Man-Pai / Genji Ch.34 - Wakana no jo

Wakana no jo - New Herbs (Part I)

Kunichika, 1884

The ceremony of the initiation of the Third Princess took place at the end of the year. A large array of splendid gifts came from the Suzaku emperor and others. From Akikonomu came some combs, which had been sent by the Suzaku emperor when she married. With them a poem: "I fear these little combs are scarred and worn, I have used them to summon back an ancient day". The Suzaku emperor chanced to be beside the princess when the gifts were delivered. He traced back his memories.

The Day of the Rat fell on the twenty-third of the First Month. On that day, people celebrated the Genji's fortieth birthday. Tamakazura came with some new herbs that promised long life. She had brought her two sons. Her young and beautiful face reminded Genji of his old age and his lost days. Deferring to the illness of the Suzaku emperor, the concert was an easy and informal one. The Minister (To-no-Chujo) played the Japanese koto and the Prince Hotaru played the Chinese koto beautifully, which made the concert even more remarkable than usual.

Towards the middle of the Second Month, the Third Princess came to Rokujo to marry Genji. Genji could not refuse the request of Suzaku who had been looking for someone to support for his daughter. There was also another reason that Genji was induced to marry her. For the Third Princess was a niece of Fujitsubo. It was an unsettling time for Murasaki, but she did not show her feelings and indeed helped with all the arrangements in Rokujo. But her pray worked out and made Genji return to her place early in the morning. While the Murasaki let him wait for a while outside, he viewed the patches of snow in the garden. The nape of the kimono of Murasaki, lying there alone, was completely wet.

The Suzaku emperor moved into his temple in the West Mountain after the marriage of his daughter with Genji. Genji had wanted to see Oborozukiyo again for long time. Though quite aware of the impropriety, he went to see her secretly. Remembering a wisteria party long ago, she could not totally refuse him. On the following morning, Genji gave her a spray of wisteria saying " I have not forgotten the depths into which I plunged".

Kuniyoshi, 1845/46

Kunichika, 1884

In the Tenth Month, Murasaki made offerings in Genji’s honor. Choosing a temple in Saga, she commissioned a reading of the sutras for the protection of the realm. Ending the fast, a banquet was arranged at the Nijo residence and attended by many people in festive dress. The musicians took their places. Yugiri and Kashiwagi went out and danced under a tree of plum rouge. For the old members of the audience it evoked the image of young Genji and To-no-Chujo’s dance long before, "Waves of the blue Ocean". Genji was in tears as memories flooded back.

In the middle of the Third Month, the Princess Akashi gave birth. It was a boy. A gift from the old Akashi monk was delivered with his letter saying that the birth of the prince was determined according to his dream. What he had done and his prayer in the past was to fulfill the dream. As it had become true, he would like to withdraw from the world and go off into the deep mountains. The old nun’s grief was limitless.

Kashiwagi was very disappointed that the Third Princess who had gone to Genji, and he was still longing after her. In the late spring, there was a football game in the northeast corner of the Rokujo garden. When a cat came running, the curtain was pulled back to reveal the woman behind in informal dress. Her profile framed by beautiful black hair was elegant. It was the first time for Kashiwagi to see the princess. He pretended that nothing had happened, but Yugiri knew that Kashiwagi had seen the princess. As she was the wife of Genji, it was forbidden love. Kashiwagi called the cat and took it up in his arms. Mewing prettily, it brought the image of the Third Princess back to him.