Chapter 370 The Wind Chime Taifu from the Rashomon River Bank [5000 words]
Gua Sheng, who went out a few steps behind Ogata, walked out of the room at a faster pace than Ogata. After rushing to Ogata's side, he asked Ogata in a surprised tone:
"Mashima-kun, can you still speak Chinese?"
“The teacher in charge of teaching at the Terakoya where I used to study could speak Chinese.” Ogata said, “I learned Chinese from this teacher.”
This lie that Ogata casually concocted can be said to be impeccable.
After all, this reason sounds very reasonable, and no one can verify whether it is true or false.
After listening to Ogata's casually made-up reason that didn't raise any questions at first, Gua Sheng nodded seriously:
"That's amazing...Mashima-kun, you don't have to worry about food and drink now that you have the skill of 'speaking Chinese'. In the future, you can open a private school specializing in teaching Chinese in some big cities and towns, and people will come to learn from it."
There will definitely be a steady stream of people.”
What Gua Sheng said is correct.
With the skill of "being able to speak Chinese", it is indeed very easy to find a way to survive in this era.
Because Sinology, headed by "Zhu Xi Xue", has taken up the absolute mainstream in the academic world in this era, there will definitely be people who have a lot of pursuit in learning, or who simply want to be arty and want to learn Chinese.
Therefore, as Guao said, if Ogata opens a private school specializing in teaching Chinese in large towns such as Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka in the future, he does not have to worry about no customers coming.
With the skill of "speaking Chinese" in hand, you can even apply for a job as a translator for the shogunate.
Although Japan adopted a "lockdown order" during the Edo period, it still maintained normal diplomatic status with China, North Korea, and the Netherlands.
In order to maintain normal diplomacy with these three countries, the shogunate has always trained or recruited talents who can speak the languages of these three countries.
So if you can speak Chinese and go to the shogunate to apply for a job as a translator, the shogunate will definitely welcome you.
After hearing Gua Sheng's words, Ogata smiled:
"Should we open a private school to teach Chinese in Oshiro Town? It's a good idea, but it's a pity that I have no interest in teaching."
While chatting, the two left the house one after another.
The air with a faint smell of powder came towards the two of them again.
After walking all the way away from the residence, Guasheng slowly stopped, put his hands on his hips, took a deep breath of fresh outdoor air, and showed a big smile:
“It’s so relaxing!”
After saying that, Gua Sheng raised his hand and patted Ogata on the back.
However, because Guasheng is almost 30cm shorter than Ogata, Guasheng had to raise his hand slightly before he could touch Ogata's back.
"Mashima-kun, did you see the expression on that guy Takigawa's face just now after he heard you reciting "The Analects of Confucius" in Chinese?"
After raising his hand and patting Ogata's back, Gua Sheng continued.
"After seeing that a ronin whom I despised, who had only studied in Terakoya for a few years, could recite the Analects of Confucius so proficiently in Chinese, my eyes almost fell out of my sockets."
"It's a pity that I can't draw."
"If I can draw, otherwise I will definitely draw the expressive expression that Takigawa just had."
"Also, Mashima-kun, I don't know if you noticed just now. When Takigawa was speaking out that long speech just now, his eyes were always glancing at Fubell Taifu."
"I really didn't find it." Ogata answered at this time.
Ogata just listened to Takigawa's "high talk" and didn't pay attention, nor did he want to pay attention to where Takigawa's eyes were looking.
"Looking at his look, I knew what he was thinking - he wanted to be praised by Mr. Feng Chime."
The corners of Guasheng's mouth curved into a mocking arc.
"That guy is very persistent. She has shown that she has no interest in Takigawa on numerous occasions, both openly and secretly. Takigawa is still trying to get close to him."
"Fortunately, Taifu never looked at Takigawa from the beginning to the end."
After saying this long words in one breath, Guazhang took a big breath and looked refreshed.
After Gua Sheng finished speaking, Oubang smiled bitterly and said softly:
"Miss Guasheng, I now fully understand why you said Takigawa is a very annoying guy before. In the eyes of a low-level samurai like me, that person is indeed quite annoying."
In the extremely brief contact with Takigawa just now, the most profound impression that Takigawa left on Ogata was that he was arrogant, and there was always a sense of superiority in his words.
When Takigawa was talking about his so-called "political views," his words always had the air of "looking down at others from above."
With an attitude of "people are superior to others", we will guide "people under people" like Ogata on what they should do to get rid of poverty.
"I am the daughter of an ordinary samurai." After hearing Ogata's sigh, Gua Sheng also smiled bitterly, and then slowly said, "So I also have no regard for Takigawa's arrogant attitude and such opinions.
It’s quite disgusting.”
"However, as far as I know - there seem to be quite a few people who are positive about Takigawa's proposition."
"And those who think Takigawa's proposition is correct are basically senior samurai like Takigawa who came from Hatamoto or the imperial family."
Gua Sheng had a look of distress on his face. As his expression turned serious, he raised his hand and scratched his hair.
"We are all warriors, but our thoughts are completely different..."
"We are all samurai, but our thoughts are completely different... I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing."
After letting out this small sigh, Gua Sheng sighed softly.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore."
The beautiful smile appeared again on Guasheng's face.
"Let's go, Majima-kun, I will take you to continue to familiarize yourself with the layout of Yoshiwara. We still have many places that we have not visited."
"Yeah." Ogata, who also didn't want to dwell on this topic any longer, smiled and nodded, "Let's go."
…
…
The total area of Yoshiwara is approximately 20,000 square meters.
One square meter in the Edo period is approximately 3.31 square meters in modern times.
In other words, the total area of Yoshiwara is approximately 66,200 square meters.
It is a place that is not particularly big, but it is not a particularly small place either.
Although Gua Sheng had said before that she wanted to take Ogata to visit the entire Yoshiwara before lunch, this kind of thing was still too reluctant.
By the time Guasheng took Ogata to visit the entire Yoshihara, it was already almost 16:00 in the afternoon.
It's autumn now, it's getting dark quickly, and it's almost dark at this time.
Since it was almost getting dark, Gua Sheng simply invited Ogata to sit with her at the Shirobei Club and take a rest.
After resting for 1 or 2 hours, and after it gets dark, Obi can officially start his first day of work in Yoshiwara.
At this point in time, it's almost dark before I can even get back to the hotel where I'm staying.
Therefore, Ogata readily agreed to the proposal of Guasheng.
According to Gua Sheng, the Shirobei Club has many rooms specifically for officials like them to rest on weekdays.
Gua Sheng led Ogata back to the Shirobei Club located next to the Yoshihara gate.
After bringing Ogata to the door of an empty rest room, Guasheng turned his head and said to Ogata:
"After you rest in the room for a while, I'll go get you something and I'll be back soon."
"Get me something?" Ogata asked doubtfully, "What is it?"
"You'll know this later. You can rest in the room first. I'll be back soon."
After saying that, Gua Sheng turned around and quickly left Ogata's sight.
After watching Gua Sheng leave, Ogata slowly opened the paper sliding door of the room.
This room specially used for the rest of the club's officials is quite spacious, as big as 8 and a half tatami mats, and it is completely adequate for a temporary rest room.
I just wonder if all rest rooms are this big.
Because it is a room specifically for the club's officials to rest, there is naturally not too much furniture in the room.
The entire room can be described as empty, with only a few cushions and thin quilts piled in the corner that were neither clean nor dirty.
These cushions and thin quilts must have been used by the club's officials when they took a nap in this room.
Guasheng didn't keep Ogata waiting for too long.
Ogata entered the room, and not long after he sat down on the tatami, Gua Sheng came back.
Compared with before he left, Guasheng had one more thing in his hand - a dark blue feather fabric.
"This is for you." Gua Sheng handed the feather fabric in his hand to Ogata, "When it gets dark and you start working, you can put on this feather fabric."
After Ogata took the haori and shook it open, he suddenly discovered that the haori was the work clothes of the Shirobei Club - the two Chinese characters for "会社" were painted on the skirts on both sides, and on the back were
A haori with a large Chinese character "门" painted on it.
"Do you have to wear this?" Ogata shook the feather fabric in his hand.
Ogata prefers light green haori with a cheerful color.
As for the dark blue haori in his hand... To be honest, Ogata didn't have much desire to wear it on his body.
"Of course." Gua Sheng nodded and sat down opposite Ogata in a nonchalant manner, "If you don't wear this, how will other people in Yoshiwara know that you are an official of the club?"
"We occasionally have to go outside Yoshiwara to hunt down those thieves who committed crimes in Yoshiwara but then absconded outside Yoshiwara."
"When you leave Yoshiwara, remember to wear this feather fabric inside out."
Gua Sheng took back the feather fabric from Ogata's hand, and then turned the feather fabric over, so that the lining of the feather fabric became the outer skin, and the outer skin became the lining.
After turning this feather fabric over, because the original outer skin was used for lining, the words "club" and "door" originally painted on the skirt and back were completely invisible and turned into an ordinary solid color
Made of feather fabric.
"This can be considered one of the rules of our club. When you go to work outside Yoshiwara, you must wear the feather fabric inside out. I don't know the specific reason for this rule."
"But I guess it was to deceive others, so as not to arouse the citizens' unwarranted imagination after seeing the official officers wearing the special haori of the Shirobei Club operating in the streets of Edo."
"So that's it..." Ogata nodded seriously, "No wonder when I saw you for the first time at the sushi restaurant yesterday, you were wearing the feather fabric backwards."
Yesterday at noon, when he met Kuaou for the first time in the sushi restaurant whose name he had forgotten, Okonon noticed that the dark blue haori on Kuaao was worn backwards.
Ogata was confused at the time, but now his doubts are finally solved.
After returning the haori to Ogata, Gua Sheng took off the wooden sword from his waist, put it on the tatami aside, and asked Ogata in a joking tone:
"Mashima-kun, how are you? After walking around Yoshiwara, what are your thoughts?"
"I don't have any strong feelings." Ogata, who was kneeling down opposite Guasheng solemnly, scratched his hair, "If I have to say there is anything impressive... the scene on the bank of the Rashomon River is exactly what I imagined.
The situation is much better..."
Last night, when Omachi and Omachi came to Yoshiwara for the first time, Obang heard Guao introduce the Rashomon Riverbank.
According to Gua Sheng, that area is the most chaotic place in Yoshiwara. Most of the wandering girls who are no longer able to receive guests normally due to old age or illness have lived on the banks of the Rashomon River.
Ogata originally thought that the area would be deserted, with few intact houses.
But this afternoon, after strolling around the Rashomon Riverbank, Ogata was surprised to find that the Rashomon Riverbank was not as dilapidated as he had imagined.
Although there are indeed some houses that are dilapidated, they are not many.
Most of the houses look like they have been renovated recently.
Not only the houses are like this, but the road on the bank of the Rashomon River also looks like it has been renovated recently.
"Oh, that's right." Gua Sheng smiled, "Do you think the Rashomon River bank is not as dilapidated as you thought?"
"Hmm." Ogata nodded, "Just looking at the state of the houses and roads, I can't tell that it is the most chaotic place in Yoshiwara."
"It's normal for you to feel like this. The former Rashomon River bank was indeed as you originally imagined. There were only a few relatively intact houses."
"The reason why I have become so much more beautiful now is all thanks to Mrs. Feng Chime being here."
"Wind Chime Taifu?" Ogata asked doubtfully.
"I seem to have forgotten to tell you." Gua Sheng said sternly, "Feng Ling Taifu was born on the banks of the Rashomon River."
"...Huh?" Ogata tilted his head.
"Fu Chi Taifu, she was born on the banks of the Rashomon River." Gua Sheng repeated what she just said. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is indeed true. This matter does not happen in Yoshiwara.
It’s no secret, everyone knows that Fuchi Taifu was born on the banks of the Rashomon River.”
Ogata was so surprised that he was speechless.
Although the condition of the houses and roads on the banks of the Rashomon River is much different from what Ogata imagined, the mental outlook of the wandering girls living on the banks of the Rashomon River and the atmosphere that permeates the air are quite different.
It’s not much different from Ogata’s imagination.
There were not many pedestrians on the banks of the Rashomon River. There were only a few pedestrians. According to Gua Sheng, they were all wandering girls living on the banks of the Rashomon River.
These wandering girls may have obvious signs of aging or illness on their faces.
When Gua Sheng and Ogata passed by them, they either turned a blind eye, or cast blank glances at them that were either numb or simply devoid of any emotion.
The atmosphere permeating the air on the banks of the Rashomon River is also completely different from the atmosphere in other places.
To give a vivid metaphor... the air on the banks of the Rashomon River seems to be filled with a lot of ice cubes, and you can't feel the vitality and breath of "people".
It’s really hard for Ogata to equate the glamorous Fubell Taifu with a place like the banks of the Rashomon River.”
"Although tourist girls will basically take necessary pregnancy prevention measures when receiving guests, these pregnancy prevention measures are not absolutely effective."
Gua Sheng talks eloquently.
"Wind Chime Taifu is the child accidentally conceived by an elderly wandering girl who had to live on the banks of the Rashomon River."
"Such children are quite common in Yoshiwara."
"These children were either secretly abandoned by wandering girls, or they were raised by responsible wandering girls."
"And Mrs. Feng Chime is very lucky to be the latter."
"After accidentally becoming pregnant with Feng Ling Taifu, Taifu's mother did not abort Taifu, but gave birth to Taifu and raised him up."
"I don't know if I've told you before - courtesans are trained from a young age. Those who don't decide to become courtesans until they are in their teens or twenties will have no chance of becoming court ladies throughout their lives."
"Those powerful maid houses, when accepting girls, will specially select those little girls who have the potential to become courtesans."
"Then we train these little girls who have the potential to be courtesans from an early age."
"Only girls who have been raised since childhood have the chance to become courtesans."
"When Taifu Fengchi was only a few years old, he showed a beauty far beyond that of other people of his age."
"After the person who met the plum house fell in love with the prince, and with the consent of the prince's mother and the prince himself, he brought the prince to the plum house and trained him as a 'future oiran'."
"After living up to the expectations of becoming a bald man, taking a new job... and finally becoming an oiran after going through many tests, Fu Chime Taifu has become the biggest cash cow in the Ume House."
"Not only did she earn a lot of money for Mimewu, she also earned a huge amount of wealth that would put samurai and merchants to shame."
"But she spent almost all the money she earned last year."
"It's used to repair the banks of the Rashomon River."
"It is thanks to Fubell Taifu that the appearance of the Rashomon Riverbank has been completely renewed."
*******
My physical condition has finally returned to 80% of what it used to be!
congratulations.
This time I got sick, it was a wake-up call for me.
Wake up number 1: Pay attention to your health and diet.
The second reminder: pay attention to saving manuscripts as much as possible.
It's a pity that these two things are more difficult for me as a part-time novelist...
Finally, thank you very much for everyone's concern these days.
Perhaps it is thanks to everyone's concern and blessings that I was able to recover so quickly.