Chapter 99: Revenge Waits for No Dawn; the First Meeting Ends with a Kick

The news from the villa had not yet reached Daisuke Eda’s ears; at this moment, he was in a small mountain village.

For this struggle for power, he had deliberately chosen a place with poor roads and even worse communications.

Beneath a bamboo pavilion stood a square stone table, with eight cups of clear tea placed at the four corners.

Daiyu Eda, Daifu Eda, and Daisuke Eda, known together as the Eda Three Tigers, were in charge of the family’s interests in finance, manufacturing, and department stores.

Daiyu Eda oversaw finance, Daifu Eda handled department stores, and Daisuke Eda managed manufacturing.

The financial sector was besieged on every side; the economy was in poor shape, living standards had fallen, and after tightening their belts, profits in department stores were also slipping.

Only the manufacturing business was doing a little better than the other two.

The root of the problem lay in Daisuke Eda being gravely ill and close to death. Seeing this, the other two brothers thought, what luck—this was money falling into their laps.

So Daiyu Eda and Daifu Eda began to maneuver against each other in secret, each determined to seize the manufacturing income for himself.

This left Daisuke Eda’s daughter, Ichiran Eda, who was caught in the middle, in a very difficult position, so she tried to save herself.

Unfortunately, there was a spy among her subordinates. The moment she finished meeting with Zhang Tianfeng, someone turned around and sold her out.

“The current situation is dangerous. The economy is in endless decline, and no one can say when a turning point will appear.”

“As the oldest among the hundred great families of Little Sun Isle, if we fall in this storm, they’ll laugh themselves to death.”

“So what are you trying to say?” Daiyu Eda asked.

“A merger!” Daifu Eda said. “The family is currently split into three factions, which severely restrains its development.”

“If we can merge, I believe the Eda family can rise again.”

“As long as we can survive this crisis, I’m at least confident I can move the Eda family up thirty places in the ranking of Little Sun Isle’s families.”

“Then who do you plan to sacrifice?” This time, it was Ichiran Eda who asked.

Her father was still lying in the hospital, so she had temporarily taken his place to attend the family meeting.

“The Okamoto factory you’re currently managing!” Daifu Eda said. “Our family entered manufacturing late, and our core technology cannot be compared with that of the other major factories.”

“Give up the factory, and the money you’ve used to expand the market can be put into finance and department stores.”

“No, I disagree! Our core technology may be behind, but we absolutely still have competitiveness, so long as we can hold on.”

Ichiran Eda’s eyes were resolute. She had long known that today’s meeting was no simple affair, but as a member of the Eda family, she had to come.

“I’ve already contacted people from the Ho family. Once I meet them, I’m sure they’ll help.”

“You mean that young man surnamed Zhang?” Daifu Eda said with a smile. “I’ve already verified his identity. He’s a swindler and cheat who used false documents to get your approval.”

“Niece, how long have you been working? You have no idea how deep the waters are here.”

“But...”

“No buts. Since there’s disagreement, let’s put it to a vote.”

As his words fell, five people emerged from the depths of the bamboo grove.

Only when they stepped into the light did Ichiran Eda realize that all five were elders of the family, men who would normally appear only on important occasions.

“Since the three current holders of power are divided, please let the five elders vote.”

“Those in favor of selling the Okamoto factory, raise your hands.”

Daifu Eda raised his hand first, then turned to look at Daiyu Eda. “Big brother, surviving is the most important thing. You don’t want to watch the family perish, do you?”

“Yes. The Eda family cannot fall.”

As soon as Daiyu Eda raised his hand, the five old foxes who had always followed the wind did the same.

Ichiran Eda let out a dispirited sigh. She knew that her branch of the family had been abandoned.

Without the factory, there would be no source of income. Without income, her father could only cling to life on his sickbed until the end came.

How unwilling she was! But who could she turn to now?

“Second Brother, I’ll head back first. I still have a pile of reports to deal with. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Don’t worry, Big Brother. I’ll have the factory liquidated as soon as possible.”

After seeing off Daiyu Eda and the five elders of the clan, Daifu Eda looked at his desolate niece and said, “Don’t blame your elders for being heartless. People are selfish. We’re barely surviving ourselves—how could we care about anyone else?”

“Still, rest assured. I’ll treat your father’s illness. But I can’t pay for it for nothing, can I? Why not come to my house and work as a maid?”

“As your elder, I can even find some time to teach you a few things.”

“Don’t disgust me!”

Ichiran Eda slapped away Daifu Eda’s reaching hand and stepped back.

She knew very well what kind of work a maid in Daifu Eda’s house entailed. The treatment was worse even than for the workers in those pleasure houses.

“What are you still hoping for? Your father is already critically ill and can’t even get up. What can a girl like you do? Rely on that little swindler surnamed Zhang?”

“Don’t count on him to bring you investors. I’ve already locked him up.”

After saying this, Daifu Eda stood up and tossed a bundle onto the table. “You have one night to think it over.”

“If you refuse, by tomorrow morning the whole of Little Sun Isle will know you were cast out of the family, and your father will die because there is no money for his treatment.”

Looking at the lace clothing spilling out of the bag, Ichiran Eda clenched her fingers so tightly her knuckles turned white, yet there was nothing she could do.

Born into this family, and born a woman at that, once she lost her father’s protection, what awaited her was far more than simple expulsion.

The meeting ended at one in the morning. By six, dawn had broken.

Daifu Eda, exhausted from a night of toil, came out in his nightclothes, drank the tea left from the previous evening, and asked, “Have you thought it through?”

“I have thought it through.”

Ichiran Eda lifted her head, her bloodshot eyes glaring at Daifu Eda. “I refuse, even if it costs me my life.”

“Good. Truly worthy of my Eda family’s finest son! I’ll grant your wish.”

“Grant whose wish?”

At those words, the locked bamboo gate was kicked open with brutal force!

Ichiran Eda turned and saw a scene she would never forget.

Zhang Tianfeng strode in with a cigarette between his lips, his brows lifted, his expression wild and arrogant.

“Old man, you even dared to send people to imprison me. Do you really think I’m easy prey?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he launched into a flying kick, sending Daifu Eda sprawling to the ground.

Many years later, Ichiran Eda had become one of the foremost figures in the machinery manufacturing industry on Little Sun Isle. When a reporter interviewed her and asked who had influenced her most, she named two people.

One was her father, Daisuke Eda; the other was Zhang Tianfeng.