14話 張美人
明賢は用が済んだので執務室から退室した後、しばらく無言で歩いていたが。
「言わなくてよかったのですか?」
誰もいない回廊で、部下の
「なにをだい?」
「医局にいた、あの宮女のことをです」
立勇が言葉を選んで告げることに、明賢は口の端を挙げた。
「全くあの娘は、どうしてこんなところに来てしまったんだか」
明賢は医局で見た宮女を思い浮かべて、苦笑を漏らす。
その宮女は珍しい髪をしており、夜空のような青みを帯びた不思議な色合いであった。
と言い、雨の日に生まれた女の子だから雨妹だと、親にはもう少し捻って名付けて欲しかったとむくれていた。
髪の色だけであれば、似ている者がいると思うだけ。
しかしこの両方を持ち、なおかつ名を雨妹となれば、偶然では済まされない。
雨妹なんて適当といわれても仕方のない名を、あの赤子に付けたのは志偉だ。
宮女の管理をしている
「張美人は、権力争いの煽りを受けた被害者でしたね」
「そう、優しくて穏やかで、不幸な人だったよ」
立勇の言葉に、明賢は過去を思い出すように目を伏せる。
皇太后は自身の立場をより強固なものにしようと、明賢の場合同様に己の姪を志偉に皇后として押し付けた。
そんな殺伐とした状況で、志偉が癒しを求めて穏やかな性格の妃嬪の元に通うのは、自然の流れだったであろう。
そうして愛を育んでいた相手が、張美人だ。
当時志偉には太子となる男子――つまりは明賢が、皇后以外の妃嬪にすでに産まれていたため、義務から解放された気持ちでもあっただろう。
一方で、皇后はこの状況にやきもきしていた。
他の妃嬪には子が産まれるのに、皇后には子ができない。
『その男が張美人の元から出て来たのを、私の女官が見た』
皇太后の命で張美人の屋敷に捜索の手が入り、なんと男の持ち物だとされる物が発見される。
「そんな男も物も見たことがない」という張美人の言葉は黙殺である。後ろ盾がない張美人は、志偉が庇いたてしても皇太后には敵わなかった。
後宮では真実よりも、皇太后の意見の方が強かったのだ。
皇帝の妻たちの姦通は死罪。
けれど皇后の産んだ男子を太子とすることを、志偉が決して認めなかったため、その子は十五歳になった昨年後宮を出た。
だが皇后はまだ己の子を太子にする機会を狙っており、明賢も何度も毒を盛られたり刺客を送られたりとせわしない毎日だ。
後宮に舞い戻って来た雨妹は、一体どういうつもりなのか。
心配であると同時に、明賢の心が浮き立つのだ。
確固たる後ろ盾のないままに雨妹が公主であることを明かせば、張美人の二の舞を起こしかねない。
雨妹はそのことをわかっているのかは定かではないが、己の出自を主張するでもなく、ただの下級宮女として働いている。
――目立ちたくないのだろうな。
そう思って、明賢も楊に余計なことを言わずにおいた。
そのように地味に活躍している雨妹の素性がもし明らかになれば、皇太后や皇后はきっと排除か取り込みかの働きかけをかけるに違いない。
雨妹が公主と認められるということは、皇后の姦通が裁かれるということなのだから。
「はっ、......はあ?」
「そう。だって、ほかの者に頼んだら誤解されるじゃないか」
明賢が雨妹を召し上げようとしていると噂されれば、雨妹が悪目立ちしてしまう。
もう少し様子を見て、雨妹の後宮にやって来た目的を探った後で、志偉に教えてやろうと思っているのだ。
――もしかしたら、父上への復讐かもしれないんだしね。
なにより、雨妹が自身の事をどう聞いているのかも調べなければならない。
「......私も結構危うい立場なのですがね」
Chapter 14
After Ming Xian was done with his business, he excused himself from the study. He strode on with nary a word for a while.
"Is it really fine without saying anything?"
Li Yong, his subordinate, whispered when they reached a deserted corridor.
"What do you mean?'
"About the girl that was in the clinic...."
Li Yong chose his words carefully, but the corners of Ming Xian lips lifted in a smirk.
"Really, why on earth did that girl decide to come here?"
Ming Xian was reminded of the court lady he saw at the clinic, and he gave a strained laugh.
The girl's hair was novel, with its marvelous tinge of midnight-blue. Also, the hue of her eyes was the noble blue.
She said she was named Yui Mei, because she was a girl born on a rainy day. She even sulked, saying that she wished her parents gave it a bit more thought when they named her.
If It was just the hair color, then there must be others who have something similar. It was the same for the eye color. The noble blood could also be inherited, even if it was far down the lineage.
However, possessing both qualities was a different matter altogether; moreover, she was also named 'Yui Mei'. It was definitely not a coincidence.
Even if the name 'Yui Mei' was helplessly perfunctory, it was still a name bestowed by Zhi Wei to that infant.
According to Yang, the person who managed all the court ladies, Yui Mei was a maiden recruited from the border regions. If it was the borderlands... then it would be the location of the nunnery where Lady Zhang, one of the Beauties, was banished.
"Lady Zhang was the victim who bore the brunt of the power struggle."
"Indeed. Kind and calm, such an unfortunate person."
At Li Yong's words, Ming Xian casted his eyes down as he recalled the past.
In order to strengthen her power and control, the empress dowager forced her niece on Zhi Wei to become his empress, just as she did to Ming Xian. Unfortunately, Zhi Wei did not have the power to resist her at that time.
Due to the savage circumstances, It was only natural that the emperor would seek out respite among the tranquil concubines.
And it was to Lady Zhang the emperor gave his heart to.
At that time, he also had a son, Ming Xian, from another concubine, so he felt he was relieved of his duty, since he already had an heir apparent. Shortly after, Lady Zhang bore the dragon seed in her womb, and she gave birth to a princess.
On the other hand, the empress fretted over the turn of events.
The other concubines gave birth, but the empress still did not have a child. It was only natural, since nothing happened between her and the emperor. However, it was enough to breed malicious rumours that the empress was infertile.
-- ''My maid saw that man come out of Lady Zhang's chambers."
By the empress dowager's command, Lady Zhang's residence was searched, and an object that purportedly belonged to a man was found.
-- "I never saw that man, much less that item!"
Lady Zhang did not have any backing, so even if Zhi Wei wanted to shield her, she did not have a chance against the empress dowager. In the Inner Palace, the empress dowager's words carried more weight than the truth.
Adultery by imperial wives was a capital crime, punishable by death. That was the desire of the empress dowager, but Zhi Wei vehemently protested, thus she escaped death by a hair's breadth. However, Lady Zhang was eventually driven out of the Inner Palace, and along with the new born princess, they were forced to live in the nunnery located in a remote region.
The empress, who was the true perpetrator of adultery, was still in the harem, due to the protection of the empress dowager. However, Zhi Wei fervidly refused to acknowledge her child as the crown prince, so the boy left the Inner Palace last year when he turned fifteen.
However, the empress continued to scheme to  make her son the crown prince, so she tried to poison Ming Xian countless times, and she even sent assassins after him time after time; it was a restless life. Thanks to that, she did not have the time to bear an heir, so she remained childless.
What in the world was Yui Mei's purpose for returning to the Inner Palace?
Along with anxiety, Ming Xian felt exhilarated. It was as if a lovable, boisterous bird wandered inside a place where the atmosphere was stagnant since the wind stopped blowing.
If the identity of Yui Mei, who had no support, was revealed, then Lady Zhang's history might repeat itself.
It was not certain whether Yui Mei knew this, but she did not assert her birthright, and she was working as an ordinary low ranking court lady. According to Yang, she was an industrious person. Initially, he thought she was working at the clinic, but surprisingly, she was just a housekeeper. What a waste of ability. Moreover, she could read. She even explained the origin of her name when asked the other day. From that alone, it could be surmised that she could write, and she knew the meaning of those letters. Yang did not notice that Yui Mei could read, but this might be her own unsubstantiated assertion.
'She doesn't want to be conspicuous.'
Ming Xian also decided not to say a word about it to Yang. In addition, without scheming for it, she obtained Lady Wang's request to clean her residence, which formerly belonged to Lady Zhang.
If the identity of Yui Mei, who was living unobtrusively, was brought to light, then the empress dowager and empress would definitely find a way to either expel her, or capture her.
If Yui Mei was acknowledged as a princess, then the empress's adultery would also be judged.
"Huh...What?"
"Indeed. If it was anyone else, then wouldn't a misunderstanding occur?"
If speculations that Ming Xian was trying to summon Yui Mei arose, then Yui Mei would be in an unfavorable spotlight.
Ming Xian intended to observe Yui Mei, and then report her true motive for entering the Inner Palace to Zhi Wei.
'Revenge against Father is also a likely reason. After all, it is plausible that a child would harbor resentment against the father who abandoned her in a nunnery.'
More than anything, it was urgent to know the extent of Yui Mei's knowledge and her views regarding herself.
"...I am also currently in a precarious situation, though."
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