73話 話は両方から聞くべし
悪びれない利民の様子に、雨妹は眉をひそめる。
「潘公主は黄家に乞われたから来たのでしょうに」
「知らねぇよ、それこそジジィが勝手に呼んじまったんだよ」
どうやら潘公主から聞いた話と、利民の意見は違うらしい。
薄情な気がするが、だがそもそも政略結婚なんてこんなものなのかもしれない。
それに口は悪いものの、潘公主に対する積極的な悪意は見られない。
雨妹がそう考えていると、立勇がさらに問いかける。
「では、潘公主がお身体を壊されたのは、知っていてああなるまでに放置していたのか?」
なるほど、留守をしている間に事態が悪化していたのか。
立勇はこの意見に特に何も言わず、さらに追及を続ける。
「あの屋敷は、元々利民殿が住んでいたのか?」
これに利民は首を横に振る。
「元は親父のモンでな、俺は船や定宿で寝泊りだったんだ。
「屋敷の古い使用人は、その御父上の頃からいた者なのか?」
「いんや? 慣れた連中は自分の屋敷へ連れて行ったさ。
なるほど、利民自身もあの屋敷に慣れていなかったということか。
屋敷住まいをしていなかったのなら、使用人の教育が出来ていないのも無理はないと思えて来た。
利民はとりあえず仕事が出来る人達を呼び寄せ、これで屋敷の管理が回るだろうと考えたのだろう。
けれど、人間関係というのは補充して終わりではなく。
彼らをうまく馴染ませられる人間が、屋敷に残っていなかったのだ。
ここまで話していたところで、店の者が機会を見計らっていたようにお茶を運んできた。
雨妹たちは一旦追及を休止し、そのお茶で喉を潤す。
「しっかしよぉ、俺がせっかくお上品に取り繕っていたってのに、テメェらにはすっかりお見通しだったってか。
利民が椅子の背もたれに仰け反るように座り、そう零すが。
「......そうですかね?」
これに雨妹は疑問の声をあげる。
「あぁん?」
そう話しながら柄の悪い笑みを浮かべる利民に、雨妹はじっとりとした目を向ける。
「利民様は、公主という人の立場をわかっていないようですね。
雨妹の意見に、立勇も頷く。
「まあ、確かに。
「......」
雨妹と立勇の二人して否定された利民は、むっつりと黙り込む。
潘公主はおそらく、知ったうえで黙って見守っていたのだ。
それが後宮で生きる上で、最良の方法だったから。
――この夫婦、決定的に意思疎通不足な気がするわ。
特に嫌いあっているわけではないのに、お互いに遠慮してしまってすれ違うというわけだ。
「とにかく。潘公主は今お体を元に戻そうと努力していらっしゃるのですから。
雨妹の忠告に、利民は眉をひそめた後。
「あー、陸は面倒が多いなぁ。
そう言ってお茶をグイっと飲み干した時。
バタバタバタ......
個室の外から慌ただしい足音がしたかと思ったら。
そう言って飛び込んできたのは、若い男だった。
船乗りの格好をしているので、利民の部下なのだろうか。
「客人の前でうるせぇぞ!」
叱りつける利民に、男は「てぇへんなんだ!」と台詞を繰り返してから告げた。
「沖で商船が狙われて、交戦中だ!
そしてそう言い置いた利民は雨妹たちを見ることなく、急ぎ足で部屋から出ていった。
やがて、静かになった室内で雨妹は呟く。
「ここのお会計は?」
あの様子で果たして、支払いを済ませて出ていっただろうか?
この疑問に、立勇が冷静に言う。
「馴染みの店みたいだし、ツケが利くのだろうが。
こうしてお茶代と個室の使用代を合わせて少々多めの金を立勇が払い、店を出たのだが。
雨妹も立勇も、自然と足が向くのは港である。
Chapter 73
Yui Mei knit her brows at Li Min's shamelessness.
"The Huang family was the one who requested Princess Pan's hand, and yet."
"Nah, it doesn't have anything to do with me, that old geezer was the one who decided that on his own."
Apparently, the story they heard from Princess Pan was very different from Li Min's perspective.
He might come off as heartless, but then, it's also possible for a political marriage is just something like this.
And despite having a sharp tongue, he didn't seem to harbor ill will or grudges towards the princess.
Yui Mei pondered about this. Li Yong then continued on.
"So, did you leave Princess Pan on her own while knowing that she was ill?"
So that meant her condition worsened while he was away.
Li Yong did not comment on this, and continued on with his interrogation.
"Did Lord Li Min live in that mansion from the beginning?"
Li Min shook his head.
"Nah, my old man owned that mansion before, and I usually slept at the ship or stayed in my regular inns. Then out of the blue, they just said 'your marriage has been decided so take charge of the house' you know. It's only been a short while since they forced that place on me."
"The old servants in that mansion -- were they already there from the time of your Father?"
"Nope? He took the guys he's familiar with back to his own mansion. The left-overs were all underlings, that's why the empty positions were hastily filled."
So that was the case. Even Li Min wasn't used to being in that mansion.
If he didn't 'lived' in the mansion, then it was understandable why the servants' were not trained.
Li Min just summoned people who can do the job, thinking that they can do something about managing the mansion.
However, one can't wrap up 'human relationships' with just doing replacements.
There was not a single person left in that mansion who could help them adapt.
The staff of the shop took this opportunity to serve the tea, as if they already predicted that it would be a good time to do so.
Yui Mei and the rest took a break from the interrogation, and they sipped the tea.
"But still, I already did a great job glossing over it, but you guys still saw right through us. Well, you already relayed this to Lady Princess, I guess."
Li Min leaned on his chair and tilted his head backwards as he grumbled.
"....I'm not sure about that, though?"
Yui Mei said skeptically.
"Huuuhh?"
Li Min smirked roguishly, but Yui Mei stared at him with reproachful eyes.
"Lord Li Min doesn't understand a princess' status, it seems. For women in the Inner Palace, the ability to infer the other party's real intentions and ulterior motives is truly indispensable. A princess is far superior than the other women in the Inner Palace, so there's no way she possessed that."
Li Yong also agreed with Yui Mei's opinion.
"Indeed, that is true. Princess Pan really did excel in that area."
"...."
Li Min sullenly shut his mouth when Yui Mei and Li Yong negated his thoughts.
Princess Pan already knew, but she probably chose to keep mum about it, and while attentively watching over Li MIn.
It was the ideal method in order to survive in the Inner Palace, after all.
'This husband and wife seem like they don't really understand each other.'
They didn't dislike each other, but both of them were holding back, so they end up misunderstanding each other.
"Anyway, Princess Pan is currently doing all she could to restore her health. Lord Li MIn should also watch over her, and talk it out with her, too. If the mansion remained that way, then the Princess will just fall ill again."
Li Min scrunched his brows at Yui Mei's warning.
"Blimey, being on land is sooo troublesome.Can't be helped, gonna go home."
He gulped the tea after saying that.
Thud thud thud thud....
The heavy, hurried footsteps resounded from outside the private room.
A young lad came charging in.
He was wearing a sailor's garb, so he must be Li Min's underling.
"You're too loud in front of the guests!"
Li Min scolded him, but he still repeated "This is really bad!".
"A merchant ship got targeted offshore, they're in battle!! Some of the ships already sailed off the harbor to support 'em, but they're at disadvantage!"
Li Min dropped those words, then he dashed out of the room without a single glance at Yui Mei and Li Yong.
After a while, Yui Mei broke the silence in the room.
"What about the bill?"
Did he settle the bill before leaving, seeing he was in that state?
Li Yong calmly answered her question.
"It seems that he's familiar with this shop, so they'll probably put it on his tab. Well, there's no way the Crown Prince will let his subordinates leave a restaurant without paying, so let's settle the bill."
And so, they left the shop after Li Yong paid for the private room and tea, and it was a sizable amount.
Yui Mei and Li Yong naturally headed towards the harbour.
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