| Interlude: A Cluttered, Ramshackle Tea-Shop
There is barely enough room for all of them to stand in the parlor of Mop Mop Bow's Kingdom of Peaceable Teas. The shop is an example in foreignly-ordered chaos, or a study in pleasing small-space feng-shui, depending on one’s point of view. The air seems to be made of equal parts tea, spice, and roast duckling.
Mop Mop Bow says, "Please to make lady comfortable while I brew helpful tea," as he gestures to a low divan partially obscured by several large cloth sacks piled in the corner. "I'm sure you have many questions. Too bad what I sell is tea". He pauses a moment.
"I tell you this thing, though. Plaza much nicer when King Daikon sell his radish across the street. His radish so good, attract good spirits. Good spirits that look after you at no charge." He pauses again, and then continues before anyone can get a word in edgewise...
"Sure miss King Daikon. Too bad he maybe dead. And that nice young priest of Oven he associate with. Not bad for priest of round-eye devil-god...."
As he finishes, Dr. Wu excitedly tugs on Kenji's robe, saying "Kenjiiiiii, while he was talking I was consulting with the mysteries of the Wu, and let me tell you, this place is a place of Wu...not the fierce Wu of Mt. Ju, but... I believe, aha, the Wu of water. And Kenjiiiii, the woman too is wearing much Wu...Wu in necklace, and oh so much Wu in the bracelets on her arms...Kenjiiiii, oh, wait, I suppose I shouldn't have said that last part out loud...."
Dr. Wujuyama turns and addresses Burne, Garbage Man, and the archer. "Would you please do me the honor, honorable man and gwailo, of striking from your minds the last part of what I have just said? Many thanks...."
The woman opens both eyes, stares at Mop Mop Bow and says "Young priest? Of Kruetzel? Did you say dead?!" And then faints dead away.
"Hmmm, now need stronger tea," says Mop Mop Bow, disappearing through a door into the recess of his shop. | 
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