While in America, the system says Roosevelt was an emperor.

After about ten seconds, Mike calmed down and his face wasn't so red anymore.

Seeing Tom enter the house, Mike was momentarily conflicted.

Should he continue to join the army, or go back and stop Tom from marrying his sister?

What will happen to my sister if I join the army right away?

Fourteen years old!

My sister is only fourteen years old, how could that beast Tom do such a thing?

But if I don't join the army now, what will my "bold words" in front of my father mean?

As Mike struggled with his decision, Tom knew he was just one step away from persuading Mike to change his mind, so he pressed his advantage and added insult to injury:

"Brother-in-law, go to the battlefield with peace of mind, don't worry about anything."

"Even if something unexpected happens, your mother will have me, her good son-in-law, to protect her."

"Christmas is just around the corner, your mother-in-law has definitely already prepared your Christmas present."

"But since you won't receive any gifts when you join the army, I, your good son-in-law, will gladly accept yours."

Mike recalled his mother's face, and the scales in his heart tipped completely.

Mike clenched his fist and charged at Tom.

Regardless of the consequences, at least before Christmas, we can't let Tom get away with it!

Tom wasn't stupid; he turned and entered the Corleone family's "prayer room."

The "prayer room" is the Corleone family's meeting room. Besides holding meetings, ordinary people who pay protection money to the family can also come here to plead with Godfather Vito if they have any trouble.

Over time, the meeting room came to be known as the "prayer room".

Tom entered the "prayer room," where all the male members of the Corleone family were present, and the atmosphere was very somber.

How can the family be in a good mood when their child is going to war?

The Corleone family truly possesses immense wealth; they're not starving hamsters.

How could they possibly be happy that their family members went to the battlefield to serve the emperor?

When Tom entered, everyone's expressions became even more unfriendly.

Tom spoke loudly, and everyone in the "prayer room" heard him. How could they possibly give Tom a pleasant look?

The old fogies in the family simply couldn't understand why Godfather Vito favored Tom, who was just a Yale law school student.

The Corleone family isn't short of money to hire gangster lawyers.

On the contrary, Godfather Vito remained calm and composed, sitting in the main seat, playing with the white cat in his hand.

Tom had barely been inside for three seconds when Mike followed him in, grabbed Tom by the collar, and made a move to hit him.

But Tom still had a sly grin on his face, his eyes full of provocation, urging the latter to hurry up and hit him.

Godfather Vito knew that Tom was deliberately trying to provoke Mike so that Mike would return, so he pointed at the two of them and said in his deep, husky voice:

"That's enough, separate them."

Their family members rushed forward and separated the two.

With Vito's declaration, Mike had no choice but to relinquish control.

After the two parted ways, several people cast concerned glances at Mike.

Mike snorted, turned his head away, and muttered to himself:

"Hmph, I just don't want this bastard to marry my sister."

"I will join the army after Christmas."

Vito looked at Tom, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

Tom's words sounded infuriating, but they were nothing serious; the most important thing was that the outcome was good.

Moreover, the marriage proposal was put forward by Vito's godfather to Tom's father, so he couldn't very well contradict himself.

Vito Corleone didn't want his son to go to war, but as the leader of a Mafia family,

If a son is forcibly placed under house arrest because of his enlistment in the army, and is not allowed to go to the battlefield, this is a sign of weakness.

The alpha wolf must never be weak.

Tom straightened the wrinkles in his shirt, walked up to Godfather Vito, his expression turning serious again, and addressed the crowd:

"Gentlemen, I have two pieces of news for the Corleone family."

"One good news, one bad news."

"I wonder which one you all, especially Godfather Vito, would like to hear first?"

Mike, clearly annoyed, retorted directly:

"What good news? You don't actually think that your marriage to my sister is some kind of good news, do you?"

Tom held up a finger and shook it at Mike, then continued:

"NONONO! Of course not, my good news is—"

"I have connections to help the Corleone family clear their name."

The entire "prayer room" suddenly fell silent, and a few seconds later, a deafening roar of laughter erupted.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"This bookworm has really gone stupid from reading too much. Why should we, the Mafia, need to whitewash ourselves?"

Tom ignored the laughter and looked at Godfather Vito.

Vito's hand, which was stroking the cat, froze, and his deep pupils met Tom's gaze.

Tom was too confident, so confident that even Vito the Godfather couldn't understand him.

Godfather Vito couldn't help but wonder whether Tom was truly confident or simply arrogant.

Confidence without substance is arrogance.

Tom was confident, knowing that Vito Corleone was determined to clean up the Corleone family's name.

No mafia organization doesn't want to go legal; if they do, it just means they haven't expanded enough.

Father Vito chased Hakimi away and asked Tom earnestly:

"Don't joke around in front of Corleone. Tell me about your connections."

Before Vito had finished speaking, the entire "prayer room" gasped.

Everyone was startled and muttered to themselves:

"What? Does this mean the family is really trying to whitewash its past?"

Vito Corleone's family had actually reached a point where they "needed to whitewash and transform."

But the martial arts faction members who rose to power with him are still unaware of this.

The most direct evidence is that Vito's godfather agreed to his daughter's marriage to Tom and was even willing to help Tom pass the bar exam.

If Vito Corleone didn't want to clear his name, he only needed a lawyer, and he could hire anyone.

But even underworld lawyers have "professional ethics" and won't lock themselves into the Corleone family;

Only if Tom becomes Vito Corleone's son-in-law will he be tied to the Corleone family's big ship and help the family launder their reputation.

Tom gave Vito a wink, and the latter understood, immediately ordering the Corleone family members to step back and leave.

Seeing that everyone had left, Tom took out a map from his pocket and spread it on the table in front of Godfather Vito—a map of Brooklyn.

Similar to Director Dennis's map, it also has color markings, but only in black and white.

Tom pointed to the map and explained it to Godfather Vito:

"White represents the division of power among various gangs in Brooklyn. Of course, only gangs that control more than one city block are eligible to be included on the map."

"Black represents the electoral districts for city-level elections, which affect the elections for mayor and city councilors."

Tom pointed to the district where the Corleone family was located and said to Godfather Vito:

"If I could, I could make a city district have only one gang, the Corleone family."

"At that time, even if the Corleone family cannot control the election, they will still be a force to be reckoned with."

"If the mafia can influence elections, who dares to call themselves the mafia?"

"City councilors, and even the mayor, have to respectfully address you as 'People's Entrepreneur' in order to get votes."