Nanping Fengshun Lane is not far from Akita District, where Japanese people gather. It is a very quiet alley. The buildings here include courtyard houses and Japanese-style wooden houses.
No. 18 Fengshun Lane is a small and exquisite Japanese garden. Although its area is not large, it is in typical Japanese style. The space pursues winding paths and a large view in the small. It is a very asymmetrical design. The roads, waterfronts, and terrain present natural winding curves. The courtyard is very clean, the green shrubs are neatly trimmed, a few stepping stones are exposed on the surface of the small pond, and a few dark-colored stone lanterns are dotted in the corridor columns. The ground is paved with white sand and stone. Among the layers of green pines and trees, the triangular wooden roof and white paper windows are faintly revealed, which has a very "hidden" artistic conception.
At this time, Lu Ming was sitting on a stool in front of the courtyard, watching several children in the alley playing with sandbags.
It is more than a hundred meters from here to the entrance of the alley. A middle-aged woman carrying a basket of vegetables came from the entrance. She was wearing flowered clothes and should be the hostess of a family in this alley. She had a somewhat mean face, thin lips, and a skinny body.
When the children saw her, they shouted that the old witch was coming and ran away.
Probably because I made a lot of noise when playing in the alley, I was often scolded by her.
"Sir, you and your wife have just moved here!" When she got close to Lu Ming, she stopped and asked curiously, in a typical outgoing manner. When she stood on her skinny legs, her posture really looked like a compass, the classic image of a gossipy woman.
While asking the question, she curiously leaned over to look into the yard, but her sight was blocked by the green screen wall behind the gate.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "Yes, I just moved here yesterday."
The woman smiled and pointed to a yard over there, "I'm your neighbor, my last name is Li."
"Oh, Mrs. Li!" Lu Ming could only stand up. No matter what, he still had to follow the proper etiquette, even if the other party was a mean gossipy woman.
In fact, strictly speaking, Mrs. Li cannot be said to be her neighbor, because the neighbors of No. 18, that is, No. 17 and No. 19, each housed several female spies from the Bureau of Secrets.
Mrs. Li’s house is number 20.
"How much did you buy this house for? Or do you and your wife rent it?" Mrs. Li asked curiously. She was indeed a busybody.
Lu Ming looked towards the entrance of the alley.
On the long street outside, a grass-green tarpaulin truck carrying Japanese military police was passing by.
"Ugh!" Mrs. Li spat on the ground, "Disgusting Japanese devils!"
Lu Ming looked at the gossipy woman in surprise. In Donghai, some lower-class people admired Japan very much. When he first arrived in Donghai, Wang Da'an and Chen Qinghua had debated about this.
On the contrary, the elite class of the Central Asians in the East China Sea have long looked down upon the Japanese as their status has improved over the past hundred years. As they are from the East China Sea, they already have a strong sense of superiority and are the upper class among the East China Sea people. Most Westerners outside the East China Sea do not take them seriously, let alone the Japanese.
On the contrary, the Northern Territory may lose someone. The lower-class people are very proud of their bloodline. No matter how high the status of the Japanese in the Northern Territory is, we can still look down on him in our hearts.
However, the upper class of the Northern Territory relied on the Japanese for more territory and gave them many extra-territorial privileges that they did not deserve.
In such a society, the people themselves cannot be tough. For example, Mrs. Li can only gossip behind people's backs, but if she really stood in front of the Japanese military police, she would be scared to death, because the state apparatus that is supposed to protect your rights is not your umbrella at this time.
Despite this, Mrs. Li's scolding made Lu Ming very happy, and his impression of this gossipy woman suddenly improved a little.
However, the so-called "Japanese devils" and other insults are of course another word in this world. Lu Ming automatically converted them into the meanings he was familiar with. It had become a conditioned reflex.
"Mrs. Li, we have just moved to a new house and haven't visited the neighbors yet. I'll bring some gifts over some other day."
Mrs. Li smiled brightly, "Okay, okay, if there's no one at home, just wait. I'm either at the vegetable market or the department store. I'll be back soon."
Lu Ming smiled: "It's time for me to go in, too."
"Okay, I'll go home and make soup for my husband!" Mrs. Li walked away, twisting her body, carrying a basket of vegetables.
Lu Ming picked up his stool and turned around. Just as he passed the screen wall, he saw a graceful figure walking on the white sandstone path between the green bushes. It was a beautiful young woman wearing a light black kimono. It was Asaba Yoshiko. When she saw Lu Ming passing the screen wall, she bowed slightly and smiled sweetly: "Commissioner, how is the environment here?"
Lu Ming nodded: "Very good."
Seeing Lu Ming's unhappy expression, Qian Yu Fangzi sighed softly, "I know that when I was chatting with Erika, the adults avoided me and didn't want to see me. Of course, they were dissatisfied with Fangzi, but think about it, sir, General Lu called me several times to urge me. If I can do it as soon as possible, can I not do it?"
Lu Ming said calmly, "I understand." He wanted Asaba Yoshiko to find a way to send Erika's maid Kyoko back, but Asaba Yoshiko agreed but did not bring the person back.
"Your Excellency may still think that it is because the situation in the Northern Territory has changed, so Fangzi has neglected you, but that is not the case at all. Fangzi really has a difficulty. Perhaps your Excellency can help Fangzi?" As she spoke, Qianyu Fangzi glanced at Lu Ming with her slightly slender eyes.
"You say." Lu Ming's expression was calm, but he smiled in his heart, which meant there was a way, but it was just an equal exchange.
As "General Lu", I still owe her several big favors, including her helping me get rid of Chen Rongfu and giving Erika to me. Although I gave her to "Commissioner Zhang", these are all favors I owe her.
As for General Lu's favor, she can play the long game and catch a big fish. It is a long-term investment.
But for the things entrusted by "Commissioner Zhang", she would demand an equal exchange.
If "Commissioner Zhang" wants to get back to Kyoko, he needs to help her.
Asaba Yoshiko smiled faintly, "It's not a difficult task for the Commissioner. On the 23rd, there will be a freight train coming from the south. The Commissioner will find a way to let the No. 7 cargo box pass." She added, "Please rest assured, the interests of the Black Mountain Tribe will never be harmed." She glanced at Lu Ming and said, "It's Fu Shou Cream. It's legally traded in the Northern Territory, but the tax for passing the customs is too high."
"Number 23?" Lu Ming pondered.
Asaba Yoshiko looked at his expression and said with a smile, "Sir, a few months ago, Yoshiko had already gotten rid of the guy who detained Kyoko. Now Kyoko is not suffering, she just needs to recuperate. So, if you want me to do it quickly, I am unable to do it."
Lu Mingxin said this. Although he didn't know the identity of that guy, he thought that he could survive after forging with the Qianyu family to fool the top leaders of Luodu. He was too naive.
"Let me think about it." Lu Ming made a gesture and ended the conversation.
Asaba Yoshiko smiled as she watched Lu Ming's back disappear into the quiet path, then she turned around and walked out of the hospital leisurely. Soon, several followers appeared beside her, holding up red umbrellas for her and escorting her towards the black sedan at the entrance of the alley.
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