If Tokyo is the central hub of Japan, then Chiyoda Ward is its core. It's home to the Imperial Palace, government buildings, and the headquarters of many famous Japanese companies. Even the internationally renowned electronics district of Akihabara is located within Chiyoda Ward. Therefore, Tokyo residents often say that if Chiyoda Ward were destroyed, the whole of Japan would be paralyzed.
This is Japan's absolute political and economic center, irreplaceable.
Therefore, to own a huge mansion here, one needs not only substantial wealth but also an exceptionally high social status; otherwise, it would be impossible to enjoy villa-level treatment here.
Genji is clearly among them.
After Duanmu Ci returned to Tokyo, he continued to stay at the Hilton Hotel, and Wei Yue did not go home either. However, this did not mean that the elders of the Yuan family had relaxed their vigilance against him. The Yuan family sent several retainers to guard his door day and night, with two shifts of people taking turns to keep a close watch on him in order to prevent him from running away from home again.
Early the next morning, a Lamborghini pulled up in front of the Hilton Hotel. Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue got into the car under the escort (and surveillance) of Genji retainers. They would drive straight to Genji’s mansion.
Tokyo's roads are notoriously congested, but the driver seemed to have a deep understanding of the city's geography. Whenever there was a traffic jam ahead, he would find an inconspicuous side road, weave through it, and emerge from the blockage to find the road wide open and unobstructed. Duanmu Ci, sitting in the back seat, marveled at this, thinking that the driver could make a fortune just by selling these little maps.
This is a business opportunity; I'm sure many people will buy it...
Duanmu Ci shared his idea with Wei Yue, which made the latter burst into laughter. "Duanmu-kun is overthinking it. In fact, almost every driver of Tokyo's elites has a small map like this. The government specifically ordered officials from the Ministry of Transport to create this map so that these elites wouldn't waste their precious time on the road. This allows them to navigate Tokyo's congested streets without any problems, and it's strictly forbidden to circulate it. Otherwise, this map would be meaningless."
Duanmu Ci looked out the car window at the endless stream of people and cars and sighed softly. "No matter how the world changes, there is one thing that will never change: the powerful and wealthy will always be the center of this world, and everything and everyone serves this center. Even if the earth is to be destroyed, the powerful and wealthy will still have time to build Noah's Ark in the Himalayas."
Wei Yue laughed, "Duanmu-jun, that's quite a mischievous remark. You should know that you are a powerful and influential person."
...
...
After a period of driving, the Lamborghini stopped in front of a magnificent mansion. Duanmu Ci got out of the car and saw a middle-aged man in a black haori standing there, who laughed heartily, "It's an honor to have the head of the Duanmu family visit! Please come in!"
Duanmu returned the gift, saying, "Thank you for waiting so long, Mr. Yizong."
As the dignified head of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoshimune actually waited for him personally at the gate, which shows that he really valued this meeting with the Duanmu family.
Duanmu Ci turned around and had someone bring the gift up, saying, "I came to visit in a hurry this time and did not have time to prepare a generous gift. I heard that Mr. Yizong is well-versed in the art of tea, so I have specially prepared a set of Yuchuantang tea utensils for you. This is just a small gift, and I hope Mr. Yizong will accept it with pleasure."
Minamoto no Yoshimune laughed heartily, “The tea utensils from Tamagawa-do were also greatly admired by the Tokugawa Shogun back then, how can you call them a meager gift? Mitsuki, bring the things in, haha, please come in!”
"Please, Mr. Yoshimune!"
The two parties took their seats in the tea room, and Minamoto no Yoshimune cleaned the tea utensils. Then he began to prepare the tea.
"Your father used to love my tea the most, and he would always pester me to brew it for him. Sometimes I just couldn't resist, so I'd brew him a cup to get rid of him," Minamoto no Yoshimune said, feigning brotherly affection. "What can I say? We're best friends."
Duanmu Ci was dumbfounded. He thought to himself, "Back when you were a beginner in tea ceremony, the tea you brewed was barely better than dishwater, yet you always begged me to taste it, making me your guinea pig. Now you dare to shamelessly claim you begged me to drink it? There's no way to prove it now!" No wonder some people say you should outlive your enemy, because whoever outlives you has the final say…
Duanmu Ci forced a smile despite his nausea, saying, "My father often said that Mr. Yoshimune was his best friend. He was a refined person, and if he had been born in the Heian period, he would certainly have been a cultured nobleman."
"Me, a refined person? Did your father really say that?" Minamoto no Yoshimune laughed heartily, like a general brewing tea. "When I was drinking with him in Kabukicho back then, he didn't say that at all! He said I was just a dissolute playboy, how could he think of calling me refined? I suppose you, a junior, said that to make me happy."
Duanmu Ci smiled and said, "It is a refined thing for a young man to be romantic and charming. Which of the famous scholars in ancient times was not a passionate person? Mr. Yizong is a man of profound sentiments and romantic talent. Who dares to say that you are not a refined person?"
“He wouldn’t dare.” Minamoto no Yoshimune pointed at his son, Mitsuki.
Minamoto no Yoshimune poured the tea into patterned teacups and handed them to Duanmu Ci and Wei Yue respectively. “The ‘Iron-Dwelling Tales’ says that when it comes to tea, one person can gain the spirit, two people can gain the interest, and three people can gain the flavor. There are exactly three of us here, so we can also say that we have gained the flavor. Come, drink!”
After the three finished drinking, Minamoto no Yoshimune put down his teacup and said, "We've exchanged pleasantries and had our tea, so let's get down to business."
Duanmu Cixin thought to himself, "Just as I thought. No matter how much Minamoto no Yoshimune tries to embellish himself with elegant pursuits like the tea ceremony, he can't shake his impatience. He can't even contain himself if there's the slightest delay. Back in Kabukicho, he did the same thing; before the beautiful woman had even finished her dance, he had already grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap."
It's truly a case of "it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature."
Minamoto no Yoshimune said, "Back when the Duanmu family was doing business in Tokyo, my Minamoto family provided them with a lot of assistance. Now that my Minamoto family has a favor to ask, I'm sure the Duanmu family wouldn't be so heartless as to refuse, would they?"
Oh, so it's about "repaying a debt of gratitude." Duanmu Ci nodded. "Reciprocity is only natural. My Duanmu family received many favors from the Yuan family in the past. If Mr. Yizong needs any help from the Duanmu family, please don't hesitate to ask. As long as it's within my power, I will do my best!"
Minamoto Yoshimune said, "As you probably know, it's almost election year in Japan, and all sorts of people are mobilizing to push their own people to the prime minister's seat and live in the prime minister's official residence."
Duanmu Ci said, "The election of a prime minister in Japan is naturally a major event for your country, but what does it have to do with my Duanmu family?"
Minamoto no Yoshimune smiled and said, "The election of the prime minister is naturally unrelated to the Duanmu family, but my Minamoto family still wants to compete for it."
"So, what does Mr. Yoshimune mean?"
"My Yuan family has been lying low for a long time due to our stance during World War II, and we are still suffering from it. Although we are a prestigious family, no one has ever been able to claim this throne. However, now that time has passed and the war has ended, it is time for my Yuan family to make a comeback."
"Therefore, as the Yuan family aspires to the position of Prime Minister, we humbly request the Duanmu family to lend us a helping hand, considering our past relationship!" (To be continued)
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