95話 黄県主
利民の挨拶が終わったら、宴は無礼講である。
その中で人気なのが、胡の三輪車だ。
案の定、港に出入りする商人たちが食いついた。
荷車ほど場所をとらず、徒歩よりも荷物を運べるというちょうどいい大きさは、やはり画期的なのである。
さらには、潘公主が利民と一緒にやってきて、ひょいっと乗ってみせたのもよかったのだろう。
馬と違って女が乗ってもいいものだと認識されたのだ。
故に早速、佳でも国中に商いの伝手を持つという大手の商店が、一緒に売り出さないかと誘いをかけていた。
――うむ、ぜひ百花宮にも売りに来てね!
そして宮女たちの仕事をより楽にしてほしいものだ。
こうして盛り上がっている会場だが、利民はずっと潘公主と一緒にいるわけにはいかない。
船員たちをねぎらわねばならないし、潘公主にも会場の女性たちとの交流という役割もある。
さり気なく利民夫妻の近くをウロウロしていた雨妹と立勇に、利民が囁いた。
「すまねぇが、ついていてやってくれ」
「了解しました」
「任されましょう」
雨妹と立勇の返事を聞いた利民が、船員たちの所へ行って潘公主から離れたかと思ったら。
「潘公主殿下、お久しぶりにございますわね」
「ほんとうに」
まるで待ってましたといわんばかりに、そう呼び掛けながら黄県主母娘がやってきた。
「まあ黄県主、お久しぶりね」
潘公主は一瞬緊張したようだが、すぐに笑顔を作って二人を迎える。
その様子に黄県主は不満気な顔をしたものの、すぐに切り替えて話をする。
「殿下、この度は恐ろしい思いをされましたのでしょう?
黄県主は多少大げさなほどの憐れみの態度であった。
「それに、長らく臥せっておられたと聞きましてよ?
彼らの近くに控えている雨妹は、「うへぇ」と声を小さく漏らす。
黄県主は、潘公主が佳を良く思っていないという印象を、他の客たちに与えたいらしい。
潘公主からハキハキとした返答があると思わなかったのか、黄県主が一瞬硬直してから。
「......そうなのですか」
かろうじて、そう応じていた。
立勇情報だと、潘公主はそもそも決して口が回らない人ではないという。
後宮に生きる女たちと、普通に渡り合えていたそうだ。
それが慣れない土地へ嫁ぎ、味方のほとんどいない中で、気力を失くしてしまっていたようだ。
そして黄県主はその気力のない潘公主の姿しか知らず、彼女のことを押せば簡単に倒れる性格だと勘違いしていたのだろう。
さらには利民が屋敷内を一掃したことで入り込ませた人員が消え、情報が改められていなかった。
思っていたような反応が得られなかった黄県主が、苦いものを飲み込んだような顔になり、視線を彷徨わせていると。
、伯母上となにを話しているのですか?」
利民が船員たちの元からこちらへ戻って来た。
しかも「潘公主殿下」ではなく親し気に名を呼んだことに、周囲の客が驚く。
「利民様、佳は住みよい所だという話をしておりましたの。
これは黄県主への演技ではなく、潘公主はもう一度港へ行きたがっていた。
なので本気の笑みを浮かべているし、声にも絶対に行きたいのだという気迫が感じられる。
「おや、では近いうちにぜひ、私の船をお見せしなければなりませんね」
「本当に!? 嬉しい!」
二人で盛り上がる夫妻から、黄県主母娘は無言で遠ざかっていく。
本来ならば目上の者に無言で立ち去るのは無礼なのだが、そんな礼儀を整えることすらできなかったようだ。
――うん、薄々思っていたけど、潘公主ってちょっと天然さん!
そしてこの新婚熱々ぶりに、宴の客から「黄家の若旦那夫婦は安泰だ」という話が広がるのだった。
Chapter 95
It turned into a no-holds-barred party after Li Min was done with his speech.
Hu's tricycle was in the spotlight, being the most popular thing amidst the festivities.
Sure enough, the merchants who frequently come and go to the port took the bait
It was truly a revolutionary product -- the size was perfect for carrying items to longer distances without being too bulky like wagons and carts.
Moreover, it was also good that Princess Pan also tried it with Li Min, and she rode it without a hitch.
With this, it was shown that even women could use it, compared to horses, which was a bit more difficult.
Thus, Hu promptly received an invitation from one of the prominent merchants who was well connected all over Kai to collaborate and sell the products together.
'Yep, yep, and hope you'll also sell it to the Hundred Blossom Palace!'
That would help make the work of court ladies lighter.
Everyone was all fired up, but Lord Li Min couldn't stay with the princess all the time.
He had to reward the seafarers, and Princess Pan also had to  mingle with the women present in the banquet.
Yui Mei and Li Yong had been aimlessly wandering around the couple. Li Min drew nearer and whispered to them.
"Sorry, do accompany her for me."
"Understood."
"Please leave her to us."
Li Min then left the princess when he heard Yui Mei and Li Yong's response. However --
"Your Highness the Princess Pan, it has been a while."
"Indeed."
The Huang mother and daughter pair appeared, as if they had been waiting for that exact moment.
"Oh my, Huang County Lord, it truly has been a while."
Princess Pan seemed disconcerted for a second, but she soon regained her composure. She flashed a brilliant smile to them.
Annoyance flitted across the Huang Country Lord's face, but she fixed her expression right away.
"Your Highness, it must have been a dreadful experience for you. What a pity it is."
The Huang County Lord raised her voice and started to talk exaggeratedly.
"Besides, I heard that you had been bedridden for a long time, weren't you, dear? I'm sure that the fishermen's temperament didn't suit the capital's people, won't you say so? Indeed, I'm truly worried about you, you know?"
Yui Mei had been trying to restrain herself as she stood near them, but she couldn't help but snort at that.
The Huang County Lord was trying to show to the other guests that Princess Pan held Kai in contempt.
Huang County Lord stiffened, because she never imagined that the princess would easily parry her words.
"...Is that so."
She barely managed to respond.
According to Li Yong, Princess Pan was originally a very eloquent person to begin with.
She could keep up with the discourses among the women of the palace.
However, she was sent to a foreign land to become a bride, and she didn't even have enough allies, so she lost heart.
Thus, the Huang County Lord thought she was just a weakling, a pushover that she could trample on.
Moreover, Li Min had cleaned his entire mansion, and all her minions disappeared, thus, the current situation had not been relayed to her.
The Huang County Lord eyes darted around, looking as if she swallowed a fly when she didn't get the reaction she was expecting from the princess.
"Yu, what are you talking about with Aunt?"
Li Min left the sailors and returned back to where they were.
Moreover, he didn't address her as Princess Pan, intimately calling her by her first name, instead. All the guests were dumbstrucked when they heard this.
"Lord Li Min, we have been talking about how lovely it is to live in Kai. The problem about the pirates have been solved, so maybe we can go again to the port? I'm really looking forward to when Lord Li Min will take me there again!"
Actually, she was not acting because the Huang County Lord was there, but because it was truly her desire to experience the harbor once again.
Thus, her smile was full of sincerity, and her lively voice was filled with expectation and excitement.
"Oh, really, then I have to show you my ship, too, since we're already near then."
"Really!? I'm so glad!"
The Huang County Lord and her daughter strode off without a word, away from the couple who were caught up in their own world.
Normally, it would be extremely rude to leave without saying anything to the person who had a higher rank than them. However, they couldn't even show the minimum courtesy towards them.
'Yup, it was just a hunch before, but yup, Princess Pan IS a natural!'
And so, word that "the Huang family's young master and his wife are harmonious" spread among the guests, as they watched the couple who were immersed in fervour, as if they were just newly-weds.
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