2.The Paulownia Hall
“My lady,
you must get ready for the meeting. We can’t be late; it will give them bad
impression!” said Ryoko to her mistress worriedly.
“How many
times do I need to tell you that I don’t intend to go to this arrange married
interview?” said her mistress.
“But my
lady, this is the invitation directly from the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi
himself. It is a once in a lifetime chance that you couldn’t bares to miss.”
“The Regent
you said? As if I would really give a
damn! Why bother to go when eventually you already know the answer. The highly
respected Regency family for sure will reject me. What is I Fujiwara no Yuiko
to them? I can’t bring them glory, nor bring them prosperity. My marriage with
them will only dishonor their honorable family’s name.”
“Please, my
lady, don’t be so pessimistic! Come on, wear your junihitoe and let’s proceed
to the Paulownia hall!” hastened Ryoko to her mistress Yuiko.
***
The hall was
named Paulownia is due to the fact that it is surrounded by many Paulownia
trees. Paulownia is known in Japanese as ‘kiri’. It is a customary to plant a
Paulownia tree when a baby girl was born, and then to make it into a dresser as
a wedding present when she married. And so with its relation to marriage, The
Paulownia Hall has been used as a place for the princesses’ married interview
ever since it was build a century ago.
Ryoko and her
mistress Yuiko arrived just in time before the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi and
his adopted son Yorinaga enter the Paulownia hall. Due to the knotty rules and
regulations in the court, even on the married interview, women have to stay
behind the bamboo veils all the time. They will only be judged by the way they
speak and their demeanor through the shadows projected behind the veils.
“My lady, I
present you the Regent and his son the acting middle counselor Yorinaga.”
Both of them
bow down to Yuiko as Ryoko introduced the guests individually. Due to the lack
of lighting in the hall, Yuiko scarcely sees the appearance of their guests
behind the veils, and it irritates her. She goes near the veils and draws it up
without giving any signal. Her sudden movement gave everyone a shock.
“My lady,
what were you doing? Quick, hang back the veils!!”
“Since
I know there will be rejection, why not take this opportunity to see the look
of the person I’m dealing with? It would be interesting isn’t it?”
The Regent
Tadamichi at first was shocked by Yuiko’s action, but settled to his placid
self immediately as Yuiko speaks. Though pleasant and calm, his face gave an
enigmatic look when he saw Yuiko in person. As for his son Yorinaga, he keeps
on shaking his head, frowning and says “This is absurd!!”all along the event.
A father and
a son with a totally opposite personality, these were the guests Yuiko met an
afternoon in the year 1132.
*junihitoe 十二単 : an extreme elegant and highly complex kimono that is only worn by court lady in Japan
