Year of the Boar, Ninth Month, Day 25.

The weather has taken a definite turn for the worse. I do not relish the thought of travelling to Purple Lighting during the winter and so I believe I have resigned myself to remaining at Dying Crane until spring. If Yuika does not change her mind and have me thrown out, that is; even a few sevendays by horse would likely finish me off.

I have been watching Yuika's servants very closely for the past day or two, trying to find someone who could replace Nanami in my network. There is absolutely no one I can see who could possibly be trusted to keep me informed; Yuika will only have two of her servants in her chamber to see to her needs and Atsuko is completely loyal so she is out of the question. The little one, Chiko, I think her name is, does not appear to say 'boo' to a goose, is absolutely terrified of Yuika and has yet to so much glance in my direction when she has served us tea and I cannot see any potential in her. I cannot use anyone who cannot get close to Yuika so my options have been severely limited. I intend to ride out to see Nanami in a day or two and see if I cannot persuade her to return to Yuika's service; I know Yuika is missing Nanami although she would never admit it, of course. 

I have yet to come up with any sort of plan regarding the idiotic group of Diplomats Yuika has employed and I see now why it was easy for Itsuki to run riot and rule Dying Crane as she did while Yuika was under the influence of the opium since absolutely no one else has any idea at all how to do anything about the House. I have not been here long enough to begin interfering openly and my heritage carries no weight here anyway. In fact, it likely gives me less influence since I have never run my own House... Still, none of that changes the fact that something must be done or Dying Crane will be bankrupt and Yuika at the mercy of the other Houses by Spring.