The next morning, I awoke feeling fresh before the rooster had even started to crow. There's some time before the break of dawn so I prepared breakfast for the two of us and boiled some green tea. As I was boiling green tea, I remembered that I had used a kind of shampoo to wash my motorbike back in my previous life and it was based on green tea as well. I could add another ingredient to make the perfume!
Once I had settled breakfast and peered into the bathroom's tub and found the water needs to be filled again. I turned the tap and trickle the water through and used Fire Essense to heat the water up. I felt the water and I could feel the surging healing powers still remains so I just leave it as it is.
It seems that the more Hiko-sama bathes in the healing waters, the younger he looked and he looked like a young teenager right now. I was thinking if I were to drop 2 psi energy sphere into each concoction of perfume, then those who use the bodiroshon would feel the rejuvenated energy! What another splendid idea, Himura Kenshin!
Since breakfast today was 2 pieces of sweet potatoes, 1 corn that had been halved and 2 bananas, the breakfast don't look too shabby. At least it could fill the stomach till lunch. So once I had made breakfast and filled the tub with the trickling water from the tap, I decided to pay a visit in my Realm of Mind to pick up my 100 iron wires and 60 iron plates.
After entering the meditative state, I collected those 100 pieces of wires and the 60 plates and brought them back to the real world. I looked at my bedroom and it looked a bit disarray with the wires and plates.
I took a cloth and made a sling bag to hold the[Refined Iron] plates that were perfectly sized at 3 inch by 5 inch and a thickness of 2 inch . I set one piece aside to show and return it back to me after showing it to the Blacksmith.
Hiko-sama stirred from his sleep and went to the room to meet me.
"Sensei, this is one piece of the [Refined Iron] plate. You can show it to the Blacksmith and return it back in this sling bag. Once he had the 300 gold coins, then you perform the transaction. Another favour, Sensei... Could you add some packets of green tea equivalent to the weight of the flowers in each basket?"
"Sure I'd bring back the [Refined Iron] plate after I shown to the Blacksmith. Why do you need so much green tea for? Has the supply in the kitchenette runs out yet?"
"No, Sensei. I intend to make green tea scented soap later too. Once everything is complete, I'd go to the Realm of Mind and you can drop by too. At least you could learn something new."
"Sure thing, kid. I can't wait to join you after dinner then. I go ahead for my shower, ok? And we can have breakfast together."
"Sure, Sensei... Please enjoy your shower."
I then went to the kitchenette and Stoke more firewood in the stove burner and boiled the water in the steamer. The smell of steamed banana and corn soon wafted through the air and I heard Hiko-sama was singing something like this:
O-nabe wa guragura, o-kama wa shuushuu
Mana ita wa ton to ton
O-toufu furufuru, tamago wa buruburu
Nattou wa nebaneba
Yaketa furaipan ni tamago o otoshite
O-nabe ni miso o toite
Atsuatsu gohan wa ohitsu ni utsu shite
Shitaku wa joujou
Minna o okoshite, minna ga sorottara
Saa takusan meshiagare
Ohisama mo kagayaiteru
Minna de asagohan, watashi ga tsukutta
Isoide, isoide
Demo ajiwatte tabete ne
Sakana wa juujuu, abura mo juwajuwa
Sude de sawatte a'chichi
Mimi tabutsuman de, o-mizu de hiyashite
Sonna hima arimasen
Kyuuri o kizan de kobachi ni waketara
Misoshiru ni negi pa'papa
O-chawan narabete, o-hashi mo kubatte
Shitaku wa joujou
Nemusou na kao shite, minna ga sorottara
Saa takusan meshiagare
Kyou mo ichinichi gambarou ne
Minna de asagohan, watashi ga tsukutta
Yukkuri, tabete ne
Demo chikoku shinai de ne
Minna de asagohan, watashi ga tsukutta
Isoide, isoide
Demo ajiwatte tabete ne
Seems Hiko-sama was in a really good mood in the morning. I went to my bedroom and shaped the metal strips into hangers with the help of pliers that I had brought along from the Realm of Mind. After I had shaped about half of the hangers, Hiko-sama peeked into my bedroom.
"It's your turn, kid. Let me finish up the hangers. It looked pretty easy. Eh... You haven't sorted out your coins yet?"
Hiko-sama saw the packet of linen ropes with the knotted end still unopened and my coin pouch still rather untouched. I smiled to him and stood up and to allow Hiko-sama to try bending the wire strips to make into hangers.
"Not yet, Sensei... I don't have time for it yet and just store my gold coins inside the Takamura when I leave the house. There'd be another 300 more gold coins and you could help me open a savings bank account later? You can use my ID to represent me instead."
"Sure, kid. No problem. How much are you going to open your bank account later?"
"Just deposit 185 gold coins first, and please exchange these balance gold coins into silvers. It's much safer to have them around."
Hiko-sama counted the gold coins when I was in the shower and it was 185 coins to be deposited in the saving accounts. There was a balance of 8 gold coins so he intends to change it as follows:
70 silvers and 100 Coppers.
He jiggled the coin pouch that contained the payment for the housekeeping and found that I had over 25 silvers and some coppers. "Not bad this kid he is not a spendthrift and only spends on necessities." Hiko-sama thought as he saw new yakatas and gi hanging from the hangers and also some new tabi as well.
Hiko-sama looked at my ID that was to be used to open a savings account. So at the end of the day, he would have a simple account book to reflect on how much he had deposited and withdraw.
He knew that the Treasury would use the gold coins deposited to invest and expand the business district and interest if using the resident's money would be paid each month.
With a low-interest rate of 1.25% every month, it won't look too shabby indeed. Even his account was on savings and not on time deposit.
As he bent the wire strips according to the hangers dimension, he can't help to reflect the first time he saw Himura half buried in the snow and was thought to be dead when a group of bandits came and pillaged the village.
Even though the plot of this series had made drastic and unexpected twists and turns, at least he found that the kid he had found in the snow had been a great potential after all.
Hiko-sama nearly completed the whole hanger be ding and shaping process when I entered the room. I looked at his handicraft and found that it had the same or better quality in shaping those hangers. It seems that he took this trade very seriously.
"You wanted to sell this as well, kid?"
"Ni, Sensei... I intend to give 20 pieces each to every comrade of yours so I don't need to fold their clothes anymore. And hanging out early in the morning would make people ask about these hangers."
"This would slowly be a piece of marketing gimmick for those who buy the Seijuro Tumbler or even the bodiroshon and get these hangers for free. For the Seijuro Tumbler, it would be given as a free gift of 10 pieces of the hanger and as for the soap, they would get 2 of these."
"Waaahhh... You really think of everything, yes kid? You are a true business tradesman."
"Most importantly, Sensei. We create something out from nothing. There's still a lot of broken weapon parts out there at the northern gate?"
"More than you could imagine, kid. There's at least more than a few dozen trips with the handcart!"
"That's great to hear, I won't need them more at this moment since we still have a lot left in the handcart. I would inform you when I need but as soon as the scrap depletes, you can go and top up again."
"Sure, kid. No problem. Eh... Come, let's have breakfast. Leave the bending of these hangers for me to finish afterwards."
During breakfast, Hiko-sama recollected what he needs to do first in order so that his mind would be at peace. First, he needs to open a saving account under my name. Then he would change the 8 gold coins at the treasury into silvers and coppers.
Secondly, he would visit the carpentry and see what they have for the garden furniture. He would choose sturdier ones, simple to maintain and difficult to carry off if people would see them to be enticing in their eyes.
Thirdly he needs to find the barrels of coconut oil, olive oil, lye and green tea as well as lavender, lilac rose and jasmine flowers to send to the house directly after purchase for the making of the perfumes and the soap.
Fourthly, he would show the piece of [Refined Iron] plate to be assessed and to have the Blacksmith prepare the 300 gold coins for the 60 plates that would soon be brought in later.
He would use his coins instead and produce a receipt to claim from me later on after I returned. The money that he will exchange would remain untouched as it was a form of trust in handling people's money. He explained that this is what his parents had taught him so.
I nodded and told him to be careful with the amount of cash he was carrying. And wished him good luck in procuring the items later in the early morning.
After breakfast, Hiko-sama soon left to attend to his tasks as he carried the gold coins for me and my ID as well as the [Refined Iron] plate to show and be appraised.
I soon reached Toshi-sama's house and began to perform my tasks and I brought along 30 pieces of hangers with me. Later, I would drop by Hide-sama's and Miroku-sama's to hang their clothes instead of leaving them lying on the floor.
---Meanwhile as for Hiko-sama's part---
"Good morning Samurai-San, what can I do for you?" a teller at the treasury counter greeted Hiko-sama as soon as he entered.
"Good morning to you too. I would like to open a savings account and an accounts book. Here is the ID. He is my nephew and he is working at this moment and he entrusted me to open an account for him."
"Ah, very well, Samurai-San. Let me have his ID and create a savings account for him. Please take a seat first." the teller gestured to Hiko-sama to sit at the waiting area. He looked around and there was an elderly woman who was either making a deposit or a withdrawal.
"Samurai-san, the saving accounts book is ready. How much would you like to make a deposit?" the teller called Hiko-sama and he retrieved the ID.
"Here, there are 185 gold coins and these 8 gold coins would be exchanged for 70 silvers and 100 coppers please." Hiko-sama handed the number of gold coins and the teller counted each coin as there were not bundled together in twenties. It took some time before he finally confirmed the deposit. The teller took the savings account book and made a red stamp in the deposit column and wrote 185G in the middle of the seal and used another chop to categorise the type of denominations it was, either gold, silvers or coppers.
The teller handed the saving accounts book and confirmed that the total deposit and the opening account was 185 gold coins. There were no administration fees and the teller said the 1.25% profit interest will be capped at 1000 pieces of gold. The next 1001 to 2500 gold coins would be at a 1% profit and the next 2501 to infinite amount would be at 0.5% per month.
Hiko-sama nodded in apprehension and changed the remaining gold coins into silvers and coppers for me to keep and buy personal items and so on and so forth.
He counted the bundled of silvers and coppers and was given a small wooden chest as a gift for opening an account with them and Hiko-sama used it to store the coins instead. Since he was carrying a separate coin pouch at his obi, he simply slipped the small wooden chest into the sleeves of his kimono.
That way no one would have any idea he was carrying such wealth with him as he went out and visited the carpentry shop.
The shop has just opened for business as Hiko-sama stepped in. He was greeted by the owner and came near to Hiko-sama in what he was looking for.
"I would like to look at your outdoor garden furniture. Simple tree trunks acted as seat's about 6 of them with a large round table that sits on a tree trunk as a base. Do you have that kind over here?"
"Oh... We do have that kind over here. This is our last season's stock. Not many people wanted this as it looks rather offseason and they prefer to decorate their front yard with these."
The shopkeeper showed a wooden bench that was made of two lacquered planks and had two wagon wheels at the side to serve as the legs and armrests. The table was also round and was made of a wheel from a wagon and the empty space in between the spokes were covered with lacquered wood to form an even threshold with the spikes.
The cog in the centre could be used to put up a large parasol to give shade when placed outdoors. The price for the new coming of age furniture was 15 gold coins or 150 silvers!
Too expensive, Hiko-sama thought. "Then how about the ones you showed me earlier?" Hiko-sama asked as he wanted to close the deal in this set of furniture.
"Ah, as for that it would cost 8 gold coins. A set of 6 lacquered stools and the resin top table that was made from joined pieces of a tree trunk. I could give you 7 gold coins for it."
"Final offer, 5 gold coins. Please have it delivered the day after tomorrow. I would not pay higher than that and I am sure its a good deal early in the morning."
The shopkeeper looked at Hiko-sama and he was sure that he would not budge from the price he offered and he sighed and said a weak OK and nodded. He went to his counter and asked where it was supposed to be delivered and took down the address.
Hiko-sama paid 10 silvers which were equivalent to 1 gold coin and told the shopkeeper that he would pay the rest when the goods had been delivered.
The shopkeeper took the coins and write 1 gold coin as deposit, the rest of the 4 gold coins would be paid upon delivery in 2 days time.
The shopkeeper handed the receipt and Hiko-sama stuffed into his other kimono sleeve that had a hidden pocket for hidden weapons. He bade the shopkeeper farewell and headed to the shops selling the coconut oil and olive oil.
"Good morning, young master. What kind of oils are you looking for?" an apprentice approached Hiko-sama as soon as he entered the shop.
"I am not looking for oils in small bottles or jars, I wish to purchase by the barrel. Do you keep stock of unscented coconut oil and olive oil?"
"Oh young master, we do keep them but it's in the back of the storeroom. Let me check with the owner how much he sells them."
The apprentice disappeared and emerged a while later with the owner. "Good morning, young master. I heard you wanted to buy unscented coconut oil and olive oil by the barrel? Our barrels contains about 25 litres each. The price would be 1 gold coin and 5 silvers each so the total would be 3 gold coins."
"I'd settle for 2 gold coins, I'd pay a deposit equals to 1 gold coin today and please have it delivered during lunch time as the one who wanted them would be back home."
"Let's settle it for 2 gold and 5 silver. At least there's some profit to be made as you know we don't normally sell these oils in bulk."
"Fine, 2 good and 5 silvers. Here are 10 silvers as a deposit. Please make a receipt for me, thank you.".. Hiko-sama handed 10 silver to the owner and he took it and counted before settling down at his counter. He wrote a receipt with a balance of 1 gold and 5 silvers with the address to be delivered.
He handed the receipt to Hiko-sama and he slipped it into the secret pocket in his kimono.
He bade farewell and walked to another shop selling chemicals. As usual, a young apprentice greeted Hiko-sama and he asked what he needs and Hiko-sama explained that he needs a sack of 5kg lye powder. It only cost 5 silver and he made it be delivered during lunch time.
He then stepped out and discovered he had spent 25 silvers for the deposit of the furniture, oils and lye. He stopped by the sake house and reminded the owner that he would like to cease the delivery of the sake for this moment even though he had paid in advance for them. The reason was that the jars were accumulating in the house and he can't drink more than 2 jars per day since he was alone drinking them.
The owner of the sake house suspended the 4 jars of sake delivery from today and Hiko-sama told the owner that the delivery would resume one week after and limit to 2 jars alone till the rest of the month.
Then he would like to review on the number of flavours that were available so to make each jar be as exciting as it would be of different taste every time from next month onwards till the amount of money invested in sake had been depleted.
Based on the calculations, he had paid considerably for the deliveries of sake daily and he still has about 12 more deliveries of 2 sakes daily. Hiko-sama gave the exact date on when to resume the delivery of sake.
He bade farewell and headed to his next destination. At the flower shop, Hiko-sama knew he was not the first customer because there were already a few customers buying flowers in bulk and in baskets too. Their purchase was to make garlands for sale at the east and west side of town where there were 2 famous Buddhist temples to make offerings. Since Christianity had not arrived in Kitakata village due to isolationism, Buddhist seemed to be the only faith here.
He approached one young female apprentice and asked her some questions. As Hiko-sama was standing close to the person, she blushed as she looked Hiko-sama teenager's features.
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"What can I do for you, young master? Are you here to buy flowers or you have something else in mind?" the young female looked at Hiko-sama with a blush in her face despite giving him the alluring look.
Hiko-sama knew it was a flirt so he replied, "Let me know the price of a basket of roses, lilac, lavender and jasmine and also let me know the price if I were to invite you out for supper." Hiko-sama flashed his most seductive smile at the young lady despite having a slight frown on his eyebrows.
"Each flower has different costs, young master. Lavender and lilac would cost 1 silver each. Jasmine costs 1 silver and 5 bronze while roses cost 2 silvers and 5 bronze. So the total would be 5 silvers. Do you have someone with you to carry these or you would like to have it delivered instead? And as for the price for taking me out for supper, it depends on how deep your pockets are, young master. But there is a condition."
"What's the condition?" Hiko-sama smiled and flirted with the girl.
"The condition is that I have to bring my niece along with me as a chaperone. She is 11 years old and if there is anything bad on towards me, she will report it and have men to bash you up for taking advantage of me."
"Unless I wanted to be taken advantage then its a different case altogether."
The young lady gave out a slight giggle and looked away in embarrassment as she mentioned the last sentence to Hiko-sama.
"Eh, don't worry too. I have a nephew who is the same age as your niece and they both can pair up together. Haa... Haa... Haa... OK, let me pay for the flowers first and please have them delivered to my place by lunchtime, can? My nephew is the one wanting this for his upcoming projects."
"Ohhh...why so many flowers?"
"It's a secret....." as Hiko-sama cupped his mouth and held it close to the young lady's ears and she immediately went red like a beet for having a young man so intimately close to her.
Hiko-sama paid the 5 silvers and the young lady wrote a receipt. Unknowingly, there were some spectators and saw what Hiko-sama was doing and they knew Hiko-sama do not have any partners and do not divulge in red light districts. He would normally be seen at home if he was not in expeditions.
Hiko-sama asked what her name was and she answered: "My name is Izumi and my niece is Riko."
"Ah... My name is Hiko and my nephew is Himura. Bring along your niece at my place and we can have dinner and supper together."
Hiko-sama invited Izumi with his hands open and the spectators seemed to applaud as the scene opens up. Frankly, in real life, Hiko Seijuro happens to not have an interest in this type of affairs but since the storyline took some twist and turns, let's make the side characters interesting then.
Hiko-sama walked a short distance and chanced upon a herbal shop and he peered in and ask the owner if he sells green tea by the sack. The owner brought Hiko-sama where there were a few variants of green tea and he chose the normal without any other flavourings.
Since he was not the first customer of the day, he didn't manage to get a discount and paid the 5 kilograms of green tea at a price of 8 silvers. Hiko-sama asked it to be sent to his house and asked for a receipt.
Hiko-sama then paid it in full and took the receipt saying that he would prefer to receive it by midday today and he left the shop before the shopkeeper informed a delivery boy to deliver it to Hiko-sama's house.
At last, Hiko-sama reached the Blacksmith's and was greeted by the owner himself. He was delighted to meet Hiko-sama and he felt that what he paid for the 200 gold coins earlier was not a waste as he had met with someone who he could reap the best interest and profits.
"Come in Samurai-San, what news do you bring me this time?"
Hiko-sama handed the [Refined Iron] plate with both hands to the Blacksmith that was measured at 5x3x2 inch. He appraised and was surprised that this [Refined Iron] was of much better quality than the one he had before when I forged it in his shop.
The Blacksmith weighed the [Refined Iron] and found that it was at least 3 pig iron needed to produce such a weight. For 5 gold coins, it was very worth it.
"Its 5 gold coins per piece, am I right to recall the offer that I had made to you and the forger? Frankly, this is much better quality than the one he forged inside this shop. Here are the 5 gold coins."
"Ahhhh... It is not for sale at this moment for this single piece of [Refined Iron]. Please prepare 300 gold coins and I will deliver it personally for you tomorrow morning. That's 60 pieces altogether. But there is a condition."
The Blacksmith was a bit surprised at the quantity and the price he has to pay tomorrow for the 60 pieces of [Refined Iron] plates but he knew he could sell it at 8 gold coins each.
"What's the condition, Samurai-San? Let me know and see if I could fulfil it. By the way, just inform the young forger that I will get ready the 300 gold coins."
"That's good, the condition he set would be simple. He would make a batch of 60 [Refined Iron] and I will be delivering it here every week. So tomorrow you will get ready 300 gold coins consecutively for 3 weeks and he would be supplying you with a total of 180 pieces of [Refined Iron] plates at a cost of 900 gold coins. But of course, it is not a one-time payment. You get the goods, inspect and then pay up. Simple as that."
"Please tell the young forger that it's a deal, and please deal only with me as I wanted to make a reputation for this Blacksmith shop that had long been overshadowed by those in the South, East and West part of this village. I agree to pay the 300 gold coins consecutively for 3 weeks from tomorrow onwards."
"Thank you, I'd like to take this piece back with me. Nice doing business with you, Mr Blacksmith."
Hiko-sama bade farewell and was about to leave the shop when the Blacksmith called him and said, "Call me Kuro, Samurai-San."
"Thank you Kuro-sama. Tomorrow, 300 gold coins."
The Blacksmith waved at Hiko-sama and as soon as his back was out from sight, he rubbed his hands gleefully and quickly asked for a messenger. He wrote a short letter to the 2 other Blacksmith that he had 25 pieces of [Refined Iron] plates tomorrow at the price of 8 gold coins each. And tell them to quickly reply and send a representative over to pay and collect the [Refined Iron] plates.
This way he covered the costs and had a profit of 100 gold coins. He sent the two letters to the messenger and paid to have it delivered as soon as possible. At the meantime, he went to his office on the second floor and counted the balance of gold coins he had collected over the years and set aside 15 rolls of gold coins at 20 pieces per roll. There was still more than 50 rolls of gold coins so he needed to worry if he depleted all the gold coins as he could gain them momentarily.
---Meanwhile, at Toshi-sama's house---
Right, I'm done the major cleaning part and it's now going to be lunchtime. I wondered what Hiko-sama is doing right now. I hope he had performed the 4 tasks at hand successfully.
Let me finish up and I'd be on my way back for lunch. I wiped the perspiration that had formed on my forehead and was streaming at the sides of my face and down my neck, drenching my gi as I worked, cleaning up the household.
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