Flower Spelling - Chapter 1.1
Chapter 1 – Tatsumi Residence Commotion Part 1
The age of Bunkyuu.
Starting with the entrance of Perry in the 7th year of Kaei and the consequent adjustments in the shogunate’s ruling structure, Japan was undergoing a notable shift in foreign power.
The country was split into two factions: those who wanted to open the country to the outside world and those who wanted to keep outsiders out, and the fight between the two factions was escalating, including clans and the Imperial Court.
In the near future, the assassination of Li Naosuke, the Grand Elder, outside Sakuradamon gate had brought the authority of the Shogunate to the ground. To regain prestige, the shogunate advocated a policy of integrating the military and civilian troops. The marriage of Princess Kazu was arranged on the condition that the foreigners be expulsed.
Black ships, assassinations, and the marriage of Princess Kazu are all things I have heard about in history class… After all this time, I am really at the end of the Edo period…
The lingering summer heat persisted like a long-suffering guest, even though it had passed the spring equinoctial week, the air was still hot in the evening and the only thing that reminded her of autumn was the silver grass in the flower vase on the wall.
The young woman, who was standing alone in the dimly lit earthen floor, arranging the sake cups on the table, carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead with the hand towel at her waist.
To make work smoother, she wore a newly cleaned indigo plaid kimono as a sling. Her relatively short hair was styled into a shimada, and on top of it was an old white wooden comb with a lost tooth that was neither attractive nor plain.
The young woman?Sogetsu had been more than half a year wandered from modern Kyoto to Edo at the end of the Edo era.
The rather unique name “Sogetsu” was given to her by the landlady of Tatsumi Residence, the teahouse where she works.
Tatsumi Residence is in Fukagawa, a district southeast of Edo Castle. Geishas in Fukagawa, also known as haori geishas or tatsumi geishas, had the tradition of giving themselves names that mirrored men’s names, and their belief in “selling their art but not their bodies” as well as their high spirits made them appealing among Edo people who liked to be chic.
The first floor was designated as a tatami room for guests, while the geishas live on the second floor. At the back of the building, there was a landing place that takes advantage of the terrain of Edo, with waterways running through it in all directions, and many visitors travel there directly by boat.
Now she was more or less accustomed to living here, but the first month was truly rough.
At the start, she couldn’t wear a kimono by herself, not knowing how to make a fire or fetch the water from the well. And she still had to kneel with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, sitting on the soles, which numbed her whole body. She didn’t know anything about basic etiquettes, such as how to raise and lower chopsticks, walk on tatami mats, or slide and close fusuma doors. Not to mention a lack of comprehension of monetary, weight, and length units.
She had to fall onto a thin futon and rest her head on a tall pillow known as a box pillow to keep her topknot in place after a hard day at work. Her entire body, not only her neck, felt stiff and strained when she awakened in the morning.
The weak stomachs of modern people, accustomed to sterilization and disinfection, may have been overwhelmed by the inedible food, and even got sick to their stomachs. At that time, in the era where there were few decent doctors, she was extremely terrified that she would die.
Even after her body healed, she was just as ineffectual as before, feeling ashamed of herself and, most crucially, apprehensive of being thrown out of the house.
Nonetheless, she eventually learned to handle more and more responsibilities while being surrounded by the rigorous yet encouraging landlady and the vibrant and compassionate geisha sisters.
These days, in between cleaning and laundry, she was taught to read and write and was given lessons in arts and crafts, so she was far too engaged to miss her previous life.
Yet, she would often find herself contemplating: What brought me here, and how can I get back home…? This was the outcome of glancing at the museum’s folding screen, so if I saw it again, I might be able to return home.
I think it’s a folding screen from the scene of Sakamoto Ryoma’s assassination, at a store called something in Kyoto…
But she had no idea what the store’s name was.
Ah?If I had known this would happen, I would have read the instructions more thoroughly!
At that moment, she placed the sake bottle on the table somewhat disorderly.
“Sogetsu! How long are you delaying! Finish it immediately and go find Eikichi!”
The landlady’s rebuke came from the front.
“Yes, right away!”
After setting the table, Sogetsu hastened upstairs to summon the senior geisha.
?
Twilight time. It’s the end of the day for most people, but it’s only the beginning for those in the Hanamachi district.
The street was bustling with men on their way home from work and geisha in exquisite kimonos, and the sound of shamisen and touts can be heard all over.
“Are you finished with your preparations, Ms. Eikichi? You’ve been summoned by the landlady.”
Eikichi, who had been leaning out the window to look out at the street, peered into the room and gestured her this way without lifting her gaze.
“Hurry! Look down there, there’s a foreigner coming.”
“Ijin? Ah, ijin as in the foreigner from another country?”
“What else is there? It seems they purposely came all the way to Fukugawa.”
As she was urged, she stood side by side and looked down the street, and sure enough, there were three men in Western-style hats walking curiously down the street in front of her, surrounded by a mob of inquisitive bystanders.
“Because of that odd headgear, I can’t really see your face from here. Hey! Why don’t you remove that thing on your head!”
“Hey, Ms. Eikichi, they can hear you.”
When she was in a hurry to stop her. For some reason, one of the foreigners looked up and glanced at her.
“Whoa.”
“What, what is going on?”
Eikichi rolled her eyes when she caught sight of Sogetsu suddenly crouching down.
“I was so startled… Our eyes met.”
“Eh, really?”
When she revealed her terrified face, the other guy stared at her with a bewildered expression.
He grinned and lifted his hat to return her welcome as she bowed to him. Then he began to mumble something to his companion next to him.
“Hey, those foreigners are pointing in our direction and muttering something. I hope they’re not trying to come here.”
As she was saying this, the entrance suddenly grew noisy, and a Japanese man who seemed to be a guide emerged from the crowd.
“Is the landlady of this shop here?”
“I’m Tatsumi, the landlady.”
The landlady took a step forward, ready to take on the challenge.
“As a matter of fact, these people would like to rest here. Do you have a room available?”
?A moment of silence.
Not only Sogetsu and the others but also the onlookers seem to be observing with bated breath.
And then.
“Of course, sir. We will give you our best hospitality.”
The landlady’s dignified reply draws a gasp from the crowd.
Next to her, Eikichi placed her palm to her forehead, “Uh, oh.”
“I’m sure all of you are tired. We will escort you to your rooms in a moment.”
??
While the landlady led the guests to the back room, the remaining geisha were in an uproar.
“What are we going to do? The guests are foreigners!”
“I don’t like it. You’re going.”
“I’ve been invited to another tatami room today. This is part of the younger sister’s job.”
“Older sister, that’s not how it’s supposed to be. It’s times like this that you need to show your seniority.”
They were all pushing the role to each another.
“Silence!”
A regal voice interrupted.
“Ma’am.”
“Look, girls. Regardless of who the guests are, what we do is the same. If we’re intimidated by a foreigner, we’ll lose our reputation as Tatsumi geisha. Isn’t that right?”
“Exactly!”
Someone replied, and the others nodded to each other, agreeing yes.
“Then let’s entertain them with our best tricks and show them that the Yamato spirit is here!”
“Yes!”
This was truly the voice of authority.
In contrast to the front of the room, the geisha all looked elated and motivated.
“Well, I guess I’ll go grab something to drink.”
Sogetsu was ready to get up and go when the landlady spoke to her unexpectedly.
“Ah, Sogetsu. You’ve been requested by a client. You’ll be in the tatami room with us.”
“… Eh?”
?
Around that time. Three samurais with two swords between their hands were striding down the streets of Fukagawa.
“That Nagai fellow is absolutely outrageous. It’s as if he’s approving of the Shogunate’s arbitrary decision to open the country to the outside world. Isn’t it like admitting the opening of the country, which is the sole decision of the Shogunate, such as a voyage strategy?”
A man dressed in a silvery grey kimono let out a gasp.
He was probably about six feet tall (about 180 cm). In addition to his extraordinary height, what was even more striking was his neatly shaved head.
“Takasugi, you think so too, don’t you?”
The enraged guy voiced out to the small samurai walking alongside him, his shaved head glowing red with steam flowing out of it.
Takasugi, on the other hand, did not respond and continued to walk silently with a sullen look.
As though in lieu of a response, only the sound of the man’s high clogs resonated down the street.
“Mr. Kusaka, you can’t do this. Mr. Takasugi’s father is a close friend of Nagai Gagaku. If you say anything carelessly, you will be going against his father.”
The one who chuckled was a small, fat man leading the way and illuminating the path with lanterns.
“Don’t say anything you don’t have to, Shunsuke.”
Takasugi shot him a cold stare, and the man shrugged his shoulders and turned to face forward.
When he reached the corner to the right, he abruptly halted. Kusaka, who had caught up, asked curiously.
“What’s wrong, Shunsuke? What’s going on?”
“Nothing, it’s just too crowded…”
In Hanamachi, every day is hectic. Today, though, things appeared to be different.
“Hey, there are a lot of people here, is there a festival going on?” He approached a nearby girl and inquired about it. “Oh, don’t get me wrong: I’m not a suspicious guy. I’m Ito Shunsuke of the Choshu clan. I’ve heard Fukagawa has a lot of gorgeous girls, and it happens to be true. I’ve encountered someone like you.”
“Well.” The girl’s cheeks flushed bright crimson and she cast her head down.
“Hey, what are you doing hitting on her??I’m sorry. I was wondering if you knew what this crowd was all about.”
“Yes, well, apparently some foreigners have come to visit. Everyone seems to have gathered here to watch.”
“Oi, is that true!” Takasugi interrupted her with a frantic expression.
“Yes, yes. Three of them came together, and now they’re at a store called Tatsumi Residence…”
“Tatsumi Residence!”
Kusaka dashed after Takasugi, who bolted the moment he said it.
“Oh, um, have I done something wrong…?”
“Don’t worry about it. I won’t cause you any trouble. Are you a geisha from around here? Well, next time when we meet again, you can tell me your name.”
After leaving behind a quick, well-tempered remark, Ito pursued them and disappeared into the crowd.
“I hope nothing bad happens…”
The girl, left alone, stared apprehensively at the street ahead.
?
What, what to do?
Dressed in a magnificent kimono and powdered with white powder, Sogetsu sat next to her guest, nervous to the bone.
It was the stranger from upstairs with whom she had made eye contact.
He had glistening blond hair and clear blue orbs that mirrored the lake’s surface. His scholarly face may look frigid at first glance, yet the creases in his eyes imply a warm image once he grins.
“Nice to meet you.”
He offered his hand gleefully, and she tentatively shook it.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance. Um, I, my name is Sogetsu.” She noted while pointing to herself. “Name, Sogetsu.”
“Saw, Getzu?”
“So, Ge, Tsu.”
“Ah?…”
Apparently, it’s quite complicated for foreigners to pronounce. She couldn’t help but smile at the way he arched his eyebrows.
“Hmm, if it is difficult to say, you can call me Sou. So-u.”
“Oh, OK. Sou.”
“Yes, that’s it.”
Clapping her hands at the man who successfully called her name right, the man pointed at his face.
“????”
He likely stated his name to Sogetsu, but she couldn’t hear it clearly due to the unaccustomed sound.
She shook her head, “I don’t know,” and then slowly, this time.
“Jude Bain.”
“Mr. Jude Bain?”
Bain was thrilled to clap his hands in an exaggerated manner in appreciation of her confident response.
So, despite Bain’s broken Japanese and gestures, the discussion was flowing, and Sogetsu was completely at ease with this boisterous foreigner.
According to the guide, Bain and his two friends were employed by the British consulate, and today they had stealthily come to play under the watchful eyes of the officials.
I’m glad to hear that. It’s going to be more harmless than I anticipated. The landlady told me to take care of this place as someone with some knowledge of foreign countries.
Bain’s two companions seemed to be enjoying themselves as well, being served by the landlady and Eikichi, respectively, and indulging in tatami-room games.
?She wondered if it was a mistake to let her mind drift off.
Right at that moment, the landlady left her seat and Bain went to the toilet.
It took a long time for her to react to the noise that came from the front abruptly.
The guys who had entered the tatami room with their feet on the ground were staring down at her with penetrating gazes when she realized what was going on.
“Is this where the barbarians are!”
“How dare these barbarians play so openly! I’ll slay them immediately!”
“This is heaven’s retribution!”
The serene atmosphere was changed into a site of yelling and shrieking with the foreigners and geishas fleeing for their lives.
“What the hell is wrong with you people!”
Sogetsu stood in front of the tyrant, putting on her best pretense that she had to be firm now that she was in charge of the place.
The droopy-eyed tyrant’s gaze grew increasingly agitated.
“They are vermin who trample this country underfoot! If left unchecked, Japan will be taken over by barbarians. Move aside if you understand!”
“Hah!?” That self-indulgent remark caused Sogetsu to forget her fear, making her furious. “What kind of pest are you? You’re the one with the dirty feet! What’s the matter with you, barging into a guest’s room? That’s outrageously rude!”
“What guests! Foreigners are our enemies! Who would entertain a foreigner!”
“Whether they are a foreigner, a minister, or a manju, they are all valuable customers to us!”
“What did you say!”
A blue streak emerged on the man’s temple. At that moment.
“Takasugi! The foreigners have escaped!” A tall bald man exclaimed in the doorway.
While they were arguing, Eikichi and the others seemed to have let them slip away.
Takasugi stared at her as if he hadn’t mentioned it enough.
“… Tsk.”
He turned away and vanished as swiftly as he had arrived.
… Ah… I am saved…
When she felt as if she was about to slump down, there was a hand supporting her from the side.
“You did well, Sogetsu.”
“Ma’am.”
“Don’t worry, our guest here is safe. But I couldn’t find the other one… I don’t know where he hid.”
“… Ah!”
Oh, I forgot, Mr. Jude is still in the toilet!
It would be dangerous if he returned without knowing anything and encountered the assailants.
“I’ll go find him!”
“When you find him, take him to the back. I have prepared a roofless small boat there!”
“Understood!”
She answered the landlady’s words, hastening to the toilet in the back.
Then, at the end of the corridor, she spotted a man in the garden and raced over to him, relieved.
“Mr. Jude!”
“Miss Sou, what’s going on?”
He seemed to be in a carefree mood. Apparently, he didn’t know anything about the commotion out front.
“I’m sorry, but you need to get out of here immediately. People with swords are searching to kill you and your friends…”
“Sorry, I can’t understand. Please say slowly.”
“Ah, you don’t understand. Um, how to say it?”
Sogetsu was in a hurry, unable to think clearly.
How do you say “killer” in English? Sword, slashing, killer… yes!
“Killer!”
“What?”
“Killer come here!” Sogetsu stated half-heartedly. Not caring about the pronunciation. “Please escape!”
Bain studied Sogetsu with a hint of astonishment in his eyes.
Though it was not clear whether it was the tone or for the fact that the woman in front of him suddenly spoke English. In any case, he needed to get away from here now.
She forcibly seized his arm and made a dash for the back where his friends were waiting.
?Sogetsu, who was distracted by Bain, didn’t realize it.
They themselves were being watched in the shadows.
What exactly is that geisha?
Takasugi, who had been lurking in the darkness, gradually released a breath he had been holding.
That woman was definitely speaking English…?Interesting.
They missed the foreigner but found something intriguing instead.
Things are becoming interesting.
He raised the corner of his mouth into a chuckle. At the same time.
Tingle, tingle, tingle—
The sound of a whistle tore through the sky.
“… Officials.”
For a split second, he looked in the direction from which the foreigners had fled. But they promptly retreated on their heels.
“Takasugi, this way!”
Kusaka and Ito were already beckoning at him in front of the unpopulated wall.
T/N:
Sogetsu – The kanji of her given name is ??, Sougetsu but usually the u will be omitted in English so I will translate it as Sogetsu
Ijin – The word used here is ?? (Foreigner) which is an outdated word that was used previously by Japanese for more than 150 years ago. The modern word of foreigner in Japanese is ???, Gaikokujin. Sogetsu probably thought Ijin meant alien as Ijin have that meaning as well since Ijin is not used anymore in her era before she realized what Eikichi said
The bolded text in the conversation is all originally written in English by the author.
The first killer in the sentence is written in kanji while the next one is in katakana
roofless small boat – used as a river taxi during the Edo period