Chapter 445

Uesugi Kuninori sat hunched on the cold floor, his granddaughter-in-law's scream tearing through the air — "He has never touched me!" — still buzzing in his ears like poisoned needles repeatedly piercing his aging nerves. The initial shock and mortifying embarrassment receded like a tide, leaving behind a cold, hard, thorn-strewn wasteland of despair.

"Chitokumaru?" His cracked lips moved soundlessly, turbid eyes churning with stormy waves.

Is he gay? No, the thought had just risen when he himself strangled it.

He knew his own grandson; there was not a spider-silk trace of that tendency in Uesugi Sadanori's eyes, and having been raised by his side as heir since childhood, he had never seen a shred of such a sign, and our Yonezawa Uesugi clan has never had a tradition of male love through the generations!

Could it be... an unspeakable physical defect? This thought cut his heart like a knife even more — was the continuation of the family bloodline to be severed on some physiological flaw? Boundless fear seized him.

Wait, that's not right either; the couple had undergone a premarital checkup, and Uesugi Sadanori was generally healthy in the checkup, all functions were normal, so how could his body have a hidden defect?

Uesugi Kuninori felt extremely confused by this answer.

Since his body isn't sick, and he isn't a male eunuch, then why has the eldest grandson Chitokumaru not touched his wife once for half a year?

Could it be that he doesn't like this wife? But if he didn't like her, why didn't he say so at the start? Or is there conflict between husband and wife? But there's no sign of that either!

"What on earth is going on? Chika, speak clearly — does Chitokumaru have conflict with you? Or is work too exhausting? Or does he have a woman on the side?" As an extremely traditional feudal patriarch, Uesugi Kuninori almost immediately reacted to one possibility — Chitokumaru, like Yukimatsumaru, has a concubine!

He poured all his energy into other women? Therefore neglecting his wife?

Possible! Although he himself had never heard of it, although the eldest grandson had never shown any such sign, keeping two or three concubines is very normal for a noble house like theirs, so the grandfather never cared about the younger grandson Uesugi Muneyuki's chaotic male-female relationships.

Not to mention, from the third Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu onward, the Tokugawa Shogun clan has not had a single heir to the Shogunate born of the main wife!

The elder sister-in-law just kept crying.

"Stop crying! What exactly happened, speak clearly! Crying, what use is crying? We need to solve the problem, not express emotions. If Chitokumaru has a physical problem, I'll take him to see a doctor; if you and Chitokumaru have conflict, we're family, we'll sit down and discuss a resolution, apologize where needed, reconcile where needed; if Chitokumaru keeps a concubine, I'll step in and handle it. Crying like this solves nothing — what exactly happened, tell me!"

Although Uesugi Kuninori was very old, because he had spent most of his life teaching at Tokyo University and working in cosmology — a field requiring constant updating and evolution — his thinking was clear and his mind sharp, far wiser and keener than ordinary elderly; plus the authority and aura of a longtime Todai professor, he forced the elder sister-in-law to stop her actions.

"Grandfather Ancestor..." Her voice carried a barely perceptible grievance: "Really... really nothing's wrong, Sadanori he... truly treats me extremely well, daily life and meals all arranged properly and thoughtfully, he never says a harsh word to me, gives me full face before outsiders... we... we treat each other with the respect due guests..." Her words grew lighter and lighter, the last few words almost swallowed in her mouth.

"Treat each other with the respect due guests?" Uesugi Kuninori's brows knotted into a lump. To him, expecting a great-grandson, those four words were nothing short of cold mockery: "Granddaughter-in-law, between husband and wife, is merely 'treating each other with the respect due guests' enough? What about the Rites of Zhou?"

Grandfather's turbid eyeballs stared dead at her, low reprimand: "Tell me the truth! Is it that Chitokumaru he... he has something wrong physically? Or you two... you two have some difficulty? Could he... could he have never..."

The rest of the words, as a grandfather, were truly hard to speak, but his anxious gaze already said everything.

"Grandfather Ancestor!" The elder sister-in-law jerked her head up, tears finally spilling over, her previous restraint completely shattered by the family head's blunt pressing.

Shame, grievance, and long-suppressed frustration surged out like a burst dam. "He... he respects me very much! Respects me to the point... to the point..."

She choked, barely able to speak: "Respects me to the point... he never touches me once! Not a single time!"

Her words exploded like a thunderclap. The muscles on Uesugi Kuninori's face instantly froze.

"These past six months... we've slept in the same bedroom, on the same bed..." The elder sister-in-law's voice was shattered, carrying a desperate abandon: "But he... he's like an emotionless statue! No matter how 'harmonious' we look by day, how much 'mutual respect'... come night, he... he won't even touch my hem! I... I thought I wasn't doing enough, I tried... tried to get close, even... even actively pressed against him at night..."

Speaking of this, the elder sister-in-law's cheeks flushed crimson with extreme shame: "But he... he had zero reaction! Like... like touching a piece of cold stone! He would gently but firmly push me away, then say... say 'It's late, rest early,' or 'Don't make trouble,' 'I'm tired today,' things like that."

The elder sister-in-law's account was like a violent storm, tearing all "propriety" to shreds; having said this she collapsed there, shoulders heaving violently, weeping without voice.

Uesugi Kuninori was utterly dumbfounded. He seemed struck by a heavy hammer, whole body frozen in place, even forgetting to clutch his chest; the scene the granddaughter-in-law described — respectful as guests yet strangers in form, husband zero reaction to wife's active affection, even pushing her away — completely exceeded his comprehension.

Not physically incapable? In the granddaughter-in-law's description, Sadanori is healthy, energy seemingly all poured into work.

Not dislike? If dislike, why marry? If dislike, how can he "treat her extremely well," "arrange everything properly"?

Then what is this?!

Those four words "treat each other with the respect due guests," at this moment like the most vicious mockery, echoed in his ears.

He had spent a lifetime studying history, versed in human affairs, yet never encountered such a bizarre, such an incomprehensible marital relationship! The eldest grandson Sadanori, that heir he pinned high hopes on, steady, rational, responsible in his eyes — what abyss utterly beyond his understanding lay hidden in his heart?

Confusion like cold vines instantly coiled around his heart, more suffocating than the earlier anger and embarrassment. He gaped, turbid eyes filled with vast bewilderment and incredulity. He could not understand, simply could not understand! A healthy man, facing his wife's active advances for half a year, how could he remain calm as still water, even avoid her? This cannot be explained by mere "busy work" or "cold personality"! Behind this, there must be something he completely doesn't know, something extremely serious, something twisted!

"Sadanori... he... he..." Uesugi Kuninori's voice was dry and hoarse, as if ground by sandpaper, carrying a never-before-seen profound bewilderment and fear.

The granddaughter-in-law's weeping not only shattered his hope, but also gave him an unprecedented strangeness and chill toward his closest grandson; this incomprehensible "normalcy" was a more despairing omen than any clear disease. He desperately needed an answer, an answer that could explain this absurdity.

Convene a family meeting, must immediately convene a family meeting!

Uesugi Kuninori thought of this first, but the family head quickly rejected the proposal.

No, can't do it; family scandal must not be spread outside, and it's only been half a year since marriage — to so easily conclude Uesugi Sadanori lacks fertility seems too premature; and whether Sadanori has a physical illness, dislikes her, has one-sided conflict, or keeps a concubine — none can be confirmed; if a family meeting is called over this, where does the face of the next-next-generation heir Sadanori go? Where will the family head's authority be in the future?

"I understand now, you've worked hard, go rest first; don't speak of this matter outside, I'll send people to investigate and take Chitokumaru to see a doctor."

"Yes." The elder sister-in-law, her half-year's accumulated pain finally spoken, complexion looking a bit better, apologized to Grandfather and returned to her room.

Leaving only Uesugi Kuninori alone, the Uesugi family head alone, restless, neither standing nor sitting, pacing anxiously inside the room.

Son and daughter-in-law are still young, they can still wait, but I'm already this age, how much longer can I wait?

If Uesugi Sadanori cannot reproduce, then there's only... the younger grandson Uesugi Muneyuki!

Yukimatsumaru! That grandson utterly different from the dull, introverted Chitokumaru, like a cluster of eternally burning flame.

He's also at Todai now, brilliantly talented, currently thriving as a forensic pathologist, and more importantly, physically healthy, energy overflowing!

The Yonezawa Uesugi clan's bloodline will not be cut off!

He struggled to stand, withered hands bracing on the cold tatami mat, knuckles whitening from force. In his chaotic mind, all sorts of remedial plans surged wildly — summon Yukimatsumaru back immediately! Arrange the most suitable marriage alliance for him! The faster the better! If Chitokumaru is confirmed hopeless, as long as Yukimatsumaru has a child, that's also the Uesugi clan's direct bloodline!

However, this post-calamity ecstasy lasted less than ten seconds.

A cold, hard, unavoidable fact, like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, completely extinguished the flame of hope he had just ignited, leaving only bone-piercing chill and deeper despair.

Yukimatsumaru... is no longer the Yonezawa Uesugi clan's Yukimatsumaru!

He is now effectively Watanabe Eiji's adopted son-in-law, the Watanabe-Uesugi family's Yukimatsumaru! This goddamn thing was personally approved and agreed to by him!

Yukimatsumaru! Healthy, amorous, the younger grandson with the most hope of continuing the Uesugi bloodline! His current identity is "Watanabe-Uesugi family's adopted son-in-law," "Watanabe Minami's fiancé"! All his future children will bear the surname "Watanabe-Uesugi," becoming the Watanabe-Uesugi clan's legitimate heirs! That is Watanabe-Uesugi's bloodline! Watanabe-Uesugi's future!

In this regard, Japanese people distinguish very clearly!

Uesugi Kuninori's body trembled violently, not from sorrow, but from overwhelming absurdity and bone-deep shame. He, the Uesugi family head, Todai academic authority, a lifetime of calculation and strategizing, at this moment was like a colossal joke!

What to do?!

Grandfather was ultimately someone who had seen big scenes; he forced composure, thought for a while, immediately took out several documents from inside the office, comparing them.

If Uesugi Muneyuki were here, he would surely be very surprised to discover Grandfather had already privately collected all information on the constant residents of the Ooku around him!

Watanabe Minami, Shirakawa Mai, Ikeda Erena, Saito Asuka, Ishihara Mikoto.

Grandfather first tossed Ikeda Erena and Saito Asuka's documents to one side.

These two are out; they have lowly overseas blood in their veins, and no matter what, they could never inherit the Uesugi family name.

Watanabe Minami is also out; she is the main wife, not only is she not yet married, but even if she gave birth, the child would be a Watanabe-Uesugi. Just thinking about how she finally managed to bear an heir only to have to go beg Watanabe Eiji for it makes Uesugi Kuninori's face burn with shame.

Too embarrassing, too shameless!

Watanabe Eiji will explode!

Ishihara Mikoto... although this is domestic bloodline, she is divorced, and her age is on the older side, plus she carries an air of worldly fox-like charm; Uesugi Kuninori takes one look and immediately dislikes her—such a woman bearing an heir for the main family as mistress? That's like a daimyo going to the government office to find a divorced samurai woman to bear children? If she were a widow it might be tolerable, but Ishihara Mikoto's husband is still alive!

This is the last option; don't consider it unless there's truly no other way.

After thinking it over, Uesugi Kuninori still pointed his finger at Shirakawa Mai's profile picture.

Only her.

Just like that, late at night, a phone call from the head of the Uesugi family reached the senior student's penthouse luxury mansion in Roppongi.

"Yukimatsumaru, urgent as ten thousand fires, utterly rude, but you must return to the main family right now! This is a matter of the main family's survival and safety!"

"Huh?!" Uesugi Muneyuki heard his grandfather's unprecedentedly stern tone and was a bit stunned.

What else do I have to do?

How is this a profitable matter?

(Chapter End)