74話 事件です
「雨妹、何故港へ向かっている?」
立勇に尋ねられ、雨妹はちらりと隣を見上げる。
「立勇様こそ、あの様子だと港は危ないですよ?」
「私は武人だ、荒事くらいどうということはない。
この意見に、しかし雨妹も反論する。
「交戦ってことは、怪我人がいるかもしれないじゃないですか」
こうして二人で立ち止まり、睨み合うことしばし。
「......仕方ない、私から離れないように」
雨妹が引き下がらないと見た立勇が折れた。
というわけで、改めて二人して港へ向かうのだった。
港は騒然としていた。
「船はもうないのか!?」
「海に落ちている連中がいる、引き揚げないと!」
「利民様が出られるぞ!」
様々な怒声が響く中、雨妹は背伸びして沖を見る。
そこには大きな船が浮かんでいて、その船に中型の船が数隻たかっていた。
「あれは......海賊か?
立勇の呟きに、雨妹は首を捻る。
「そういうのって、誰も通らないようなところでするものなんじゃあないですかね?」
こんなすぐに応援が到着できるような距離では、海賊が不利に思えるのだが。
「怪我人だ、舟で帰ってきたぞ!」
しかし聞こえて来たこの言葉で、雨妹の中からそんな疑問が吹き飛ぶ。
「はい! 私手当てが得意です!
雨妹が手を挙げて叫ぶと、自然と目の前の人込みが割れる。
「誰だか知らんが助かる、こっちだ!」
そう聞こえて来た声の方に駆け出す雨妹に、立勇が「仕方ない」と零しながらついてくる。
そこは手漕ぎの舟に乗せられ血を流している男数人と、その舟を漕いできた男が、港に揚げられているところだった。
「切り傷だな、浅いようだが血が流れ過ぎているか」
怪我人を見た立勇が隣でそう告げる。
となると、早く傷の手当てをして身体を温めなければ危険だ。
「すみませんが、煮炊きに使う水をください。
雨妹が周囲にそう叫ぶと、近くの屋台から鍋に入った水が届けられる。
雨妹はその水に持っていた木綿の布を浸し、傷口を洗っていく。
ちなみに木綿布を持ち歩くのは、いつでも髪を纏めて布マスクを出来るようにという、掃除係の癖である。
やがて届けられた布を、雨妹は裂いて包帯状にすると、傷口から心臓に近い場所をギュッと縛る。
「血がとまるまでこうしていて、落ち着ける場所に静かに運んで濡れた服を着替えさせてください!」
「あの仕切っている女は誰だ?」という声は聞こえてくるものの、隣の立勇の威圧感のせいで直接言えないようだ。
こうして次々と手当していき、怪我人を全員捌ききると。
「おいネェちゃん良い腕してるな!
港につけられた、漁に使われてるのであろう手漕ぎの舟の上からそう声をかけられた。
「はい!」
「こら、勝手に返事をするな!」
即答した雨妹に、立勇が小言を言いつつも一緒に来る。
というわけで、二人はその舟に乗り込み海へ出ることとなった。
「助けてくれ!」
そう叫びながら必死になって泳いでいる人たちを、次々に舟へと揚げていく。
雨妹は引き揚げられた人の状態確認、立勇は引き揚げの手伝いである。
そうして人命救助をしている中、立勇が商船の方を見て言った。
「あれは、海賊ではないな」
「そうなんですか?」
顔を上げて自分でも商船を見る雨妹に、立勇が説明する。
「動きに統率が取れ過ぎている。
「おっ、利民様と同じことを言うんだな、ニィちゃん」
立勇の言葉に、漁船の主がそんなことを言ってくる。
――へぇ、利民様と同じことをねぇ?
だとすると、ますます怪しい。
一体どういうことになるのかと、雨妹は首を捻る。
そんな話をしながらも、舟がそろそろ定員になりそうなので、港へ一旦引き返そうかとなった時。
バシャアッ!
突然水飛沫が上がったかと思ったら、ずぶ濡れの男が舟に手をかけていた。
「女がいる、ツイてるぜ!」
そう叫びながらにやける男は、どうやら謎の海賊の連中の一味で、泳いで近付いていたようだ。
「ひえぇ、追いかけて来た!?」
ようやく助かったと考えていたであろう人たちが、怯えてなんとか逃げようと動くので、舟が大きく揺れる。
――落ちる、落ちるからじっとして!?
雨妹が慌てて船の縁へしがみつくと、その縁を海からにゅっと伸びて来た手が掴む。
どうやら海の中にまだ仲間がいたようだ。
「確かに女だ、ちいっと地味顔だが、女には違いない」
地味顔なのは本当のことだが、他人から面と向かって言われれば腹が立つというもの。
ムッとした雨妹の顔の横を、なにかが通り過ぎてその男を海へ突き落す。
「気安く触れるな、下郎が」
その手には、刃渡りの短い剣が握られている。
立勇は通常ならばもっと長い剣を持っているのだが、人の多い場所では扱い辛いと、今回こちらを身に着けていたのだ。
Chapter 74
"Yui Mei, why are you headed towards the harbor?"
Yui Mei glanced up at Li Yong when she heard that.
"Same to you, Lord Li Yong, with the current affairs, it's dangerous at the harbor, you know?"
"I'm a soldier, a fighting scene is just a trivial matter to me. But it's better for you to stay at the restaurant. I'll fetch you after I check the things there."
Yui Mei objected to that comment.
"If it's a battle, then there might be injured people over there, right."
Both of them stopped on their tracks and tried to stare each other down.
"...Can't be helped then. Don't stray from my side."
Yui Mei refused to back down, so Li Yong gave in.
With this, both of them started to walk again towards the harbor.
And the place was in chaos.
"No more ships!?"
"There are guys falling into the sea, we have to pull them out!"
"Lord Li Min's going!!"
Different voices rang out all around them while Yui Mei tried to take a peek by standing on tiptoe.
There was a huge ship, and several midsize boats swarmed around it.
"Are those...pirates? This close to the shore?"
Yui Mei wracked her brains when she heard Li Yong's murmur.
"Don't they usually do piracy in places that no one would pass through?"
Help could readily come at this distance, so the pirates would be at a disadvantage in this place.
"The boat returned with wounded people onboard!"
Yui Mei forgot all about her question when she heard that shout.
"Here! I can help with that! Where are the wounded!?"
Yui Mei raised her hand and yelled, and the crowd spontaneously parted.
"Over here!! Don't know who you are, but that's a relief!
She dashed towards the voice. Li Yong was right on her heels while mumbling 'can't be helped, then'.
They saw the boat being pulled into the harbor. There were several injured men onboard along with the rower.
"They were slashed. The gashes are shallow but they're bleeding too much."
Li Yong stated that as he stood beside Yui Mei.
In that case, they had to treat the wounds and warm their bodies right away or else it would be dangerous.
"Excuse me, please get some cooking water! Do not use sea water! And get some clean cloth, too!"
Yui Mei shouted at the people around her, and they brought a pot of water from a nearby restaurant.
She soaked the cotton cloth that she brought in the water and started to wash the wounds.
By the way, it's been her habit as a housekeeper to always bring this cotton cloth with her so she can readily wear her mask and head scarf.
Yui Mei then ripped the new cloth into bandage strips, then she tightly wrapped the wounds up to their chests, near their hearts.
"Keep it like this until the blood stops. Gently carry them to a calm place and change their drenched clothes!"
The people were dumbfounded as Yui Mei energetically handed out instructions, but even if somebody mumbled 'who is that girl taking charge?', but they never said that directly because of Li Yong's intimidating presence beside her.
Yui Mei continued giving first aid until all the injured men were treated.
"Hey sis, you got some great skills there, huh! We're gonna go bring the wounded guys in, so come along with us!"
A guy called out to her from one of the fishing boats when they finally reached the harbor.
"Yes!"
"Hey! Don't go answering on your own!"
Li Yong scolded Yui Mei when she replied immediately, but he still went with her.
And so, both of them decided to board the boat and set off to the sea.
"Help!!!"
The guys were thrashing their arms in a frenzied attempt to swim towards the boat, and the people on board started to grab on to them and they heaved them over one after another.
Yui Mei checked their condition, while Li Yong helped in pulling them up.
Li Yong stared at the merchant ship while rescuing the men.
"That is not the work of pirates."
"Really?"
Yui Mei also looked up and turned her gaze towards the merchant ship.
"They're too organized. Those guys must be well trained."
"Oh, Lord Li Min also said the same stuff as you, bro."
The owner of the fishing boat replied to Li Yong's words.
'Heh, the same thing as Lord Li Min, huh?'
In that case, this was really suspicious.
Yui Mei was perplexed. What on earth is happening here?
While they were conversing this way, the boat finally reached its maximum capacity, so it was decided that they would temporarily return to the harbor..
Splash!!
Just when they thought that waves sprayed over them, a drenched man grabbed on to the boat.
"There's a woman on deck!"
The man grinned lecherously as he hollered. Apparently, he was one of the mysterious 'pirates' and he swam over towards them.
"Hiiii, we're followed!?"
The men thought they were saved so they hurriedly scrambled away from him in terror. Because of that, the boat started to sway vigorously.
'I'm gonna fall, we're gonna fall, so stay still!!'
Yui Mei hastily held on to the gunwale, but a hand stretched out from the sea and grabbed her wrist.
Some of his comrades were apparently in the sea, too.
"Yeah, it's really a lass, she's plain but she's a chick, no doubt about it."
She knew she was homely, but anyone would get angry if that was said to her face, naturally.
Yui Mei scowled, then something suddenly flew past her face, and the man was thrown into the sea.
"Keep your filthy hands off her, you scum."
He was gripping a short sword in one hand.
Li Yong usually carried a much longer sword, but it's difficult to handle that in a crowd of people, so he brought this blade with him just this time.
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