143話 報告する
「はぁ~、なるほど。拾った男は東から都へ来たのかい」
夕食時の食堂にて、内城から戻った雨妹が早速報告した内容を聞いて、楊はお茶を飲みながらそう呟いた。
「東というと、国境の戦場にいたお人なのかねぇ?」
楊が話すのに、雨妹は楊が淹れてくれたお茶を一口飲んで、首を傾げつつ疑問を口にする。
「立彬様からも記憶喪失は戦場が多いとか聞きましたけど、東の方の地域ってそんなにずっと戦争しているんですか?」
なにせ雨妹の育った辺境はド田舎過ぎてそうした血生臭い話とは無縁な場所であった。
砂漠に面した土地であったので、過酷な砂漠越えしてまで攻める旨味が、辺境にはなかったのだ。
なので雨妹にとって戦争という事にいまいち真実味がなかったりする。
この雨妹の問いに、「そうさねぇ」と楊がなんと言うものかと思案する様子を見せた。
「戦争というよりは、小競り合いが延々続いているって話だけどね。
庶民はどうやら戦争になるかどうかを、戦争専門の将軍職ができるってことで測るらしい。
そして今は、確かに将軍職は衛将軍である李だけだ。
前世の華流ドラマでも、戦争というテーマは付きものだった。
国内での内輪揉めだったり、隣国と揉めたりなど、戦の火種には事欠かない。
それを踏まえると、今は国内で大規模徴兵が行われているなんていう噂も百花宮内で聞かないし、むしろ徐州との戦争状態を止めたくらいなので、戦争が減っているというように思える。
――なら、今この国は平和な方ってことかな?
「全くあの男は、変わらずにお人好しなことだよ」
楊が呆れ交じりにそう漏らし、ため息を吐いた。
「そのお人好しさに付け込まれて、うっかり目撃した陛下のお忍びに同行することになったのを、ズルズルと付き合わされたんだろうに。
明と同じと言われるのはそこはかとなくムッとしてしまう雨妹だったが、気になる点は他にもある。
「明様が皇帝陛下に重宝がられたのって、そういうことだったんですか?」
楊の漏らした、聞く人が聞けば不敬だとも捉えられかねない暴露話に、雨妹は思わず尋ねる。
「誰がお忍びなんていう面倒そうなものに、好き好んで付き添いたい奴がいるかい。
楊から力強くそう言われ、雨妹も「そうかもしれない」と考える。
太子にとっての立勇のように、家族ぐるみで仕えているというならばともかくとして、明は他所から都に出てきた出稼ぎ組で、最初から皇帝との繋がりがあったわけではないのだ。
そんな人に対して、そこまで忠誠心があったはずもない。
――そうか、明様は放っておけない系の人なのか。
確かに自身とちょっと近しいものを感じた雨妹は、明の評価をまた若干上向ける。
それはともかくとして。
雨妹は今回の様子見の駄賃として、食後の甘味に
日本のお汁粉に似ているのだが、あれよりもあっさりとした食感である。
最近めっきり寒くなってきているので、あったまるお汁粉が美味しい。
「んふふ、幸せ」
雨妹は紅豆湯を匙で口に運ぶ度に頬が緩む。
この様子を眺めている楊は自身も同じものを食べていて、しばらく二人でフゥフゥしながら食べていると。
「ああ、そうだ」
楊がふいに声を上げた。
「小妹、仕事のことでちょいと相談なんだがね。
Chapter 143
"Hmm, so that's how it is. So the guy he picked up came to the capital from the east, huh."
Yang muttered as she sipped her tea. It was dinner time and they were inside the dining hall. Yui Mei immediately reported to her as soon as she returned from the Inner City.
"If it's the east, then that means he's a person who came from the battlefield in the provincial borders?"
Yang asked Yui Mei, who then replied with another question after taking a sip of her own tea that Yang brewed for her.
"Li Yong also said that there are a lot of people who lost their memories on the battlefield. Is the eastern region really riddled with war all the time?"
Yui Mei grew up in the borderlands which was far too remote and totally detached from bloody affairs.
That region was surrounded by desert, and the people who were still capable of attacking them even after crossing that severe desert were non-existent.
That's the reason why Yui Mei couldn't grasp the reality of war.
When Yang heard her query, she looked like she was deep in thought.
"Hmm, let's see, it's probably more accurate to describe it as a never-ending skirmish instead of a war. Actually, no troops were dispatched for war, so it's not a real war, I guess."
The commoners would gauge the possibility of war based on whether there's a generalship dedicated to it, apparently.
And right now, the only current general was General Li.
War was also a common theme in the Chinese dramas that she watched in her previous life.
There was no lack of triggers of war, be it Internal dissension in the country or dispute with foreign kingdoms.
Based on that premise, it seemed that it really wasn't a war, because they didn't hear any news or rumors about mass recruitment in the Hundred Blossom Palace, and it also seemed that the state of war with Xuzhou was also at a standstill. Thus, it was possible to think that the war had abated.
'In that case, then this empire is at peace right now?'
"Still, that guy is as soft-hearted as ever."
Yang sighed, slightly exasperated.
"When Ming accidentally witnessed His Majesty's sneaking out, His Majesty probably took advantage of that soft-hearted nature of his and forced him to go along with him. He really couldn't easily change his nature, huh, just like you."
Yui Mei pouted when she was told that she was similar to Ming, but there was something that captured her interest.
"Is that why His Majesty the Emperor treasured Lord Ming?"
Yang ran her mouth, and the revelation that would be taken as disrespectful words by anyone who heard them made Yui Mei unwittingly ask.
"Who on earth would willingly accompany somebody when sneaking out? His head will fly if something happened to His Majesty, you know? If it's me, I'll definitely pretend not to notice anything scurry out of the way if I chance on something like that."
Yang said those words with gusto, while Yui Mei inwardly thought that it was probably true.
If it was someone like Li Yong whose whole family served the crown prince, then it was probably different, but in Ming's case, he was just someone who came from another place outside the capital, working away from home. He didn't have any connection with the Emperor from the start.
Loyalty wasn't ingrained to such a person.
'Oh, so Ming wasn't someone who could leave things alone.'
Yui Mei felt that Ming was indeed quite similar to her, so her opinion of him rose a bit once again.
That should be set aside for now.
Yui Mei got some hong dou tang -- a sweet soup made of red mung beans -- for dessert.
It was similar to the sweet red bean soup of Japan, but this one was more lightly flavored.
The weather had been remarkably cold recently, and this red bean soup that warmed them up was really delicious.
"Mmmfffmm, so happy."
Yui Mei's cheeks relaxed with every spoonful of the hong dou tong.
Yang watched her as she also ate the same thing, and for a brief moment, both of them were engrossed with huffing and puffing, blowing on the soup as they ate.
"Oh, by the way."
Yang abruptly said.
"Xiao Mei, there's something I want to discuss with you about work. The cleaning of the unpopular places is already behind schedule. Are you willing to go there?"
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