Chapter 5 admirer

Departing from Kobe after lunch, it was still early in the daylight when Rose arrived in Tokyo. The counter at Hotel P was notified in advance, and Madame Rimbaud was notified as soon as she arrived. So it was not long before Mrs. Rimbaud came into Rose's room, and said in her usual kindly tone: "Are you tired, do you want to take a break? I'll see you in two hours and have dinner at a great restaurant in Akasaka." Rose couldn't bear to go against the other party's kindness.In fact, taking the Shinkansen is very comfortable, and she doesn't feel tired at all when she is young.

On the contrary, he was tied down for two hours. She took out two books from the travel bag, one was "The Book of Tea" written by Okakura Tenshin, and the other was "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword" by Ruth Benedick. Both of these books are written in English and are about Japan.The Japan constructed in Rose's mind, except for the remaining impressions of Girls' Generation, is made up of these books.Fortunately, the image has not been fixed and can be modified at any time. Building a correct image of Japan is not about learning, nor is it driven by curiosity.Learning about Japan is like doing a self-examination.

She opened the first page of "The Book of Tea", and what came into view were sentences that she had read countless times. ——The so-called tea ceremony is to try to make the impossible possible in our limited life in a gentle way... Life is like an insoluble mystery. Isn’t the tea ceremony a kind of compromise wrapped in rituals in the process of exploring life? ——Such doubts floated in Rose's mind. (Maybe it's just my Western style criticism.) A wave of sadness came over her, and she felt like a strange mixture, released alone in the universe, without any sustenance around her.

(Mother……) She called out to her faceless mother. She wanted to know everything about her late mother and father.However, Japan's customs and customs do not seem to be easy to approach. Okakura Tenshin said that the essence of the tea ceremony lies in the "worship of imperfect things". Like those who are overwhelmed by the sound of the tea utensils in the small tea room, Rose must also accept the incomplete image of her mother and be satisfied. (No, I'm never giving up on the bottom line!) Another voice protested inside her. The skyscrapers of Kasumigaseki can be seen from the window of the room.The thirty-six-story skyscraper symbolizes change in Japan.

(Japan is changing...) At this moment, she felt more clearly the distortion of Japan and Western Europe. The restaurant introduced by Mrs. Rimbaud is a small shop full of Japanese taste. "When I come back, I often want to breathe some Japanese air, but unfortunately the atmosphere is spoiled by high-rise buildings and highways. It's nice to have such a small shop." Mrs. Rimbaud said. There is a landscape painting hanging in the wall, and on the right side there are four big characters "Spring Mountain Desires Rain".An old but modest vase stood on a decorative shelf.One corner of the room resembles the building of a samurai house, making it look like a study, and there is a fireplace in the center, which is full of the fun of an ancient farmhouse.

(It’s just a big mess...) Rose, who has a little knowledge of Japanese architecture through books, can't help but think about the above. A pot was placed on the stove, as if something was cooking. Rose opened the lid of the pot. It was empty and the stove was not lit. "How? Feel it?" Mrs. Rimbaud asked. "Well, indeed." Rose answered.But the Japanese flavor of this room made her feel contrived. (Probably except for the artificial shaping, it is impossible to revisit the style of ancient Japan.) At least it represents this is modern Japan.Rather than being disappointed, it would be better to say he was relieved.

"Please don't call me Mrs. Rimbaud. It seems unfamiliar. You will call me Amy in the future." Mrs. Rimbaud said. "Amy?" "Well, it's my name. My real name is Yingmei, English English, beautiful Mei, but you can also call me Amy. After I married Mr. Rimbaud, I changed my name to Amy." To be able to call Mrs. Rimbaud Amy is indeed much kinder.The only gain from the trip to the restaurant in Akasaka was to get a little closer to Mrs. Rimbaud.As for the "Japanese cuisine" in front of her, she also felt that it was full of craftsmanship. Rose said a lot about her that day.Nakagaki, the university, the incident with Mrs. Lusen.

As for Mrs. Rimbaud, she acted as the audience, nodding and smiling in response from time to time. It was nearly eight o'clock when I returned to the hotel. Rose received a message in English at the counter.Mrs. Kato called twice at seven and eight o'clock. —She said she would call again at nine o'clock. The note reads. "Mrs. Kato?" Rose thought suspiciously that she had never heard the name before. At exactly nine o'clock, the phone rang. ——I'm Kato, I'm calling suddenly, I'm really sorry... It's like this, I saw your name in the newspaper a few days ago... Hey, it's the Kobe incident... It's terrible... I saw Rose?When I heard Gilmore's name, I wondered if it was the Simon who lived in Kobe?Where's Gilmore's daughter? ... If not, I'm really sorry.

The woman's voice came from the microphone without interruption.To say that there was no interruption was just an impression Rose felt, but in fact the other party stopped several times.However, it is mostly a normal pause when the next sentence is followed, so it gives the impression of uninterrupted, perhaps it should be said to be too smooth. "Simon? Gilmore is my father, may I ask you..." Rose replied. ——Ah, sure enough! The voice of the woman named Kato was a little choked. ——I am very close to Ms. Reidou Tachibana Hisako... Reidou works in an antique shop called Shimomura in Kyoto, and I live nearby, and we often go to the movies and drink tea with her... We have a very good relationship.After Miss Tachibana got married, we still kept in touch.When you were born, I went to Kobe to congratulate you.Not long afterward, when I returned to the countryside, I heard the news of Lingtang's death.

The voice on the phone seemed to be getting more and more excited. Rose's heart was also throbbing secretly. In the past, regardless of Mr. Portman or Hiroko Fushimi, what they said was transmitted to her ears through a third party, and they always felt that there was a layer of separation.At the same time, I don't know if Nakagaki is hiding anything, or tell the truth.Judging from Nakagaki's hesitant expression from time to time, Rose's suspicion is well-founded. Better to ask directly from mother's friends - so Rose thought. The woman on the phone seemed to be a friend of my mother's when she was young.

——After I read the newspaper, I immediately wanted to call Fuso Women's University... But the murder had just happened at that time, so you must still be in shock.Today I guess your mood has calmed down, so I called.The people at the school said that you went to Tokyo, and they also told me the phone number of this hotel, and said that your Japanese is very good... Anyhow, can I meet you?Will it be too intrusive? Since the other party mentioned it, Rose readily agreed. They agreed to meet at the hotel at two o'clock the next afternoon. After hanging up the phone, Rose opened "The Book of Tea" again.On the page I turned to, the following sentence appeared. ——The tea room is built for the tea people, but the tea people are not born for the tea room.The tea room cannot be passed on to the descendants, only the beauty that was displayed at that moment will be passed down... Rose couldn't help thinking about her mother's life. A mother lived her life, and that life was not meant to be left to her children and grandchildren.So the fleeting life is the mother's own thing, and it seems that children should not get to the bottom of it. (But I want to know her!) Rose justifies her actions. The next day, at the appointed time, Rose received a call from the counter, saying that a person named Mitsuko Kato was visiting. When I went downstairs, I saw a woman in plain kimono standing in the hall, about fifty years old.Rose's mother would have been about the same age, had she been alive. Since there was no one else in the hall, Rose approached the woman and raised her voice and asked: "Are you Miss Kato? I'm Rose? Gilmore." The other party seemed slightly hesitant. "You, you are..." She stared at Rose as she spoke, then quickly lowered her eyes—a bewildered expression. No wonder, Rose thought. How could the baby who was held twenty-seven years ago grow into an adult all of a sudden and appear in front of him, how could he still recognize him! "Let's sit here for a while," said Rose. "I wanted to ask you about my mother, because I don't remember anything." Kato Mitsuko sat down on the sofa hesitantly.Although the sofa was soft and very comfortable, she seemed to have some scruples, leaning her body, and only sat on the edge of the sofa. "I heard for the first time that my mother used to work in an antique shop in Kyoto. The name of the shop you mentioned on the phone was..." "The Lower Village Chamber of Commerce." "still there?" "No, it was closed during the war. A war is not a good time for the antique trade after all." "Did my mother meet my father during this time?" asked Rose.Since her father was also an antique dealer, she made a bold assumption.As for Simon?Gilmore never mentioned the process of meeting his wife, even when his daughter was older. "Well. Mr. Gilmore used to visit your mother in the store." "What kind of person is mother?" "Well..." Kato Mitsuko could not speak as if choked up.Maybe it's because there are so many things I want to say that I can't figure it out all at once.She took a breath first, and then said, "She's great!" Kato Mitsuko looked at Rose, and gradually narrowed his eyes, as if falling into memory. "At that time, I had some family troubles, and I often went to complain to Ms. Tachibana. She also worried about me with empathy, not just perfunctory me with words...In the sensitive girlhood, you can tell if the other party is sincere... Ms. Tachibana shed tears after listening to my words... She is a very pure person. Later, I will never find someone as sincere as her." Although Kato Mitsuko's words were intermittent, it could be heard that there was a certain degree of truth in them. A courteous tone and occasional words of the highest praise would have made Rose feel awkward and uncomfortable had her attitude been any more exaggerated. "But before my mother met my father...it seemed that she had a lover..." Rose remembered what Nakagaki had heard from Hiroko Fushimi. Kato Mitsuko's whole body became stiff for an instant. "I remember that the other party's name seems to be Imamura..." Rose added. Rose is Simon, Gilmore's daughter.Kato Mitsuko seems to have a hard time telling her about her mother's past relationship.However, Rose pre-emptively confessed what she knew. "Hey, this..." Kato Mitsuko avoids Rose's sight, "Miss Tachibana seldom mentions her...private affairs...I only know that she seems to have a good boyfriend. Because her face is shining, that It is a sign of love... However, I heard that the other party is seriously ill and cannot get married..." Kato Mitsuko hurriedly changed the topic when she said this, and began to chat about how Rose's mother contributed to other friends.Anyone who associates with Tachibana Hisako, there is no one who doesn't like her... It seems that Kato Mitsuko can be said to be an admirer of Rose's mother. In addition, Nakagaki also said that the woman named Fushimi Hiroko worshiped "Aunt Hisako" almost blindly. The killings appeared in major newspapers across the country. Following the explanation of the incident, Rose who found the body?Gilmore's name was exposed in the media. —Is that Rose?Gilmore? After reading the newspaper, I am afraid that many people will have the above doubts.Not only did Mrs. Rimbaud who lived in Tokyo call to inquire after reading the morning paper the next day after the incident, but even people who had never met before would know about her: ——She has gone to Japan and is a professor at Fuso Women's University. From this point of view, the report of this incident can be said to be a greeting letter to her friends in Japan. However, only the new friend, Mrs. Rimbaud, and Kato Mitsuko were the ones who actually called.But Kato is not Rose's friend, but her mother's old friend. (It seems that the impression of my mother is very strong.) thought Rose. Fushimi Hiroko and Kato Mitsuko almost overwhelmingly admire Hisako Tachibana, and even tend to lack rational observation. Although Hiroko Fushimi asked about the unusual relationship between his mother and Keisuke Imamura, according to Nakagaki's report, he couldn't hear anything else. Kato Mitsuko exhausted all the compliments, and learned nothing from the conversation except that her mother used to work at the Shimomura Chamber of Commerce and met her father there. From the mouths of her mother's two old friends, Rose couldn't piece together the image of her mother at all. Could it be that Tachibana Hisako is a woman who radiates light, making friends around her unable to see her true face? "Do you know Hiroko Fushimi? She was a good friend of my mother's Kobe era." Rose asked. "I don't know each other." Kato Mitsuko replied, "Miss Tachibana was often together when she was in Kyoto, but when she got married and moved to Kobe, we rarely saw each other." It turned out that the two admirers did not know each other. Kato Mitsuko was talking endlessly, and Rose suddenly remembered what she wanted to know and hadn't asked yet! "Did you know about the Marshall incident?" Rose asked. Kato Mitsuko said that she would have hugged Rose in infancy, so when the spy incident happened a year before Rose was born, she should have occasional contacts with Tachibana Hisako who lives in Kobe. "Ah! That incident really has nothing to do with Mr. Gilmore. It's so pitiful. It's completely a disaster for the fish in the pond, and it's an innocent disaster." Kato Mitsuko replied. As for how his father was involved in the Marshall incident, Guangzi asked three questions. "In that case, I'm really embarrassed to ask. But Miss Tachibana has always believed that her husband has not done anything illegal." She said with a sigh. "Seeing you grow up makes me feel that this trip is worthwhile. My mind is in a mess now. If you want to know about your mother, I will tell you after I clear my mind in a few days." Kato Mitsuko said goodbye and left. Looking at her back, Rose fell into deep thought—— (What a pain in the ass, admirers! . . . ) The most nerve-wracking thing about admirers is the blind imitation of the other. Terumo Nakagaki was thinking the same thing when he went to Horuiji Temple on the outskirts of Komoro, Shinshu. He received a courier from his family at the plantation household. The letter only said that he should return home as soon as possible after the things to be done were done, and did not force him to go back immediately. However, Nakagaki packed up his clothes and returned home in a hurry. Because the Fushimi Hiroko who worshiped "Aunt Hisako" went to find him at Shousun Temple in Suma. Fortunately, he was away when he was out, otherwise the other party would still be entangled. Hiroko Fushimi, who adores Aunt Hisako, is determined to find a man to whom he can dedicate himself. "That woman's eyes are so strange." Shimada Yoshinomo didn't seem like he was just joking when he said this. Perhaps Nakagaki, who is devout to the Buddha, is an object of dedication in the eyes of Hiroko Fushimi.And she has been pursuing such an object. Nakagaki instinctively sensed that danger was approaching.The affection of a forty-year-old woman is more terrifying than imagined. That night, Hiroko called again. Said that she wanted to meet again, her voice was extremely sharp. "I'm too busy recently, let's wait a few days." Nakagaki was perfunctory, and hurriedly packed his bags and went home the next morning. "Oh? Want to slip?" Yoshinoshi Shimada said with a smile. When Fushimi Hiroko came to Xiangshun Temple, Nakagaki went to Jianmao Company to visit the suspected Chinese citizen Wang Yuming in order to investigate the Marshall incident.Jianmao Company is located on the second floor of a building on what is commonly known as "Nanjing Street". If it is directly stated that it was entrusted by the relatives of the person involved in the incident and wants to know the whole story, the other party may have reservations.Therefore, under the guise of doing academic research, Nakagaki used the name of an assistant to the professor of modern history to collect various materials about the Marshall incident. "Which professor?" Wang Wuming asked.Nakagaki named the professor of the History Department of his alma mater. "I don't know the inside story. For one thing, it was a long time ago, and for another, I've only scratched the surface." Wang Tongming is a gentleman with a chubby figure and a ruddy complexion.According to Yoshinori Shimada's information, he was only 23 years old when the incident happened, and he should be 51 years old now. In the corner of the living room is the winning trophy of the golf tournament. "I was young at that time." Wang Tongming said, twisting a tobacco leaf. "When I was studying at Kyoto University, I started to study Marxism because of the influence of Dr. Collecting intelligence... Marshall is the one who ordered me, and I don’t know anything about other members. So after Marshall’s death, what will the organization do? What channels and where does the information I collect flow through? I don’t know at all.” "Do you know an Englishman named Simon Gilmore?" Nakagaki asked. "When I was interrogated by the police, I often heard his name mentioned, but I never met him. Later, I heard that the man was released. He was acquitted from the harsh interrogation of the Japanese military police, which shows that he may be really It has nothing to do with the incident. Of course, some people said it was because Marshall committed suicide, so we had to let it go." "What kind of intelligence did you mean when you mentioned gathering intelligence?" "Ha, ha... I'm just downstream, nothing special. For example, the movement of the Japanese army, how many people are there in the shipyard... In short, it's just numbers." "number?" "I put beans in a paper bag and went around to inspect the places. There was a fixed amount of beans in the bag... At that time, as long as someone in the family was conscripted into the army, there would be a sign of 'Home of Conscripted Soldiers' at the door. Every time I met One, just eat one bean. Then compare the number of houses with the number of beans eaten, and calculate the percentage... Of course, this is just a rough figure, and it is only for the aid of comprehensive judgment." It turned out that Wang Dongming was only doing the last espionage work. "When interrogated, the gendarme asked all they wanted to know. In other words, I knew nothing about that part." Wang Tongming straightened his crossed legs and focused his gaze on the cigarette held between his fingertips. Although he didn't show displeasure, he hinted at Nakagaki with his attitude, and it would be useless to ask more questions. (There should be no concealment, probably because I really don’t know.) Nakagaki judged. After all, it was an old story twenty-eight years ago, and there was nothing to hide. "I don't know the details of Marshall either." Wang Tongming said, stroking his sun-tanned cheeks. "I was introduced to Marshall by one of those comrades in Kyoto. I only know him as 'our comrade'. Of course, they have another organization. I follow orders from the organization, but I don't know much about the organization itself. There is such a thing. Before I was exiled abroad, I met a certain fellow, and he said something to me." "What words?" "He said you were being used by the imperialists... So I whispered to him, I did join that organization through the introduction of my colleagues... I didn't even know the nature of the organization I belonged to, because at that time imperialism and the leftist Molecules want to get their hands on Japan, and I'm just a buffoon." "Then the police in charge of the interrogation know more than you do?" "Of course." Wang Tongming smiled with his mouth twisted, and shook his body with a cigarette in his mouth. ——Is it almost there? Zhongyuan read Wang Wuming's body language, so he stood up and said: "excuse me." It is really hard for this smoking, overnourished fifty-one-year-old trading company owner to relate to the miserable young man in Nakagaki's mind, holding a paper bag in one hand and eating beans at the same time. Twenty-eight years will completely change a person.When he walked out of the room, Nakagaki looked at the golf trophy and thought. (Let's go to the Gendarmerie Lieutenant in his hometown of Shinshu early!) Although he had made up his mind, he hadn't decided to go home so soon. He didn't make up his mind to leave Kobe early until he heard of Hiroko Fushimi's visit when he returned to Shousun Temple in Suma. (It hasn't changed at all.) Shinshu's hometown is almost exactly the same as when Nakagaki left a year ago. "Why, are you still thinking about it?" The father's voice sounded behind him. Nakagaki replied that he would have to think about what to do in the future before making a decision. "You young people are fooling around all day long, and you don't know what you're thinking." Father complained. "I'm going out today." "where to?" "G Village." "Oh...it's better than sleeping in." His father didn't ask him why he went to G village. Hearing that Gendarmerie Lieutenant Tsunezo Kishio, who was in charge of investigating the Marshall incident, was from Village G, County S, Nagano Prefecture, Nakagaki looked forward to going to Village G to find out news about Kishio. There is a Longfu Temple in G Village. The abbot and Nakagaki's father are good friends, and they often visit each other.Nakagaki thought that the effect of asking the abbot might be better than asking the district office.Besides, the abbot of Longfu Temple is very nosy, no matter what happens in the small G village, he knows everything. Kishio was about 30 years old when the incident happened, so now he is fifty-eight years old, which is close to the age of Ershun. Just like Wang Tongming's transformation from a high-spirited left-wing student to a fat boss, I don't know what the 30-year-old capable military police lieutenant looks like now—— (He is probably not in G village.) Nakagaki thought.Because he felt that someone as active as Kishio would not live in the countryside after the war.However, because it is rare for a person at the level of an official to worship a general to appear in G village, his affairs should be widely known. (still alive?) This suspicion suddenly arose in Nakagaki. The Marshall incident took place in Showa 15, five years before the end of the Great War, during which a terrible war was going on.Perhaps Kishio, who was a soldier, also went to the front line.It’s just that the number of gendarmes who died in battle was relatively small, so a large proportion of them are still alive—Nakagaki thought as he walked on the way to Longfu Temple. After not seeing him for a year, the abbot of Longfu Temple has added some wrinkles and lost a lot of weight.Although the scenery remains the same, the people have changed. "Today's visit is a bit unusual and I would like to ask you." Nakagaki said at the gate. "What's the matter?" asked the thin old abbot. "Do you know Tsunezo Kishio from this village?" "Oh, Kishio?... This man is amazing, but unfortunately he died. No, it should be said that he was murdered..." "Murdered?" Nakagaki asked back, and gasped at the same time. "That's right...it was shortly after the end of the war. I heard that in Kobe, the prisoner has never been caught." "In Kobe?" Nakagaki muttered to himself. "Do you know what year the correct time is?" "Why are you asking this?" "I wanted to ask Kishio-san about a certain case during the war." "Oh." The old abbot looked at Nakagaki, "The sword and rhinoceros belong to the gendarmerie. He was very powerful during the war... However, after the war, he had a 180-degree change and became a mercenary miser. He often Speculating on real estate in this area... I heard that Kobe, where the black market is popular, is also very active. Maybe it was because of a conflict of interest that he was killed by his colleagues. In short, he is a man who walks around at night. I just said he is great, not referring to him Go the right way. Like those corrupt MPs." "yes?……" Nakagaki was a little anxious.The old abbot was not answering his question at all.Of course Nakagaki was interested in Kishio, but what he really wanted to know was when and why this man was killed.Talking about the post-war situation is going too far. Fortunately, the old abbot did not forget Nakagaki's question, it's just that the preface was a little too long.After taking a breath, the old abbot continued: "It was April of the second year after the end of the Great War. I still remember that when his ashes were buried here, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom." The fire at the Gilmore house also occurred in May of the same year, a dry season before the rainy season.The death of Kishio Tsunezo and the death of Rose's mother are very close in both place and time. "How did you die?" Nakagaki asked. "Shot and killed on the road at night." "Is it a pistol?" "Yes... At that time, Kobe was full of ruins. Not only were there foreign troops stationed there, but also many black market businessmen who were not afraid of death, and hooligans who specialized in creating turmoil. It’s about going too far.” "What about his family?" "In Tokyo. His wife doesn't live here. She's from Tokyo. She only showed her face once at the funeral, and hasn't visited the grave since then." "I see... Who in this area is familiar with Kishio?" The old abbot licked his lips and said: "Maybe you really have something to do... Hey, I won't ask you, so as not to bother you. There is a worker in the elementary school here named Gao Bin. He and Kishio are the best friends. It's just that if you listen to him, you have to give a discount." It turns out that Takahama used to be Kishio Tsunezo's entourage. At that time, the chief of the army liked to promote the people around him, so Kishio asked his fellow countryman Gao Bin to follow him. At the end of the war, Kishio remained anonymous because he belonged to the gendarmerie and was suspected of being a war criminal.But in that chaotic era, he still had a wife and children to support, so he had to engage in black market business.Gao Bin was sent to come forward when making transactions, and then contacted his wife. When Kishio was killed, Takahama was living with him in Kobe. After listening to the old abbot's explanation, Nakagaki set off for the village primary and secondary school. Nakagaki saw another admirer there. Although it has been twenty-two years since his death, Kishio Tsunezo remains the object of Takahama's reverence until now. "The captain must have been killed by the U.S. military. Those guys refused to let the captain go." Gao Bin said. As for calling Kishio a captain, it may be because he was later promoted to an official rank. According to Gao Bin's speculation, because Captain Kishio was an important person, he was constantly followed by the U.S. military and was killed in the end.No, it was not so much speculation as he was sure of it. Objectively speaking, Gao Bin's conviction is actually a lot to discuss.If it is really a war criminal, the U.S. military will naturally find a way to arrest and bring him to trial, and there is no need to kill people. However, Nakagaki does not intend to argue with Takahama in this part, he just wants to know how Kishio was killed. "The captain went out alone that night." Gao Bin said, looking at the ceiling of the worker's room. "There seems to be something important. As for what it is, I don't know. Because the captain used to keep everything in his heart... We were living in a wooden house in Nakayamate, Kobe. The captain has been there since that day. Went out at night and didn't come home all night." "Has anything like this happened before?" "Occasionally... But, he will explain in advance. I waited all night in fear, and the next morning the police knocked on the door and asked me if I knew Yamada Minoru... The captain deliberately used the pseudonym Yamada Minoru in order to avoid the US military's sniping... …At the same time, he also told me that he cannot be said to live here. But I was really worried, so I replied that I had met him, but I was not very familiar with him. The police heard that, since you know Yamada Minoru, please come with us to identify him. Corpse... I was taken aback." Gao Bin's small eyes seemed to see the horrible scene more than 20 years ago again, and his eyes blinked violently. "Have you gone to identify the corpse?" Hearing Nakagaki's question, Gao Bin blinked and closed his eyes, with a sad expression on his face, and nodded. The body of Tsunezo Kishio lies in the burnt-out aviation building on the coast. Find the piece of paper with Nakayamate's wooden house in the dead body's pocket.Probably because he wanted to hand it over to the other party in order to deliver black market supplies.There is an arrow on the location of the wooden house on the piece of paper, and the words Yamada Minoru are written beside it. Since it is impossible to know whether the deceased is Yamada Minoru, the police had to find the wooden house according to the map. Although the body was discovered early the next morning, the forensic doctor concluded that the time of death should have been around eleven o'clock the night before, and the cause of death was being hit in the heart by two bullets. "The police looked at the bullet and said it wasn't fired from a Japanese pistol...so the captain must have been killed by an American bastard! If only I had been with him then." Gao Bin said, his eyes became moist. Gao Bin is of medium stature, maybe because of his darker complexion, he looks much shorter than he actually is.There are wrinkles on the cheeks and forehead, and the blinking eyes make this man in his sixties look wretched. In the deep-set eye sockets, there are two small eyes that seem to be pointed out with the tip of a pen.Just from such eyes, one can know that its owner is cautious and straightforward. I'm afraid Kishio will choose Gao Bin as his servant, not only because of his fellowship, but also because he has already seen through that this man will be like a dog, loyal to his master. "At that time, it was up to you to contact Mrs. Kishio, right?" Nakagaki asked. "Well, yes. From time to time, I have to send living expenses to my wife who lives in Tokyo... I don't know how the captain's wife is now?... In the second year after the captain passed away, I went to Tokyo to visit, but unfortunately the building was empty." "The cost of living is huge, isn't it?" "what?" Gao Bin looked at Nakagaki's expression in a little panic, as if he was very confused about whether he should answer this question. "It's been more than twenty years, and it's no longer a secret. Besides, Captain Kishio has passed away." Nakagaki said reassuringly. "Why do you ask about the captain?" Gao Bin asked cautiously like a frightened little animal. "Actually, what I really want to know is the Marshall incident that happened in Kobe in Showa 15. Isn't Captain Kishio in charge of the investigation?" "Well. The captain did go to Kobe on business that year, but I didn't know anything about the Marshall incident. He didn't take me there..." Since as a servant, the main job is to take care of the master's food and daily life, as for the content of the master's work, he has no way of saying.This is the highest level of servanthood. Nakagaki thought, probably nothing more could be learned from Gao Bin. (What data can the dead Kishio provide? If you want to pursue the Marshall incident, according to Shimada's information, you can only ask the reporter of the newspaper.) That being said, Nakagaki is still bitter about Kishio's death.After all, the place of Kobe, and April of the second year after the end of the war, seemed to have something to do with the death of another person. "The living expenses for my wife are very high, up to 200,000 yuan each time. At that time, the money could buy several houses." Gao Bin suddenly interfaced.Probably even he, who was slow to react, realized that no matter how big a secret is, there is no need to hide it after more than twenty years. "Wow! That's a lot of money. Kishio must have a lot of money." "No, no." Gao Bin shook his hand in front of his nose. "At the end of the war, the captain was penniless. I know that well. But when he starts to trade, he doesn't know where to get a lot of money... That's the great thing about him. I can't learn it." Nakagaki would have heard about the rampant black market after the war, as well as rumors of someone becoming an upstart overnight.But from the end of the war to Kishi's killing, it was only a short period of eight months. If he gave his wife 100,000 to 200,000 yuan each time, the amount handled would be even higher! "What business do you do?" Nakagaki asked. "I don't know the details. Anyway, all the plans are in the captain's head. He is a person with a fairly clear mind. Such a clever person is no longer found." Gao Bin's evaluation of Kishio is almost one-sided.Admirers don't need to know too many details.Although he claims to be an assistant in business, he is actually just a servant in charge of sending messages. "Where did Kishio live when the war ended?" Although he no longer had any interest in asking, Nakagaki asked casually. "Tokyo, of course. A man of his stature is naturally at the center." "You moved to Kobe after the war?" "It was the year when the Great War ended. Afterwards, he also went to Shinshu to speculate on land, but soon returned to Kobe...Kobe can be said to be the base of the captain's business." "I see……" Nakagaki stood up from the trembling chair in the coworker's room.After asking for a long time, I didn't get any clues related to the Marshall incident, but instead added to the mystery of Kishio's murder in Shenhu. "The Captain is a wonderful man." Gao Bin reluctantly added a sentence. "indeed." Nakagaki replied as if to reassure the other party. "I'm stuck in this... primary school as a worker, but I often think of the captain. If the captain is still alive, with his talents, he can definitely start a big company and be the boss, and I just..." Gao Bin lowered his eyes as he spoke.Dirty dark-brown trousers were covered with grimy overalls.He seemed ashamed of his status. "You're out of luck!" Nakagaki couldn't think of anything else to say. The same admirer, Fushimi Hiroko showed a different style.Fushimi is wholeheartedly trying to imitate "Aunt Hisako", but Takahama seems to have given up trying to imitate Captain Kishio from the beginning. Gao Bin just clings to the captain like a vine.Once the big tree fell, the vines could no longer absorb nutrients from the big tree, so Gao Bin was also devastated. As for Fushimi Hiroko, while attached to Aunt Hisako, in addition to absorbing the nutrition of the other party, he also stored it in his body.Concentrating on love, concentrating on "Many Leaves", is a kind of Buddha's spirit... I like a man who is concentrating. Nakagaki couldn't help but think of the hazy look in Fushimi Hiroko's eyes when he spoke. A sap-like energy was circulating in her body.Compared with this, Takahama is just a dead branch, and it is an orange tree branch that has fallen to the ground. ——If only I were by his side. Although Takahama's eyes were moist when he said that, it was not living tree sap.It is a dead branch that fell on the wetland, soaked in water for a long time, and naturally swelled. (Knowing that I'm gone, I wonder if Hiroko Fushimi will be angry?) While thinking this way, he returned to Farui Temple. Nakagaki unpacked the luggage he brought back from India, and every day he either sorted out his notes from studying abroad or visited old friends nearby. A week later, he got a letter from Rose. She briefly reported her meeting with Kato Mitsuko, and admitted that the trip had no concrete results. Mrs. Rimbaud booked a double room in Karuizawa. “房钱已经付了。至于餐饮部分等离去时再一并结清。” 柜台如此解释着。 看来兰波太太已先付清两个人的房钱。罗丝躺在床上，斜睨着另一张铺着床罩的床。兰波太太要在这里与心爱的人共渡春宵？ 想着想着，忽然生出一种奇妙的感觉。 她刻意不告诉中垣自己停宿轻井泽的日期。 第二天早上，罗丝打电话到法瑞寺。 ——你已经出发了？ 听到中垣惊讶的声音，罗丝心头涌上一股暖意。 中垣再三劝罗丝到法瑞寺玩。他表示寺庙很大，而且自己也已经把她的事禀明父亲，请千万不要客气。 中垣的话实在很有说服力。 “假如不太麻烦的话……”罗丝拗不过中垣的苦劝，接受了邀请。 但是，其后她却产生少许的不安。 在东京的那几天，她的心里全是高速公路、摩天大楼。夸张点说，她在日本这些日子，只见到日本的表像，尚未跟真正的日本对决呢。 要到欧风淡薄的乡下，对罗丝而言：心情上宛如要去做一场武士决斗。以前她只从车窗瞥见日本的农村，还没真正接触过。 从上野车站搭信越线第二特急“早晨号”时，罗丝会热切地向外眺望。 浦和的乡下碧绿宜人，看不见什么高楼大厦，给人一望无际的印象。 （这便是田园风光……） 罗丝想着，心情忽然紧张起来。 直到在大宫车站再度看到高楼，才有种莫名的安全感。 车行至碓冰咔附近，只见四周山上种满杉树。由于绿的浓淡整齐划一，令她怀疑是不是有计划的植林——由山峦所呈现的几何图形，陡她安了心。 她以旁观者的眼光，观察自己情绪的起伏。 从轻井泽前往小诸方向车窗的右手边，可以看见冒着烟的浅间山。另一边则是平坦有如屏风的山峦。偶尔可见山腹部分有一些揑出来似的皱折。 罗丝觉得这里的景色似乎在欧洲见过，只是一时想不起到底在哪里。 （我是不是硬想把日本和欧洲拉上关系？） 她发现自己正用第三者的眼窥伺内心。 （难道我那么害怕日本的风土民情？） 火车上静悄悄的。 罗丝探首张望，然后轻轻摇头。 （我不怕，只是有点紧张罢了……） 中垣在小诸车站等她。 “累不累？”中垣一边接过罗丝的行李，一边问。 "fine." 从轻井泽到小诸只要二十分钟，再加上昨天晚上睡得很熟，所以年轻的她不该觉得累。 “那么去我家的寺庙之前，先去怀古园看看吧。离车站很近。” “怀古园是什么地方？” “小诸城城楼的遗迹。” “啊！岛崎藤村写的……” 罗丝在东京念中学时，曾经在国语课本上念过藤村的诗。 “你既然知道，那我就不用多解释了。现在整个城池虽然已成为公园，但仍然可以引发怀旧之情！” 这便是日本的诗情—— 不过，罗丝十三年来之“旧”并谈不上什么情，充其量只能算是由铅字堆嵌的拼图罢了。 怀着忐忑不安的心情，她走过怀古园的大门。这里是以前小诸城的三门。采迭造法建造的二层城门，是一个有两百多年历史的建筑。 走过二门，前往红叶桥之前有一个小小的神社。外面是简朴的牌坊、草绳，以及布满青苔的石墙。 墙边竖着一根上书“大愿成就”四个字的红色旗子，可能以前颜色十分鲜艳，可是现在已经褪色了。 “为什么不整理一下？”罗丝问中垣。 “全部重新粉刷油漆，不就没价值了吗？毕竟这座公园取名叫怀古园啊。” 中垣明快地为罗丝释疑。 由于小诸城主牧野氏只是拥有一万五千石的小诸侯，即使宽永年间被雷击毁的三层天守阁仍在的话，只怕也不会给人多么雄伟的压迫感吧。 藤村纪念馆前榉木高耸入云，天守台址对面的北谷亦递植绿树。 这里最令观光客惊讶的是它完全自然，几乎丝毫不见人工经营的痕迹。 罗丝和中垣爬上后门的石阶，顶端有一个伞形的凉亭，伞柄旁摆着长凳。 “哇！真美。” 罗丝感叹地说。 眼前千曲川潺潺流过。 而远方浅间山开阔的山麓更令罗丝心有所感。因为那让她连想到欧洲的牧场。又是欧洲！ （怎么老跟欧洲扯不清。） 她忽然警觉，不由苦笑起来。 中垣点燃香烟，开始报告调查岸尾常三的经过。 他的话让仍然幻想浅间山平缓山麓是牧场的罗丝，心头蒙上了一层现实的阴影。 中垣像要改变气氛似的，指着远方模糊的北阿尔卑斯山峯，告诉罗丝他知道的山名。 “在我小的时候，这条千曲川水还很丰沛。后来因为建水坝，河里的水就慢慢变少了。你看，那个水坝多碍眼哪！” 朝中垣指尖方向望去，可以看见写着电力公司名字的水坝。 （我却不觉得它碍眼哩。） 罗丝心里虽然这么想，嘴巴却没说出口。 例如怀古园维持自然风貌，对她而书，正是她不熟悉，也认为碍眼的部分。在这座古园中看不到人工的痕迹，但是欧洲的公园却处处可见人力的雕琢。 找不到人生活的痕迹，令她深感不安。如今，这座人工建筑的水坝则如同碓冰峥几何形状的山岭，能带给她心灵的抚慰。 “乡下的样子都变了。” 她像为自己的念头道歉似地，赶紧转变话题。 然后，两人默默地远眺信浓的山川。 仔细想来，他们每次见面都是在现代化的建筑物中，像船上、饭店顶楼餐厅等。甚至连在神户北野町一带散步，道路两旁也都是欧式建筑。 他们还是头一次在这么原始的环境里相处。 有时罗丝觉得和中垣距离好远，但转瞬间又觉得和他肝胆相照。同时，罗丝也发觉自己的内心分成两部分，一部分喜欢水坝，另一部分则喜欢长有青苔的石阶，彼此互相对决。 （我不可以想鱼与熊掌兼得！） 她警告自己。 这半个月和罗丝最亲近的日本人要算中垣照道及兰波太太。不过，兰波太太虽然出身是日本人，国籍却设于美国。和长年在国外生活的她相处，罗丝一点也不会觉得别扭。 但和中垣交往就不一样了。 他的内心似乎有许多罗丝无法理解的东西。 而且，这些东西说不定在罗丝的心灵深处也保有着。 她思绪翻腾，忽然觉得好疲倦。 于是，罗丝把右手放在邻座中垣的膝头，她不明白自己为什么这么做。 在那一瞬间，她的手掌感受到对方身体传来的颤抖。 "I'm afraid," she said. "What are you afraid of?" 中垣问，声音有点奇怪。 她无法具体说出自己怕什么——于是她只好编出另一套与害怕无关的说辞。 “太多人被杀了啊！像我隔壁邻居鲁森太太以及这位叫岸尾的宪兵。” “但是，罗丝，这两个人死亡的时间相距二十二年呢！” “固然没错，可是……” 中垣讲得没错。但对罗丝而书，这两个案子却好像连续杀人事件。 罗丝开始不知该如何处理放在中垣膝上的右手。她全身的注意力仿佛都集中在这只右手上。 这时，中垣把手覆盖在罗丝的手上。 “不要紧。”他安慰着，“那是因为你弄不清事实真相，才会觉得害怕……一旦弄清楚了，所有问题都能迎刃而解。” “大概是吧。”罗丝点点头。“八成是因为旅行的关系，我有点昏沉沉的。” 中垣站起身，同时拉着罗丝的手，扶她站起来。 当他们的手互握时，彼此都有种僵硬的窒息感。直到站好了把手松开，他们才觉得轻松起来，接着两人的心头都不约而同地浮现出亲密感和一股朦胧的暖意。 抵达法瑞寺时，罗丝觉得自己的心火被刷地点燃。 少女时代哪怕住在日本，由于父亲宗教信仰的关系，她常出入教堂，却一直无缘接触任何寺庙。 ——可是我一踏入庙门，却有种放松的安心感呢。 晚餐是精心准备的斋食。 中垣照道的父亲其实很胖，只不过在谈话期间，罗丝一直有种对方仙风道骨的感觉。 “佛家主张慈悲……嗯，你知道什么是慈悲吗？”中垣的父亲问罗丝。 “知道……是不是和菩提心有关？” “啊！你也知道菩提心吗？听照道说你的日语很不错，看来此言不差。” 说着，中垣的父亲笑了起来。 （我能在寺庙里找到安适……一定和我体内的日本血统有关。） 罗丝想。 这天晚上罗丝盘坐在桌前，摊开日本探究的笔记。只是不一会儿，她便觉得脚酸，只好把盘起的腿伸直。 （我之所以坐不住，是不是与英国的血统有关？） 对自己一一探究行为来源的念头，她觉得好笑。 罗丝将笔记中的问题挑出一个来思考。 她试图想了解，在太平洋战争期间，日本军对英籍俘虏所做出的“残虐行为” 日本人员的那么野蛮吗？ 曾经和日本人一起生活过的她，简直无法相信。 是俘虏们的证辞太夸张？ 还是可能出自语言上的误会？ 美国女性社会学家鲁斯？贝湼迪克认为： 当日本接受中国传入的儒家思想时，似乎刻意摒弃诸德之源“仁”。仁代表博爱，为别人着想，同时也是使人际关系和谐的方法。 另外，儒家主张以仁统治天下者方才有德，倘使君主不仁，人民可以不必服从。 这种认同“造反有理”的思想，与日本支配阶级的利益相悖，他们自然无法让类似可能引发革命的思想盛行。 另有一说是，热心于推广仁德之治的孟子典籍，在船运来日途中遇到风雨沉没了。 所以日本的最高德目不是仁，而是忠孝。 为别人着想的观念与忠孝完全没有交集，这会不会是导致日本军残暴不仁的远因？ 罗丝在笔记上写了个大大的“不”字。 或许当儒敦传人日本时，会刻意省略掉“仁”，但是随之而来的佛教，却弥补了这个部分。 佛教极力提倡仁爱之心，但它不主张打倒没有慈悲心的君主，所以应该可以被日本政府接受。 罗丝振笔疾书。 第二天吃过早餐，罗丝把昨夜的感想拿给中垣看。 “我想听听你的意见，尤其是以佛教徒的身分。”她说。 正当中垣还在读笔记时，他的父亲走进来。 “我有一位朋友青木先生，他说想见你。” 说着，这位姓青木的男人已随中垣父亲走进房间。他大约五十岁上下，形貌十分清瞿。头发虽已半白，但是精神奕奕，目光烱烱有神。 “打扰你们了。我听小学的高滨说你在打听已死的岸尾常三的事。” 一旦坐定，立刻切入正题。 “是的。”中垣回答。 “其实对岸尾，高滨根本一无所知……说不定我才最清楚。” “很抱歉，不知您和岸尾是什么关系？”中垣问。 “我们俩从小学到中学便在一起……高滨是个笨蛋，虽然号称跟着他，其实对岸尾的事什么也不知道。同时，岸尾大概也只让这种笨蛋待在他身边！” “听他开口闭口上尉大人，很会拍马屁哩。” “没错，岸尾喜欢在身边围绕着一群崇拜者。对了，隆福寺的住持好像问过你，你到底为什么要打听岸尾？” “这个嘛……”中垣瞄了罗丝一眼，“我是对一件以前的往事有兴趣……由于这个事件与岸尾先生有关，所以才想对他多一点了解。” “和外国人有关吗？那是在战前……不，至少在大战结束前。” 青木也瞄了罗丝一眼。 “嗯。您知道马歇尔事件吗？” “马歇尔事件？……不，不知道。我只听他本人提过，他与外国人的案子有关。” “他说了事件原委？” “没有。”青木摇摇头。“我只知道他勒索与这个事件相关的外国人。” “勒索？”中垣反问。 “岸尾是个自我意识很强的人。” 青木说着把视线从中垣脸上移开，固定在中垣与罗丝之间，显示出他谁都不看，只浸淫在自己的思考中。“这么说或许比较极端，不过我认为他是个性格异常的人。” "How to say?" “你们可能会觉得奇怪，不过岸尾从小学到中学一直和我竞争……我虽然对竞争并不在意，但是岸尾却十分认真……举个例子吧。那是中学时候的事，有一回考试前我正打算回家准备功课，却发现笔记不翼而飞，而且怎么找都找不到。由于第二天就要考试，大家都要用笔记，当然不可能借我。后来我好不容易以只读一个小时为条件，向好友借到笔记，总算勉强过关。你明白吗？……那个藏起我笔记的家伙，便是岸尾。他就是这样狡猾的人！” “你有证据证明是岸尾先生把你的笔记藏起来？” “没有证据。他不是一个会留下任何蛛丝马迹的笨蛋，然而我相信是他干的。” 青木不只口中这么坚定地说，脸上也显出确信的表情。 没有证据就怀疑对方，不，不是怀疑，根本是确信。 （这个人不是也很奇怪吗？） 中垣在心里嘀咕。 可能他的思想显露在外了吧，青木急忙接着说： “连证据都没有，便一口咬定对方，是不是很奇怪？其实那是因为你不了解岸尾这个人。我刚才举的只不过是一个小小的例子，其他还有很多事例，俯首皆是……他只要能够扬名立万，就算踩着别人的背脊也不要紧。这从他选择当兵便可以清楚地看出。他认为一旦当上军人，便可受勋章、阶级的荣耀，也可以展示自己的伟大。另外，他转进宪兵队的理由亦同。当时在军服的领襟上会标示所属兵种，例如步兵是红色，炮兵是黄色，那些都很普通。可是黑色……宪兵却是黑色呢！于是他为了引人注意，改当宪兵。” 中垣本来想说他要了解的是岸尾如何勒索外国人，而非他的个性，可是青木一直滔滔不绝地诉说着，根本没有给他插嘴的机会。 “岸尾哪怕当了兵，也没减轻对我的敌意。那时我自大学毕业，才刚进一家一流的公司上班，而他居然企图破坏我出人头地的机会。说起来令人难以置信，但这是有根据的。我才进公司不久，宪兵队便向公司打小报告，说我的思想有问题……其实从大学时代开始，我一直对思想的问题小心回避，也从不参与任何政治活动，不料宪兵队竟然会指名警告我。人事课长是我的学长，这事是他私下告诉我的。当然，从此以后我就被冷冻起来，离升迁越来越遥远。” “你刚刚说的证据？” “宪兵队会注意到我，不正是岸尾暗中在指使吗？” 青木理所当然地下结论。 “我不明白……”中垣迟疑地说道。“他做这些事，有什么好处？” “在出身于G村的同侪当中，只有我跟岸尾两个最杰出……尽管我们生活的圈子不同，但是岸尾一直把我当做假想敌。这个问题不是有没有好处，而是他认为G村中能够出人头地的只有他一个人……无法忍受还有别人表现也很杰出。嗯，反正就是嫉妒心太强了！” “但是，你刚才说……岸尾勒索外国人，又是怎么回事？” 中垣终于耐不住性子，问道。 “那件事和外国衣料有关。”青木说，“我刚才不是说过岸尾选择当兵，不是因为他特别爱国，而是战争期间乃军人的天下，他可以洋洋得意。不过，战争一旦结束，整个局势跟着改变，军人的地位也一落千丈。你明白吗？或许一般人可以自嘲说十年河东十年河西，然而他却做不到。” “这点我明白，但是和外国衣料有什么关系？” “我现在就要讲啦！”青木像安慰中垣的猴急似地，“可以吗？总之，他因为是宪兵，有战犯的嫌疑，大战一结束就得过着躲躲藏藏的生活。有一天晚上，他突然跑来敲我家的门。那时我住松元……我和岸尾很久没见面了。当时他带了一块外国衣料送我。” “他托你收藏？” “不是。岸尾表示哪怕战争结束，也无损于他展露其长才——他是来向我炫耀的！向假想敌的我示威……他想告诉我，他并没有被局势打败，他还可以做衣料的黑市买卖。” 根据青木的谈话，岸尾似乎是一个相当固执的人。但是，这种虚张的威势，中垣也并非不知道。 只是，中垣真正想知道的是别的事——勒索外国人的经过。 他想催青木，又怕对方介意，只好点头附和。 “他有解释哟，”青木说着，嘴角浮现一抹冷笑，或许是对已经死去的岸尾的嘲讽吧。“他说现在正是大张旗鼓的好时机……他以前当宪兵的时候，会经因为间谍案，收买过外国人。所谓收买，大概是利用老外做反间谍吧。也就是使对方背叛自己的国家，帮助日本宪兵。我不晓得对方是哪国人，总之，应该是敌对国才是……战争一旦结束，若给别人知道，自己在战争期间一直帮日本，岂不是糟糕？再加上那个人身