Chapter 499: Please ask the Old Ancestor to come out

"Li Liangcheng, you treat me as nothing. Good, very good! I cannot do anything to you, but there is someone who can make you submit. I will go and ask the Old Ancestor to come forward; I want to see how you explain this to the Old Ancestor!"

Imperial Consort Gao dropped these words and left in a hurry with her people.

"Who is the Old Ancestor?"

"There is an Old Ancestor in the palace?"

Some younger officials discussed it one after another, all curious about who the Old Ancestor mentioned by Imperial Consort Gao was.

The slightly older officials all had solemn and grave expressions. Clearly, this person called the Old Ancestor put immense pressure on them.

Officials who knew the inside story looked toward Li Liangcheng one after another, waiting for his next instructions.

Li Liangcheng's head was also spinning.

For a throne succession, he never expected so many things to happen.

"Minister Li, if Imperial Consort Gao really goes to ask the Old Ancestor, what should be done?"

"Yes! I ask Minister Li to quickly think of a way."

Yu Zhaoan secretly came to Chen Guanfu's side and asked in a low voice, "Who is the Old Ancestor?"

"You don't know?" Chen Guanfu seemed very surprised. The dignified Right Minister actually didn't know who the Old Ancestor was.

"Should I know?" Yu Zhaoan looked very innocent. The Yu family's roots were not in the capital; they belonged to a local powerful clan. They couldn't compare to the Hou Fu, which was rooted in the capital and could find relatives or connections in any government office, with eyes and ears spread throughout the palace.

Chen Guanfu smiled knowingly and whispered to the other, "The Old Ancestor, according to seniority, the late Emperor called him Uncle Ancestor. His specific age might already be over one hundred. A martial arts expert, said to have reached the Grandmaster realm. Now you know how important the Old Ancestor's weight is."

"High seniority, strong martial arts, and a Grandmaster—sure enough... if Imperial Consort Gao really wants to invite the Old Ancestor out, then Prince Yan's side..."

Yu Zhaoan understood instantly.

However, he had another question, "The palace has been noisy lately; why hasn't the Old Ancestor appeared?"

"The Old Ancestor hasn't asked about worldly affairs for many years, focusing on pursuing the martial path."

"Can Imperial Consort Gao invite the Old Ancestor out?"

"I don't know."

Li Liangcheng was given a headache by the officials and said decisively: "Regardless of whether Imperial Consort Gao can invite the Old Ancestor, everything remains as it was. At this time tomorrow, if Prince Yan has not woken up, we will elect a new heir."

As a prime minister, one must have the courage to make decisions on the spot. One cannot change course or change orders day and night just because of a few unexpected situations.

The officials dispersed, privately discussing the Old Ancestor.

That night, Prince Yan was critically ill, and the situation was urgent.

Everyone thought Prince Yan wouldn't make it, but unexpectedly, at the critical moment, the Old Ancestor suddenly appeared and saved Prince Yan's life. However, Prince Yan remained in a coma and did not wake up.

The next day, officials gathered in the palace, preparing to vote again for the heir.

The doors of the great hall were suddenly pushed open from the outside, a beam of light shone in, and a young figure, seemingly without moving, was already inside the hall in the blink of an eye.

Most of the officials present didn't react, looking in amazement at this stranger who had suddenly broken into the hall.

Li Liangcheng was calm enough and reacted fast enough, stepping forward a few steps and bowing, "Greetings to the Old Ancestor!"

"No need for formalities!"

"He is the Old Ancestor?"

"How can he be so young."

He was clearly a young man in his twenties or thirties.

However, when everyone recalled this person's face, they suddenly found they couldn't remember anything; their memory was a blur. Whether he was tall or short, handsome or ugly, they had no impression at all. Only then did they realize that the person before them was indeed the Old Ancestor, already in the Grandmaster realm.

Li Liangcheng looked at the Old Ancestor before him; he was still the same as he was decades ago, not changed at all.

And in Yu Zhaoan's eyes, the Old Ancestor was clearly a young man in his early twenties, his face calm, without waves or ripples. Meeting the other's eyes, he instantly felt as if he were in the abyss of the sea, making one shudder.

He hurriedly withdrew his gaze, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his whole body cold and trembling, his heart pounding wildly.

In that instant, he felt great terror! Terror from the abyss!

"I already know about the matter!"

When the words "I" (Old Man) came from the young man's mouth, no one felt it was out of place. Everyone had one feeling: it was as it should be.

Everyone listened to the Old Ancestor's instructions with an extremely upright attitude.

"It's chaotic; it's indeed not very proper."

"Please give your instructions, Old Ancestor." Li Liangcheng asked very respectfully.

The Old Ancestor turned back, looking outside the hall, with an unremarkable face and a pair of wise eyes that saw through everything in the world, "Some people have gone too far, and the commotion is too great."

"What does the Old Ancestor mean?"

"I already understand how His Majesty passed away. I also understand why Prince Yan and Prince Zhong fell into a coma. Come in!"

As soon as the words fell, Grandmaster Wei Wubing walked into the hall in a well-behaved manner.

"This servant pays respects to the Old Ancestor!"

The dignified Grandmaster Wei Wubing, like a powerless young eunuch who had just entered the palace, paid a great tribute to the Old Ancestor with extreme piety and respect.

"Little Wei, you have neglected your duty!"

"The Old Ancestor's teaching is correct. This servant neglected his duty, causing Prince Zhong to be harmed by someone. I ask the Old Ancestor for punishment!"

"Let the others come in too."

As soon as the Old Ancestor spoke, Grandmaster Zhou Mobai walked into the hall, no longer having his past arrogance, appearing particularly honest and obedient.

Immediately following, an old monk with a shaved head also walked in.

"Master Liaochen?" The officials were very surprised. How did Master Liaochen of the Wu Xiang Temple also come into the palace?

Walking at the very back was Imperial Consort Gao.

Imperial Consort Gao wept silently, holding a handkerchief in her hand, wiping away tears while sobbing, "I beg the Ancestor to make the decision for my son!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the hearts of all the officials present tightened.

Could it be that the Ancestor really intended to stand up for Imperial Consort Gao and let the unconscious Prince Yan inherit the throne? How absurd!

However, no one dared to make a sound at this moment; they even held their breath.

There was no need for others to introduce how formidable the Ancestor was; one only needed to approach the main hall, feel the solemn atmosphere within, and look at the expressions on the faces of Li Liangcheng and the others to know how terrifying the Ancestor's weight was.

Back when the Crown Prince was deposed, if the Donggong had the ability to invite the Ancestor out, the Late Emperor might not have been able to depose him. It is only to be blamed that the Prince Zhong's biological mother died too early, and Wei Wubing was only responsible for security and did not interfere in secular affairs; the officials of the Donggong simply did not know of the Ancestor's existence.

Prince Yan had a good biological mother who invited the Ancestor out at a critical moment to make the decision for him; this point alone surpassed Prince Zhong.

When the Ancestor spoke, there was always only one tone, which was flat and waveless.

"Consort, please restrain your grief. Prince Yan is too deeply poisoned and can no longer wake up."

Upon hearing this, Imperial Consort Gao wailed loudly.

The officials were stunned: Prince Yan was actually poisoned. Who administered the poison, and when was it administered? What a vicious mind, what a secretive method.

The Ancestor ignored the reactions of the crowd and continued, "Fortunately, the poison in Prince Zhong has been cleared, and barring any accidents, he should have already woken up by now."

"Prince Zhong has woken up?"

"Prince Zhong actually woke up at this time?"

"Prince Zhong has great luck!"

"Good fortune follows extreme adversity!"