36話 浮かれる宮女たち
最近、季節は次第に暖かさを増している。
後宮ではインフルエンザもピークを過ぎつつあるのか、徐々に勢いが衰えてきていた。
そんな春の盛りのある日、朝の食堂で後宮にて開かれる大規模な行事について聞かされた。
「花の宴?」
「そう、お偉方が花を愛でながら宴を開くのさ」
朝食を食べながら首を傾げる雨妹に、
聞けばいわゆる花見のようだが、この日ばかりは他の宴と違う特別なことがあるという。
なんでも成人して後宮を去った皇帝の子供たちが、母と過ごすために後宮に入ることを許される日でもあるようなのだ。
「なぁるほど、それで皆浮かれているんですね」
雨妹が腑に落ちたような顔で周囲を見渡せば、あちらこちらで何番目の皇子がどうのという話で盛り上がるのが聞こえる。
宮女たちにとって花の宴は、皇子に見初められる絶好の機会なのだろう。
雨妹にとって皇子はどうでもいいが、それよりも関心を引いたことがある。
それは花の宴で着飾りたい女たちのために、もうすぐ商人がやって来て露店を開くらしいということだ。
「新しい簪を買いたいわ」
「いい色の紅はあるかしら」
買い物をしたくてうずうずしている宮女たちが、あちらこちらでそうささやき合っている。
世界は変われど、女は買い物が好きなことは変わらないようだ。
雨妹としては装飾品にさほど興味はないが、買い物はしたい。
なにせ辺境では自給自足の物々交換が基本で、買い物なんて縁遠い生活だったのだから。
露店開催に合わせて渡された給金にだって、初めて見た貨幣もあったりする。
今世で未だ満たされていない買い物欲を、この際思いっきりぶつけてやりたい。
――なにかいいものがあるかなぁ?
期待に胸を膨らませつつも時は過ぎ、商人がやって来る日の朝となり。
「よぅし、買い物だ!」
雨妹は仕事をパパっと終わらせ、露店が開かれている広場へと向かう。
ウキウキ気分な雨妹だったが、忘れてはならないのは、後宮は序列社会だということ。
それは露店での買い物でも反映されるもので、先輩宮女から先に買い物をしていくのだ。
露店は宮女や女官に散々荒らされ、残りかすのような物しか残っていない状態であった。
「......まあ、こうなるよね」
下っ端宮女の買い物事情なんて、余りものから選ぶしかないのだ。
むしろ余りものには福があることを期待して、掘り出し物を狙う楽しみがあるだろう。
たちは商人が直接売りに行くため、ここに来ることはない。
妃嬪付きもそこで買い物の恩恵に預かれるため、宮女たちは専属の立場を欲しがるという面もあったりする。
それはともかくとして。
残りかすの中でも必死に装飾品を探す宮女たちを横目に、雨妹は装飾品以外の品物が並ぶ場所にしゃがんでいた。
こちらはあまり見向きされなかったらしく、他に比べてそこそこ品物が残っているのだ。
雨妹が見ている場所には鍋などの調理器具や裁縫道具といった雑多なものが置いてある。
どうやら今日の主役商品以外を、ここへぎゅっと詰め込んだようである。
「へぇ、結構色々ある」
物色する雨妹に商人は物珍しそうな視線を寄越すが、そんな周囲の視線はなんのその。
雨妹はじっくり品物を眺めていると、鍋に埋もれて置いてある、ガラス瓶に入れられた色とりどりの飴玉が目に留まる。
――これを毎日一つずつ食べるとか、いいかも!
「これください!」
飴の瓶を持ち上げる雨妹に、商人は「お買い上げありがとうございます」と言ってにこやかに笑う。
「えっと、お代ね......」
雨妹が商人に代金を払うため、持ってきた財布代わりの袋を懐から出そうとしていると。
「お前は、買うべきものは他にあるだろうに」
頭の上からそんな男の声が降って来た。雨妹が顔を上げると、斜め後ろに
立彬
「立彬様も買い物ですか?」
彼がこの場にいる理由が他に思いつかず、雨妹はそう尋ねた。
「太子宮で済ませた」
しかし返って来た当然といえば当然な答えに、雨妹も「そりゃそうか」と納得する。
疑問顔の雨妹を余所に、立彬は手を伸ばして商人の手元へ小銭を落とす。
「これで足りるか?」
「足りるどころか、釣りが来ますよ」
立彬と商人の会話に、雨妹は首を傾げる。
今のお金はもしや飴の代金だろうか。
何故にこの男が払っているのだろう。
Chapter 36
The season gradually became warmer recently.
The Inner Palace also got past the peak of influenza, and its influence was gradually abating.With this, it was the advent of spring at last.
One certain day during the height of spring, she was asked during breakfast at the dining hall about the large-scaled event that was soon to be held.
"Cherry Blossom Viewing Banquet?"
"Yeah, the nobles are holding a feast while admiring the flowers."
Yui Mei was perplexed as she ate her breakfast, so Mei Na explained.
At first glance, it was just like the cherry blossom viewing parties, but on this day, a special event would occur that would separate this feast from the others.
Apparently, the grownup children of the emperor who left the Inner Palace were permitted to enter during this day so they could spend it with their mothers.
"I see~, so that's why everyone's so excited."
Yui Mei looked around as understanding dawned on her face, and she saw everyone gossiping loudly about which prince was doing what.
For the court ladies, this Cherry Blossom Viewing Banquet was an opportunity to be seen by the various princes.
Yui Mei couldn't care less about those princes, and she's more concerned about something else.
Apparently, the merchants would come soon to open stalls for the women who wanted to dress up during the Cherry Blossom Viewing Banquet.
"I want to buy a new hairpin."
"Is there a good color of rouge?"
The court ladies were itching to go shopping, and they were gossiping here and there.
It seemed that though the world might change, the women's love for shopping wouldn't.
Yui Mei was not particularly interested in accessories, but she wanted to shop.
Bartering self-produced items was the norm in the borderlands, and shopping was an activity far beyond their means.
Even the wages handed to them in time for the opening of the booths had currency she never saw before.
She planned to carry out her desire to shop that hadn't been fulfilled yet in this world with all her might.
'Will there be something good?'
Anticipation swelled in her chest, and finally, the long awaited day of the merchants' arrival came.
"Alrighty, time to go shopping!"
Yui Mei speedily finished her work, then she headed towards the square where the stalls were.
Yui Mei was excited, but she couldn't forget that the Inner Palace was a hierarchical society.
It was also reflected during shopping in the stalls, as the senior court ladies had their turn first. What would happen in the end.
The stalls were completely ransacked by the swarms of court ladies and maids, and only dregs remained.
"...Well, this is bound to happen, I suppose."
The shopping situation of low ranking court ladies was such that they could only choose from the left-overs.
There was also good fortune among those surplus, so she was excited to find a good bargain.
By the way, the merchants would go directly to the concubines, so they wouldn't come here.
The ladies-in-waiting would also be graced with the favor of shopping there, so the court ladies also dreamed of that exclusive position.
Those matters should be set aside for now.
She cast a sidelong glance towards the court ladies who desperately looked for accessories among the remaining goods, then she squatted at the stall offering other items aside from ornaments.
Judging from the various merchandise displayed compared to the other stalls, it seemed that it was not that frequented.
Miscellaneous things such as pots and sewing kits were lined-up at the stall Yui Mei was looking at.
Apparently, all the items aside from the leading ones were squeezed in here, all mixed-up.
"Heh, there's a lot of different stuff."
The merchants gawked curiously at Yui Mei as she rummaged through the goods, but she ignored them all.
Yui Mei stared intently at the goods, when a glass bottle containing different colored candies and covered by a pot caught her eye.
'This might be good, I can eat one piece every day!'
"I want to buy this please!"
Yui Mei raised the glass bottle of candies, and the merchant said 'Thank you for your purchase!' with a smile.
"Okay, payment huh..."
Yui Mei took out her pouch that she brought as a substitute for a wallet to pay the merchant.
"You could have bought other things aside from that."
A male's voice came from above her.
When Yui Mei looked up, Libin was standing diagonally behind her.
"Did Libin also come to buy something?"
She couldn't think of any other reason why he was here, so she asked.
"I'm already done at the crown prince's palace."
However, the answer was blatantly obvious, and Yui Mei also agreed, 'Yeah, I thought so'.
Libin extended his hand and dropped some change on the merchant's palm, ignoring Yui Mei's bewildered face.
"Is this enough?"
"Yes, more than enough, you still have change."
Yui Mei tilted her head, perplexed at their conversation.
Could the money just now be payment for the candies?
Why did this guy pay for it?
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