"Cough, cough..."

The annual festival day.

The ceremony is completed.

The head of the Fujiwara Family, Fujiwara-dera, who insisted on attending, covered his mouth and let out a series of suppressed coughs, looking quite unwell.

Lady Fujiwara gently handed him a handkerchief and respectfully supported her husband's arm.

Married women follow their husbands.

In Japanese culture, a woman's maiden name becomes insignificant after marriage.

Fujiwara-dera, with his hair completely silver, covered his mouth with the handkerchief and coughed twice more. He then told his wife he was fine, but did not refuse her support.

Such a strong man, especially in front of so many outsiders, would certainly not show his vulnerability unless he couldn't hold on.

Evidently.

This commanding figure of a super conglomerate is clearly not in good health. Otherwise, he wouldn't have appeared so rarely during this national crisis, leaving most affairs to be managed by his son.

"Chairman, please take care of your health."

"Indeed, Chairman, you should rest first."

Attending the festival were not only members of the Fujiwara Family but also a large number of people on board this ship.

Fujiwara-dera was not only the head of the Fujiwara Family but also the leader of this commercial empire.

Facing concerned gazes from all directions, Fujiwara-dera put down the handkerchief, smiled firmly, possibly knowing he couldn't keep up the pretense, and accepted everyone's goodwill. He instructed his son behind him, "Take good care of the guests."

Fujiwara Takuya humbly lowered his head, "Father, please be assured."

"Everyone, I must take my leave temporarily."

The crowded assembly spontaneously made way for them.

Lady Fujiwara supported Fujiwara-dera as they were about to leave. Suddenly, Fujiwara-dera paused and turned back.

"Li Ji, come with me."

Faced with his father's command, of course, Fujiwara Reiki, who also attended the family festival, obediently complied, "Yes."

The family of three walked out through the crowd under everyone's watchful eyes.

Compared to the Fujiwara couple, the majority of the audience's attention was actually more focused on Fujiwara Reiki's figure.

Almost all attendees were men, naturally.

Even Fujiwara Takuya, her biological brother and the current acknowledged heir within and outside the Fujiwara Family, was no exception.

This nationwide catastrophe spared no one, but if there had to be a beneficiary.

— Fujiwara Takuya's name was bound to come up.

Because with his father's illness, he stepped up to wield family power during this unique period in history, drawing much attention.

Even the Fujiwara Family behind him might be the only beneficiary of this disaster.

Ordinary people weren't aware of the Jinshin Agreement already reached, but detailed clauses had already circulated among the upper echelons.

"Woe awaits where fortune dwells; fortune follows where woe lingers."

If everyone else suffered heavy losses, then, in a dialectical sense, wasn't the least damaged benefiting?

Once the treaty is formally signed in the near future, the Fujiwara Family is bound to break the centuries-old chaos in Japan and become the undisputed number one conglomerate!

This also explains why, even though the turmoil hasn't completely subsided, the attendees for this year's Fujiwara Family festival were actually more, contrary to reason, than in previous years, even more lively.

The Fujiwara couple and Fujiwara Reiki disappeared.

Everyone unconsciously surrounded Fujiwara Takuya.

No matter what Fujiwara-dera's health is like, it wouldn't hurt to ingratiate oneself with the future heir of the Fujiwara Family.

As for Fujiwara Reiki, of the same legitimate bloodline.

Even if she is both beautiful and talented, she's merely a woman.

In this financial war, she was nearly invisible, compared to Fujiwara Takuya, her defeat was unspeakable.

The attendees were all shrewd; they clearly saw the situation.

Fujiwara Takuya, buoyant and cheerful, acted as host, conversing and socializing with the guests, though his eyes occasionally glanced in the direction where his parents and sister had departed.

————

"I thought you weren't going to come back."

Fujiwara Reiki stopped in her tracks, having just stepped out of the house, upon hearing the voice.

"You can pretend I didn't come back."

Fujiwara Takuya, who had been waiting for an unknown length of time, stepped out from under the eaves, "Why did Father call you."

Fujiwara Reiki turned her head, her expression inscrutable, "If you want to know, you can go in and ask Father yourself."

"Li Ji, you must understand your current status. You are a traitor and someone who nearly implicated the entire family."

"Indeed. Thank you, Brother, for concealing it for me. Otherwise, such a grand opportunity wouldn't have fallen on our heads."

Fujiwara Takuya smiled, "Li Ji, my good sister, your intel is indeed resourceful."

"Congratulations, Brother, it's you who allowed our family to benefit from disaster."

Fujiwara Reiki lowered her gaze, and this unprecedented posture caused Fujiwara Takuya's sense of accomplishment to swell, feeling both bodily and soulfully fulfilled, akin to a goddess who always disdained him finally bowing her proud head to him, the exhilarating thrill almost making Fujiwara Takuya moan.

"I said long ago, I would do my utmost to make the Fujiwara Family even greater, Li Ji, do you believe it now."

"Whether I believe it or not doesn't matter, everyone already believes."

The wise recognize the current situation.

Although previous grievances ran deep, Fujiwara Reiki's perceptiveness at this moment eased Fujiwara Takuya's inner resentment somewhat.

Buoyant, he unabashedly stared directly at his biological sister of the same blood.

Such a face, even ten years, twenty years later, would still likely captivate people.

"The earlier words were out of anger. As long as Li Ji listens, don't worry, Brother will still cherish you."

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