Chapter 16 chapter 2

"goodbye." The phone was hung up suddenly.Is the minister really working?I'm rather skeptical about this. But even if I can't get into the office, it's not a big problem for me.Anyway, I don't have any personal belongings locked inside, and what I'm going to do today has already been planned. I'm going to Shanbei High School to find Takano Iwamo. The minister also warned me yesterday that I should make an appointment with the other party first, but I really don't want to do that.Because which detective has to make an appointment with the other party first to investigate the case?This kind of behavior is really against my aesthetics.

In fact, when I called Shanbei High School and asked them to transfer me to Yan Mao, although my tone was far from the minister's business-like tone, it was quite satisfactory: "My surname is Handa. , I’m sorry to call you suddenly. The thing is, I’m looking for someone who has researched the history of Kobushi Town. It was the Kobushi Town Board of Education who introduced me to Mr. Iwamo.” But when I was talking, I was actually very annoyed in my heart, because this is really not the behavior I expected a detective to have. Although Yan Mao on the other end of the phone is a very good high school teacher, I still feel an indescribable sense of shame.For my sudden phone call, Iwamo didn't show any displeasure at all, he just said that the location of their home is not easy to find, so he wanted to make an appointment with me at school; he also said that it's summer vacation, so it shouldn't be difficult to get in... ...A lot of small things have been noticed for me, and I can't help but feel sad.As a detective, to be treated so kindly by my high school teachers was really hard for my aesthetics.

I step into the M400 and start the engine.There is still plenty of time before the agreed time. Based on the lessons I learned yesterday, I changed into a dark suit today.I can't even imagine what it would be like to wear a leather jacket over a suit and ride a Ducati motorcycle on a hot day like this. The more I think about it, the more I feel farther and farther away from my original ideal. On the playground of Shanbei High School, people from the baseball club are cleaning the playground.A group of students in beige uniforms are holding long hoses and are sprinkling water on the playground.From where I stand I can see the rainbow formed by the interaction of light and water.Is the purpose of sprinkling water to keep the dust from flying?Or because it has been hot for several days, you have to sprinkle some water to cool down, so as not to prevent students from heatstroke?

Although I have lived in Babao for so long, it was the first time I entered Shanbei High School.Shanbei High School is a private school, while I go to the public Babao High School.There are only two public general high schools in Babao City, so Shanbei High School has long played the role of "accepting students who did not pass the two public high schools".I looked at the plaque of "Shanbei Higher School" hanging high in the welcome hall, and remembered the middle school days when we used "Go to Nian Shanbei" as a synonym for "stupid".At that time, there was an insurmountable class gap between "Going to Nianshanbei" and "Class A of Babao High School".However, if you are studying the "Shanbei Preparatory Class", it is another matter.I used to be a top student in "Class A of Eight Guarantee High School", but now I am just a vagrant.In the social values ​​I live in now, I actually know better than anyone else what class the vagrants belong to.

There are tiles on the floor, and there are cracks everywhere.The walls are painted white, no one knows what posters have been pasted on them before, and only traces of old scotch tape are still stuck on it.It's not cold at all, but it should be air-conditioned. I just asked at the reception and Iwamo showed up right away.He looks to be in his fifties, his hair is a little gray, his expression is round and gentle, and he feels very calm.Wearing a dark red sportswear, fully showing the curves of the figure.I personally think there is a need to lose weight. "Hello, are you Mr. Handa calling me?"

Just like the feeling on the phone, the attitude is very friendly.I nodded quickly. "Yes, yes. I'm really sorry, but I'll trouble you to make a special trip even though it's a holiday." "It's okay, the club I lead happened to have activities today, so I had to come to school. Please come here." I followed him into the staff office.A whole row of stainless steel desks is somewhat nostalgic.The only difference from my student days is that there is no smell of cigarettes.I don't know if this is based on the difference between public and private schools, or the evolution of the times.Although it is summer vacation, there are people working in many positions.

In the corner of the office is a set of reception desks and chairs.Iwamo urged me to sit on the wine-red sofa.And he himself sat down opposite, and he didn't seem to intend to reward me with a cup of tea. "You said you were investigating the history of Kobushi-cho, are you a student?" he asked me with a smile.Although I was treated as a student at the town hall yesterday, since he asked, I answered honestly: "No, I'm a detective. I was entrusted by the residents of Kobushi Town to investigate some things for them." "What? Detective..." Very vague answer.His reaction to the word detective is too cold!Made me feel rather depressed.Pulling himself together, he took out an envelope from his suit pocket.Arrange the photos in the envelope, that is, the photos of those ancient documents, on the coffee table.Due to my congenitally bad photography skills, and the cheap camera was out of adjustment, the pictures were not very good, and the words were almost invisible.

"My client wanted to know the origin of these ancient documents in the photo, so he entrusted me to assist in the investigation. But because I was born in Liusang Village, I don't know much about the things in Kobushi Town. I asked the people from the Education Committee and they told me , Mister Iwamo might know something." "Oh, it was Mr. Tian Yuan who told you!" I don't know if there is something hidden, Yan Mao showed a wry smile.Pick up one of the photos and say: "Ah, this is a ban!" I didn't expect him to answer so readily, which made me almost miss it.While nodding in agreement: "It's like this!" It was only after the words came out that they realized something was wrong.

"Banning? What do you mean?" Iwamo glanced at me. "Mr. Handa, can you understand cursive script?" I was speechless for a moment. "……can not read it." "yes?" Am I being overwhelmed? There seems to be a puzzled expression on Yan Mao's face.Maybe it's because he couldn't think of a person who came to school to ask him about history during the summer vacation, who couldn't even understand cursive script! Yan Mao stared at the photo, muttering like reciting a mantra: "Things that interfere with chaos, arson, and deforestation. If there are violations, they should be arrested as soon as possible and made public."

Iwamo raised his head and smiled. "...That is to say, you can't do rampant things in places where this prohibition is posted." "Is that a law?" "Not really, it sounds like it's true, but it's a little different." Iwamo put the photo back in place and folded his arms across his chest.I hurried to concentrate so as not to accidentally miss something again. "The ban was a very common thing between the Warring States period and the Edo period. Because at that time the whole of Japan was in a state of civil strife. The princes also all supported themselves, and it was heard during wars."

Yan Mao said eloquently.The tone seemed to be slightly different from the way he spoke when he greeted the guests just now. "Once a war breaks out, the peasants who have no ability to resist become the biggest victims. Although there was a so-called ordeal at the time, once a war breaks out, sometimes destroying the enemy's fields is also a kind of combat strategy. But for farmers , one year's income is destroyed like this, who can bear it? Therefore, the meaning of "lawlessness" here is a little different from the so-called "lawlessness" now, and it mainly refers to the act of plunder. In order to stop the above-mentioned tragedy, To restore the proper order, this kind of prohibition appeared. In addition to having a legal meaning, it also has the meaning of telling everyone that the war is over." "So, is this a ban issued by the princes of the Warring States Period?" "In addition to the feudal lords, some are promulgated by local lords or temples with military power. However, if it is promulgated by Kobushi-machi..." When Yan Mao said this, he suddenly stopped talking.Holding the photo of the ban again in his hand, he stared at it intently.Then he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fists, as if trying to squeeze out the memory. "...Where did you find this at Xiaofu's?" "This..." I'm a little hesitant.I don't know if speaking out will violate the agreement with the client.However, I am now begging someone to tell me something, there is no reason to hide something!Although detectives are obliged to keep secrets, these should be two different things, right? "Hachiman Shrine in the Yanaka area." "It really is there! Well, if that's the case, then it's right." Iwamo nodded vigorously.The question is, what's the use of knowing it by himself?I quickly tried to ask him: "Is there any problem with Hachiman Shrine?" "no." Iwamo smiled a little embarrassedly. "Because I seem to have seen these prohibitions somewhere. You may have heard about it from Tian Yuan. I study modern history. I rarely read such medieval materials. But these prohibitions seem to be familiar , that's why it's weird." I remembered.What the old man at the shrine said yesterday. "...Could it be a student who did this topic during free research during the summer vacation?" "Yes, exactly." I don't remember the student's name.Jiang Ma Changguang's name is clearly remembered. I don't see anything particularly coincidental about Iwashiger's connection to that student's research.If that student happened to be a student of Shanbei High School, then it would be only natural to consult with Iwamo, who has a lot of research on Xiaofu's history.Besides, Shanbei High School is a private school. Unlike public high schools, the turnover rate of teachers is not so high. Iwamo narrowed his eyes, looking nostalgic. "However, it wasn't because of the free research during the summer vacation. It was because the child joined the History Research Club and conducted research in the club. At that time, she was investigating the origin of this ban just like Mr. Handa." "And you are the advisor of that society?" "no." Iwamo smiled.He pulled the tracksuit he was wearing. "I am a consultant of the badminton club. I just played a little bit in college, but I have been a consultant of the badminton club for nearly 20 years in a blink of an eye. The history research club has always been held by another teacher. Counselor. There are some very smart kids in the entrance class. Their thinking logic often mercilessly pierces the blind spots of others, so I am often wary when facing them. Also, although I am inconvenient It's too arbitrary, but one student who can really use the teacher to the fullest is considered too many in a school year. Of course, there are many students who will come to ask questions, but most of them are students who are too lazy to think for themselves, or use Asking questions to emphasize that she is a hard-working and good student. However, that child really has her own ideas. Because she came to me to discuss it in order to integrate the data she collected." Is that so?Now it's because things have changed, so I spare no effort to praise you like this!When that student was still in school, he might be regarded as a problem student who specifically troubled the teacher! Iwamo continued half-jokingly: "If the child's research report is still there, the mystery may be solved in a short while." "Can I have a look at it?" I asked expectantly.It's a pity that Yan Mao's expression darkened immediately. "...No way! I'm sorry." "Huh? Why?" "Because it is a student's research report, even if it is left, it is the student's property. There is no way to give it to anyone outside the school." Since he was talking about these things in such a nostalgic tone, it means that the student should have graduated from Shanbei High School!It's not that I don't understand that the school can't just hand over the students' belongings to irrelevant people. The problem is that the students have already graduated, and the control is so strict, which I can't understand.I always feel that it is not that I cannot give, but that I am unwilling to give.Perhaps to make up for the result that could not be given, Iwamo went on to say: "However, I know that Sakura-san... is the reference material used by that student. That book seems to have given her a lot of hints, so as long as she reads that book, she should be able to get the same conclusion!" It's a pity that I don't show the things that have already been sorted out, but as Yan Mao said, as long as there are reference books, are you afraid that you won't be able to find them out?So I was still relieved. "I see. Could you tell me the title of that book?" "That book is called "The Middle Ages Called the Warring States and Xiaofu". It was written by an author surnamed Jiang Ma, but it is no longer sold in general bookstores. There should be some in Xiaofu's library! " "Is the author Jiang Ma Changguang?" "That's right, you know that too?" From the looks of it, I still have to make another trip to Kobushicho today.However, being able to know the title of a book before going to the library can be regarded as very rewarding.Although I am not used to it, I still solemnly thanked Yan Mao, and when I was about to put away the photos on the coffee table, I suddenly discovered something. "Ask the teacher again, I already know that this photo is banned, so what is this photo?" In addition to the ban, there are several photos of ancient documents.But Yan Mao just glanced at those photos, with a wry smile on his face. "That's an IOU. Scholars might be interested..." How could such a thing be mixed in?I also imitated Iwamo and smiled wryly. ----------------- Notes: