← The rise of the Middle Ages

Chapter 261 The Inquisition

In a side building of Notre Dame Cathedral, Art and four of his subordinates, Stanley and Matthew, were waiting quietly. A church boy carried a tray and placed wine and a small plate of assorted fruits and vegetables on a wooden table in the corner. He made an invitation gesture to Art and then exited the door.

 Stanley walked to the wooden table, picked up the wine bottle and glass, poured a glass of wine, and sent it to Art. Art took the wine glass, took a sip and put it back on the wooden table.

 Matt is still a little uneasy in his heart. This is Notre Dame de Paris, and it is his first time to come into contact with the Inquisition. The Inquisition in his memory is a place that no one wants to go near. Even if he comes as a righteous person, he still feels nervous in his heart.

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There was a sound on the wooden door of the room, and Father Robert opened the door and walked in. Art suppressed the anxiety in his heart, walked up to Robert and asked, "How is it?"

 Robert was a clergyman with divine honors, so for the church, his status was higher than that of Art, a secular nobleman.

This is also why Father Robert, wearing the most solemn holy garments and holding a cross, should be at the front when walking through the city during the day. In addition to creating momentum, the more important thing is that the task of annihilating heretics and fighting heretics is more suitable for clergy. As for Art, it is more suitable for him to be a devout believer who stands behind God and holds a sword.

Robert walked to the wooden table in the corner of the room and poured himself a glass of wine. He took a big sip to moisten his throat and replied: "My lord, there is basically no problem with this matter. The archbishop of the Inquisition and several archbishops asked me personally. I told all the bishops what we discussed before. From Dean's house From the time the Assassin killers were sent to assassinate you and we followed the tail to annihilate the Assassin organization, I skipped some of the processes that were not suitable for publicity. I specifically explained that Thorne City is the fiefdom of Count Bernard, intentionally or unintentionally implying that Bernard has an inescapable relationship with these heretics."

  "The bishops are very angry, especially the Archbishop of the Inquisition. Since he took over the Inquisition, there has never been such a serious heretical incident. I guess he will make this matter the first major case decided by the Inquisition under his jurisdiction."

"However, the bishops are not very willing to involve Bernard in this heresy, perhaps because they are not willing to involve a high-ranking secular noble."

"But don't worry, such a bad thing happened before the Christian Mass, and now it has spread throughout the city of Paris, the church will not sit idly by in any case. The Dean family will definitely not escape."

The scene from the dock to the church this morning was obviously carefully prepared.

 After five days of rafting along the Yona and Seine rivers, Art and Father Robert were thinking hard on the boat about how to stir up the Dean family's raising of heretics to form a heretic killer organization into a shocking case.

 After careful consideration, the two adopted this method of creating momentum and expanding influence.

After the Jonah arrived in Paris, it found a warehouse to rest and hide near the pier near Notre Dame. Art asked Ron and others to find a carpenter's shop to make two crosses and put them on the carriage. They waited until there were the most people on the street and dragged the two pagans through the city.

 While Robert and Art were swaggering through the city, Ron and Dawson led the remaining people into the crowd and spread the word in the taverns and inns that an extreme pagan organization had emerged in the Count of Burgundy. It had not only assassinated a noble, but also planned to continuously cultivate power to annihilate all believers step by step.

  The rumors, both true and false, are getting more and more outrageous. Some people even say that the ultimate goal of these Assassin pagans is to capture Paris, burn down Notre Dame Cathedral, and assassinate all clergy above the bishop who can communicate directly with God...

On this occasion of Christmas, pagans actually dared to invade the Holy Land of God. Public indignation was quickly aroused with public outcry. The anger over the loss of the Eastern Holy Land was still simmering in their hearts. Now that the pagans have opened doors, believers are no longer willing to endure it.

 On the way from the pier to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Cité, believers on both sides kept throwing rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs at the pagans who were tied to the cross. The excited believers directly grabbed the human and animal feces on the ground and threw them at the pagans. Some extreme believers even carried bricks and stones to greet them. The group of Paris Guard soldiers and the religious guards in the cathedral had to try their best to stop the indignant believers and prevent the guys on the carriage from being beaten to death before they even reached the Inquisition...

"Two heretics and one Assassin killer have been imprisoned in the religious prison of the Inquisition. The seven or eight charges, together with five or six heads and hands with heretic emblems behind the ears, were also handed over to the Inquisition." The devil was sent to the stake."

Robert said a lot in one breath, and had to stop to take the large glass of wine handed over by Stanley and drink it in one gulp, "The Archbishop will ask you to be questioned later, and you have to think about what to say."

Art lowered his head and thought for a while, and said: "We must strike while the iron is hot and let the Inquisition focus its attention on the Dean family."

  Stanley.

Stanley walked up to Art.

  "Ron and the others should still be among the crowd outside the church at this moment. After a while, you quietly go out and tell Ron, asking him to build momentum among the crowd outside the church. In addition to burning the heretics, he also wants the church to severely punish the devil behind the heretical organization." A deacon knocked on the door, spoke with a thick Parisian accent (note), and said to the room: "Who is Baron Artwood Wells?"

This guy is just a small deacon, one level lower than Robert, but he has been in the religious center of the empire all the year round and has seen many powerful and distinguished people. Naturally, he will not take a little baron from the backwoods of Burgundy too seriously.

"That's me." Art didn't have any emotions when he heard this. This was someone else's territory and he couldn't help but feel proud, so he quickly stood up and answered.

  "Baron Art, the Archbishop invites you to go to the trial hall of the Inquisition for questioning." The deacon said and made a gesture of invitation to Art.

 Matt glanced at Robert, nodded, took off the sword from his waist, sorted his clothes a little, and followed the deacon out of the side courtyard.

 While passing by the square in front of the church, Art saw hundreds of believers still surrounding each other and refusing to leave. The religious guards of the church held spears to separate the crowd.

  Most of the people outside the church just wanted to watch the excitement and shouted a few words about burning the heretics to express their absolute loyalty and love for God.

From time to time, slogans such as "Destroy the heretics and severely punish the Dean family" and "Burn the devil, burn Dean" would be heard from the crowd. At first, no one followed, but when everyone ran out of curse words, they started shouting. As for who "Dean" was, they didn't think too much about it.

  Att turned his head and glanced at the crowd outside the church before continuing to move forward with the deacon.

  When he first arrived here, he didn't have time to take a closer look. Now that he was standing in the main hall of Notre Dame de Paris, Art just realized how great the people of this era were. However, before Art had time to take a closer look, he was taken into the side hall by the deacon.

 "Your Excellency, aren't we going to the main temple?" Art believes that high-ranking clergy such as the archbishop and archbishop should be in the main temple.

"Lord Art, the dome of the main hall is still being decorated with paintings, and we are not allowed to move in yet, so the bishops are performing their priestly duties in the apse."

Ater turned his head and glanced at the main hall. Sure enough, there were rows of scaffolding on all sides. A dozen craftsmen and painters were painting icon murals on the dome, and occasionally some paint fell down.

 Matt said no more and followed the deacon around the main hall and back.

 After entering the side door and following the corridor of the side hall, which was full of exquisite sculptures and portraits and filled with precious appliances, to the end, the deacon opened two oak doors with carved patterns, "My Lord Bishops, Baron Art has arrived."

 "Baron Art, please come in." A strong voice came from the apse.

  The deacon opened the door and made a gesture of invitation to Art behind him.

  At took a gentle breath and walked into the temple.

 This apse is not too big. It is a place dedicated to the trial and discussion of the Inquisition. Therefore, there are not too gorgeous decorations and items in the hall. However, it is more solemn and solemn than the main hall.

  There are several bishops of different ranks sitting on the stage in the apse. The one in the middle is wearing a dark purple dress, a high crown on his head, and holding a scepter in his hand. His face is cold and unsmiling, and the bishops beside him also have solemn expressions. Thinking about it, the bishops of the Inquisition would certainly not feel relaxed and happy when such a serious heretical incident occurred at such an important festival time.

Matt walked slowly to the center of the hall, knelt down and bowed his head to the purple-clothed bishop who was sitting on the throne, and said: "Holy and noble Patriarch, your servant, Art Wood Wells, a devout believer in God, has come to accept your inquiry in obedience to your will."

Several bishops on the stage nodded slowly. It seems that this little nobleman from a remote country still knows some of the most basic etiquette and is not a barbaric person.

  "Get up." The purple-clothed bishop, who was sitting at the head of the throne, raised his arm and asked Art to get up with a loud voice.

  At stood up slowly, but did not stare at the palace platform with his head raised.

"Robert has already told me the whole story, and we won't ask any more questions. I heard that you are a frontier baron in the county of Burgundy. Are you willing to use your noble status to swear to God and the Inquisition that every word you say and every accusation you make is true?" "The Purple-clothed Bishop has already learned the general story of the incident from Robert. He summoned Art to see him just for final confirmation. After all, this heretical incident not only involves a dispensable little knight, but also mainly involves a secular earl. They have to be cautious.

  "I swear to God, on my reputation and life, that every word and every accusation made by Father Robert and I is based on facts and truth." Art raised his head and looked at the bishops on the stage.

The Purple-clothed Bishop nodded and said: "Your accusation of heresy has been received by God and the Inquisition. Once verified, we will give the heretics the most severe just punishment."

 The Purple-clothed Bishop finished speaking, and a deacon standing under the altar walked to Art with a tray containing a quill and a few pieces of parchment, "Ate Baron Special, this is the list of witnesses and evidence that you submitted to the Paris Inquisition, as well as the complaint of you and Father Robert. Please sign your name. "

  Art briefly glanced at the text on the parchment, and found that there was basically no problem, so he picked up the quill and signed "Art Wood Wells" after Father Robert's name at the end.

  The whole matter has been explained clearly by Father Robert, Art's role is to confirm it carefully, and the rest of the matter is the responsibility of the people of the Inquisition, and it is not the turn of a small frontier baron to intervene...

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