Chapter 6 first quarter

At the end of February, a heavy spring snow fell on Edo Street.The winter that just passed was also a particularly snowy year, so everyone was not too surprised by this spring snow, nor did they think it was rare, it just caused trouble for the plum blossoms blooming everywhere. After noon, it started to snow. At this time, Huixiangyuan Maoqi and his subordinate Xiji happened to arrive at the side of Dachuan.They visited Lord Badingqu on business ① All the public servants of the town administration live in Iriding Canal. The two stopped at Edai Bridge, put their elbows on the railing of the bridge as if to say something, and looked at Tsukuda Island across the river.The surface of the river was as calm as ice, and countless snowflakes fell and disappeared immediately.

It is very lively when it just snows.Because everyone will look up at the sky and say "Oh, it's snow" and "Oh, it's snowing" to welcome the snowflakes, and maybe the snowflakes are also very happy.It will not be quiet until the snow starts to accumulate. When snowflakes fell on the back of her hand, Maoqi suddenly felt that the snow that just started to fall might be a snow child.Because children will not be quiet no matter where they go.The snow child, ah, ah, went down while arguing, and then the snow master slowly caught up... Maybe it's because I'm still thinking about what the official official said just now, so I think so.

Recently, on the east side of Dachuan Street, children can be seen everywhere who make the roadside their home.Since they couldn't turn a blind eye, the uncles had to find the catchers to discuss countermeasures. The number of these children has not suddenly increased recently, but has gradually increased since the past.Before the public official of the enforcement office noticed this, in the eyes of the catcher Mao Qi, these children had long been very concerned. Where did these children come from, Maoqi didn't know.Most of them were orphans, or if they had parents, they were unable to support them, or they were the kind of parents who were harmful to children, so they ran away from home, and a few people in similar circumstances gathered together and began to live on their own.Some go begging, or help people chop firewood and fetch water to do some chores to earn the living expenses of the day, and some rely on stealing or pickling to make ends meet.At night, they sneaked into shrines or spent the night under the eaves of temples, and some secretly lived in empty houses in large courtyards, surprising the bewildered administrators.

Maoqi was also helpless with these children.If there are only one or two children, there is still a way. Mao Qi can adopt them, train children with this quality as subordinates, or help them find a shop for live-in helpers.However, if there were three over there yesterday and two over here today, I don't know where to start.Besides, these children will run away as soon as they see adults approaching. Moshichi sometimes inquired about the news from the catchers in charge of Nihonbashi-Tori-cho or Kanda, and learned that the side opposite Okawa didn't seem to care as much about these children as this side.In places where there are many big shops and samurai mansions, the town gate guards and offices are more sloppy, and the whole town is also strictly monitored, and it may be difficult for children to settle there.So even if they go back and forth on both sides of Dachuan to discuss life during the day, when the sun goes down, they will return here after all, right?

Because of this, the public servants who are responsible for the government affairs of Fukagawa in the enforcement office will pay attention to them. However, the uncles also said that these children should not be violent.But the enforcement office didn't have any extra money to raise these children until they found a way out, so they called everyone together to discuss. Shigechi was not the only one who was summoned to the official residence of Fukagawa, which governs Fukagawa. Among all the main arresters on Okawa's side, all the leaders who might have done their best for this matter were all present.When it came to the topic, the chief catchers looked at each other in unison and nodded frequently, only then did they realize that they were calling everyone for this matter.

The public servants plan to regularly raise funds from wealthy businessmen, landlords, town officials, etc. in the Fukagawa area of ​​our office to build relief huts for those children who live their days.Of course, it is still unknown how long this fundraising can last and how many town officials are willing.However, the first priority is to provide shelter, clothing and food for these children, and that is all that can be done for now.Of course, the public servants of our firm will also intercede based on the situation. The arresters who were summoned were deeply trusted by the town cadres in their respective territories, so they were the most suitable candidates for lobbying, not to mention all of them looked like they had no other choice.And it was better than ordering the captors to drive the children away no matter what.However, at the same time, they also showed another expression, that is, to solicit funds from the Fukagawa public servants of our office who have all kinds of extra money.When the public servants heard that they were asked to produce something, there were many people who would not even stick out their tongues. It seemed that lobbying them was more difficult than lobbying the town officials.

Still, it's good news for the children who spend the night shivering in each other's arms under straw mats under the monastery's roof.The arresters who were summoned all nodded and left Badingqu in unison—this is what happened. The snowflakes kept falling.Mao Qi recovered from her contemplation and thought, in this weather, it is necessary to build relief huts for those children as soon as possible. This year's spring is very willful. It is not enough to destroy the plum blossoms. Maybe there will be another scene when the cherry blossoms bloom.It seems that we should start early.

Moshichi turned her head to urge Seiki, but saw that he was still looking at Tsukuda Island in the distance. "Hey, let's go." Mao Qi said.Xiji sighed and moved his elbows away from the railing. "Since it's snowing, the silverfishers will have a day off tonight." Now is the peak season for whitebait fishing near Tsukuda Island in the lower reaches of Okawa.Every night, countless candles are lit on the dark river, the fishing lights are brightly lit, and many fishermen cast square nets to catch whitebait. "Not necessarily! The peak season for whitebait is very short, and this little snow will probably not rest."

Xiji looked up at the sky, snowflakes fell on his nose. "It's falling really hard. Boss, this kind of spring snow floats down the river and into the sea. After one night, it will turn into whitebait." Mao Qi responded with an "oh". "Thank you for thinking of such elegant words." Maoqi suddenly realizes that Xiji doesn't eat whitebait.Maoqi, his wife and another subordinate, Quan San, all like to pour two cups of sauce and vinegar on the freshly caught whitebait, and then swallow it in one gulp, only Xiji doesn't eat it. "Is it because you think of such elegant words that you don't eat whitebait?"

Mao Qi asked, Xiji shook his head embarrassingly. "No. I just couldn't eat it because I saw the little black eyes. Don't those things have eyes like black dots? Seeing those eyes staring at me in two cups of sauce and vinegar, I can't eat my chopsticks .” Maoqi laughed. "I didn't expect you to be so timid. Well, you are not eating live fish, but devouring spring!" "I often hear people say this. But I still can't, I can't swallow it no matter what." About half a month later, Maoqi saw the lively whitebait in the small bowl for dinner, and suddenly remembered the conversation with Xieji.

"Hey! Why is this?" Mao Qi asked his wife. "Yu Yin's Mr. Zheng sent it. He said that the peak season is coming to an end." The heavy snow had already melted away without a trace, and the streets of Edo were filled with the breath of spring. For Moshichi, who was busy visiting town officials and lobbying businessmen for fundraising from morning till night, it was really something to be grateful for. Even better for the children who had to sleep on the streets until the relief huts were built. Fundraising was more difficult than expected. Indeed, from the standpoint of the businessmen or town cadres in Fukagawa, where these children did not come from this neighborhood, they would certainly feel that there is no reason for them to bear the children's livelihood.This is not without reason. Maoqi had no choice but to move with emotion.This is not something that can be solved simply by raising reasons or interests.Fortunately, there are many self-made businessmen in this area, and the timber wholesalers in the wood farm have a close relationship with the shops. As long as they find a way to get the general cadre to agree, other people will follow suit. Having said that, it is more difficult to persuade a businessman who is of no benefit to them to come up with money than to court a nun.In the end, even unforeseen things had to be brought up. For example, the children who were saved because of the money from the bosses will become regular customers if they can stand on their own in the future, and the donations can be earned back. Isn’t this the so-called living thing? money? The owner of a timber wholesaler in Gushichang said that although he cannot pay, he can adopt a few children, let them work in the shop, and receive training so that they can become useful raft masters in the future.In this regard, Mao Qi could only ask the other party again and again, saying that this opinion is very good, but to pick out suitable children, the first thing is to tell these children who hide everywhere and specialize in stealing food and thieves. They will be punished, please rest assured, and then gather them in one place, so you still have to have money.The boss said with a sad face, in this case, we will come forward after the boss gathers those children together.This kind of person is what is called a miser. On the contrary, however, there are sometimes heartfelt and gratifying replies.There is a master carpenter named Katsuyoshi in the town of Daiko by the sea, and he said that he can immediately vacate a corner of the timber yard to build a one-story house.He also said that as soon as those children came, he could also send people to cook for them, and it didn't matter how many people there were.When Mao Qi heard it, she seemed to see a halo on Shengji's head. Although Shengji didn't say much, he seemed to have received similar favors when he was a child.Mao Qi deeply felt that everyone really should taste the hard work of the poor. It may be a good way to twist the necks of those who insist on not donating money another day and let them see what kind of life those children live, so as not to let them see with their own eyes how bad the environment in which those children live, they Those eyes clouded by money may never see the light again——while Moshichi was thinking like this, a big crime happened.