Above Destiny

Chapter 719 Father and son go into battle

The ascension of a new king is destined to be a chaotic and lengthy ceremony, with the purge of rebels and the promotion of cronies, and the transfer of power is destined to be bloody and turbulent.

What's more, the new king is a madman. He killed half of Chopra's family as soon as he took the throne!
However, he was at least a tolerant and kind madman.

He didn't touch anyone who hadn't offended him, and even delegated the real power that the Chopra family had always held tightly to outsiders, promoting a large number of people from other families to higher positions.

Even if everyone can see that he has no one to use... if he really wants to use someone, there are plenty of people available.

No matter how talented someone is, they still need position and power. This is what is meant by "if used, they become dragons; if not used, they become worms."

Granting power and gaining loyalty—that is a contract.

At this moment, without a doubt, the entire Xiangzhou is experiencing unprecedented pain, sweet troubles, and the unlimited distribution of favors from the patriarch.

Once you've sworn an oath before my house fire, we're family. As the saying goes, all men are brothers, and everyone can be Chopra.

As for what the cost will be, don't ask.

Although it was already quite prosperous among the islands, Elephant Continent was still not very large, not comparable to the central cities of the Federation and the Empire. It was roughly equivalent to one or two wealthy and independent districts. Being small, it was easy to turn around, and the transfer of power was much smoother than expected. However, winning the hearts and minds of the people was not something that could be resolved in a day or two.

While the oath of the household fire and the monitoring of the household gods are convenient, they are not a panacea and cannot solve all problems. They can only be addressed slowly and gradually.

In the patriarch's mansion, when Ji Jue saw Ming Kele again, his gaze couldn't help but fall on the lonely ghost floating in mid-air behind him.

A portion of the household gods manifested.

But that face...

"Bustaman?"

Ji Jue was shocked: "You actually still kept it?"

Minkler sighed, swirling his wine glass, and said wistfully, "After all, he is my biological father."

Ji Jue nodded repeatedly, clapping his hands: "That's a good joke, very humorous. And then?"

Minkler shrugged:

"it works."

That's the only reason.

Regardless of whether it's a father-son relationship or not, and setting aside the grudges between the two, at this critical juncture, if Minkler wants to quickly take control of Elephant Island and maintain stability, Bustaman's assistance is indeed crucial.

No matter how beastly or vicious he may be, he is the longest-reigning head of the Chopra family in history. Over the years, despite the infiltration and interference from various parties, he has managed to manage Elephant State as if it were an ironclad fortress, allowing the Chopra family to navigate between different sides while remaining as stable as Mount Tai internally. His skill and ability are evident.

Bustaman has now become part of the household gods, and has thus partially realized his former ideals. Unfortunately, the chain around his neck has been seized by his son Minkler, whom he used to disregard.

Without the household gods, he would probably have vanished long ago.

Having household gods doesn't necessarily improve the situation.

If Minkler were not willing, he would be swallowed up by the remaining malevolent energy within the household gods in no time, not to mention the souls of his brothers and sisters lurking beneath him.

Nobody would mind taking one more bite.

Faced with this predicament, and in response to Minkler's request, he accepted his new identity without hesitation and was honorably rehired.

Being able to recognize the situation is also an advantage. Bustaman clearly knew his own position. After glancing at Minkler, who was sitting on his former throne, and Ji Jue, who swaggered in as if he were shopping, he did not waste Ji Jue's patience and time and nodded decisively.

"Since things have come to this, there's nothing else to say."

He lowered his head respectfully without hesitation: "I will do my best to cooperate with you from now on."

"That saves a lot of trouble."

Ji Jue tossed the suitcase he had just retrieved over, saying, "You should first sort out your family's accounts and assets."

Just a few minutes later, Bustaman had already reached a conclusion: "It's confirmed, there are no problems. In addition, Bogio has several anonymous accounts in the Federation and the Empire. The specific clues should be in the cigar box in his bedroom."

“And you?” Minkler asked.

“These are all family assets, how could I possibly keep them all to myself?”

Bustaman bowed humbly: "Just in case, I have left some funds and savings in the Perpetual Bank. The key to the vault is in the safe compartment behind the painting behind you. The verification number is the family's founding date."

Speak freely and without reservation.

Their attitude is extremely humble, yet it doesn't appear obsequious or shameless; instead, they offer perfectly appropriate suggestions and methods for handling the situation...

Even Ji Jue couldn't help but want to applaud. After all, Old Deng, who had spent his whole life in the mud, really had some amazing skills.

"Your dad is truly a genius."

"..."

Minkler's expression twitched, and he hesitated, finally understanding where Lou Feng's skillful starting move came from. Why do you Federation craftsmen love these ethical jokes so much? And the Chopra family's ethical jokes are the funniest of all.

What can I say?
Say nothing.

"what's next?"

He rubbed his temples, his head aching. "This is fucking annoying. This damn family head position is so complicated."

"That's how power is; the more people covet something, the more troublesome it is to control."

Bustaman calmly replied, "New heads of families are bound to have troubles; in fact, it would be more terrifying if they didn't. Once your trusted confidants have gradually taken control of the key positions, things will naturally become easier from now on."

He showed no criticism or resistance to Minkler's actions in dismantling the Chopra family and his completely different working style. Just like a professional manager, he clarified the client's needs and then provided an implementation plan.

They are solely focused on demonstrating their own value, making no attempt to conceal their true intentions.

"In comparison, what you should be worried about now is not Xiangzhou, but everything outside of Xiangzhou... What do the Seven Cities think of you? How many congratulatory telegrams have you received from other cities?"

"Three."

Minkler said, "Pucheng, Yamen, and Dancheng."

The three families' initiative in sending greetings was an acknowledgment of Minkler's authority as the head of the family and Xiangzhou's authority within the Seven Cities Alliance.

In other words, the rest are still observing.

"Well……"

After a moment of contemplation, Bustaman offered his interpretation: "Pucheng is the core of the Seven Cities' administration and the location of the council, so it can be said to be of paramount importance. The previous leader, Aquilino, was Pucheng's representative. Pucheng has benefited greatly over the past few decades. Unfortunately, there is no successor, and the other six families will not be willing to let Pucheng produce another leader. Therefore, Pucheng is the one most closely watched by the other six families and the least likely to make any moves. At this critical juncture, they are offering some benefits and face, with the intention of sitting on the sidelines and watching the tigers fight."

The Yamen is the most fragmented, geographically widespread, and poorest of the two, with its internal affairs in disarray. At this critical juncture, it is likely that they are also thinking of profiting by pushing Chopra and Sukarno into a war, so it is appropriate to win them over.

But the City of Devouring Cannot be trusted. No matter what decisions are made, the City of Devouring Can must be guarded against. Although the City of Devouring Can's presence is not strong on the surface, after years of observation, I suspect that there is a deeper alliance between the City of Devouring Can and the Sukarno family of Ro Island…”

He paused for a moment, then continued, "In addition, Tin Island has attached itself to the Holy Tree Family of the Empire, and now wants to go even further. We can consider forming an alliance with them."

Ma City actually needs Xiangzhou's support the most. After all, Luo Island is right next to Ma City. Over the years, the Su Jianuo family has secretly eroded a lot of their businesses and land. They can't wait for someone to stand up and start a war with Luo Island. The fact that they haven't reacted yet is just a show of force. I'm afraid the congratulatory telegram will be sent tomorrow morning.

Right now, the people who need Xiangzhou the most are them. The head of the family only needs to figure out how much they can ask for.

As for the Sukarno family on Ro Island... I probably don't need to say much. The head of the family took power by stepping on the Sukarno family. The Sukarno family has suffered such heavy losses, and they will absolutely not let it go.

Their current silence is likely a sign of them gathering strength; please be prepared as soon as possible.

Minkler pressed, "This is right next to the Federation, how dare this tyrant be so audacious?"

"Usurper?"

Bustaman paused for a moment, looked at Ji Jue with a blank expression, and didn't say anything.

"what happened?"

Ji Jue frowned: "Just say what you want to say, why are you beating around the bush and playing riddles?"

"...I see, I understand."

Bustaman's expression became complicated. He sighed and said, "In reality, the relationship between the Sukarno family and that tyrant is nothing more than cooperation."

As for their true backing... Patriarch, you yourself said this is on the border of the Federation. Besides the Federation, who else could they be?"

"..."

A sudden silence fell over the scene.

Under Minkler's bewildered gaze, Ji Jue couldn't help but widen his eyes.

Before he could even sort out the intricate relationships between the seven cities, another familiar face suddenly appeared right under his nose.

What the hell is this Federation?!
He was so taken aback by the sudden turn of events that he almost laughed out of anger.

Now I finally understand what Bustaman's complicated look was all about—did you really not know or were you just pretending?

After all, in Bustaman's view, Ji Jue's decisive and purposeful approach was clearly aimed at controlling Chopra and crushing the Sukarno family.

If we interpret it carefully, we can understand it as the Haizhou family, after being silent for so long, is unwilling to be idle and plans to stretch its legs and open up a source for itself, while also helping its good friends intercept some flow.

Regardless of what Ji Jue says about not representing anyone, his identity is what it is. Every thug in Huangji knows that once you're in a gang, you're in a gang for life!

Now, he is experiencing the same treatment as Tong Zhiwu—every move he makes will be scrutinized and analyzed by everyone, with every possible hint and meaning behind his words and actions being examined.

Why am I so mentally exhausted?

It's getting harder and harder to cause trouble.

(End of this chapter)