"grandmother?"
Kinoshita Mai was stunned for a moment, and then put on a solemn expression that said, "Just tell me, I'm all ears."
"Mr. Kiryu, what's wrong with grandma? Is... is she in bad health again?"
In Kinoshita Mai's memory, her grandma's health has become particularly bad since she got old.
Today I accidentally broke down on my waist, and tomorrow I unfortunately caught a cold and caught a cold, and my body got sick and went wrong from time to time.
"Young Master, don't be so nervous."
Kiryu pointed to the cushions opposite the counter and motioned to Mai Kinoshita, "Let's sit and chat."
"My lord is not feeling ill. What I want to talk to you about is something else."
"That's it...that's good..."
A look of relief appeared on Mai Kinoshita's pretty face. The originally tight facial lines relaxed little by little.
"In that case, Mr. Kiryu, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Kinoshita Mai asked back, holding the vegetable basket and taking a seat on the cushion pointed by Kiryu.
Kiryu bent down and sat directly opposite Kinoshita Mai.
"Young Master, do you still remember what I said to you this summer...when you were preparing to go to the fireworks display and I was helping you put on your makeup? The Lord is planning to visit Edo during the New Year this year.
you."
As soon as Kiryu finished speaking, Kinoshita Mai immediately replied excitedly:
"Of course I remember!"
Kinoshita Mai's grandmother threw her to Edo in order to train her, and handed her over to Kiryu, who was capable of both literary and martial arts, loyal and reliable, to teach her, and the care began... Roughly speaking, Kinoshita Mai has been there for nearly a year.
She has barely met her grandmother, who raised her and raised her.
For Kinoshita Mai, grandma is her relative and her benefactor.
Although her grandma treated her very harshly, and every time she thought of her face, she could always recall many unbearable past events, but her great kindness in adopting her as an orphan, and her great kindness in raising her as if she were her own, made her
I will never forget it.
Moreover, grandma is not always so strict, she also shows a very gentle and approachable side from time to time.
After being away from Osaka for so long, Kinoshita Mai really misses her dearest and most respected relative.
Therefore, when she learned from Kiryu that her grandma would go to Edo to visit her during the Chinese New Year this year, Kinoshita Mai was not only looking forward to it, but also excited.
Even more than half a month ago, in order to better prepare for the arrival of grandma, Kinoshita Mai even spontaneously did a general cleaning inside and outside the house.
Even the big orange cat Duoduo was caught by her and given a bath.
Everything is ready, just waiting for grandma to arrive.
"Mr. Kiryu, is it grandma who has arrived in Edo?"
Kinoshita Mai asked excitedly.
"..."
Kiryu looked at the pair of beautiful eyes in front of him without saying a word, which were shining with anticipation and excitement.
Then he silently looked away and stared straight at the empty floor at his feet.
"Well... Young Master, I'm sorry... My lord... she won't be able to come to Edo to reunite with you in a short period of time."
"Huh...?" Kinoshita Mai couldn't help but exclaimed in shock, "Hey, what happened?"
"There was some business problem." Kiryu continued to say to the floor next to his legs, "The specifics... I am not in a position to disclose. In short, in order to deal with the sudden business changes, the lord left in person a month ago and went to a distant place.
Nagasaki. Let alone Edo, she won’t even be able to return to Osaka for a while.”
"Nagasaki..." Mai Kinoshita gasped softly, "We have gone to such a far place..."
Nagasaki: Located at the southernmost tip of Japan and the westernmost part of Kyushu Island, Nagasaki is Japan’s most important trading port and has been Japan’s external gateway since ancient times.
Before the Edo shogunate's seclusion order was completely abolished, Nagasaki was the only place in Japan that was open to the outside world and was not blocked, allowing foreigners to trade here.
If we say that Osaka, located in the central area of ​​East and West Japan and with unique geographical advantages, is Japan's first commercial capital, then it has a history of thousands of years and has begun to communicate with overseas countries since the Asuka Period (592-710).
Nagasaki is the second commercial capital of Japan.
In Nagasaki, if you throw a brick, you can kill at least 10 businessmen of different nationalities.
As one of the country's most important foreign trade ports, Nagasaki has always been the area that Kinoshita Mai's grandmother visited most often.
Therefore, after learning that her grandma was on a business trip to Nagasaki, Kinoshita Mai, who had long been accustomed to this, was not too surprised.
Grandma, Kiryu and other elders, in front of Kinoshita Mai, always kept secret about the business group they formed...that is, the main business of Calabash House.
Affected by this, Kinoshita Mai never knew what kind of business her grandmother relied on to make money, and she was considerate and never asked.
Although Kinoshita Mai is the young master of Calabash House, her understanding of Calabash House is actually not much better than that of an outsider like Qingto.
That's why such a scene appeared - it wasn't until a few months ago that Kinoshita Mai and Aonto learned from Kiryu's mouth that Calabash House had been secretly tracking down a mysterious association called the "Fazhu Party".
"..." Kinoshita Mai's eyebrows immediately lowered, and there was an uncontrollable sense of loss and sadness in her eyes, "Is that so... Grandma went to Nagasaki... Then when will Grandma come back?"
Kiryu shook his head gently: "This... the letter from the lord didn't say it clearly..."
"..." Kinoshita Wu stopped talking.
At the same time, her head was buried lower.
Meow……
Duoduo on the side seemed to sense that his master's mood was sinking into a low ebb.
It crept up to Kinoshita Mai's feet, stretched out its pink tongue, and licked the slender ankles exposed outside the hem of the kimono and clean white socks very rhythmically.
"That's it...then there's really nothing we can do about it."
Kinoshita Mai took a deep breath, slowly raised her head, and looked straight at Kiryu.
"Grandma didn't mean to break her promise. Since she can't come to Edo for the time being because of something important... then let's wait until the next time we have a chance to meet grandma again."
After saying that, Kinoshita Mai showed a bright smile.
A beautiful smile that is sweet and sunny, without a trace of negative emotions, and without the slightest hint of forcing a smile.
Looking at Kinoshita Mai who was obviously sad, but holding on to herself and trying hard to hide her low mood from appearing on her face, the wrinkles on Kiryu's face were slightly wrinkled, and her expression was dominated by helpless emotions little by little.
"Well... Mr. Kiryu, is there anything else you want to say or add? If not, I will take the vegetable basket back to the kitchen first..."
"Young Master." Kiryu interrupted Kinoshita Mai's words, "Although my lord will not be able to come to Edo to see you at present or for some time in the future...but my lord still cares about you and loves you."
"My lord feels very guilty for breaking his promise this time, so in order to make up for it, my lord sent you a new dress."
"New clothes?" Kinoshita opened her red lips blankly.
With a smile on his lips, Kiryu raised his chin towards the vegetable basket in Mai Kinoshita's hand, "Open the basket and take a look inside."
Upon hearing this, Kinoshita Mai quickly opened the basket in her hand and saw a tightly wrapped and neat oil paper bag placed safely at the bottom of the tofu, eggplant and other ingredients.
Kinoshita Mai carefully took out the oil paper bag from the basket, and then asked Kiryu with her eyes: Can I open it?
Of course - Kiryu nodded and answered with his expression and movements.
Kinoshita Mai swallowed hard, then carefully opened the oil paper bag, moving gently like a professional archaeologist who was surveying ancient ruins.
For a moment, the item contained in the oil-paper bag—a red kimono with extremely exquisite workmanship and exquisite materials—was exposed to the air and exposed to Kinoshita Mai's eyes.
Even a layman with no knowledge of clothing can easily see that this red coat is anything but vulgar.
Anyone who knows a little bit about this will probably be so shocked that their jaws will almost drop when they see this gorgeous red dress.
The fabric is made of top-grade silk and satin produced in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas of the Tang Dynasty. The whole piece, including the collar, cuffs and other details, is embellished with gorgeous gold and silver threads, supplemented by white flowers, pink leaves and other patterns, making it really dazzling.
Kinoshita Mai didn't say a word...or maybe she was so surprised and excited that she forgot to speak.
She silently lifted up the red kimono with both hands, and her beautiful eyes flashed with glaze-like brilliance.
Even though she didn't say a word, her joy and love for this red Wufu were beyond words.
"My lord knows that you like red, so she specially picked a red Wu suit for you."
Kiryu added with a timely smile.
To be continued...