Chapter 411: The ignorant are fearless

Zhou Ming let out a heavy breath as he leaned back in his chair. He had to admit that what Caitlin had said was an exaggeration. The wealth of almost the entire world was in the hands of the Holy See, but at the same time, after thinking about it, it seemed that the only one who could do this was the Holy See. 

However, being able to think of it is one thing, but actually proving it is another. After all, even in Zhou Ming's previous life, there were all kinds of speculation online about who was in control of the world's greatest wealth. Some people listed many families, some listed consortia, while others speculated that it was the once-powerful Chaldros family or the entire Jewish people. But no one ever mentioned the Holy See.

The reason is simple: the word 'Holy See' has never been associated with business in the minds of the Chinese people. Perhaps in the eyes of ordinary people, the Church is just a group of priests and missionaries. Do they know how to do business?

This way of thinking is not a sign of contempt for the church, but rather a habitual way of thinking. It is like how some people think that businessmen should just focus on business and that mentioning politics is a distraction from their work. But in reality, politics is inseparable from any business.

The simplest truth is that, in any country, if you want to speculate in the stock market, you must know the direction of national politics and understand the habits and preferences of the government. This is because any change in policy can change the market direction. Only by participating in politics and understanding the future direction of politics in the first instance can one most accurately grasp the pulse of the market. This is also the reason why most fund companies have official advisors.

The idea that business is business and politics is politics is undoubtedly naive. The same is true of the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the same the started to grow, the church would think of buying land, hoarding food, investing in underground banks or selling weapons and equipment to fund armies to fight wars. Aren't these things that merchants do?

For For the church, the money in their hands is not their own anyway, and they don't have to pay taxes on any business. So why not try to do business?

Or, to put it in terms of the church's most fundamental form of organisation, they are actually the biggest financial fraud organisation, namely pyramid schemes.

The basic characteristic of a pyramid scheme is characterised by the continuous expansion of the downline, with each level collecting fees from the lower levels to supply the upper levels. The same is true of the church: the lowest-level believers need to pay membership or tithes, and then the money goes up the hierarchy to the Pope, in order to gain peace of mind. So isn't this just pyramid selling? Or perhaps many cults do the same thing, except that they become cults because they fail, while those that succeed become religions.

An organisation has used 'multi-level marketing' to accumulate capital, which has then been reinvested in land, wars and power, ultimately resulting in the organisation controlling almost all the wealth in the world. This seem to be nothing wrong with it, it is only the name of the church that makes Zhou Ming feel very strange. Of course, if the Roman Curia could be replaced by the Roman Consortium, or the Jesus Company God Group, it would be more understandable.

Zhou Ming thought to himself, and then asked Caitlin, 'So when you say you are the key to the outside world, does that mean you were once recognised by the Holy See as a core member? Or could you be called a shareholder? If the Holy See is considered a company.'

'This is a very novel metaphor, but I'm sorry, even at the height of the Harburg family, we still did not have this qualification,' Caitlin said. 'If we use the company as a metaphor, we are more like a subsidiary company controlled by the Holy See, or a powerful department, because all the shares of the Holy See are in the hands of the College of Cardinals.'

'College Council? I seem to have some vague recollection of this. I once read a fantasy novel that mentioned this Council, but it seems to be the Synod of Bishops, doesn't it?' Zhou Ming recalled.

'That is what they tell the world. You are right and you are wrong. In reality, it is the board of directors and the general meeting of shareholders within the Holy See,' explained Caitlin explained, 'Since all the wealth of the Holy See is in the hands of the 13 sects within, and all the bishops eligible to participate in the Ecumenical Council are also selected from these 13 sects. So he is a member of the Synod of Bishops, but since this bishop does not belong to one of the 13 sects, he is also not eligible to participate in the Ecumenical Council.'

Caitlin Caitlin glanced at Ming Zhou as she continued, 'For example, the bishop appointed by your government without going through the Holy See, such as in the Huaxia diocese, is not eligible to participate in this ecumenical council.'

Ming Zhou nodding in understanding. Caitlyn continued, 'Generally speaking, families that are eligible to remain in the outside world are those recognised by the Holy See. In the past, the Holy See used the 26 Roman letters, that is, the English alphabet, to indicate this.'

Zhou Ming suddenly understood: 'So that's where the letter f in your name comes from, right?'

'No Yes, the Holy See branded each family with their mark in a way that was like branding livestock.'

Caitlin gritted her teeth, as if this method was a great insult to her, but then she smiled wryly, her tone full of sadness and despondency: 'But because of the absolute power of the Holy See, absolute power, no matter how far our family has fallen, as long as the Holy See has not stripped us of the letter in our surname, no force dares to take action against us.'

Hearing Zhou Ming finally understood why people kept talking about the fall of the Haruthburg family, and even someone of Caitlin's status had to live in someone else's castle. But the mighty Adams family, have never dared to make a move, even if this time they forcibly demand someone, as long as there is a justifiable reason, they cannot refuse unwillingly. It all stems from the 'f' of the papal coronation.

However, the 'f' of the papacy in addition to giving them power and wealth, also made them lose themselves, becoming vassals of the Holy See and an agent of the Holy See to the outside world.

Or to use Caitlyn's words, they became captive animals marked by the Holy See.

Thinking about this Zhou Ming nodded: 'I understand. In order to become a member of the outside world, you must obtain the letter mark in your surname. And the easiest way is to marry into one of these letter families, right?'

'Although I hate to admit it, this is the best way,' Caitlin sighed.

'So what if eliminate a letter family and replace it? 'Zhou Ming asked again.

Caitlin, who had been dejected, suddenly raised her head after hearing this question from Zhou Ming and said incredulously, 'Do you know? During the more than 1,000 years of control by the Holy See, control for more than a thousand years, except for when a family died out because they had no heir and the church certified another family, no one has ever replaced them, because these families represent the face of the church, and the church would never allow that to happen!'

Caitlin said and then suddenly changed the subject: 'But if you really want to do this, Zhou Ming, then I will unconditionally support you!'

Caitlin's words were somewhat unexpected to Ming. Ming couldn't understand why Caitlin, a Western noblewoman, would hate the Holy See and its rules so much. He thought it had something to do with the mark.

Ming thus thought, and then said, 'Forget it. In fact, I'm not really interested in taking over. First, Caitlin is willing to marry me, so I can get my qualifications from her and gain direct access to the outside world. Why bother with this? Second, even if I succeed and I do it, I will just become the new agent of the church. I don't have such a boring interest.'

Zhou Ming leaned leaned back in his chair and said casually, 'So, I will go out into the world, but just to take a look around, just like a tourist, just like all the other unqualified rich people.'

Caitlin looked at Ming with a complex expression. 'I don't understand what kind of idea you actually have. Do you know how many families are desperately trying to get the qualifications of the outside world? The reason I will go to the Addams family is because the Addams family wants to get this qualification through Harrodsburg.'

'They want you marry someone from the Adams family?' Ming Zhou frowned and asked in a very unpleasant tone of voice.

'Are you angry?' Caitlyn suddenly asked.

This sudden question made Ming pause for a moment. He didn't know why Caitlin suddenly asked him that.

Then Caitlin Caitlin said happily, 'It seems that you still care about me a lot, or maybe you just don't know it in your heart, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten angry right away after hearing that I might marry another man.'

Zhou Ming then understood that this was what relationships were like. It seems that the things that women care about are really very different from those of men. But I did seem to have been a little angry just now. Do I really care that much?

'But Zhou can rest assured that the Addams family did think about it, but I did not agree. Perhaps the Addams family's own young master did not think about it either. Their goal is another female heir of the Harcourt family,' Caitlin explained explained.

Zhou Mingsong let out relief. 'Actually, you don't need to explain it to me in such detail.'

Caitlyn explained with a smile, 'Isn't it that you're worried that my husband will misunderstand me?'

Is this a kind of flirting on the part of this beautiful princess with great wisdom and almost supernatural beauty?

Zhou Ming felt a bit thought helplessly, he waved his hand and then said, 'Okay, I'd better just say what I think. I have no interest in replacing these families of Papal agents. But if I have to break the rules of the outside world and take the place of the Papacy, I'm very interested.'

'Are you crazy ?' Caitlin immediately said incredulously, 'I know you have great ambitions, but you have no idea how terrifying the wealth controlled by the Holy See is! You have no idea what a huge monster it is!'

'Kings and princes are not afraid of any danger. This is a saying that we Chinese shouted out more than two thousand years ago, because for us, there has never been any dynasty that cannot be overthrown, only people who are unwilling to work hard. Even if it is the Papacy, it is the same.'

Zhou Ming said, 'Caitlin, do you know? Before I went to Hong to make my first fortune, everyone said it was impossible because I knew nothing about the financial world of capitalism. Later, when I went to the former Soviet Union to participate in the Project Dagger, everyone thought it was impossible for me because it was a financial war waged by the United States and it was unlikely that they would allow an outsider like me to participate. But what happened? It seems that I have succeeded.'

'So now I've just changed the target to the Vatican, so why won't it work?' asked Ming.

Seeing Caitlyn about to say something else, Ming concluded, 'Or Your Highness Caitlyn, you can also understand my behaviour as the ignorant being fearless, because I don't understand, so I'm not afraid of him.'