Chapter 1660: Backward

Upon hearing this, Li Hongtian was instantly stunned.

They looked at that sculpture; it was extremely beautiful, yet it was stark naked, and some parts were even carved with extreme delicacy.

It could be said that they had done so deliberately.

Li Hongtian asked blankly, "Is this how you treat... the gods?"

General Weikeduo smiled and said, "That is indeed the case."

"European culture has undergone significant changes; some people believe that gods are also human, so they carve the appearance of gods into the likeness of humans."

"Making them closer to humans is a very important step for us."

"Mr. Li Hongtian, you might not understand what our perception of so-called gods was like before such artworks were born."

Li Hongtian expressed that he did not understand, and understood even less why they would do this.

Longyan still has gods that are worshipped to this day, but those are merely the fantasies of the ignorant masses.

What Longyan is doing now is breaking the gods in people's hearts, so that those so-called deities no longer weigh upon the heads of the Longyan people.

Having also experienced the Industrial Revolution, I never expected Europe to still be so backward and decadent to this day.

Li Hongtian smiled and shook his head; if Europe was in such a state, then what was there to fear about such an opponent?

They might be powerful for a time, but they cannot last forever.

Thinking of this, Li Hongtian did not continue to admire these so-called sculptures.

To him, such sculptures were simply unsightly; he truly could not appreciate them.

Seeing that Li Hongtian was no longer admiring them, General Weikeduo did not continue speaking, and the two walked into the palace in Vienna in perfect coordination.

Weikeduo said, "Respected Mr. Li Hongtian, you have been traveling for so long; I have already ordered someone to prepare your room. Please take a rest, and we shall discuss other matters tomorrow."

Li Hongtian nodded; he had no reason to refuse General Weikeduo's suggestion.

Indeed, the journey had been too bumpy, and although he was traveling by Horse Carriage, it had exhausted Li Hongtian's old bones.

It was not that the Horse Carriage was not comfortable enough, but that it was too bumpy.

Moreover, the temperature in Europe now was extremely cold, and along the way, Li Hongtian had not felt any warmth in the local inns in Austria.

Li Hongtian had once asked the innkeeper why there were no Stoves in the inn, only fire basins for warmth?

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper was instantly stunned.

They had never even heard of something like a Stove.

"No, we all use fire basins to keep warm," the innkeeper replied.

Li Hongtian was instantly stunned and had no choice but to endure it, bearing it all the way to Vienna.

He looked at Weikeduo with a very complex expression; although this matter was not easy to bring up.

He still could not help but ask, "General Weikeduo, I am very satisfied with your hospitality, but there is one thing I need to ask."

Weikeduo was stunned, then immediately smiled and said, "Please speak, sir. If it is something I know, I will certainly tell you."

"Do you have something like a Stove here?"

Hearing this question, General Weikeduo was instantly stunned; a Stove, what kind of Stove?

The others also began to discuss it, as they did not know what a Stove was.

"What is a Stove?"

Hearing this answer, Li Hongtian's heart sank; fine, his treatment in Vienna would be no better either.

Thinking of this, Li Hongtian sighed and said, "It's nothing."

"Just a little gadget for keeping warm in the winter."

Hearing this answer, Weikeduo said "Oh."

He said nonchalantly, "Austria never uses any Stoves; we use fireplaces to keep warm."

Fireplaces...

Li Hongtian's mouth twitched, and he did not continue to speak.

Go down.

Weikeduo, fearing he might neglect this honored guest from Longyan, pressed the issue, "Does the gentleman feel there is something improper? Tell me, and I will resolve it for you."

Only then did Li Hongtian say, "Does your fireplace burn coal?"

Weikeduo was stunned and immediately laughed out loud.

"Burn coal? Where would a fireplace burn coal? Wouldn't that cause poisoning?"

Yes, after coal is mined, if it has not undergone special processing, burning it might cause poisoning.

Otherwise, the gases emitted after the coal burns must be vented outside.

Weikeduo laughed again, "We never burn that kind of thing; it's something even the commoners don't burn."

Weikeduo looked at the old man Li Hongtian again; the Longyan people actually still burned coal for warmth.

This was simply beyond his expectations; that stuff was poisonous.

Even for commoners, except for those families who truly had no money to buy charcoal in the winter, burning this stuff for warmth was simply courting death.

That powerful, that prosperous Longyan would actually burn coal; this was something Weikeduo never imagined could happen.

There was a hint of mockery in his eyes as he looked at Li Hongtian.

This completely exceeded his understanding.

Are these still Longyan people?

Li Hongtian sighed even more; what kind of country is Austria, a nation that has experienced the Industrial Revolution?

No Stoves, and plenty of coal.

Burning a fireplace—that thing might not freeze a person to death, but it was close.

This kind of archaic way of keeping warm truly left Li Hongtian unable to understand.

However, he did not point it out.

After all, he had come this time to negotiate, and if he were to point it out, it would more or less imply a sense of mockery toward them.

Thinking of this, Li Hongtian just let out a deep sigh and did not continue speaking.

When the next day arrived.

Li Hongtian was taken by Victor to tour all the famous artworks in Vienna.

What surprised Li Hongtian quite a bit was that these things could truly be called works of art.

They were all just some broken copper and rotten iron.

He revealed a look of disdain.

However, this was interpreted by Weikeduo as astonishment, and he inwardly continued to despise this Envoy from the powerful Longyan, thinking his aesthetic sense was actually so low.

He was simply a person who had never seen the world.

Both of them began to despise each other in their hearts.

But neither of them pointed it out.

The third day.

Victor took Li Hongtian to taste the delicacies of Austria.

After Li Hongtian saw this plate of potatoes.

He could not hold back at all.

He said: "Respected Mr. Victor, do you only have potatoes to eat in Europe?"

Victor was stunned for a moment, nodded, and he said: "Aren't potatoes the most delicious food in this world?"

"Oh, besides that, there is also foie gras, caviar..."

Hearing these answers, Li Hongtian fell into deep confusion.

Not to mention foie gras, but even things like caviar were eaten by people.

Regarding this, Li Hongtian scoffed.

"In our Longyan, these things are almost considered the most basic items; true delicacies are not in your Europe!"

Li Hongtian complained, unable to endure it.

Regarding this mockery, Weikeduo felt insulted and just wanted to retort a few words, but he did not know how to retort.

Because the reality was indeed so... The recent transcoding is serious, let us have more motivation, update faster, please move your little hands to exit reading mode. Thank you.