A new king's coronation was destined to be a tumultuous, drawn-out affair. Purging traitors, promoting cronies—any transition of power was inherently bloody and turbulent.
What was more, the new king was a lunatic who had slaughtered half the Chopra family the moment he took power!
Still, at least he was a tolerant and benevolent lunatic.
So long as they had never offended him, he left them untouched. He had even distributed real authority—which the Chopra family had clung to with an iron grip for generations—to outsiders, promoting numerous people from other clans into high positions.
Even though everyone could tell he simply had no one of his own to employ—well, if someone with power truly wanted people, wouldn't there always be plenty eager to serve?
No matter how extraordinary a talent might be, they needed rank and authority. As the saying went: employed, a dragon; neglected, a worm.
Grant authority, harvest loyalty—it was a transaction.
At this moment, without a doubt, the entire Xiangzhou found itself in the throes of an unprecedented agony, yet welcomed sweet dilemmas alongside an unlimited dispensation of grace from the new Patriarch.
As long as you swore an oath before my House Fire, we were family. After all, within the four seas all men are brothers—anyone could be a Chopra!
As for the cost? Best not to ask.
Though bustling enough among the Thousand Islands, Xiangzhou was still relatively small in scale. It couldn't compare to the central cities of the Federation or the Empire, measuring roughly equivalent to one or two affluent, autonomous city districts. A small ship turns easily; the handover of power went far more smoothly than anticipated. Winning the hearts and minds of the people, however, was not something that could be accomplished overnight.
While oaths before the House Fire and surveillance by the House God were convenient, they were no panacea. They couldn't solve every problem; things had to be handled slowly, like water carving stone over time.
Meanwhile, inside the Patriarch's manor, when Ji Jue met Minkler once more, his gaze couldn't help drifting to the figure hovering in midair behind him—a wandering ghost.
A partial manifestation of the House God.
Except the face was...
"Bustamante."
Ji Jue was stunned. "You actually kept him around?"
Minkler let out a wistful sigh and swirled his wineglass, remarking mournfully, "He is my biological father, after all."
Ji Jue nodded repeatedly and clapped his hands. "Good joke. Very witty. And the real reason?"
Minkler shrugged. "He's useful."
That was the only reason.
Regardless of filial piety being turned on its head, and setting aside the grudges between the two, at this critical juncture, if Minkler wanted to take control of Xiangzhou as quickly as possible and maintain stability, Bustamante's assistance was indeed vital.
No matter what a beast or how vicious he was, he remained the longest-reigning patriarch in the history of the Chopra family. Over all these years, despite infiltration and interference from various factions, he had managed to run Xiangzhou like an iron fortress, maneuvering smoothly among rival powers while keeping his house as steady as Mount Tai. That alone spoke volumes of his shrewdness and capability.
Having now merged into the House God to become a part of it, Bustamante had somewhat fulfilled his former ideal. Alas, the leash around his neck was held firmly in the hands of Minkler, the son he had once regarded as utterly inconsequential.
Without the House God, he would have vanished into thin air long ago.
With the House God, his situation wasn't necessarily any better.
If Minkler ever took displeasure in him, Bustamante could be swallowed in an instant by the malicious rancor lingering inside the House God. Not to mention, the souls of his siblings were glaring hungrily from down below.
None of them would mind an extra bite.
In such a predicament, when faced with Minkler's demands, he had accepted his new identity without a second thought, honorably welcoming his post-retirement rehiring.
Recognizing reality was a virtue in itself. Bustamante clearly understood his place. Glancing at Minkler, who sat upon his former throne, and at Ji Jue, who had strolled in as casually as if window-shopping, he wasted none of Ji Jue's time or patience. He nodded crisply.
"Since things have come to this, there is nothing more to say."
He bowed his head deferentially without the slightest hesitation. "Moving forward, I will do my utmost to cooperate with you, Patriarch."
"That saves a lot of trouble," Ji Jue said, tossing over the suitcase he had just brought back. "Start by sorting out your family's accounts and assets."
Mere minutes later, Bustamante had already arrived at a result. "Verified. Everything is in order. In addition, Boggio held several anonymous accounts in both the Federation and the Empire. Specific leads should be in the cigar box in his bedroom."
"And you?" Minkler asked.
"They are all clan assets; how could I keep them for myself?"
Bustamante bowed humbly. "Just to prepare for contingencies, I did leave some funds and savings at the Everlasting Bank. The vault key is inside the secret compartment of the safe behind the oil painting behind you. The verification code is the founding date of the family."
He withheld nothing and held back no detail.
He lowered his posture to the utmost, yet without appearing obsequious or shameless, and even offered impeccably sound recommendations on how to handle and utilize the assets.
Watching this, Ji Jue almost wanted to applaud. A crusty old bastard who had wallowed in the mud for an entire lifetime really did have skills.
"Your dad really is a devil of a talent."
"..."
Minkler's face twitched. He opened his mouth, then stopped himself. He finally understood where Lou Feng had picked up such practiced moves.
Why did you Federation craftsmen love cracking family-tree jokes so much? And why did the Chopra family have to be the funniest punchline?
What could he even say?
Better to say nothing.
"What's next?"
Pinching the bridge of his nose with a headache, Minkler groaned, "What a damn nuisance. This bullshit Patriarch seat comes with a thousand messy threads."
"Such is power. The more coveted something is, the more troublesome it is to command," Bustamante answered placidly. "A new patriarch is bound to face trouble; the absence of trouble would be far more frightening. Once your trusted aides gradually take control of key positions, the days ahead will naturally become easier."
He showed neither criticism nor resistance toward Minkler's moves to dismantle the Chopra family, nor toward his son's diametrically opposed style of doing things. Exactly like a professional manager, once he determined the client's needs, he offered an execution plan.
He was wholeheartedly demonstrating his worth, without hiding his purpose in the slightest.
"In comparison, what you should be concerned about right now is not Xiangzhou, but outside of it—how the Seven Cities perceive you. May I ask how many congratulatory messages have arrived from the other houses?"
"Three," Minkler said. "Pucheng, Yamen, and Dancheng."
The unsolicited greetings from these three houses amounted to an acknowledgment of Minkler's authority as Patriarch and Xiangzhou's standing within the Seven Cities Alliance.
In other words, the rest were still watching and waiting.
"Hmm..."
After pondering for a moment, Bustamante offered his analysis. "Pucheng is the administrative core of the Seven Cities and the seat of parliament. It can be called vital. The late elder Alliance Leader, Aquilino, was Pucheng's representative. Over the past few decades, Pucheng reaped boundless benefits, but alas, they have no worthy successor. The other six houses wouldn't tolerate another Alliance Leader emerging from Pucheng either. Thus, Pucheng is the most closely watched by the other six, making them the least likely to make any drastic move. Extending some goodwill and face at this juncture shows they intend to sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight.
"Yamen is the most fragmented, covers the largest area, and is the poorest. Its interior is an utter mess. At this juncture, they are likely hoping to egg on a war between the Chopra and Sukarno families to turn a profit. They can be won over with appropriate incentives.
"However, Dancheng cannot be trusted. Whatever decisions you make, you must remain on guard against Dancheng. Although on the surface Dancheng maintains a low profile, through years of observation, I suspect that behind closed doors, Dancheng and the Sukarno family of Luo Island share a deeper alliance..."
He paused before continuing, "Besides that, Xi Island has aligned itself with the Empire's Holy Tree family and currently seeks to take things a step further. We can consider forming an alliance with them.
"Ma City, on the other hand, is the one that needs Xiangzhou's support the most. After all, Luo Island sits right beside Ma City, and the Sukarno family has covertly encroached upon much of their business and territory over the years. They would love nothing more than for someone to step up and wage war against Luo Island. Their current lack of response is merely posturing; their congratulatory telegram will likely arrive tomorrow morning.
"Right now, they need Xiangzhou more than anyone. All the Patriarch needs to consider is how high a price you can demand from them.
"As for the Sukarno family of Luo Island... I likely need not say much. The Patriarch used them as a stepping stone to rise to power. Having suffered such devastating losses, the Sukarno family will never let the matter rest.
"Their temporary silence right now is almost certainly them gathering strength. Please make preparations as early as possible."
Minkler pressed further, "This is right next to the Federation. Does the Tyrant have that much audacity?"
"The Tyrant?"
Bustamante was taken aback, turning a bewildered look toward Ji Jue, saying nothing.
"What is it?" Ji Jue frowned. "Speak plainly. Why are you hemming and hawing in riddles?"
"...So that's how it is. I see."
Bustamante's expression turned complicated. He sighed and spoke candidly: "In truth, the Sukarno family's relationship with that Tyrant is merely a partnership.
"As for the true backing behind them... as the Patriarch just said, this is right next to the Federation. Apart from the Federation, who else could it possibly be?"
"..."
A sudden silence fell over the room.
Under Minkler's bewildered gaze, Ji Jue's eyes widened.
His mind had not even finished sorting out the intricate web of relationships among the Seven Cities, and now, out of nowhere, an old acquaintance leaped out right under his nose.
The fucking Federation!
In the sudden shock, he was almost amused to the point of anger.
He finally understood what Bustamante's complicated look meant—*Do you really not know, or are you just playing dumb here?*
After all, in Bustamante's eyes, Ji Jue's swift, decisive actions and unambiguous objectives clearly signaled that he had come here to take control of the Chopras and stomp the Sukarnos into the dirt.
If one analyzed it carefully, it could be interpreted as the Haizhou families, having remained quiet for so long, growing restless and deciding to stretch their legs—opening a new source of revenue for themselves while cutting off the cash flow of their "dear friends."
Never mind that Ji Jue claimed he didn't represent anyone; his identity was right there. Even the street trash of the Wild Gathering knew: once you join the gang, you're in for life.
Now, he was finally experiencing the very same treatment as Tong the Vegetable—every single action of his would be scrutinized frame by frame under a magnifying glass by everyone, searching for any possible hint or underlying meaning behind his words and deeds.
Why was life so exhausting?!
Causing trouble was getting harder and harder.
Chapter 717