Chapter 792

Uesugi Muneyuki entered the Imperial Palace in the evening.

Emperor Akihito kindly received him and personally heard the whole story from Uesugi Muneyuki's mouth.

As a medical school professor, Emperor Akihito doing this already counts as sharing joy with the people.

Uesugi Muneyuki's spirits were not good; after finishing his account, he took his leave, and Emperor Akihito gestured that his servant had worked hard and did not retain him for a meal. What a stingy emperor! Uesugi Muneyuki complained in his heart.

However, soon after, Maeda Toshisuke, Director of the Imperial Household Agency, led Uesugi Muneyuki into a quiet lounge and personally poured tea.

"Thank you for your hard work, Muneyuki-kun!" Maeda Toshisuke said, smiling after personally pouring tea for Uesugi Muneyuki: "Did that rascal Riei give you any trouble?"

"To say there was none would be false." Uesugi Muneyuki complained: "Fortunately, he generally still listens to me; otherwise, the Special Mission Division would surely have to stir up heaven and earth over him—this brat argues with the Date clan every day in class."

"Hahahahaha ahahahahahahahahahaha!" Maeda Toshisuke laughed: "Young people, having energy is good, just like you—when you met His Majesty earlier, your face wrote 'I am tired'."

"I really am tired; I only finished everything at eight this morning and went to rest." Uesugi Muneyuki said somewhat sarcastically: "The Police Agency even rewarded me with one million yen! I'm considering using this money to buy a parking space in Setagaya Ward, well, maybe I'll have to go to Kanagawa to buy one." "This matter was originally difficult to handle; neither the Cabinet nor the Imperial Household Agency wants to make a big fuss." Maeda Toshisuke said softly: "You know, some things the Cabinet does not want to see public opinion oppose, nor even see strong support—they want everyone to shut up and forget this matter immediately."

"I understand." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

"Then, the jokes stop here, Uesugi Muneyuki, please rise." The Director of the Imperial Household Agency's expression turned solemn.

Uesugi Muneyuki also felt a strange premonition and immediately stood up.

"First, I represent the Imperial Household Agency to thank you for your contribution in this incident." Maeda Director picked up a document from the desk and opened it. Uesugi Muneyuki looked at Maeda Toshisuke: "Thanks to His Majesty's vast blessings, ancestral protection, and unity of upper and lower, these minor merits are not worth mentioning." "In today's world where the old nobility system has vanished, former feudal lord nobles are gradually declining, yet His Majesty the Emperor believes that Uesugi Doctor demonstrated character and ability in this incident worthy of an honorary title. After consultation with the Cabinet, it is decided to grant you the rank of 'Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.'" Maeda Toshisuke said earnestly.

Uesugi Muneyuki's gaze became dazed for a moment.

Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade is an ancient rank in Japan's honorary system; before the Meiji Restoration, this was an honor obtainable only by high-ranking samurai and court nobles.

In modern Japan, it carries no actual power, and naturally there is no stipend.

Yet this position holds extraordinary significance for samurai; before the Genpei War, the highest position samurai could attain was 'palace person', which referred to those of third rank or above, or fourth or fifth rank specially granted qualification to attend the Seiryo Palace.

It is well known that era was the time of court nobles; samurai were mere small fry, and to squeeze into a position at the end of the Seiryo Palace was already the utmost honor.

Until the rise of samurai, Taira no Kiyomori broke this convention, and did so without sufficient reason, leading many Japanese historians to believe Taira no Kiyomori was very likely the emperor's illegitimate child.

But now so many years have passed……Will Emperor Hikaw not think this Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade means anything to me?

Uesugi Muneyuki complained in his heart, thinking now what era is this, the era of court nobles has long ended, the era of samurai has long passed! Moreover, similar positions—let alone the samurai era, even the court noble era have become cheap—just like the Wei-Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties, as the court noble lineages developed, situations like the Wang Shoe clan gradually emerged, meaning some families' children, upon birth, are destined to become chancellors (for Japan, that is Kanpaku), while court nobles spend all day bickering in the court, externally adopting tax-and-manor entrustment systems and ignoring everything, while those responsible for tax collection and manor defense, the 'land samurai' and 'retainers', began to rise, and due to insufficient grain income, those 'reduced to commoner status' descendants of the imperial house like 'Minamoto' and 'Taira' entered the provinces en masse, intermarried with these people, and began forming local armed forces.

Samurai thus began to be born, though they then did not yet realize what they could do, and only later came to know.

This is also one reason for the decline of court nobles, after all I was born to be Kanpaku—how could I possibly go farm and go into battle to kill?

As the saying goes, seven lives to repay the nation, Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade! Left and Right Leaping General!

The boomerang always comes so unexpectedly!

I was just mocking others, now it flies back and hits right between the eyebrows!

Forget it, accept it—at least having an identity can lend some dignity.

Uesugi Muneyuki fell silent for a while, yet still decided to stretch out his hand to receive the appointment letter: "Gratitude beyond measure!"

Maeda Director raised his hand, gesturing that he need not speak.

"There is one more thing." He took out a slender paulownia wood box from under the desk and placed it before Uesugi Muneyuki.

"?" Uesugi Muneyuki opened the box.

Inside was a piece of calligraphy. The brushwork was strong, the stroke vigorous, yet carrying an old-fashioned elegance.

It read four characters: "Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors."

Uesugi Muneyuki's fingers trembled slightly.

Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors.

This was an ancient Japanese office responsible for monitoring and impeaching officials, equivalent to the censor in German history.

The Board of Censors was an independent supervisory organ outside the court, specially responsible for impeaching all officials and upholding discipline.

The Vice Minister of the Board of Censors is the deputy of the Board of Censors; although its rank is not high, its power is immense—it can impeach officials of any rank, including the Grand Minister of State. This time, Uesugi Muneyuki could no longer control his emotions.

This is not because of the office of Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors—the Board of Censors had become a symbolic institution eight hundred years ago! Modern Japan no longer has the Board of Censors, nor this office, nor any trace of power.

He was moved because "Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors" was an office once held by Uesugi Kenshin!

Uesugi Kenshin's full name is "Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade Uesugi Sanmi Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors Fujiwara Yoshitaka Subject Entering the Way Unknowing Hut Kenshin".

This symbolizes the Imperial Household's recognition of him as "Uesugi Kenshin's successor", and also symbolizes the reappearance of ancestral glory!

Ancestors! The wisdom and strength of ancestors are boundless!

Forefathers! Grandfather! Lineage! Father!

Forever brave, Dragon of Echigo!

"What is this???" Uesugi Muneyuki swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"This is what His Majesty the Retired Emperor personally wrote for you." Maeda Toshisuke said with a smile.

The Retired Emperor has already abdicated; he is now over eighty years old, and since abdicating he has hardly had any activities, yet it is said that after listening to all the events, he personally spread out xuan paper and wrote these four characters.

Maeda Director's voice was very soft.

"His Majesty the Retired Emperor said, Japan now lacks a 'Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors'. Lacks someone who can stare down power, unafraid of offending people. He said, what Uesugi Doctor has done is exactly what a Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors should do."

"Now there is no Board of Censors, nor Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors, but he bestows these four characters upon you, hoping you will eradicate vermin and serve the nation faithfully!" Uesugi Muneyuki put the lid on the box and placed it on the desk.

"Maeda Director." Uesugi Muneyuki controlled his emotions: "What I have done is not for honor; the nation pays me a salary, I do my work—just that simple."

Maeda Director laughed. That smile was faint, but genuine.

"I know. But honor is not prepared for the doer. It is prepared for the observer." He paused: "This nation needs something to remind itself what is right and what is wrong. You have done right, so His Majesty the Retired Emperor wants everyone to know that doing right will be recognized. Even if this recognition is merely a piece of calligraphy, a title."

He stood up.

"Uesugi Doctor, please accept. This is not your reward. This is a reminder for this nation."

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at the paulownia wood box, light flashing in his eyes.

Kenshin Kō, did you see it?

Righteousness, in the end, is snow-bright.

Henceforth, it is no longer Uesugi Sakura-damon Guardian Muneyuki, but Uesugi Junior Assistant of the Board of Censors Muneyuki.

He reached out, putting the box away: "Thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor, thank you, Your Majesty the Retired Emperor, thank you, Maeda Director."

Maeda Director nodded.

"Go back. There are still many things to do."

When Uesugi Muneyuki left the palace, the sky had already grown dark, Tokyo's neon lights began to light up one by one, the street was filled with traffic, no one knew what had just happened, he placed the paulownia wood box on the front passenger seat, and started the car.

The phone rang, it was Minami Ojou-sama's call: "Muneyuki? What's wrong? I heard you entered the palace?"

"Yes, Junior Fifth Rank Lower Grade, Censor Assistant." Uesugi Muneyuki sneered and said.

"Right? What is this? Lingling Official? Who still has this kind of thing nowadays?" Minami Ojou-sama complained in the phone.

"Exactly, but with this, I can now catch you!" Uesugi Muneyuki deliberately smirked in the phone: "First strike, later report, Imperial Authorization! Dragon of Echigo, advance into Kanto!"

"What Dragon of Echigo? You are already my Watanabe-Uesugi family's adopted son-in-law! By household headship, the Young Lady is your sole legal source! Kneel down obediently! Kora!" Minami Ojou-sama flared up: "Just a snail cricket, a mere Muneyuki! Wait, come back later, the three of us sisters will let you know our might!"

"Oh, is that so?" Uesugi Muneyuki chuckled, but quickly added: "However, I might be late returning home tonight."

"What's wrong? Did the Emperor leave a meal? Red Slope Detached Palace State Guest House?" Minami asked curiously.

"No." Uesugi Muneyuki.

"Really stingy, why is that?"

"I need to return to the main family once; it's best to let grandfather know about this." Uesugi Muneyuki touched the box on the front passenger seat.