Gregorian and several priests were walking on the gravel road in the countryside. On both sides of the road were large tracts of farmland. The sun was in the sky, the crops were lush, and the heavy fruits bent the treetops.

This is a very rich village, but now I can't see even one person taking care of these crops. From the nearby farmhouses, suppressed crying sounds come from time to time.

"Sir Gregory, here has also been affected by the Black Death. Let's leave quickly." A priest whispered from behind, "It's better for us to come out to inspect after the situation is better. Otherwise, if you get sick, it will be troublesome."

"Will the situation really get better?" Gregory shook his head and sighed, "In a few days, these farmlands will be covered with tombstones. These farmhouses will also be set on fire by nearby villages. This is the last chance to help these believers."

"But Lord Gregory, you said that you should go to a doctor when you are sick. I think you are right. Even if we come here to pray for them in person, it will be useless. It is just an increase in the risk of illness."

"What doctors can heal is the body, and we must heal the soul. A while ago, a priest spread rumors that this plague was a punishment for sinners, which made the believers feel uneasy. This is my responsibility." Gregory said, "Death is scary, but what is even more scary is that after death, we will suffer endless torture in hell. I cannot cure their physical illnesses, but at least, I want to eliminate their fear of death and allow their souls to rest."

Upon hearing this, all the priests who were walking with him nodded silently.

At this time, a man's loud voice suddenly came from a farmhouse with coffins placed across the door:

"Well done. With the sound of silver coins, the souls in purgatory will fly to heaven! With your filial children who are willing to buy indulges for your parents, they will not continue to suffer in purgatory!"

Everyone's faces darkened, and Gregory even snorted, and pushed open the door of the farmhouse with a blue face. But he saw a local priest holding a cross to them, while two young farmers and women knelt in front of him, bowing their heads and praying silently.

The priest did not notice Gregory. He lowered his head and put a shriveled purse into his clothes, then raised the cross again, and said to the young couple, "It was just a purchase of indulgence for your deceased parents. Where are you yourself? Don't you buy an indulgence for yourself?"

"Father, we have just been our last savings." The couple's voice was filled with crying voice. "We still have two underage children to take care of. I hope God can forgive us, at least mercy on us, delay our judgment, and not let us be knocked down by this black plague."

"God can see through all lies. You said there is no money, but under your floor and in the pile of thatched trees, there must be something hidden secretly?" the priest said loudly, "This indulgence is an unprecedented 'full amnesty indulgence'. It can atone for all sins, and there is no period of years. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"We really have no money. If that's the case, would it be OK to buy the two indulgences we just now not for our deceased parents, but for ourselves?"

"Do you want your parents who have been redeemed to fall to hell again? Such injustice will inevitably be punished by God. In this way, our church will no longer bless you and grace." The priest said, "But there is no way to achieve both. If you really have no money, you can mortgage the wheat in the field to our church..."

"You have great authority to save the souls in purgatory directly." Gregory said coldly behind his back, "Do you want me to kneel in front of you now and ask you to judge all the lives and dead?"

The priest took his first look disdainfully, but when he found that the person who was talking was Gregorian, his face turned pale.

"Gregory...Sir...How could you come to such a remote countryside?"

Gregory ignored him, but went straight forward and said to the peasant couple, "Don't believe this heresy. A believer who sincerely repented can obtain the right to be completely exempted from punishment without purchasing indulgences. A believer who sincerely repented, whether living or dead, can share the blessings and grace of God and the church without indulgences."

Since Gregory was wearing an extremely ragged coarse cloth dress, the peasant couple could not recognize him and did not hear what he was saying, but they were still watching the priest who was pushed aside in panic.

Gregory frowned and stretched his hand towards the priest: "Get back."

"What?" the priest pretended to be stupid.

"They buy the money for the indulgence!" Gregory's voice became louder. "I should have explicitly prohibited the church from selling indulgences! Do you want to use this money to fill your pockets!"

"I am also following the orders." The priest replied with courage. "Selling indulgences to deal with this great plague is the decision made by the King of Kings far away in Isfahan!"

"A child in his twenties, I respect his bloodline and the identity of the apostle, and called him "King of Kings". He really thinks he is the spokesperson of God?" Grecoli scolded, "I have clearly rejected his request to sell indulgences. If you think you are a priest of the Cross, you should abide by my orders. If you think you are not, I can send you back to Isfahan now and let you go directly to accompany the 'King of Kings'!"

"Master Gregory!" Several priests pulled his sleeves hard from behind, "This is not appropriate."

"Mr. Gregorian, I am just following the commands and teachings of superiors. Not only me, but all the churches nearby are selling indulgences." The priest said, "If you think it is inappropriate, you should argue with the envoys who come to Isfahan and reach an agreement, rather than making things difficult for me, a little servant of God."

"The envoy from Isfahan?" Gregory raised his ears, "Who was it? When did it come? Where? Why don't I know?"

"A group of people came. The leader was a cardinal. Gregory. You know, I cannot directly contradict the cardinal in my identity on the surface." The priest said, "He is resting in the church in the next village. Now walk over and you can arrive at night."

As soon as these words were spoken, the monks behind Gregory were immediately in an uproar:

"What is Isfahan thinking? He actually sent a cardinal over here, and we still don't know at all?"

The cardinals are candidates for the apostles. Before becoming a true apostle, they usually stay in the empire to study and assist the "King of Kings" in handling affairs. Depending on the faction, they wear different colors of clothes, and the red clothes are the colors of clothes worn by the cardinals of the faction of Gregori. In other words, the bishop from Isfahan was one of the possible successors after Gregori's death.

"Master Gregory, are we going to go?" asked a monk carefully.
Chapter completed!