Chapter 55: Exchange Of Benefits
Hearing Prime Minister Primó’s questioning of himself, Archbishop Pedro couldn’t help but swallow.
Prime Minister Primó still gave a strong sense of oppression, especially under the premise that he had just suppressed the Carlist faction rebellion not long ago.
Archbishop Pedro certainly did not want to be at others’ mercy, but was there any good way to resist the Primó Government at present?
With the precedent of the Carlist faction, Archbishop Pedro had no confidence in the Church’s resistance.
“No, it’s not like that.” Archbishop Pedro hurriedly said: “Of course I will not resist the Government. I am just expressing some views on the arrest of Church members.”
“Bishop Pedro, I already know your views. But the assassination incident is of great importance and needs to be investigated clearly to determine if there is any suspicion.” Prime Minister Primó said: “
Please wait patiently for a while. If the arrested people have no suspicion, they will naturally go back safely.”
Needs to be investigated clearly to determine if there is any suspicion? Hearing Prime Minister Primó say this, Archbishop Pedro almost wanted to laugh.
If the arrest work was really so serious and responsible, how could it arrest so many Church members?
There was not much evidence during the arrest, but complete evidence is needed to prove no suspicion when releasing? Isn’t this fooling ghosts? Moreover, even if they are released after the investigation is clear, the police on the other side will still continuously arrest other Church personnel.
Release one and arrest two—Archbishop Pedro did not think Primó couldn’t do it.
“Prime Minister Primó, what exactly needs to be done to prove the Church’s innocence? I swear to God, the Spanish Church absolutely did not participate in the plan to assassinate you. Those arrested bishops are innocent.” Archbishop Pedro said quite helplessly.
In the current situation, he had no choice. First ensuring the Government abandons the arrest of Church members was the most important thing.
As for counterattacking the Government’s actions, it was impossible with just the Church’s strength; it still needed help from other forces.
Before that, temporarily compromising with the Government to ensure the Church could safely pass this assassination incident had become Archbishop Pedro’s only idea.
“You know, Pedro. Because of this assassination, many of the Government’s work has been delayed for a long time. I originally planned to issue the second batch of industrial bonds, but after the assassination incident, how can you make the public feel at ease to purchase the Government’s bonds?” Prime Minister Primó suddenly said.
Hearing this, Archbishop Pedro immediately understood what Primó wanted.
To ensure the Church’s temporary safety, Archbishop Pedro could only reluctantly give up the Church’s interests: “Although I am certain the Church is not related to the assassination incident, as a Spaniard, how can I ignore the country’s development?
I believe God would not want to see this either. I am willing to represent the Spanish Church to purchase the industrial bonds issued by the Government and donate 2 million pesetas to the Government.”
Archbishop Pedro’s perceptiveness made Prime Minister Primó very satisfied, but Prime Minister Primó’s purpose was not for these few million pesetas in funds.
The wealth accumulated by the Spanish Church over a long time was perhaps even more exaggerated than that of the Bourbon family. A few million pesetas was probably just a drop in the bucket for the Church.
Moreover, compared to these not-so-substantial funds, Primó was more interested in the Church’s land.