your blessing, Father!"
"Those who give will always receive. No need to thank me, this is what you deserve!" Father Ferdinand took his hand from Du Cheng’s forehead, clasped both hands together, and placed them in his sleeves, smiling. "Lately, many people have told me that you are a kind-hearted child who has helped many poor people, and now the people of the South City call you the 'Virtue of Saint John City!'"
"Thank you for their praise! But I believe, Father, you are more deserving of this title!" Du Cheng flattered, but Father Ferdinand didn't seem pleased by the praise.
"Alright, you may go home now. However, tomorrow morning, you must come to see me. There are two things to discuss. First, we need to negotiate the amount for the redemption fee, and second, although that masked Dou-Shen saved you, he did steal the holy artifact from the Chrison family. I need your assistance in investigating further!"
"Understood, I will come on time!" Du Cheng replied.
As Du Cheng walked out of the cathedral, he chuckled to himself. The so-called masked Dou-Shen was a complete fabrication—something he had entirely made up.
It was already the morning of the Divine Peace Day. He had spent most of the night dealing with Frith, but the earnings were still good. It was much faster than the money he’d made from his stealing. Taking advantage of the empty street, Du Cheng reached into his pants, pulled out the holy artifact, and smiled slightly. "I knew it, no one was going to ask me to take off my underpants in the church. Hiding stolen goods in my pants really is the safest!"
...
When Du Cheng returned home, he suddenly noticed that there was a large crowd gathered in the square in front of the manor. His father, Anjess, his second brother Charlie, and many of the family’s warriors were all present, including Steve, who had been out enjoying himself the night before.
They were all kneeling in front of the statue, making prayer gestures.
Steve, looking around, spotted Du Cheng first. He shouted happily, "Francis, you’re finally back! Where did you go last night? Come, let’s pay our respects to the ancestors!"
Anjess glanced at Du Cheng, his voice cold as he barked, "Come here, kneel, and apologize to the ancestors!"
Today was September 13th, 1277 of the Divine Peace Calendar, the Divine Peace Day. It was said that this day was set aside to commemorate the Dou-Shens who died fighting for humanity in a war over a thousand years ago. Every year, on the morning of Divine Peace Day, humans prayed and offered sacrifices to honor the spirits of those who perished.
Sigru, the ancestor of the Saint Cain family, died in this battle, so Divine Peace Day was not only a holiday for the Saint Cain family but also a day to honor their ancestors.
Du Cheng quickly ran over, respectfully kneeling behind his father and facing the statue of Sigru.
At that moment, Charlie’s cold voice rang out, "Francis, you dare be late for the Divine Peace Day ancestor worship? What else would you dare do?"
"Alright, the younger brother has returned on time!" Steve interjected, trying to smooth things over.
Du Cheng gave Charlie a side glance. His tolerance for this second brother had reached its limit. If it weren’t for him last night, Du Cheng wouldn't have faced such danger. If Du Cheng hadn’t had his Lotus Inner Energy, he might have been indirectly killed by Charlie. "Second brother, the reason I’m late is all your fault!"
"I? What nonsense are you talking about?" Charlie snapped.
"Last night, you refused to take me home, and as a result, Frith..." Du Cheng recounted the events, then looked at Anjess, awaiting his judgment.
Anjess glanced at his three sons, then said softly, "The sun has risen. Let’s first pay our respects to the ancestor Sigru." With that, he took the lead and bowed.
After the three kneels and nine bows, the Saint Cain family recited a prayer, which mostly extolled the deeds of Sigru—how over a thousand years ago, humanity faced the risk of extinction, but the mighty Dou-Shens united to fight the powerful demon race, and Sigru died heroically in battle, his spirit unwavering even in death.
After the prayer, Anjess ordered everyone to return to the manor, then addressed his three sons, "Last night, Charlie did not act correctly."
Du Cheng felt a warmth in his heart. This father, though cold, was still reasonable.
But what Anjess said next made Du Cheng furious. "Steve, you were also wrong. You shouldn’t have taken Francis to the banquet! Francis, from now on, avoid going out too often, lest you bring shame to the family! And as for Frith, it was none of your business. Do you realize that last night’s incident could cause a rift between the Ministry of Finance and the Supreme Command? My army’s budget might even be reduced!"
"So, are you saying that my saving someone was wrong?" Du Cheng stared at Anjess unafraid, anger flashing in his eyes. "I’m not a politician. I don’t care about military funds or finance! I only know that saving someone is never wrong!"
"Still talking back?" Anjess’s eyes flashed with fury, and with a "slap," he struck Du Cheng across the face.
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