皇子は、仮の手当てをされただけだった背中の折檻の跡を、子良に治療してもらうこととなった。
皇帝はそのまま屋敷に滞在し、家族との団欒の時を過ごすという。
そんな穏やかな家族の場から離れた、人気のない回廊で。
「こんな、こんなはずじゃあなかったのに」
がブツブツと言いながら、床を蹴立てるようにして歩いていた。
「もう一度皇太后陛下にお願いして、あの女を......」
だがやがて文君は回廊の先に立っている、大小二つの人影に気付く。
先程部屋で別れたはずの
雨妹は文君と話をするために、立彬と共に先回りをしていたのだ。
「あなたには、大事な話があります」
雨妹が告げると、文君はギリッと両手を握り締めた。
「小娘、お前が余計なことをしたせいで!」
そう叫んだ文君が、悪鬼のごとき表情で掴みかかろうとする。
辺境をうろつく野生動物に比べれば、可愛いものである。
――辺境育ちを舐めるなよ!
雨妹が反撃の体勢で迎え打つつもりでいると。
「黙れ、醜い女だ」
スッと自然な動きで一歩踏み出した立彬が、素早く文君の腕を取ったかと思えば、次の瞬間その身体を床に叩きつけていた。
その流れるような動作に、雨妹は一瞬見惚れる。
――この人が宦官って嘘、絶対嘘だ!
立彬への深まる疑惑に意識をとられようとしていたのだが。
「くっ......、たかが宦官の分際で私にこんな仕打ちをして、どうなるかわかっているんでしょうね!?」
立彬によって床に押さえつけられた状態で喚き立てる文君の声に、雨妹はすぐに我に返る。
「あなたこそ、このまま逃げられると思わないことです」
見下ろしてそう話す雨妹に、文君は頭を上げて唾を飛ばさんばかりに反論する。
「おかしなことを言わないで、何故私が逃げなければならないのよ!?」
意味がわからないといった様子の文君を、雨妹は冷ややかに見る。
「あなたは、皇子殿下は卵が食べられないことを知っていましたね?」
この言葉に文君は一瞬、目を見開き息を呑む。
「......なにを言っているの、私があんなふざけた話を知っているわけがないでしょう!?」
文君は甲高い声でそう言うと、フイッと顔を逸らす。
――嘘をつくのが下手な人。
雨妹は追及を緩めず話を続ける。
「友仁皇子殿下のような体質の人は、自分が食べられない食事に敏感なもの。
実際に太子の話では、友仁皇子は蒸しパンを食べなかったようであるし、自身では卵が食べられないことを悟っていたに違いない。
それが何故食べられないのかという原因の説明が難しかったから、理解されなかっただけで。
「それなのに友仁皇子殿下は、皇帝陛下主催の宴という失敗が許されない席で、卵を口にして大騒動になりました。
宴の料理は卵料理ばかりではないはず。
そちらを食べて誤魔化せばいいものを、わざわざ卵料理を食べて苦しむ羽目になり。
しかもその後も同様のことを繰り返している。
「ですが、友仁皇子殿下が卵を自ら口にしたのではなく、むしろ誰かが食べるように強制したからだと考えれば、納得できます」
雨妹の言葉を、文君は唇を噛み締めながら聞いている。
「そしてあなたは、私に友仁皇子の体質について言及された時、大して驚いた様子を見せなかった」
初めて聞く内容ならば、太子や皇帝のように怪訝な顔をしそうなもの。
なのにあの時文君は顔をしかめていた。
雨妹にはあれが「余計なことを言うな」という態度に見えたのだ。
「そんなもの、言いがかりにすぎないわ!」
「言いがかりかどうかは、取り調べの中で明らかにしてもらおうか」
反発する文君に、立彬が冷たく言い放つ。
「もし知っていて食べさせたのなら、友仁皇子殿下に対する仕打ちは陛下に向けられるも同然。
立彬が厳しい声音で告げると、文君はわなわなと震えだす。
そして血走らせた目で叫ぶ。
「......私が、本当は私こそが選ばれるはずだった!
冗談じゃないわ、私こそが陛下の寵愛を受けるにふさわしいのよ!」
文君のその表情は、怒りに溢れているようでもあり、どうしようもなく悲しんでいるようにも見える。
そんな文君を、雨妹はなんとも言えない気持ちで見つめていた。
彼女はきっと、「お前は国母となるのだ」と言い聞かせられて育ったのだろう。
そして自身もそのつもりで生きてきたのに、直前になって突然女官になるように言われた。
胡昭儀の実家は、陛下の女の好みを見抜いたのだろう。
だから本来の候補だった文君ではなく、地味寄りの容姿の胡昭儀が選ばれたのだ。
一族の思惑に振り回された文君を、可哀想だと思いもする。
――けれど、皇帝の寵愛を受ける以外にも、女の幸せはあったでしょうに。
むしろ妃嬪とならなかったことで、胡昭儀よりも自由な立場が手に入ったはず。
明るい未来に背を向け、後宮に生きる女としての宿命に自らを縛り付けた、憐れな女だ。
静かに見下ろす雨妹に、文君が酷く顔を歪める。
「......見るな、そんな憐れんだ目で私を見るな!
文君の慟哭は、回廊に虚しく響いていた。
***
胡昭儀は文君が、自分たち母子をよく思っていないことを知っていた。
けれど実家の力は文君の方が上であるため、家族のことを思うと強く出られなかったのだ。
文君が友仁の付き人になる話が出た時も、彼女が最も位が高かったために止められず。
胡昭儀はずっとそんな「もしも」の話が、頭の中を渦巻いていた。
そんな泥沼の中にいるようだった胡昭儀を、清水へと導いてくれたあの医官の助手。
皇帝は彼女を知っているようだったが、そう言えば名乗らなかったことを、今更ながらに思い出す。
普通はあわよくば取り立ててもらおうと、聞かれなくとも名乗るものなのに。
「さあ、医官付きでしょうが、存じ上げません」
お茶を淹れてくれている年配の女官に聞いても、知らないという。
しかし一つだけ明らかなことがある。
あの娘は、強い光を宿した青い目をしていた。
「あの青い目の眼差し、昔の陛下に似ていたわ......」
胡昭儀の呟きは、女官に拾われることはなかった。
Afterward, Ziliang treated the traces of beatings on Imperial Prince Yoruen's back, which had been given first aid earlier.
The emperor sojourned at the palace, and they spent quality time as a family. Imperial Prince Youren was still scared of the emperor, but that would probably improve gradually.
In a deserted corridor away from the peaceful family's place -
"This, this isn't supposed to be like this."
Wenjun muttered furiously as she stomped off.
"I should appeal to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager once more so that woman will be..."
However, soon after, Wenjun noticed the tall and short figures of two people standing at the end of the corridor.
It was Yui Mei and Libin, who supposedly left the room earlier.
Yui Mei wanted to talk to Wenjun, so she and Libin went ahead.
"I have something important to say to you."
When Yui Mei said that, Wenjun clenched her fists forcefully.
"Brat, it's all because of your needless meddling!"
Wenjun shrieked, and she tried to grab her with a demon-like expression.
Compared to the wild animals at the borderland, she looked cute, even.
'Don't underestimate a country-born!'
Yui Mei posed, ready to counterattack.
"Shut up, unsightly woman."
Libin stepped forward in a natural and smooth movement, and just as she thought he had grasped her arm, the next second, Wenjun was already slammed against the floor.
Yui Mei was captivated by Libin's fluid motion for an instant.
'This person is a eunuch, that's a lie, that's absolutely a lie!'
Yui Mei was distracted at her intensifying doubts regarding Libin.
"Tsk.... A mere lowly eunuch as you dared to do this to me, you know what will happen to you, huh!?"
Yui Mei was brought to her senses when Wenjun yelled while being pressed down.
"You too, don't think you can escape from this."
Yui Mei looked down at Wenjun as she spoke, and in response, Wenjun raised her heard and retorted, her spit flying.
"Don't say such nonsense, why do I have to escape, huh!?"
Yui mei coldly stared at Wenjun, who didn't seem to understand.
"You already knew that His Highness the Imperial Prince couldn't eat eggs, right?"
For a moment, Wenjun's eyes popped and she gasped.
"... What the heck are you babbling about, there's no way I would know about that kind of nonsensical story, right!!?"
Wenjun said shrilly, then she averted her face..
'What a bad liar.'
Yui Mei relentlessly hounded her as she continued on.
"A person with the same body constitution as His Highness the Imperial Prince Youren would be aware about the food items he couldn't eat. Even if only a small amount of egg was used, he would definitely try to avoid it."
In fact, according to the crown prince, Imperial Prince Youren couldn't eat mushipan, and he probably already sensed that he couldn't eat eggs.
The explanation why he couldn't eat it was probably too difficult for him, so he didn't understand.
"It was known that failure was not permitted at the feast held by the emperor, yet His Highness the Imperial Prince Youren ate the eggs and caused a great tumult. I can't help but feel that this is too odd."
Not all the dishes served during the banquet had contained eggs.
It would have been good if he ate those food, but he was purposely given dishes with eggs, resulting in his suffering plight.
Moreover, the same thing was repeated over and over again.
"However, if we think that it was not His Highness the Imperial Prince Youren's own volition, and he was forced feed, instead, then everything will make sense."
Wenjun bit her lips fiercely as she listened to Yui Mei's words.
"Afterward, you did not show any surprise when I mentioned Imperial Prince Youren's body constitution."
If it was the first time she heard about it, then she would have a dubious expression just like
However, Wenjun was scowling during that time.
For Yui Mei, her attitude was as if she was saying 'Stop saying unnecessary stuff'.
"Those are all false accusations!"
"Whether they are false accusations or not, let's have an investigation to clear it up."
Libin coldly responded to Wenjun's retort.
"If it was found that you deliberately fed him, this will become a case involving His Highness the Imperial Prince Youren, it will be forwarded to His Majesty. In other words, this will be a grave sin of defying His Majesty."
Wenjun started to tremble from fear when she heard Libin's unsparing words.
She then shrieked with bloodshot eyes.
"...I, in truth, I was the one who was supposed to be chosen! Brat, if you're not here, then I could have driven that eyesore of a woman and child from the Inner Palace! It's all because of you butting in and meddling!"
"That plain woman got chosen, then I became an attendant? Don't joke with me, I should have been more suitable to receive His Majesty's favor!"
Wenjun's expression was overflowing with fury, but traces of sadness could also be seen.
Yui Mei silently stared at Wenjun with an inexplicable feeling.
She probably grew up while being told that 'You will become the empress'.
She also lived for that purpose, but at the last minute, she was told that she will become the maid.
Imperial Concubine Hu's maiden family must have seen through the emperor's preferences.
That was why instead of Wenjun, who was the original candidate, Imperial Concubine Hu who had a plain appearance was chosen.
She also pitied Wenjun, since her expectations were manipulated by her family.
'But there must have been more to a woman's happiness than just receiving the favor of the emperor.'
Because she did not become a concubine, she could've grasped freedom more than Imperial Concubine Hu. She could love somebody else, and they could have had a future together.
Turning her back on a bright future, and binding herself to the fate of a woman living in the Inner Palace - she was truly a pitiful woman, indeed.
Wenjun's face became extremely distorted when she saw Yui Mei looking down at her.
"...Don't look at me, don't look at me with those pitying eyes! I should've been the one to receive the emperor's favor, but why!?"
Wenjun's wails echoed futilely throughout the corridor.
***
Imperial Concubine Hu already knew that Wenjun did not like their mother-son pair.
However, Wenjun had more power in their family, so when she thought about that, she could not bring herself to make a strong front. Besides, she also felt obliged for snatching the position which was originally Wenjun's.
When talks about Wenjun becoming Youren's attendant came up, she couldn't stop it because she had a higher position than her.
Imperial Concubine Hu's thoughts of 'what ifs' swirled around her mind.
Imperial Concubine Hu felt like she was in a quagmire, but that doctor's assistant led the way towards the clear waters.
It seemed that the emperor knew that girl, but she remembered too late that she hadn't asked for her name.
Normally, if circumstances permit, one would introduce herself without asking,
"I'm afraid I do not know, except that she is the doctor's assistant."
The answer was uncertain even if she asked the elderly maid who was pouring her tea.
However, only one thing was clear.
That girl had blue eyes that shone brightly.
"The look in those blue eyes resemble His Majesty's eyes long ago...."
The maid did not hear Imperial Concubine Hu's whisper.
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