Chapter 525: Chapter 524 Support
Fujiwara Hosokai was slightly stunned, clearly not expecting Umekawa Taro to ask such a question at a time like this.
Then her brows furrowed as she spoke, "Now that our family is facing a major crisis, all previous issues, no matter how significant, seem trivial in comparison."
Umekawa Taro looked into his mother’s eyes.
Fujiwara Hosokai also looked at him and changed the topic, saying, "The future of the Umekawa Family rests entirely on you. The efforts your grandfather devoted his lifetime to must not be handed over to someone else. As long as you return, even if others in the clan harbor ambitions, they will have to hide them for the time being, and I have already requested help from your maternal grandfather’s family."
Umekawa Taro’s expression changed slightly, he frowned and said, "This is an internal matter of the Umekawa Family, the Fujimura Family should not interfere. Mother, doing this goes against the ancestral teachings."
Fujiwara Hosokai was unperturbed, "What does it matter at this point? The position of my son as Clan Leader is what’s most important."
"I grew up overseas since I was a child and I have no interest in managing family affairs," Umekawa Taro said with a frown.
"Nonsense, at a time like this, as the legitimate heir of the Umekawa Family, how can you ignore the future of the family? In a moment, your maternal grandfather and your uncles will come over, and all you need to do then is call out, and the uncles in the family will definitely not dare to be reckless. If they dare to contest with you, then kill them. The future of the Umekawa Family cannot be left in the hands of those incompetents," Fujiwara Hosokai’s tone suddenly became harsh.
Umekawa Taro felt a chill in his heart as he perceived an inexplicable authority emanating from his mother.
No, it was a pressure.
A form of intangible oppression swept over him, causing his heart to race.
This was the first time he had seen his mother angry.
In his memory, his mother was a gentle and compliant woman who never interfered in major family matters, acting gently and virtuously among his grandfather, father, and his brothers, never having seen her angry before.
Umekawa Taro couldn’t help but feel a bit lost in thought, finding the mother before him somewhat unfamiliar.
Fujiwara Hosokai seemed to realize her lapse and adjusted her mood, continuing in that gentle tone to persuade, "Taro, listen to your mother. If you can’t stand up and take control at a time like this, the Umekawa Family will head towards decline."
Umekawa Taro remained silent.
Since leaving Japan at the age of fifteen, he had little contact with the family, and now with his grandfather and elder brother dead, he felt even less attachment and emotion towards the family.
Deep down, he did not want to be the next Clan Leader of the Umekawa Family.
But as a descendant of the Umekawa Family, he carried a mission and bore responsibility.
It’s just that, facing his mother right now, he still had some doubts that had not been resolved.
Why would his mother, who always seemed peaceful and virtuous, be so eager to support him in taking a position after the death of his grandfather and brother?
This was not like the mother he remembered.
"By the way, Taro, I heard that you made quite a few impressive friends overseas. Now that the family is in a crisis, why don’t you call upon these friends to come and help us through this difficult time?" Fujiwara Hosokai suddenly said.
Umekawa Taro felt a chill in his heart as he looked up at his mother.
Hope filled Fujiwara Hosokai’s expression.
Umekawa Taro slowly shook his head, "I don’t have many friends, and those friends I do have are ordinary people, incapable of helping in this situation."
Fujiwara Hosokai’s brows knitted slightly, "But the news I’ve heard is somewhat different."
"What has mother heard?" Umekawa Taro asked.
Fujiwara Hosokai’s face showed a proud and self-satisfied look as she said, "They say you’re very capable and have formed a club with some like-minded friends. You’ve made quite a name for yourselves overseas, striking fear into people’s hearts, haven’t you, my son?"
Umekawa Taro asked, looking into his mother’s eyes, "Who told mother this?"
"Is it true?" Fujiwara Hosokai also looked into his eyes, mother and son locking gazes.
Umekawa Taro looked into his mother’s eyes but did not respond.
He found the mother before him increasingly unfamiliar.
At that moment, a voice came from outside the room, "Madam, the people from the Fujiwara family have arrived."
Upon hearing this, Fujiwara Hosokai was overjoyed and, as she stood up, she said to Umekawa Taro, "Come, let’s go greet your grandfather and uncles. They will become the people closest to you, helping you secure your position as the twenty-seventh Family Head of the Umekawa Family and inherit the precious wealth of the Umekawa Family."
Umekawa Taro felt a certain indescribable resistance within his heart, yet he still nodded and followed his mother out of the room.
In the outer hall, more than a dozen members of the Fujimura Family were orderly paying their respects to the ancestral shrine, led by an elderly man in a black kimono with a crew cut. The old man was very neat, and his hair, whether dyed or not, was still maintaining a healthy black.
His name was Fujiwara Momokawa, the current Clan Leader of the Fujimura Family.
In the Japan Martial World, although the Fujimura Family also had a long heritage, its overall strength was weaker compared to the Yamamoto, Kagaya, Yanagi, Iga, and Umekawa Families.
Accompanying Fujiwara Momokawa were his three sons, along with several key members of the Fujimura Family.
Almost all of the renowned experts from the Fujimura Family within the Japan Martial World were present here.
This caused several of the Umekawa Family elders who aspired to compete for the position of Family Head to frown in secret.
This woman, Fujiwara Hosokai, was perhaps too impatient. The Clan Leader and others had not yet been laid to rest, and she was starting to fight for power already?
"Father!"
Fujiwara Hosokai approached the front of the hall, and looking grief-stricken, rushed to the side of the Fujimura Family members. Fujiwara Momokawa gently embraced her, consoling, "As things stand, you must be strong, my poor daughter."
Having joined the Umekawa Family for six years, Fujiwara Hosokai’s husband had died; now in middle age, her eldest son had been killed. As a woman, her life indeed was hard.
Fujiwara Hosokai sobbed for a while, wiped her eyes and then said to Umekawa Taro, "Taro, come and meet your maternal grandfather and uncles. Today, they are here to decide for you."
As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately brought dissatisfaction from the other members of the Umekawa Family.
A middle-aged man with a tuft of a goatee who seemed to be in his fifties took a few large strides forward, his face cold as he said, "Sister-in-law, what nonsense are you speaking? How can outsiders be the ones to make decisions for our Umekawa Family affairs?"
"Indeed, the family affairs of the Umekawa Family should not be interfered with by outsiders," another middle-aged man stood up and joined in.
Suddenly, many members of the Umekawa Family began to agree out loud.
For the vast majority of the Umekawa Family, family matters were to be resolved behind closed doors, and to let outsiders meddle was a disgrace. Fujiwara Hosokai’s words had made them quite dissatisfied.
"Heh, Fujiwara Momokawa, given your longstanding friendship with our father, your presence here to pay respects and mourn is something all of us in the Umekawa Family deeply appreciate. However, I hope you will refrain from intervening in the family affairs of the Umekawa Family," said the goatee-bearded middle-aged man, looking at Fujiwara Momokawa.
Fujiwara Momokawa frowned slightly, staring at the goatee-bearded man, "Umekawa Nishio, your elder brother Umekawa Hao was the eldest son of the clan, and upon his death, your father took his legitimate eldest son under his wing to nurture him and designated him as the next Clan Leader of the Umekawa Family. Do you have any objections to this?"
Umekawa Nishio’s heart went cold as he replied, "So what if I do?"
Fujiwara Momokawa chuckled lightly and, pointing at Umekawa Taro, said, "Now that your father and the successor he designated have both been killed, according to the rules, the next Clan Leader of the Umekawa Family should be succeeded by the child of my eldest granddaughter, right?"
Umekawa Nishio snorted, "He only left behind a daughter, who is still of a young age, how can she take over as the Family Head?"
"True, the Umekawa Family is in times of crisis; we cannot let a child take over as Clan Leader."
"At this critical moment, someone must lead the Family Head out of trouble and avenge the Clan Leader. The position of the new Clan Leader should only be filled by the deserving."
Several elders of the Umekawa Family began to speak one after another.
Fujiwara Momokawa smiled and said, "Indeed, my young grandson Umekawa Taro is a rare talent with personal capabilities and cultivation that surpass those of his elder brother. Now, he is the most suitable to succeed his grandfather and brother as the next leader of the Umekawa Family. My Fujimura Family will fully support him to avenge his grandfather and brother."