187話 刑部への往診
胡麻団子を二人で美味しく食べながら、
陳が気にしたのは徐が宮妓であることではなく、そちらの方だった。
「そうなんですか?」
これに、陳が「なんだ知らないのか」と言って説明してくれた。
「風湿病は酷いと節のところに瘤ができるだろう?
いわゆる人面なんちゃら的なものは、前世でもその不気味さから話題になったが、それは世界は変わっても同じであるようだ。
――確かに節の瘤って放置すると、かなり大きくなる場合があるもんねぇ。
その見た目が不気味で、厭う理由としてそんなことをこじつけているのかもしれない。
「昔からある症状なことだし、病気だってわかってはいるんだが、この呪いや祟りだっていうのが妙に根強いんだよ。
「ふむぅ、言われてみると、そういう流れもあるかもしれないですねぇ」
風湿病は遺伝傾向のある病気である。
家族に患者がいて、その人が迫害を受けているのを見ていたら、この病気は知られてはならないものだと考えてしまうこともあるだろう。
それで言うと美娜の場合は、労働で手指や関節を酷使する庶民ゆえに風湿病がありふれた病気であり、祟りだなんだと特別な事象となる余地がなかったのだろう。
そうなると呪いだ祟りだとされてしまうのは、肉体労働をしない金持ちに多い可能性がある。
――道士がたかるのだって、貧乏人よりも金持ちに多いんだろうし。
陳のおかげで、徐がここまで病気をこじらせてしまった原因の一端がわかった気がして、雨妹はスッキリとした気分になる。
「で、刑部に行けます?」
そして改めて尋ねた雨妹に、陳は「そうだなぁ」と顎をさする。
「刑部にはさすがに行ったことがないがな、入る許可さえあれば、そりゃあ往診くらいするぞ」
「そうだ、刑部っていえば、この間ケシ汁の現物を見たいとか言われて人が来たぞ。
なんと、ケシ汁についての問い合わせが既にあったようだ。
刑部は煙草の燃えカスではない状態を確認したかったのだろう。
雨妹は事件が露見した原因が自分だとはおくびにも出さず、無関係のような口調で告げた。
この雨妹の様子を、陳は特に疑うことなく話を続ける。
「薬が悪さに使われるのは、昔からあったことだが、そのせいで薬を禁止されるのは困る」
陳がそう述べて「う~ん」と悩ましい顔をした。
どうやら気になるのは、その一点のようだ。
「ケシ汁って痛み止めですよね、ならば兵士の治療に使うことが多いですし、ケシ汁の使用禁止は軍が止めるんじゃないですかね?」
「そうだといいがなぁ」
雨妹の言葉を聞いて陳は大きく息を吐くと、胡麻団子を一つ口に放り込んだ。
Chapter 187: Doctor'S Visit To The Penitentiary
Yui Mei promptly began her story while the two of them were enjoying the sesame dumplings.
Chen's focus was not on Xu being a courtesan, but on her illness.
"Really?"
Chen was taken aback, so he explained further.
"The joints hurt when feng shi is severe, right? There are people who claim that they can see it on the person's face if the condition turns worse."
Even in her previous world, the human face was also the subject of eerie stories, and this fact didn't change even if the world did.
'Well, it's true that there are cases of joint pains getting worse if left untreated.'
The expression of the person suffering from it might have been quite ghastly, and it had been interpreted in a distorted way, becoming the reason for that person to be shunned.
"It's a condition that existed since a long time ago, and people do know that it's a disease, but this concept of curse and divine punishment is deep-seated for some reason. Maybe that Xu Zi girl also grew up in a household believing in this prejudice."
"Hmm, now that you mention it, I do think that's plausible."
Rheumatism tended to be hereditary in nature.
If one of the family members suffered from this illness and she saw that person being shunned, it would be possible for her to think that this was a disease that must be hidden from other people.
In Mei Na's case, it was known as a common illness among the commoners who overworked their fingers and joints during hard labor. Because of this, there was no room for it to become something 'special', or even treated as a curse.
In that case, it would be possible that the claims of this disease being a curse or perhaps a possession of evil spirits could be attributed to the affluent people who do not have to do manual labor in their life.
'Those taoists priests tend to swarm over the rich rather than the poor, for sure.'
Thanks to Chen, Yui Mei finally understood one of the possible reasons why Xu hid her illness, and it made her feel relieved.
"So, will you go to the penitentiary?"
Yui Mei asked once again, and Chen rubbed his jaw in response.
"Hmm, let me see. I've never been to the penitentiary before. But if I have the permission to enter, then I'll visit her at the very least."
"Oh, right, speaking of the Ministry of Justice, a person recently came here asking to see the actual poppy juice. I didn't ask the reason, but did something happen, like, an adverse reaction to the drug or something? Girl, do you know anything about this?"
It seemed that the investigation of the poppy juice had already begun.
The Ministry of Justice probably wanted to check the poppies's appearance and state before it was burned to ashes.
Yui Mei didn't reveal that she was the person who discovered the incident, and continued talking as if she wasn't related to any of this.
Chen didn't even doubt her in the slightest.
"It's been known for a long time that poppy juice can be used for evil deeds. But then, it'll be a problem if this medicine gets banned because of this."
Chen remarked, looking bothered about the whole thing.
It seemed that he was concerned about this point.
"Poppy juice is a pain killer, so there are lots of times when it's used for treating the soldiers. Besides, the army will probably stop the poppy juice from being banned, right?"
"It'll be great if that is the case."
Chen heaved a deep sigh after listening to Yui Mei's words, then he took another sesame dumpling and popped it in his mouth.
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