A wonderful stall appeared beside the Tomioka Bridge in Fukagawa—the news happened to be the helper's day off. January 16th of the new year is the rest day for the helpers, as the saying goes, "the lid of the boiler in hell will also open". For the shop helpers who live a harsh life, this day and the Obon Festival in July are the most anticipated days of the year. You can take a day off and go back to your parents or relatives' home to spend leisurely; or go to visit the grave.Some shop owners who are well-off and considerate of their helpers will give their helpers pocket money on this day, even if it is only a little money, but for people who can't even afford an old clothes, it is even more joyful .

However, on this happy day, you must also pay more attention.Some of the helpers come from far away and cannot return on the same day, and some are homeless due to various difficulties, but they are also immersed in the joyful atmosphere of the rest day. However, these helpers who are lonely usually go to restaurants or private prostitution brothels on this day , wine shops, or acrobatic sheds, playhouses, etc., they often provoke or get involved in difficult disputes in these amusement places where they usually cannot go.Therefore, for those who hold a catch stick, they cannot be relaxed and neglected on the servant's rest day.

Maoqi, the catcher who is in charge of the Fukagawa area of ​​the office and is known as "the head of Huixiangyuan", is no exception.As he was called, Maoqi lived in the back of Huixiangyuan. There were often two subordinates coming in and out of the house. On the servants' rest day, they had to patrol their own site non-stop from morning to night before the town gate closed. Specially select shops that only the helpers who can spend money on this day may go to check, and according to the nature of each shop, tell the other party not to do too vicious things, or ask the other party to take care of these stranger helpers.One of Mao Qi's subordinates, Xi Jiyu, inquired about the stall by the Fugang Bridge while on patrol. He told Mao Qi while eating the lunch prepared by Mao Qi's wife.

"Why do you say that the stall is wonderful?" Maoqi finished his patrol one step earlier than Xiji, had already returned home for lunch, and was smoking a cigarette at the moment.He let out a puff of smoke, and asked Xiji, who was desperately eating a big bowl of rice, "Could it be that the stall was eating bear meat?" "How is that possible. Well, I went to see it too, and the ones they sell are just ordinary bean curd sushi." Seiji spat out rice grains from his teeth as he replied. "It's just ordinary bean curd sushi, and I haven't seen any sushi that looks like a pillow."

Looking at Xiji's eating appearance, Moqi's wife beside the rice bucket couldn't help smiling and said: "If there is that kind of beancurd sushi, Mr. Xi can't come back without eating." While smiling, she helped Xiji put the second bowl of rice in the large bowl that Xiji handed out, while Xiji was busy stuffing the rice grains that fell on the tatami into her mouth.This is the habit of Seiki, who is talkative by nature and can't eat properly no matter what. "It's true. But, I don't eat snacks. Because I want to eat more meals cooked by Mrs. Boss."

"Don't talk nonsense, let's get down to business." Mao Qi urged, Xi Ji ate his second bowl of rice, and said inarticulately, "It's an all-night stall." "Is that the bean curd sushi stand?" "Yes. It's not a soba noodle stall that sells at night. I heard that the lights are on until three o'clock in the ugly hour (two o'clock in the morning) to sell sushi. The nearby businesses feel very strange. Of course, the nearby shops are usually open until It’s very late, but at most, it’s only open until the teahouses on Shangpu Street close. I’ve never heard of it being open until three o’clock. It’s so late, it’s impossible for there to be any passing customers? Why does it have to be open so late? What about it? Besides, it’s too late to sell at night, and the business starts again before noon the next day, which is really too diligent.”

It makes sense—Moshichi also tilted her head slightly. The Tomioka Bridge area is not only behind the famous Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, but also near the Enmodo Hall. As there are many worshipers all year round, it is not only suitable for setting up stalls, but also suitable for all catering businesses.In fact, there are already many shops selling all kinds of food and tea.And, as Nokichi said, at night, because of the men who were nostalgic for the lights of Hachimangu Shrine's shopping street, and the customers returning home from Suzaki's brothel, the lights of these shops were usually kept on until late at night.

Even so, no one would drive that late, at least, as far as Maoqi knew.Even though the locals boasted that they could compete with the Yoshiwara brothel recognized by the shogunate, this area was still very dangerous at night. It was a rampant area for thieves, robbers, or women who made money by spreading straw mats on boats.Moshichi thought that it was reckless rather than incomprehensible to sell beancurd sushi with brightly lit lights in such a place late at night. "As a result, did you see the vendor owner?" Mao Qi asked. Xiji nodded. "Looks younger than the boss, the side of the bun..." Xieji pointed to the top of the ear. "With a lot of gray hair, this place is older than the boss."

Maoqi will be fifty-five years old during Chinese New Year.When I was just over fifty, I felt suddenly old, but at this age, I was completely used to the stage of fifty and a half, and sometimes I even felt that I was not yet sixty, not that old. "Where's the face? Is it moist? Or is it wrinkled?" "This..." Xiji thought about it seriously. "Does it mean how it compares to the boss?" The head lady burst out laughing again.Mao Qi snorted and knocked on the pipe next to the brazier. "Forget it. I'll go visit that boss another day. The new stall owner will have problems sooner or later."

Then, Seji blinked and said: "Well, it's really weird to say it's weird, even Kajiya's group is honest with that boss." Kajiya is a boat rental tavern in Kuroe Town, but no one in Fukagawa believed it.In fact, Kajiya is the leader of the gangsters who control the area, known as "Seto Katsuzo", and Fukagawa is this man's lair.This shop does look like a clean and tidy small boat chartering tavern, but as long as you knock on the tatami mats in this tavern, it will definitely be filled with dust. Shengzang is about the same age as Maoqi, and his underworld years have never been in vain, and he is very clever.As long as the shops and vendors on the site obediently pay the site fee—not to mention, Katsuzo seems to call it "rent"—not only will he not be violent, but he will resolve disputes (but will take expensive commissions from it) In case of fire or flood, some relief huts with Kajiya name on the roof will be built (so that they can sell favors to those landowners).He also runs underground casinos everywhere, but so far, there has never been a bloody incident involving decent people.Mao Qi and Sheng Zang have long been friends, and to be honest, he is not a difficult opponent to deal with.The master of Nanmachi Magistrate's Office, who issued Shigeru Shichi's arrest certificate, even said:

"Katsuzo, he is not so much a fly on sesame seeds. ①The fly on the sesame, meaning a pickpocket and the like little villain. "So, does the boss give Shengzang a lot of sweetness?" "In theory, it should be like this..." Xiji suddenly lowered his voice and said, "But, I heard some rumors from a nearby shop. It is said that at the end of last year and the beginning of the year... it was at this time that the bean curd sushi stall opened. ... Kajiya's subordinates went to find the boss, he was a very vicious guy, but within half an hour (an hour), the guy left in a hurry. Zang also left in half an hour, and after hearing that, not only did he have nothing to say, but he also stopped caring about the vendor." "Maybe I lost a thousand taels to Shengzang," said the head lady. "Katsuzo is that kind of person." "No, no, Mrs. Boss, this is your opinion. I heard that Katsuzo looked like he was going to pee his pants at that time. Isn't that weird? He is Katsuzo!" This time Maoqi really tilted her head.This matter is not only a bit strange, but so far it has never been heard that Sheng Zangji took the bamboo leather shoes and went out in person. It seems that the tofu skin sushi vendor is not a newborn calf who is not afraid of tigers.Mao Qi held the pipe: he thought, maybe he can't just shoot at that guy casually. Unexpectedly, another shout came from outside, and Mao Qi came back to his senses. "Have you eaten yet? Boss." Niu Quansan leaned on his knees at the door and looked at this side.He is just the opposite of Xijina's leaves dancing in the wind. When there is an emergency, he doesn't run fast, but always walks slowly.Although he can't make that kind of clumsy thud, but because of his clumsy movements, he has the title of "cow".He worked in a wine wholesaler in Xinchuan for thirty years, and finally became the shopkeeper, but was kicked out because of a trivial matter. In this way, it has been a year since he became Maoqi's subordinate at the age of forty-five.In this regard, he is even more of a novice than Xi Ji, who is just over 20 years old. Under Maoqi, there has been a young subordinate named Wenci for a long time, but two years ago, Wenci met a good marriage, and a small shop wanted to recruit him as a bride.Mao Qi was already worried that Wen Ci would be too kind with this behavior, so when Wen Ci agreed, he was also very happy to have this marriage. The relationship between the catcher and his subordinates—that is, the leader and his subordinates—is different.Not only are there subordinates who work with the boss, but there are also situations where the other party is only summoned when handling a case.For Mao Qi, Wenci belonged to his close subordinates. When he left, Mao Qi suddenly felt lonely. However, God was very good at making arrangements, not long after Wen Ci left, Mao Qi became attached to other people, first with Xi Ji, then with Quan San, and had two subordinates in a row.It's been a pretty busy day right now. "Well, I ate it. What's the matter?" "There's something gut-wrenching." I don't know if it's the habit of the shopkeeper's era, Quan San likes to beat around the bush when he speaks, but Mao Qi immediately becomes nervous. "What happened?" "Female floating corpse." Quan San said. "Pile stuck in front of the bridge under the bridge. Naked, about thirty years old. I'm sorry, Mrs. Boss, to make you hear such things." Talking like this to a woman who has been the chief catcher's wife for nearly thirty years, it is not difficult to see that Quan San is still a treasurer at heart. "No matter how much time has passed, you are still a respectful guy." Mao Qi said as he tucked the catch stick into his belt and stood up.