Chapter 405: Chapter 253: If I Say You Can, You Can, Part 3

This was a long-standing and inherent conflict, with the church and lords often clashing over territory and property.

As time went on, the contradictions between lords and the church over territory and property would inevitably grow more pronounced.

The church possessed vast amounts of land and wealth, which aroused the greed of some lords.

Lords might try to seize the church’s land or tax its property, while the church would staunchly defend its assets, leading to conflict between the two factions.

In some regions, lords and the church were embroiled in long-term lawsuits and struggles over land ownership.

’And this one-tenth religious contribution... that’s a classic. Isn’t this just the standard tithe?’

Fang Zhen thought for a moment. He suddenly realized that the Tade Church’s missionary work was not actually a threat to him.

’Religion is a force that must be handled with caution. The power that the faithful can unleash is formidable. But from the looks of it, the Tade Church is a relatively moderate sect, without any overly radical tendencies.’

’The only potential conflict of interest with local lords is the dispute over the tithe, that one-tenth religious contribution. For other lords, that’s not a small amount of money.’

’But I’m not particularly concerned. It’s not that I think my estate is so vast, but that my fundamental logic is different from other Lords.’

’For others, a territory’s output is fixed. But for me, that’s not the case at all.’

’I’ve already thought about it. Next time, I’ll bring some of Elder Yuan’s hybrid rice over. The land in the Ashton Territory and my other lands isn’t barren. If I plant it here, I estimate the grain yield could multiply many times over.’

’When that happens, I can turn my territory into a place of immense abundance and prosperity.’

’Then the territory itself would no longer be a burden but would become fertile ground for creating wealth. And the Tade Church could help me establish a better, more harmonious order within my domain. From this perspective, our interests don’t conflict so severely. In fact, there’s room for cooperation.’

After thinking this through, Fang Zhen said, "When will the Cardinal arrive?"

Matthew replied, "By the time I received the letter, the Cardinal had already departed. I suspect he may arrive in the Ashton Territory within the next few days."

Fang Zhen nodded. "Alright."

"My Lord, what is your attitude towards the Tade Church?" Agatha suddenly asked, her gaze sharp as she looked at Fang Zhen.

Agatha was a Knight of the Religious Knight Order. She cared a great deal about Fang Zhen’s attitude, as it would determine whether she would continue to support him in the future.

Fang Zhen had his own considerations.

’The Tade Church is showing goodwill for now. In this era, regardless of whether I’m an atheist, I need religious support. It’s a matter of gaining widespread popular backing.’

’The common people of this era really buy into this stuff.’

’I want their support, but I don’t want to be shackled by them. So, who becomes the Bishop of the diocese will have a huge impact.’

’And as a powerful Lord, I have the ability to influence some of the Tade Church’s decisions and appointments.’

’As a Lord, I naturally hope that the Bishop sent by the Tade Church will assist me, not contend with me for power and influence.’

And Fang Zhen already had someone in mind for the position of Tade Bishop in his territory.

Fang Zhen looked at Agatha for a moment and said, "I believe the Tade Church is a fine religion, and I think there is room for mutual cooperation between us. However, there is one point I need to make clear to the Tade Church."

Agatha asked, "What do you mean, my Lord?"

Fang Zhen glanced at Agatha, then said, "I permit and welcome the Tade Church to conduct missionary work in my territory."

"However, I do not wish for any friction with the Tade Church over specific matters. To minimize such conflicts, I believe the Tade Church should appoint a suitable Bishop to oversee missionary activities in my lands. This Bishop must have my trust."

"Furthermore, he must have my approval."

Agatha and Matthew nodded slightly.

Fang Zhen’s words made it clear that, in the grand scheme of things, he was willing to cooperate with the Tade Church. The rest were just details of that cooperation.

Matthew said, "My Lord, are you saying you wish to communicate with the Tade Church to designate a member you can work well with as a trustworthy Bishop for your territory?"

Fang Zhen shook his head. "No. I don’t want any of the existing Bishops to become the church’s true representative in my lands."

Matthew was stunned for a moment and asked, "Then what do you mean?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Fang Zhen smiled and looked at Matthew. "Matthew, I think you would be a good fit. You are an upright and intelligent man. I also met you not long after arriving in Zambein, and I hold you in high regard."

"If the Tade Church wants to cooperate with me, they shouldn’t bother sending anyone else. They should elevate you to the position of Bishop to manage the diocese in my territory. I think that would be an excellent arrangement."

Hearing Fang Zhen’s words, Matthew was completely stunned and couldn’t react at first.

A moment later, he finally realized what Fang Zhen was saying.

He looked at Fang Zhen, his face a mask of astonishment.

"My Lord, you can’t be joking, can you? I... I’m not capable. I’m just a Parish Priest. I lack the seniority and the ability to bear the responsibilities of a Bishop overseeing a diocese as vast as two Duchies!"