Chapter 198: Watanabe and Uesugi's Alliance!

Although he had been adopted, the father-son relationship between Uesugi Muneyuki and Uesugi Hironori had not been dissolved, so calling Watanabe Eiji "father" directly was truly a bit strange.

There is nothing much to say about this; of Tokugawa Ieyasu's first three sons, Tokugawa Hidetada, Yuki Hideyasu, and Matsudaira Tadayoshi, two were adopted out. Among them, Yuki Hideyasu was even first sent to Toyokawa Hideyoshi as an adopted son, and then sent to the Yuki family to inherit their family name, yet this did not affect him calling Ieyasu father or referring to Tokugawa Hidetada and the others as brothers.

The four eldest sons of the Western Japan strategist Mori Motonari were named Mori Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu, Kobayakawa Takakage, and Hoita Motokiyo.

In other words, in many cases, adoption does not mean that one has severed kinship with their original family.

So this aspect of Japan is indeed quite strange; Uesugi Muneyuki could only call him "Foster Father," and it was unclear whether he said this in his capacity as an adopted son or as a future son-in-law.

Watanabe Eiji also felt it was a bit strange, but thinking that there was neither a formal engagement nor a formal adoption, he decided that "Foster Father" would have to do.

"Then I will call you Muneyuki," Watanabe Eiji said, hands behind his back, pointing to the room full of luxury goods and gifts: "Seeing is believing; now you know why we, a post-war family, are qualified to recruit you as a son-in-law, right? No matter how brilliant the reputation of one's ancestors was in the past, it cannot compare to one's current position; this is the reality of Japan."

"Hmm, so in the end, the main family is just like that," Uesugi Muneyuki sighed and shook his head.

His father-in-law had always had a good reputation in official circles and never took bribes openly, but relying on his father's generation and his own status as Superintendent General, he had still accumulated astonishing wealth.

Theoretically, a Superintendent General takes home about 15 million yen a year, but at this level, the salary is only a small part of it.

Not to mention anything else, just the pile of Kobe Beef and king crab in the freezer costs tens of thousands of yen per box, and the four-meter-long large freezer was packed full; this one freezer was almost worth a year's salary for old man Eiji.

And according to old man Eiji, this was what remained after he had tried his best to eat it for several months.

Not to mention various local specialties, tea leaves, silk and satin fabrics, and quite a few luxury goods.

Old man Eiji told Uesugi Muneyuki that being Superintendent General is like this: although he did not deliberately try to rake in money, the gift warehouse was always overflowing every year; whenever he did anything, someone would arrange it for him, when he went out to eat, someone would pay the bill for him, and when Minami wanted to make a kimono, someone would specially deliver it.

Hotels would send him annual buffet passes, racetracks would send him annual VIP passes, and major trading companies would take the initiative to send New Year's goods and various samples; companies like Nihon-Sakar, Kikumasamune, Kirin, and Suntory would send several cases of alcohol every year for him to "sample," and if he wanted to go out for fun, it would either be reimbursed as official business or "friends" would take the initiative to handle the reception.

In short, he did not need to spend money on anything he did.

"Muneyuki, do you understand now why everyone wants to be Superintendent General? As the pinnacle of Tokyo's 80,000 police officers, every Superintendent General, whether clean or corrupt, whether capable or incompetent, is born to enjoy these things." Watanabe Eiji casually took off a Rolex watch and placed it into Uesugi Muneyuki's hand: "Now it is yours, Muneyuki, try it on and see if it fits?"

"Does this count as a bribe?" Uesugi Muneyuki asked with a mischievous smile as he took the watch: "A Superintendent General bribing a Forensic Examiner of the Special Mission Unit?"

"Haha, this isn't called a bribe, this is called a father giving a gift to his son," Watanabe Eiji said crossly: "Me giving away my daughter Minami, that would be called a bribe."

Uesugi Muneyuki could not help but smile, and without refusing, he accepted the Rolex naturally.

After thinking for a moment, he said to Watanabe Eiji with a half-smile: "The exam is the Jerusalem of the West, the exam is the only song in this desolate world, the exam is the only light in this silent night sky; the famous Edo Period drummer Yutenji Wakame once said, any destiny, no matter how long and complex, is actually reflected in a single moment: the moment of passing the exam and landing the job."

Yutenji? The Yutenji area in Meguro, Tokyo?

Watanabe Eiji frowned, thinking to himself that he had never heard this name, and besides, where would there be a drummer in the Edo Period?

But he understood the meaning behind Uesugi Muneyuki's words: "So, I have a small request for you, Muneyuki. I have been serving as Superintendent General for a year, and there is less than a year and a half left until my term ends."

"Generally speaking, the Superintendent General is the end of a Public Servant's career; I should be contacting major conglomerates, trading companies, or industry associations now to prepare for my next destination."

"But..." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded slightly; he understood what old man Eiji meant.

"Yes, I am not reconciled!" Watanabe Eiji pointed at the entire warehouse, his expression becoming increasingly agitated: "I am still young; even if I finish my full term as Superintendent General, I will only be fifty-three! I don't want to step down yet, I don't want it to end! You also know that when people leave, the tea goes cold; once it ends, such good times will never come again!"

"Muneyuki, I ask you, and you must answer me honestly, how do you think I have performed as Superintendent General?" Watanabe Eiji said earnestly.

"Overall, quite competent and relatively responsible," Uesugi Muneyuki said after a long pause: "And it seems the District Public Prosecutors Office has not launched an investigation into your duties."

Watanabe Eiji did not take money, but he did accept some holiday gifts; he did not take the initiative to collude with trading company associations, but he did not refuse their proactive displays of goodwill by accepting some cards and "samples."

His level of conduct was already considered that of an honest official in Japan.

If thirty percent of Japan's high-ranking bureaucrats were like Watanabe Eiji, the social atmosphere would definitely improve significantly.

But this is Japan, and the Pacific Ocean doesn't have a lid on it; if you're not happy, just move abroad!

"So, are you willing to continue supporting me?" Watanabe Eiji asked the most important question of the day: "I have already surpassed Commissioner Kaneko, I have already established contact with Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda, and I am the Superintendent General with the best reputation and best results in the last forty years."

"There are few Administrative Officials in history who have been promoted to Political Officials, but if I have the support of your investigative ability, Muneyuki..."

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Muneyuki nodded. Watanabe Eiji and his daughter Watanabe Minami had shown him the grace of promotion, and the conduct of these two was already quite good. He also had a deep factional brand on him; now with one adoption and one engagement, they were already a community of shared interests.

"If I don't support you, Foster Father, then who else would do it?" Uesugi Muneyuki said decisively, but then he frowned: "But I am a rough man, and I know nothing about politics."

"As for the corrupt and incompetent atmosphere in the police force, Foster Father, you should be the one to purge it; I will stay in the Special Mission Unit and continue to serve you."

"Very good." Watanabe Eiji was very satisfied and laughed as he patted Uesugi Muneyuki on the shoulder: "This is my good son. Work hard and be diligent; Minami and I will help you solve other matters. The Special Mission Unit will have great use in the future, and it won't even be limited to just one unit or one section..."

"Alright, take a look and see what you like in the warehouse; just take whatever you want." Having received a satisfactory answer, Watanabe Eiji signaled for him to pick whatever he pleased.

You're really letting me pick? Uesugi Muneyuki blinked.

Pick whatever you want; it was all yours to begin with, Watanabe Eiji signaled generously.

As a result, Uesugi Muneyuki really started picking. From the large freezer, he took several boxes of Kobe beef at 39,800 yen per box; he took three full sets of DIOR cosmetics that brand trading companies had sent to Mrs. Watanabe; he took two bolts of Kyoto brocade; and from the cabinets, he took famous watches, Shizuoka tea, Hokkaido Yūbari melons, and Balenciaga wallets. Uesugi Muneyuki really did not stand on ceremony with him.

Watanabe Eiji shook his head with amusement; his son-in-law really had a straightforward temperament.

He actually didn't care; many things in the warehouse would rot or expire without him even knowing, so it was good that they could be put to use now.

While the father and son were conspiring in the warehouse, Miss Minami was also having a private talk with her mother.

She talked about the matter of arranging Ikeda Erena for Uesugi Muneyuki.

Erena actually had a younger brother seven years her junior, and the whole family currently lived in Fukuoka, Kyushu. Erena's father was a rare, severely Westernized Japanese man who didn't care at all about Erena getting married, having already given up and letting things take their natural course; the family's focus was entirely on her younger brother.

The "big account" is already scrapped, so focus on the "small account."

As for Asuka, she was the only one left on the family register, and no one cared what happened to her.

This way, we have locked in Uesugi-kun!

Miss Minami was triumphant.

Mrs. Michiko helplessly stroked her daughter's head, thinking that Uesugi Muneyuki was different from Watanabe Eiji; neither Watanabe Eiji nor Watanabe Minami were very lustful, but they were both the same kind of power-hungry people.

After the secret discussion, the family had lunch together.

This was where Mrs. Michiko could show her skills; as a housewife, Mrs. Michiko had the nickname "Queen of the Culinary World." Whether it was Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, or Russian cuisine, she had master-level standards.

Even Korean cuisine.

Uesugi Muneyuki had only heard his mother talk about it before but had never eaten it; this time, he praised it throughout the meal and finally let go and had a hearty feast.

After lunch, Miss Minami had intended to ask Uesugi Muneyuki to go for a stroll at the nearby Gotokuji, but a sudden phone call interrupted their schedule.

It was Executive Director Shimakawa of Ota Real Estate in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo!

If anyone still remembers, he was that "fiancé brother," the one who was engaged to Hironaka Mariko.

"Uesugi-kun, we've encountered a case here that's a bit troublesome; could I ask you to come take a look?" Shimakawa Ren said over the phone.

"Don't worry, the people from Nippon Life are here too. Just help take a look, I'll give you 300,000, and how about I treat you to a Ryotei tonight?"

Uesugi Muneyuki was silent for a moment.

"Where is it? I'll be there right away!"

(End of this chapter)