129 5.18 Taboos and Customs (1/2)
I had a very long undisturbed sleep and a dreamless one. I awoke in the morning at the first sound of the rooster's crowing, indicating that the break of dawn was approaching soon. I sat up and looked at both katana and kodachi that was hanging at the wall and was amazed at how well it was made despite not having any intricate designs on the blade, unlike some.
I sat up and decided to do some stretching first before I made breakfast and readied myself to go to the marketplace with Hiko-sama later before heading to perform my task in cleaning the house belonging to Miroku-sama.
After I had performed some stretching and hearing the cracks of my bones and joints, I stood up and opened my sliding bedroom door. Hiko-sama seemed to be sleeping still and I walked to the front terrace and put away his finished jar of sake and his cups. I set the jar outside since the tenchoo of the sake's house would be making his rounds to collect the empty jars and replenishing another 4 more jars.
I opened up the sliding door of the house and let the morning draft in. It was cold but refreshing at the same time. I heated up some water to make green tea in a kettle and then I heated the taiyaki using a steamer. Even though the cake was baked, but steaming it later would not affect its texture but making it softer.
I went to the bathroom to check if there's any laundry to do but found none and I turned the tap to a trickle. I performed some Kamehameha and dropped in 3 huge energy spheres to heat the water up and I summoned psi energy healing spheres and dropped in 5 quick successions. Since the tub was half empty, it would take some time before it would be full to the brim.
The Kamehameha that aids in heating up the water and the 10 psi healing energy spheres would be enough to be shared by two people with the water in the tub. As long as the tub would be half filled, the psi energy healing spheres effect would still be present. However, the heated water might be cold after some time but it won't freeze over though.
The water that I made for drinking had boiled and I prepared the green tea for breakfast. I cleaned up the kitchenette, dining and living area. The rubbish that had collected in the kitchenette was brought to the side of the house and I set fire to it. Well, that's how recycling works in the Edo period. Things that can burn, will be set fire to it. Things that can be recycled back like the jars of sake, would be recollected then cleaned, and be reused again for resale.
I decided to bring a silver coin today to the marketplace to buy another yakata for myself since I had only one piece with me. Since I was just doing cleaning, I decided to put on a yakata instead of my full dressed kimono. However since I would be walking to the marketplace, it would be best to use another kimono set for walking. I wondered if the tailor we visited the other day sells a short sleeve half gi for men.
I may have seen some men wearing it but it's more like the messengers of the village. It would be nice to own one since I could match it up with my hakama. At least the long sleeve kimono could be used for expeditions or some other purposes.
By this time, Hiko-sama had woken up and had gone to the bathroom to wash up. He asked if the water was energised and I replied positively. Since it was too early for him to shower he just washed his face, just like what I had done when I was filling up the water in the tub.
A little while later we sat down for breakfast together with the steamed taiyaki and green tea. ”So, we are going straight to the market place after this? What's that silver coin that you're holding? Keep it with you, do you intend to buy anything?”
”Yes, Sensei. I was thinking of buying the top short sleeve gi so I could match with my hakama instead of wearing a yakata around the village. People might be thinking that we are operating a spa house with me walking in and out of the house and about the village wearing these clothes.”
”Haa... Haa... You make me laugh early in the morning, kid. Don't worry, I can get a few of those short sleeve gi. It may make you look either as a messenger or an underling if you were to wear that with a kodachi on your obi. Haa... Haa... But frankly speaking, wearing a short sleeve gi is definitely more comfortable with your hakama than a full-length yakata. Haa... Haa... Haa... ” laughed Hiko-sama as his mind imagined me like a geisha girl moving in and out of the house with made up hair and makeup and a touch of red lipsticks.
Damn Hiko-sama, how could you think of cross-dressing Himura at this time of the day! You must have a hidden fetish in your mind, eh?!
”Alright, come let's go to the marketplace. The earlier we get there, the more discounts we can have.” Hiko-sama gestured to me and said to leave the dishes alone first and deal with it when we return.
”Do you know that it's customary for us if we were the first customer in their shop and they would always give discounts at unbelievable rates that can amount to almost close to nothing?”
”I'm not sure of this, Sensei. But it's customary, you say?”
”Yes, if let's say someone opens up the pawn shop in the morning, even if someone came with a piece of charcoal and wants to pawn it they would have to accept it. It's a customary and a taboo not to be able to reject the customer's request.”
”Oh...?! Even a cow's pat could be exchanged for gold and silver in the pawnshop?”
”Haa... Haa...! So far I have not heard of someone pawing a cow's pay early in the morning when the pawnshop opens. You have quite an imaginative mind, kid. Haa... Haa...! A cow's pay for pawn! What an innovative way to start a morning pawnshop business!”
”Hee...hee...hee...I was just thinking about it, but surely not going to try pawing a piece of cow's pat though. Just thinking aloud. So how about other shops then?”
”If let's say the tailor shop is open and we happen to be the first customer, the shirt sleeve gi could only cost like a few copper coins and a silver coin could at least buy 2 or 3 pieces of the short sleeve gi.”
”That's wonderful. I was hoping to get a few pieces of gi today, but you told me to keep my silvers instead. I'm sorry Sensei to make you spend your hard earned money instead and seems to be freeloading off you.”
”Arch...! Don't think about it that way, kid. You are not freeloading off me at all. Even if you do not exists in my household, I would still be living off on sake and delivered lunches all by myself and also be eating all the food sold by the yatai by myself too. Who knows, I may spend more than I could consume, and it would all go to waste. Especially when I am no longer a samurai shogunate, I may even take up jobs as a Hitokiri instead.”
”Is there such a job as a Hitokiri as well? I mean to terminate people of interest like a group of bandits that plied their journey making other traders being wary of being robbed all the time?”
”Yes, there are some jobs like that. Some to kill off commoners and some even high ranking officials. The higher the risks the higher it pays. From a few gold coins to at least 50 gold coins. Some jobs here are quite menial, in terms to say being a messenger to deliver messages or letters and even parcels. Some jobs require you to perform some sabotage or fishing at the docks. Some even had tasks to perform like hunt and bring back their skinned hides et cetera. Each task rewards you some coppers while those generous ones would reward 1 to 2 gold coins.”