だがそれでも、太子の護衛としては少ない方だろう。
むしろ御者を含めて四人で移動というのがおかしいのである。
他にも黄家からも大勢兵士が出ており、万が一にも黄家の領内で事件が起こらないように、最大の気配りがなされていた。
太子が雨妹と立勇にそう言ってひらりと手を振ると、軒車に乗り込む。
「出立!」
そして近衛の号令で軒車が動き始め、やがて見えなくなった。
こうして
なにより立勇を早く太子に返さなければならないのだから。
よって、潘公主への減量教育のために見積もっている期間は、おおよそ一月ほど。
その間にできるだけのことをしておきたい。
そのためにまずするべきことは、潘公主の体調を元に戻すことだ。
こうして立勇と共に向かった話し合いの場にと用意された部屋の中には、自分たちの他は潘公主とその付き人の娘がいるのみである。
この付き人の娘は、昨日潘公主と話す際に椅子や卓を用意してくれた人物だ。
雨妹よりも年上のようだが、お団子頭の可愛いらしい人で。
「ありがとう、下がってくれていいわ」
「かしこまりました、いつでもお呼びください」
準備を整えた娘に潘公主がそう告げると、彼女は一礼して壁際に下がる。
潘公主の付き人の娘と会話する際の表情が幾分か柔らかく見えた。
――でも確か潘公主って後宮育ちか。
成人するまで後宮で育つ皇子と違い、公主は後宮から出されて母の実家で育てられる場合もある。
まあ公主を迎え入れて、恥ずかしくない教育ができる財力がある実家に限られるのだろうが。
そんな中でも潘公主の母は有力者の娘だったらしいが、娘と離れたくないという理由で実家にやらなかったらしい。
そのおかげで、潘公主は太子とそれなりに交友があったのだが。
けどそうなるとこの付き人の娘は、嫁入りの際に皇帝の許可を得て下賜された人員ということになり。
まあそんな内情は置いておいて、お仕事の話だ。
立勇には事前に説明をしており、この場ではただ黙って話を聞いているだけということになった。
だが立勇がまとめて警護することで屋敷の者を人払い出来た側面もあるため、ここは堪えてもらう。
「では潘公主、普段のお食事についてお聞きします」
場が整ったところで、雨妹が聞き取りを開始する。
「朝はいつもどうなさっていますか?」
「そうね......」
雨妹は詰問にならないように、他愛ないお喋りの口調で尋ねていく。
すると潘公主は寝起きの時間が不規則で、基本朝食は食べずに夕食のみなのだということが判明した。
これは後宮で暮らしていた頃からの習慣らしいことが、付き人の娘からの証言でもわかる。
やはりこの娘は後宮から一緒に来たらしい。
――まあ、後宮ではありがちな生活ではあるんだけど......
潘公主のように遅く起きて肉体労働のない身であれば、一食でも足りるのだろう。
しかしよく話をすれば、痩せる前の潘公主は一食抜いた分、空腹なため夕食の量が増えていた。
つまり朝食抜きでも、摂取する食事量は二食分と同等になっていたのだ。
さらに日の出と共に起きて日の入りと共に寝る生活な庶民と違い、潘公主は夜も明かりの元で遅くまで起きていることも多い。
「潘公主、寝る前のお食事は身体に悪いです」
「......そうなの?」
雨妹が忠告すると、潘公主は初耳だと言うように頬に手を当てる。
どうやらこの国では、内臓の働きについては一般に知られていない知識のようである。
けれどここは潘公主のために、「変な娘」だと思われようが突き進むことにする。
「潘公主は、寝起きから疲れていたりしませんか?」
雨妹の質問に、潘公主がため息交じりに答える。
「......確かに朝は体が重くて、だから起きるのが苦手なの」
――これは、体内リズムが狂っているな。
そう察した雨妹は、食事と睡眠の関係について説明する。
Regardless, the number was still too little for a crown prince's entourage.
Anyway, it's actually weird that only the four of them, including the driver, were travelling around.
The Huang family also sent a large number of soldiers, probably to secure the safety of the crown prince while he was still inside the fief.
The crown prince told Yui Mei and Li Yong, then he waved his hand and climbed the carriage.
"Depart!"
He commanded the Imperial Guards, and the carriage moved on, until they could no longer be seen.
'Hmm, so, how should we move from here.'
She had to return Li Yong to the crown prince's side as soon as possible.
She had approximately one month for overseeing Princess Pan's weight loss training.
Before leaving, she wanted to be able to do everything she could.
Therefore, her first priority would be to return Princess Pan to her previous healthy condition, so she had to interview the princess again about her meals and daily activities.
Yui Mei and Li Yong headed towards the room that was prepared so they could converse in private, and Princess Pan and her attendant were waiting for them inside.
This attendant was the one who prepared the table and chairs when Yui Mei had a one-on-one chat with the princess.
She was older than Yui Mei, but her bun hair was adorable, and she was busy as a bee, looking like a small animal moving around while preparing the tea.
"Thank you, you can withdraw."
"I understand, please call me if you need anything."
After the preparations were completed, Princess Pan told her so, and she went to a spot beside the wall after bowing down.
The princess and the attendant looked relaxed as they conversed, so their relationship must be good. She must have come from the maiden home of the princess to accompany her when she married in.
'Aah, but if I'm not mistaken, Princess Pan grew up in the Inner Palace.'
Unlike the imperial princes who grew up in the Inner Palace until they reached the age of maturity, princesses were taken outside to be raised in the maiden homes of their mothers.
Well, it's probably limited to households who have financial resources to welcome the princesses in their home and provide education that was good enough not to embarrass them.
Princess Pan's mother was also the daughter of an influential person, however, she didn't want to part with her daughter, so she didn't let the princess live in her maiden house.
Thanks to that, Princess Pan and the crown prince became friends with each other.
However, this attendant was bestowed by the emperor in lieu of her maiden home during the marriage, so she must be someone they trusted a lot.
Well, such internal affairs should be set aside for now, and it's time to work.
Li Yong was already informed beforehand, so he would be quietly listening in this place.
However, Li Yong also served as a bodyguard so that she could order the other people of the mansion to leave, thus, she endured her embarrassment.
"So, Princess Pan, please tell me all about your regular meals."
After everything had been arranged, Yui Mei started to interview the princess.
"How are you in the mornings?"
"Hmm, well, that's..."
Yui Mei talked in an easy manner so that the princess won't feel she's being cross-examined.
It was then revealed that Princess Pan's waking hours were irregular, so she normally skipped breakfast, only eating during dinner.
Apparently, she got this habit back when she was in the Inner Palace, and the attendant girl also said that it was true.
Seemed like this girl really came with the princess from the Inner Palace.
'Well, that's kinda common in the Inner Palace, though...'
Since the princess was already waking up so late and she didn't do anything else within the day, that meal was probably 'enough'.
However, before losing weight, Princess Pan would eat twice the normal amount for dinner because she's hungry.
In short, even if she missed breakfast, she would make it up in the evening.
And unlike people who wake up at dawn and sleep at sunset, the princess would stay awake late into the night, and so, it was normal for her to eat some midnight snacks.
"Princess Pan, eating a huge meal before bedtime is a no-no for the body."
"Is that so?"
Princess Pan leaned her cheek on one hand. Apparently, it was the first time she heard about it.
Well, it did seem that this country didn't really know anything about how the internal organs worked.
However, for the sake of Princess Pan, she could only push on, risking being thought of as  'the weird girl'.
"Princess Pan, aren't you tired when you wake up?"
The princess sighed when she heard Yui Mei's question.
"...True, my body feels so heavy, so it's hard to rise."
'So her body rhythm's out of whack, huh.'
And so, Yui Mei explained the relationship of sleep and meals.
Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace
百花宮のお掃除係～転生した新米宮女、後宮のお悩み解決します。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/housekeeper-of-the-hundred-blossom-palace/
Fantasy Romance Shoujo Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Ancient China Complex Family Relationships Different Social Status Female Protagonist Imperial Harem Love Interest Falls in Love First Reincarnated in Another World Royalty
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4104ev/
黒辺あゆみ