On the road to Kofu, Taisho inspects the pearl, drilled jade piece, and mother-of-pearl inlaid comb. The pearl was a valuable gem, and the comb had good workmanship. But the jade had some white mottling, so it turned out to be less-valuable jadeite. He estimates the value of everything to be around 275 to 280 silver moons. But the jadeite pendant or charm appeared to be old. It was in a style from at least a generation before. It could be valuable to a collector.
When the pilgrims arrive at the city's edge, they are inspected at a checkpoint by grim-faced and very stern Takeda bushi. They are allowed to enter Kofu, but aretold to report to the Special Duties Commission office for inn passes immediately, without stopping at any other place first. The people on the street seem variously agitated, distressed or somber. The ronin looks around at them, observing and considering. Three young, dirty street youths approach them.
Porter services for carry your property out of Kofu? one said. Saburo replied,
Out of Kofu? Why? The teenager looked at him with an incredulous look.
Did you just come out of the boondocks? Three copper days for the news. The budoka produces the coins. The ronin listens with perhaps professional interest, but face impassive.
The Takeda and Minamoto got beaten like turnip thieves and came back with their tails touching their stomachs. No one has seen Yoritomo's face, he's running away so fast that it's hard to catch sight of his arse. Kofu Castle is wide open for a siege, and all of this.... He sweeps his arm grandly at the residences, shops, taverns, warehouses, teahouses, brothels and clan government offices around.
...Is wide open for fire. The ronin kind of nods to himself, as if it is what the professional soldier had surmised.
Taisho and the pilgrims report to the Special Duties Commission office to present themselves to get permission to stay in Kofu for some days. The four low samurai clerks in the front room seem variously worried, grim, or mournful. The sliding
shoji doors to the Commissioners and the scholar's room behind are closed, and the travelers are not invited to go beyond them. The travelers state their names, registries are searched, and names are found. The outsider inn guests are issued passes to stay in inns for three days in Kofu. The ronin spots a hot tea kettle on low coals in the clerks room. with teacups around it.
Some tea on a cold day for us travelers, friends? He drops four silver moons on the issuing clerk's desk. He takes out brush and paper and issues full week 10-day passes.
Taisho leads the pilgrims to various likely merchant shops he has observed during his three months stay in Kofu. But he was unable to find anyone especially interested in the jadeite pendant or charm. They may be buying conservatively because the Takeda defeat. But more likely, they don't think the old think has a good buyer for profit. Taisho knows that a Nippon merchant is no less of a disciplined warrior than a bushi-- when confronted with adversity, they weigh the odds, risks, and benefits, and act with cold self-discipline. He sells the three items for 276 silver moons total, about what he expected. He borrows the merchant's abacus and does the math. 51 moons and 6 days per party member. He divides the coins and gives the ronin and two budoka each their shares. He keeps Haruto’s to give him when he arrives in Kofu. Or if not, to give to his sister-in-law Yayoi in Fujikawa-cho.
When Taisho arrives at the Yoroh-no-Taki
(Elderly Person Waterfall) inn, and found Akemi there. She's happy to see Taisho.
Taisho-san! You're back! It seems she wants to give him a sisterly hug-- but that is not done in Nippon, except by sisters to young little brothers. But she doesn't formally bow either, the way one would do with a someone who's outside
nakama inner circle of close friends. Taisho expects her to ask about the pilgrimage to Fuji-san, but instead she says,
The Battle of Okitsu in Suruga is over, but Kentaro and Hiroshi have not returned. It seems she has been waiting for a long time to discuss her news with a friend.
I tried to find them but... the Minamoto controlled the bodies of the not-present on the battlefield. I think they went north, through Suruga, instead of directly through the pass back to Kai. If they did that, and were healthy and didn't stop, they could be back only four or five days from now. Tomorrow, I will check the pass again. She looks down and look of care and worry crosses her face. She looks up at Taisho.
Many unexpected things can happen in the confusion war. Isn't that right, older brother Taisho-san?
Taisho and Haruto get 51 sp, 6 cp each. A successful BCS would have gotten more, but I didn’t dock you for the failed BCS. I was going to do it by plus/minus 5% per effect number difference, but that didn't seem to make sense. If we did it that, all parties with no one with Commerce skill would need to roll a critical success not to get docked when selling their loot.
Taisho can train for up to 6 days before Hiroshi and Buru arrive at the inn. Haruto in Fujikawa's evening in the kakuriyo for this coming next. If your chars want to change actions or intervene at any point, just let me know. Trying to get Buru, Haruto, Hiroshi, and Taisho all back on the same day. 
