76話 らしくない都人
「当たり前なんですか?」
疑問を口にする雨妹に、「そうさぁ」と男が告げる。
「あの連中は、港を使う船に嫌がらせをするのが目的なんだからよぉ」
「ほう、嫌がらせか」
立勇がこの話に、眉をひそめる。
そんな話をしているのもつかの間で、雨妹はすぐに商船から降ろされる怪我人に埋もれることとなった。
大きな船なので、当然乗っている人も大勢いる。
なので怪我人の数も多いので、彼らを一人一人丁寧に診ていては手間がかかるし、重症者が後回しになる危険がある。
なのでまずは軽症者と重症者に分けていくことにした。
これは前世の救急外来でよくやっていた手法である。
そして重症者は、臨時の診療所のようになっている飯屋に集められ、雨妹はそこで手当てに当たることとなった。
立勇も兵の訓練で多少の手当ての心得があるというので、手伝ってくれている。
こうして雨妹が目の前の患者のことに没頭していると。
「ここか、怪我人が集められているのは」
利民の声が聞こえたので顔をあげれば、飯屋の入り口でここの女将らしき人に話しかけているところだった。
「場所を使わせてもらって、済まねぇな女将」
「いいんですよ、困った時はお互い様ですから」
軽く頭を下げる利民に、女将が笑って応じている。
「で、漁師連中がここに怪我人を手際よく手当てする、女と男の二人連れがいるって言ってたんだが」
そう話す女将が雨妹と立勇の方を視線で指し示す。
こちらを見た利民が、「はぁ」と軽く息を吐く。
「そうじゃないかと思ったぜ。
「おや、利民様のところのお客人だったんで?」
利民の愚痴のような言い分に、女将が驚いている。
一方の雨妹は、立勇と顔を見合わせる。
「立勇様、私たちってどうも都人らしくないみたいですね」
「私たちというか、主にお前だな」
雨妹がヒソッと言うと、立勇がそう言い返す。
まあそれは、そもそも都人ではなく辺境人なので当然なのだが。
そんなことを言いあっていると、利民がこちらに近寄って来た。
「まずは礼を言わせてくれ、手助けを感謝する」
そしてそう告げてくる。
「今回は幸いに死人が出ていないし、手当てが早く軽症で済んだ奴も多いと聞いた」
利民がそう言って頭を下げる。
先だっての傍若無人ぶりとはまた違って、雨妹は目を丸くする。
――なぁんか、印象が定まらない人だなぁ。
そんな風に感じて首を傾げる雨妹の横で、立勇が厳しい表情で口を開く。
「あの海賊らしき連中は、頻繁に現れるのですか?」
雨妹は太子からの前情報で、そんな話は聞いていない。
もしそうした物騒な状況だとわかっていたのなら、そもそも皇帝は太子の訪問を許さなかっただろうし、
立勇からのこの質問に、利民が顔をしかめた。
「......仕方ねぇ、こうして首を突っ込まれたからには黙っていても無意味だな。
「あ、それならもうちょっとお待ちを」
利民に移動を促されるものの、この場を途中で放り出すのは気分が良くない。
「利民様を待たせるなんざ、おめぇは豪気だな」
地元民にそんなことを言われたが、利民の話は待たせても内容が変わることはないだろうが。
怪我人は放置すると悪化するのである。優先度を鑑みただけのことだ。
――それに、利民様も嫌な顔をしなかったし。
そのあたりの判断に理解があるあたり、利民は上に立つ者としては有難い人物なのかもしれない。
利民に連れられて行ったのは、海賊騒動が起こる前に話していた店だった。
「奥使うぜ、そして酒をくれ!」
利民が店の者にそう言って、ズカズカと奥へと進んでいく。
Chapter 76
"Isn't it a matter of course?"
Yui Mei asked, and the man replied with "Yep, that's right."
"Those guys aim to harass the ships that use this harbor."
"Hoh, harassment, is it."
Li Yong raised a brow when he heard that.
During their conversation, the injured people were carried in, and Yui Mei was almost buried under them.
The ship was huge, so it stands to reason that the number of passengers would also be many.
Due to the sheer number of injured people, It would take too much time and effort to examine each one of them thoroughly, and there was a risk of overlooking the seriously wounded.
Thus, Yui Mei decided to divide the severely injured from those with light wounds.
This was a method most commonly carried out in the emergency outpatient department in her previous life.
Those with grave situations were gathered in a tavern that had been converted to a temporary clinic. Yui Mei treated them there.
Li Yong also helped, since he also had some experience during training soldiers.
Yui Mei was absorbed in treating the patient before her, when she heard a voice.
"So this is where the injured are all gathered."
She looked up and saw Li Min talking to a woman who seemed to be the hostess of the tavern. Both of them were talking at the entrance.
"Sorry for using your place, Madam."
"There's no need to worry, we should help each other since we are all in the same boat after all."
Li Min slightly bowed his head, and the hostess laughed as she responded.
"So, the fishermen guys told me a woman and a guy took the injured guys over here, and they're treating them skillfully, is it true?"
The mistress then darted a glance at Yui Mei and Li Yong.
Li Min lightly sighed when he saw them.
"I thought so. Even though they're city slickers, they're really commendable, huh."
"Oh, are they the guests that are staying at your place, Lord Li Min?"
The hostess was surprised when she heard Li Min's grumbling.
On the other hand, Yui Mei and Li Yong glanced at each other.
"Li Yong, we do not seem to be city dwellers, huh."
"It's not we, it's you, right."
Yui Mei whispered, and Li Yong retorted back.
Well, that's only natural, since Yui Mei was a ruralite from the borderlands, after all.
Li Min strode towards them while they're busy whispering.
"Let me say my thanks first, I'm grateful for your help."
Then he continued on.
"We're lucky we didn't have casualties this time around, and I heard that because of the early treatment, many of the lightly wounded guys managed to weather it out."
Li Min bowed his head after saying that.
It was totally different from his earlier arrogance, so Yui Mei was shocked.
'Seems like I can't make a fixed impression when it comes to this guy.'
Yui Mei tilted her head in confusion, while Li Yong replied with a stern gaze.
"Do those pirate-like guys frequently appear here?"
Yui Mei didn't hear anything like that from the crown prince during their previous briefing.
The emperor wouldn't let the crown prince come into such a dangerous place, and he would probably call Princess Pan back from Kei if he knew about it in the first place.
Li Min's face hardened when he heard Li Yong's query.
"... It can't be helped then, you're already sticking your noses in, so there's no use keeping mum about this, huh. I'm telling you everything, so let's switch places."
"Ah, in that case, please wait for a while."
Li Min prompted them to change their venue, but leaving her work halfway through this didn't sit well with Yui Mei. And so, she made Li Min wait while she finished examining all the people in the tavern and instructing the other people about what should be done next. They finally moved after she was done.
"You're such a grand lady, making Lord Li Min wait like that."
The local folks commented, but it wasn't as if Li Min's story would change just because she didn't chose to listen first
Besides, neglecting those injured people would aggravate their wounds, so she was just setting her priorities straight.
'Plus, Lord Li Min didn't seem to mind.'
Li Min knew how to grasp the situation, and he was also probably appreciated as a leader. Contrary to that, people who prioritized themselves without regards to the situation were not welcomed in such situations.
Li Min took them back to the restaurant where they had their conversation before the pirate uproar.
"Gonna use the inner room, bring some alcohol, too!"
Li Min instructed the staff, and he strode towards the inner room.
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