Tokyo: From Lawless Madpolice to Minister

"Actually, this matter is quite simple," Aoyama Xiu Xin put down his wine glass, his fingers lightly tapping on the table. "The crux of the problem is to find the key issue."

Fujimoto Ryosuke: (▔□▔)???

Listening to you is really like hearing a speech.

He forcefully restrained the impulse to splash the wine and listened patiently.

After all, the money for the meal had already been spent.

"What then is the key issue?" Aoyama Xiu Xin asked him, not waiting for an answer, he provided the answer himself, "It's that your promotion is not just about you alone, but it is also about shaking up the system of the Japan Police. So, at your age, trying to climb higher is like a single person fighting against the whole collective!"

"The people in the professional group study hard in cold windows, graduate from prestigious schools, and pass the civil service examination to become bureaucrats at a young age, whereas you, a bumpkin, if you rely solely on striving hard and being capable to attain the same status as us at the same age, then what meaning is there in our ten years of enduring hardship? What meaning is left in our prestigious diplomas?"

"Those now holding power invariably come from the professional group. Of course, they won't let you set this precedent, won't let someone like you have the chance to stand on equal footing with us. No matter how many merits you rack up, no one will promote you, because promoting you would be betraying their own class interests; it would be like joining you to fight against the entire existing bureaucratic class of the police department!"

Japanese society might seem inclusive and fair, but that's only an apparent phenomenon at the lower levels. At the upper echelons, especially within the power-holding departments, things are very closed off.

If your background is not up to par, no matter how capable you are, you'll only at most make it to the middle management. Don't even think about climbing higher.

So the identity of Aoyama Xiu Xin as a declining member of the Imperial Family might seem useless, but when he needs to climb up, it's actually quite significant; not only is there no bottleneck, but as long as he shows his value and ability, a large group of the Imperial Family will actively come out to support him.

"Regarding this, I was oblivious in earlier years, but in recent years, I have understood it clearly, so Mr. Aoyama doesn't need to analyze it anymore," Fujimoto Ryosuke said, his face looking somewhat displeased as he gulped down a swig of liquor with a resentful look in his eyes. "That's why I thought about giving up my surname and being adopted into another family, but Asai Police Chief ended up overtaking me."

"Actually, I like being underneath," Aoyama Xiu Xin said, somewhat embarrassed, and hesitantly corrected himself.

The corner of Fujimoto Ryosuke's mouth twitched slightly, and he took a deep breath, "Please, Mr. Xiu Xin, just get to the solution."

"As I was saying, the key to the problem is that no one would betray their own interests to defy their entire class and promote you. So, you just need to find someone who can promote you," Aoyama Xiu Xin said lightly.

Fujimoto Ryosuke couldn't keep his composure, his hand slamming down on the table, "Are you messing with me? You just said no one would promote me, so where am I supposed to find such a person?"

"Far in the horizon, yet near right before your eyes," Aoyama Xiu Xin said with a slight smile, addressing the matter lightly.

Fujimoto Ryosuke widened his eyes, "You?"

Aoyama Xiu Xin nodded unhesitatingly.

"Hahahaha," Fujimoto Ryosuke was directly driven to laughter by his frustration, pointing at him and said, "You're currently at the same level as me. What do you have to promote me with?"

"Mr. Liangyi, when I first joined, I was not at the same level as you, nor was I several days ago," Aoyama Xiu Xin said calmly.

The smile on Fujimoto Ryosuke's face gradually disappeared.

Aoyama Xiu Xin looked straight into his eyes, "As long as I become part of the higher echelons of the police department, I will certainly break new ground and use you. Only I would dare to do so!"

Whether he could actually achieve it was one thing.

For now, he would just draw him a pie in the sky.

Fujimoto Ryosuke pursed his lips, considering the other party's decisive act of shooting Zhongshan Akiyu, he had to admit that probably only someone as bold and rebellious as him in the entire police department would dare to promote him.

"What if by the time you rise to the higher echelons, I am already old and weary?" Fujimoto Ryosuke jokingly said.

Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed too, "That's why you have to help me, help me rise quicker, and it's also helping yourself."

Fujimoto Ryosuke fell silent, speechless.

"How about it, Mr. Liangyi, are you willing to bet your life on me?" Aoyama Xiu Xin earnestly looked at him and extended his hand.

"I hope that on the day you achieve success, you will still remember the promise you made to me today." Fujimoto Ryosuke said slowly as he shook hands with Aoyama Xiu Xin; only when their eyes met did they both feel a shiver of disgust and quickly let go of each other's hands.

Fujimoto Ryosuke had no better option but to place a bet on Aoyama Xiu Xin, it was better than doing nothing, since the situation couldn't get any worse than it already was.

He would never be content to have fought so hard and bled so much only to not achieve the status he deserved!

What was key, was that Aoyama Xiu Xin truly was a potential stock worth investing in; with robust skills and temperament, he was from the Imperial Family, had graduated from Tokyo University, and had earned the favor of Asai Ayumi, making investing in him a very good chance for success.

"Cough!" Aoyama Xiu Xin coughed twice to hide the awkwardness from a moment ago, composed himself, and then sat upright and said, "There's something I need your help with now."

"Please tell me, Mr. Xiu Xin." Fujimoto Ryosuke was a flexible man, and having made a decision and agreed to a partnership, he quickly adjusted his attitude.

Aoyama Xiu Xin said, "I need detailed information about the Noguchi Group, especially regarding their recent plans to acquire Nozawa Financial Corporation."

"Alright! Give me two days, and I'll have the information delivered to your hands," Fujimoto Ryosuke responded, then curiously asked, "Nozawa Financial Corporation?"

"It's Yeharadong's company. Since ancient times, great deeds have required money; without enough funds, how can we bribe officials, recruit subordinates, and progress together?" Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed heartily.

Fujimoto Ryosuke wholeheartedly agreed.

Why were the people in the Criminal Department now isolating him? Wasn't it because they had been silently bought over by Zhongshan Akiyu's small favors over time?

Indeed, money was an excellent thing!

However, he still feigned innocence and said half-jokingly, "Isn't it a bit cruel to bully a widow?"

"It's fine; I had already subdued her before I came here," Aoyama Xiu Xin said nonchalantly.

Fujimoto Ryosuke didn't quite understand what he meant.

Aoyama Xiu Xin poured a glass of wine and raised his glass, saying, "Let's toast to our mutual progress."

Their glasses clinked together lightly in the air,

producing a crisp and pleasing sound.

.........

At 10 a.m., after a hearty meal and drinks, Aoyama Xiu Xin and Fujimoto Ryosuke headed to the police station together to start their day.

"Idiot! Fujimoto Ryosuke, where the hell have you been!" As soon as they entered the office building, a corpulent youth hastily approached them, loudly drawing the attention of many colleagues.

Fujimoto Ryosuke's expression changed, feeling a mix of disgust and irritation, "Great, it's my boss, the aggressive Chief of the Search Division, Chief Qingshui Saburo."

Clearly, he had faced quite a few difficulties from him in the past few days.

"Bastard! I've been trying to find you just to get a report organized…" Chief Qingshui Saburo's cursing suddenly stopped, he sniffed the air and widened his eyes, "Idiot! Incompetent fool! You're skipping work to go drink?"

He raised his hand to slap Fujimoto Ryosuke across the face.

In Japan, workplace harassment was quite common, and during the chaotic '90s, this wasn't unusual at all.

Fujimoto Ryosuke neither dared to dodge nor could he; he could only endure the humiliation and brace himself for the slap.

Aoyama Xiu Xin quickly grabbed Chief Qingshui's raised wrist, "Chief Qingshui, please calm down a moment."