27話 助けるためには
「なんだいそれは」
太子に尋ねられた
前世ではよく知られている症状で、子供が食べてはいけない食材の入った給食を誤って給仕されて救急搬送、という事例によく立ち会ったものだ。
「何故、そんなことになるんだい?」
「身体には、害になるものを排除する働きがあります。
「害ではないものの排除か、そんな体質があるのか」
「原因となる食材は多種多様です。
本当に初めて聞く話らしい。
太子は雨妹の話に「うーん」と唸る。
症状が軽ければ肌が痒い程度で済むのですが、重症ならば命に係わります」
「友仁は、死んでいてもおかしくなかったと?」
友仁皇子殿下は食事の際に肌が赤くなって痒がったり、咳が出て苦しそうだったりしませんでしたか?」
「血を吐くかと思うくらいに咳をして、息苦しそうだったな」
「まさにそれが過敏症の症状です、しかも重症の類の」
友仁皇子はきっと、死ぬかもしれない程に苦しかっただろうに。
雨妹は、その苦しむ様子を想像して顔をしかめる。
重症ならばすぐに対処するべきなのに、「呪い憑き」呼ばわりして叱責するなんて。
皇太后は弱者に優しくできない心根の持ち主なのか。
それにしても皇帝も出席する宴の場に、侍医が控えていないはずがない。
医者のくせに、患者への「呪い」なんて言葉を受け入れるとは、なにをしているのか。
――もう一度勉強して出直してこい! って怒鳴ってやりたい!
雨妹は腹の底から怒りが湧いてくる。
ムカムカしている雨妹を余所に、立彬が難しい顔をする。
「しかし食事が原因とわかったと言っても、宴のこと。
それからどの食材が原因なのかを探すのは困難でしょう。
確かに、血液検査で調べる手段がないこの国で、それらを全て調べるのは骨が折れる作業であろう。
渋い顔をする太子と立彬に、しかし雨妹はあっさりと告げる。
「そんなことをする必要はありません」
この言い方が少々薄情に聞こえたようだ。
立彬がじろりと睨んでくる。
「何故だ、友仁皇子殿下はこのままでは死んでしまうのだろう?
先程女官がいた場では面倒そうな態度だった立彬も、子供を死に追いやることはしたくないようだ。
「もちろん、お助けしたいですとも。
この言葉に、太子たちは目を丸くする。
「雨妹は、なにが原因だと考えているんだい?」
尋ねる太子に、雨妹は自分の推論を語る。
「今のところ卵と牛乳が最も怪しいですね。
しかし友仁皇子が饅頭を好むならば、小麦は大丈夫だということ。
他の食物を疑うのは、この二つを調べた後でした方が効率的だ。
告げられた食材に、静かに話を聞いていた女官がぽつりと漏らす。
「卵と牛乳なんて、随分と贅沢な病気ですのね」
彼女の感想に、雨妹も頷く。
「小麦などは庶民の噂になっているかもしれないですけど、高級品である卵と牛乳が庶民の口に入ることは稀です。
そして贅沢好きな皇太后陛下ならば、卵と牛乳をきっとメニューに取り入れているはずです」
太子の言葉に、雨妹は己の推論が正しいことを知る。
卵が使われる蒸しパンは、下っ端宮女の雨妹は滅多に食べられない高級おやつだ。
王美人のところのおやつで出たら幸運であり、いつか
皇子という身分ゆえに蒸しパンを供されるのだろうが、それが害になるとは皮肉な話だ。
だがあくまで体質なのだから、適切な治療をして原因を取り除けば、ちゃんと健康に暮らせる。
――なのに、あんなに痩せるくらいに子供を追いつめるなんて。
雨妹は怒りに火がついた目で、皇太后の宮のある方向を睨む。
Chapter 27
"What on earth is that?"
The crown prince asked, so Yui Mei explained.
This condition was widely known in her previous world. She often witnessed cases when children were mistakenly served food containing ingredients they shouldn't eat, so they had to be transported via ambulance.
"Why would that occur?"
"The body has a mechanism that eliminates infection-causing things. Thanks to that function, health is maintained. However, there are people who have physical constitutions that would try to eliminate harmless agents."
"So there is a physical constitution that eliminates harmless agents."
"There is a great variety of ingredients that could cause it. That is why all foods must be treated as having the potential to cause hypersensitivity."
Apparently, it was really their first time to hear about it.
The crown prince 'hmm' at Yui Mei's words.
"Exactly. If the symptoms are light, then the skin will feel itchy, but in the worst case, it may cost him his life."
"Meaning to say, it would not be strange even if Youren died?"
"It would depend on the situation. While eating, did His Highness the Imperial Prince Youren's skin turn red and itchy, and did he cough laboriously?"
"He coughed to the point that we thought he would vomit blood, and his breathing was labored."
"It is indeed hypersensitivity; moreover, it is the severe kind."
Imperial Prince Youren must have been in pain that was severe enough he almost died.
Yui Mei grimaced when she imagined his suffering state.
Since it was a severe illness, it should have been treated promptly; instead, he was denounced as 'having a curse' and reprimanded.
Perhaps, the empress dowager's disposition was such that she couldn't be kind to vulnerable people,
Regardless, there was no way the court physician was not on stand-by since the emperor was also present in that feast.
Even though they were doctors, what were they doing, letting the patient be labeled as "cursed".
'Go study again and change yourselves! I really want to scold them!'
Yui Mei was extremely furious.
Libin had a complex expression as he stared at Yui Mei's indignation.
"However, even if we know that the ingredients are the culprit, it was a feast. Various dishes were served side-by-side. Besides, it is very difficult to search which ingredient was it. Aside from that, we would be deemed suspicious if we were to examine the food being served in Consort Hu's palace."
"Certainly, it would be strenuous to investigate the source."
Indeed, in a country with no means to do blood tests, it would be an arduous task to examine everything.
The crown prince and Libin wore bitter expressions, but Yui Mei replied easily.
"There is no need to do those things."
Her manner of speaking came off as heartless.
Libin glowered at her.
"Why, won't His Highness Imperial Prince Youren die at this rate? Do you plan to leave him as he is?"
Libin had a 'what a hassle' look earlier as he stood with the lady-in-waiting since a while ago, but apparently, he didn't want to force a child to his death.
"Of course I want to help him. That was not what I meant; there is a way to predict which ingredients could cause hypersensitivity."
At these words, the crown prince and the others stared at her wide-eyed.
"Yui Mei, what do you think is the cause?"
The crown prince asked, and Yui Mei responded with her inference.
"Right now, eggs and milk are the biggest suspects. Examples of sources for this type of hypersensitivity are eggs, milk and wheat."
However, if Imperial Prince Youren liked manju, then he must be fine with wheat.
It would be more efficient if these two were examined before suspecting other ingredients.
When the ingredients were announced, the lady-in-waiting who had been quietly listening to the conversation mumbled.
"Eggs and milk, what an extremely luxurious illness it is."
Yui Mei also nodded at her impression.
"Wheat would be a cause of rumors among the common people, but they seldom consume high quality eggs and milk. The consumers were overwhelmingly small so it was not acknowledged until now. The empress dowager loves luxury, so eggs and milk are naturally included in the menu."
"Indeed, the empress dowager prefers dishes with milk and eggs. Moreover, Youren likes manju, but he cannot eat mushipan."
Yui Mei knew her inference was correct based on the crown prince's words..
Mushipan, which uses egg, was a high-class snack that Yui Mei would normally be unable to eat, since she was a low-ranking court lady.
She was lucky if it was served as a snack at Lady Wang's residence, and even the mushipan she brought during her sick call to Noble Concubine Jiang were specially made by Mei Na.
Mushipan was served to him because of his status as an imperial prince, but it was ironic that it was harmful.
However, since it was about the body's constitution after all, so it was still possible to live in good health if appropriate treatment was done to remove the source.
'But forcing a child until he becomes thin to that extent...'
With fury in her eyes, Yui Mei glared fiercely towards the direction of the empress dowager's palace. Yui Mei did not notice that the crown prince was looking at her with deep interest.
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