Chapter 2 Chapter Two Typhoon Crossing

On the morning of Sunday, August 14th, Showa 35th, Asuka Tadashi was sitting in front of a table of exquisite and delicious breakfast. Asuka Zhongxi has experience in archeology in Egypt, and recently he has become fascinated by ancient oriental cuneiform characters and handwriting carved on stone slabs. This summer, Asuka Tadashi studied the German archaeologist Heinrich Shuliman, who is famous for excavating the ruins of Troy, and the British archaeologist who excavated the Nose palace in Crete at the mountain villa in Karuizawa. Scholar - The Autobiography of Arthur Evans. The summer before last, Mrs. Ning Zi was sitting opposite Asuka Zhongxi's dining table.

Mrs. Ning Zi is the eldest daughter of Shenmen Lei Zang, the founder of the Shenmen chaebol. She knows how to make her husband who loves archeology return from his dream to real life.In the autumn of the previous year, she passed away due to angina, so Asuka Zhongxi is now a widower. On the surface he is still the same as before, but his mood is not very stable.After his daughter Xizi got married, she is currently living in a villa in Karuizawa, while his son Xining is studying in England. At this time, Asuka Zhongxi looked around the room where the light was getting darker and said: "Taki, it looks like the typhoon is really coming!"

"Master, the weather report last night clearly stated that the typhoon will not affect this area..." "Hahaha! Judging from the current situation, it should affect it." "If this is the case, there should be some signs last night. Why is the weather report so inaccurate?" "Oh! You don't need to be so angry. It's not the weather bureau that told the typhoon to come this way." "But I have been serving the young master here for decades, and this is the first time a typhoon has hit Karuizawa... Ah! That tall larch tree..." From the balcony outside the dining room, you can see a lawn with a size of hundreds of square meters. On the opposite side of the lawn, there is a large forest of red pine and larch. Among them, a larch with a diameter of about one meter was almost uprooted under the strong typhoon. rise.

Just as the old servant Doki screamed, a larch with a diameter of about one meter was cut off by the typhoon in front of the two of them, and the whole villa was shaken by the loud bang of the trunk falling to the ground. Now is the time when the typhoon is at its strongest. The heavy rain seems to be pouring directly from the sky, and with the whistling wind blowing, the sky presents a gloomy and depressed color. Usually, the power of a typhoon will weaken as soon as it lands, especially in places with high mountains like Shinshu, where the power of the typhoon will obviously weaken, so it is rare to see a typhoon wreak havoc in this area.

The radio on the fireplace kept issuing typhoon warnings about the typhoon's path, but issuing the typhoon warning now seemed to be a remedy for the past. "Ah! Master, the larch..." Seeing the larch being ravaged by the strong wind, Duoqi clung to the French window of the balcony and yelled. "Tuoqi, calm down, there is no way for the old tree to be swept in two by the strong wind." "It's a pity... the larch that the master admired the most during his lifetime was blown beyond recognition by the typhoon." When Asuka Zhongxi heard the old servant mentioning his father, the hand holding the cup couldn't help trembling slightly.

He looked at the old tree torn by the strong wind, and thought of his father who was shot and killed by the rebels... At that time, he was not in Japan and was keen on the archaeological research of the ancient East. "Taki, give me a cup of black tea." After hearing this, Duoqi immediately ran to the dining table to pour tea. "Would you like some sugar?" "Well, one." When Asuka Zhongxi picked up the toast on the plate and spread cream, he couldn't help frowning and said: "Taki, what's the matter with this toast?" "I'm sorry, because of the power outage, I can't use the toaster to toast...I'll do it again."

Unexpectedly, Asuka Zhongxi tore off a small piece of toast and said: "Forget it...Taki, how is Akiyama?" "Mr. Akiyama seems to be still resting. I'll wake him up." "No, let him sleep for a while!" "In such a strong typhoon day, he can still sleep." "It's okay. He's been tired recently. Let him work hard after the typhoon passes. What's going on with Xizi? She'll probably be shaking with fright." "Today is Sunday... Mr. Sakurai should be back." "No, Sakurai won't come back this weekend. Xizi should come back alone. Didn't she invite a servant?"

"The child looks like a child who can't grow up. I'll call again to ask how the situation is." "Can you make a call?" "It was okay just now..." "I think it's better to wait for the typhoon to pass through the country. Even if you want to do something now, you can't do it." "Yes, sir." While paying attention to Asuka Zhongxi's expression, Duoqi asked: "Ms. Feng, don't you know what's going on?" "She's in the hotel now. She should be fine. I'll call her later." At this time, another strong gust of wind blew outside the house, the rubble on the roof flew into the air like fallen leaves, and some dust began to fall from the ceiling.

"Ah! Master..." Doki leaned against the back of the chair and yelled. "Hahaha! Duoqi, don't worry, although this house is old, it won't be blown away by the typhoon." Asuka Zhongxi stirred the black tea, only to find some dust floating inside, and immediately pushed the teacup away without saying a word. "Doki, how old are you?" "If you're old... this year happens to be one year old." "Sixty years old, so you were born in the thirty-fourth year of Meiji?" "Yes. Master, why do you suddenly ask this?" "So, you were born ten years earlier than this 'Wanshanzhuang'. I heard that this villa was built in the forty-fourth year of Meiji, and I was only four years old at that time..."

The classical beauty of this building is quite famous among the villas in the Karuizawa area. Asuka Tadahi's father, Asuka Motochu, named it "Mansanso". When Taki looked out of the window again, the whole building rattled again, and the ceiling began to leak rain. "Master!" "Hahaha……" Asuka Zhongxi laughed a few times and stood up from the chair. He is 180 centimeters tall and has a tall and straight figure. Although he is fifty-three years old, only a little white hair is exposed on his temples. Because he often plays golf, his skin looks healthy and shiny.

Taki called the maid loudly, and the maid Toyoko was holding a bucket and a washbasin to catch the rainwater dripping from the ceiling, and at the same time described the tragedy of the typhoon in the vicinity. Asuka Zhongxi picked up a cigar from the fireplace and cut off one end of the cigar with scissors. "Duoqi, this family is too old to bear, and the same goes for old people..." He was smoking a cigar, thinking of Feng Chiyoko who was kissed in his arms for the first time last night... Feng Chiyoko has had four husbands. If her first husband, Yasuhisa Fute Koji, had not died in Karuizawa last summer, she and Asuka Tadashi would have been married long ago. Tadashi Asuka is the second son of Duke Motochu Asuka, a minister from the Taisho era to the Showa era. He was educated in England and is keen on mountaineering and traveling. In the 10th year of Showa, Asuka Zhongxi joined the British expedition team and went to Egypt as an auditor for archaeology.When he received the news that his father had been assassinated in a riot in his home country, he was digging near a certain valley, but he did not return home immediately. Later, he went to London to visit the ruins excavated from the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and India, and returned to China six months later.Two years before returning to China, he married Ningzi, the eldest daughter of Shenmen Lei Zang.When a riot broke out in the motherland, Ningzi and the two-year-old Xizi Yinyin hoped that Asuka Zhongxi would come back. Anyone who knows Asuka Zhongxi knows that he likes archaeology, and no one would believe that this man who loves archaeology will be active in the mall in the future.After the war, his elder brother committed suicide. Not only was he not purged, but the purged Shenmen Leizo handed over Shenmen Enterprise to this son-in-law who did not take an active part in anything. Kamito Raizo really has a unique vision. Asuka Zhongxi flexibly used his economic means to face the fierce struggle of the working class without retreating at all, and successfully made the trade union submit to his management. At the same time, he is also deeply involved in GHQ (United Nations General Command), fully displaying his experience of studying in the UK, fluent English and elegant appearance, even the title of the second son of the former duke. Shenmen Enterprise is now a big chaebol with more than 50 subsidiaries, which can be said to be entirely due to Asuka Zhongxi. Lei Zang of Shenmen passed away in the 32nd year of Showa, and Ningzi also passed away in the second year. Asuka Zhongxi handed over the management of Shenmen Enterprise to his brother-in-law, and retreated from the "front line of shopping malls" behind the scenes. He first met Chiyoko in the fall of the year before last, shortly after his wife died. "Oh! It's already so late... Aunt Doki, I'm so sorry." Akiyama Takuzo walked into the dining room sleepily, and when he saw Asuka Tadashi standing in front of the fireplace, his whole body became stiff. "The young master is here too?" "Have you ever had the experience of sleeping during a typhoon?" Asuka Zhongxi smiled and showed a row of white teeth. "I'm sorry, I overslept without realizing it. Just now I heard an earth-shattering sound and finally opened my eyes." Akiyama Takuzao worshiped as an army captain, and after retiring from the army, he still did not forget the true qualities of a soldier.The Akiyama family served as the chief guards of the Asuka family in the old shogunate. Akiyama Takuzo followed Asuka Mototada since he was a child, and only served as Asuka Zhongxi's driver after the war.Akiyama Takuzo and Asuka Tadashi are eight years apart, and they are still single. "That tree just fell." I saw four or five birch trees fell down in front of the balcony, and one of them was still pressed to the eaves of the balcony. "This typhoon is really powerful!" "It's nothing. Mr. Akiyama, the wind was stronger just now." "Oh? I don't know at all. Is it true, sir?" Asuka Zhongxi didn't like the title "Young Master". He often reminded people not to call him that, but no one changed his mind, and in the end the matter was left alone. "It's true, here, you can see that the woods on the opposite side are already bare." "Wow! If the master sees this scene, he will definitely be deeply moved." "Akiyama, you haven't eaten yet, have you?" "Well, I'm going to eat." "Taki, go and bring the food here." "No need, young master, I'll go and eat by myself." "Alright. However, I have something to ask you..." "yes." "Mr. Akiyama, since the young master has said so, I think you can eat here! Besides, the kitchen is still leaking." After Taki and Todaiko left, Asuka Zhongxi asked: "I just heard from Doki that you saw Kazuhiko last night?" "Yes, last night there was a Bon Odori festival at the Suwa Shrine Square directly below the villa. When I went there to watch the dance, Kazuhiko patted me on the shoulder from behind." "Why doesn't Kazuhiko come here to see me?" "He said it was inconvenient for the power outage last night, and he will visit you again today." "Will the Obon dance be held as usual even if there is a power outage?" "Yes, this is an annual event. People in the shrine use torches as lighting equipment. It's so interesting!" "You dance with the others too?" "Hahaha! It's really embarrassing to say that. While I was dancing, Kazuhiko patted me on the shoulder from behind." "Did Kazuhiko come here by himself?" "No, there is another archaeologist named 'Zichang' who came with him. He said that the archaeologist just came back from the Alps. If possible, the archaeologist will also visit today. you." "Kazuhiko's obsession with archeology has reached the point where he forgot to eat and sleep." "This is not influenced by the young master." "Recently, I have been more influenced by them." At this time, Duoqi brought the food, and Asuka Zhongxi got up and walked towards the balcony. At ten o'clock in the morning, when Takuzo Akiyama was feasting, Asuka Tadashi was fascinated by the dilapidated scene that had been ravaged by the typhoon. After finishing his meal, Akiyama Takuzo quietly waited for Taki to clean up the bowls and chopsticks, and then whispered to Asuka Zhongxi: "Master, I heard that Ms. Feng... Miss Feng Qiandai is coming here." "Who did you hear that from?" "I heard from Kazuhiko last night." "How did Kazuhiko know about this?" "He said he saw her sitting in the car on the old road, so... she is indeed in Karuizawa now!" "Yes, just arrived yesterday evening, because I have a golf game tomorrow." In the past two or three years, on August 15th, Asuka Zhongxi will hold a private golf game. "Is she living in the Plateau Hotel now?" "Ok." "I heard she went out last night..." "She called once." "Excuse me, are you traveling together?" "What are you talking about! We were talking nearby, and the power went out after a while, so I hurried home immediately." What Asuka Zhongxi said was the truth, but he missed a part.He said that the power went out when the two were in the lobby, but at the moment of the power outage, he and Feng Chiyoko embraced and kissed... "Master, do you know that Shin Kyogo is in Karuizawa now?" "He comes here every summer to escape the heat." "It seems that Tsumura Shinji is here too." Shin Kyogo is Hōchiyoko's third husband, and Tsumura Shinji is her fourth husband. "Is Tsumura here too?" Asuka Zhongxi's tone of questioning back sounded unnatural. "This year, like last year, a modern music festival will be held. There will be concerts yesterday, today and tomorrow, and their promotional posters will be posted on the telephone poles in the town." "anything else?" Asuka Zhongxi deliberately pretended to be very interested in this topic, when the phone in the corner of the room rang. Takuzo Akiyama picked up the microphone and responded with two or three sentences, then turned around and said to Asuka Tadashi: "Master, it's Miss Dixiaolu calling." "Miss Dixiaolu?" "Fute Koji Misa." "Oh...it's Misa! Bring the phone here." A smile appeared on Asuka Zhongxi's face. Akiyama Takuzo asked with a vigilant face: "The girl was smiling when she spoke, young master, are you dating?" "Acquaintance? How is it possible? Meisha is only sixteen or seventeen years old. She is just a little girl. I met her at the golf course last year." "You played golf when you were sixteen or seventeen?" "So what? Well, are you going to get the phone? Or should I go and answer it?" "Ah! I'll take it." Takuzo Akiyama immediately pushed the small table where the phone was placed to the dining table, and Tadashi Asuka picked up the microphone and said: "Hi, is this Misa?" "Uncle Asuka?" "Yes. Misa, what's the matter?" "Uncle, it's terrible! The roof of our house is about to be blown off, and the surrounding trees are also blown down by the strong wind. Our house is still leaking, and the house is flooded!" "It's really bad! Fortunately, the typhoon has passed. By the way, where is grandma?" "My grandma isn't home." "Where did she go?" "Grandma just called back from Tokyo." "Tokyo?" "Yes! Grandma originally said that she would come back early this morning, but she said that there was a landslide in Xiongping, and the train could not pass, so she had to take the cross-line train to come back; Grandma asked me to wait for her obediently at home. I just waited for her phone." "Mesa, were you home alone last night?" "No, Lie is here too." "Who is Rie?" "She is our family's servant, but..." "But what?" "Riee went to see the Mulan Bon Odori Festival, and then the power went out...I'm so scared by myself!" "She really shouldn't, how can she let you stay at home alone?" "There is no way, Lie has lived in Karuizawa since she was a child, and she has an appointment with Rongzi..." "Who is Rong Zi?" "She is a servant of Mr. Sakurai's family, and she is also from Karuizawa, so they meet to go to the dance festival together." Sakurai Tetsuo is Xizi's husband and one of the cadre candidates of Shenmen Enterprise. Asuka Zhongxi was silent for a while, then said: "So that's how it is. They are really bad. Let's do it! Uncle sent someone to see you." "Uncle, this is not the case!" "So what?" "I'm sorry, Uncle, Misa is so stupid! Grandma called just now, and she asked me to say hello to Uncle on the phone, but I kept talking about myself." (What! That old woman ordered Meisha to make this call?) Asuka Zhongxi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "This typhoon is indeed very violent, no wonder you are so afraid. Meisa, do you know Akiyama?" "Akiyama?" "It's uncle's driver." "Oh! Is it that terrible uncle?" "Haha... Misa, is Akiyama scary?" "I'm sorry, because that uncle always stares at me..." "That's because Misa is pretty! Akiyama probably likes looking at pretty girls." Asuka Tadashi winked mischievously, while Akiyama Takuzo closed his lips tightly. "Why did you suddenly mention Uncle Akiyama?" "I want to send Akiyama to check on your situation." "No, no need! Uncle, I didn't call you because of this, it's grandma..." "I understand. But your grandma said she was going to take the cross-line home, but she hasn't seen anyone yet; since you don't like Uncle Akiyama, I'll send someone else to see you." "If it's possible, can I ask Uncle to send Uncle Tsumura to my house?" "Uncle Tsumura? Is it Shinji Tsumura?" "Ok." "Misa, do you know where Uncle Tsumura lives?" "I know! He lives in a camping hut nearby. I met him at Hoshino Onsen yesterday." "I see." Asuka Zhongxi hesitated whether to hang up the phone because he had some concerns about Akiyama Takuzo. "Uncle, let's stop here!" "Well, uncle will send someone over to see you later." As soon as Asuka Tadashi put down the phone, he looked back at Takuzo Akiyama and said: "Akiyama, why doesn't Misa like you? Did something happen?" "It's nothing. Doesn't that old lady hate me more than Miss Meisha? Probably because I am the young master's most loyal bodyguard, so she is afraid of me." "what about this?" The two of them looked at each other for a while, and finally Asuka Tadashi couldn't resist Akiyama Takuzo's gaze and turned his head to avoid it. Akiyama Takuzo suddenly laughed, and he said: "Master, let's not talk about this matter for now, why doesn't Miss Meisha mention her mother's presence here?" "Perhaps that child talked too much and forgot to mention it for a while? Akiyama, go and investigate the disaster situation." Asuka Zhongxi was about to get up when the phone rang again. Takuzo Akiyama picked up the microphone, and after a while said to Tadashi Asuka: "Master, it's Officer Kawamoto from the police station calling." "I'll leave it to you to handle this matter. By the way, you and Officer Kawamoto alone won't be able to handle five or six people for help." Shenmen Enterprise owns the subsidiary "Shenmen Land", and "Shenmen Land" not only owns the police station in Karuizawa, but also owns property rights in many other places. Asuka Tadashi left Akiyama Takuzo who was talking on the phone, and walked out of the dining room and into the study alone. The large bookcase in the study room is neatly lined with archaeological documents, and the small cabinet with glass sliding doors is full of ancient oriental unearthed cultural relics, but Asuka Zhongxi is not in the mood to read these books now. He changed his nightgown, put on a Hawaiian shirt, buried his whole body in the rattan sofa chair, and looked out the window at the scene after being hit by the typhoon.