***
徐州
というのも、孫息子の一人に任せていた港街の佳から、とある「届け物」が送られてきたからだ。
黄大公の視線の先にあるのは、複数の生首である。
これを目にした使用人の数人が、卒倒して倒れてしまった。
その中での見覚えのある首の額に、紙切れが貼り付けられていた。
『愛しき児を悲しませる輩に、天誅を』
そう冒頭に書かれた紙には、生首たちがどうしてこうなったか、詳細もある。
それで、この首たちが佳の黄家の屋敷を襲って失敗したのだと知れた。
「これはこれは、大物が含まれておりますな」
側近の一人が呟くのに、黄大公は渋い顔となる。
「まさか、あの馬鹿娘の義弟とはな」
そう、紙が貼りつけられている生首は、娘の一人が婿にとった男の弟であったのだ。
娘は贅沢が好きな女であるので、佳の港が生み出す財が欲しいのだろう。
そんな者に任せれば、船があっという間に佳から離れ、寂れ行くのが目に見えている。
つまり娘もその夫も、施政者としての才能がとんとないのである。
そんな愚か者の下につくような、大人しい一族ではないというのに。
――皇帝と融和に踏み切ったことで、我が腑抜けたと思われたのだろうな。
これまでの黄家の歴史は、戦乱と共にあった。
戦によって領土を広め、豊かになったのは確かである。
しかし、人は戦い続けることなどできないのだ。
戦をするのは民草で、彼らが戦ばかりをやっていては、食糧を作ることができなくなる。
戦で勝った挙句、民が皆飢え死にしたとなっては、なんの意味もない。
しかし黄家の中には、この事実を理解できず、さらなる戦乱を望む声が未だに大きい。
故に突然戦乱による領土拡大を止め、皇帝との融和を為した黄大公への反感があるのは承知していた。
そういう輩こそ武力でもって抑えてきたし、今や徐州の安寧に力を注ぐ時期として、黄家の中でも比較的穏やかな気性だが頭が切れる息子と、その孫に目をかけていたのだが。
「ふん、利民の奴はようやく動く気になったようだな」
黄大公は遠くを見る目でそう零す。
あの孫息子は才覚もあるし民にも好かれているのに、どうにも面倒がる気質があった。
それがようやく重い腰を上げたようで、やはり嫁をとらせたのがよかったのか。
その嫁が病みがちであると聞こえて心配したが、それも回復していると知らせがあり、なによりだとホッとしていたのだが。
ここへ来て、まさかの横やりが入るとは。
「なんと、志偉が手を出してくるとはな。
黄大公も、そんなものかと納得する。
だがなにはともあれ、これで次期黄大公の座の争いは、ひとまず収まることだろう。
あの馬鹿娘が金をばら撒いて味方につけた海賊を、利民が潰したというし。
「それにしても、志偉の奴は腑抜けておらなんだか」
黄大公は眼を鋭くして、梗の都がある方角を睨む。
「あの男が弱った今が勝機だなど、知らぬ輩は恐ろしいことを抜かすわ」
「さようでございますな、知らぬとは幸せなことで」
弱ったところで、猛獣は兎など撫でるだけで殺せてしまうもの。
この事実は、どうやら実際に戦った者でないと、分からないようだ。
***
The Grand Duke Huang, who was the Lord of Xuzhou, was troubled.
He received a set of "packages" from Kai, the port city he had entrusted to his grandson.
A few freshly severed heads lay before Grand Duke Huang.
Some of the servants fainted in terror upon seeing such a sight.
A letter was also pasted on the forehead of one of the men with a familiar face.
Divine punishment on the clan who gave grief to the beloved child
The details of how the freshly severed heads reached their plight were also written in the letter.
Thus, they understood that these assassins failed in their mission to attack the mansion of the Huang family in Kai.
"Goodness me, this must have been the work of some big-shot."
Grand Duke Huang's close aide muttered. The grand duke bitterly scowled when he heard those words.
"As if, it's that stupid daughter's younger brother-in-law."
Indeed, the one with the letter pasted on his forehead was none other one than the younger brother of his daughter's husband. The Duke had many daughters, but this daughter was aiming for the seat of the leader of the Huang family. Her target in particular was the grandson entrusted with governing Kai -- she viewed Li Min as her enemy.
This woman was very fond of luxury and extravagance, so she had wanted all the fortune that Kai had.
If he did what she wanted, he could already see the outcome -- all the ships would avoid Kai, and the port city would surely fall into ruin.
Both this daughter and her husband didn't have a single ounce of talent for governance, yet they were still aiming for that position. How laughable.
They were not a clan who would allow such a fool to trample all over them.
'She probably thought I was a coward for taking the initiative to reconcile with the emperor.'
The history of the Huang family was entwined with wars.
They had expanded their territories through wars, until they finally reached prosperity.
However, they couldn't continue engaging in bloodshed.
The populace were the ones who enlist in the army, so if all they did was war, then there would come a time when no one would be left to provide and produce the food rations and supplies.
Their victories would be meaningless if the people would die in starvation.
However, many members of the Huang family didn't understand that reality, and there were still some who clamoured for warfare.
Thus, there were many who were apathetic, or else held grudges against Grand Duke Huang, because he abruptly stopped the territory expansion and also established harmony with the emperor.
He restrained the clan with force, and because it was the time to pour all their energy to establish peace and tranquility in Xuzhou, he was eyeing his relatively calm but highly intelligent son, as well as his grandson.
"Hmpf, seems like that lad Li Min is ready to make his move, huh."
Grand Duke Huang muttered, with a faraway look in his eyes.
That grandson was smart and beloved by his people, but he had a trait that needed attention.
Thank goodness that he was finally willing to get up and do his job. It seemed that getting him a wife was the right decision.
Previously, news had come that the bride had fallen ill, but she had recovered, so it was a relief.
It was actually surprising that they had come this far when somebody else interfered.
"It's unbelievable that Zhi Wei was going to butt in. Did he dote on that princess this much?"
The grand duke agreed to that.
At any rate, they had to suppress the upcoming strife regarding the succession of his position.
That idiotic daughter paid a huge sum of money to buy the pirates on their side, but Li Min already crushed all of them.
"Still, that guy Zhi Wei ain't a coward, huh."
There was a glint in Grand Duke Huang's eyes as he intently stared towards the direction of Sai's capital.
"Those ignorant clan members probably thought that they're going to win because that guy is weak. They didn't realize how terrible that was. What a bunch of fools."
"Well, ignorance is bliss."
Mistaking a weakened beast for a rabbit and petting it was just courting for death.
Only those who actually fought against it knew the reality of this.
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