Annie felt utterly bewildered by Li Weide's words.
She simply couldn't understand what Mr. Grindelwald's success had to do with whether he published a book.
Seeing her confused expression, Li Weide knew she hadn't grasped the point at all.
"I'm asking you, what is the purpose of a book?"
"Hmm…to transmit and pass on knowledge?"
Annie asked.
"Then what do you think can be called knowledge?"
Li Weide asked.
"Magic theory and such?"
Annie tentatively suggested.
"Knowledge encompasses many aspects, Annie…magic theory is just one aspect.
In fact, even cookbooks that teach you how to cook…cooking skills can be a type of knowledge.
So…if even cooking skills can be considered knowledge to be transmitted, then why can't ideas?"
"Ideas?"
Annie scratched her head.
"Why transmit ideas?"
Li Weide wanted to curse. He had explained it so clearly, and she was still asking him why he needed to transmit ideas?
All that rambling and preamble had been for nothing?
However, he refrained from swearing.
Even if Annie couldn't understand what he was saying, Old Deng certainly would.
"Didn't you just ask me why so many people oppose his theory, even though it seems reasonable?"
Li Weide asked.
"Yes…"
"That's because Grindelwald didn't systematically organize his thoughts and then transmit them!
Many people don't actually understand his ideas, so naturally they can't see the rationale behind them."
"Think about it, even if he's the most eloquent person in the world, and everyone in the audience is fired up during his speeches, how many wizards in the world would actually attend your speeches?
How many people would have the courage to attend?"
"In that case, many of the points you advocate in your speeches could very well be distorted!"
"Even if you're an upright revolutionary pioneer, you could end up being falsely accused of being a terrorist!"
"Even if no one distorts your views, only those who have heard your speeches can understand them.
Those who haven't heard them won't resonate with them much."
"But if you publish books, it's different!
If he starts distributing his writings immediately after his speeches, then his followers, if they truly believe in the ideas and concepts he expounds, will spontaneously help you spread these works throughout the world…"
"As more and more people come to understand his ideas, naturally more and more people will support him."
After listening to Levi's words, Annie finally understood.
Then she asked, "But what if people don't agree with your ideas?
Does that mean your ideas are wrong?"
"You need to understand why others don't agree with your ideas.
Take Grindelwald's so-called ideas as an example.
He's been advocating that wizards should stop hiding and then rule over Muggles and such… At first glance, it seems to make sense.
But… do you know how an ordinary wizard would feel if they heard that?"
Annie shook her head.
"He'll say, 'Hmm...that makes sense, why don't you try reforming it?'
Yes...most people will just watch and observe. He won't participate!"
"Because all of this is too far removed from him!
His life is ordinary now, but he's content.
Grindelwald's proposals sound good, but they're too grandiose and unrealistic.
Not everyone has the passion to get excited about change!"
"Everyone knows that if they can rule Muggles, wizards will become superior beings, and all wizards will benefit, but...that's just a slogan!
It should be said that this is the ultimate goal.
In reality, this idea hasn't benefited anyone yet."
"Since the beginning of his career, has Grindelwald done anything to benefit wizards?
No, he only says that everyone will benefit after he succeeds...and now? Nothing!"
"No benefit whatsoever, yet people are made to strive for your false goals...is that acceptable?"
"You can say whatever you want, no matter how reasonable it sounds, it won't stop me from going to work and living my life normally, because until what you say is realized, it has absolutely nothing to do with me!"
"Even Muggle politicians, before taking office, at least put on a show and propose some policies that benefit the people.
At the very least, they can donate money to orphanages or something, right?"
"But what about Grindelwald?
A self-proclaimed revolutionary, all he does is shout slogans and launch terrorist attacks. He hasn't done anything beneficial for wizards…"
"A revolution that doesn't benefit anyone… is it still a revolution?
Oh… that's not quite accurate.
It should be said that it's a revolution that doesn't benefit ordinary wizards at all."
"But for Grindelwald and his supporters, it's still beneficial.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have started this, and his followers wouldn't have followed him."
"Grindelwald gained power, and his supporters, well, they were able to satisfy their own different desires…"
"You can see how he tempted Tom and me.
He didn't talk to us about revolutionary ideals; he used magical power as a bargaining chip… because he knew we wanted this!"
"He even used this method to recruit us. So
how do you think his other followers came about?"
"In conclusion… not a single one of them does anything worthwhile."
"Do you think he has any good people around him?
A bunch of thugs gathered together... people naturally assume they're terrorists.
His so-called ideology is just a target erected for his own benefit. Only a fool would believe that!"
Li Weide's words were relatively normal at first, but then...
Annie almost cried from his sarcastic remarks.
She wanted to say that she genuinely believed in Grindelwald's ideals and that's why she was willing to follow him; she wasn't a fool! Nor was she one of those villains who joined because of their own desires!
However, after carefully considering Li Wade's words, Annie's convictions were severely shaken…because of her aunt… Vita Rozier. She joined the Usurper Party not for the so-called ideals Grindelwald was currently proposing,but rather… to become Grindelwald's most trusted assistant, so that when Grindelwald stood at the pinnacle of the world, the Rozier family could also share in the glory…
She had actually realized some of these things before, but she would quickly ignore them intentionally or unintentionally…
However, now, Li Wade had torn away this last veil of pretense, directly revealing the most truth to her!
All those so-called ideals were nothing more than high-sounding pretexts used to decorate the facade.
Those Usurpers were all gathered under Grindelwald's command for their own desires; their interests were not aligned.
The voices within were actually divided… so how could they expect others to agree with them?
Rather than saying they believed in the ideology and gathered around Grindelwald,
it would be more accurate to say they simply believed in Grindelwald as a person!
Anne fell silent.
Her faith shattered instantly, and it took her a long time to recover.
Tom had been secretly watching Anne's changing expressions.
He saw her go from defiance to thoughtful reflection, then to utter shock, and finally to utter disbelief…
Actually, he also felt there was some truth to what Li Wade had said.
Since Grindelwald's uprising, destruction had indeed outweighed construction.
People only felt fear towards them, not trust; in that case, what was the point of anything they said?
At this moment, Tom suddenly remembered what Li Wade had said long ago, "Never underestimate the power of the people," and combined with what Wade had just said… he couldn't help but ponder.
If Grindelwald hadn't used those horrific methods from the start, but instead directly proposed policies beneficial to lower-level wizards to the International Wizarding Federation, making all wizards understand that he could bring them benefits…and then slowly cultivated his prestige among wizards, only to begin praising the superiority of wizards once he had a large following, wouldn't he have gained even more supporters?
Because, based on past experience, his proposals were always beneficial! People naturally trusted his words!
And then… Tom didn't even dare to think about it.
Tom glanced again at Livid, who was calmly studying the Marauder's Map, and was deeply shocked.
If it hadn't been Grindelwald who was causing trouble, but Livid, he might have almost succeeded…
Livid was about the same age as him… Where did he learn all this?
Could it be from his family?
After a long pause, Annie spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "Now that you mention it, Grindelwald really can't succeed."
"That's not entirely true," Li Weide said casually, glancing at the map.
"If he can clear his name and expel the poison, he might be able to revive himself."
Annie looked at Li Weide in surprise.
"What do you mean?
Didn't you just say..."
"If I were him, I would never use force first if I wanted things to work out.
But since the mistake has already been made, I'd have to find a few scapegoats to take the blame.
Once I've cleared my name, I'll go into politics.
After gaining legitimate power, I can naturally improve my public image by proposing policies that benefit the people. Then, it will be much easier to propose reforms.
Anyway, as long as there are enough benefits, people will automatically forget... Why would they rebel?"
Li Weide's eyes never left the map as he spoke, as if he were just saying it casually.
But Tom couldn't help but glance at Li Weide, his eyes narrowing slightly.
After Annie left, looking preoccupied, Tom asked, "I don't believe you didn't see she was trying to trick you."
Li Weide smiled at Tom, "I don't believe you either.
You saw I deliberately let her try to trick me."
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Tom frowned.
"Do you really want Grindelwald to make a comeback?"
"If he can consistently do things that benefit the people and win their hearts, as I say, what does it matter if he's a good person or not?
I just hope for world peace and the happiness of the people, Tom… have you forgotten?
I'm a good person!"
"I'd believe even a single punctuation mark of your words, and I'd take your surname, Li!"
This was written on a seven- or eight-hour train journey today, so the second chapter will be much later.
I'm very sorry!
Read 100+ Advance Chapter At Pa Treon.
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