Yozetsu Jikei was traveling up a river on board a boat loaded with salt. The mountain range in the distance was completely covered with snow. Since part of the river would most likely be frozen further down the line, he’d have to travel on horseback at that point instead.
When he reached a town in Raku Province that was situated at the foot of the Northern Mountains, he brought the boat to the bank. Jikei had been taking breaks in different towns to assess the situation in each place and to collect information on the Northern Mountains. Although this did slow him down, gathering this information was his biggest priority. Even if the northern tribes were plotting something, they wouldn’t be able to act on it very quickly.
Jikei began to go over to the town market with just two of his attendants accompanying him. Every single one of the attendants he brought with him was physically strong. Jikei hadn’t gone out of his way to select the toughest candidates to bring with him— all of his men were sturdy and accustomed to hard work. After all, straw bags of salt were much heavier than grain, so no weak man would be able to do the job.
The people who lived in the heart of the mountains were similarly well-built. This was testament to the difficulty of living in such an environment. There was little arable land here, so most people made a living by cutting down trees for firewood and charcoal—something that was also impeded by the snow in the winter. They hunted and kept livestock, but farming was far more difficult than it would be on level ground. Despite this, everyone who had been raised in the mountains insisted they would never entertain the idea of moving anywhere else. That was just the sort of people they were.
While shopping for necessities at the market, Jikei came across a young man, seemingly a merchant, who was talking to the owner of a shop selling shoes. Apparently, the shoes he was wearing had gotten soaked through on the muddy, snowy road, leaving him in a bind. Jikei glanced down to find that the man was wearing a pair of brocade shoes. Not only that, but the merchant and his attendants were all wearing silk clothing. As well-dressed as they were, they didn’t seem accustomed to snowy regions. The shopkeeper recommended to the merchant a pair of ridiculously expensive boots that offered little in the way of practicality to the merchant.
Although he was fully aware he was crossing a line, Jikei couldn’t help but interrupt them.
“Hey, you. Hold on a minute. I’m saying this for your own sake—go for that pair,” said Jikei, pointing at a pair of boots made with yak fur near the shopfront.
The young man turned around, looking surprised. He had intrepid, manly features, yet he also had a kind air about him. He seemed to have a gentle demeanor as well.
“Yak fur is warm,” continued Jikei. “The most important thing in the upcoming season is to be protected against the cold. Decoration and embroidery are pointless.”
The boots Jikei pointed at would cover the leg from the ankle to the knee. The long fur would repel water, and its curved toes were designed to prevent snow from getting in. They were the warmest pair available by miles. They were made using yaks—a type of cattle with long hair—that were raised by the inhabitants of the snowy mountains.
“Stay out of this, Yozetsu,” said the shopkeeper, a sour look on his face.
Yozetsu knew the merchant, and that he was probably planning to scam this young man because he looked wealthy.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t be so greedy, then.”
The young man looked at Jikei and the shopkeeper in turn in quiet confusion.
“Where are you heading after this?” Jikei then asked him. “To the northern mountains…”
“Dressed like that?” Jikei was appalled.
The young man looked embarrassed. “I’ve padded myself with layers of cotton wadding… Is that still not good enough?”
“Do you want to freeze to death? These aren’t your ordinary mountains, you know.”
“There are snowy mountains where I come from too, so I thought I knew what to expect…” the young man said, trailing off.
Jikei shook his head. “Buy some tightly woven woolen garments. Then, find yourself a lamb fur coat and a warm marten fur hat to cover your ears.”
The young man seemed to be listening attentively to what Jikei was saying. Once the older man finished speaking, he took a step back and gave him a respectful bow.
“Thank you very much for your kindness. As shameful as it is, it’s my first time coming here, and I was clueless as to what sort of garments I required. I know this might be impolite of me to ask, but would you be so kind as to come with me?” the young man asked.
Jikei didn’t have that much time to spare. He was just about to turn the stranger down—but the next words to leave the young man’s lips made him change his mind.
“I should have mentioned this earlier, Yozetsu, but I’m actually the second son of a powerful clan from Ga Province. The Saname clan, specifically. My name is Ko.”
With that, Ko gave him a friendly, yet somewhat unfeeling, smile.