Chapter 11628 — Actually, He Just Got Lucky

Wei Zhao smiled. "Actually, he just got lucky."

The others had no idea what he meant. Most of them, like Han Niansan, assumed he was merely offering some face-saving pleasantry to smooth things over for himself.

Little did they know, Wei Zhao was speaking the plain and simple truth.

Old Monster Gu really had gotten lucky.

To suffer such a severe backlash of fortune and yet not drop dead on the spot—losing only all of his cultivation, with his intelligence regressing to that of a three-year-old child as a mere side effect—such luck was likely one of a kind in all of history.

Only, for Old Monster Gu himself, had he known in advance it would end this way, he probably would have preferred to just die.

Naturally, Han Niansan still did not believe it.

But by now, he had finally caught on, belatedly.

"Hm? The ancestral fortune has stabilized? Could Old Monster Gu really have stopped?"

Wei Zhao did not bother to explain further. Instead, he said, "Let's talk about the ancestral worship formation. I have a proposal—perhaps you'd like to hear it, Senior."

Han Niansan was half-convinced, half-doubtful. "What do you mean?"

Wei Zhao looked toward Chief Steward Han. "How about you let him perform the ancestral rites and become the Han King?"

"Hah?"

This time, it was not just Han Niansan—Chief Steward Han himself was dumbfounded. He instinctively pointed at his own nose. "Me?"

He was, after all, of the Han Princely House's bloodline, though several generations back his branch had already been relegated to a collateral line.

Given his status, under normal circumstances, let alone succeeding as Han King, he could not even set foot through the ancestral shrine's gates; he had no place in the ancestral rites at all.

To be able to burn a stick of incense to the ancestors outside the shrine was already an honor.

Han Niansan frowned. "Are you joking?"

It was not that he held any particular grievance against Chief Steward Han.

Strictly speaking, Chief Steward Han's conduct was hardly outstanding, but compared to that trash Han Jiechen—who bit the hand that fed him and betrayed his own ancestors and clan—he was still far better.

If forced to it, picking the taller among the short, it was not entirely unacceptable.

But if it really came to that, then all the effort he had poured into building this ancestral worship formation—would it not become a joke?

Chief Steward Han himself waved his hands repeatedly. "Brother Lin, don't drag me into this. With a formidable enemy at our gates, we should first think about how to defeat them."

Wei Zhao said seriously, "The enemy is digging in the mud. There's no need to defeat them."

"You're still saying that…"

Han Niansan was rendered utterly speechless.

Wei Zhao thought for a moment, then turned and walked out of the ancestral shrine's main gate. A short while later he dragged a man back in.

Looking at this old fellow—his hands caked in mud, grinning foolishly at everyone he saw—the crowd exchanged bewildered glances.

Han Niansan was completely stunned.

"Old Monster Gu? It really is Old Monster Gu!"

Once he confirmed it, Han Niansan grew excited on the spot. "No mistake about it! He really is Old Monster Gu! Just how did you manage this?"

Wei Zhao replied, "He suffered the backlash of fortune."

"So that's it! Haha, the heavens really do have eyes!"

Han Niansan was overjoyed, never once suspecting what lay behind Wei Zhao's offhand remark.

But that was precisely the effect Wei Zhao had intended.

After that affair at the Nightfall Palace, he was now a figure of demonic repute whom every faction in the Inner Royal Court kept under close watch.

If word spread of today's instant kill of Old Monster Gu as well, there was no doubt he would become the target of all eyes throughout the Inner Royal Court.

Wei Zhao was not afraid, but for what he intended to do next, it would still be a troublesome matter.

The fewer incidents, the better.

In any case, with Old Monster Gu reduced to this state, the great crisis facing the Han Princely House had finally been resolved.

Only one problem remained—the grand ancestral sacrifice formation.

Han Niansan looked at Wei Zhao and tried once more. "You truly won't take the Han King's seat?"

"Think it over carefully. Our Han Princely House has always been very open-minded about bloodlines. So long as you are willing to perform the ancestral sacrifice, all of us old fellows will acknowledge you, and we will never turn on you once you have served your purpose. You may rest easy on that point."

Wei Zhao was exasperated. "I truly have no interest. I told you, Chief Secretary Han is a fine choice."

Chief Secretary Han was startled and waved his hands again and again. "Brother Lin, don't make jokes at my expense. I'm not up to it."

Han Niansan snorted. "Useless! Who says you're not up to it? I haven't even said you're not up to it—what right do you have to be shirking and making excuses?"

"Huh?"

This time it was Chief Secretary Han's turn to be baffled.

The rest of the Han Princely House crowd also showed astonishment.

What did that mean? Was Chief Secretary Han really to succeed to the throne and become the new Han King? There had never been such a precedent before?

Even so, Han Jiechen had now been subjected to the soul-search art; even if he survived, he would be left an imbecile, and there was no way he could continue to occupy the seat of the Han King.

Apart from Wei Zhao, if one truly had to pick a successor from among the remaining candidates, Han Changshi really was the most suitable choice—bar none.

Anyone else would have found it hard to win the genuine submission of the Han Princely House's senior ranks.

Han Niansan wrestled with the decision a while longer, but seeing Wei Zhao's unwavering stance, he finally gave in and pointed at Han Changshi's nose.

"Fine, it's you then. Hurry up and perform the ancestral rites—from now on you're the Han King, so stop dawdling."

In the end, he had been thoroughly spooked by Old Freak Gu, and he feared any further delay would breed more trouble.

Dragging things out so defenselessly any longer, if some other dangerous figure were drawn in, the trouble would be enormous.

After all, the Inner Royal Court of today was vastly different from what it had been; old monsters like Old Freak Gu were hardly few in number.

Han Changshi, forced into the role willy-nilly, had no choice but to grit his teeth, complete the ancestral rites, and take his seat as the Han King.

Wei Zhao was naturally glad to see it.

If there was one person left in the entire Han Princely House he could still trust, it was Han Changshi alone.

Otherwise, if there were another round of fickleness and betrayal, even someone of his temperament would likely be moved to murderous intent toward the Han Princely House.

At last the grand ancestral rite formation opened, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

It was then that Han Changshi suddenly spoke: "Old Ancestor, now that I have taken this seat, there is one matter I wish to decide on my own authority."

Han Niansan's eyelid twitched. "What matter?"

He had already stumbled badly over Han Jiechen; if Han Changshi started stirring up some new mischief the moment he took office, there would be no tears left to cry.

Han Changshi said gravely, "I wish to take it upon myself to invite Brother Lin to serve as the chief retainer of the Han Princely House."

Everyone was struck dumb.

Han Niansan's expression turned odd as well.

The man doesn't even think much of the Han King's seat—and you think he'll fancy your chief retainer post? Who do you think you are?