Chapter 17, "A Picture Contest"
Chapter 17, "A Picture Contest" (online): In which there is much discussion of art.
So despite the end of chapter 14, where I thought Genji was going to bring the Rokujô lady's daughter (Akikonomu) to his household, at the start of this chapter we are told that Genji changed his mind and brought her to court, where she becomes a consort to the emperor. The prior emperor, Genji's brother, is very elegantly sad about this because he wanted her for himself.
The emperor, who was eleven in chapter 14 and can't be that much older now, is initially intimdated by Akikonomu: "Though he distributed his nights impartially between the two ladies, he preferred the Kokiden apartments [where Tô no Chûjô's daughter lives] for diurnal amusements." (Is he really-no, I don't want to go there. Ick.) However, when he discovers that Akikonomu is an accomplished artist, he starts spending more time with her. Tô no Chûjô and Genji have a courtly competition to send the nicest paintings to court to please the emperor. Soon there are so many paintings in the Kokiden apartments and in Akikonomu's Plum Pavilion that most of the conversations are about art.
Fujitsubo, who hasn't been able to give up her fondness for art, suggests a formal debate between the ladies of both households, and they discuss in detail illustrations from The Bamboo Cutter (Wikipedia summary) and The Tale of the Hollow Tree (which Britannica via a Google cache, at least, doesn't think very highly of), as well as some other paintings. I enjoyed this section very much.
Genji suggests a final inspection and judgment in the emperor's presence, and everyone chooses their paintings and accessories carefully. Prince Hotaru (whose daughter Genji cut out by bringing Akikonomu to court) is asked to act as umpire by the emperor, and he dithers a lot, until (of course) Akikonomu's side brings out a painting Genji did of Suma, where he was in exile. Since G=P it wins in a landslide.
After the contest, Genji is drinking and reminiscing about his studies and his father:
"But there was painting. I was the merest dabbler, and yet there were times when I felt a strange urge to do something really good. Then came my years in the provinces and leisure to examine that remarkable seacoast. All that was wanting was the power to express what I saw and felt, and that is why I have kept my inadequate efforts from you until now. I wonder," he said, turning to Prince Hotaru, "if my presuming to bring them out might set some sort of precedent for impertinence and conceit."
Because G=P, Hotaru doesn't say, "Well, actually, yes," but assures Genji that Genji is brilliant, their father liked tutoring him best, and he's sent all the professional artists off in shame. *eyeroll*
Then there is music and everyone's happy and Genji doesn't sleep with anyone, that's mentioned anyway.
The chapter ends with Genji contemplating withdrawing quietly from the court, to prolong this life and prepare for the next, but not until after his children are properly educated.
There's very polite and civilized court intrigue, the ladies get to show their knowledge, I get to learn about ancient Chinese fairy tales, and Genji isn't obviously a skank. Pretty good, all in all.