Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 247 New Script

(An extra chapter today)

The heavy cumulus clouds in the sky finally could not bear the weight and poured down as a depressing night rain.

The lingering chill of May, accompanied by dense raindrops, pounded against the black car window, instantly shattering it into countless winding streaks of water.

A black sedan without any official markings is driving on a slippery road leading to Bunkyo Ward.

In the back seat of the carriage, the air was so oppressive it felt almost solid.

Hirano sat in the leather seat, his legs unconsciously pressed tightly together. He raised his hand and awkwardly adjusted the silk tie around his neck, which wasn't actually that tight. When his fingers touched the tie, a layer of sticky, cold sweat had already seeped onto his fingertips.

He was clutching a black briefcase tightly to his chest, which contained copies of some of his itineraries and several miniature audio tapes that he had secretly made over the years.

He turned his head and, using the occasional glimpse of the dim streetlights outside the window, glanced at the current prime minister sitting beside him.

"Your Mightiness."

Hirano's voice rang out in the quiet carriage, his tone somewhat unnatural.

Have you had any contact with the Saionji family?

Toshiki Kaifu placed his hands on his knees, his gaze fixed on the back of the driver's seat.

"……No."

Kaibu deliberately kept his tone very calm. But Hirano's peripheral vision clearly caught the other man's hands clasped together.

The head of state was clenching his fingers tightly on the back of his hands, his knuckles completely drained of color from the excessive force, and even trembling very slightly with the frequency of the train carriage.

The car drove over a puddle on the road and bounced slightly.

Hirano's fingers gripped the edge of his briefcase tightly.

"Then..." Hirano swallowed hard, his voice trembling with barely suppressed fear, "Can our bargaining chips really get those people to agree to help us...?"

"Nonsense! How would I know!"

Kaibu suddenly turned around and loudly interrupted Hirano.

Hirano was stunned by the sudden roar and stared at Kaibe in shock.

This prime minister usually has a "nice guy" image, as if he would never get angry. I never expected to see this side of him.

Seeing Hirano's face, slightly pale with fear, Kaibe's chest heaved twice. He took a deep breath of the slightly leathery air in the carriage, and his stiff shoulders slowly relaxed.

"Feel sorry."

Kaibu turned his gaze to the outside of the car window, his voice becoming low.

"But... I'm not entirely confident either."

The only sound inside the car was the faint noise of the tires.

long silence.

"Then why..."

"After all, nobody knows what those people are really thinking, right?" Kaibu turned back to look at Hirano. "Besides, we don't have any other choice."

Kaibu looked at Hirano and suddenly changed the subject.

"Did you know that the Saionji family sold off the vast majority of their low-quality properties before the market started to fall?"

His voice was very low, as if he were afraid of disturbing some enormous creature hidden deep in the rainy night.

"Moreover, their businesses were almost completely unscathed. It's as if... they knew exactly when this disaster would happen. Not to mention their numerous near-predictive actions before this."

Hirano nodded in deep agreement.

"That's right. I often heard about it when I was working for Osawa Ichiro..." Cold sweat broke out on Hirano's forehead again. "The Saionji family has a 'witch' who can foresee the future... Is that true?"

"Who knows?"

Kaibu placed his hands back on his knees and closed his eyes.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But it doesn't matter."

"The important thing is that they can save our lives."

A deathly silence fell over the carriage once more. The tireless swishing of the windshield wipers, along with the heavy breathing of the two men lost in their own thoughts, echoed continuously on the road to Bunkyo Ward.

……

In the rainy night, the black sedan slowly slowed down and drove close to the heavy black cast iron gate of the Saionji main family residence in Bunkyo Ward.

Because this trip completely bypassed the Cabinet's security records, it was a top-secret visit made on a whim, without even making an appointment with the Saionji family in advance.

Haibu straightened up slightly, his fingers resting on the window control button, preparing to lower the window, identify himself to the security guard, and explain his purpose.

The car was still more than ten meters away from the gate.

"Buzz—"

With a slight hum of an electric motor, the two heavy cast-iron doors opened slowly and automatically to the sides without warning in the rain.

No security personnel approached to question them, and even the guardhouses on both sides of the gate were completely silent.

Kaibu's fingers, which were resting on the window button, froze.

Hirano's eyes widened, and he turned to look at Kaibe in alarm. The two exchanged a puzzled glance in the dimly lit carriage.

"Your Excellency..." The driver in the front seat stepped on the brake and nervously asked for instructions through the rearview mirror.

Kaibu took a deep breath and withdrew his hand.

"Drive it in." Kaibu tried his best to keep his tone calm.

The car restarted, rolled over the speed bump at the gate, and drove into that unfathomably dark courtyard.

The vehicle came to a smooth stop under the side porch.

The old butler, Fujita, dressed in a sharp black tailcoat, opened the car door with a huge black umbrella.

"The night rain is chilly, please watch your step." Fujita bowed slightly, his tone unhurried. "The head of the family and the young lady have been waiting for you in the tea room with hot tea."

Hirano paused slightly as he stepped out of the carriage. He subconsciously turned to look at Kaibe beside him.

Even though tonight's itinerary was a top secret decision made on the spot, and even the cabinet's security records were completely bypassed, how did the Saionji family manage to predict their arrival in advance?

Kaibu took a deep breath of the cold air, which was mixed with the fishy smell of rain, and forcibly suppressed the slight fear in his eyes.

"Thank you for leading the way." Kaibu tried his best to maintain a calm tone.

Please come with me.

Fujita turned around and tilted the edge of the black umbrella slightly towards the two of them.

In the darkness deep within the courtyard, wind and rain raged. The ancient mansion exuded an awe-inspiring weight in the night rain.

The two followed in the footsteps of the old butler, Fujita, and walked forward along the corridor with its cypress wood flooring.

Fujita stopped in front of a camphor tree gate with a wooden plaque that read "Tingyuxuan".

He folded his umbrella, placed his hands flat on his knees, bent slightly, and slowly pushed the spruce door open to both sides.

A warm breeze, carrying the delicate fragrance of the finest jade dew, wafted towards us.

The tea room is dimly lit.

Shuichi Saionji, dressed in a dark gray traditional kimono, sat regally at the head of the tea room. His expression was dignified, and his hands rested flat on his knees.

The main and guest seats are located on the side of the tea room.

Saionji Satsuki was wearing a plain-colored home kimono with a dark silver brocade sash around her waist.

She knelt quietly before the tea table. One slender, fair hand gripped the handle of the pure copper kettle, while the sleeve of her other hand was slightly rolled up. Boiling spring water poured from the spout into the purple clay teapot.

Kaifu and Hirano took off their rain-soaked leather shoes at the entrance and entered the tea room wearing white tabi socks.

The two walked to the guest seats with great restraint, bowed respectfully, and sat down.

Kaibu lowered his head slightly. According to the old class etiquette, he should have spoken to Saienji Shuichi, who was sitting at the head of the household and was the first to speak to him. However, his peripheral vision was involuntarily fixed on the girl who was quietly brewing tea to the side.

He knew very well who held the real power of decision-making in this vast business empire.

"I apologize for the intrusion in visiting so late at night and for disturbing your rest."

With his hands on his knees, Kaibu tried his best to maintain the composure expected of a politician.

"The matter is urgent. I would like to express my apologies to the Saionji family in advance."

Xiu Yi nodded slightly.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister is too kind. The storm is raging outside; please have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up first."

Satsuki put down the copper kettle. She picked up two freshly filled bone china teacups and gently pushed them across the rosewood tea table towards Kaibu and Hirano.

Thank you.

Kaibu did not touch the cup of tea.

He straightened up, without any of the lengthy preamble that politicians usually use.

"Secretary-General Osawa has decided to abandon the current cabinet. He is attempting to use me and Hirano as scapegoats to shirk responsibility in the upcoming parliamentary storm."

"This is... a small token of our appreciation."

Kaibu stared directly at the texture of the coffee table in front of him. He turned his head slightly and glanced at Hirano beside him.

Hirano immediately understood. He knew that when facing these two true power holders, he had to offer something that would entice capital.

He pushed the briefcase beside him forward half an inch. He unzipped it, took out several copies and two miniature audio tapes, and respectfully placed them flat on the coffee table with both hands.

"Miss Saionji, Mr. Shuichi."

Hirano's voice was strained.

"As I was Osawa Ichiro's chief secretary, I possessed all the records of his secret meetings with William, the U.S. Minister for Economic Affairs in Japan. Furthermore, in exchange for Washington's political endorsement, Osawa Ichiro privately promised to sell out the relevant interests of our country's Large Stores Law."

Hirano swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet Satsuki's deep eyes.

"These on the table are just copies and some daily recordings that I've kept privately over the years."

He clenched his fists and pressed them against his knees.

"The core details of Osawa's deal with the Americans, along with the original documents bearing his handwritten signature and top-secret communication tapes, are currently stored in a safe in the study on the second floor of Osawa's private residence in Minato Ward."

"Once we obtain that original evidence, it will be enough to definitively convict Osawa Ichiro of treason in terms of both legal principles and public opinion."

After Hirano finished stating his stakes, he fell silent.

Kaibu casually placed his hands on his knees, leaned forward slightly, and spoke with a resolute tone, as if he had nothing to lose.

"We have reached a dead end. We have come here today with this sincerity, hoping to seek refuge with the Saionji family."

Haibu lowered the head of what was nominally the head of state.

"In exchange, we are willing to offer our absolute loyalty."

Hirano then bent down deeply, burying his head extremely low.

The tea room fell completely silent.

Satsuki didn't speak, but instead took a clean white tea towel and carefully wiped away the few drops of water that had splashed onto the table when she poured the tea.

Her expression remained unchanged as she gently wiped the table, as if the prime minister before her was less important than keeping the desk tidy.

Satsuki remained silent, and Shuichi, who sat at the head of the table, also did not utter a word.

Kaifu and Hirano remained stiffly in a submissive posture, heads bowed.

Occasionally, the silver charcoal in the stove would crackle with an extremely faint sound. The rustling sound of the tea towel rubbing against the wooden tabletop was amplified infinitely in the deathly silent tea room, scraping against the nerves of the two people.