91話 巻き込まれ立勇
利民が海賊の討伐に成功してから、佳はさらなる活気に包まれていた。
その利民の屋敷では、戦勝祝いで宴が催されることとなり。
現在の屋敷内は大忙しだ。
前回の太子の訪れでの宴もそれなりのものだったが、あの時は太子だけをもてなせばよかった。
なので屋敷の者は宴の場だけを作り、あとは利民と潘公主の二人に丸投げで済んだのだが。
しかし今回は招く客が多数になるため、使用人は引っ込んでおくわけにはいかない。
全員が表に出て持て成しに当たる必要があるのだ。
ある者は色めき立ち、ある者は困惑する中、役立ったのが雨妹が作成した使用人の評価表である。
高評価な者を要職に、低評価な者はあまり重要ではない仕事に追いやることで、準備はそこそこ円滑に進められていた。
「うるせぇ、役立たずは要らねぇんだよ」
それを利民が一睨みして黙らせる。
文句を言う者たちは、これまで利民があまり潘公主を構っているように見えなかったため、態度が悪くても許されると思っていたに違いない。
けれどもここにきて、利民が潘公主への態度をころっと変えたため、突然はしごを外されたような気持ちでいることだろう。
その利民は、潘公主に素の自分を受け入れられたことで安心したようだ。
屋敷内でも船乗りの態度でいられるので、屋敷の居心地が上がったらしい。
いずれは跡取りの子を生さねばならない二人であるので、いつまでも他人行儀はよくない。
利民はようやく潘公主と家族になる気持ちになれたようで、一安心である。
ところで家族といえば。潘公主の閨教育の成果はどうだったかというと。
利民が屋敷に戻った翌日に、雨妹は潘公主から今日は休みだと言われ。
かといって戻ったばかりの立勇をわざわざ連れ出して外出するのも気が引けて、庭を散策して時間を潰していると。
「おい」
そこを通りかかった利民が回廊から呼ぶので、なんだろうかと近寄ると。
「よくやった」
ボソッとお褒めの言葉を貰ってしまい、すぐにピンときてしまった。
「それは、ようございました」
にこやかに笑みを浮かべる雨妹に、利民の方が赤面をして立ち去ってしまうが。
――ああ見えて、案外初心だとか?
けれど、こういうことでからかうのは良くない。
利民は男しかいない船にずっといて、なおかつ海賊退治という戦いの後。
そんな神経が高揚している状態でも、外で女を買わずに帰って来た。
恐らく利民なりの誠意だったのだろうが、性欲というものは誰しもが抱くもので、恥ずかしい事でもなく、我慢はむしろ良くない。
真っ当な夫婦生活をおくるようになれば、利民もきっと心に余裕ができて、落ち着きを持つようになるだろう。
そしてこれに実は、利民の船の船員たちもホッとしているそうで。
自分たちの船長が、結婚した新婚にも関わらず船に入り浸っていたら、心配しない方が難しいだろう。
屋敷に出入りする船員が、「やっと利民様がイライラしなくなった」と喜んでいた。
やはり夫婦関係のもつれが、あちらにも影響を及ぼしていたようだ。
しかし、この一連の流れを知らないのが、立勇であるのだが。
ちょうど雨妹と一緒にいた立勇がある時、潘公主から呼び止められ。
「立勇殿、雨妹にあまり無理を強いてはなりませんよ?」
そんな忠告めいたことを言われて。
「は? なんですか?」
立勇が意味不明という顔をしていた。
「あ......」
雨妹はそこでようやく、潘公主の誤解を放置したままな事に気付いた。
立勇はそんな雨妹をギロリと睨んだものの、その場ではなにも言わず、黙したままその場から離れてから。
雨妹と二人だけになったところで、怖い顔で聞かれた。
なので素直に誤解の内容と潘公主への閨教育について語ったのだが。
「......」
「あのー、立勇様~?」
雨妹が立勇の目の前で手を振ると、ゆっくりと動き出した。
色々言いたいことはあるが、まずは何故お前にそのような知識がある?」
後宮の宮女は処女であることが条件のようなものなので、立勇の疑問は尤もなことだ。
「もちろん、知識だけですって。
「それは、女同士の秘密です」
雨妹は薄く笑って誤魔化した。
利民が特殊性癖である可能性を考慮して、少々濃い内容を教えたことは、黙っておいた方がいいだろう。
Chapter 91
The entire Kai was brimming with liveliness after Li Min succeeded in subjugating the pirates.
A banquet was held in the mansion for the celebration of his victory.
It was an extremely hectic day for the people in the mansion, especially since the influential people and bigshot ship owners were invited to this lavish feast.
They also threw a banquet for the crown prince's arrival, but it was a bit more relaxed since he was the only person they had to entertain.
Thus, the servants fixed the venue for the banquet, then left all the rest to Li Min and the princess back then.
However, this time around, they had to entertain a whole lot more, so the servants couldn't just retreat and slack off at this crucial time.
Everyone had to be present at the venue to welcome the guests.
Some of them got excited over this, while others were baffled, but the people who really stood out in their jobs were the ones that Yui Mei picked.
The servants who had good reputations were stationed in key positions, while those who were the opposite were given the menial jobs, so the preparations were somehow completed without a hitch. Of course, those who were assigned to do the worthless jobs complained unceasingly.
"Shut your mouths, I don't need a bunch of useless people here."
Li Min shut them up with a single glare.
The people who had been endlessly grumbling thought that it was fine even if they acted out of line, since Li Min hadn't seemed to care for the princess.
However, ever since he returned, Li Min's attitude towards Princess Pan did a 180, so they felt as if the rug had been pulled under their feet.
Li Min felt relieved that the princess accepted his true nature.
The mansion became a more comfortable place to live in now that he didn't have to pretend any longer, and he could act the way he was when he's aboard the ship.
They also needed an heir, so it wouldn't be good if both of them remained strangers to each other.
Yui Mei felt reassured now that Li Min and Princess Pan truly became a family/
And speaking of family, what happened with the princess' 'education'?
The day after Li Min returned, the princess told Yui Mei could take the day off.
Li Yong just returned from the sea, so Yui Mei thought it would be in bad taste if she dragged him outside just to play, so she decided to take a stroll in the mansion's garden, instead.
"Hey."
Li Min happened to pass by and he called out to her from the corridor, so she walked towards him.
"Good job."
Li Min softly mumbled, and Yui Mei instantly realized what he was referring to.
"Oh my, that's great."
Yui Mei beamed, so Li Min hurriedly left the scene with his face entirely dyed in crimson.
'Ahh, he's unexpectedly pure, too?'
However, it wouldn't be good for her to tease him because of this.
Li Min had been staying on the ship with only males for his companion, and he just came back from subjugating the pirates.
His nerves must be tingling in exhilaration, but despite that, he never went outside to spend money in the company of women.
Perhaps it was Li Min's way of being sincere, however, having desires was something normal and nothing to be ashamed of, and abstinence in their relationship wasn't healthy, too.
The couple finally became husband and wife in the truest sense, so Li Min was able to relax and be at ease, too.
In fact, Li Min's men were also relieved because of this.
They were also worried about their captain, who still continued on with his seafaring activities despite being a newly-married man.
The sailors who went in and out of the mansion observed the difference in Li Min, so he was glad that "Lord Li Min finally stopped being annoyed at everything."
It seemed that their husband and wife relationship had affected him, as well.
However, Li Yong was the only one ignorant about this affairs.
Princess Pan called out to Yui Mei, right when she was together with Li Yong.
"Lord Li Yong, please don't be unreasonably rough on Yui Mei, alright?"
It sounded like she was warning him.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Li Yong looked baffled.
"Ah..."
It was then that Yui Mei realized she hadn't cleared the misunderstanding with the princess, yet.
Li Yong glared at Yui Mei, and they wordlessly went to a different place.
He asked Yui Mei with a scary face when they were finally alone.
And so, she didn't have a choice but to spill the beans about the contents of the princess' 'education' honestly.
".........................."
"Ahm, earth to Li Yong~?"
Yui Mei slowly waved her hand in front of his eyes, and he finally moved.
"Hey, Yui Mei......................................There's a lot of things I wanted to say, but first, why, tell me, why the heck do you know this stuff?"
Being pure was one of the prerequisites of being a court lady, so it was totally expected that Li Yong would ask her that.
"It's just knowledge, of course. I'm just one of those girls who knows a lot of things about the deed."
"That's a secret between us girls~"
Yui Mei laughed lightly as she tried to gloss over it.
Li Min might have some unique fetishes and peculiarities, so she taught the princess some of the deeper stuff just in case. But she probably had to take that secret to her grave.
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