55話 美味しい料理とは
前菜で空腹を刺激したところで、料理が次々に運ばれて来た。
そしてなによりも驚いたのが。
――魚料理があるよ!
それも干物ではない魚だ。
魚を丸ごと蒸し焼きにしていて、それに生姜などの香味野菜を盛りつけたところに、熱い油を回しかけている。
これは鮮魚ならではの料理だろう。
後宮でも魚は食べられているが、川魚だったり塩気がきつい干物だったりするものばかり。
それでも厨房で色々工夫がなされているのだろうが、やはり味がいまいちだった。
けれど干物ではないということは、この街は漁港から魚が届く程度の距離なのだ。
「あの、ここから海って近いんですか?」
の疑問に「よく気付いたね」と目を見張った太子が、海について教えてくれた。
「ここから半日程度の場所にある佳には、大きな港があるんだよ。
なるほど、噂の公主は港町に住んでいるようだ。
新鮮な魚介が食べ放題だなんて、いい所にお嫁に行ったものである。
「港ですか、だから舶来物の取り扱いがあったんですね」
雨妹は今世で未だ海を目にしていない。
この世界の海も、果たして青いのだろうか?
そんな風に海に思いを馳せる雨妹の様子を、太子はどう見たのか。
「せっかくだし、帰りに港の方まで足を延ばしてもいいね。
太子がこんな提案をしてくれる。
どうやら海を知らない雨妹を慮ってくれたようだが、これは大変嬉しい提案と言える。
――新鮮なお魚が食べられるの!?
海への期待で雨妹の心は早くも海へと飛ぼうとしていた。
しかし美味しい海鮮との出会いの前に、まずは目の前の夕食だ。
先程同様にすべての皿から一口ずつ取り分けて食べるが、そのどれもが美味しい。
、つまり卵スープはシンプルながらに濃厚だし、餃子もジューシーだし、なにより魚料理に感激である。
しかし感激しているのは雨妹だけではないようで。
「出来立ての料理が味わえる幸せというのは、格別だね」
卓の向こうで、太子がそうしみじみと言った。
達ですら出来立て料理と縁遠いのだ。
生まれた頃から後宮で育った太子は、温かい食事を口にする機会そのものが稀であるに違いない。
――やっぱり偉いっていうのも大変だなぁ。
そうしみじみと感じる雨妹だったが、太子は続けて話す。
「それに外で食べる料理は宮で出されるものより、特別美味しく感じる。
「......五感というと?」
不思議そうな顔で尋ねられ、雨妹は首を傾げる。
――あれ、こういう考え方って普通しないの?
変なことを言ってしまったようだが、出てしまった言葉は取り消せない。
仕方ないので、雨妹は前世での栄養学の知識を語った。
「視覚・聴覚・触覚・味覚・嗅覚の五つで五感です。
そうなると特に油のパチパチと跳ねる音や、出来立ての熱々の食感だったりは味わえないし、香りもしなくなっているだろう。
そしてだからこそ、五感で味わえる外の料理の方が美味しく感じられるのだろう。
「なるほど、外での食事が美味しいのは、ちゃんと理由があったんだね」
太子はそう感心した後で小さく笑うと、「だからなのか」と呟いた。
「父上もね、よくお気に入りだった娘とお忍びで出かけて、屋台料理を食べたそうだよ。
思いがけない皇帝の昔話に、雨妹はドキリと胸を鳴らす。
――それって、母さんのことかな。
だとすると皇帝と二人お忍びで屋台デートとは、母もなかなかやるではないか。
それが後宮生活が辛いばかりではなく、楽しかったこともあったと知ると安心する。
それに今太子と立勇と三人、楽しく会話をしながら食事を囲んでいる。
――これってなんか、家族団欒っぽいかも。
尼寺育ちの雨妹は、食事は黙々と食べるように躾られた。
けれどそれは前世での賑やかな食事の記憶がある分、余計に寂しい気持ちになるもので。
だから宮女達との賑やかな食事だって新鮮な気分だったし、こうして和やかに会話して食べるのだって楽しい。
――楽しい食事は、やはり一段と美味しいね。
こうして美味しい料理をお腹一杯に食べて部屋へ戻ると、布団に誘惑されそういになるが、まだやることがあるのでぐっと堪える。
そう、パンツを縫うのだ。
本日買ってもらった絹の布を広げると、さすがに裁ち鋏は持っていないため、糸切り鋏でなんとか布を切ってチクチク縫う。
慣れた作業なので早いもので、やがてパンツが二枚完成する。
――これでよし!
早速パンツを着替えると、脱いだものは店の人に聞いた洗濯場に行って洗って、室内へ干す。
そしてこれでようやく眠れると、フカフカの布団へ飛び込めば、速攻で夢の中へと旅立つのだった。
Chapter 55
After the starter round whet their appetites, the main dishes were brought in one after the other, and scrumptious aroma wafted from there.
And most surprising of all -
'There's a fish dish!'
They were not dried fish, moreover.
The entire fish was baked in a pan, garnished with ginger and other various herbs, and drizzled with hot oil.
It was a perfect example of a dish made from fresh fish.
They could also eat fish in the Inner Palace, but it was mostly freshwater fishes, or dried fish with too much salt.
Nevertheless, the chefs worked their magic, so they were still palatable.
Since they were not using dried fish here, this city must be located some distance away from a fishing harbor, near enough to have fish delivered here.
"Ahm, is the sea near this place?"
The crown prince widened his eyes, saying that 'it's surprising that you notice it'. He then explained.
"Kei has a huge harbor, and it's only a half-day trip from here. It's also our destination, though."
Oh, so that means the rumored princess was living in a port city.
How fortunate for her to marry into a place where she could eat fresh fish to her heart's content.
"It's a port, so that's why there were many imported items here."
Yui Mei had never seen the sea in this world before.
Was the sea here blue, too?
Yui Mei's thoughts rushed to the sea as the crown prince stared at her.
"Since we're already here, might as well stretch our legs at the port on the way back. I'm sure there must be a lot of things that are rare for you."
The crown prince offered such a proposal.
Apparently, he mistakenly thought that Yui Mei didn't knew anything about the sea, so he suggested something that would make her very happy.
'Maybe I can eat fresh fish, then!?'
Yui Mei's heart started to race in anticipation - she'd immediately go there, if she could.
However, before enjoying those tasty seafoods, she must first focus on the dinner right in front of her.
Just like earlier, she took bite-sized portions once again from all the dishes. Everything tasted heavenly.
The egg cai tang, or egg soup, was simple, but the flavor was rich. The gyoza was also juicy, but more than that, she was truly moved by the delectable fish cuisine.
But Yui Mei wasn't the only one who was touched.
"The happiness of savoring freshly made food is truly exceptional."
The crown prince heartily said that from across the table.
Freshly-cooked dishes were also beyond the concubines means.
The crown prince had been staying in the Inner Palace since birth, so it was rare for him to taste warm foods.
'As I thought, being an eminent person is awfully hard.'
Yui Mei could sympathize with the crown prince, who carried on.
"Also, the dishes you can eat outside the palace are far more delectable than those served inside. Isn't it incredible? Even though all the ingredients in the palace are of the highest quality."
"...What do you mean by 'five senses'?"
Yui Mei tilted her head after being asked with a strange expression.
'Eh, you mean to say this kind of thinking isn't normal?'
She apparently said something peculiar, but she couldn't get her words back.
Since it couldn't be helped, Yui Mei explained the principles of dietetics from her previous life.
"Sight, Hearing, Touch, Taste and Smell - these are what we call the five senses. Lord Ming usually eats the meals that had been tested for poison, so a considerable amount of time has already passed since they were prepared, and they're no longer in the best condition."
And so, he couldn't enjoy the crackling sound of hot oil, nor the piping hot temperature of freshly made foods, and the aroma would also be gone.
That was also precisely why he enjoyed the food from outside the palace all the more, because he could savor it using his five senses.
"I see, so there's a proper reason why foods from the outside were far more delicious."
The crown prince was moved. He then softly laughed before muttering 'so that's why' under his breath.
"You know, Father also loved to sneak out with his beloved maiden, and they apparently enjoyed eating dishes from the stalls.The girl was a commoner, so she was used to walking around the town. Apparently, she was the one who taught him about the world he couldn't see while being cooped up in the palace."
Yui Mei's heart jumped at the unexpected reminiscent tale about the emperor.
'That must be about Mother.'
In that case, her mother sure did a great job, since she was able to go on a sneaky date to the street stalls with the emperor.
She felt relieved that her mother also had some fun memories, and not just the suffering from living in the Inner Palace.
It was also great that she got to eat with the crown prince and Li Yong while having fun conversing with each other.
'This might be what they call as happy family circle.'
Yui Mei grew up with the nuns, so she was trained not to speak while eating.
However, because she had the memories of bustling meals during her previous life, the contrast made her feel lonelier.
Consequently, the lively atmosphere during meal times with the other court ladies was fresh to her, and this amiable conversation while eating was also enjoyable.
'Fun meals make the food more delicious.'
And so, Yui Mei returned to her room after eating that scrumptious meal until she's full. The blankets seemed to beckon to her, but she still had something to do, so she resisted.
Indeed, she had to sew her panties first.
She spread the cloth they brought earlier, but since she did not have shears with her, she made do with the thread cutter, finally cutting the pieces.
She's already used to doing this so she was fast. Two panties were completed after a while.
'Alright, this would do!'
She immediately changed, then she went to the laundry area that the innkeeper pointed her to, and washed her used ones. She then hung them inside the room to dry.
She could finally sleep, so she jumped right into the blanket, and promptly sank into dreamland.
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