Hi based on chapter 59, I assume Richelieu and the church wanted to do a crusade on presumably the Safavids and needed more power/knights.
Quote: "That's why, even if it's not a convenient path. This is how I can evangelize. For a greater land of God, and for a greater chance of getting loyal nobles."
Shuri's status as a noble and her going out to place where there are bandits provided the church an opportunity to achieve their goal.
Basically, they used Shuri's murder with the "culprits" being bandits from the "Safavids" in order to bring Jeremy on their side. Richelieu knows that Jeremy is infatuated with Shuri and they are a strong and noble family.
Ohh I understand tyy
He used her death as a catalyst to form the army within the Vatican to use as religious soldiers and start a war. The people's opinion of the safavids was already bad and he used the bandits attack as an opportunity to frame them for her murder. He started a war against them purely with what he managed to obtain through the church, this is why the church has always been such a problem throughout the story. They hold so much power that it is always on par with the imperial family itself, it's why the emperor can't be too quick to handle their affairs, their corruption is so rampant and tight knit that they'd always find a way to evade consequences up till shuri got involved in the second timeline and manged to expose one of the clergymen. Though his main purpose was to use her as a catalyst to start the war and further his beliefs and his own self righteousness. She was basically his one opportunity to go through with what he always wanted and he wasted no time in going through with his plans.
Can someone explain to me what are the goals of richelieu and why did he kill Shuli in her past life??