Excerpt from WS110, Treatise on Finance and Economics
(Early to mid Northern Wei's economic policies. Daowu was great with agricultural policies but his household registration policy was a disaster, Mingyuan was able to bring plentiful harvests after famines, Taiwu's conquests were great for the economy, Wencheng fixed a number of issues that arose from Taiwu's final years, and Xianwen developed a new tax transportation system)
Taizu calmed down the Central Plains, received the damage of disturbance and bloodshed, soldiers and leather were raised side-by-side, and the people abandoned agriculture. Although the local condition was flourishing, yet in the fundamentals of operating a plan, food was used as the foundation, made the Duke of Dongping, Yi, claim and open the land north of the River, from Wuyuan to Guyang beyond the frontier became garrison fields.
(Taizu was the temple name of Tuoba Gui, also known as Emperor Daowu. Founder of the Northern Wei dynasty known for territorial expansion, but became increasingly cruel in his late reign.
Calming down the Central Plains refers to his conquest of much of Later Yan.
Tuoba Yi was Tuoba Gui's cousin and had significant merits in aiding Tuoba Gui in his founding of Northern Wei.)
太祖定中原,接喪亂之弊,兵革並起,民廢農業。方事雖殷,然經略之先,以食為本,使東平公儀墾闢河北,自五原至于棝陽塞外為屯田。
Initially in the sixth year of Dengguo [391 CE] [he] defeated [Liu] Weichen, gathered his treasures, livestock, more than thirty thousand horses, more than four hundred thousand cattle and sheep, which were gradually added to state resources. Since calming down Zhongshan, divided and moved officials, people, the Tuhe people and skilled craftsmen, more than one hundred thousand families, to fill the capital, each provided with plows and cattle, calculated the population and gave farmland. At the beginning of Tianxing, determined the capital region, in the east arriving at Dai commandery, in the west reaching Shanwu, the southern end was at Yinguan, in the north finished at Canhe, serving as the land of the capital region. Outside the four directions and four dimensions established eight units to lead in inspecting them, encouraged and supervised agriculture, measured and inspected income.
(The Weishu refers to the followers of the Murong Xianbei as the Tuhe people.
The four directions and four dimensions refers to the borders of the capital region here, not the borders of Northern Wei)
既定中山,分徙吏民及徒何種人、工伎巧十萬餘家以充京都,各給耕牛,計口授田。天興初,制定京邑,東至代郡,西及善無,南極陰館,北盡參合,為畿內之田;其外四方四維置八部帥以監之,勸課農耕,量校收入,以為殿最。
Furthermore the emperor tilled the imperial fields, to take the lead for the people. After this each year had a greater harvest than the last, and bolts of cloth reached eighty hu. At this time, military vehicles did not rest, although there were frequently abundant years, they were still not sufficient enough to supply this over a long time.
(The emperor could till imperial fields himself to show his commitment to agriculture.
A hu was an old measurement unit approximately equal to fifty litres. Eighty hu would be 4000 litres. I'm not sure what the scale is; it's not mentioned if it's per household or per a number of households.
By 'military vehicles did not rest' the Weishu means that Tuoba Gui had a harsh approach to governance and did not let the people rest after his conquests)
又躬耕籍田率先百姓。自後比歲大熟,匹中八十餘斛。是時戎車不息,雖頻有年,猶未足以久贍矣。
In Taizong's Yongxing era [409-413 CE], there were frequently floods and droughts, decreed to examine palace women who were not suitable to be attendants or did not use their skills and talents in their posts, and the surplus leave to be bestowed on unmarried men. In the second year of Shenrui [415 CE] there was furthermore no harvest, and those in the capital region had a time of famine. The emperor because of the famine was about to move the capital to Ye, used the scholar Cui Hao's plan and stopped. Thereupon divided and appointed the particularly impoverished to eat east of the mountains.
(Taizong was the temple name of Tuoba Si or Emperor Mingyuan. He is generally regarded as a talented statesman who allowed Northern Wei to stabilise between the dynamic reigns of his father and son, building the internal stability for Taiwu's conquests.
The palace women were sent out to provide labour and to increase the population)
太宗永興中,頻有水旱,詔簡宮人非所當御及非執作伎巧,自餘出賜鰥民。神瑞二年,又不熟,京畿之內,路有行饉。帝以飢將遷都於鄴,用博士崔浩計乃止。於是分簡尤��者就食山東。
Decreed the officials encourage and supervise those who stopped farming, reading:
"Going forward my ambition is this; when one in life works hard, one who is diligent will not be lacking. All of the common people who do not raise livestock will have rituals with no sacrificial animals, the rituals of those who do not plow will have no grain offerings, those who do not plant trees will have no coffin when they die, the clothes of those who do not raise silkworms will have no silk, the mourning of those who do not spin thread will have no mourning garments. Teach the three rural issues, grow the many valleys; instruct and practice in parks to bring up vegetation; teach and practice the anxious to consider, for the mountains and marshes to create materials; instruct and practice the wild country pastures to raise foreign fauna; instruct and practice various kinds of workers to decorate and create implements; instruct and practice travelling merchants to abundantly exchange wealth; instruct and practice court ladies and women to transform and manage silk; instruct and practice your subjects to be diligent serving in their occupations."
From this the people all worked hard, hence the years frequently had plentiful harvests, and livestock was thriving and increasing.
(Tuoba Si issued this edict as he wanted to prevent another bad harvest like the one in 415)
敕有司勸課留農者曰:「前志有之,人生在勤,勤則不匱。凡庶民之不畜者祭無牲,不耕者祭無盛,不樹者死無槨,不蠶者衣無帛,不績者喪無衰。教行三農,生殖九穀;教行園囿,毓長草木;教行虞衡,山澤作材;教行藪牧,養蕃鳥獸;教行百工,飭成器用;教行商賈,阜通貨賄;教行嬪婦,化治絲枲;教行臣妾,事勤力役。」自是民皆力勤,故歲數豐穰,畜牧滋息。
In the sixth year of Taichang [421 CE] decreed for six units of people, those whose population of sheep filled one hundred be taxed one military horse.
(The immediate purpose of this seemed to be to provide a funeral train for Tuoba Si's brother Tuoba Xi, who was favoured and died shortly before the edict was issued; but the horses would likely have then been used on Tuoba Si's southern expedition in 422-3.
Given that "民" is after "六部", and it is measured in divisions rather than households, this was not 'every' six divisions. This was a tax on the officials of the six departments of Heaven, Earth, and the four directions. The decree is in the economics section because it is the first tax specifically on officials in Northern Wei)
泰常六年,詔六部民羊滿百口,調戎馬一匹。
Shizu ascended the throne, opened up the Four Seas, ordered the five regions of people each have their natures, hence repaired their instruction and did not change their customs, arranged their governance to not change their arrangements, took their local tribute to fill granaries, received their goods so as to store, and furthermore on an occasion of the year took their fauna to be registered with those who use chopping boards to fill up state bureaus.
(Shizu was the temple name of Tuoba Dao or Emperor Taiwu. He is known for his ambitious reunification policies and was a capable statesman and conqueror; but his later years saw much intrigue caused by his overly aggressive policies.
The 421 taxes and Tuoba Dao's additional taxes on the conquered people must have been a major part of the later burdensome 15 additional levies.)
世祖即位,開拓四海,以五方之民各有其性,故修其教不改其俗,齊其政不易其宜,納其方貢以充倉廪,收其貨物以實庫藏,又於歲時取鳥獸之登於俎用者以牣膳府。
Previously, laws and nets were broadly scattered, and the people greatly evaded and hid. In Tianxing [398-404 AD], decreed to gather the various hidden households, commanded to transport silk cord and fine thread. After this the various evading households registering as 'silk and gauze people' were an excessive multitude. Thereupon confused households followed and turned to Under Heaven, but were not affiliated with a governor or minister, tax and labour burdens were careless, and registered households were in disorder. In the third year of Shiguang decreed to entirely stop this, commanding they belong to commanderies and counties.
(I don't think that sending silk to these households was a bad idea. I think the problem was the execution of the idea.
Speculating based on what we know from here, I assume that these households were in the state register but not in any of the local registers.
The local officials may have been idle and negligent, especially considering most of the registrations would have been in Tuoba Gui's late reign where it is mentioned ministers were idle and officials stole from the people, or wanted the silk supply of these households so purposely did not properly register them.
By 'careless' the Weishu means that the evading households could not pay tax or provide corvee labour, which led to the officials demanding more from those properly registered.
The registered households were 'in disorder' because many sought shelter with wealthy families to avoid the extra burden. They were not properly registered or levied, which worsened the problem.
Another biography mentioned how the problem 'could not be investigated'. Tuoba Gui and Tuoba Si probably did not know enough about the problem to be able to solve it. Tuoba Dao could solve it because he had been submitted a memorial about it)
先是,禁網疏闊,民多逃隱。天興中,詔採諸漏戶,令輸綸綿。自後諸逃戶占為細繭羅縠者甚眾。於是雜營戶帥遍於天下,不隸守宰,賦役不周,戶口錯亂。始光三年詔一切罷之,以屬郡縣。
In the second year of Shenjia [429 CE], the emperor personally led the six armies and seized the land of the vast desert. Divided and ordered the various generals to relentlessly pursue the Rouran, and in the east reached Huanhai, in the west joined Zhangye, in the north passed Yanran Mountain, and greatly defeated them, captured their type's settlements, horses, cows, various livestock and local materials in the tens of thousands. Later again sent the Duke of Chengzhou, Wan Dugui, to in the west attack Yanqi, and their king Jiushibeina on a single horse fled to Qiuci. The entire country's subjects enjoyed money and kept money in their mind, and immediately surrendered, and [Wei] captured their wonderful treasures and unusual playthings in huge amounts, and their camels, horses and various livestock could not be counted. Dugui thereupon entered Qiuci, and again captured their unusual local gemstones and extraordinary things estimating in the tens of thousands and above.
At the time the borders were not yet prevailed, and the emperor frequently went in person in battle, and appointed governance to Gongzong. In Zhenjun [440-451 CE], Gongzong ordered to repair the teachings of farming, and this matter was in the emperor's biography. In the several years after this, military and administrative resources were sufficient.
("億" can mean one hundred million, but there is no way that there was even one million luxury goods in Qiuci, let alone 100. It must either be a figuratively big number or an estimate, as "億" can also mean an estimate.
Gongzong was the temple name of Tuoba Huang, who did not become an emperor in his lifetime and was posthumously honoured. He is known for both his successful agriculture policies but also his involvement in political intrigue that led to his early death.
By state resources being enough for the several years after this, the Weishu means that the agricultural output of the state was enough to sustain the aggressive expeditions of Tuoba Dao)
神䴥二年,帝親御六軍,略地廣漠。分命諸將,窮追蠕蠕,東至澣海,西接張掖,北度燕然山,大破之,虜其種落及馬牛雜畜方物萬計。其後復遣成周公萬度歸西伐焉耆,其王鳩尸卑那單騎奔龜茲,舉國臣民負錢懷貨,一時降款,獲其奇寶異玩以巨萬,駝馬雜畜不可勝數。度歸遂入龜茲,復獲其殊方瓌詭之物億萬已上。是時方隅未克,帝屢親戎駕,而委政於恭宗。真君中,恭宗下令修農職之教,事在帝紀。此後數年之中,軍國用足矣。
At the time of Gaozong, the ruling and governing officials rather engaged in bribery for advantage. At the beginning of Tai'an, dispatched messengers of more than twenty to tour the state, observe local customs, and take care of the people's hardships. Decreed that messengers examine the various provinces and commanderies' opening up of fields for cultivation, food and clothing, and the real situation of villages, and that bandits and robbers, rich and poor, strong and weak thus be punished, and from this the ruling governors rather changed their former evil, and the people because of this were safe in their activity.
(Gaozong was the temple name of Tuoba Jun. Tuoba Jun is known for his consolidation of the vast empire that Tuoba Dao had built, and despite having fewer military achievements than the first three emperors, was a good statesman and consolidator, perhaps like how Mingyuan dealt with the aftermath of Daowu.
At this time, officials had no salary, so corruption had always been common amongst officials; however, things had been made even worse when Tuoba Dao's decree to have minor officials and citizens report the actions of their superiors backfired.
The officials somewhat changing their old ways was a rare success in battling corruption before Tuoba Hong and Yuan Hong; the only earlier success I could find is when Tuoba Si managed to make Bing province's commandery governors respectful of him, but that probably didn't last.)
高宗時,牧守之官,頗為貨利。太安初,遣使者二十餘輩循行天下,觀風俗,視民所疾苦。詔使者察諸州郡墾殖田畝、飲食衣服、閭里虛實、盜賊劫掠、貧富強劣而罰之,自此牧守頗改前弊,民以安業。
From Taizu pacifying the Central Plains and Shizu pacifying the borders, they collected their treasures and accumulated them in storehouses. In autumn of the second year of Heping, decreed the middle management create golden combined plates of twelve furnishings, with a diameter of two chi and two cun, carved with silver and inlaid with rose quartz, the inscription saying:
"The Nine Provinces present tribute, with different regions' guests, thus creating more and more implements, misusing tools and treasures. Forged with amethyst and gold, carved with silver, its scope compared and received, issuing and illuminating what it truly contains. Refined and magnificent material, if they are made and expressed, the emperor and princes use them, the many fortunes are renewed."
In winter of that year, decreed to send cloth and silk of more than two hundred thousand bolts, ordered that inner and outer officials divide and together gamble and shoot. In spring of the fourth year, decreed to bestow the capital's people aged seventy and above the Grand Bureau's closeted food in order to end their lives.
(Tuoba Dao had established a policy of strict frugality and material accumulation. Tuoba Jun used the resources that he had accumulated to be more generous than him, as shown by these edicts, signaling a policy change.
This decree is in the economics part because it is the first decree bestowing onto the common people in Northern Wei that was not as a result of a famine or other natural disaster.)
自太祖定中原,世祖平方難,收獲珍寶,府藏盈積。和平二年秋,詔中尚方作黃金合盤十二具,徑二尺二寸,鏤以白銀,鈿以玫瑰,其銘曰:「九州致貢,殊域來賓,乃作茲器,錯用具珍。鍜以紫金,鏤以白銀,範圍擬載,吐燿含真。纖文麗質,若化若神,皇王御之,百福惟新。」其年冬,詔出內庫綾綿布帛二十萬匹,令內外百官分曹賭射。四年春,詔賜京師之民年七十已上太官厨食以終其身。
When Xianzu came to the throne, he personally practiced frugality and plainness, leading the way for the officials, and considered it to be helping to bolster the common people. Reaching Tian'an and Huangxing, the years frequently had great droughts, and a bolt of loose silk was worth one thousand qian.
Liu Yu's five provinces north of the Huai, Qing, Ji, Xu, Yan and Si, announced rebellion and requested surrender, ordered the generals lead an army to respond to them. Finishing arrival at the border, Qing and Ji had two minds, advanced the army to besiege them, and prevailed after several years. Shandong's people all worked hard to transport to garrisons, and the emperor deeply thought of this.
Thereupon for the people poor and rich, created a tax transportation system of three grades and nine levels. Within a thousand li took grain, outside a thousand li took rice; the first three grades of household's entered the capital, the middle three grades' entered the important granaries of other provinces, and the lower three grades' entered the original province.
(Xianzu was the temple name of Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong is remembered for both his diligent and effective governance that effectively curbed corruption and for his involvement in political struggle with Empress Dowager Feng that led to his death.
Liu Song's Si province completely fell in 423; it should probably be Yu or South Yan province instead.
Qing and Ji provinces ended up resisting Northern Wei in the end, so they were blockaded for several years before finally being taken)
顯祖即位,親行儉素,率先公卿,思所以賑益黎庶。至天安、皇興間,歲頻大旱,絹匹千錢。劉彧淮北青、冀、徐、兗、司五州告亂請降,命將率眾以援之。既臨其境,青冀懷貳,進軍圍之,��年乃拔。山東之民咸勤於征戍轉運,帝深以為念。遂因民貧富,為租輸三等九品之制。千里內納粟,千里外納米;上三品戶入京師,中三品入他州要倉,下三品入本州。
Earlier, in Tai'an, Gaozong, because the miscellaneous taxes outside the regular taxes were fifteen, was rather heavily troubled by them, and was about to abolish them. The high level official Mao Faren said:
"This is military and administrative resources, and they cannot be ordered to stop in my humble view."
The emperor said:
"Making endless use of favourable land, and the people's power unending, the people will have leftovers, and how could I as well not have enough."
Thereupon removed them. Before long, restored the taxes as before, and in the end entirely abolished them. Thereupon tax collection gradually lessened, and the people were again sufficient.
(Additional levies were common in the Mingyuan-Taiwu era of Northern Wei, but it seems to have become a problem in the late Taiwu-early Wencheng era. I do not think they were a major issue in the Mingyuan era, as in the Mingyuan era the people's livestock were increasing due to abundant harvests indicating the people were doing relatively well, and Taiwu continued this strategy.
The biography of Tuoba Jun's cousin Tuoba Su states that Tuoba Jun abolished the taxes early in his reign, but that the officials insisted they be restored because state resources were insufficient. However, Tuoba Su proposed against doing so, so Tuoba Jun did not. I assume that Tuoba Jun did restore the taxes for a period, but that Tuoba Su's remonstrance caused Tuoba Jun to end them for real.)
先是太安中,高宗以常賦之外雜調十五,頗為煩重,將與除之。尚書毛法仁曰:「此是軍國資用,今頓罷之,臣愚以為不可。」帝曰:「使地利無窮,民力不竭,百姓有餘,吾孰與不足。」遂免之。未幾,復調如前,至是乃終罷焉。於是賦斂稍輕,民復贍矣。
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百老匯的貓
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此刻,我坐在空蕩蕩的台北家中,距離出發只剩下倒數二十八天。
車子收走最後一箱回收,三十坪的的老房,頓時像剪掉多年長髮的少婦,輪廓活靈活現,展露最原始的模樣。回憶如老照片被翻出,熱戀的歡愉,熟稔的默契,爭執的苦語,新生的喜悅,呱呱墜地的女兒溫溫,際遇如候鳥過境,隨著即將而來的遷徙,沾了邊又得離去。
「喵喵,你也要離開我了嗎?」肥肥的肚腩,在我大腿間形成一顆抱枕,接著掙脫,跳了下去。
大概是低估了紐約租房市場的險惡,以及租客間的競爭火熱。這幾個月,每天早上醒來,我就像緊咬股市開盤的投機客,杵在電腦前,看好目標,下好離手。剪下貼上剪下貼上,有時一口氣連發十幾封郵件和私訊,不小心把開頭的房東人名給貼錯,也是常有的事。
例行公事,我打開收件夾,畫面好似當機:
Inquiry about rental in New York
Inquiry about rental in New York
Inquiry about rental in New York
每封信標題內容都大同小異,不外乎身家背景介紹,幾歲哪裡人什麼職業,不煙不酒品行良好,搞得跟相親一樣,最後的最後才會提到我有一個可愛又文靜的一歲半女兒,會跟著我們一起前行。心想說篇幅這麼少,房東應該不會介意吧。事實證明是我想太多。
一個人找房,深諳室友之道,想離曼哈頓近一點不是難事;兩個人找房,下點功夫還是能找到合租公寓,當起二房東的大有人在;三個人找房,已讀不回是常態,歉聲連連說房子太小不適合,建議我們自己租個1B1B好區套房,人生就此飛黃騰達。偏偏,我沒那個錢,也不求飛黃到哪,只想尋個短暫停留的家,得在兩個人找房的預算間,找出三個人的各種可能。
一天一天過去,那些可能,隨著我的Inquiry們,一同消失在茫茫網海裡。
♦
『沒有室友就是爽!三四月曼哈頓套房短租。』
我被這則發文的豪邁給吸引住。
「······我們找房好一段時間了······衷心希望有機會入住您的套房。」
雖然依舊是剪下貼上,但文字背後的焦慮無助,或多或少成功傳遞到銀幕外的另一個空間去了。同一時間,我正糾結於三四個物件當中,短租的日期該如何兜湊,才能無縫接軌這半年;森林小丘上課要通勤一個小時,曼哈頓一樓要擔心老鼠和醉漢入侵,威廉斯堡房租要六個月全付會不會是詐騙,我像童話故事裡撿石頭不能往回走的女孩,再挑下去可是一顆石頭都沒有了。距離出發還有兩個多禮拜。
「小孩我是沒問題,只是我家在四樓沒有電梯,你們會不會不方便?」
莎拉簡短的答應,讓我想起她發文時的爽朗用字。「住很重要!我會幫你們打點好,請好好享受我的公寓。」這麼一句話,彷彿給我吞了顆定心丸,安撫行前騷動的思緒。搭機前一晚,包袱所剩不多,不安盡拋腦後,心情輕鬆的不可思議。我看著逐漸縮小的地表樓房,龐雜的台北城,我的故鄉,想著哪天我會不會愛上這輕飄飄的感覺。
於是,我們擁有了第一個結尾是New York的地址,位於曼哈頓百老匯區。
♦
「早知道不要租四樓了!」西恩氣喘吁吁,將最後一個三十公斤重的行李箱拖上樓,一進房門就癱坐在地。「下次搬家可不可以找一樓的。」「我盡量囉。」想到三個禮拜後又要再將所有家當搬下樓,我不禁打了個冷顫。一回生二回熟,我一邊安慰西恩,順手從行李箱拿出一小包烏龍茶,轉頭尋找廚房裡的熱水壺。
十二點十分,東部標準時間。與台北相隔十二個小時的曼哈頓午夜。從甘迺迪機場搭上華人計程車,行駛在平板無憂的快速道路上,兩旁盡是皇后區黝黑大遠景,此時還感覺不到紐約的形貌。空氣粒子旋轉收縮,直到出了中城隧道,我們隨著車流,一舉穿進曼哈頓的心臟。高樓百窗,霓虹街燈鼓譟,打亮了巨大看板上的秀顏,女明星眼眸深邃,企圖引人犯罪。三十七街經過第五大道,塞車的步調,讓我用慢動作欣賞了帝國大廈,那棟建築是你一看到就會認得,不需贅述的經典,這不是夢,卻像夢遊迷幻沈醉,我正在電影場景裡。
夜深,暖氣徐徐放送,驅散我體內的累積疲倦,遠方傳來救護車的高頻呼喊與零星槍響。我閉上雙眼,腦海不由地響起《計程車司機》中憂鬱的薩克斯風,寂寞都顯得立體。喝完母奶的溫溫被西恩抱在懷裡,早在柔軟大床上睡去,只留我與這城,遲遲捨不得入眠。
♦
初春的光,灑進十坪米的套房,我吸進一口冰涼,清醒地環視四周。對我來說,到一個落腳處,第一件事就是確認廚房。烤箱冰箱洗碗機,醬油麻油中西調味料,麻雀雖小五臟俱全,滿意極了。房子中央擺著一張小巧的鵝��色木桌,波浪弧形的斑駁桌腳,想必是古董老件吧,突然想起莎拉是學藝術的,牆上掛滿湖水藍綠的動物畫像,獨角獸的尖角孤傲揚起,擠得扁扁的壓克力顏料罐則充滿了生活的氣息。紐約的氣息。
溫溫的雙手扶在起霧的窗上,留下不完整的掌痕,熊熊圖案的米白睡袍還穿在身上,模樣甚是可愛,繼續在窗上拍了幾個小手印,看來她很喜歡這裡,一切如此新鮮有趣。
簡單梳洗,我們輕裝上街。地底白煙卷卷升起,南北向的道,費里尼電影般的靜止車陣,幾何玻璃帷幕,抬頭讚歎資本主義的雄偉;東西往的街,消防梯鏽得煙灰,鷹架層層堆疊,衰敗與生長同時交織成紐約的血肉。小販高聲兜售自由女神,芭蕾女伶頂著包頭,黑衣曲線魚貫沒入窄門,三件式西裝的俊俏男子,用力咬了手上的貝果,一步作兩��橫越馬路。
售票亭外熱熱鬧鬧,我和巷口的《貓》四目交接,黑底黃目如紐約客犀利,這貓名氣響亮,而我竟然一次也沒走進去過;徘徊中城一圈,在Wholefoods超市採購生鮮、酒足飯飽後,金黃燈光齊下,十字路口變成大型伸展台,時髦男女自信耀眼,提著大包小包的我們硬生生穿過《芝加哥》滿溢的開演人潮,美腿包圍爵士樂,上一秒還沈浸在感官享受,下個轉身就被《西方壞女巫》的綠臉紅唇給嚇個正著,衛生紙差點從紙袋裡滾了出來。
♦
開學在即,除了扮演觀光客,還有正事要辦。郵件傳來,通知我去中國城的廚藝用品店,領取已經繡好名字的制服,還得試穿廚師鞋。
「你好了嗎?」西恩熟稔地將溫溫裝在背巾裡,露出兩隻小腿晃呀晃。
「都好了,我查一下。等等可以在附近找個中菜館。」我穿上鞋,低頭盯著手機推開房門。
「打不開!」我大力扭轉把手,門還是一動也不動。
「怎麼可能,你的鑰匙咧?」西恩接手開門,我摸摸外套牛仔褲口袋,脫了鞋在地上裡翻找包包。
「看來我們被反鎖了,你打給房東吧。」西恩將溫溫放下,開冰箱裝了杯柳橙汁。
我打給莎拉求救,太過緊張以致於忘了她在地球的另一端,好在莎拉接了起來,給了我Super的電話號碼,說是管理員會幫忙,要我別擔心。許久沒說英文的我,要打給陌生人,還真有點語言障礙。不管了。電話接通,我的心跳也跟著嘟嘟響。
「我是莎拉的房客,曼哈頓八大道,我們房門被鎖起來,你能來開門嗎?」第一句話順暢說完,我輕鬆許多,等待對方回應。
「我在長島······放假······再見。」這個Super大概是拉丁裔,捲舌音吃掉了話中好多字,我只聽到幾個令人崩潰的重點,接著是一陣沈默。莫名其妙被掛電話後,我也不好再打擾莎拉,決定打給附近的鎖匠碰碰運氣。殊不知,鎖匠在電話那頭嘰哩咕嚕一長串,我一個字也沒聽懂,濃郁口音令人費解。西恩和溫溫坐在餐桌喝果汁吃餅乾,彷彿看我在演哪一齣鬧劇。
我用力敲了房門幾下,宣洩怨氣,金色門把都快被我轉鬆。此時,我聽見開門聲從隔壁傳來,像是轉開保險箱的勝利喀噠聲。
「哈囉,請幫我開門,嘿嘿!」我一邊拍門,試圖將聲音穿透金屬門板傳送到外。所幸,鄰居老先生正要外出,把插在大門上的鑰匙取下,解救了我們。一出家門,熟悉的《貓》埋伏街角,琥珀雙眼大膽直視初來乍到又莽撞的我,這回連貓都在取笑,笑問我準備好了沒有,迎接紐約這場大戲。
走著走著,在百老匯,我們的新家,歌詞的最後一句悠揚地唱著。
A new day has begun.
明天又有什麼等著我呢?
寫在2017年.春
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「SPY×FAMILY」・「MF ゴースト」・「オペラ フラペチーノ」
「ミッション インポッシブル/デッドレコニング PART ONE」と
「劇場版 SPY×FAMILY CODE: White」のコラボ映像がYouTube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zdiw-wdxuw)で
昨年7月に配信されて以来、気にはなっていましたが見る機会がなかったテレビアニメ「SPY×FAMILY」
そんな中、なんと今年の1月1日~1月3日にかけてBSテレ東7chで、
全25話「SPY×FAMILY イッキ見SP」が放送されることを知り、
録画予約をしておきました。
【 世界各国が水面下で熾烈な情報戦を繰り広げていた時代。
東国オスタニアと西国ウェスタリスは、十数年間にわたる冷戦状態にあった。
戦争を企てるオスタニア政府要人の動向を探るべくウェスタリスはオペレーション・ストリクスを発動。作戦を担う西国の情報局対東課WISE所属である凄腕エージェント黄昏に課せられた任務は家族を作ること。
(父)ロイド・フォージャー 精神科医 正体スパイ コードネーム黄昏
(母)ヨル・フォージャー 市役所職員 正体殺し屋 コードネームいばら姫
(娘)アーニャ・フォージャー 正体 心を読むことができるエスパー
(犬)ボンド・フォージャー 正体 未来を予知できる超能力犬
疑似家族を作り互いに正体を隠した彼らのミッションは続く。】
【 】内は公式サイトを参照。
空き時間に少しずつ見て先日やっと見終えたのですが、
テレビアニメ「SPY×FAMILY 」は、ユーモラスな展開の中にシリアスなシーンも織り交ぜたストーリーで、年齢や性別問わず楽しめると思います。
現在公開中の「劇場版 SPY×FAMILY CODE: White」は、映画興行収入ランキングで4週連続1位を獲得しているとのことです。人気なのもわかる気がします。
主人公藤原拓海がトヨタ スプリンタートレノAE86で、主に
群馬県を舞台に峠での公道レースを繰り広げる「頭文字 D」の
作者しげの秀一氏による新作テレビアニメ「MF ゴースト」
「MF ゴースト」は1月10日より、
群馬テレビでも毎週水曜日19:00~の放送が開始されています。
この作品の主人公 片桐夏向の愛車は(トヨタ AE86)の直系(トヨタ 86)。しかも片桐夏向の師匠は藤原拓海という設定のようです。
【 環境への配慮から、化石燃料による内燃機関エンジン自動車が世界中で生産中止され電気自動車や燃料電池自動車が主流となった近未来。
今や絶滅危惧種となった内燃機関エンジンを動力源とするスポーツカーを使用し、クローズした公道で繰り広げられる合法レースMFG」が日本で開催され世界中からの人気を博していた。】
【 】内は公式サイトを参照。
主人公 片桐夏向のライバル達の愛車は、
ニッサンR35型GT-R NISMO、ミツビシランサーエボリューションIX、レクサスLC500,ホンダシビックタイプR、トヨタGRスープラSZ-R、フェラーリ488GTB、ランボルギーニウラカンLP610-4、アルファロメオ4C、ポルシェは911GT3・911カレラGT・718ケイマンS、BMW M3、アウディR8クーペ、メルセデスAMG GTS、アルピーヌA110、アストンマーティンバンテージV8、ロータスエキシージなどのトヨタ 86よりもパワーがあるクルマなので片桐夏向がどのようなドライビングテクニックでバトルをするのかが楽しみです。
チョコレートケーキ オペラをイメージしたという、スタバの新作「オペラ フラペチーノ」
早速、購入。
チョコレート、コーヒー、アーモンドがブレンドされているとの事で、甘さの中にビターな風味も感じる濃厚な味わいの、寒いこの季節にピッタリなドリンクでした。
*************************************************
近くの結婚相談所 ハッピータイム群馬桐生相生
婚活アドバイザー 金子 薫
群馬県桐生市相生町5-536-1 ネプチューン2-A
電 話:0277-32-5314
連絡時間:午前10時から午後9時
定休日:年中無休
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婚活 結婚相談はお近くの結婚相談所ハッピータイム (http://www.happytime-en.com/)、 群馬前橋・群馬沼田・群馬渋川・群馬高崎・群馬安中・群馬藤岡・群馬伊勢崎・群馬桐生・群馬みどり・群馬太田・群馬邑楽・群馬館林・栃木足利・栃木佐野・栃木小山・栃木栃木・栃木真岡・埼玉熊谷・埼玉深谷・埼玉本庄・埼玉行田・埼玉羽生・埼玉加須・埼玉児玉・茨城牛久・茨城下館・茨城筑西・茨城結城・茨城古河・新潟長岡・新潟小千谷・新潟見附・新潟柏崎・新潟魚沼・新潟十日町・新潟南魚沼・新潟西蒲原・神奈川川崎・山梨甲府昭和までお問い合わせ下さい。
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