そして到着したのは、先程と似たような感じで戸が並んでいる内の一室だった。
しかしこちらには休むための
、気分はどうだ?」
男がそう問いかけるのに、徐は不機嫌そうにこちらに視線を寄越してきた。
「どこかで誰かが騒いでいたみたいだね。
徐はそう言うと大きく欠伸をする。
――さっきのが聞こえたのかぁ。
ここは宮妓がいた部屋からはかなり離れた場所なのだが、それでも聞こえていたらしい。
男はそう言いながら、座る徐の目の前に立つ。
「徐子よ、お前が害悪をもたらす煙草を宮城へ持ち込み、広めた本人だという意見は変わらないか?」
あの娘は私の妹分だから、あの娘がやったことは全部アタシの指図さ」
男の問いかけに、徐は迷うことなくキッパリと告げる。
その様子を男の背後から眺める雨妹には、徐の表情から「誰かを助けたい」という必死さは見て取ることができない。
「付き添い人、なにか異論があるか?」
男が背後の雨妹に意見を求めてきた。
これに雨妹がなにかを言うよりも早く、徐が口を挟む。
「無駄だよ、その娘はアタシのことなんざなぁんにも知らないんだから」
なので雨妹は、遠慮なく口を開く。
「徐さんは私と会った時、どうしてあのごみ捨て場でお腹を空かせていたんですか?」
そして雨妹が問うたのは、ケシ汁についてとは全く関係のないことだった。
徐は訝し気な声を上げる。
「徐子、問いに答えよ」
しかし男が徐にそう命令する。
「......!」
徐は無言で雨妹達を睨むものの、男が命令を取り下げないとわかって、嫌そうに答えを述べた。
「そりゃあ、アタシが琵琶を弾けなくなった役立たずだからさ。
徐のこの回答に、しかし雨妹としては先程捕えられた宮妓の話を聞いた後では、「なるほど」と納得することはできない。
「皇帝陛下へ奏上する曲を作ることができるあなたのことを、教坊が『琵琶が弾けないから役立たずだ』だなんて考えるでしょうか?」
作曲というのは経験を積めばだれしもが持ち得る技術ではなく、個人の才能がものを言う。
琵琶の弾き手はいくらでも替えがきくだろうが、作曲家となると話は別である。
そんな才能の持ち主を、教坊が簡単に捨てるなんてあり得ないだろう。
まさかそのことを指摘されるとは思わなかったようだ。
「徐の言葉が真実だとしたら、教坊側の権力乱用案件だな。
男がそうボソリと告げる。
「はぁ......」
そしてため息を吐いてから、仕方なく語った。
They arrived at a room with a row of doors, similar to the one they were in earlier.
However, this one had a platform for resting, and Xu was laid on it, although she was sitting on it now.
"Xu Zi, how do you feel?"
The man called out to her, so Xu moved her gaze towards them, obviously annoyed.
"Somebody's kicking up a fuss, huh. I woke up thanks to that."
Xu then let out a huge yawn.
'She heard the mess earlier.'.
This place was quite far from the room where the courtesan had been, but she still heard the ruckus, it seemed.
The man strode to Xu, stopping right before her.
"Xu Zi, do you still want to shoulder the blame of being the one who brought the disastrous tobacco and spread them in the Imperial Palace?"
"Yeah. That girl is my sister, so I'm the one who instructed her to do all those things."
Xu didn't show any hesitation when she answered the man's query.
Yui Mei had been observing the situation from behind the man, but she couldn't sense any trace of desperation to save someone else from Xu's expression.
"Miss Attendant, do you have anything you wanna ask?"
The man turned his eyes towards Yui Mei.
But before Yui Mei could utter a word, Xu already cut her off.
"It's useless, I tell you. That girl doesn't know a single thing about me."
And so, Yui Mei didn't hesitate to talk.
"Miss Xu, why were you so hungry back then, when we first met at that dumping site?"
The words that spilled from Yui Mei's mouth were totally unrelated to the case of poppy juice.
Xu suspiciously remarked.
"Xu Zi, answer her question."
The man ordered her.
"....!"
She had been wordlessly glaring at Yui Mei, but she realized that the man wouldn't withdraw his order, so she replied in disgust.
"That's because I'm a useless fellow who can no longer play the lute. Is there any other reason aside from the obvious, huh?"
Unfortunately, Yui Mei could no longer understand Xu's reply after she heard what the captured courtesan said earlier.
"Does the Jiaofang really think that you're a worthless musician, given that you have penned the songs that have reached the Emperor's ears?"
Music composition wasn't a simple skill that anyone could acquire just by experience. It could be said that it was a matter of the individual's talent.
Lute players could be replaced by other players, but it would be different story for the composer.
Thus, it was unimaginable for the Jiaofang to casually toss away such a talented person.
She didn't expect their conversation to develop into this way.
"If what Xu said is true, then the Jiaofang is the one at fault here, they're abusing their authority. We have to capture them at once and interrogate them."
The man mumbled.
"Ha......"
She sighed in resignation, then she started to talk.
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