Chapter 4 fourth quarter

That person stood under the cherry tree by the river early in the morning.That person... Should it be described as a "woman", or is it more appropriate to describe it as a "girl"?No, having said that, is she really "human"? In the eyes of Sheng Zhisuke, she is like a cherry blossom elf that blooms early.Maybe it was because of the dim light in the morning that the shadow of the person could not be seen, or maybe it was because she appeared suddenly that no footsteps could be heard.The color of her cheeks and skin contrasts with the light red of the narrow-sleeved kimono on her body, only the belt is darker, and the front end of the knot hangs down, like a cherry tree branch beside her.Like a cherry tree bending down and extending its branches, trying to hug her softly.

Blown by the river wind in the early morning, she slowly floated down from the cherry tree.Soft and silent, light as a feather. She has shoulder-length hair.Whenever the river wind blows, the cherry branches sway, her hair flutters, and the morning light shining on her hair also shines.The first thing Shengzhisuke saw was the ray of light and her back.She turned her face to Shengzhisuke, stretched her snow-white neck and looked up at the cherry tree. The cherry branches were trembling with joy and rustling. She narrowed her eyes and smiled.The bangs are also cut even above the eyebrows, and whenever the wind blows her bangs, it reveals her prominent white forehead.Compared with other scenes, this scene is particularly critical.When Sheng Zhisuke thought of "ah, forehead", he immediately understood that the woman in front of him was a real person.If it is a cherry blossom elf or a fairy, it should not have such a forehead.Her lovely protruding forehead is not in harmony with "beauty".

Sheng Zhisuke couldn't help but laughed for a moment. It should not be loud.Besides, he didn't make any sound.But when the other party noticed Shengzhisuke, she shook her body, turned her head to look at Shengzhisuke, her eyes widened.The cherry tree was located next to the embankment, facing the river, and the terrain was sloping, making it difficult to stand firmly.The woman forgot the situation she was in, and turned around suddenly... --Danger! As soon as this thought flashed across, the other party had stumbled and staggered heavily.She waved her hands to grab the trunk of the cherry tree, but failed and fell heavily.There was a panic under her feet, and the hem of the kimono flipped up, exposing her knees.

What did Shengzhisuke do at this time? He slammed the paper door shut.Not only that, but he turned around like an upside-down gecko with its back against the closed paper door.Heart pounding.He opened his eyes wide, and the eyeballs almost fell out. Some people may wonder, why did he hide?Shouldn't they jump to the clothes drying yard and go to help each other?It's not that the distance is far away, and it's too unloving to hide like this. But Sheng Zhisuke felt that he shouldn't watch it.He swears to God, he really does.Not only did he turn around, but he immediately covered his eyes with one hand.He froze for a while, quietly waiting for the rapid heartbeat to subside.Wait for a while before acting tremblingly.He put his hands on the outer edge of the paper door, gently pulled it open, and carefully exposed his eyes to peep.

There is no one under the cherry tree. In the blink of an eye, the early spring sun rises slowly, and the sky gradually brightens, shining on the 10% blooming cherry blossoms. Sheng Zhisuke stared at the scene in front of him in a daze. ——Mr. Furuhashi. Someone is calling. "Mr. Guqiao." Someone hastily poked his shoulder. "Get up. You'll catch a cold if you sleep in a place like this." Someone poked and shook his shoulder again, Shengzhisuke's head dropped forward, and his forehead hit something.He woke up startled. "Huh?" Came back to his senses suddenly, and found that he was facing the paper door facing the clothes drying yard.The paper door was closed tightly, so he bumped his forehead against the paper door.

"You're finally awake." A rough voice resounding like a bell sounded in his ear, it turned out to be the manager Kanemon.He squatted halfway beside Shengzhisuke, wearing a straight-striped kimono as usual, and a short kimono of the same design and color. The bright red kimono had a very long clothesline.Axiu told Shengzhisuke that he was imitating Zacha.Because in Edo Town, when it comes to knights, the first thing people think of is sacha. "Mr. Fukan?" "Yes, it's me. Good morning." Sheng Zhisuke blinked frequently, and rubbed his face smoothly.sleepy.

"I fell asleep here?" "Yeah. Your ability to doze off is amazing. It's really good. How about charging people to visit?" After making some sarcasm, Fu Kan sat down at the desk. "Are you staying up late to work?" On the table was the newly completed 800 Shanqi paintings.Fu Kan looked at it carefully as if he was looking at some contraband. "Yes... this is the Eight Hundred Goods." "The restaurant?" Yes.Sheng Zhisuke responded, and Fu Kan moved his tall nose up.His hair is thin, and Tai Yi called him "bald Kan", but he has a deep outline, a pair of thick eyebrows, and distinctive facial features. This manager not only has a fierce appearance, but is actually quite handsome.Thanks to this gift, even though this year is over Pentecost, it is still very popular in Liuxiang, Huajie.The clothesline of his short coat is very long. I heard that it has something to do with women. Although it was also told by Grandma Dozu, so I can't believe it completely, but it feels like it is true.

"Like a toy." Fu Kan turned his face away and said seriously. "Is it Murata's job again? Is there any benefit in assembling such a thing?" "Mr. Jihei seems to be planning to use it for business." Fu Kan scowled. "It's really troublesome for him. He can't tell the difference between pleasure and business. It's lucky that he still has a way to make ends meet." Sheng Zhisuke blinked again.He rubbed his chin, touched his beard, and his face was also very greasy. Then he thought, yes, he stayed up late last night to catch up with work.Shinosuke inherited from his father Sozaemon, with a sparse beard.The elder brother Katsunosuke is different, he will still leave a piece of green skin after shaving.

"However, Mr. Furuhashi." Fukan stared sternly at Shengnosuke who was playing with his thin beard with his fingers. "You are different from Mr. Jihei. You are a samurai after all, so it's not appropriate to accompany him to do such tricks?" The word samurai was uttered by Fukan, and it always felt a little contemptuous. Could it be Shengzhisuke's personal prejudice? "You said so." Being reprimanded early in the morning, and looking up at the other person, really useless. "By the way, Mr. Fukan, what's your business when you came to see me early in the morning?"

If it was rent, Sheng Zhisuke paid it on time on the first day of the new year.But Sheng Zhisuke was not fully awake at this time, he thought he should pay, right?For a while, my head was not very bright.He rubbed his face, trying to wake himself up, and sneezed a few times along the way. "Here, didn't I tell you? How about going to take a bath early in the morning to warm up your body? By the way, wash away the filth all over your body." Master Donggu has something to look for you.Fukan said. "Early this morning, he sent someone to pass a message to me. He wants me to tell you something, old time, old place."

Hearing this, Sheng Zhisuke suddenly became sober. "Thank you very much. Thank you for making the trip." "I don't care. Since Master Donggu entrusted me to take care of you, this is my duty." Fu Kan suddenly stood up and patted the hem of the straight-striped kimono. "I hope it will be good news. Your relatives are waiting for you in the feudal kingdom." "Well, maybe." "You are really unreliable, this is considered a unique skill." Fu Kan wanted to say something more, but finally stopped.It may have occurred to him that although Shinosuke was a very poor samurai, he was the only tenant in the longhouse who would not pay rent late.After Fukan left, Shengzhisuke was alone, he turned his head sideways and looked back, gasped, and slowly opened the paper door. Whether it is the river surface, the clothes drying yard, or the cherry trees by the river, they are all shrouded in the bright sun.Looks like today will be a warm day.The buds of the cherry blossoms suddenly bloomed a lot, and 30% of them opened in one breath. The voices of the longhouse residents who had started working long ago came one after another.Axiu seemed to be saying something.Then I'm going out - the voice should be Chenji.Not far from the wooden gate, there is an Inari Shrine. Someone clapped their hands together and rang the bell.Some children went out to work, and some went to private schools. There was a lot of people's voices early in the morning, so it was very lively. "Ah, Mr. Sheng, good morning." A Lu next door carried a large wooden barrel to the clothes drying yard.She finished the laundry and was about to dry it.Everyone really got up early.Alu and Luzang are vegetable vendors.On a sunny day like this, Luzang should have gone out to do business a long time ago.A Lu made pickles from the vegetables her husband bought and sold them everywhere, so she didn't have to go out so early in the morning. "You kept the lights on until midnight last night. Mr. Sheng is really enthusiastic about studying." The couple spoke with slight accents and elongated the end of their speech.Taiyi said that they were selling vegetables, and it was okay to use this tone, but if they were selling fish, the fish would have stink by now.They are laid-back, anxious-looking good people.The couple think that Sheng Zhisuke, who makes a living by copying books, is well-educated and respects him very much. "I accidentally stayed up late last night." "It's amazing. But it hurts." Seeing Alu's smiling face, Shengzhisuke suddenly remembered something that he hadn't thought of just now. "Sister Alu, have you ever been around here..." Ever seen a woman with cut hair?Sheng Zhisuke wanted to ask this question, but then his mind changed: This should be my dream, and I fell asleep against the paper door.Speaking of which, why did I open the paper door and look out, and found that woman?I can't figure it out.This should be a dream? Whether in his domain or in Edo City, the only people who don't wear a bun are children or sick people whose hair hasn't grown out due to their young age.But even if patients don't have a bun, they usually have long hair and don't cut the ends like that.Sheng Zhisuke has never seen a man or woman with this hairstyle in his current life. However, if this is the case, why do you have such a dream?How can something that has never been seen in the real world appear in a dream? In the middle of the question, Sheng Zhisuke pursed his lips, and A Lu showed a puzzled expression when he saw this.At this time, she took Luzang's loincloth in her hand and stretched it tightly. "No, it's fine. Sorry." A Lu hung the loincloth behind the bamboo pole, and called out with a smile, "Mr. Sheng, Mr. Sheng, yours is here and here..." A Lu patted his cheek with one hand. "There are marks left. Mr. Sheng, you were tired from staying up late last night, did you rely on something to sleep?" If you don't know how to learn enough, it will be detrimental to your health.Under A Lu's concern, Sheng Zhisuke felt deeply embarrassed and hurriedly hid. The so-called old time refers to noon, and the old place is the river boat house "Kawaugi" in Ikenohata. As for "Master Donggu", it was Sakazaki Shigehide who stayed behind in Edo of the Dagen Fan.Even Li Jiang didn't know about this matter.Shengzhisuke learned about it from Sakazaki himself.Shigehide Sakazaki has a hobby of writing "Falling Heads", nicknamed "East Valley".It is called Erxinzhai Donggu. The pronunciation of this title is quite stylish, and the literal meaning looks very serious, but if someone reads it, they will definitely laugh out loud.Because the flower street under the city of Daogen Fan is located in the valley on the east side of the city street, Donggu is the secret sign of this flower street and lane.As for the two-hearted, it literally means that there is no two-hearted, philandering heart, so "two-hearted Zhai Donggu" refers to the philandering men in Liuxiang, Huajie. But it's not impossible to read in depth.Because "two hearts" also has another meaning, that is, there is a heart that wants to betray a companion or a master.Having said that, although the Taogen Fan is a small fan, but he is an important minister who is left behind in Edo, so he really shouldn't lose his head in creation.Because falling heads often bring criticism, censure and ridicule to the shogunate cabinet members and generals. However, Shigehide Sakazaki didn't care. "You always call me Sakazaki-sama, Sakazaki-sama, it makes my shoulders stiff. Just call me Higashitani just like my fellows who have dropped their heads." He said nonchalantly.Even though this is an alias, calling her by her first name made her hesitate again and again, so Shengzhisuke asked: "Can I call you Lord Erxinzhai?" "It sounds like a sorcerer." I don't know what he dislikes, it seems to be quite repulsive. "I'm going to change my alias in a while. You can think of a name for me, too." There was no trace of tension on his face. Kawaugi is a river boat house that can be seen everywhere, and it is inconspicuous among the many shops lined up in Ikenohata.In addition to providing dishes of river fish caught in Shinobuike Pond, we also provide river fishing service on a boat at the request of customers.Donggu occasionally takes a boat and fishes in the canals or pools. Three days after Lie's unexpected visit to Tsukishokan, Saeki-sensei summoned Shinosuke and formally ordered him to go to Edo for business.The content of the business is to purchase some books and visit some confidantes in Edo on behalf of the teacher. "I think you already know that this is a public statement. It is reasonable in name. But if your trip to Edo attracts everyone's attention, it would be unwise." There was no wry smile on the teacher's wrinkled face.A few years ago, he suffered from a cataract in his right eye, and the pupil was slightly cloudy.It may be for this reason that it is difficult to see the expression in the teacher's eyes. "There is no need to greet the Niijima family. Before tomorrow morning, you will set off quietly alone. Be very careful on this trip, hurry up, and don't do anything eye-catching on the way." It was only two days' journey to Edo, but the teacher's tone was quite serious, and then he said something astonishing. "In Edo, you must never approach the mansion." Obviously he was going to see the left-behind residence, but he couldn't get close to the mansion, otherwise where should he go? "I have received instructions from Master Sakazaki." The teacher took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Shengzhisuke. "After you arrive in Edo, follow the instructions in the letter." Sheng Zhisuke took the letter, saluted the teacher, and then read the letter.Compared with the content, the bold, even unrestrained and unrestrained handwriting first attracted his attention. "This is Sakazaki-sama's handwriting." For some reason, the teacher blinked a smile. "Isn't that a good word? It fully shows his character." "Is the teacher familiar with Sakazaki-sama?" Sheng Zhisuke had never heard of this, but Mr. Saeki did not answer this question. "Ah Tim prepared the go-out clothes for you. Everything is ready, but you should check it now." You don't have to worry about the follow-up - the teacher's words made Shengzhisuke uneasy. "It's almost like a night escape." I thought it would attract a reprimand or ridicule, but the teacher nodded slightly and said flatly: "It's certain that you won't be able to come back for a while." Huh?Shengzhisuke was dumbfounded. "Let everything be handled by Mr. Sakazaki." The teacher blinked, showing a little hesitation. "Master Sakazaki seems to have some plans." Sheng Zhisuke was surprised and asked, "What kind of plan is it?" Well... the teacher smiled again. "I just sent you, the assistant scholar, to handle some errands." The book list is full of books that you really want to buy, and those friends, I really hope you will visit them, tell them about my recent situation, and report back about their situation. "First of all, you have to spend some time looking for the book. Even if you find it, you may not be able to buy it because of the high price. How to deal with it depends on your intellect. This is also a kind of learning, and you have to keep it in mind." It's really like being in a fog. Although the letter was returned in Edo, Shinosuke remembered Sakazaki Shigehide's handwriting, which was a rare and unique handwriting. In that letter at that time, I saw the name Kawafune Yakuyagawa Ougi for the first time.The letter instructed him to wait at Chuanou when he arrived in Edo.The word "Chuan" in the letter looks like three fresh sweetfish jumping out of the water. After arriving in Edo, Shengzhisuke, a countryman, spent a lot of effort to get to Ikenohata, and after running around among the row upon row of riverboat boarding houses, he finally found Kawaogi.The word "Chuan" is written on the hanging lamp, which is exactly the same as the handwriting in the letter.Because they have a great friendship.Shigehide Sakazaki is a guest of this shop.Shengzhisuke stood and stared at the hanging lamp with surprise and annoyance. "Welcome." A voice as smooth as velvet came from inside. "Are you Master Furuhashi Shengnosuke?" The concubine is the proprietress of Sichuan Fan—the deeply bowing woman in front of her is about the same age as Lijiang, but she has a refined beauty, which is far beyond Lijiang's comparison.Her complexion is more radiant than snow, her lips are red, and her hair is combed with a bun that she has never seen before in Daogen Fan. The proprietress's name is Li Zhi, and for Sheng Zhisuke, she has been an insoluble mystery since the first meeting.She looks like Sakazaki Shigehide's concubine, but it doesn't seem to be the case.Kawafan seems to be a shop that is financed by Mr. Sakazaki, but it also looks like Mr. Sakazaki relies on the help of Kawafan. Later, only the mystery of the rare bun was solved. After half a year, Shengzhisuke gradually got acquainted with Sakazaki Shigehide, Kawasaki, and Lizhi, and Lizhi solved the mystery for him. ——This is called Katsuyama bun. It is said that it was done by a prostitute named Katsuyama in Yoshiwara, and it was once a trend during the Ming Dynasty. ——No one wears this hairstyle anymore, but Higashiya-sama has a special liking, so I always wear this hairstyle when Higashiya-sama is here. "welcome." Shengzhisuke also went to Chuanshan today, before he opened the noren curtain, Lizhi would always find him first and rushed to greet him, and he was also used to such a neat way of hospitality. "excuse me." "Master Donggu is waiting inside." Li Zhi's Katsuyama bun is not tied with a turban, only a white hair rope.A small cherry branch about the length of Shengzhisuke's finger was inserted into her bun today, and a light red cherry blossom bloomed on it.

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