Chapter 146: A New Romance That Has Captured Everyone's Attention?

The television station undoubtedly exaggerated what the paparazzi had captured; the only things the paparazzi could truly produce were a few photos, specifically of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai entering Konno's vegetable tempura shop one after the other, and shots of them in a Mercedes-Benz heading up Haruna Mountain to worship at Haruna Shrine, then coming out together the next day.

Normally speaking, this bit of entertainment news wouldn't count as a major scoop.

But when placed on the National Actress of Soul Agency, Shirakawa Mai, and the newly risen legendary forensic scientist Uesugi Muneyuki, it was enough to be called explosive.

Senior Mai is a very special existence in the entertainment industry. First of all, she herself is the Head of the Alliance of the Kanto Shrine Alliance. No one knows how much real estate and various invisible assets she has under her own name (some estimate at least eleven figures, though most are fixed assets, and she doesn't have that much cash). As the person who leads the entire Kanto Shintoism, she can decide in many places with a single word whether local forces and local autonomous organizations will cooperate, and whether local politicians can get elected as city councilors or prefectural councilors.

Such an existence, let alone no one in the entertainment industry daring to provoke her, even those political and business magnates have to consider whether it is worth offending the entire Kanto shrine force.

At the same time, since Senior Mai debuted, let alone having no scandals, no one even knows where she lives. The paparazzi have exhausted their efforts and could not even take a single daily life photo of her. Sometimes when she is on location and staying away, for an entire shooting cycle, the paparazzi would stake out downstairs at the hotel 24 hours a day, seven days a week, yet they couldn't even get a single shot of her wearing casual clothes to go to a convenience store to buy bread.

She is simply a master of anti-doxing!

But now, such a master of anti-doxing and National Goddess has actually had a scandal break out! And it's with her little junior Uesugi Muneyuki, whom she had a live broadcast with during the Fuji TV Case?

If one were to ask who was the fastest-rising and most popular topic figure in Japan's Kanto region in the second half of last year, it would undoubtedly be Uesugi Muneyuki. This descendant of Uesugi Kenshin of the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan became a hit thanks to the Fuji TV Case and the Chiba Prefecture Serial Murder Case, making the Japanese people realize: a forensic scientist can be like this?

The Old Nobility comes with its own topic traffic, Uesugi Muneyuki's appearance is good, not to mention that he himself is quite talented.

Bursts of exclamations came from the VIP lounge of the racetrack, and even people like Criminal Investigation Department Chief Mouri Takayoshi couldn't help but exclaim, saying, have these two become this close?

Watanabe Eiji frowned calmly and glanced at his daughter.

Didn't you guarantee to me that you could control Uesugi Muneyuki? How did he get together with Shirakawa Mai?

If this is the case, the plan must change.

However, this Superintendent General has become increasingly imposing in recent months, and his cultivation in high office has deepened his shrewdness. He carefully read the news and found that it all seemed to be hearsay without any solid evidence. Moreover, during the last live broadcast, Shirakawa Mai and Uesugi Muneyuki had agreed in front of the camera to go back to Gunma together to eat Grandpa and Grandma Konno's vegetable tempura. Doesn't this match up?

Interesting.

Sure enough, Watanabe Eiji noticed that his daughter was like the disbanded girl band Abemujika, dejected and silent, so he took the initiative to say: "Oh? If Uesugi-kun can develop a romance with Shirakawa Mai, isn't that quite good? In this way, it will be convenient for the Metropolitan Police Department to intervene in the affairs of the Kanto region in the future."

"Hmm?!!" Watanabe Eiji's words stunned the Criminal Investigation Department Chief Mouri and Police Inspector Okada beside him.

Wait! What do you mean by this?

Didn't you always have the intention of recruiting Uesugi Muneyuki as an Adopted Son-in-law? Why are you supporting this golden boy and jade girl now?

What is the Director General trying to do?

But Chief Mouri and Police Inspector Okada were not the most shocked; the most shocked was Watanabe Minami.

Miss Minami had almost instinctively wanted to seek help from her father.

Daring to make a move on Uesugi-kun, this is no longer an ordinary National Actress, she must be hit hard!

However, she never expected that her father would not intend to support her?

The clever Miss Minami immediately realized that for a Superintendent General like Watanabe Eiji, there is no need for him to offend a big entertainment star like Shirakawa Mai, who has a national-level fan base, gets hundreds of thousands of likes on an Instagram post, and has close ties with local shrines. This has disadvantages and no benefits for him.

However, if her father does not support her, and she loses Uesugi-kun again, then wouldn't she have nothing left?

Nothing... left?

Miss Minami only felt that her originally bright future had now turned completely red with rage!

The Face of the Metropolitan Police Department stared at Shirakawa Mai on the television with hatred and humiliation, biting her teeth tightly.

Shirakawa Mai is the enemy!

I will never admit defeat, never!

A strong sense of crisis welled up in her heart, and Miss Minami suddenly realized with fear that she might have nothing.

…………

In an environment where the news broke out and the nation was discussing it, Uesugi Muneyuki returned to Tokyo.

This year, the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan did not spend the New Year in Tokyo; his grandfather, father, mother, and older brother Uesugi Sadanori all returned to Yonezawa Uesugi Shrine for the New Year.

Because Uesugi Muneyuki received an invitation from Senior Mai, he did not go back, and the Head of the House, Uesugi Kuninori, did not force him.

From this, it can be seen that there is a difference between the eldest son and the second son after all.

Although they have fallen on hard times and no longer hold the position of Feudal Lord as in the past, the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan actually still has a very high reputation in the Tohoku region of Japan. In addition to being tied to the entire history and culture of Uesugi Kenshin, it is mainly because the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan did a very important thing after the Meiji Restoration: after deducting the expenses to ensure their own family's living, they distributed all the reserve funds and emergency funds accumulated by the Yonezawa Domain through the generations since the reforms of Uesugi Harunori directly to the old retainers who had lost their source of livelihood. It is said that the total amount was over 170,000 ryo.

This was a great act of benevolence for all of Japan at that time. In this regard, it is no exaggeration to say that the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan is a model for the Peerage.

Later, the Head of the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan, Uesugi Shigenori, was dissatisfied with the officials who were extorting the former retainers in the territory, so he petitioned for the people as a local representative to Tokyo, requesting a change in the official system to clean up corrupt governance. As a result, it aroused the dissatisfaction of local officials. When Tokyo sent people to look, they found that he had high popularity among the local people. Fearing that the power of the old Daimyo would be revived, the Tokyo government directly dismissed him.

After suffering the official iron fist, the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan was forced to transform into a scholarly family. However, relying on the accumulated hidden virtues of their ancestors and their generosity in petitioning for the people since the Meiji Restoration, the family has great influence in Yamagata Prefecture. The Uesugi Clan specifically donated a large number of Uesugi family treasures to Yonezawa City when Yonezawa City was established for 100 years, and also transferred the ownership of the old Uesugi Count residence, known as Tsurumeikan, to Yonezawa City for management. They have a very high reputation in Yamagata Prefecture. If someone in the family wants to enter politics, regardless of other places, in Yamagata Prefecture, as long as the locals see the surname "Uesugi," the vast majority will vote for this candidate.

As soon as Uesugi Muneyuki returned to Tokyo, he received a call from his father, Uesugi Hironori: "Yukimatsumaru? Are you really dating Shirakawa Mai?"

"That's not the case, it was just the agreement from last time," Uesugi Muneyuki said helplessly.

"Oh oh oh, that's good. Actually, Father doesn't object to you dating Shirakawa either. Just think it through yourself. After all... the Uesugi Shrine here in Yonezawa is also a member of the Kanto Shrine Alliance! Hehe~" Uesugi Hironori laughed mischievously, then said mysteriously: "I just think you might not be suitable... Since that's the case, do you know how to deal with the media?"

"I understand," Uesugi Muneyuki nodded with a smile. As the Director of the Tokyo Cultural Exchange Hall, his father often taught Uesugi Muneyuki how to deal with the media.

Sure enough, as Uesugi Muneyuki returned to Tokyo and appeared in front of the public, a large group of reporters who smelled blood immediately blocked him completely!

"Mr. Uesugi, hello, I am XX from the Asahi Shimbun. May I ask what your opinion is on the scandal between you and Shirakawa-san in Weekly Bunshun?"

"Uesugi-san, I am from the Yomiuri Shimbun. May I ask if you really spent two days and one night with Shirakawa-san?"

"Uesugi-san, I am from Weekly Sports. May I ask when you plan to announce your relationship with Miss Shirakawa Mai?"

"I am from Friday. Regarding the photos of you two in love and going to Haruna Shrine together, do you have anything to say? May I ask if you have secretly held a wedding?"

"This is Weekly Gendai. May I ask when Uesugi-san plans to have a shotgun wedding?"

"Hello, this is Weekly Bunshun. May I ask what the Yonezawa Uesugi main family thinks about your new romance?"

Uesugi Muneyuki faced dozens of microphones and cameras alone, and the surrounding reporters were almost shoving the microphones into Uesugi Muneyuki's mouth.

But Uesugi Muneyuki was very calm.

Normally, he, who had already concluded a contract with Senior Mai and secretly placed the Aizen Seal on her, should just make a fortune in silence and say nothing; that is the best way.

But seeing these reporters so enthusiastic, Uesugi Muneyuki felt that it wouldn't be good for him to say nothing.

These media outlets just see wind and rain, and they just want to make a big news story.

Moreover, Uesugi Muneyuki knew that this was intentional by Senior Mai. If she didn't want to be photographed, the paparazzi would never be able to capture her figure no matter what means they exhausted, so why this scandal broke out, Senior Mai's thoughts were very clear.

Uesugi Hironori had taught Uesugi Muneyuki a way to deal with the media when he didn't want to speak: either say nothing at all and signal to them that there is "no comment."

Or it could be another kind of routine.

Uesugi Muneyuki decisively chose the second option: "You know, this is a promise between me and Senior Mai. Presumably, you all know that we are alumni; we once attended the same middle school. This is a long-overdue class reunion, but I have to admit, she left a very deep impression on me."

Uesugi Muneyuki's answer was not sensational enough, leaving the surrounding reporters very disappointed. Everyone knows you are alumni! Everyone knows you once made a promise during a Fuji TV Live Broadcast to go back and eat near the school together.

That is not what we want!

"Mr. Uesugi, Mr. Uesugi!" There was a cacophony of noise all around, with every reporter scrambling to throw out all sorts of bizarre trap questions.

However, Uesugi Muneyuki began his performance.

No matter what questions the reporters asked, he just kept talking about his own thing.

"That is not the point. The point is, Senior Mai and I are alumni, and we once made a promise in front of the camera, which is why this class reunion happened. Her performance left a deep impression on me."

"I think what is more important is that Senior Mai and I are alumni, and we once made a promise, which is why this class reunion happened."

"The key to the question lies in the fact that Senior Mai and I are alumni, and we once..."

"Regarding the question you raised, my view is that Senior Mai and I are alumni..."

"About what you just said, I must emphasize that Senior Mai and I are alumni..."

No matter what bizarre trap questions the reporters asked, Uesugi Muneyuki's attitude was that they could ask theirs, while he said his own. No matter what they asked, Uesugi Muneyuki was just acting like a broken record.

After repeating himself dozens of times in a row, Uesugi Muneyuki successfully carved a bloody path through the media reporters.

The media reporters had never seen such a difficult young man, and for a moment, they were all somewhat disappointed.

But this did not stop them from jumping to conclusions.

That day, the front-page headline of the news was "Repeatedly Echoing Cannot Hide the Romance, Directly Calling Her 'Senior' Reveals Ambiguity—Is the Day of Shirakawa Mai's Gold Screen Press Conference Approaching?"

Society completely exploded, and the fan circles quickly split into two factions—one faction supported the two dating but hoped that Senior Mai would not get married so early and would not fade out of the entertainment industry after marriage; this faction was smaller in number.

The other faction issued death threats to Uesugi Muneyuki, warning Uesugi Muneyuki not to touch their goddess senior, saying he was not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as her. The extremists among this faction even formed the "Shirakawa Mai Defense Line," vowing to monitor the movements of the two, interfere with the development of their relationship, and absolutely not let them truly develop into a couple and hold a gold screen press conference!

However, Uesugi Muneyuki did not care about the outside public opinion; what he really felt was troublesome was—the vibrating mobile phone.

"Uesugi? What exactly is going on? I am coming back from Fukuoka immediately, wait for me, okay?" — Ikeda Erena

"Uesugi-kun? Can you explain the news? I really want to know what happened, I am very interested!" — Watanabe Minami.

And, the Housekeeper Saito Asuka, who was kneeling in front of him to welcome him home.

"Welcome back, Mr. Uesugi!"

(End of this chapter)