The secret talks and exchange of interests in places like the Ryotei were once a point of fierce criticism from ordinary people in the Heisei year when the Prime Minister changed three times a year.

Five years have passed and things have not changed at all.

And because of the power vacuum created by Nozomi Hosokawa's resignation and the various secret suspicions caused by Nozomi Hosokawa's assassination, secret restaurants in Tokyo are extremely active these days.

Tao Ranting is a very sensitive person.

Nominally it is run by the Qingtian family, but there are also many big shots in Tokyo who know the relationship between this restaurant and Tao Chi-Ming.

During this sensitive period, Taro Ozawa had to come.

Tao Zhiming finally agreed to meet him, but chose the location here.

Who should pay attention to this matter?

After being led all the way to the unknown courtyard, the young man was standing by the pool feeding the fish.

He stood tall, and when he heard the footsteps, he handed the box in his hand to Irie Yuta, looked over with a smile, and bowed: "Long time no see, Ozawa-san."

"President Tao." Taro Ozawa greeted him with courtesy.

Tao Zhiming politely asked him to go to the room, walking steadily, slowly and calmly.

Taro Ozawa walked aside silently and glanced at him quietly from the side.

Now, he has the momentum of a century-old family leader. Hosokawa Nozomi just gave up the challenge, and Ozawa Taro fell into complete passivity. This time, he no longer had the confidence to remain neutral in the first place.

After sitting across from each other, Tao Zhiming's expression was calm, Yuan Tingyue stood firm.

Yuta Irie, who was a yakuza back then, had nervously guarded Hosokawa Nozomi because of his assassination, and now he was able to help make tea in a decent manner.

The taste is no longer important, Ozawa Taro has no intention of savoring it.

Without much politeness, Ozawa Taro began to test: "President Tao, when will you go to Kansai this time?"

"Going to Guanxi?" Tao Zhiming shook his head, "No, I won't go this time."

Taro Ozawa's eyes moved and he looked at him seriously.

Tao Zhiming smiled casually: "Ozawa-san, if you have any ideas, you might as well speak up."

Taro Ozawa looked at Yuta Irie on the side and frowned.

His own cronies all stayed outside the hospital.

Yuta Irie felt Taro Ozawa's gaze and calmly took out a pair of glasses from the inner pocket of his suit, then put them on his eyes with an indifferent expression.

Don't look at anything inappropriate.

Then he took out a pair of headphones and a new generation of Walkman, his expression still calm.

Don't listen to anything inappropriate.

The corners of Taro Ozawa's mouth twitched, "Are you kidding me?"

Tao Zhiming said with a smile: "I'm sorry, but please don't avoid Ozawa-san. Hosokawa-san's assassination made him a little nervous, so he insisted on staying with me."

Ozawa Taro pursed his lips and lowered his head for a moment, then made up his mind and raised his head: "President Tao is now one of the major shareholders of the Hachiman Research Society. Can he go to Kansai to convince the Value Creation Society to completely join the Reform Society?

?”

Tao Zhiming sighed: "Ozawa-san, I really don't care about politics. I have enough troubles now."

"After excluding the Socialist Party, I can make the decision. Everything President Tao wants can be obtained as soon as possible." Ozawa Taro no longer hid, "I can give you everything Hashimoto-san can give you!"

Tao Zhiming looked at him quietly.

Ozawa Taro added: "Chairman Tao, the Democratic Liberal Party always needs a strong enough opponent, which is in line with the trend of world development! The current loose alliance is not enough. This point was revealed during Chairman Tao's visit

, it’s probably been confirmed too, right?”

"That's right." Tao Zhiming answered him this time, and then said, "But Ozawa-san, isn't it enough for me to remain neutral? Regarding the Hachiman Research Association, I am only focusing on the execution of those charities. As for value creation

I have no involvement in the stance of the Society and the Komeito Party. Ozawa-san has such a plan, why not take out those people who approve of you? In this case, you will not always need my guarantee of neutrality because of my influence.

I even hope that I can fully support you."

Taro Ozawa stared at him with sharp eyes.

Tao Zhiming looked back calmly.

After a while, Irie Yuta, who was wearing headphones and sunglasses, refilled his cup of tea again, and Ozawa Taro finally spoke: "President Tao, do we really have to be enemies?"

Tao Zhiming laughed dumbly: "Ozawa-san, where are you talking about? I am not a person who is interested in politics."

He spoke confidently and casually.

But now that the situation is like this, Taro Ozawa has to fight with his back for the time being.

As a traitor general who left the Democratic Liberal Party, he would not be able to reap the fruits of the opposition parties' "defeat" against the Democratic Liberal Party in the first place.

There is a reason for being in the opposition. No party can fight alone with the Democratic Liberal Party, so there is a situation where seven parties and one faction are in coalition to govern.

Hosokawa Nozomi has great ambitions, but his enthusiasm has waned due to the internal struggles between seven parties and one faction. He is called the Prime Minister, but the real power lies in the hands of the United Ruling Party Representative Conference of seven parties and one faction.

In addition to the Socialist Party of which Hee Hosokawa belongs, the strongest forces are the New Life Party of Taro Ozawa and the Komeito Party.

Tao Zhiming pretended to be puzzled: "Ozawa-san, the Socialist Party has already supported a member of your New Party as prime minister, and you also said that you want to exclude the Socialist Party... Aren't you worried about the reaction of Hosokawa-san and Murayama-san? Hosokawa-san was assassinated.

It's not your fault..."

The words were so straightforward that Taro Ozawa's face changed: "How could I do that kind of thing? It's just... the Socialist Party's actions are too radical. Just after Hosokawa-san took office, he made such remarks that aroused the anger of some people.

Anger is really unwise! The murderer of the assassination has admitted that the motive stemmed from his speech on the war issue last year."

"I see." Tao Zhiming smiled again, "After becoming a ruler, you should balance the interests of all parties, and it is not suitable to suddenly change directions on many issues."

"That's the truth! Therefore, rejecting the Socialist Party is not about rejecting all of them, but about those extreme ideas and people in their governance ideas."

Tao Zhiming nodded repeatedly: "I hope everything goes well for Xiaoze-san."

It's like you play with me and I'll bless you.

Taro Ozawa saw that Tao Zhiming was in trouble, and after looking at him for a long time, he finally said: "President Tao, how about meeting someone again? He is already here, in my car."

"Of course, that's too rude. We should invite them in together." Tao Zhiming followed suit.

Ozawa Taro nodded, went out to give orders to his cronies, and was waiting there.

Tao Zhiming stood up leisurely, guessing what he was saying, and then stood beside him and waited together: "Who is it?"

Ozawa Taro gave him a meaningful look and said with some confidence: "After meeting, President Tao should understand that Hashimoto-san may not be suitable for placing such a heavy bet."

Tao Zhiming was having a thought in his heart when a figure appeared at the entrance of the courtyard and walked steadily along the corridor.

Taro Ozawa had been paying attention to his expression, and he saw a look of astonishment on his face, with obvious surprise in his eyes, and a bit of pride in his heart.

When the man walked up to him, Tao Zhiming shook his head in disbelief, and then bowed to greet him: "Long time no see, Mr. Kaifu."

The person who came was the chairman of the Democratic Liberal Party's Reform Parliamentarian Alliance, which had fallen into an unprecedented low at this time. The leader of a major faction who was in charge of regaining the trust of voters with a reform attitude, the former Prime Minister Toshi Kaifu.

Jun Haibu looked at him deeply, and then bowed: "Long time no see, Mr. Tao."

With Jun Kaifu by his side, Taro Ozawa's momentum has increased a lot.

When he saw Tao Zhiming let the guy in sunglasses leave after entering the door, he knew that this trump card had worked.

It seems that we have something to talk about.

Tao Zhiming personally made tea, and Taro Ozawa really spoke frankly: "We all know everything about that year. I left the Democratic Liberal Party in advance. Chairman Tao now knows that my departure is a complete departure, not to defeat the party from within.

Opposition parties. Now that Kaifu-san is here, Chairman Tao should be aware of the impact of Kaifu-san's departure, right? There are two strongest forces in Neon's future, and neither of them are extreme and uncontrollable forces. This is inevitable!

"

Tao Zhiming pursed his lips, poured tea for them both, and muttered angrily: "It's really a mess..."

"Technology, culture!" Jun Kaifu said in a deep voice, "President Tao, when I became prime minister, I determined this future direction. President Tao has been walking along this path, and I am very grateful."

He bowed to thank him, and Tao Zhiming bowed in return.

"The era of one-party rule is irreversible, and a reshuffle of the political arena is inevitable. Even if I am not just standing on the side of factional struggle, I also hope that Neon can regain peace and stop hurting innocent citizens."

Jun Kaifu's voice was heavy and sincere, "Since the Democratic Liberal Party has become an opposition party, wouldn't it be more conducive to Chairman Tao's management to keep the entire situation unstable after several years of fighting in this situation?"

"...The rebellion between Kaifu-san and Kawamoto's faction has caused the Democratic Liberal Party to completely collapse. Will it take at least many years to regain its strength?" Tao Zhiming murmured to himself.

"Miyazawa-san and Hashimoto-san are indeed courageous enough, but without absolute external pressure, the Democratic Liberal Party cannot completely complete this reform! As the president of the Reform Parliamentarian Alliance, I have confirmed this during this period."

Jun Kaifu said firmly, "Now it seems that the checks and balances between the two forces are indeed the proper situation. Only in this way, no one will be arrogant because of the absolute strength of the force."

Tao Zhiming looked at the two people opposite him, and then asked Jun Kaifu: "Because of the loose situation of the seven parties and one faction co-governing, are there still many Democratic Liberal Party members who feel that there is something to be done? Faced with the many problems left by Miyazawa-san and Hashimoto-san

The question is, will the opposition parties soon be helpless?"

There was anger in Toshi Kaifu's eyes: "Uselessly opposed many valuable proposals, and arrogantly dealt with new cabinet ministers from the original opposition party even though they were in important positions. Faced with such a situation, many Democratic Liberal Party members still did not know how to reflect.

VIP, I have been completely disappointed."

He stared at Tao Zhiming and said solemnly: "When I was elected as the prime minister, it was the result of the scandal-ridden factions not having a suitable candidate. From the first year of Heisei to the third year of Heisei, I spent more than two years laying the foundation for

The foundation laid down has now been almost completely destroyed due to the delay in completing the financial overhaul. Chairman Tao, where will the neon economy develop? You, me, and Ozawa-san all know how to plan it. If it continues to develop like this

, Aren’t you worried that Hashimoto-san won’t be able to control those arrogant guys and the whole plan will collapse completely?”
To be continued...