CHAPTER 776: CHAPTER 635: TIME TO PROVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Hatanaka family.

In a traditional room, Kiyohiro Tobita and Hatanaka Zizi sat facing each other. Both wore kimonos. Hatanaka Zizi seemed relaxed while brewing tea, whereas Kiyohiro Tobita appeared tense, sitting upright respectfully with his hands on his knees.

"I heard your work at the local prosecution hasn’t been going smoothly." After making the tea, Hatanaka Zizi casually remarked while pouring a cup for Kiyohiro Tobita.

"Yes!" Kiyohiro Tobita bowed deeply, ashamed and said with embarrassment, "I have disappointed you. Suzuki Daohiro has been deeply entrenched in the local prosecution for years, constantly engaging in open and covert battles with me."

"It is I who have let you down, Tobita-kun." Hatanaka Zizi did not blame Kiyohiro Tobita but shook his head and sighed helplessly, "Your roots were never in the Tokyo District Court. I abruptly transferred you there for the election and didn’t handle Suzuki Daohiro well, leading to my defeat. Now you face difficulties, have you ever thought of leaving?"

"I wouldn’t dare! It was you who gave me this opportunity, and yet I failed to make good use of it. So many people desire such a chance. I appreciate your kindness, but Suzuki Daohiro and I are now at odds, and I don’t wish to retreat." Kiyohiro Tobita replied respectfully, paused, and continued, "I’ve already endured the hardest days."

Now, although he cannot yet fully control the Tokyo District Court, he has gathered loyal supporters who can rival Suzuki Daohiro. Running away now wouldn’t serve his interests, and it would mean abandoning his followers in the court.

A person aspiring for a political career must have basic responsibility; otherwise, nothing can be achieved.

"Since that’s the case, if Tobita-kun needs any assistance in your work, please feel free to speak." Hatanaka Zizi nodded.

After the New Party’s defeat, Hatanaka Zizi resigned, and several party members left. He is currently in a low period.

He cherishes every force that still surrounds him. Since stepping down from the position of Deputy Prime Minister and party duties, he’s had more free time, often inviting people like Kiyohiro Tobita home to maintain connections.

He is only sixty, with a promising future, unwilling to quietly fade away after losing just once. So, he waits patiently, accumulating strength for the next opportunity.

Kiyohiro Tobita bowed, "Yes!"

"Ring, ring! Ring, ring!"

At that moment, his phone rang.

"Sir." Kiyohiro Tobita glanced at the incessantly ringing phone with an apologetic look towards Hatanaka Zizi.

Understanding, Hatanaka Zizi said, "Answer it; it might be something important. Just answer it here."

"Yes!" After responding, Kiyohiro Tobita turned slightly to pick up the phone. "Moshi moshi."

"What!" Suddenly, his expression turned serious. After responding distractedly a few times, he hung up and shuffled back a few steps before prostrating himself on the floor, "Please, save me, sir!"

"Tobita-kun, what are you doing? What happened?" Hatanaka Zizi’s expression also became serious.

Kiyohiro Tobita lifted his head, looking pale and awkward. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and awkwardly admitted, "I’ve been set up by that cunning Suzuki Daohiro! I just got a call saying that people from the Police Headquarters are investigating a case I handled recently at the court..."

He dared not hide it and confessed everything, from accepting bribes from a suspect’s father to arranging subordinates to threaten the victim’s family.

"How could you be so foolish, knowing Suzuki Daohiro is watching you closely?" Hatanaka Zizi reprimanded with disappointment.

Sweating all over, Kiyohiro Tobita pressed his forehead to the ground in repentance, "Yes! Your criticism is justified. I was blinded by greed, but I never imagined Suzuki Daohiro would entrap me like this. He’s already colluded with the police. Please, save me! Save me!"

"Knock, knock!" There was a knock on the door.

Hatanaka Zizi called, "Come in."

"Sir, two police cars have been parked outside the main gate for over ten minutes and have not left," a servant said, opening the Changzi Gate and bowing to Hatanaka Zizi.

Kiyohiro Tobita was shocked, looking up at Hatanaka Zizi, "Sir, they must be here for me. You have to help me! I don’t want to go to jail. I have rendered great service for you!"

Hatanaka Zizi’s face darkened. Although the police dared not enter his house to arrest someone, if Kiyohiro Tobita were captured at his doorstep, it would be known that he could no longer protect his subordinates.

He is already in a low period.

If loyalty dissipates, it will be hard to lead the team.

"Go and ask whose men they are." Hatanaka Zizi instructed the servant, then turned to Kiyohiro Tobita and scolded, "Enough! Be a man, not a child. I can protect you without you crying, but if I can’t, even your tears won’t help."

"Yes!" Kiyohiro Tobita sniffled and returned to a kneeling position, still looking at Hatanaka Zizi with a pitiful expression.

After a while, the servant came back to report.

"Sir, outside are personnel from the Third Investigation Division of the Criminal Department at the Police Headquarters, led by Chief Eguchi Shinji. He says they have verified that Prosecutor Kiyohiro Tobita accepted bribes to shield a criminal and have come to make an arrest."

Upon hearing the words ’Criminal Department,’ Hatanaka Zizi’s heart sank. Aoyama Xiu Xin, that bastard.

"Please invite Chief Eguchi to the living room for a moment," Hatanaka Zizi instructed a servant, then looked at Kiyohiro Tobita and said, "You stay right here, don’t go anywhere."

"Yes!" Kiyohiro Tobita nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick, then gritted his teeth and added, "I heard Suzuki Daohiro and Aoyama Xiu Xin are very close, it must be them framing me together!"

"What good is it to say this now?" Hatanaka Zizi replied irritably and then stormed off.

People might scheme, but it’s your own misconduct that drives you into their traps.

When Hatanaka Zizi arrived at the living room, Eguchi Shinji had already been led in by the servant. He laughed amiably and said, "Chief Eguchi is truly young and promising, a handsome talent indeed. Please, do sit down."

"Mr. Hatanaka," Eguchi Shinji bowed to him, raised his head, and said with a smile, "I hardly dare accept the words ’young and promising,’ that would more appropriately describe our Minister."

He already guessed Hatanaka Zizi’s intentions, so he straightforwardly declared his allegiance to Aoyama Xiu Xin.

Hatanaka Zizi was taken aback for a moment, then returned a smile and said, "Minister Aoyama is indeed an exceptional young talent, but I don’t think Chief Eguchi is far behind. Why be so modest? Please, have a seat first."

"I’ll stand. I know Kiyohiro Tobita is in your house. The Minister has specifically instructed us to wait outside and not enter to disturb you. Please convey to Kiyohiro Tobita that if he’s wise, he should come out voluntarily. It would count as a surrender. Goodbye." Eguchi Shinji said this, bowed again, and prepared to leave.

A dark look flashed in Hatanaka Zizi’s eyes. Are even the people under that little bastard so rude?

"Chief Eguchi, please hold on."

Eguchi Shinji paused in his steps and turned around, respectfully asking, "What else can I assist you with, Sir?"

"I wouldn’t dare offer advice, just some guidance based on decades of experience. Minister Aoyama has a strong background, solid support, and plenty skills. It’s understandable for a young person with success to act with little caution. But if others mimic that behavior, they might find their path narrowing." Hatanaka Zizi said with deep meaning.

Eguchi Shinji frowned and remained silent.

Seeing this, Hatanaka Zizi smiled slightly and calmly said, "Chief Eguchi, there’s no need to be so meticulous in your work. If you withdraw your men, it’s a natural human reaction for a Senior Police Director to step back in my presence. Blame everything on me. Aoyama Xiu Xin won’t blame you for it, but I will be grateful to you."

"I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Hatanaka, but I’m just a small character without connections. I don’t consider myself capable of navigating politically complex waters. I only wish to repay the Minister’s trust. You can communicate directly with the Minister; I will simply carry out my orders." Eguchi Shinji sternly replied before leaving without looking back.

He didn’t know Hatanaka Zizi well, but he knew Aoyama Xiu Xin very well. If he dared to betray the trust placed in him, he would undoubtedly face a terrible outcome.

Watching Eguchi Shinji’s departing figure, the smile on Hatanaka Zizi’s face slowly disappeared. He cursed under his breath, then called Yanchuan Shilang, explaining the situation and expressing a desire to use political leverage to protect Kiyohiro Tobita.

Yanchuan Shilang earnestly replied, "Hatanaka-san, do you expect me, the Prime Minister, to interfere with judicial integrity? Ridiculous. For the sake of our past relationship, I’ll pretend I never received this call."

With that, he hung up abruptly. He’s taking advantage of the Liberal Democratic Party’s current strength to suppress other parties.

This is an excellent opportunity to strike at Hatanaka Zizi personally and weaken the cohesion of the New Party. How could he give it up for some political interests?

Especially when suppressing all opposing parties to the point of silence makes it easier to pursue whatever political goals he has in the future, doesn’t it?

"Baka yarou!" Hatanaka Zizi cursed angrily upon hearing the busy signal, feeling the heavy pressure. Yanchuan Shilang’s attitude signalled a determination to eliminate other parties entirely, yet those opposition parties are still deceived by his veneer of harmony.

Hatanaka Zizi reluctantly dialed Aoyama Xiu Xin’s number, "Minister Aoyama, this is Hatanaka Zizi."

"What guidance does Mr. Hatanaka have for me?" At this moment, Aoyama Xiu Xin had just finished a call with Eguchi Shinji.

Hatanaka Zizi was in no mood for small talk. He directly said, "Withdraw the people outside my home."

"They are performing their duties. I must decline your request," Aoyama Xiu Xin said lightly.

After being consecutively rejected by people from different levels in just a few minutes, Hatanaka Zizi, whose mood had already been heavy, couldn’t hold it anymore, "Baka! Aoyama Xiu Xin, you cowardly bully, if you dare, send your people in to arrest me. I want to see if you dare!"

He hung up the phone right away.

He couldn’t believe that Aoyama Xiu Xin would dare to do that.

Barging into the home of a former Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament to make an arrest—what would other MPs think? Such a reckless, audacious person could only be used as an instrument by those in power, but no one would let him hold power himself.

If Aoyama Xiu Xin has any sense or greater ambition, he wouldn’t dare to do something that would isolate him from parliament.