In which we meet Genji, and he is awesome.
Actually, this chapter is really more about Genji's mother, and how everyone was very sad when she died, to the extent that it was kind of inappropriate.
Apparently, the Emperor was crazy in love with her, and he would keep having her come visit him, like, all the time, which according to the COPIOUS FOOTNOTES was also kind of inappropriate because it was like treating her as a servant. (Yay, Heian women had rights, sort of! but not really.)
Anyway, Genji is the most beautiful child anyone has ever seen, to the degree that it is, all together now: kind of inappropriate. But it turns out okay, because he is so beautiful that you can't really be mad at him, not even the Emperor's other consort (the mother of the Heir Apparent), especially after the Emperor decides to make Genji a commoner (even though he really wants him to be his successor because he is AWESOME).
Oh, and then the Emperor marries Genji (age 12) off to Aoi, who is 16 and apparently not impressed with the famed Genji beauty. Somehow I don't think this marriage will go well.
Especially since he kind of has a crush on the Emperor's new consort, Fujitsubo.
Inappropriate!
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