After the Jewish missionaries cast a shadow over the area, Chen Zhennan immediately set about undertaking many beneficial projects for the people, such as road and bridge construction.
Furthermore, he posted notices recruiting local people to work, promising not only free food and lodging but also wages.
This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.
This was a good deed that no local official in history had ever done before, and the people flocked to help when they heard about it.
Meanwhile, Li Guangyi, a straightforward veteran of two dynasties, was frowning with worry.
In his jurisdiction, Jewish missionaries were also wantonly inciting people.
He originally intended to bring those missionaries to justice directly, but the voices of opposition from the court rose one after another, like a surging tide, making it difficult for him to move forward.
Left with no other option, he had to come up with a compromise: he asked local scholars to open lecture halls and try to teach the people to distinguish between reality and illusion.
In the lecture hall, an old scholar was lecturing with his head swaying: "Gentlemen, we must distinguish right from wrong and not be misled by illusions. This is of utmost importance and must not be taken lightly."
However, the people below the stage looked blank, and some were even yawning, indicating that the effect was minimal.
Li Guangyi was extremely anxious. He searched everywhere and discovered that some officials in the court were openly advocating the so-called Jewish religion.
Li Guangyi was shocked and filled with resentment. These people were simply aiding and abetting evil, utterly incompetent.
As this situation escalated, the people in his jurisdiction became increasingly devoted to that bullshit god, as if they had been bewitched.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Li Guangyi was like an ant on a hot pan, and could no longer suppress his anger.
He gritted his teeth and decided to send his troops to drive away the missionaries.
As the soldiers marched in orderly steps toward the missionaries, the missionaries remained completely unperturbed.
The leading missionary had cunning eyes and a half-smile on his face.
With arms outstretched, he shouted, "We, the Youshen Cult, are the saviors of all beings, capable of liberating everyone from suffering and leading them to blissful rebirth. These soldiers are the minions of demons; they seek to destroy your path to happiness!"
His voice was seductive, as if it possessed a magical power, instantly arousing the surrounding crowd's anger.
The people swarmed around, blocking the soldiers, their eyes wide with anger, shouting, "You can't take the missionaries away! They are good people, they've come to save us!"
Some civilians even picked up stones from the ground and waved them at the soldiers, as if they were going to fight the army to the death.
Seeing this, Li Guangyi felt both angry and helpless. He was angry at the missionaries for their demagoguery, but helpless at the people's stubbornness.
As he rode on his horse, he shouted, "Fellow villagers, don't be fooled by them! This Judaism is an evil cult that will only harm you!"
However, his words were like a stone sinking into the sea; the people simply wouldn't listen and continued to fiercely protect the missionaries.
As time went on, the influence of the Jewish cult spread like wildfire throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty, and its power put unprecedented pressure on Li Guangyi.
He began to worry that if he let things continue to develop, the situation would completely spiral out of control in three months, and then he would lose to Chen Zhennan.
In the blink of an eye, two months have passed, and the harsh winter has quietly arrived.
During the years of war, the local people were like ants, struggling to survive in the cracks of society. Their lives were extremely difficult, barely managing to stay afloat and avoid starvation and freezing. They ate coarse chaff and wore tattered and thin clothes, living each day in a state of extreme poverty.
At this time of widespread suffering, Greenberg, like a greedy wolf, actually began to collect so-called offerings from every household that believed in Judaism.
He stood on the makeshift platform, dressed in a black robe, with a hypocritical smile on his face, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Devout believers, God is above, you need to express your loyalty to the great God."
“Each household must pay three hundred coins. This is the only way for you to become the children of the gods. Those who do not pay the offerings will be severely punished by the gods, while those who pay the offerings will be blessed by the gods, will gain eternal life, will be free from illness in all seasons, and will truly become the gods’ favorites.”
Upon hearing this news, Li Guangyi was so angry that he trembled all over, and his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.
He paced back and forth in his tent, silently cursing Greenberg for being heartless and insane.
In these years of war, the people are already living in dire straits. And there is still this outsider, Chen Zhennan, who has not been driven out of the Great Zhou territory. Yet he still dares to try to exploit the people for their meager means of survival!
Li Guangyi clenched his fists tightly, his murderous intent rising, wishing he could immediately eliminate Greenberg, this scourge.
On the other side, Chen Zhennan was furious when he heard the news at his residence, his face turning bright red.
"Hmph, that bastard, I knew he would do this. He uses the guise of gods to prey on the people."
Song Yunyang, her face ashen, gritted her teeth and said, "Chen Zhennan, if you don't make a move soon, I'm going to take matters into my own hands!"
Chen Zhennan rolled his eyes, and after a moment he clenched his fists tightly.
"Okay, tonight I'll take you to do something naughty."
"Do something bad? What?"
"On a dark and windy night, when murder and arson are imminent, I need to remind Li Guangyi what he should do."
At midnight, under a dark and windy sky, Chen Zhennan and Song Yunyang donned night clothes, perfectly concealing their figures.
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