Saturday, March 14th, afternoon, Seitama, potter Kikuemon house, meeting room.

After Tsuchiya Mashiko left, Ran asked Yamazaki, "Have you studied here?"

"Yes, after some time, I learned some simple clay recipes, as well as the basic methods of shaping pottery and firing pottery," Yamazaki laughed, "If you just want to play pottery, I can teach you." ”

"That's right," Lan said after a moment's thought, "I don't need it today, let's talk about it later." ”

Yamazaki said, "Uncle, I have something to tell the master, you accompany me on a trip. ”

"Now?" said Maori, "I wonder if I'll be in a better mood for the master." ”

"I think he'll be in a worse mood when he hears it. Yamazaki said.

"Why?" asked Maori, "what is it?"

Yamazaki said, "Here's the thing, there are a lot of great masters on the market right now. ”

"A lot?" asked Maori in surprise, "You mean fakes?"

"It can be said to be a fake, but it is not that simple. "Those things have been passed down from here, and it may be that someone sells his private work at a high price in the name of a master." ”

"What?" asked Maori angrily, "do you know who it is?"

"I only know that the person who handled it is Mrs. Tsuchiya. Yamazaki said.

"Lady Tsuchiya?" Lan asked in surprise, "why did she do that?"

"It seems to be just a simple greed for money. Yamazaki said.

Maori said, "Okay, let me get this man out for the master." ”

Yamazaki said: "Uncle, you just need to tell the master, he must know who is copying his work, and pottery can't deceive people." ”

Maori said, "No, I have to have a gift in return for the tea set." ”

"Uncle, this is a family matter, if you interfere, I'm afraid it will embarrass the master even more. Yamazaki said, "I think it's better to let the master handle it himself." ”

"That's right. Lan said, "Dad, don't meddle. ”

Maori was embarrassed and said, "But ......"

Conan smiled and asked, "Uncle, don't you have a record of events?"

"Hey, by the way," Maori high-fived and laughed, "give this to the master, and he'll love it." Then he instructed Yamazaki, "When I go back, I will sort out a copy and change all those real names." ”

"Yes, I see. Yamazaki glanced at Conan, who was snickering, and you can't run away from this job.

Soon after, Kikuemon was outside the bedroom.

Maori knocked on the door and asked, "Master, can I come in?"

After a while, Kikuemon's weak voice came from inside, "I'm sorry, I don't want to see you right now." ”

"It's about the title Kikuemon. Yamazaki said, "If the master doesn't care, maybe this title will be returned." ”

"What!" Kikuemon was taken aback, "Wait a minute. ”

After a few moments, Kikuemon, who had some water stains on his face, opened the door and let Mori and Yamazaki in.

Mori and Yamazaki talked about the fakes, but they didn't mention Tsuchiya Mashiko, only that they were spread here.

"From here, it's impossible, my works are all works, wait a minute," Kikuemon thought for a moment and said with a gloomy face, "I know, thank you, Mr. Mori, for telling me about this." ”

"Well, then, I'll take my leave. Maori said.

"No, Mr. Mori, please stay and be a witness," said Kikuemon, "I'm going to take care of this, and I can't let Kikuemon break in my hands." ”

"Yes, I see. Maori said.

Soon after, the studio.

Kikuemon summoned Yoshihiko Arita, Ryuichi Seto, and Otani Kami, and asked them to make a pottery blank and show it to him.

Not long after doing this, Kikuemon asked Otani to stop.

Otani Kaoru left the workbench with a pale face, and Yoshihiko Arita looked up at him, but he was also stopped, and only Ryuichi Seto finished it.

Kikuemon said, "Very well, Seto, you already have the basic conditions to become a master. ”

Ryuichi Seto said embarrassedly, "Master, you have won the prize. ”

"You go, I can't keep you here. Kikuemon sighed.

Ryuichi Seto froze, and Yoshihiko Arida and Otani shouted together.

As soon as Seto Takashi came back to his senses, he suddenly knelt on the ground, "Master, I didn't care about that matter. ”

"I know, that's why you haven't made a single piece in three months. Kikuemon said, "But why didn't you tell me?" ”

Takashi Seto said in a slurred voice, "I, I'm ......"

"Say!" Kikuemon shouted.

Ryuichi Seto said with great embarrassment. "The things I make are better than the teacher's ......"

Yoshihiko Arita was surprised and asked, "Difficult, could it be that Seto sold his works in the name of his master for profit?"

"No, Master's works aren't all of them," Otani said in surprise, "Could it be that the two of them ......?"

"Shut up!" Kikuemon shouted angrily at Yoshihiko Arita and Otani, and then said to Ryuichi Seto, "Stupid, you want to compare with me in your current work, you don't have to think about it, I know that the buyers are some illiterate nouveau riche, and with their status, they can't even enter the door of the venue, and even if they pay a high price, even if I break something, I won't sell them the pieces." ”

Maori muttered, "That's a waste." ”

"This is normal, the masters are not short of money. Yamazaki whispered, "Although art is priceless, but art is valuable, the works of national treasures in the world have their own set of valuation standards, bids lower than this price range, are illiterate, bids higher than this price range too much, for these masters, it is generally a humiliation, of course, greedy makers are not counted, but this kind of people will basically not be rated as a national treasure in the world by the guild." ”

"Yes, yes?" Maori's face changed.

"Huh?" Yamazaki was a little puzzled by Maori's reaction.

Seeing this, Lan smiled and whispered about Maori's comparison to a national treasure in the world.

"I was wrong, Master, can you please not drive me away. Ryuichi Seto pleaded.

"It's not me who wants to drive you away, it's you. Kikuemon said, "I want to give an explanation to the world, and Kikuemon wants to give an explanation to the world." ”

At this time, Mashiko Tsuchiya came, and when she came back from grocery shopping, she found that there was no one at home, and she found it.

Seeing Takachi Seto kneeling on the ground, Mashiko Tsuchiya's face turned white in an instant, and then she knelt down.

"Now that everyone has arrived, then I declare," Kikuemon said in a deep voice, "I, the fifth generation of Kikuemon, will be a disciple of Takaichi Seto, ...... it."

"Wait, Master. Otani stepped forward and said, "Let me take Seto's place." ”

"What did you say?" Kikuemon was taken aback.

"Anyway, that's how my craft is, and I'm afraid I won't be able to achieve anything in this life. Otani smiled wryly, "This may be the only thing I can do for Kikuemon." ”

"Otani. Ryuichi Seto's tears fell.

After a moment of silence, Kikuemon bowed to Otani on his knees.

"What are you doing? Otani hurriedly knelt down and bowed his head and returned a big gift.

Kikuemon bowed his head and said, "Mr. Otani Fumi, thank you for my Kikuemon fifth generation Kikuemon." ”

Ryuichi Seto, who was kneeling on the ground, hurriedly bowed to Otani and Yoshihiko Arita also quickly knelt on the ground and bowed to Otani.

Kikuemon bowed his head again and said, "Mr. Otani, thank you to my Tsuchiya Manyoshiyo Tsuchiya family. ”

Mashiko Tsuchiya, who was kneeling on the ground, hurriedly bowed to Otani as well.

After that, Kikuemon stood up and announced that Otani was out of the house, and then Mashiko Tsuchiya, Yoshihiko Arita, Ryuichi Seto, and Otani stood up.

"Mashiko, you give all the money you have left over to Otani. Kikuemon commanded.

"Ah, all?" asked Mashiko Tsuchiya, painfully.

"All of them, of course. Kikuemon said, and then asked curiously, "By the way, how many are there?"

"There are more than a billion yen. Tsuchiya Mashiko said.

"More than a billion yen!" Kikuemon was taken aback.

"Looks like I'm going to congratulate you, Otani. Yoshihiko Arita said with a smile.

"Where. Otani smiled embarrassedly.

Yoshihiko Arita smiled and said, "Master, otherwise you might as well kick me out." ”

"What nonsense. Kikuemon scolded, then smiled at Takashi Seto, "Stinky boy, I didn't expect you to be quite powerful." ”

"Hey, hey," said Seto with a smile, "Master, I have one more thing to tell you, but don't be upset when you hear it." ”

"What," Kikuemon asked angrily, "what else are you hiding?"

"Actually, the feng shui number you made is still there," Takashi Seto said with a smile, "The one that Lady Tsuchiya broke is just a replica I made." ”

"Really?" Kikuemon asked in surprise.

"It can't be. Mashiko Tsuchiya exclaimed in surprise.

"In order to give Mrs. Tsuchiya no time to look closely, I put a glass ball underneath it, and if I touch it, it will fall down. Ryuichi Seto smiled embarrassedly, "I thought it would be nice to be able to hide it from Mrs. Tsuchiya, but I didn't expect that even you would be deceived." ”

"Don't be verbose, who was in the mood to distinguish the real from the fake at that time. Kikuemon said, "Go and bring me my feng shui number." ”

"No, I can't. Seto said with a bitter face, "I'm in the bank safe, and I can't take it out now." ”

Yoshihiko Arita gave Takashi Seto an elbow, "Then what else are you talking about, do you want to keep Master awake?"

"That's it, this nasty stinky boy. Kikuemon instructed, "Help me hit him a few more times." ”

"Commanded. Yoshihiko Arita smiled, and then smiled at Takashi Seto, "You heard it, you are not allowed to fight back." ”

"I didn't say I couldn't run. Takashi Seto smiled and ran out.

"Stop!" Yoshihiko Arita chased after him.

Kikuemon said to Tsuchiya Mashiko, "Okay, don't be stupid and stand here, hurry up and get dinner." ”

"Ah, yes, I'll go. Tsuchiya Mashiko hurriedly ran away.

"Ohtani, come with me, I have something to tell you. Kikuemon said.

"Yes, Master," Otani said, "Oh, no, Master. ”

Kikuemon smiled, "Mr. Mori, you can do your own thing, and we'll have a good drink later." ”

When Kikuemon and Otani were gone, Mori blinked and said, "This—That's it." ”

"yes, housework. Yamazaki laughed, "It's another matter if the guild investigates." ”

"And what kind of punishment will Mr. Otani receive?" Lan asked.

Yamazaki said, "The association informed the pottery guild that Mr. Ohtani would be removed from the company, and Mr. Ohtani would no longer be able to work in pottery. ”

"Oh, and his pottery license is revoked forever. Maori said.

"That's it. Yamazaki said, "I guess he will use the money to build a pottery art museum or something, there are too many loopholes in it, just like people who don't have a driver's license can still make luxury cars." ”

"Definitely. Maori said with some envy, "This guy has received so much compensation, and he can do enough to do anything." ”

Lan asked, "So, what about those who bought the fakes?"

"Objects such as art and antiques, except for items traded through formal channels, are not returned or exchanged. Yamazaki said, "But you don't have to sympathize with them, these people are actually making a tax-deductible investment while buying these works of art to decorate the façade, and when they buy them, they don't care about the authenticity of the things they buy, they care about the price they buy, and they must not be low." ”

"I've heard of this kind of thing. Maori said.

"Also," Yamazaki said with a smile, "these buyers this time are actually not a loss, and when Mr. Seto becomes a master of pottery, or even a national treasure in the world, these pottery items in their hands will have a good history, and they will be even more collectible at that time." ”

"That's good. Lan smiled, then looked at the workbench and said, "By the way, Yamazaki, you said you could make pottery." ”

Yamazaki looked at the time, "Okay." ”

More than half an hour later, the works of Maori, Lan, and Conan came out. Maori's teacup is crooked, Ran's teacup is decent, and Conan's teacup has different wall thicknesses.

Lan smiled proudly: "Ha, it seems that I still have a talent for pottery." ”

"It just shows that your hands are more flexible than theirs, and it has nothing to do with talent," Yamazaki laughs, "and they can be like you if they are trained." ”

Maori said, "Well, that's right, detectives use their brains. ”

"If you talk about talent, there is a very simple test method, that is, count the numbers in your heart, and those who can count from one to one hundred without thinking are considered talented, which is a test of whether a person can devote himself to work and study, and can count ten thousand people, which is absolutely one in ten thousand, and they have the conditions to become a master or even a grandmaster in any field of skills. "Of course, it's not practical for a genius like Kaito, who might count to ten and not know where to go." ”

"Ahem. "That's right, the talent of a genius like mine can't be measured." ”

Lan, who was meditating, laughed, "I think you can't count them at all, Dad." ”

"Okay, it's almost time, I'll go back first. Yamazaki said, "You guys can play slowly here." ”……