The Japanese Consulate is on Shihan Road by the West Lake. It is a beautiful gray and white Western-style building with some ancillary buildings surrounding it, occupying a large area.
This time there was no accident. After meeting Mr. Orange, one of them called a rickshaw and arrived at the consulate in a short time.
The people at the consulate were very courteous and courteous to Mr. Tachibana, and the search and inspection—that was non-existent.
Classmate Ma's inspection was also routine. The guard just casually checked the scroll and let it go.
Entering inside, I saw that the decoration of the consulate was simple, elegant and tasteful. There was a huge ukiyo-e painting in the living room, but it seemed a bit inconsistent in this Western-style decoration.
Consul Matsumura Kurao bowed politely when he saw Mr. Tachibana, and even Tsushima nodded in greeting. There was no trace of Japanese arrogance, which made people feel wary.
"Sir, Masang, I'm very sorry for what happened the day before yesterday. I have caused trouble to you two again today." Matsumura sincerely apologized to the two guests.
"Matsumura-kun, you don't have to apologize. You didn't want the accident to happen. We are all safe and sound..." Mr. Tachibana said softly to Consul Matsumura, while Mr. Ma looked at his nose and heart and remained silent. He didn't know the key. What.
While drinking tea, Matsumura and Mr. Tachibana exchanged kind words for a while before getting to today's theme - antique appreciation.
Matsumura's eyes lit up when he saw the "Picture of Autumn at the Fishing Village" brought by classmate Ma, but he seemed to remember something and said sternly: "Such a good painting should not be appreciated here. Please come with me..."
After that, Matsumura took the two guests, took out the keys, and finally opened the heavy shoji door of the study.
After inviting the two guests to sit down and serve tea, Matsumura solemnly put on his gloves, opened the roll, took out a magnifying glass, and began to appreciate it carefully.
While Matsumura was watching, he was also communicating with Mr. Tachibana. The content was nothing more than a review of Master Ni's paintings, from composition and brushwork to artistic conception and conception... The two of them were very interested and seemed to be immersed in the artistic conception of the painting. Xiao Ran is outside.
Classmate Ma, who did not have much artistic talent, was confused and had to listen. He could only taste Longjing and pretend to be an expert, with an awkward but polite smile on his face.
While the two intellectuals were admiring the paintings, classmate Ma observed the study room. This study room was not much larger than Mr. Ju's, but there were not so many books. There was only a bookcase against the wall. In front of the bookcase was a desk and Opposite the chair and desk is a set of sofas for entertaining guests. Student Ma is sitting near the door. There is a desk near the window, and "Pictures of Autumn Skies in Fishing Village" is placed on the desk.
The legendary important information may be in this office. Now, Student Ma has the urge to pick up the vase next to him and knock the two cultural figures unconscious with a bang, so that he can do whatever he wants - ah no, okay Check out the office.
But this can only be thought about. If this really happens, even if he is not arrested as a spy, he will be notified to the police station as a criminal case to arrest him. This person will be greatly humiliated.
However, Mr. Ma’s body was not moving, his mind was far away, various thoughts came up, and then they were suppressed...
I took out my pocket watch and checked the time. It had been more than half an hour. I didn't know that this painting was so beautiful? It takes so long? Is this Matsumura just looking at paintings? Is there anything else?
After a while, the two cultural figures put down their magnifying glasses, took off their gloves and put them away. Consul Matsumura said to classmate Ma: "Ma Sang, I like this painting very much. I wonder if I can part with it?"
"This... Mr. Consul, it's not that I don't want to, it's just that this painting is a family heirloom..." Classmate Ma said coyly.
"Price is not an issue. I will pay Masang the market price..." Matsumura said.
"Thank you Mr. Consul for your kindness, but I have to discuss it with my family..." Student Ma said timidly.
"We should discuss it, but this painting is so precious. It would be a pity if it got damaged during the bumpy journey. I have a merciless request. Ma Sang can leave the painting here temporarily..." Matsumura told Ma Xiaoguang word by word. said.
"Mr. Matsumura, is there something wrong with this?" Mr. Tachibana firmly stood on Student Ma's side this time.
"I can pay a deposit of one hundred oceans to Masang first!" Matsumura Zangxiong said sincerely, but there was no room for negotiation.
"This is not about money..." Student Ma still hesitated.
"Two hundred oceans!" Matsumura doubled the price.
"Your Excellency, Consul, I am not the only one..." Student Ma mumbled.
"Four hundred oceans!" Matsumura didn't seem to be talking about money, but just a series of numbers.
"Then... Mr. Matsumura, can you give me a certificate, just a note, and a guarantor, so that I can explain to my family if they ask." Student Ma lowered his head and said weakly.
"That's what it should be. How about Mr. Tachibana please be the guarantor?" Matsumura Kurao said without any doubt.
Classmate Ma also looked at Mr. Orange expectantly.
After a long while, Mr. Tachibana reluctantly signed his name on the IOU and pressed his seal. Naturally, Matsumura Kurao also fulfilled the formalities.
After the procedure was completed, Matsumura Kurao carefully put away the painting.
After the formalities were cleared, classmate Ma became very talkative and didn't even force him to pay the bills. Matsumura also painfully put away the yen notes he paid.
On the way back, Mr. Ju kept apologizing to Mr. Ma, and Mr. Ma kept comforting him, saying that this was just an explanation for the family. I think that with my husband as my guarantee, my family will not blame me. I would like to thank you very much today. Come out to save yourself.
Classmate Ma hired a car to send Mr. Ma back the price first, and then took the car back home in a leisurely manner.
"Hey, what can I do? My arm can't twist my thigh. I still have my husband as guarantee..." Boss Ma put the IOU and Japanese yen on the table.
"Hey, this business can be done, it has quadrupled in the blink of an eye!" Xiao Lu sighed after seeing the Japanese yen and the IOU.
"Oh my God, what sins did I commit in my last life! This is an ancestral treasure!" The fat man rolled his eyes, then beat his chest and started to cry loudly.
At this time, Xiao Lu had also reacted, and he quickly touched his chest and beat his back, fearing that the fat man would do something wrong. Unexpectedly, the fat man became more and more angry as he talked, and he threw things and hit the bench...
In the end, classmate Ma was kicked out by his family... Behind him were Fatty's crying voice and Xiao Lu's persuasion. The neighbors looked sideways, and some people kept helping Fatty to scold his prodigal brother.
The frustrated classmate Ma took the note and walked aimlessly on the streets of Hangzhou. Japanese yen? I definitely can’t get the yen back, I’m at home.
Homeless and penniless, Mr. Ma walked all the way to Zhejiang University and then to Mr. Ju’s house.
"Ma Jun, what's going on?" Mr. Ju asked with concern when he saw Mr. Ma's pitiful look.
"Alas, my brother was so angry when he saw that I sold the ancient paintings passed down from my ancestors that he kicked me out." Classmate Ma said dejectedly.
"It's all me who has caused Ma Jun trouble." Mr. Ju's words were even more apologetic.
"No, no, if it weren't for my husband's guarantee, my brother might have broken my legs. There are brothers on the left and right. He should be fine after his anger subsides in two days. I came today to say goodbye to my husband." Student Ma responded Come over and comfort Mr. Orange.
"What? Mr. Ma is going to travel far?" Mr. Ju asked puzzledly.
"I can't stay in Hangzhou for the time being. I have already submitted an application to the School of Engineering. I am taking a break from school and am going to look for something to do outside..." Student Ma said to Mr. Ju in a deep voice.
Under Mr. Tachibana's apologetic eyes, Mr. Ma took the 100 yen sponsored by his teacher and got on the train and left Hangzhou...
Two days later, early in the morning, as soon as the Japanese Consulate opened its doors, two masters and servants came to claim that they wanted to see the Consul. How could this consulate be accessible to just idlers? He took out the IOU signed by the consul himself, and the guard negotiated with him on the phone before letting the two of them in.
For the first time in the consulate's reception room, Consul Matsumura personally met with the two men holding IOUs.
"I'm dismounting from Ma Jingbo, who is Ma Jingtao's brother. Your Excellency, Consul, this "Picture of Autumn Skies at Fishing Village" is an ancestral possession of my family. My younger brother is not familiar with worldly affairs, so I'm presumptuous to ask Mr. Consul to return the painting..." The fat man said anxiously. He pleaded with Consul Matsumura, and after that, he waved the IOU in front of the consul with a trembling hand.
"Ma Sang, it is impossible to return this painting to you, but our Empire of Japan does all things in fair transactions. Your brother has already sold the ancient paintings to me, but without signing an agreement. And as far as I know, the antiques There is no rule in the industry about signing a contract..." Matsumura said in a non-negotiable tone.
"Your Excellency, Mr. Consul, I am unworthy of my brother. I hope that Your Excellency, Mr. Consul, can forgive me..." The fat man burst into tears and couldn't help coughing. The little follower next to him kept beating his back.
"No, Ma Sang, the things that have been brought into my place and there is no way to return them are worth one thousand oceans." Matsumura said without any doubt.
The fat man ignored Matsumura, but wiped his tears and cried...
"One thousand two hundred oceans." Matsumura seemed to be used to the tricks of these unscrupulous antique dealers, and he increased the price on his own.
"It's not about money, Mr. Consul, I have to tell you the origin of this painting..." The fat man wiped his red eyes with his sleeve and said with sobs.
"This matter has to be told from the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty..." The fat man began to talk about ancient times. It took him a long time to explain the ins and outs of this painting and the past and present life. Consul Songcun was very impatient after hearing this.
"Okay, Ma Sang, I admire you very much for this painting. One thousand two hundred and fifty oceans." Seeing that the fat man looked like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water, Matsumura simply gave up and simply said Add little by little.
But the fat man always shook his head and kept wiping his tears, while the servant kept trying to persuade him...
A long time passed...
"The price is 1,500 oceans apiece, Ma Sang, you don't have to drink wine as a penalty, otherwise..." Matsumura said ferociously word for word, and several people from the consulate gradually gathered around him.
"Uncle, you and I have been sold...the painting will never come back, and the second master is missing now. You see..." the servant timidly said to the fat man.
"Okay... let's do it!" The fat man gritted his teeth and agreed half-heartedly with red eyes.
"Okay, you two, I'll go get the money right away." Matsumura Kurao put on a smile, like a weasel who stole ten chickens.
After that, he left the master and servant in the living room and went straight upstairs.
Matsumura Kurao came to the study room on the second floor, took out the key and opened the door. After carefully checking the secret notes, he carefully opened the bookcase - a small safe popped out. After confirming the safety of the safe again, he used the password Opening the safe, there was cash in the cabinet, including U.S. dollars, Japanese yen, and ocean bills. Matsumura thought for a moment and took a stack of Japanese yen banknotes. After counting them clearly, he carefully closed the safe.
After checking that there was nothing unusual in the study, Matsumura closed the study and slowly went downstairs.
"Why is it Japanese yen? It's only 1,300 yuan?" The fat man counted the banknotes and asked with some confusion and dissatisfaction.
"According to the current foreign exchange price comparison, I gave Masang ten yen more." Matsumura Kurao looked at the fat man with a look like a country bumpkin.
"That's not possible. I have never used these Japanese banknotes. I need to find someone from the bank..." The fat man said reluctantly.
"This is simple. Masang can call the bank and ask." Matsumura Zangxiong looked a little impatient.
"Then where can I find a phone?" Fatty asked anxiously.
"It's here." Matsumura Zangxiong said.
Regardless of whether Consul Matsumura agreed or not, the fat man got up and looked for a phone number in the consulate.
As a foreign-related institution, a telephone is naturally a must. I found the phone in the foyer. The fat man and the person from the bank murmured for a while before slowly putting down the phone.
"It's not that I can't trust you, you know that there are liars everywhere now..." the fat man said.
"Haha, that's understandable. Don't worry, Ma Sang, this yen must be real." Matsumura has reached the limit of his patience with this fat man with ink stains.
"Your Excellency, the Consul, is a man of honor, I believe that..." The fat man carefully put away the banknotes and stood up to say goodbye with some reluctance.
After returning home, the two quickly packed up their belongings. Everything in the house was as usual. They just told their neighbors that they would be out for a while. You and the prodigal son were brothers. They had broken bones and connected tendons, so they always had to go out to look for them...
The two went to Boyaxuan again, told Shopkeeper Luo and the other two what to do next, and rushed to the train station to get on the train to Shanghai.
After arriving in Shanghai, the two rushed to Siming Village, only to see Boss Ma who had arrived home one step ahead. Seeing the two elites, Boss Ma gave them two thumbs up and said: "Good acting, especially Xiao Lu, great progress." Not small!"
"Where's the information?" Fatty asked with concern.
"Oh no! Hey, even if Matsumura is a treacherous man, he still wants to drink my footwashing water. If it weren't for the fear of being exposed, I would even want to empty his safe!" Chief Ma said with some pride and some disappointment. .
