I will not accept that Katsumata betrayed my Koiko with just cause, Meikin thought, her heart aching. He had no need or justification to compromise my precious with that woman shishi, however brave! Worse, he was baka to end such a marvelous source of influence and private information from Yoshi's shadow, stupid stupid stupid! But it is done. Finished. Take your own advice, Meikin: Drift, what does it matter, truly?
I accept that it matters. Koiko mattered to all of us, not the least to Yoshi, now pitilessly against all shishi.
Again the mama-san sat at her mirror. The reflection stared back at her. Her makeup, heavier than usual, no longer hid the shadows and sagging care lines.
I accept, too, that I have aged horribly since the shoya interrupted us, Raiko and me-- Eleventh Day of Twelfth Month, Last Month, the last day of my life. Just thirty-three days ago. Only thirty-three days and I look like a crone, long past the normal span of fifty years. Thirty-three days of tears, a lake of tears when I thought I was safely beyond tears, sure that I had used up all my tears long ago, over lovers I can hardly remember, over one I can still feel and smell and taste and yearn for, my penniless young samurai who left without warning, without a word or letter, for another Teahouse and another woman, taking the little money I had saved and the broken pieces of my spirit that he cast into the gutter. And later then more tears over my baby son, dead in the house fire of his foster parents, his rich old merchant father wandering off like the other, my suicide unsuccessful.
Too many Floating years. Thirty-three years drifting, one for each of the harrowing days.
Now I have forty-three years, forty-three years today I was born. What should I do now? Soon the Lord Yoshi will demand payment. Karma.
I accept that I trained Koiko, offered her, guaranteed her. What more can I offer in supplication? What can I do?
Her reflection did not answer.
A knock. "Mistress, Katsumata-sama is here, he is early."
Her stomach felt hollow. "I will be there instantly."
To calm herself Meikin drank some of the gai-jin brandy that Raiko had given her. When she was easier, she went out and along the exquisite corridor towards a guest reception room, all woods and tatami and shoji the most expensive. In wonderful taste. Bought and paid forwith so much effort and heartache and cajoling but, because of Koiko the Flower, her House was immensely profitable and a pleasure for her bankers. Today she had a meeting. "We notice, so sorry, your receipts are considerably down compared to last month."
"It is the season, a poor time of the year for all Teahouses, and unseasonably cold.
Business will pick up with the spring. We are in huge profit for the year, there's no need to worry." But she knew, and knew the Gyokoyama knew that most of her profit was because of Koiko, that now a gossamer curtain hung between her and ruin. If Yoshi decided.
Then why increase your risk allowing shishi here, she asked herself. Particularly Katsumata-- he's the first of Yoshi's enemies now. What does it matter? There must be bad with the good, the bad can be dealt withandthe good enjoyed. Exciting to be part of the shishi, their bravery and sonno-joi, their fight for freedom from the yoke of centuries, laying down their lives for the Emperor in their tragic and hopeless quest, all of them so young and valiant, born to fail, so sad. And if they were to win, would those who next rule, will they free us from our yoke of ages?
No. Never. Not us, not women. We will be where we are now, in thrall to the yang.
Her eyes caught a glimpse of the moon breaking out of a sunset-reddened cloud, for an instant peerless, to be swallowed again, the red becoming more brown and then gold and into darkening flames--one moment alive, the next dead.
"Beautiful, neh?"
"Yes, Katsumata-sama, so sad and so beautiful, yes. Ah, they have brought tea, so sorry you are leaving us."
"I shall be back in a few days. Have you anything more from Raiko? Anything further about the gai-jin, their plans?"
Meikin poured tea for him, pausing a moment to admire the superb design of cups. "It seems the Lord Yoshi has had a meeting with the gai-jin leader to make friends with them."
She related Furansu-san's information that Raiko's envoy had whispered to her a few nights before, but had kept from him until now.
"Also the gai-jin Kanagawa doctor secretly examined the tairo here the same day, giving him gai-jin medicines--I hear he is improved."
"Baka," he said disgustedly.
"Yes. This doctor should be stopped.
Raiko's source says he returns tomorrow or the next day to see the tairo again."
"So ka?" His interest doubled. "Where? In the castle?"
She shook her head. "No. This is the best part, outside the walls, in the palace of Zukumura the Idiot, as last time."
His face twisted. "So many choices, Meikin, rare choices. Just like Utani, neh?
So much temptation. Utani's killing still resounds around all Nippon! Hiraga? Is he caught yet?"
"No, the chief gai-jin let Akimoto go and Takeda is still also safe." She watched him and wondered what he was thinking, then added softly, "Two last facts you should know. Lord Yoshi was at the meeting of doctor and tairo, also with only a few guards. I hear he will be there again." She saw his eyes glitter in the light that permeated the room and felt a sudden fear, sensing his restrained violence.
"Yoshi and Anjo together, those dogs outside the walls together? Eeee, Meikin, how rare!"
Katsumata trembled with excitement. "Can you find out exactly when the doctor arrives?"
She leaned forward, almost sick with hope, and whispered, "Another courier is due this evening.
I will know then, Raiko would understand what a vital chance it could be for us, for all of us, for all of us to settle many scores."
In truth it was a never-before opportunity, if it came to pass. He scowled. "I cannot wait here, or come back tonight. When was the other meeting, what part of the day?"
"Early."
The scowl deepened, then dissolved. "Meikin, all shishi will thank you. If the meeting's tomorrow, send me the time at once, the Inn of Blue Skies, near the bridge at Nihonbashi."
He bowed and she bowed, both satisfied, for now.
The bridge at Nihonbashi was considered the first stage of the Tokaido, on the fringe of Yedo, and the Inn of Blue Skies one of dozens, rich and poor, that were scattered in the district. Tonight was black and cold, the sky solid cloud, midnight still hours away. The Blue Skies lay in a dirty little alley, one of the poorer establishments, a nondescript, ramshackle, two-story building with outhouses, kitchens and a few separate one-room bungalows in the garden behind walls. On the veranda of one of these, Katsumata sat meditating, his robe padded against the chill, enjoying the garden that alone had had care lavished on it.
Colorful lanterns amidst choice plantings around a tiny stream, a bridge, the soothing, friendly sound of trickling water and cloppp cloppp of the pivoted, resonant bamboo cup falling against its stone, filling with water and emptying from the miniature waterfall as long as the water fell. His silent shishi bodyguard stopped momentarily, motioned that all was well, and continued on his roving patrol around the Inn.