が皇帝のお気に入りというのだから、皇帝が絡むのは納得ではある。
――でもさ、好みでもない女を百花宮に入れるという行為が謎ではあるんだよねぇ。
しかし
雨妹
とて、さすがにここで「あの人は陛下好みの女の人ではないですよね?」と尋ねるのが不敬であるということくらいは分かっているので、別の言い方をした。
「それって、陛下は突然徐さんを後宮に入れたことを、変に疑われたりはしなかったんですか?
立彬の言葉に、雨妹は目を丸くする。
「......それって、徐さんの琵琶の音色が醜聞を消したってことですか?」
「そういうことだな」
雨妹の確認に、立彬が頷く。
――なにそれ、スゴくない!?
どうやらあのゴミ捨て場にいた宮妓は、雨妹の想像以上の弾き手であるようだ。
それほどの徐の琵琶の音色を、こうなってはぜひに聞きたくなってきた。
「ちなみに立彬様は、その徐さんの琵琶を聞いたことがありますか?」
「そんなにですか!?」
他人を褒めたたえるということをあまり見せない立彬のこの言葉に、雨妹はさらに驚く。
夜は宴、昼は練習で、今にして思えば寝る間もあまりなかったのではないか?」
徐の日常を想像して眉を下げる雨妹に、立彬もそう付け加える。
だとすると、徐は人気者であるがゆえに心労も大きなものであっただろう。
心労とは万病に影響を与えるのだが、風湿病にもこれが当てはまる。
――む~ん、これは根本治療のためには環境を変えないとダメっぽい?
しかし百花宮に生きる女に、環境を変えるというのは難しいだろう。
一人で頭を悩ませる雨妹に、立彬が眉をひそめて鋭い視線を向ける。
「一つ聞くが雨妹よ、何故そんなに徐のことを熱心に心配するのだ?」
「何故、ですか?」
これに、雨妹はきょとんとした顔になる。
「もちろん、気になっちゃってモヤモヤして仕方ないからですけど?」
むしろ、これ以外にどんな理由があるというのか。
「あ! もしかして立彬様は宮妓には助けなんて必要ないとか、そういうことを言っちゃうような人ですかっ!?」
徐が自嘲していたことを思い出し、雨妹はムッとして眉を吊り上げる。
「いや、そうではないが」
これに立彬はすぐに否定するものの、困ったような顔をする。
「これまでは助ける行為に対して感謝をされることが続いたが、徐のように相手が助けを望んでいるわけではないのなら、『余計な事をした』とむしろ罵倒されるかもしれないのだぞ?」
――なるほど、そこを気にしてくれていたのか。
だが雨妹はそんなこと、百も承知なのである。
雨妹としては自分の気持ちがスッキリして、ご飯が美味しく食べられる精神状態が保てればそれでいいのだ。
少なくとも「困っている人は全員救ってあげたい」だなんていう、博愛と奉仕の精神に基づくものではないのは確かである。
Xu was said to be the emperor's favorite, so it was understandable that the emperor would be involved.
'But then, the action of letting women who aren't even his favorites enter the Hundred Blossom Palace is quite a mystery too, right.'
-----
T/N: Self-love, Yui Mei! Good thing about her loving herself is that it doesn't equate to being oblivious to the people outside her own bubble, and it has the side benefits of helping others. XD
However, Yui Mei knew it would be tactless if she were to ask if"that peson isn't really a favorite of the emperor, right?", so she tried to rephrase it.
"Then, weren't the people become suspicious of why the Emperor suddenly allowed Xu's entry into the palace? For example, the Empress did, right?"
Yui Mei was taken back at Libin's words.
"...Does that mean Xu's music erased all their misgivings against her?"
"That's right."
Libin nodded when Yui Mei tried to confirm.
'What the, isn't she amazing, then!?'
So it turned out that the courtesan at the dumping site was a far more excellent musician than Yui Mei imagined.
Her desire to hear her play was fanned further because of this.
"By the way, Libin, have you ever heard her play the lute?"
"She was that great!?"
Yui Mei was even more shocked when Libin said that, knowing how tight-lipped this guy was when it comes to praising others.
"You're right. Banquets in the evening, practice during the day -- now that I think about it, did she even have time to sleep?"
Yui Mei was scrunching her brows as she imagined Xu's day-to-day life, and even Libin chimed in.
In that case, her anxiety levels must have been high because of her popularity.
Stress was also a factor that influenced lots of illnesses, and arthritis was no exception.
'Hmm, changing the environment as part of the medical treatment of the root cause isn't really plausible now, I guess?'
It would be extremely difficult for a woman living in the Hundred Blossom Palace to change her circumstances.
Yui Mei was arbitrarily getting worried about Xu. Libin turned his sharp gaze towards her, his brows frowning.
"I just want to ask, Yui Mei, why are you so fixated on Xu, fervently worrying about her to this extent?"
"Why, you ask?"
Yui Mei blankly stared back at him.
"Of course it's bothering me, so it can't be helped that I'm getting anxious about her, right?"
What other reason must be there, then.
"Ah! Don't tell me, Libin, are you the type of person who thinks that courtesans don't need help!?"
Yui Mei pouted while scrunching her brows because she remembered Xu's self-deprecation.
"No, that's not it."
Libin immediately refuted it, but he looked worried.
"You see, all the people that you helped so far were grateful to you, but will that be the same for Xu, given that she doesn't want any help?  She might even curse you for being "a busybody", you know?"
'Oh, I see, so he's concerned about me because of that.'
However, Yui Mei was already fully aware about that.
For Yui Mei, as long as she could keep a healthy mental state with a clear mind, and also be able to eat well, then that was all that mattered.
At the very least, she was not some saint who "wants to help all the worried people in the world"; her actions were not based on the spirit of benevolence and service.
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