168話 思いもよらぬ話
宮妓とは宮城で働く妓女であるが、一般的な妓女とは仕事が違う。
もちろん
だってどうせ売られるならばそちらの道に行くことを考えたが、宮妓は自らの意思だけでなれるものではない。
そんな所へ伝手などなかったので、かなり最初の時点で諦めていたのだそうだ。
からすると、大店の娘で琵琶が巧みとなれば、芸を売る妓女として高級妓館や宮妓の斡旋から声がかかりそうなものだが、そのあたりの話を敵対していたその相手から全て潰されていたのだろう。
そして世間知らずだった当時の徐はそうした情報を持っておらず、普通に下級妓女のことしか頭になかったらしい。
――それにしてもさぁ......。
ここまで聞いた雨妹は、その親切な人物のことが引っかかった。
徐を宮妓にしたのは、皇帝の鶴の一声であったという。
皇帝の愛人説がまことしやかに囁かれても、強引に事を進めたとのことだった。
このことを踏まえて考えると、親切な人物とやらの正体も見えてくるというもの。
まさか噂の琵琶師を一目見たくて、皇帝がいち商人の宴席に潜入したのだろうか?
なんという物見高い人だろう。
――なにしてんのさ、父ぃ!?
雨妹は内心で絶叫しつつ、ちらりと隣を見やると、
あちらも似たようなことを考えたに違いない。
それはともかくとして。
徐としては、あの男の専属妓女になるのと、突然の宮妓の話と、どちらを選ぶべきかは明らか過ぎだ。
というわけで、徐は宮妓になった。
しかし宮妓といえども後宮入りとなると、当然外に出るための条件は他の女たちと一緒である。
そうなると、恋人が帰って来た時に会いに行けないのだ。
しかしその時が来れば尼になることも厭わないつもりだった徐に、その人は言った。
『なに、皇帝陛下は非情なお方ではない。
だから徐よ、お主は皇帝陛下の心を琵琶の音にてお慰めすることと、恋人の無事を祈ることだけを考えていればよい』
そう告げて宮城まで送り届けてくれたその人とは、後宮入りした日から会ってはいないという。
雨妹はとりあえず聞いてみた。
「え~、徐さん。
「あるわけないだろう、アタシたちは御簾越しに拝謁するのがせいぜいさ」
この問いに、徐は訝しそうな顔ながらもキッパリとそう言った。
どうやらあのお人も一応身バレは避けたらしい。
声でバレる可能性もあるが、そもそも皇帝が直に発言することは稀だろう。
大抵お付きの人がいちいち伝言するものである。
皇帝と直に会話する機会のあった雨妹の方がおかしいのだ。
しかし、助けに入るならばもう少し早い段階でできなかったのか?
そうすれば、その恋人とやらも兵士としてはるばる国境まで出稼ぎに行かなくてもよかっただろうに。
――まあ仮にも皇帝陛下だから、好きに出かけることができなかったのかもしれないけどね。
雨妹は内心でそんなことを考える。
話は続き、徐が宮妓になってから時は過ぎ、いつしか十年が経過していたある日。
いつまでも恋人の身を案じていた徐の元に、とある物が届けられる。
それは、恋人の遺髪であった。
待ち続けた徐の元へ帰ってきたのはたったひと房の髪だという事実が、彼女を身も心も打ちのめす。
『もういいんだ、これでアタシはここで待っている意味がなくなった。
この空の向こうにいる恋人に、きっとこの琵琶の音が届くと信じていたのに、もうどんなに弾いても届かない場所にまで逝かれてしまった。
ならば自分も同じ場所に逝こうとするが、いざ死のうとしたら命を惜しんでしまう自分がいる。
恋人は自分のために戦場に行って死んだのに、自分はなにをしているのかと、情けなくて涙が出た。
そして徐が死なせてくれる場所を求めて日々さすらう内に、あのごみ捨て場で雨妹と出会ったのだ。
Chapter 168: An Unexpected Story
A court courtesan was a female entertainer working in the palace, but it was different from ordinary courtesans.
service
Of course, Xu was already resigned to walk that path if she was to be sold, but becoming a court courtesan wasn't something she could attain just because she thought about it.
She had already given up at the very beginning because she didn't have any connections to such a place like that.
From Yui Mei's point of view, she had the possibility of being approached by high-class brothels and by their intermediaries to become a courtesan who sells her skills  if she's a merchant daughter and she could play the flute well. Unfortunately, the guy who wanted to oppose her probably crushed all those possibilities.
And Xu, ignorant as she was with the ways of the world, didn't know anything about it. It seemed that she hadn't thought of anything but to become a low-ranking courtesan.
'Still....'
The sincere young man piqued Yui Mei's interest.
The reason why Xu became a palace courtesan was probably because of the emperor's final say.
He still forced things to proceed despite the rumors circulating that Xu was the emperor's lover. These theories had been passed off as truth, moreover..
With these clues, it was easy to see the true identity of this sincere, kind man.
Perhaps, the emperor snuck into the merchant's banquets because he wanted a glimpse of the rumored lute player?
What an inquisitive man.
'What the heck were you doing, Dad!'
Yui Mei scolded him in her heart, before sneaking a glance at Libin. His expression looked as if he was enlightened.
He probably realized the same thing.
But that must be set aside for now.
Xu's choice was very obvious when faced with the dilemma of whether she'd become that scumbag's exclusive prostitute or if she would accept the sudden offer of becoming a palace courtesan.
And so, Xu became a court courtesan.
However, even if she was a palace courtesan, the rules for leaving the Inner Palace still applied to her naturally.
In that case, she wouldn't be able to meet her lover if he returned.
However, Xu didn't balk at the thought of becoming a nun, but that person refuted her.
"What, His Majesty the Emperor isn't such a heartless person. If the person you are waiting for returns and asks for your hand so that you'll be married for life, then he will think of a way to help you out of bondage.
That's why Xu, all you have to do is to comfort His Majesty's heart with the songs of your lute, and pray for the safety of your lover."
The man told her those words and he even personally sent her into the palace, but she never saw him again after he entered the Inner Palace.
Yui Mei decided to just ask about it.
"Eh~ Miss Xu. By the way, have you ever seen the face of His Majesty the Emperor?"
"There's no way I could, of course. We're only allowed to have an audience when he's on the other side of the curtain."
Xu retorted while looking at Yui Mei with suspicion.
So that meant that person also didn't want to be discovered.
There's a possibility that his voice would expose him, but then, it's also rare for the emperor to directly give his order.
His retainers were usually the ones who communicated with him one-on-one.
Actually, Yui Mei was the weird one for having opportunities of directly conversing with the emperor.
However, if he really wanted to help, why couldn't he do it earlier?
If he had stepped in right away, then Xu's lover didn't have to go all the way to the borderland in order to work as a soldier.
'Well, he can't just leave the palace at will even if he's the emperor, I guess.'
Yui Mei inwardly thought about it.
Xu then continued her story. Time passed after she became a palace courtesan, and 10 years went by in a flash.
Then one day, something was sent to Xu, who had been praying for the safety of her lover all this time.
It was the hair of her lover -- deceased lover.
Xu was devastated, both physically and emotionally, when all that returned was a tuft of hair after all those years of waiting.
"Enough, there's no reason for me to wait here anymore. I had continued playing this lute in the hopes that it would reach him, but..."
She believed that the sound of her lute would reach her lover who was on the other side of the sky, but he had gone on to a place where her lute couldn't reach him.
She had wanted to follow him, but in the face of death, she was reluctant.
Her lover had gone to the battlefield and died for her, but what the heck was she doing -- she cried and lamented her deplorable, shameful self.
And so, she had been roaming around, passing her days searching for the place that could let her die, until she met Yui Mei at the dumping site on that day.
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