Pawn Crossing the River

Perhaps because of the bad memories of several accidents on the flying boat, Qi Xuansu did not take the flying boat to the New World this time, but chose a steam armored ship.

Of course, he did not board this ship in an open identity, but changed his identity.

It is worth mentioning that Qi Xuansu's destination this time was not the Southern Continent, but the Northern Continent under the control of the Holy Court.

Unlike the Western Continent, which has been managed by the Holy Court for thousands of years, the Northern Continent is still in a "pioneering" period. Neither the population nor the degree of organization is sufficient to support the Holy Court's complete control of the Northern Continent. Although the Holy Court nominally occupies the Northern Continent, its actual rule is very loose and the states are like separate states. In addition to sharing the same respect for the Holy Court, there are even conflicts. Because of this, the Holy Court finally lost the Southern Continent.

After all, the population is too small, and the area of ​​the New World is larger than that of the Western Continent. Even if the Holy Court continues to transport immigrants and slaves to the New World, the land is still vast and sparsely populated, and it is even more difficult to suppress the successive aboriginal uprisings.

This is not a matter of a few apostles of the gods. Maybe the gods can defeat the local ancient gods and defeat an empire, but the gods alone cannot establish effective rule. Someone must do it. .??.

Just like the Golden Horde back then, it was one thing to sweep the world with unparalleled force, but it was another thing to govern the world's national destiny for hundreds of years.

For various reasons, the power of the Holy Court in the Northern Continent cannot achieve the same level of penetration as in the Western Continent. When Qi Xuansu comes to the Northern Continent, as long as he does not make too much noise and pays attention to hiding his whereabouts, nothing will happen.

As the saying goes, if you know yourself and your enemy, you will be victorious in any battle. Qi Xuansu still wanted to see with his own eyes what the Northern Continent was like under the rule of the Holy Court, and then adjust the strategies on the Southern Continent based on the actual situation.

Of course, Beichen Hall has reported on these situations. The written files can fill a room, but seeing them is worse than hearing them. If you can know the real situation just by looking at the files, the Taoist sect will not need to conduct inspections.

Deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth, and layer upon layer of deceit, is a unique skill that can be learned by oneself regardless of whether it is Chinese or foreign. For example, the typhoon disaster in Borneo left a deep impression on Qi Xuansu, and in the end no one knew the real figures.

Besides that, there is another reason.

Before Qi Xuansu left, the Imperial Master personally summoned him.

The Imperial Master did not express his opinions on specific matters, but talked about some metaphysical content.

The National Master believes that most of the time, seemingly correct policies and paths may not be recognized and responded to by the majority of people. For a leader, when leading forward, he must remain vigilant and review frequently so that his followers

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You won't be far behind.

If you take a step ahead, you will gain unparalleled support and fanatical following. Being two steps ahead will get a heart-warming response. If you are three steps ahead, you will be misunderstood and questioned. If you are four steps ahead, you will be abandoned and betrayed by most people. If you are five steps ahead or more, you will lose all your followers, and you will even be regarded as a madman, and you will be forced to fight alone.

This is the tragedy of many great people, and it is also a reality that cannot be ignored.

This is like implementing the civil servant cabinet system in the Zulong era when the county system was not fully mature. It would not be understood by people and was not in line with the actual situation at the time. Xuansheng also did not depose the emperor for these reasons.

The meaning of the National Master is very simple. Every place has its own actual situation. Don’t copy Taoism’s policies mechanically, even if Taoism is right. If we think that Dao Sect is absolutely civilized and absolutely advanced, and we have to use Dao Sect's advanced experience to guide the Southern Continent, not to mention whether it is appropriate or not, we will fall into the above situation internally.

It is true that the best way is to strengthen the foundation so that it can keep up and eventually get on the right path. However, Dao Sect does not have such conditions, nor does it have such time. The best way is to adapt measures to local conditions.

When necessary, don't act arbitrarily and listen to the opinions of fellow Taoists in the Xidao Sect.

In this case, Qi Xuansu would like to go to the Northern Continent to take a look.

Perhaps because I didn't take a flying boat, although this sea journey was long, I didn't encounter too many twists and turns. We didn't encounter any dragons making trouble, nor any deep-sea monsters. After all, it was a very mature route.

As we all know, the largest and most prosperous city in the western world today is Londinium, while the most prosperous city in the northern continent is St. York.

This was originally the territory of the aboriginal people. As early as the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Great Wei Dynasty, Westerners came here. In the early years of Daxuan, the Dutch bought several islands from the aborigines and opened a trading post at the corner of the river mouth. Forty years later, the Duke of York of the Rune Kingdom captured this place and renamed it St. York. It gradually developed into the most prosperous area and in many cases also assumed the functions of the capital.

St. York is divided into Midtown, Kings, Queens, Brown and Richmond.

This is a typical port city, quite similar to Jinling Mansion and Lion City.

The Holy Court has a large parish, which is similar to the three divisions of Taoism. Each parish has a patriarch, which is similar to the deputy head of Taoism.

Jiaoda Zhenren, also known as the Patriarch. The patriarch of the core diocese of the Western Continent will naturally become the pope, occupy the Holy See, and control the cardinals.

After the Holy See seized the New World, it also established a diocese and a patriarch here. The patriarch's St. Francis Cathedral is located in the core of Midtown, and even the city council had to make concessions for it.

However, even if there is a patriarch sitting here, this city is far from "clean". Behind the prosperity, there are rapid changes, the rise of steam evangelicals, pagans after integrating with local witchcraft, and many Unexplored unknown horrors.

Here, divine magic is not the only one, Taoist magic is only a supporting role.

The fundamental reason is that the large migrant population has created this phenomenon.

Immigrants from Western countries, trafficked slaves, surviving indigenous people, and Orientals from the Eastern world all mixed together, and different cultures from various civilizations gathered together.

Qi Xuansu came to the deck. At this time, his appearance had changed.

There is no Taoist robe or Taoist crown, but a Western black formal suit, a white shirt, an exquisite vest, an expensive pocket watch, a half-high hat, leather shoes that can reflect the figure, and a monocle connected to a thin metal chain. , and a cane decorated with silver.

Brown hair, blue eyes, beard.

A standard Western gentleman, a decent man who came to the New World in a first-class cabin.

For an ever-changing warrior, it is extremely simple to change his body shape and appearance. Even the length and color of his hair and beard are not a problem.

As for forging identities, it is not difficult for Beichen Hall. They have many identities that can be used at any time, and they have filled in the details decades ago. It seems that there is such a person in the world who can completely fake the real ones.

Qi Xuansu held on to the railing and looked at the approaching St. York Harbor. The first thing that caught his eye was a huge statue of a goddess, wearing armor and holding a sharp sword, pointing to the sea. This is the symbol of the Holy Court. Below the statue of the goddess is St. Paul's Cathedral, second only to St. Francis Cathedral.

Then there were the tall chimneys, spewing billowing black smoke, blocking out the sky and the sun. Instead of giving the goddess a glorious image, it instead looked like dark clouds were looming over the city, and even the setting sun in the west became bloody.

People in the Central Plains don't like to build buildings that are too tall, but there are many high-rise buildings here, with buildings as high as five or six floors, and some with seven or eight floors. I don't know what that means.

In addition, there are long railway tracks criss-crossing like a spider web.

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, accompanied by the sound of the whistle, the black train spewed billowing white smoke and roared across the bridge. With Qi Xuansu's eyesight, he could vaguely see the gentlemen dressed similarly to Qi Xuansu sitting in the carriage, as well as the ladies holding feather folding fans and wearing gauze hats.

This is the steam evangelical sect that arose within the Holy See.

Qi Xuansu's eyes followed the train and the tracks into the distance.

The location of the Statue of the Goddess is Richmond District. Although this district is three times the area of ​​Midtown, it has the smallest population. It is across the river from Midtown and there is no bridge connection. It is usually completed by ferry.

In the Richmond District, there are various parks, church universities, and private residences. Although it cannot be compared with that of Midtown, the cultural atmosphere here is relatively strong.

There are Gothic castles, Baroque churches, and tall and dark towers. Under the rendering of steam and the West, it has a somewhat unique Western artistic conception that is completely different from the East. Especially at night, when all the tall building spiers are lit up, it is even more beautiful.

The steam is permeating the air, the steam is misty, and the entire city seems to be inseparable from the existence of steam. In the sky above the city, there is an airship that is different from the airship passing by, full of obvious mechanical colors, leaving a long white steam behind it. Tail marks.

There are even several small floating cities, like islands rising from the ground and placed in the sky. Although the area is small and only some single-family castles, churches, and gardens can be built, it is shocking.

The last time Qi Xuansu saw a similar scene, it was in Kunlun Cave and Lingshan Cave, but they were not exactly the same, because steam was also spitting out from below these floating islands and condensed into clouds and mist, as if they were built on top of the clouds.

This is a civilization completely different from Eastern civilization.

Steam, alchemy, and machinery have penetrated into every corner of this city, just like the Taoist talisman formation has penetrated into every crevice of the eastern city.

Qi Xuansu looked away from the distance and looked at the port that was getting closer and closer.

There are many masts and chimneys, wooden sailing ships and ironclad ships coexisting.

There are two worlds here.

On one side is the dock for passenger ships. It is very neat and tidy, with carefully paved brick and stone pavement, kerosene street lamps on both sides, iron chains as railings, elegant taxis, and even the driver is well-dressed. On the other side is the dock of the cargo ship, with all kinds of ragged coolies, various empty containers and barrels, various warehouses and trucks, noisy shouts and bells and whistles, not far away is an endless stretch of land that can be seen at a glance The low shanty town is filled with the disgusting smell of stinking water and dead fish.

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