noveltune Chapter 43: The Check Titled "Compromise"
Chapter 43: The Check Titled "Compromise"
In mid-April of 1987, the cherry blossoms in Tokyo had already fallen.
Instead, there is a continuous, cold drizzle during the Grain Rain season.
The upscale ryotei "Tsuruya" in Akasaka is hidden at the end of a secluded stone-paved street. Unlike those neon signs that seem to want the whole world to know they're there, there's only a paper lantern that's always lit at the entrance and an ebony plaque engraved with the shop's name.
Rain dripped down the black tiles, striking the startled deer deep in the courtyard.
"when--"
The sound of the bamboo tube striking the stone was crisp and lonely, repeating every ten seconds or so.
Shuichi sat in the private room called "Matsukaze," with a pot of warm sake and several exquisite kaiseki appetizers on the low table in front of him. But he didn't touch his chopsticks; he just turned his head to look at the red maple tree in the courtyard, which was wet with rain, his eyes calm.
He is waiting.
Since that sleepless night in Meguro Ward two weeks ago, the Seibu Group has suddenly fallen silent.
The arrogant and domineering Quan Tian has disappeared, and the bulldozers on the construction site no longer try to cross the barbed wire fence. The entire Meguro Ward project seems to have been put on pause, with billions of yen of funds sitting there day after day, exposed to the elements.
But Shuichi knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
As a behemoth controlling one-sixth of Japan's land, the Seibu Group will never give up.
"Splash!"
The sliding door to the private room was pushed open silently.
The female general knelt at the doorway, bowing deeply with her forehead pressed against the back of her hand.
"Lord Saionji, Mr. Shimada has arrived."
Xiu turned his head and looked calmly toward the doorway.
A man wearing a dark gray three-piece suit and frameless glasses walked in.
He looked to be around forty years old, thin, and pale. His hair was neatly combed, and not a single drop of rainwater was even on the edge of his leather shoes.
Shimada.
Chief confidential secretary to Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, Chairman of the Seibu Group.
In Tokyo's business world, he was the shadow of the man known as "Emperor Seibu." His appearance signified that things had escalated to the highest level.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Saionji."
Shimada walked to the table, but instead of sitting down immediately, he bowed deeply.
This bow lasted for a full three seconds.
"I am Shimada. I have come to apologize to you on behalf of the chairman."
Shuichi didn't stand up; he simply raised his hand slightly.
"sit."
Shimada straightened up and sat down opposite Shuichi. His back was ramrod straight, and his hands were neatly placed on his knees, like a statue.
"Regarding the unpleasant incident that occurred two weeks ago in Meguro Ward..."
Shimada's voice was very soft, and there was no trace of emotion in it.
"That was a subordinate company acting without authorization, which seriously violated the group's compliance guidelines. Chairman Tsutsumi is very dissatisfied with this."
"Dissatisfied?" Shuichi poured himself a glass of wine. "I thought Chairman Tsutsumi would think that was 'decisive and efficient'."
"No." Shimada adjusted his glasses. "The Seibu Corporation is a respectable company. This kind of barbaric behavior does not conform to our aesthetics."
He paused, his tone turning colder.
"As an explanation, Vice Minister Gonda has been relieved of all his duties. The group is considering his next move, and the preliminary decision is... to send him to the Furano Ski Resort in Hokkaido to be in charge of... snow removal work there."
He went from being the deputy head of the development department in charge of projects worth tens of billions of yen to a snowplow in Hokkaido.
This is the internal family law of a large conglomerate.
Xiu Yi listened without any expression on his face.
I don't care where Quan Tian goes to shovel snow.
Shuichi picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
"What I'm concerned about is, how does the Seibu Group plan to deal with that scar?"
"Of course, cure it."
Shimada took a white envelope out of his briefcase.
He pushed the envelope in front of Shuichi.
"This is a solution personally approved by the chairman."
Shuichi put down his wine glass and opened the envelope.
Inside was a check.
1,000,000 yen.
Three hundred million.
Shuichi stared at the number without saying a word.
Two months ago, the land was bought for only 50 million. 300 million means a six-fold return.
"Mr. Saionji".
Shimada observed Shuichi's expression and spoke calmly.
"You bought this land for 50 million. We offered 300 million. A six-fold return in just two months. That's an astronomical figure in any investment field."
"This is Seibu's sincerity."
"Sincerity?"
Xiu smiled.
He held up two fingers and picked up the check as if he were holding a fallen leaf.
"Mr. Shimada, if I remember correctly, when Gonda came last time, he asked for 200 million. What, that night riot police were deployed, and my land was almost burned down, is the Seibu Group's compensation only worth 100 million?"
He flicked his wrist.
The check floated away and landed on the tatami mat.
"Mr. Shimada, your sincerity is far too weak."
Shimada frowned slightly.
He didn't pick up the check; instead, he pushed up his glasses, his eyes sharpening.
"Mr. Saionji, one should know how to be content."
Shimada's voice turned colder.
"Three hundred million is already a premium for the acquisition. If you think that's not enough, then I have to remind you of something."
"The Seibu Group has a hundred legal means to turn that land into a real wasteland."
"For example, we can modify the design to bypass that piece of land. Or, we can apply for a change in municipal planning to build a high wall around it."
"By then, the land you own won't even have enough sunlight to grow vegetables."
"Yeah?"
Shuichi picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of pickled octopus, and put it in his mouth.
That tangy flavor spread throughout my mouth.
"Then why haven't you revised the blueprints yet? Why did you come here to find me?"
Shuichi swallowed the octopus, raised his head, and his eyes were piercing.
"Mr. Shimada, Seibu Estate is going public in October, right?"
Shimada's pupils contracted sharply.
"The project in Meguro Ward is the flagship asset in the prospectus. If construction cannot commence due to land disputes, or if changes to the planning lead to a decrease in the floor area ratio..."
Shuichi picked up his wine glass and swirled it gently.
"If the IPO is delayed, or the offering price is affected, the Seibu Group's losses will likely exceed 300 million yuan, right?"
"Furthermore, although the police didn't make a fuss about what happened that night, if I were to put up a huge sign on that spot that reads 'Seibu Group Hired Arson Scene'..."
"I think this must be quite a problem for Chairman Tsutsumi, who values his reputation highly and wants to raise funds in the international capital market."
The private room fell into a deathly silence.
Only the startled deer in the courtyard continued to make monotonous "clang, clang" sounds.
Shimada stared intently at the gentle and refined man before him.
Before he arrived, he thought that as long as he paid enough money and gave them enough face (by dealing with Quan Tian), the other party would back down easily. After all, no one really wants to offend Seibu.
But to his surprise, the other party not only didn't fall for it, but also accurately seized upon Seibu's weakness.
Going public.
That was Yoshiaki Tsutsumi's top priority this year, and he absolutely could not afford to fail.
"How much do you want?"
Shimada took a deep breath, his voice slightly strained.
Money is not a problem.
Shuichi put down his glass and looked at Shimada.
The problem is attitude.
"Three hundred million yen is like a coin tossed to a beggar. The Seibu Group still believes that as long as they wave money around, everyone will make way for them."
Xiu stood up and straightened his clothes.
"Sorry, the Saionji family doesn't lack that kind of money."
"I'll have someone reinforce that barbed wire fence. If you want to start work, feel free to come and try."
An order to leave.
Shimada's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
He stood up without even picking up the checks from the ground.
"Mr. Saionji, you are playing with fire."
"Shimada said coldly."
"Chairman Tsutsumi's patience is limited. In Tokyo, no one has ever dared to refuse Seibu's 'goodwill' like this."
"That's because no one dared to say 'no' to him before."
Xiuyi walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.
A damp, cold wind blew in.
"Go back and tell Chairman Tsutsumi."
"The Club will open in Azabu-Juban on the 20th of next month."
"If he really wants to solve this problem, teach him how to knock on the door like a gentleman."
"Instead of sending a secretary with checks to teach me how to do business."
Shimada watched Shuichi's retreating figure.
He understood that today's negotiations had completely fallen apart.
What the other party wanted wasn't money, but for that high and mighty "Emperor Seibu" to bow down.
"Okay. I'll pass it on."
Shimada straightened his suit and resumed his aloof manners.
"I hope you'll still be this tough then."
After saying that, he opened the door and walked out without looking back.
The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Shuichi stood by the window, watching Shimada's figure disappear into the rain.
His palms were sweaty.
After all, this is a battle of wits with Japan's richest man; it would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous.
"Come out."
Xiu Yi let out a long sigh of relief.
"Everyone's gone."
From the shadow of the screen came the sound of light footsteps.
Satsuki came out. She held a glass of bright orange juice in her hand, her face showing no worry, but rather the excitement of a hunter seeing his prey fall into his trap.
"They refused 300 million in cash."
Satsuki walked to the middle of the tatami mat, bent down, and picked up the abandoned check.
"Father, your acting skills are getting better and better."
"My legs are shaking." Shuichi chuckled wryly as he sat back down on the cushion. "That's Yoshiaki Tsutsumi. What if he really turns on us and uses his political power... Although thanks to ample funding, many of our ancestors' political influences have recently aligned themselves with us, I still don't have a complete grasp on the situation if we really have to confront Yoshiaki Tsutsumi..."
"He wouldn't dare, and he wouldn't."
Satsuki tore the check in half and threw it into the wastepaper basket.
"Because he's now the one wearing the shoes. To go public, he has to present himself as a perfect, compliant, modern entrepreneur."
"The more he wants to maintain his dignity, the more we need to make him suffer."
Satsuki sat down and took a sip of orange juice.
"Shimada will definitely report your attitude truthfully when he returns."
"For someone like Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, problems that money can solve are not problems. What bothers him the most is when someone dares to challenge his authority."
"So what's next?" Xiu asked. "Are we just going to sit here and wait?"
"No."
Satsuki shook her head.
"We've already drawn our swords. Now, it's time to give them a way out."
She looked out the window at the pitch-black night.
"The opening ceremony of The Club was held on those steps."
"If Yoshiaki Tsutsumi is smart enough, he will realize that joining us is the lowest-cost solution."
"What if he's not smart enough?" Shuichi asked with some concern.
"Then let's increase the stakes."
A cold glint flashed in Satsuki's eyes.
"I'll have someone paint that land pink. Then I'll throw heavy metal parties there every day."
"I'm wondering if his mansion can still be sold."
"I want Tsutsumi Yoshiaki to know that he either has to cooperate with us or he has to be our enemy. Even if the Saionji family is not as powerful as his ancestors were for the time being, this 'Emperor Seibu' cannot command us."
Xiu paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly.
"You child...you're a devil."
"In this cannibalistic bubble age, it's better to be a devil than a sheep."
Satsuki put down her cup and stood up.
"Father, are the invitations to The Club ready?"
"Everything is ready, and I've already released the news within the faction."
"Even with the pressure from Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, will they still give you face, Father?" Satsuki patted Shuichi with a smile. "It seems you are not to be underestimated, Father."
"You silly girl..." Shuichi shook his head with a wry smile. "No matter what, I am the head of the Saionji family. If I can't even handle this little thing, wouldn't I be disgracing the Saionji family? Besides, I'm a man too. It would be very frustrating to always be dragged along by my own daughter."
Shuichi reached out and ruffled Satsuki's hair.
"Alright, let's go home."
The rain was still falling outside.
The frightened deer in the courtyard sounded its alarm again.
when--