16話 雨妹の噂
玉秀
は、朝から食堂でモリモリご飯を食べて食欲旺盛だ。
そしてなんと、未だにインフルエンザを発症せずにいる。
インフルエンザの潜伏期間は一、二日と短いので、感染しているならとっくに発症しているはずだ。
――我ながら、免疫力がんばったわ。
思えば前世でも、同僚がバタバタとインフルエンザに倒れて職場から消えていく中、一人だけ罹らずに職場で奮闘していた気がする。
そしてもう一つ問題が発覚した。
「ちょっと、あの娘じゃない?」
「寄ると呪われるっていう......」
食堂にいる他の宮女が、雨妹を見てひそひそとなにか言っている。
――聞こえているっつーの。
雨妹は内心でツッコみながらも、極力表情を変えないようにする。
ひそひそしているけれど微かに聞こえるという、絶妙な声量で話すのがまた嫌らしい。
「雨妹が呪いの根源」説もまた、まことしやかに広まっているらしいのだ。
あの時玉秀に施した心肺蘇生が奇異に思われたらしく、現場で野次馬をしていた者たちから流れたようだ。
――私を悪者にして、自分たちのヘタレっぷりを消したいんだろうな。
噂の全体像によると、呪いを恐れず玉秀を助けようとした宦官たちを、雨妹が突き飛ばして邪魔をし、さらなる呪いを振りまいた、という内容だ。
どれだけあの役立たず宦官に都合のいい噂なのだか。
女の嫉妬は海よりも深い。
前世でも女の多い職場にいたので重々知っていたつもりだが、少々後宮を舐めていた。
雨妹はただでさえ後宮入り初日から忙しくて、人間関係の構築が遅れ気味だ。
「美娜さん、おはようございます。
昨日の蒸しパン、
「そうかい!? いやぁ嬉しいねぇ」
玉秀の食事は、初日からずっと宮女の宿舎で用意されているらしい。
太子は太子宮の台所より、宮女の宿舎の台所の方が危険が少ないと判断したのだろう。
――江貴妃がいない間に、太子が頑張って太子宮改革をしてくれるといいけど。
そんなことを考えながら、雨妹が朝食をかき込んでいると。
「......およ」
食堂に三人の宮女が群れて入って来るのが見え、その中に
が出世狙いのズルい女だと言いふらしているのは、あの連中だよ」
――まあ、そうじゃないかと思ってたけどさ。
悪い噂というものを広めるのは、なんの関係も持たない第三者だろうが、生み出すには積極的な悪意を持つ個人が必要となる。
無関心な相手は空気と同じで、噂になり得ないのだから。
宮女には借金を背負って後宮入りした娘もいる中で、梅も他の娘らも恐らく皇帝か太子に見初められるのを期待されて、送り込まれた女たちだ。
あのように華やかさを演出しているが、妃嬪になれなければなんの意味もない。
「阿妹がきっちり仕事をして上に気に入られているのが、癪に障るんだろうさ」
だったら自分もサボらず仕事すればいいのにと、美娜が苦笑するが。
妃嬪になることが目的ならば、彼女たちの家はそこそこの身分なのだろう。
Chapter 16
It was the day after Yui Mei's visit to Yu Xiu.
Yui Mei felt motivated. She went to the dining hall early, and had gobbled her food with great gusto.
Surprisingly, she did not contract the flu.
Influenza's incubation period was one to two days. It was relatively short, so she should already exhibit symptoms had she contracted it.
'My immune system really did a good job, if I say so myself.'
Come to think of it, she did not contract the disease in her previous world, too. All her colleagues were infected, and had to leave their workplace. She felt she struggled hard that time, being the only one who was not infected.
Another problem arose.
"Hey, isn't it that girl over there?"
"You'll be cursed if you come near her..."
The other girls who were in the dining hall kept on whispering about her.
'I can hear you, though.'
Yui Mei retorted inwardly, but she tried her best not to show it on her face.
She hated how they deliberately raised their voices just enough to let her hear as they whispered in that exquisite tone.
'Yui Mei is the source of the curse' - that story was being spread around as a plausible truth.
They thought the CPR that Yui Mei did to Yu Xiu was peculiar, and the spectators at the scene spread those rumors. The eunuchs were the most aggressive among them. They were an incompetent bunch, but they were quick at this kind of jobs.
'They must have wanted to make me the bad guy, and erase all traces of their uselessness.'
According to the entirety of the rumor, the eunuchs who fearlessly wanted to save Yu Xiu despite the curse, were all pushed away by Yui Mei, saying that they were in the way, and then she casted the curse.
That rumor perfectly suited the circumstances of those useless eunuchs. But it would have been good if it was only this rumor. The mayhem was further fanned by the jealousy of her colleagues.
The jealousy of a woman was deeper than the sea.
Yui Mei already knew that about this since she had many female coworkers in her previous world, but she had underestimated the inner harem.
Yui Mei was busy since the first day she entered the Inner Palace, so building rapport with her colleagues had been delayed. She was aware how solitary she was in the midst of the court ladies, and now, this situation occurred. Due to that, no one wanted to be with her; so be it meals, or work, she was left all alone.
"Good morning, Mei Na. Noble Concubine Jiang was very pleased with the mushipan you sent her."
Mei Na seemed to be very busy yesterday after Yui Mei got the mushipan, so she immediately told her about the news today.
"Really!? Wow, I'm glad."
Yu Xiu's meals were prepared in the court ladies' kitchen since her first day at the clinic, probably due to its proximity. However, Ziliang also mentioned that it was the crown prince who gave the order, so he probably did not trust the kitchen staff of the crown prince's palace.
The crown prince must have arrived at the conclusion that the court ladies' kitchen would be less dangerous than the one in his residence.
'The crown prince must be doing his best reorganizing the palace while Noble Concubine Jiang is away.'
Yui Mei bolted down her food as she contemplated.
"...Oh"
A group of three court ladies entered the dining hall. They saw Mei among them. She was Yui Mei's supervisor, but it was the first time she saw her since that first day.
"Those good-for-nothings are the ones saying that Ah Mei is a scheming, ambitious woman."
'Well, I already thought they were the ones, though.'
The people who spread the rumors were strangers who did not have anything to do with her. However, the catalyst who conceived those malicious rumors must have a person with a deep grudge against her.
An indifferent person would be the same as air; rumors were impossible to come from such a person. The only person who had a direct relation with the loner Yui Mei was none other than Mei, who had already expressed animosity right off the bat the first day Yui Mei came to the Inner Palace.
Some of the court ladies were sold to the Inner Palace as collateral for loans, while maidens like Mei were sent to the palace to catch the emperor or the crown prince's fancy.
No matter how ostentatious they were, it would mean nothing if they did not become concubines. And as the years passed, their youthfulness also faded. They were also in a perilous position, so to speak. These women couldn't help but be envious of Yui Mei, who managed to become closer to the crown prince's favored concubine despite being a novice.
"They must be aggravated, since Ah Mei was favored by the higher-ups because you're doing your work properly."
Mei Na said that they should just stop slacking and work, while laughing sarcastically.
If their aim was to be a concubine, then they must have come from well-to-do families. In that case, they would be the type who left all the work to their servants. Being raised and pampered in such a way, they must have been told that they need to catch the eye of the emperor or the crown prince once they enter the palace, and they themselves must have planned to do so.
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