167話 出会い
『一目惚れをしました』
上司に同行して宴席に来た彼は、
しかしそんな台詞はこれまでの求婚者も述べていた内容で、徐は信じてなんかいなかった。
けれどその男は他と少し違った。徐の部屋から見える塀の上に、彼が毎朝花を置いていくようになったのだ。
徐は塀の上の花を見るのが次第に楽しみになってきて、やがて彼に恋をする。
男の誠実さが本物だと分かり、両親は男を婿入りさせて徐と添い遂げさせようという心づもりであった。
しかし、幸せは突然に終わる。
両親が商売のために出かけた先で、不慮の事故で亡くなってしまったのだ。
突然の不幸に悲嘆にくれる徐に、さらなる不幸が襲い掛かる。
店に大きな借金があると言われ、取り立てのために店のなにもかもを持っていかれてしまったのだ。
けれどそれでも借金には足りないようで、徐は借金の取り立てに苦しめられることとなる。
住む場所を失った徐は昔から良くしてくれた使用人の家に身を寄せ、そんな徐を助けようと恋人が奔走してくれた。
しかし、誰も徐たちに助けの手を差し伸べてはくれない。
両親と懇意にしてくれていた人たちを頼っても、けんもほろろに追い返されるのだ。
両親の生前はとても親切な良い人たちであったのに、周囲の変わりように徐はさらに心を痛める。
誰も頼ることができない中で恋人だけが力になってくれるが、その彼は借金を返せるような大金なんて持っておらず、誰も貸してくれなかった。
それでも、恋人は諦めなかった。
『必ず金を作って君を助けるから』
彼はそう約束して、金策のために都を旅立つ。
ちょうど東の国境で戦う兵士の募集がされていて、そこで大きな手柄を上げると大金が得られるという話があったのだ。
『そんな危ないことをしなくていいの!』
そう止める徐を振り切って、恋人は行ってしまった。
都に一人残され、恋人を案じながら自身でも金策を考える徐だったが、ある日、徐の借金を全て肩代わりしようという人物が現れた。
しかしそれは純粋な親切ではない。
『その代わり、お前は私専属の妓女になれ』
そう言ってきたのは、徐にしつこく求婚してきていて、よくない噂にことかかない男であったため両親によって却下された相手であったのだ。
しかも徐に妻ではなく、妓女になれという。
結婚するのも嫌なのに、妓女として支配される身分になれと、そう言っているのだ。
徐とて借金のために妓女になるということも、選択肢の一つとして頭の片隅にあった。
それがこの男専属の妓女だなんて、想像するだけでゾッとする。
それに、徐は男のにやけ顔を見てすぐにピンときた。両親は恐らく、この人物に嵌められたのだ。
そして両親の知り合いがけんもほろろだったのも、恋人が誰からも金を借りられなかったのも、全てこの男が手を回したに違いない。
そうした汚い手口が得意な男で、両親はその点を心底嫌っていた。
こうなると、両親の事故が本当に不慮のものであったのかも怪しい。
徐は男の話を断る。
自分が楽になるためにこの汚い男の手を取っては、恋人はなんのために兵士になって国境へ旅立ったのか?
そう考えると、到底受け入れられなかったのだ。
『生意気な、いいから来るのだ!』
けれどその時、徐が連れて行かれるのに割って入った人物がいた。
『徐子の身柄は、我が買おうぞ』
そう告げてきたその人は、父の宴席にしばしば顔を出していた男だった。
徐によく演奏の礼だと言って珍しい菓子をくれたので、よく覚えている。
『なにを言うか、この徐は儂の妓女になったのだぞ!?』
止められた男は顔を真っ赤にしてそんな勝手な事を言うが、その人は意に介さずに徐に話しかけて来た。
『徐子よ、我はそこな男のように妓女などとは言わん。
そんな思いもよらない破格の話に、徐は飛び上がらんばかりに驚いたそうだ。
『琵琶さえ披露してくれれば生活の保障をするぞ?
Chapter 167
"I fell in love at first sight."
The man, who accompanied his boss in attending the banquet, told Xu.
However, all of her previous suitors had also expressed the same thing before, so Xu didn't believe him.
Nevertheless, this man was a little different from those guys. It became his habit to put flowers on top of a wall that was visible from Xu's room, and he did it every morning.
Xu gradually began to look forward to seeing those blooms on the wall, and eventually, she also fell for him.
She realized that the man was genuinely sincere towards her, and her parents were also determined to marry them and welcome him as their son-in-law.
However, the happiness was short-lived.
Her parents went on a business trip, and they met their demise due to an unforeseen accident.
Xu was suddenly immersed in misery, but disaster still relentlessly poured one after the other.
She was told that she owed a huge debt to the store, and everything in the store that had value was taken away to pay the debt.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to cover the debt, so Xu suffered because of the collection of that debt.
The orphaned Xu stayed with the maid that had treated her well in the past, and her lover also tried his best running helter-skelter in order to help her.
Regardless, nobody else was willing to extend a helping hand towards Xu.
She tried her luck asking the friends of her parents, but they chased her away bluntly.
When her parents were still alive, these so-called friends had been truly good to them and they were very close, but they all changed in the face of misfortune. It made Xu's heart ache.
She couldn't rely on anyone, and only her lover became her support, but he didn't possess great wealth that was enough to pay off her debts, and nobody wanted to lend him money.
Nevertheless, her lover didn't give up.
"I will definitely make enough money and I'll help you."
The man vowed, and he left the capital in order to make money.
At that time, soldiers who would fight in the war on the eastern border were being recruited, and it was said that they could obtain a huge amount of money if they did meritorious deeds while in service.
"You don't have to go to such a dangerous place!"
Xu tried to stop her lover, but he just shook her off and left.
She was left alone in the capital, worried about her lover and trying to find ways to earn money. One day, a person came, saying he would take over all of Xu's debts.
However, it wasn't because of genuine, pure kindness.
"Become my exclusive courtesan in return."
That person was no other than the man who pestered Xu for marriage but was rejected by her parents because of ill-rumors circulating about him.
Not only that, what he proposed now wasn't to become his wife, but to be his exclusive prostitute.
He didn't want to get married, but he wanted her to become a harlot that he could dominate.
Xu had also considered becoming a courtesan to pay her debts, and it had remained at the back of her mind as one of the options.
Regardless, shivers ran down her spine just by the thought of becoming an exclusive prostitute for this man.
Not only that, Xu realized that this man had a hand on her parents' demise when she saw his lewd smirk.
No mistake, he and his schemes were the reason why her parents' friends turned her away so rudely, and why nobody wanted to lend money to her lover.
Her parents had hated this man for all the dirty tricks he was capable of.
Given the situation, it was suspicious whether her parents' death was truly an accident.
Xu rejected the man's proposal.
If she took this scumbag's hand, then what's the purpose of her lover becoming a soldier and him travelling towards the empire's borders?
It was utterly impossible for her to accept it.
"Impudent! Doesn't matter, you're going with me!"
However, another person interfered at that time.
"I will be the one to buy Xu Zi's person."
It was a man who would appear from time to time in the banquets held by Xu's father.
She remembered him clearly, because he would give her rare sweets frequently, saying it was thanks for her musical performance.
"Nonsense, this Xu is now my harlot!!"
The man turned beet-red after being stopped, and he continued spouting arbitrary words. The other man paid him no heed and he continued talking to Xu.
"Xu Zi, I will not make you a harlot like what that man wanted. Good timing, I'm looking for a courtesan who can work in the Imperial Palace."
Xu had been so shocked that her soul almost flew out of her when she heard that unprecedented offer to her.
"If you perform with your lute, then I'll guarantee your safety, you know? In my opinion, it's a good opportunity for you if you're waiting for your lover."
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