Chapter Five Hundred and Fiftieth: The Potter's Commission

March 8, Sunday, afternoon, on the way home from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Lan said with emotion: "Mr. Ichikawa is really hardworking."

"Hmph, no matter what, he's a stingy fellow," Mouri said. "Even though he has assets worth over one trillion yen, he still cares about hundreds of thousands of yen."

"Who told Dad that you only cared about eating and didn't work hard at that time." Lan said with a smile, "By the way, speaking of it, you still owe Conan a salary."

"That was voluntary." Maori asked Conan, "Isn't it, boy?"

"Ah? Yes, yes." Conan said, then raised his triangular eyes, can I say no? ...

March 10th, Tuesday, morning, Good Mood, Miko Miyamoto's office.

The front page of the morning paper published the news that the country will allocate 15 trillion yen to support the economy.

Ji Ji said: "Ma'am, we have received a notice to underwrite a one trillion yen national debt."

"It's normal." Miko Miyamoto said, "If you can't sell it, you can eat it yourself."

Ji Ji said: "More than half of these funds will fall on the industries of the six major consortiums. This is the information sent by the above, and it is planned to support the objects." Said and handed over a document.

"Ha, really, it's fair, a bank will give 1 trillion yen first, and that's 6 trillion yen." Miko Miyamoto browsed, "This calculation is good. By supporting financial institutions and formulating A series of preferential policies allow financial clubs to support other clubs on their own.”

Ji Ji asked, "Madam, do you think there is a problem?"

"Of course, if these financial clubs can't support them, what should we do?" Miko Miyamoto said.

Yan Ji said, "It can't be that bad."

Miko Miyamoto said: "I'm just planning for the worst."

Ji Ji smiled and said, "Well, although there is something wrong with it, it would be a good thing for us if this is the case."

"Let's talk about it at that time." Miko Miyamoto said, "Okay, let's go to work. By the way, let someone evaluate these support targets, especially those in the insurance industry. After the evaluation, send a copy to Misa."

"Yes, I understand." Yan Ji said, then said goodbye and left. ...

Friday, March 13, afternoon, Maori Detective Agency.

Mao Li told Ran and Yamazaki that he had accepted a commission, and the potter Kikuemon asked him to go and bring his family.

Lan asked, "So it's an inconvenient commission again?"

"Of course, that's a national treasure-level celebrity. This is a phone call from him himself, and he said he was going to visit in person," Maori said proudly, "that is to say, my detective Mori Kogoro is also a national treasure-level figure. .” He laughed out loud. ...

In the evening, Miyamoto's house.

Mei Daizi learned that Yamazaki would go to Nishitama to visit Kikuemon tomorrow afternoon, but she would come back at night, so she decided not to follow.

"By the way, you can mention that matter to the master by the way, and see what's going on." Miyamoto Miko said with a smile, "You also studied there."

"Okay, I see." Yamazaki said. ...

Saturday, March 14, 1:00 p.m., Nishitama, ceramicist Kikuemon House.

After Maori knocked on the door,

A woman in her forties came out.

"Ah, you are the famous detective Mori Kogoro. My name is Mashiko Tsuchiya." The woman smiled enthusiastically, "You are welcome to come and play, please come in."

"Thank you ma'am," Molly said.

"Ma'am?" Lan asked in a low voice, "Isn't your surname Ju?"

"Kikuemon is an inherited title," said Yamazaki.

After a while, Mashiko Tsuchiya brought the four of them to the reception room, "Please wait a moment."

Having nothing to do, Mori went to appreciate the ceramics in the display cabinets by the wall, and then praised: "The color and shape are superb, and they are indeed the works of the national treasure-level master Kikuemon."

Lan blinked and asked in a low voice, "Father, are these dark things really the best?"

"In other words, it's unglazed, and it takes its natural color." Maori said, "The value of each of these things is more than one million yen."

"Father, since when did you know pottery? Could it be that you are cramming again?" Lan asked with a smile, "Conan?"

Conan smiled and said, "Uncle read the book last night."

Maori said, "I'm trying to get to know the client."

"Ha, ha, you really deserve to be a Maori detective." An old man came in, and Mashiko Tsuchiya followed him with a tea tray.

"I'm Kogoro Mori, I've met the master." Mori saluted, and then introduced, "This is the little girl Mori Ran, Edogawa Conan who lives in my house, my friend's child..."

"I have met the master," Yamazaki said, stepping forward to salute, "I am Yamazaki, and I have studied here."

"Yamazaki?" Kikuemon thought for a while and smiled, "Oh, it's that kid back then, I really didn't expect to be so big." Then he found that the tea was ready, "Come on, Moori Detective, please take a seat. "

After sitting down for tea, Lan gave Mashiko Tsuchiya a small gift, "One thing is not a tribute."

"This is a cake, right?" Mashiko Tsuchiya accepted it happily, "It's so good, I love cakes the most."

"This is some ginseng slices, and there are instructions for use inside." Yamazaki presented a small gift box the size of a palm.

"Thank you." Masuko Tsuchiya accepted it.

"By the way, Master," Mori asked in Kikuemon's ear, "Is there anything you want to come to me today? Could it be that you suspect that the young lady has a problem and wants me to investigate?"

"No, no." Kikuemon said with a smile, "She is actually my daughter-in-law, thanks to her helping me to take care of things around me all these years." Then he said, "My wife and son met two years ago. Tragically passed away in a traffic accident."

"I'm so sorry," Molly said.

"Cough!" Kikuemon said, "The reason why I invited you here today is not for any other reason. I just want to give you a little opinion of the famous detective."

"An opinion?" Maori was puzzled.

Mashiko Tsuchiya smiled and said, "Father, I think you should tell the truth directly. In fact, you are the number one fan of sleeping Kogoro."

"Mashiko!" Kikuemon blushed.

"Every time I see the deeds of the Maori detective in the newspaper, my father will be happy like something. Last time I was scolded because I forgot to cut the news out of the newspaper." Tsuchiya Masuko laughed, "However, during this period of time, there have been fewer incidents of Maori detectives, so Dad couldn't bear it anymore and invited you to come over."

Kikuemon smiled embarrassedly and said, "Well, it's actually like this."

At this time, two men in their thirties appeared in the yard and looked into the room.

Maori asked, "May I ask who these two are?"

Kikuemon said: "They are my apprentices. Let me introduce you. The one in blue is Arida Yoshihiko, who has made rapid progress in his craft recently and his skills are becoming more and more proficient. The one in orange is the one whose work has become more and more recent. Ryuichi Seto who almost stopped and made no progress."

Ryuichi Seto said embarrassingly, "Actually, I was just temporarily frustrated."

Arita Yoshihiko said with a smile: "It's not because you blindly imitate the master."

"Stop talking." Seto Takashi smiled and gave Arita Yoshihiko an elbow.

Mashiko Tsuchiya said: "Yes, Seto, you have to work harder. Everyone thinks that the person who can inherit the sixth generation of Kikuemon is your apprentice. You can't be discouraged."

Seto Ryuichi said: "Stop talking about this, we just want to know one thing now."

Arita Yoshihiko smiled and said, "Mr. Mori, which pottery would you choose?"

Kikuemon said: "Okay, what are you in a hurry for, I haven't said anything about it yet."

Maori asked, "May I ask what's going on?"

"Since you're here, I can't let you make this trip in vain, so I want to give you a piece of work as a token of my appreciation." Kikuemon said with a smile, "Come on, you can choose, the pottery in this room is all It's my masterpiece."

"Really?" Mao Li said with bright eyes, "Then I will not be polite."

"Wait a minute, Dad, this is not good." Lan whispered.

"It's okay, you can choose Mori Detective." Kikuemon said with a smile.

"Okay, then I want the tea set we are using now." Maori said.

"What!" Kikuemon's expressions changed.

"Uh, isn't that too much?" Molly asked.

"A famous detective is a famous detective, and he really has a unique vision." Kikuemon said, "It seems that I won this bet."

"But master, you can't count as winning." Arita Yoshihiko said.

Takashi Seto smiled and said, "The tea utensil you mentioned is in the display cabinet."

"I made a bet with some of my apprentices, guess which one you will choose," Kikuemon explained, "You really chose the best one as I deduced."

"That's right," Molly said.

"Indeed, I didn't expect you, Detective Maori, to choose this tea set for entertaining guests," Kikuemon said, "To be honest, I didn't intend to give it to anyone, but since I was chosen by you, it means I'm done with it."

Mashiko Tsuchiya said, "But, Dad..."

"By the way, Masuko, go and get it for me." Kikuemon said, "Detective Mori, I am going to publish a new work this time, and I call it Fengshui."

"Yes, I'll go right away." Mashiko Tsuchiya glanced at the tea set with nostalgia, turned and walked out.

Maori asked, "Well, may I ask, what is the value of this set of tea sets?"

"Someone wanted to take them for a million dollars back then," Kikuemon thought for a while and said, "Based on the current prices, they are worth at least over 100 million yen."

"Over, over 100 million yen! If this is not careful," Mao Lihan came down, put down the teacup in his hand, and whispered, "I would rather ask for over 100 million yen."

Kikuemon asked his apprentice, "It's strange, why haven't you seen Otani come over until now?"

Arita Yoshihiko said with a smile: "He is still busy at the fire kiln."

"That's right, Mori-san," Kikuemon asked, "how about we go to the kiln?"

"Okay, I also want to see where the master works." Maori said.

Soon after, the furnace.

The four of Maori saw Kaoru Otani, another apprentice of Kikuemon.

Seeing a pile of broken pottery on the ground, Conan curiously asked why.

Seto Ryuichi said: "That is a fragment of our work, which was broken by Mrs. Tsuchiya."

Arita Yoshihiko said: "Ms. Tsuchiya is very discerning. If our works can't even meet her standards, the master will not be satisfied."

"Speaking of which, the only son who was supposed to inherit my mantle fell in love with Mashiko's unique ability," Kikuemon said, "So I have already decided that after a hundred years of me, she will decide what to do with Kikuemon." Who will inherit the name Emmon?"

Arita Yoshihiko said: "But the standards are too strict recently."

Ryuichi Seto said: "You are much better than me, like I only passed two works before this month."

Otani Xun said disappointedly, "As for me, I haven't passed any in the past three months. I think I probably have no hope."

Kikuemon picked up a fragment and said to Otani Kaoru: "All the confusion in my heart will be presented on the pottery. If I make pottery with this kind of mood, I think the things that are burned must feel awkward. Xinru Mingjingzhishui, if you can calmly concentrate on making pottery, you will definitely be able to..."

At this moment, Masuko Tsuchiya screamed, interrupting Kikuemon's words.

Hearing that Seto Takaichi said that it might be from the warehouse, Kikuemon's expression changed drastically, and he immediately ran to the warehouse.

Soon after, the warehouse.

When everyone came over, they found Mashiko Tsuchiya sitting on the ground, with a pile of fragments of pottery in front of him.

"Feng Shui!" Kikuemon called out.

"Father, please forgive me. When I was about to climb up the ladder, it suddenly fell down." Mashiko Tsuchiya quickly explained, "So, this is..."

"Needless to say." Kikuemon said with a very ugly face, "Everything with a physical body will be destroyed one day. The Fengshui is just back in the land now." Then he ordered the disciples to pack up and ordered Mashiko Tsuchiya to prepare In the evening, I entertained Maori and the others, and then said, "I suddenly feel a little tired, don't wake me up before dinner." After finishing speaking, he left.

Maori wanted to help clean because he received a heavy gift, but was declined, and was invited to the living room by Mashiko Tsuchiya.

Before leaving, Conan found a glass ball under a cabinet and picked it up. ...