153話 楊と話す
太子たちのケシ汁についての話はまだまだ続きそうだったが、議題がケシ汁を扱う元締めについてという政治的な話に入ったところで、
なにしろ実際に中毒者に遭遇して対処するのは太子たちお偉方ではなく、雨妹のような現場の人間なのだから。
というわけで太子宮を出て宮女の宿舎付近へ戻って来た雨妹は、運よく楊を見つけて――というより、雨妹の戻りを待っていたらしい彼女に「内密に話をしたい」と言うと、部屋を用意された。
そこで雨妹は、太子たちに話したものと同じ内容を楊に説明する。
「薬の中毒......よりによってお偉いさんの近くに行ける宮妓たちでかい」
話を聞いた楊は、そう言って頭を抱えていた。
万が一、宮妓から四夫人を始めとした宮に伝わっていたとしたら......」
楊の懸念に、雨妹もそう告げる。
四夫人の宮でケシ汁中毒が起きていたら、さらにもしそれが四夫人の側近であるとしたら、かなりの事態であるだろう。
そうなると、四夫人自身が中毒なのではないか? という心配が出てくるからだ。
そうなれば健康上の不安と、四夫人たちの信頼性との問題で、四夫人の入れ替えという未来まで見えてきてしまう。
そうなると百花宮の中の勢力図が大きく変わる上、当然政治にまで影響が出てしまうのだ。
雨妹の想像と似たようなことを考えたのか、楊がこめかみを揉んで頭痛を堪えるようにする。
「ああ、今から頭が痛いよ。
「あの、えっと、頑張ってください!」
そう言って大きく息を吐く楊をこれから待ち受ける大仕事を思うと、雨妹は同情しながらも応援するしかできない。
――本当に、ケシ汁煙草を持ち込んだ奴は極悪人だよね!
健康面でも仕事が増えるという面でも、とんだことをしてくれたと詰りたいものである。
「その中毒者っていうのがどういった風なのか、生憎と想像がつかないねぇ」
そう言って楊が首を捻るが、やはり実際に目でみないと想像し辛いらしい。思えば太子たちもそのような様子であった。
けれどそれも仕方ないことだろう。
人間の想像力というものには、限界があるのだから。
「太子殿下もそのような受け取り方でしたが、危険だという一点だけは理解されたようです。
ケシ汁中毒者は、一見すると周囲の者と変わりないようにも見える。
しかし薬が効いている間は多幸感に後押しされて異常に前向きなのが、薬が切れてきて退薬症状が現れると、皮膚が鳥肌立って全身の強烈な痛みと痙攣に襲われるのだ。
その際に涙や鼻水が異常にだらだら出たりするので、他人から見ると「え、なにコイツ!?」という状態になる。
こんな相手に遭遇したら、おそらくは誰もが即その場から逃げるだろう。
楊は雨妹からの事例を聞かされ、眉間に皺を寄せる。
「なるほど、聞けば聞くほど謎だねぇ」
そう呟く楊は、なんとなく分かる気がするけれどもしっかりと想像できないのが気味が悪いらしく、自分の腕を摩るようにする。
――わかる、想像すると不気味だよね。
雨妹とて前世でそうした薬物中毒の治療に当たるのに、いつまで経っても慣れなかったものだ。
若い未熟な看護師だと中毒者の思考に引きずられる場合もあるので、仕事の後の話し合いでの心のケアが必須だったものだ。
「全くだ。そうした被害が広まっていないことを願うよ」
雨妹と楊は顔を見合わせて頷き合った。
Chapter 153
It seemed that the crown prince would still continue discussing the matter of the poppy juice, but since they were about to touch politics because the topic was about the handlers of poppy juice, so Yui Mei was requested to leave.
At any rate, the one who would directly encounter those addicts wouldn't be the VIPs like the crown prince, but the people like Yui Mei who were present in the actual scene.
And so, Yui Mei left the crown prince's palace and headed towards the lodging house. As luck would have it, she saw Yang just when she reached the neighborhood -- well, it would be more appropriate to say that she was probably waiting for Yui Mei's return. When she whispered to Yang that "there's something confidential that I would like to inform you", the woman prepared a room.
Yui Mei then explained to Yang the same things she discussed with the crown prince.
"Drug addiction...Goodness me, those courtesans who can get close to the bigshots, of all things..."
Yang clutched her head as she spoke after listening to Yui Mei.
"This will be troublesome. If, by any chance, it spreads through the palace, starting from the courtesans to the Four Imperial Consorts, then..."
Yui Mei agreed with Yang's concern.
If poppy juice addiction did occur within the palaces of the four imperial consorts -- more so if it was a close aid of the consort, what a situation it would be.
That's because people couldn't help but worry whether the four imperial consorts were also addicted themselves.
Their health would be questioned, and their credibility would be doubted. It may even lead to replacement of the four imperial consorts in the future.
If that happened, the delicate balance of power structure within the Hundred Blossom Palace would drastically change, and it would also affect politics, naturally.
Yang probably had the same line of thought as Yui Mei. She tiredly rubbed her temples, trying to keep the oncoming headache at bay.
"Ugh, my head is hurting just thinking about it. We have to hurry and investigate this, but the Year End is coming and it'll be so busy."
"Ahm, er, please do your best."
Yang heaved a deep sigh while thinking about the great task that awaited her, and Yui Mei could only sympathize and cheer her on.
'Really, those guys who brought the poppy juice tobacco are nothing but scoundrels!'
She wanted to scold them for being nuisances,be it health or increasing the work to be done, and doing such a terrible thing.
"Still, I really can't imagine just how those 'addicts' behave, unfortunately."
Yang seemed perplexed. Apparently, it was a difficult thing to imagine if they had never seen it before.
But it couldn't be helped.
The human's imagination has its limits, after all.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is also of the same opinion, but he did understand how dangerous it is. But then, I believe that even if you haven't seen it at this time, you will recognize it if you encounter it, you know? At any rate, you can't hold a conversation with them most of the time."
Poppy juice addicts usually didn't look any different from normal people around them.
However, these addicts were usually under the feeling of euphoria and they were unusually positive while the medicine was still effective. As the medication wears off, the withdrawal symptoms would appear. They would have goosebumps on their skin, and their bodies would be racked by convulsions, and they would feel intense pain all over their bodies.
Their tears and snots would flow freely, alarming the people around them, to the extent that they would scream with "what's up with this guy!?".
No matter who encountered this scenario, they would surely flee away.
The furrow between Yang's brows deepened as she listened to Yui Mei's explanation.
"I see, it's getting more puzzling the more I hear about it."
Yang muttered. It was as if she understood it, but she still couldn't properly imagine and it was bothering her. She rubbed her arms in disgust.
'Yeah, I understand how ghastly it is when you imagine it.'
Yui Mei had also been assigned to treat those drug addicts in her previous life, but she still couldn't get used to it until now.
There were cases when the young, inexperienced nurses got dragged down by the thoughts of the addicts, and so discussing it after work as part of mental healthcare was truly indispensable.
"Absolutely. Really, I hope the damage won't be widespread."
Yui Mei and Yang looked at each other and nodded.
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