Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 411 Welcome to Saionji

Satsuki's smile did not disappear.

The atmosphere in the room changed slightly.

"For me?"

She looked at Takahashi with great interest.

"Yes."

Takahashi placed the second file folder on the table.

"After the first research meeting ended, I kept thinking about one question."

"Why is it that you have access to the same publicly available information as me, yet you see so much more than I do?"

Takahashi opened the file bag and took out the documents inside.

At the top is a timeline arranged by year.

From 1985 to 1991.

Almost all of the important decisions of the Saionji Group that can be confirmed through public channels are marked on it.

Satsuki glanced down.

Takahashi continued:

"I initially thought the answer might come from more complete information within the group, or that Saionji had a better finance, industry, and policy team than I did."

Both of these reasons are valid.

"But they can't explain everything."

He turned to the first page.

"In 1985, many export companies were expanding their production capacity in the United States, but the Saionji family abandoned the expansion of their Osaka factory. Subsequently, they gained enough from exchange rate fluctuations to change the family's financial situation."

"This was the first turning point in the changes that began at Saionji Temple."

"Next up are Tokyo land, retail, and overseas technology investments."

"Before Black Monday broke out, The Club's core members had already begun to reduce their risk exposure. Later, as land prices in Japan continued to rise, Saionji took advantage of the ample buying demand in the market to gradually dispose of non-core heavy assets, withdrawing funds while preserving transportation hubs, warehousing facilities, communication lines, and those odd-numbered plots that were not valued at the time."

"Before the consumption tax was implemented, the group had already adjusted its pricing system and settlement methods. When the total volume regulation was implemented and banks began to tighten credit, Saionji's cash, workforce, warehousing capacity, and overseas credit were just enough to provide financing, orders, and opportunities for continued operation to those companies whose loans were withdrawn."

Takahashi's speaking speed gradually increased.

He had mentally processed these ideas many times, and now he had finally found the only person who could understand them.

"Any single decision can be attributed to luck, information, or excellent management."

"But these decisions span foreign exchange, real estate, retail, agriculture, information technology, politics, and the labor market."

"It is difficult for different departments to make judgments with the same boundaries repeatedly over several years."

"Exit the most crowded transactions early, preserve cash and access, and re-enter the market after it loses buyers; each time an asset is acquired, procurement, logistics, customer flow, or settlement are arranged simultaneously, so that the same investment can generate returns repeatedly between different companies."

Takahashi turned to the middle page.

There were several photos copied from old newspapers and financial magazines posted there.

In some photos, Satsuki stands next to Shuichi; others only capture her back as she passes through the venue or gets into a vehicle. Next to her are records of her age at the time, her public schedule, and the decisions that subsequently took place within the Saionji Group.

"I have investigated Mr. Shuichi's public statements, as well as the resumes of Executive Director Endo, President Yanai, and other responsible persons."

"They are all excellent, and they have indeed accomplished these plans."

"But at the most crucial turning points, your presence is always there."

Takahashi looked up.

"Sometimes it's an interview, sometimes it's a photograph, and sometimes it's just an executive using a phrase that has never been used before in an interview."

"I tried attributing these decisions to different people, but it still didn't work. The same judgment method was being used far too frequently."

Satsuki did not speak.

She began to look through the document.

Takahashi watched as she flipped through Saionji's early business maps, then to the sections on SIS, overseas investments, and the group's cash flow.

As he spoke, his previously prepared restraint began to crumble, and his tone became somewhat excited.

"The ability of someone to get something right several times in a row in a certain field can be explained by talent and experience."

"But what Saionji accomplished in the past six years would only be considered a retrospective summary in any economics textbook."

"Exchange rates, stock market crashes, real estate bubbles, consumption taxes, aggregate regulations, retail supply chains, industrial restructuring..."

"No one could be certain of the outcome before these things happened."

Takahashi's finger pressed on the timetable.

"But you almost always finished your preparations ahead of schedule."

"Even the way we obtained the benefits was close to the best possible outcome under the conditions at the time."

His voice carried a hint of barely suppressed excitement.

"This has exceeded my previous understanding of genius."

"Many of these things are, in theory, simply impossible for anyone to accomplish."

"But they did happen."

Satsuki suddenly stopped turning the page.

She saw a diagram of overseas relationships that was not fully structured.

The chart shows several investment firms registered in the Cayman Islands, New York, and Europe, along with their involvement in technology company financing, securities transactions, and asset acquisitions; however, the account balances and bank transactions remain blank.

Several dotted lines eventually converge into a circle that reads "SA".

"Where did you find this information?"

This was the first time Satsuki had taken the initiative to ask about the contents of the documents.

Takahashi's breathing gradually calmed down.

"Public filings of U.S. companies, aircraft registrations, law firms used by several investment institutions, and contact numbers in old documents that were not updated in time."

"One of the documents came from the U.S. Embassy's Business Archives. The publicly listed contact address of that Cayman company was the same as the accounting firm that SA Investment had previously worked with."

"This does not prove that it belongs to Saionji Temple."

Takahashi immediately added.

"I am also unable to confirm the size of the funds."

"However, the domestic cash flow disclosed by Saionji Group is insufficient to simultaneously support overseas technology investments, domestic acquisitions, and large-scale project investments over the past year."

"Therefore, I believe that Saionji Temple should have a large pool of funds overseas."

Satsuki looked at the picture for a while before asking:

Are there any other copies of this document?

"no."

"Have you shown it to others?"

"No, not at all."

Takahashi answered quickly.

"Speculation without evidence is not suitable for discussion in the club. I only prepared this one document before coming here."

From the moment he took out the second document, Satsuki's expression remained calm.

She stared at Takahashi for a long time without expression, until cold sweat broke out on Takahashi's forehead, before she lowered her head again.

She continued flipping through the pages.

The last page of the document contained two lines of text.

"We hope to proceed before a decision is made."

"I want to test how far I can see."

Satsuki paused on those two lines of text for a moment, then closed the document.

Takahashi's initial excitement gradually subsided as the office quieted down again.

He suddenly realized how much fanatical he had just said.

He reviewed the past six years of a young girl's life with dozens of pages of data in front of her, and told her that her actions had exceeded his understanding of genius.

This behavior is likely to be unsettling.

It might even make people question whether his motives for approaching Saionji were legitimate.

But it's pointless to try to fix it now.

Having said all that, adding a few more feigned calm explanations to cover it up will only make one appear weaker.

He sat on the sofa, waiting for Satsuki's judgment.

On television, Isomura's victory speech had ended, and the program began analyzing the metropolitan assembly structure the new governor would soon face. The host mentioned that while the governor can directly appoint certain special officials, he needs the support of the assembly on budgets, ordinances, and key personnel appointments.

Time passed by, second by second.

Satsuki's fingers pressed lightly on the overseas relationship map, as if she were pondering a question for which there was no ready answer yet.

For the first time, Takahashi felt that the office was a little too quiet.

Just as he began to doubt whether he had really acted too aggressively, Satsuki finally raised his head.

"Takahashi-senpai."

"Yes."

"Are you good at leading a team?"

Takahashi was stunned.

"I've been in charge of special research projects in the Economics Research Department, but I haven't done formal team management—"

Satsuki had already picked up a note from the table.

"never mind."

She uncapped the pen and wrote down a few names.

"You'll have to learn, even if you don't know how."

Takahashi watched her write line by line.

The note was small, but it ended up being written for six people.

Satsuki capped the pen and handed him the note.

"From now on, these people are under your command."

Takahashi took the note.

His gaze fell on the first name and then stopped.

Saionji Maki.

This name appeared in the group's public register and several acquisition documents. When investigating Saionji's financial structure, Takahashi repeatedly reviewed internal audit notices she had signed.

The second name is Gondo.

He is the Managing Director of Saionji Construction, responsible for special facilities and large-scale projects. Prior to that, he was the president of Daito Construction.

Further down the chain are Sasaki from the group's legal department and Masato Saionji from the SIS system.

For the remaining two people, no information could be found for Takahashi, but the department they belonged to was marked after their surnames.

Financial settlement.

Metropolitan administration and public affairs.

The sticky notes are very light.

But Takahashi's fingers, which were holding it, trembled slightly uncontrollably.

"These people?"

He raised his head.

"Me?"

Satsuki didn't seem to find anything surprising about this.

"Oh, please don't misunderstand, this doesn't mean that you two have a superior-subordinate relationship."

She put the pen away again.

"They will not leave their original positions, but they are obligated to cooperate with your work."

"In the special tasks I assign you, you can directly arrange their work. If cooperation from other departments is needed, you can provide the reasons, and Chizuru will handle the authorization on your behalf."

Takahashi looked down and glanced at the list again.

He had envisioned many possible outcomes.

Intern in the group's investigation department, work under a senior executive, or receive a promise of priority recruitment after graduation.

The best outcome he envisioned was an internship in a core department of the group, allowing him to sit in on one or two business meetings, or a guaranteed position in the General Planning Office after graduation—all of which would be enough to make anyone in the Economics Research Department envious.

He never imagined that Satsuki would send a third-year economics student to directly mobilize a group of people capable of reorganizing a large company on their own.

"But would they really take orders from a third-year university student?"

"The person on paper will receive my orders."

A smile returned to Satsuki's face.

"If anyone doesn't listen, tell me their name."

Takahashi nodded silently. He couldn't imagine who would be willing to let their name return to Satsuki's desk in this way for the second time.

"One-year probationary period."

Satsuki stood up from the chair.

She walked over to the TV, picked up the remote, and zoomed in on Naonori Isomura's image again.

"On the group's register, your identity will be listed as a special request from the head of the household."

"This team belongs directly to me."

Satsuki thought for a moment.

"I'd say he's... a personal advisor."

Takahashi immediately stood up.

His mind was still processing the position he had just received, but his body had already subconsciously entered a state of accepting the task.

What was my first job?

Satsuki raised her hand and pointed to Isomura on the screen.

"Investigate him."

She casually pointed to the newly appointed governor of Tokyo and then ordered a university student to investigate him.

"I need to know his administrative and execution capabilities."

"On his first day in office, he was able to directly order which departments, which matters had to go through the Metropolitan Assembly, which bureaucrats would carry them out, and which people would use procedures to delay things."

"How long will it take for the 30-day settlement, accounts receivable financing, and resumption of work arrangements promised during the campaign to become formal systems?"

She turned to look at Takahashi.

"Also, tell me under what circumstances he would disobey Saionji."

Takahashi looked at the screen.

Isomura, still wearing the red flower symbolizing victory, is being interviewed remotely by a television host. He speaks earnestly about his responsibilities and seems to be beginning to adapt to his role as the elected governor of Tokyo.

When should I submit it?

Takahashi asked.

"Give me your first assessment in ten days."

"What about data permissions?"

"The people you have will open the doors you need."

"Send me a written explanation for anything that exceeds their authority."

Takahashi nodded.

"clear."

It wasn't until this moment that he vaguely realized how strange the whole thing was.

A third-year university student, who has not yet graduated, takes a research report he has just finished and directs a group of well-known elites in economic magazines to investigate the Tokyo governor who was confirmed as elected just minutes earlier.

Does she take this for granted?

"Alright, Takahashi-senpai."

Takahashi looked up.

He saw that familiar smile again.

Just like a few days ago in the school auditorium, he was gentle and natural, like a college freshman who had just met an upperclassman.

"Welcome to Saionji."