bookbashuk Chapter 1028 Zhongli's Test
Chapter 1028 Zhongli's Test
After Keqing left, Barbara continued to enjoy Liyue's delicacies.
The Liyue dishes on the table were still steaming.
The freshness of the steamed sea bass, the mellowness of the winter melon and pork ribs soup, and the stir-fried vegetables were all specially prepared by Keqing based on the fact that "Mondstadt girls might prefer light dishes."
But in Barbara's eyes, it always felt like something was missing.
She sat down on the bamboo stool again, picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of steamed sea bass.
The fish meat was tender and delicious with a little soy sauce, but while chewing it, she couldn't help but think of the spicy dried fish and the spicy juice soaked with Jueyun peppers.
The spicy taste that makes the tip of the tongue numb and the forehead sweat is her true favorite.
"Hey, Miss Keqing is very considerate, but she didn't realize I like spicy food..."
Barbara muttered softly and scooped another spoonful of soup. The warm soup slid down her throat. It was indeed delicious, but it still lacked a little feeling.
Fortunately, after a busy day, she enjoyed even the light dishes.
Before I knew it, I was already 70% full and had finished most of the dishes on the table.
Barbara picked up a tissue and wiped the corner of her mouth. Just as she was about to get up to clean up the dishes, she suddenly heard light footsteps behind her.
She subconsciously turned around and saw a brown-haired young man walking into the yard.
Before Barbara could speak, the man slowly walked to the other side of the dining table, elegantly lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down on the diabolo stool.
He moved calmly and without any abruptness, as if it had been arranged long ago.
The person who came was Zhongli.
Zhongli observed for a long time and took in the entire conversation between Barbara and Keqing.
He felt very strange and interesting facing this Mond priest who spread the faith of the "Rock God", so he wanted to meet him.
"Hello, guest from Mondstadt." Zhongli raised his hand slightly and bowed.
Barbara's eyes swept over Zhongli again.
The other person sat upright with his back straight, and even if he was just sitting casually, he exuded the calmness of someone who had been in a high position for a long time.
She was secretly on guard, but remained calm on the outside. She asked calmly, "Hello, who are you?"
"I am Zhongli, a guest of the Rebirth Hall." Zhongli nodded slightly, his tone still calm and steady, without any hesitation.
When Barbara heard the words "Wangshengtang", she instantly remembered the girl who suddenly appeared and scared her during the day.
"Wangsheng Hall?" Barbara said with sudden realization, "Oh, I met Miss Walnut from Wangsheng Hall when I was helping treat patients at Qiaoying Manor during the day. She was... very lively."
When she said "very lively", the corners of Barbara's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
That was not lively at all, it was clearly so clever and mischievous that it was hard to guard against. If it hadn't been for the quick reaction, the glass bottle containing the "God" would have almost fallen.
Seeing that Barbara knew Hu Tao, Zhongli took over the conversation and said calmly, "Oh, so the 'sister from Mondstadt who helps with healing' that Hall Master Hu mentioned to me earlier was you."
"She also said that you are a good doctor and have helped relieve the pain of many patients."
When Barbara heard the word "nun", she immediately waved her hand and seriously corrected him, "No, no, no, Mr. Zhongli, to be precise, I'm a priest, not a nun."
"In Mondstadt's Church of Favonius, while the duties of priests and nuns overlap, such as both praying for the people, they are still different when broken down."
Zhongli nodded calmly upon hearing this, then changed his tone and said, "Oh, I made a slip of the tongue, Reverend Barbara."
He did not dwell too much on the difference between "priests and nuns", but changed the subject and asked about his real purpose.
"Forgive my intrusion, but I happened to overhear some of the gossip you and Miss Keqing were talking about while waiting outside the courtyard."
"I have some questions about 'faith' and 'divine guidance.' I wonder if I could discuss this with you, Reverend Barbara?"
When Barbara heard Zhongli's question, her fingertips quietly placed on the waist bag.
The guest official of the Rebirth Hall... This person has a calm temperament, unlike an ordinary person.
He specifically mentioned "the conversation with Keqing" and accurately pointed out "faith" and "the guidance of God", and it was obvious that he had heard a lot.
Barbara's mind raced.
He has a good temperament and doesn't seem like someone who can be easily fooled...
Out of caution, Barbara gave up the idea of spreading the "esoteric" faith to Zhongli and instead treated him normally.
Thinking of this, a gentle but somewhat distant smile appeared on her face.
"Oh, please go ahead. If you have any questions, Mr. Zhongli, I will answer them with all my knowledge."
Zhongli was unfazed and spoke frankly, "Liyue is now ruled by man. The Thousand Rocks protect the territory, the Seven Stars govern, and the people control and decide their own destiny."
"What you just said to Miss Keqing, 'divine guidance' and 'the constraints of faith', are they a little outdated in today's Liyue?"
This was a direct question, testing Barbara's understanding of "faith" while also confirming whether she truly understood Liyue's current situation.
Barbara didn't answer immediately. She lowered her eyes slightly and began to think seriously.
After a moment, she looked up at Zhongli, her tone clear and logical. She no longer had the "bewitching feeling" she had towards Keqing before, and her analysis was more objective.
"Mr. Zhongli, I don't deny that 'humanity taking control of its own destiny' is a progressive idea. This is exactly what Miss Keqing has always insisted on, and it is worthy of admiration."
She first affirmed the value of human rule, avoiding direct opposition to Liyue's current situation, and then changed the subject, using a gentle rhetorical question to bring out the core point.
"But, does controlling one's destiny mean giving up everything related to the gods?"
"You see, among the seven nations, each nation has its own belief in gods."
"Even if some people are not interested in belief in gods themselves, the culture, traditions, and even living habits of each country are closely tied to gods."
"These cultures have long been ingrained in people's DNA. Even if people no longer rely on gods to make decisions, can they be completely unaffected by religious beliefs and culture?"
She deliberately avoided the specific content of "divine guidance" and only approached the issue from the perspective of "the binding of culture and faith". This not only responded to Zhongli's questions but also did not reveal her own esoteric purpose, making her appear objective and pertinent.
After Zhongli heard this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.
Finally, he nodded noncommittally.
"You have a point. Entering a human-ruled Liyue doesn't mean abandoning cultural traditions tied to the gods."
Seeing that Zhongli agreed that "culture and faith are bound together", Barbara went on to state why she believed that faith in gods was indispensable.
"Just like some of the patients I healed during the day, when faced with death, they would spontaneously pray to God to overcome the difficulties."
"You see, when people face death and feel helpless, they spontaneously pray to the gods and place their hope in faith. This isn't 'dependence'; it's the spiritual strength that sustains them through difficult times."
"Should I tell her, 'Liyue is now ruled by humans, praying to the gods is useless'? People in desperate situations need 'spiritual sustenance.'"
There is no empty theory in these words, they are all real scenes that I experienced during the day.
Zhongli continued to nod slowly and said calmly, "That... is indeed the case."
"When people are lost and confused, especially when faced with the uncertainty of life and death, it is natural for them to place their hopes in immortals and gods."
But this peace did not last long, Zhongli suddenly changed the subject. After all, spiritual comfort is not medicine. If you are sick, you should see a doctor!
"But, after all, gods are not omnipotent. They have their limitations. I believe Miss Barbara is from Mondstadt. As a priest of the Church of West Wind, she should know something about the 'God of Wind', right?"
What Zhongli was referring to here was that Shao Yun killed the God of Wind.
In his eyes, as a pastor of the West Wind Church, Barbara must know that the God of Wind is dead.
Barbara thought she would be emotional when recalling the death of the God of Wind, but at this moment, she only felt calm.
Her faith had long since shifted from worshipping the wind god to shaping the "god" in her heart.
……
At this moment, Barbara was calm and logically asked:
"Gods may not be omnipotent, but they can always do more than us mortals. Don't you think so, Mr. Zhongli?"
Zhongli recalled the past when he swept away the demons and protected Liyue, and recalled the conversation he had with the traveler "Ying" in the Salt of the Earth.
Indeed, even the weakest demon god has power far beyond that of ordinary people.
"I don't deny that. Even the weakest demon god is stronger than a mortal. This is common sense."
"But what direct connection does the power of gods have to 'faith'? Does it mean that just because they are more powerful, mortals should have faith in them?"
"Puchi!" Barbara suddenly chuckled and covered the corners of her mouth with her fingertips.
"Mr. Zhongli, your understanding of 'faith' is still stuck on the 'comparison of strength and weakness'. This is rather biased."
Her words instantly aroused Zhongli's curiosity.
Having lived for thousands of years and witnessed Liyue's evolution from the War of Demons to the Age of Immortal Rule, and then to the Age of Human Rule, he knew Liyue's faith better than anyone else. Yet, he was now accused of "cognitive bias" by a young priest from Mondstadt?
It feels like, do you understand the Geo King, or do I understand the Geo King?
The gods are right before you, yet you say they don't understand faith? That's ridiculous.
Now, he wanted to know more and more what the "faith" that Barbara mentioned was like.
"Oh? Then let Reverend Barbara enlighten me. What do you think 'faith' is?"
Barbara boldly expressed her understanding of "faith".
"Faith is the light that guides us, the reins that restrain us, and the confidence that allows people to believe, even in darkness, that 'good things will happen'!"
"Take the 'contract' that the people of Liyue value most, for example." Barbara changed the subject and cleverly led the topic to the foundation of Liyue.
"'Those who break their promises shall be punished by eating rock,' this ancient saying is no doubt familiar to you. It is the divine endorsement of the contract. Even with the death of the Rock God, this saying remains etched in the hearts of many Liyue people.
"People still casually mention it when signing contracts. It's not that they're truly afraid of divine punishment, but rather that the impression of 'the rock god witnessing the contract' has long become a spiritual yardstick for self-discipline."
She paused, looked Zhongli in the eye, and explained further, "You see, even without the supervision of the gods themselves, doesn't this constraint derived from faith still govern everyone's behavior?"
"Merchants dare not easily break contracts, and ordinary people dare not violate their promises. This fear of punishment is actually the power left by faith."
"It's hidden in the heart, and it helps people stick to their bottom line better than any written rules."
After listening to Barbara's idea, Zhongli crossed his arms and began to think seriously.
"Restrain yourself?"
"That's right!"
Barbara nodded immediately and continued, "If everyone could rely on faith to restrain themselves, businessmen wouldn't be greedy for profits, officials wouldn't be too impatient for success, and the people wouldn't ignore the rules, then many troubles that could have been avoided might not happen."
Having said that, she recalled her previous conversation with Keqing and offered some supporting evidence.
"And the conversation I had with Miss Keqing just now just provided the best evidence for my thoughts!"
"Oh?" Zhongli loosened his arms slightly and leaned forward unconsciously.
"Keqing? How does her experience prove your point? Tell me about it."