Tokyo Three Generations

At this point, he turned his head and glared at his son.

"Sigh, if it weren't for my son being such a good-for-nothing, wouldn't I also wish to stay in my hometown and enjoy my old age... Who likes to work hard and worry about things?"

Hiroshi Takasaki, who was suddenly caught in the crossfire, was extremely unhappy.

However, he was already used to being scolded by his father, so he just treated it as a gentle breeze.

"Dad, with you here, we have a pillar of support. Just tell us what to do next."

Takasaki Jun did not answer, but instead looked at his grandson.

"Chun, are you free lately?"

“Yes, Grandpa,” Jun Takasaki replied briefly.

"Alright, you'll stay with me for the next few days and accompany me around Tokyo," the old man said briefly.

Then, as if apologizing to his grandson, he said, "I'm so sorry, we just parted ways recently and I've already taken up your time again. I know that an old man like me is already lifeless and won't be popular with young people, but sometimes things are just unavoidable... Thank you for your trouble."

“What are you saying!” Jun Takasaki quickly replied, “Grandpa, I would be happy to serve you.”

The interaction between the grandfather and grandson almost brought Hiroshi Takasaki to tears.

When has my father ever been so kind to me in his entire life? Let alone apologized to me.

This must be what is called "grandparental affection".

But he was always unhappy, so he could only keep it to himself.

Anyway, having my father to protect me is better than fighting alone.

? 66, big events and small meetings

After returning to Tokyo, Jun Takasaki quickly settled into his home.

The once quiet and unassuming retired elderly man suddenly seems to have entered a busy mode, making phone calls for several hours almost every day, sometimes whispering and sometimes roaring, so much so that Takasaki Jun, who lives in the next room, can often hear him.

Although he didn't know exactly what his grandfather was doing, he figured he must be trying to win over old connections and increase his family's influence.

A few days later, one morning, Takasaki Jun suddenly called out to his grandson.

"Chun, I'm going out to have dinner with someone. Why don't you come with me?"

Although his grandfather spoke calmly, Jun Takasaki sensed an impending storm.

Is the big one coming?

A sudden chill ran through him.

Since things had come to this, there was nothing more to say. He got into his grandfather's car with him, and then the driver started the car and quietly drove away from the Takasaki family home with the two of them inside.

The car drove through the streets, turned into several alleys, and finally arrived at the entrance of an unassuming ryokan (traditional Japanese restaurant).

The grandfather and grandson got out of the car, and Jun Takasaki helped his grandfather inside.

Although the entrance is inconspicuous, once you enter, you'll find that the interior of the ryotei is surprisingly luxurious, with all kinds of furniture and utensils being very expensive, and each private room is far apart, ensuring a high degree of privacy.

Led by the staff, the grandfather and grandson entered one of the private rooms.

The private room was also very luxuriously decorated, with hanging scrolls on the walls and flower arrangements and incense burners in the corner, all of which were obviously valuable items.

Jun Takasaki and his grandfather took off their shoes and walked onto the tatami mat. Just as the two sat down, the door was opened again.

Then, a man who looked to be in his sixties strode in.

His hair was already gray, parted, and his round face looked a bit chubby, but he was still full of energy; moreover, although he had a kind smile on his face, one could always feel a sense of pressure from his demeanor.

Upon seeing Takasaki Jun, he immediately bowed slightly.

"Senior, I'm sorry I'm late."

“It’s alright, you’re not late, I just arrived early…” Takasaki Jun nodded slightly, gesturing for the other person to sit opposite him.

The man opposite him obediently sat down.

Once everyone had arrived, the kaiseki cuisine began to be served one dish at a time: tuna, king crab, dried abalone, Wagyu beef... all sorts of exquisite dishes were brought out one after another.

Both of them were elderly and clearly had little appetite, so they only touched their chopsticks a few times as a formality. On the other hand, Jun Takasaki, in the spirit of "since we're already here," ate quite a lot.

Of course, he also made sure he didn't make any noise so as not to disturb the big boss.

Although his grandfather did not tell him who he was going to meet today, he knew who it was the moment the person walked in—because it was none other than the current Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, one of the core leaders of this faction.

Moreover, he is one of the key figures in this power struggle.

Now Jun Takasaki understands that his grandfather has already laid all his cards on the table and is about to reveal his hand.

Therefore, this transaction concerns the future honor and disgrace of the Takasaki family.

He glanced at his grandfather and saw that he was still calm. He couldn't help but admire him inwardly, so he lowered his head and took a few more big bites of Wagyu beef.

At first, neither side spoke. After a while, Takasaki Jun picked up the sake bottle, poured sake into the sake cup in front of Mogi, and then spoke.

"Mogi, although I have retired and no longer concern myself with worldly affairs, I have still heard a lot about you. You have been very successful these past few years... Now I must address you as Minister."

"What are you saying?" Mogi immediately looked extremely embarrassed. "Since I joined the faction, I have always been grateful for your guidance and support. I am just a junior in front of you. Your words make me feel ashamed."

After he finished speaking, he took the wine that Takasaki Jun had poured and drank it all in one gulp.

While he was speaking, Takasaki Junya was observing discreetly, and he was secretly pleased to see the minister's humble attitude towards him.

During this period, he was simultaneously cultivating relationships with various parties, using both threats and inducements to increase his family's leverage, while also spreading the message that the Xiaoyuan family was trying to win him over, thus creating pressure on them.

Now it seems that this method is very effective. When it came time to meet Mogi, the minister, who was originally very busy, immediately made time for him, and his humble attitude from the very beginning was enough to show that the other party was indeed very sincere.

Sincerity is the foundation of all transactions.

Now that we've confirmed our sincerity, we can move on to the next step.

"How could I presume to call myself a senior? My achievements in life are meager; I was merely born a decade or so earlier than you… The so-called guidance and mentorship are even less worthy of mention; I merely helped you a few times in passing." Takasaki Jun withdrew his hand, then gave a wry smile. "Mogi, I've known for a long time that you possess this ability, so I'm not surprised at all by your meteoric rise these past years. In fact, I'm somewhat gratified. After all, everyone has witnessed the decline and decay of our faction over the years, and it's time we needed someone as shrewd and capable as you to revitalize it…"

Upon seeing that the other party was clearly trying to push him to the top, Mogi's eyes flashed with secret joy, but he quickly concealed it.

"What are you saying... I am ignorant and lack prestige, how can I lead everyone! I only want to help the future president strengthen our faction, I have absolutely no covetous intentions."

"Really not?" Takasaki Jun looked directly at the other person and then pressed for an answer.

If it were anyone else, asking such a question would obviously be tactless, but as a senior, his question made it difficult for the other party to avoid it.

The two exchanged a glance, and Mogi's feigned modesty quickly crumbled.

Then, "Hahahaha..." the two of them burst into laughter at the same time.

One used laughter to cover up their embarrassment, while the other used laughter to prove that they had grasped the other's pulse.

Although Japan has adopted a parliamentary democracy, its political landscape ultimately adheres to traditional East Asian political rules.

Important matters are discussed in small meetings, while minor matters are discussed in large meetings.

In other words, important matters are usually decided in a closed room by a small group of people, and then the decision is signed and sealed by a general assembly to give it legitimacy.

Now is the time for a "small meeting".

"Mogi, now that things have come to this, there's no point in hiding our abilities. It's meaningless for either of us." Then, Takasaki Jun's tone became serious. "After all, what's wrong with wanting to improve ourselves? Without that ambition, neither of us would be working like slaves for someone else! If we were in each other's shoes, I would have done the same thing. But now, I'm too old, and I can only pour my last bit of strength into you..."

"Will you... support me?" By now, Mogi was too lazy to dodge anymore. He looked directly at his senior and asked in a low voice, "If you are willing to help, I would be extremely grateful."

"At this point, for me to beat around the bush and spout empty rhetoric would be an insult to both of us." Takasaki Jun's voice, no longer weak as before, suddenly rose in intensity. "Mogi, I can take care of 10 people for you now. What can you give my son in return?"

Establishing oneself in politics is both complex and simple.

It's complicated because you have to find ways to balance the needs of all parties, win over valuable allies, cultivate loyal followers, and also find ways to undermine others and avoid being undermined by others...

It's simple because, in essence, it's a cold and simple calculation—the more votes you control, the more power you have.

The cabinet needs a number of seats in parliament to function, parliament needs the approval of factions to function, and within factions, the number of people determines who becomes the leader.

Therefore, when the core of power begins to clash fiercely, whoever can gather more votes will be the winner, and the victor will be king while the loser is left to eat dust.

Although the Heisei Research Institute has declined considerably compared to its heyday, it is still a force to be reckoned with, and at this point in time, there are still about 50 members of both houses of parliament within its faction.

In other words, whoever gets more votes out of these 50 will be the future leader of the faction.

If Takasaki Jun really does as he promised and garners 10 more votes for his side, the opposing side will lose 10 potential supporters. With this shift in power, plus his own staunch supporters, it's almost certain that he will win the battle for factional succession.

Mogi knew, of course, that a "gift" of this magnitude could not be given away for no reason.

This is a serious matter, and he needs time to consider it. However, the aggressive attitude of the senior in front of him clearly means that he can't afford to give him much more time to think.

Moreover, according to the information he had received, his senior had also received an offer from the Obuchi family, and they were clearly waiting for the right price to go.

Since one must be willing to pay a price to climb higher, Mogi suddenly spoke after a moment of thought and weighing the pros and cons.

“I have always been very grateful for your help back then, and I would be happy to repay your kindness if I have the opportunity. Moreover, I have worked with Haojun for many years and I admire his abilities very much... Therefore, I plan to appoint him as the Secretary-General of this faction once I am able to take office as the president. What do you think?”

Takasaki Jun was slightly taken aback.

It wasn't that he thought the other party's offer was too low, but rather that he hadn't expected the other party to be so "generous".

Within the factional system, the highest position is the president, followed by important positions such as vice president, policy committee chairman, group committee chairman, and secretary-general. The secretary-general, below the secretary-general, assists in handling the faction's funds, personnel, and election resources. He ranks fifth or sixth in the power hierarchy and can be considered part of the core layer.

Moreover, following the tradition of factional infighting, after winning the competition, Mogi would obviously give Obuchi Yuko a title such as vice president to appease her and take away her remaining supporters.

Therefore, in the hierarchy of power, the son can move up one rank, roughly equivalent to the third or fourth most important figure in the faction.

In any case, the offer was commensurate with his efforts, and he even felt it was a bit too generous to his son.

However, having seen too much of the world, he remained very calm, simply picking up the bottle and pouring another glass of wine into the other person's glass.

"Mogi, I've always said you're destined for great things."

This short sentence means everything.

Mogi wore a victor's smile, then picked up his glass again, downed it in one gulp, and showed the bottom of his glass to Takasaki Jun.

"I always keep my word, so you can rest assured, senior."

“Yes, I have no doubt at all.” Takasaki Jun nodded. “Then, let’s do it this way. Mogi, you will soon become our new generation leader. From now on, the future of the entire faction and our family is in your hands.”

"I am truly humbled and trembling with fear." Mogi bowed deeply to Takasaki Jun.

"Chun." Just then, the old man suddenly turned his head and called out to his grandson. "Help me up."

Jun Takasaki quickly stood up, went to his grandfather's side, and helped him up.

At this moment, Mogi also stood up, looking at the young man with a puzzled expression.

“This is my grandson, Jun,” Takasaki Jun introduced to the minister.

Mogi suddenly realized what was going on, and then looked at the young man a few more times.

He initially thought this was Takasaki Jun's secretary and confidant, so he didn't pay much attention. But now, upon closer inspection, he realized that this young man was indeed excessively young.

So it's his grandson, no wonder... he thought to himself.

At this moment, Junya Takasaki, being very perceptive, immediately bowed deeply, paying his respects to the future chairman of the faction as a junior.

“Mr. Mogi, it’s an honor to meet you! My family has always been well taken care of by you, and I am very grateful.”

Compared to his reserved demeanor, Mogi appeared much more approachable. He nodded first, then extended his hand to the young man.

"I've long heard that the young master of the Takasaki family is very outstanding, and seeing him today, he truly is a handsome and talented man!"

Since he was being so accommodating, Jun Takasaki naturally wouldn't be ungrateful, so he extended his hand and shook hands with the minister.

Although he was facing ministers and leaders of his own faction, he remained neither humble nor overbearing, displaying just the right amount of honor without being obsequious or subservient.

Mogi, who had been observing him, nodded in agreement.

"By the way, I heard you're a student at Tokyo University?"

“Yes, I am currently studying at the University of Tokyo,” Jun Takasaki replied immediately.

Others might not care about this, but Mogi secretly gave him extra points in his heart, because he himself was a graduate of the University of Tokyo and had also studied at Harvard, creating a golden brand of "elite talent", which could be regarded as laying the first step of the foundation for his political career.

No wonder that old man Takasaki brought his grandson out for training at such a young age...

Although the young man in front of him was very talented, he felt no jealousy or sense of crisis.

After all, the two are too far apart in age and have no conflict of interest. By the time the young man truly makes a name for himself, he will either be retired or already dead, so there is no need to worry about being threatened.

Because he can set aside his own interests, he is able to appreciate the other person from a purely objective perspective.

"The future of our faction rests on the shoulders of outstanding young people like you. Work hard!"

Then he patted the young man on the shoulder.