115話 またまた熊登場
そんなわけで。
心配というものを、時に人はうざったく思う時もあるのだろうが、最後に背中を押してくれるのも、誰かが心配してくれているという思いやりだったりする。
逆に孤独は病を深くする原因にもなり得るから、恐ろしいものだ。
この楊の心配が明に届くように、雨妹もできる限り手を貸すつもりである。
――それにしても、手伝いって誰だろう?
楊が今日も人を寄越すように言っていた。
雨妹は「また立勇様かな?」と思いつつ、昨日も通った乾清門へと向かう。
「来た来た、おーい娘っ子!」
すると、門のところで見覚えのある熊男が手を振っていた。
「は!?」
将軍だが、もしやあの人が楊が言っていた手伝いだろうか?
いや、仮にも最高戦力なのだから、それが下っ端宮女のお供になるなんてことはないだろう。
しかし、それ以外で李将軍にあんなに朗らかに手をふられる理由など、雨妹には思い当らない。
立ち止まっている雨妹と大きく手をふる李将軍は遠目にも目立っていて、門を守る兵士から奇妙な視線を向けられている。
このままでいるわけにもいかず、雨妹は渋々李将軍に歩み寄る。
「あの、何故李将軍がここへ?」
恐る恐る尋ねる雨妹に、李将軍が笑顔で答えた。
――やっぱりか!?
悪い予感が当たってしまった。
にしても、こんな目立つお供を選んだのは一体誰なのか?
「私、てっきりお供はまた立勇様かと思っていました」
雨妹がそう零すと、李将軍が「ガハハ」と笑う。
あんまり立勇ばっかり駆り出すのも、太子殿下に悪いだろうしな」
李将軍から雨妹と仲良し認定された立勇は、どんな気持ちだろうか?
いつも「変な女だ」と思われているのはわかっているので、さぞ微妙な心境に違いない。
それに立勇も忙しい身の上だというのは、雨妹とて重々分かっているけれども、だからといって李将軍が暇だということでもなかろうに。
楊が李将軍より立場が上であるはずないし、ではどこから話があちらに行ったのか?
――楊おばさんってば、一体誰にお手伝いの人手を頼んだの!?
雨妹の周囲で、謎の人事が発動されているのに驚きだ。
そしてそれに手を挙げてのこのこやって来た、この熊男にも。
どうやら李将軍は引き下がらないらしい。
というわけで、雨妹は最高戦力をお供にして、明の屋敷へ向かうことになった。
昨日は夜の暗い間に通ったので、明の家がどこであったか迷う雨妹を李将軍が先導してサクサク歩き。
屋敷へ来たもののどこから訪ねようかと迷っていると、李将軍が真っ直ぐ裏の戸口へと向かう。
「おやお前さん、また来たのかい?」
「はい、明様に朝から酒を飲ませるなと頼まれましたので」
「おう婆さん、まだ生きてたかい?」
雨妹と老女の会話に、狭い戸口に阻まれて姿が見えていなかった李将軍が横から顔を出す。
「おやまあ、将軍様ではございませんか、お久しゅうございますねぇ」
老女は李将軍に驚いたものの、過剰に畏まったりはしない。
そう言えば明は将軍にも覚え目出度い人物であったか。
それにしても裏口を知っていて家人とも顔見知りとは、李将軍と明はよほど懇意だったということか。
それからすんなりと中へ通された雨妹と李将軍は、明が今しがた起きたばかりでまだグズグズしている寝所へと案内されていた。
雨妹としては一応乙女であるので、寝起きのおっさんを好んで見たくはないが、これも楊のためと思って我慢である。
Chapter 115
And so it was decided.
There were times when a person might think that the people worrying about him or her were too nosy, but in the end, they would also become the inspiration to strive to become better.
On the other hand, solitude was actually a scary thing, because it might become the root cause of worsening illness.
Yui Mei vowed to do all she could in order to ensure that this concern of Yang would properly get across to Ming.
'Still, who will help me today, I wonder?'
Yang told her that she would send someone to go along with her today, too.
Yui Mei thought that it would probably be Li Yong again as she headed towards the Quianqing gate that they passed through yesterday.
"Oh there you are! hey! Lassie!"
The familiar bear man stood near the gate, waving his hand.
"HUH!?"
It was General Li, the person she just met last night -- was he the aid Yang referred to?
No way, he was considered to be the strongest soldier here, so it was impossible that he would accompany such a low ranking court lady as her, even as a joke.
However, Yui Mei couldn't think of any other reason why General Li would be cheerfully waving his hand at her.
Yui Mei was standing still while General Li vigorously waved his hand -- it was quite a spectacle even from a distance, so the nearby soldiers guarding the gate couldn't help but throw strange glances at them.
This couldn't go on as it was, so Yui Mei reluctantly approached General Li.
"Ahm, pardon me for asking, but why is General Li here?"
Yui Mei timidly asked, and was answered with a bright smile from General Li.
'So it's true!?'
Her bad premonition came true.
Nevertheless, who on earth had chosen such a conspicuous person to be her companion?
"I actually thought Li Yong would come with me again."
When Yui Mei mumbled, General Li laughed hard.
"You two get along well, don't you. The higher-ups told me about it, so I volunteered. It's bad for the Crown Prince if we keep on recruiting Li Yong, right.".
She wondered how Li Yong felt when General Li arbitrarily acknowledged that they were chums.
He had always thought of her as a 'weird woman', so he must have been filled with complex emotions, for sure.
Aside from that, Yui Mei already knew that Li Yong was a busy guy, but that didn't mean General Li would have a lot of time on his hands.
There was no way Yang would be above General Li, so where did he get this story?
'Aunty Yang, really, who on earth did you ask to be my companion!?'
Yui Mei was actually shocked that mysterious persons were assigned to be near her.
Moreover, there was this bear guy that volunteered to come here.
General Li wouldn't back down, it seemed.
And so, Yui Mei headed towards Ming's mansion with the person standing at the greatest soldier in tow.
They passed through dark roads last night, so Yui Mei was lost and didn't know where to go. General Li guided her and they briskly walked on.
Once they reached the mansion, she was again at a lost, but General Li led her straight to the back door.
"Oh, it's you, so you're here again?"
"Yes. I had been tasked to prevent Lord Ming from drinking so early in the morning."
"Hey, Granny, so you're still alive?"
The narrow door covered General Li's figure, so he poked his head from the side while Yui Mei and the old woman talked.
"Oh my, if it isn't General Li, it's been a long time."
The old woman was startled to see General Li, but she didn't become overly respectful towards him.
Now that she thought about it, Ming had been an outstanding person that even the generals recognized.
Still, General Li and Ming must be good friends, given that he even knew where the back door was, and was even acquainted with the servants.
They smoothly entered Ming's mansion. Yui Mei and General Li were guided towards Ming's bedroom. Ming had just woken up, slacking off inside.
Yui Mei was pretty much still a maiden, so she preferred not to see a middle-aged guy who just woke up, but she had to endure for Yang's sake.
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