After the event, Aoyama Xiu Xin returned ho still exhilarated, hugging his sister-in-law and giving her a forceful kiss.
The success of this usurpation excited him more than any previous promotion, for a promotion was granted by others, whereas this ti he had seized it himself!
He did not like being a re petitioner; he preferred earning his dues through his own hard struggles.
"What’s the matter, what good news has made you this happy?" Aoyama Haruko asked, puzzled.
"Ha-ha, you wouldn’t understand if I told you," Aoyama Xiu Xin did not explain to her, releasing her and making a call to Yanchuan Shilang, "Grandfather, it’s Xiu Xin."
"Xiu Xin, how did it go?" Yanchuan Shilang had guessed he was going to talk about Fujimoto Takayoshi.
"Thanks to Grandfather’s blessing, it was a complete success," Aoyama Xiu Xin spoke with a tone filled with delight, saying, "Using your influence, I’ve convinced all the ministers and directors at the headquarters not to be swayed by Fujimoto Takayoshi’s incitent, and pressured Fujimoto Takayoshi to agree to report in Tokyo."
"Good! Good! Good!" Yanchuan Shilang repeatedly praised upon hearing this and laughed heartily, "Xiu Xin has never disappointed as always!"
If Fujimoto Takayoshi had mobilized the local police to forcefully confront the National Public Security Committee, the situation could have gotten ugly. Now, with Fujimoto Takayoshi voluntarily going to Tokyo to report, it not only achieved the Committee’s goal of reassignnt but also upheld its authority.
"However, to persuade him, I also unilaterally promised him a condition," seeing Yanchuan Shilang in high spirits, Aoyama Xiu Xin cautiously spoke.
"What condition?" Yanchuan Shilang casually asked.
"I agreed to just let him take early retirent, not pursuing any of his other responsibilities," Aoyama Xiu Xin answered.
"No problem, we can’t afford for Xiu Xin to break his word," Yanchuan Shilang readily agreed, as their original aim at the Committee was just to reassign Fujimoto Takayoshi, not necessarily to bring him to justice.
That would be too troubleso.
They might even need to investigate Fujimoto Takayoshi’s wrongdoings.
"Thank you, Grandfather, for your understanding," Aoyama Xiu Xin sighed in relief, his tone becoming lively again, then continued, "I know the National Public Security Committee’s goal in reassigning Fujimoto Takayoshi is to rectify the Hokkaido Police System, but to persuade everyone to join in forcing Fujimoto Takayoshi out, I promised I would safeguard them, so can we perhaps act a bit more gradually."
"You sly fox, do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?" Yanchuan Shilang snorted, his tone indifferent, "Since they all look up to you now, of course you must protect them!"
The National Public Security Committee wanted to rectify the Hokkaido Police System because for years Fujimoto Takayoshi had managed the local system like an iron fortress, allowing his subordinates to misbehave, repeatedly causing scandals.
This severely affected the image of the civil servants.
The most crucial issue was that he did not listen to his superiors!
But now, with Aoyama Xiu Xin able to control the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, it was tantamount to the Yanchuan Family directly controlling the Hokkaido Police Headquarters—how could Yanchuan Shilang possibly weaken his own power?
"Hey! Thanks, Grandfather, I assure you that the Hokkaido Police will only follow the Yanchuan Family!" Aoyama Xiu Xin, no longer anxious, continued, "To facilitate this goal, I hope Grandfather can appoint Deputy Director Yamashita Kogoro to replace Fujimoto Takayoshi’s position. It makes sense for him to move from Deputy Director to Director since the Director is implicated, and crucially, he does not seek power and has a great relationship with ."
"I’ll try my best, although I’m the chairman, I can’t make it happen with just a word; after all, from a fair standpoint, Yamashita Kogoro is not suitable for the position," Yanchuan Shilang did not make a definitive promise.
He did not want to continue purging the Hokkaido Police System because it had beco his power, but that didn’t matter to the other mbers, so they would definitely oppose his irrational suggestion.
"Hey!" Aoyama Xiu Xin acknowledged, then confidently continued, "Rest assured, Grandfather, even if they do send a hardliner, I will certainly safeguard what rightfully belongs to our Yanchuan Family."
"Mm," Yanchuan Shilang responded indifferently.
Aoyama Xiu Xin knew it was ti to end the call, "That’s it then, I won’t disturb Grandfather’s rest anymore."
Yanchuan Shilang casually ended the call.
"Grandfather, this whole affair must’ve been orchestrated by Aoyama Xiu Xin for his own power grab. He knew he couldn’t be promoted in the short term but was not content with just the ministerial powers," Yanchuan Xianyou, listening to the entire conversation, incisively stated.
The more he understood Aoyama Xiu Xin, the less he liked him; his ambition was too great, his courage too strong, and he did not abide by the rules.
Yanchuan Shilang nodded, "I know."
He initially did not realize the role Aoyama Xiu Xin played in this matter, but as he learned more information, he saw through everything.
"You knew?" Yanchuan Xianyou was startled, then frowned in confusion, "Then why still..."
"As long as he is still my adopted grandson, as long as he is still weaker than the Yanchuan Family, then the power he holds is always the power of the Yanchuan Family. Why should I stop him?" Yanchuan Shilang counter-questioned.
Yanchuan Xianyou fell silent, "...I..."
"You are afraid," Yanchuan Shilang saw through his grandson’s thought in an instant, summarizing, "You are afraid because his ambition is too large, his courage too big, his capabilities too strong, you can’t help but fear that he might dare to usurp your power one day, as he dared to usurp the Director’s power today."
"Hey!" Embarrassed and ashad, Yanchuan Xianyou lowered his head, finding it difficult to et his grandfather’s eyes.
Yanchuan Shilang exhaled and lectured with deep sincerity, "Xianyou, understand this, the reason Aoyama Xiu Xin could do all this is because he relied on the Yanchuan Family! As long as his strength does not surpass the Yanchuan Family, he poses no threat to you. Do you think his power can surpass our Yanchuan Family?"
"Of course not!" Yanchuan Xianyou answered without hesitation, then proudly added, "Our Yanchuan Family has accumulated deep resources through several generations’ struggle. Even if Aoyama Xiu Xin is impressive, he, through his generation’s efforts alone, cannot surpass us! Even if he beca the Pri Minister, he would still be inferior to the Yanchuan Family, and without the support of the Yanchuan Family, he simply could not beco the Pri Minister."
That is the confidence of being born into a wealthy and esteed family, despite being thinly populated and only having a single heir over three generations. The connections and money amassed through past generations’ marriages and mutual benefits are not sothing anyone can catch up with in a short ti—they require the accumulation through ti.
"Yes, since that is the case, what are you worrying about?" Yanchuan Shilang nodded and took a sip of tea, "We can reprimand him, but we can’t limit him, otherwise we are limiting the expansion of the Yanchuan Family itself and might even turn gratitude into enmity."
"Hey! The grandson has been taught!" Yanchuan Xianyou said, bowing deeply with his hands on his knees.
...
The next day, Fujimoto Takayoshi temporarily handed over his work to Yamashita Kogoro and set off for Tokyo.
Yamashita Kogoro, leading all the ministers of the police headquarters at the entrance, watched as his vehicle departed and then turned to Aoyama Xiu Xin, saying, "During the ti I report my duties, I entrust all matters of the headquarters to Minister Aoyama. I’m not adept at handling governnt affairs and will focus more on the concrete cases."
Although he had not been present the previous night, his image as a good-natured man ant he wasn’t lacking in sources of information, so he was also aware of what had happened; this was his public declaration of no intent to compete for power with Aoyama Xiu Xin and also to direct others with issues to Aoyama Xiu Xin instead of bothering him.
To be honest, because he had always been a regular dining companion of Aoyama Xiu Xin, he had a good impression of him and could never have dread that he would do such a thing, which inevitably caused him to feel more alienated and fearful.
As a person like him, who disliked those with deep sches and intense lust for power, it was better for each to go their own way, lest one day he might be calculated against and used.
"Hey!" Aoyama Xiu Xin bowed in response; he could feel a thick barrier had ford between them.
This didn’t surprise him; if one wanted to be a good political creature, one shouldn’t expect to have genuine friends.
Unless that friend wasn’t a bureaucrat.
Like Fujimoto Ryosuke, who was far away in South Korea.
Yamashita Kogoro walked away without looking back.
The ministers looked at Aoyama Xiu Xin with hopeful eyes.
"Get back to work," said Aoyama Xiu Xin.
The ministers bowed to him before dispersing.
Aoyama Xiu Xin stood still, feeling the breeze that blew towards him; he leisurely lit a cigarette, smoked, and then turned back to look at the police headquarters’ entrance with a bright smile and full of fighting spirit.
From now on, this was his police headquarters!
Three days later, the Hokkaido Police Headquarters announced that they had verified a series of illegal criminal acts by Kudou Misaki, Fujino Norihiko, and Ishida Koyun and formally handed the cases over to the prosecutor’s office to pursue their legal responsibilities.
At the sa ti, the National Public Security Committee also issued a punishnt for Fujimoto Takayoshi, dismissing him from all duties for negligence in supervising subordinates and ordered him to retire early.
These two pieces of news, once reported, significantly cald the public’s anger; after all, the governnt had indeed taken a decisive attitude and action in resolving the situation.
Those who should be prosecuted were prosecuted, and accountability was pursued where needed.
Kudou Misaki, Fujino Norihiko, and Ishida Koyun were completely despondent, having originally hoped that Fujimoto Ryosuke would eventually get them out.
However, with Fujimoto Takayoshi unable to save himself and retiring early, they were thoroughly finished!
After returning to Tokyo, Fujimoto Takayoshi visited the three of them.
And he inford them of the true nature of the events.
Upon hearing this, all three could hardly believe it—the mastermind was Aoyama Xiu Xin? And that cunning guy had actually succeeded in usurping Fujimoto Takayoshi’s power?
After accepting this reality, the three of them cursed Aoyama Xiu Xin vehently.
They never offended Aoyama Xiu Xin!
Yet that bastard had unhesitatingly turned them into sacrificial lambs for his ends—despicable!
Regrettably, those who deserved to die didn’t, instead, Fujino Norihiko and Ishida Koyun were soon sentenced to death by the court, and Kudou Misaki was sentenced to life imprisonnt.
This result made nurous citizens cheer and rejoice.
During this ti, the entire Hokkaido police force knew that Aoyama Xiu Xin had effectively beco the chief of the headquarters; so eager precinct chiefs ca forward to Sapporo to pay homage and align with him, while others played dead and ignored the events in Sapporo.
However, the nominal chief of police had not been appointed by the National Public Security Committee, reportedly due to significant controversy.
anwhile, the Titan Gang and Beihai Family completed their first arms trade—over six hundred guns and tens of thousands of bullets all sold out. The news exhilarated the Titan Gang, affirming the Japanese market’s value and appointing Jack as the regional head for Japan, responsible for all dealings.
In late June, Oguma Hideyama’s investigation team, along with the corrupt mbers from the military forces given by Ueda Hikoshu, managed different levels of findings.
The Cabinet announced the successful conclusion of the investigations and officially made the results public; all the military personnel involved were to be brought before a military court.
Based on the circumstances of the Northern Forces alone, it was clear how much the so-called "successful" was exaggerated.
Three senior officials from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters were sentenced to death or life imprisonnt, and the rotten elents hidden in the military were arrested and brought to court, making the citizens vaguely sense that the country might start improving.
But illusions are just illusions. With a person like Aoyama Xiu Xin striving, the country would only beco worse!
On June 22, in the afternoon, Aoyama Xiu Xin received so distressing news. Yanchuan Shilang called to tell him that the new chief of the Hokkaido Police Headquarters had been decided, but it wasn’t Yamashita Kogoro.
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