This is the second gaiden. It features the following stories:

1. First appearance of Ryuuren. Occurs at a different place from where it does, chronologically, in the anime. In the anime, it happens while Shuurei is in the palace, but in the novels, it occurs after she has left, around the time of the exam. Events here are quite different, though. I actually don’t understand why this one was eliminated, because it actually gives a lot of insight into the characters of Ryuuren, and oddly, Reishin, as well as developing Shuuei as a character (as he is somewhat underused, I believe).

2. Story of the Autumn Festival: This *wasn’t* animated. It takes place after Shuurei and Eigetsu have become governors, but before New Year’s, so between books five and six. I actually have to wonder if they’ll animate this as a flashback, because IMHO it gives a lot of important information about the Hyou clan and Hyou Riou (both of them). Actually, I wish they had put this in, because it adds more development to Kokujun, Shunki, and Sai Rin.

3. Post book eight story involving the main principals in that book. Ryuuren takes Shuurei and Eigetsu, with Kourin tagging along, on a tour of the newest tourist spots of the Sa Province capital. Occurs after the main events of book eight. This is a fairly cute story. (Yeah, Ryuuren appears a lot in this gaiden. It’s no coincidence he was on the cover.)

4. A short piece, after the afterword.

Okay, first story. It begins with Reishin being mysteriously happy for some reason (Kouyuu tries to interrupt him to discuss the arrival of Ryuuren, by telling him ‘hey, you just got a letter from Shouka-sama,’ and is punished for fibbing by being given extra work… Also Reishin warns him not to hang around Ryuuki too much. Although Kouyuu is happy to be seen as a member of the Kou family, he’s not sure why Reishin says this), and Ran Shuuei being depressed because Ryuuren has been making a lot of trouble, and he’s of course identified as his elder brother. In any case, he goes to meet Ryuuren, Eigetsu, and Shuurei after they’re done with the exams. Shuurei is yelling at Ryuuren for playing his flute and generally driving people insane. His elder brother commands him to come home with him (not that Shuuei particularly wants to do it, but his three elder siblings have ordered him to). They argue a lot (during which Ryuuren says he’ll stay in that run-down house… that is, Shouka’s manor), and eventually Shuuei seriously tells Ryuuren to think of his position and the Ran clan, and also threatens to pull his sword on him. Ryuuren eventually gives in, and tries to give his flute to Shuurei and Eigetsu, but as the flute is very heavy, Shuuei tells Ryuuren to be rational and just give them some of his feathers, which he does.

At home, Shouka asks Shuurei and Eigetsu if Ryuuren resembles Shuuei. They are somewhat 0_o at this question, but agree he does facially. (During the exam they had to change into uniforms to prevent cheating, so they saw that when not wearing his usual outfit, Ryuuren does shockingly look like a conventionally good looking young man. Shouka then says that Ryuuren must resemble his other elder brothers, of which there are, besides Shuuei, three. Shouka doesn’t mention that their father was a ladies’ man and had a lot of children with women beside his legitimate wife (the mother of the five brothers). Shuurei is interested to hear that her father still exchanges greetings with the older Ran brothers, and thinks they must be nice people if they still haven’t cut off her father after he was disinherited. They chat for a long time about Ryuuren, and how odd, but how straightforward a person he is. Shuurei says that Ryuuren is about 52 degrees off from the normal person. If he were 90 or 180 degrees off, it would be easier to understand him.

Then, Shouka thinks about how this situation reminds him of… his next youngest brother’s, although he’s sort of the opposite, maybe about 232 degrees off. Speaking of Reishin, he goes and visits Kou Kijin without phoning in advance or anything. (My, people are correct when they say that the characters in Saiunkoku are rude) They prepare to drink some tea together, and Kijin asks Reishin what he thinks about Ran Ryuuren coming to Kiyou. However, Reishin says he doesn’t care, and just like Kouyuu, Kijin is asking him about something he doesn’t really care about. Kijin takes his tea away and tells him to go home. Reishin, however, continues to sit there and thinks that Kijin is unlike him, very concerned about the future of the country. Reishin says that it doesn’t matter because even if Ryuuren is a natural prodigy, he’s not going to be of any use in the government, because there’s not really any place in the government for someone like him. However, he’s at the same time very important because he has an ability to see through to the truth of any situation, a power which outstrips the supernatural powers of the Hyou clan. However, thinks Reishin, Ryuuki will probably never get Ryuuren to work for him.

Then Reishin explains the real reason he’s come to visit Houju. He’s got a present for him, some masks which portray Shouka’s various expressions (smiling, somewhat at a loss, etc.). The masks are so lifelike they’re somewhat disturbing. Reishin urges him to try on the masks, which he made so that he could practice for when he visits Shouka’s house. Uh, okay. Houju is not impressed by this gift, to say the least. (Good lord… I think at this point it’s highly hypocritical of Reishin to refer to anyone as strange. And they think Houju is the weird one?!?! ) Anyway, in response to Reishin’s ramblings, Houju says that Shuurei probably thinks of him as that strange ojisan, and not only that, he hasn’t even sent her seasonal greetings (as Houju has). He then goes for the direct hit, and says that he used to be worried about becoming Reishin’s relative, but if he continues like this, it’ll be like having a ghost relative, so he’s relieved. This prompts Reishin to flee. Anyway, afterwards, Houju reflects that Reishin was lucky to have Shouka, who totally accepted him, as Reishin is, somewhat like Ryuuren, a genius who was isolated from normal people, and thanks to Shouka, Reishin was able to connect to other people.

Later, Ryuuren and Shuuei are sitting around the Ran mansion. They talk, with Ryuuren for once not referring to him as “foolish elder brother #4.” Apparently there is something strange about Kiyou, the dream capital under the protection of the eight immortals, and Ryuuren felt that it was testing him when he entered. Then Shuuei gives Ryuuren a towel (as he has just taken a bath), and tells him to dry his hair, or he’ll catch a cold. Ryuuren then recites a poem for some reason. BTW, it happens that Ryuuren is only bad at the flute. With other instruments or artistic things, he’s top-notch. Shuuei tells Ryuuren that Shuurei has invited him to dinner tomorrow, and in response, Ryuuren says he’ll go out and earn a bit of money. We learn that Ryuuren succeeded to the name at age four, and sometime afterwards, he set out on a journey, and rarely returned home. It’s important to the Ran clan that Ran Ryuuren not be manipulated or easily influenced by others, so it seems that the elder brothers don’t mind his strange ways. Shuuei reflects that because of Ryuuren’s personality and their lack of contact, he doesn’t have a close relationship like Seiran and Ryuuki or Shouka and Reishin do. In fact, at times it feels more like Ryuuki is his younger brother. At the time (fourteen years ago) Ryuuren succeeded to the name, his elder brothers returned to Ran province and divided the clan leadership among themselves. This was probably, among other reasons, to give Ryuuren some time to see the world, because if he became the clan leader, he would be eternally alone, which he isn’t, now that he’s made some friends. It’s not like he really needs to become the leader anyway, so he is more free than the previous Ryuurens have been. Shuuei says that his cruel elder brothers are quite nice to Ryuuren, and also says that he’s sorry for thinking that he’s a strange and unreasonable and uncute younger brother. Ryuuren says that’s okay, because it’s like how he thinks that Shuuei doesn’t understand elegance etc. However, Ryuuren has to interrupt this “first time heart-warming brotherly talk” to go out and earn money. Shuuei tells Ryuuren to put on a coat if he’s going out, and Ryuuren tells him that unlike his three elder brothers, who are kind to him as their younger brother, Shuuei is unselfconsciously kind to him.

The next day, Shuurei and Eigetsu approach the Ran manor, when they are accosted by Kochou, who is looking for Ryuuren, as he has somehow offended the organization by winning constantly at gambling and causing an uproar. So they have to stay in the Kogarou as bait for Ryuuren, who promptly shows up (in a rush, so he is dressed normally and appears to be your average biseinen), and throws a bundle on the table. It’s not money, though, as Shuurei finds out to her horror, it’s a mask which resembles her father (the “somewhat at a loss” face). What happened was that Ryuuren came across a disoriented person who dropped the mask. Seeing that it was the face of some relation of Shuurei, Ryuuren decided to confiscate it, fearing that it would be used for some nefarious purpose. However the man came to his senses and ran after him in a rage, so Ryuuren, because he is not a thief, gave him (er, struck him with) the money he had earned. Thus the money turned into the mask. However, he won’t just give up the mask in return for his friends, because he fears the bosses will do something bad with it, so he offers to gamble with cards. If he wins, he gets everything, if he loses, he’ll pay up. He beats most of them, then Kochou steps up to the challenge.

Then, she puts on the mask. Everyone is disturbed by this, especially given the visuals. Ryuuren is also disturbed because the mask makes him feel like he’s playing against his friend’s father, and later loses. At this point, Shuuei shows up, and agrees to pay the bill. He also apologizes for the trouble his foolish younger brother caused. Kochou gives Shuurei the mask, and they leave. After they’ve left, Kochou remarks that it adds to her repute that she has defeated the Dragon Flute Gambler, a mysterious master gambler, who has become famous around the land. Examining the cards, they find that both players were on the brink of assembling the strongest hand, “Ascent of the Dragon King,” which should not have happened. Someone was cheating….

Later, Shuuei tells them that Ryuuren was just given one ryou when he set out on his journey, a great sum to the common people, but not that much to a rich person. So Ryuuren made his living by gambling.  Anyway, after dinner, Ryuuki meets with Ryuuren, as in the anime, to give him the seal, and Shuuei and Shouka chat. We learn that in the past, apparently Reishin was very troublesome to the triplets, despite being around the same age as them. (why, actually, is something not discussed in the novels so far) Also, the triplets respect Shouka, to the extent that if he were to participate in politics, they would probably have the Ran officials return. The conversation between Ryuuki and Ryuuren is as it is in the anime, but Ryuuki also states that he won’t push for the Ran clan officials to return, although he would welcome it if they did. When Ryuuki didn’t give Shuuei a position at first, he became a military official. So the Ran clan has given Ryuuki another chance, but his reply is that he waits without expectation.

Comments: Reishin is scary. 0_o Anyway, this story becomes even more interesting if you factor in what’s going on with the current events in the novel. This is a much more interesting story than in the anime, because Ryuuren’s character seems deeper here.