逸天心感不妙,而且梓喬等人也沒了蹤影,心下一計較,連忙發足往東邊跑去。418Please respect copyright.PENANAJvgQ3DKHRQ
418Please respect copyright.PENANAI9PbM4E3Td
在商店街之後就是鎮外的近郊了,四周黑沈沈的,草長到有人頭高,借着月光只能看見腳下的石路,遠處隱約有一點光亮,順着路一直走,人聲也愈來愈旺,終於走到一處遠遠能看見一座約有六七米高的城堡,火光和人聲正是從此處傳來,逸天摸了摸腰間的長劍,小心翼翼地走向城堡的方向。418Please respect copyright.PENANAA1Kn6xXSh5
418Please respect copyright.PENANAswMkt0SuMX
轉了幾個彎,地上有一道被人用斧頭劈開了的鐵柵,左右也開闊了起來,一道大理石砌的磚牆,圈住了一整大塊地,那鐵棚原先應該是安在牆上的。418Please respect copyright.PENANAoq7L4XUKnw
418Please respect copyright.PENANADQbsIuKIPH
牆內先是一個大水池,池上面有一個金鑄的碑,上面雖然有碑座,碑身,但獨獨是沒有碑文。418Please respect copyright.PENANAiKZgILtUy9
水池前方通向城堡,周邊都是樹木,樹上卻掛了好些閃亮的東西,仔細一看,竟是金打的葉子。418Please respect copyright.PENANAPnrK7wzQaK
418Please respect copyright.PENANAg2rj6TRlm0
再裡面就是城堡了,下面圍了一大群手持火把或鐮刀、草叉,甚至大刀、錘子的民眾。地上還有十幾個死人,好像有些還是穿着鎧甲的守衛。418Please respect copyright.PENANAEgqaL9iiZD
418Please respect copyright.PENANAWKEbyixFJU
人群足足有數百人,衣衫和城裡的人一樣簡樸,對比之下,應該都是葛屯的居民,他們把城堡圍得跟鐵桶似的,也難為這庭院能安下這數百人,上百枝火把映在銀光閃閃的堡上,亮如白晝。418Please respect copyright.PENANA1nzaLcDmhY
418Please respect copyright.PENANACr1xNHJ7Ya
「弗朗特!滾出來!你的好日子要到頭了!」418Please respect copyright.PENANAF9xJ8zFgI7
418Please respect copyright.PENANAPt9lmqjtbG
「衛兵們!你們還要為這殺千刀的惡賊賣命嗎?」418Please respect copyright.PENANAbUsPrXG7E6
418Please respect copyright.PENANASXpEXN8sa5
「老賊,你龜縮不出也是無用,快快投降,你野爹我還能留你全屍!」418Please respect copyright.PENANAUxX3PvZq8V
418Please respect copyright.PENANAe0V6ZL05jg
守衛們被逼到大門前了,然而城堡重門深鎖,絲毫沒有要開門的意思。418Please respect copyright.PENANAvfrOEUu1Gd
418Please respect copyright.PENANAWxHBsHehLn
逸天也大約猜到這群人是來討伐一個叫特朗弗的人,但對於前因後果還是一無所知。正思索間,一條長杖點了點他的背。418Please respect copyright.PENANAuSRwUMMQbk
418Please respect copyright.PENANAsYxo0wXAKs
「過來。」逸天轉頭一看,原來佚和小蝶早就到了,正躲在一棵大樹後觀察事態,佚是在樹後低聲提點他。418Please respect copyright.PENANAGJ3DxbFiiB
418Please respect copyright.PENANAvRl803auLf
「梓喬呢?」逸天見狀連忙走到就近的一棵樹後躲藏,然後才低聲問道。418Please respect copyright.PENANA88YQW4GROu
418Please respect copyright.PENANAzVpXngUCTj
小蝶指了指左邊的一棵樹,從這個角度可以看見樹後有一角長袍和半隻皮靴,應該就是梓喬和樺凡了。418Please respect copyright.PENANApMi6Zv1KpM
418Please respect copyright.PENANAQrkKSvVbZc
這時城堡的大門開了,裡面走出來一個人,鐵甲從頭包到腳,手上提了一把大斧,他身材高大,一走出來,前面的民眾都自覺退開了幾步。418Please respect copyright.PENANA8KndKAamht
418Please respect copyright.PENANA31aWUDdchU
「你們要是現在退走能留住性命,敢上前的,殺無赦!」他一把銀光閃閃的大斧418Please respect copyright.PENANAGsLpdWIJNl
在手,懾得民眾不敢上前。此時,一名老人在邊上發話了,正是那個叫逸天躲在旅館的老人。418Please respect copyright.PENANAfEJH8AH0dx
418Please respect copyright.PENANAu2xxkBtpxY
「今日,老賊的衛隊外出搜割民財,過了今天就沒有機會了。他城中根本無兵,這不過是緩兵之計,斷不可就此放過了他。」那老人原來是這群人的首領,這一番話過後,原本畏畏縮縮的民眾又開始鼓噪了。418Please respect copyright.PENANAPYFahc6LSZ
418Please respect copyright.PENANAHegGspunis
佚問:「等?」418Please respect copyright.PENANAYVM1Ucfj0o
418Please respect copyright.PENANA62RyEiBZQg
逸天聽見佚在問他身邊的小蝶。418Please respect copyright.PENANAiTPpMH0vsd
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「等。」418Please respect copyright.PENANACIGtdK9Qoe
418Please respect copyright.PENANATcfYZv0ngH
那人聽這套不行,忙換了一套說詞,口氣也鬆動了:「其實特朗弗大人已經下過命令了,只要今日他們退走,他馬上就免了接下來三年的賦稅,還每人送一袋金幣,這樣大家好來好去,也免得傷了和氣。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAHosxAvpLu2
418Please respect copyright.PENANASHsO9M3f1m
「和氣早就傷了,金幣甚麼的,簡直是混帳,把我們當成傻子了,我們今天不殺了這老賊,我們還能有命嗎?縱得千金又有何用?此刻正是生死存亡之時,大家衝!」418Please respect copyright.PENANAWlOZinvXpi
418Please respect copyright.PENANAeGLdgk60B6
那老人一聲令下,村民便往前衝去,一陣躁動后,那人敵不過人多,攔腰斬開兩個村民,便被一錘打爆了腦袋,四周的侍衛也四散逃去,很快門外的村民搬出一條大木撞門了。418Please respect copyright.PENANAk58xBCqBVq
418Please respect copyright.PENANA6Od8PsPh1Z
逸天心念一動:「這群人居然沒有摘樹上的金葉子,這倒真有點古怪。」418Please respect copyright.PENANADSTrVPuSZ4
418Please respect copyright.PENANAu3HRJiJCCf
一次,兩次,三次,門開始出現裂痕,只消合力再撞一下就破門了。418Please respect copyright.PENANAeuSWf2fZtR
418Please respect copyright.PENANAhcqQOuMq6U
忽然間,一陣大風刮過,眾人手上的火把滅了大半,人群陷入一陣慌亂之中,也就沒人撞那最後一次門了。418Please respect copyright.PENANAEIRmuc8OOH
418Please respect copyright.PENANAr8iojmyHGp
小蝶和佚在樹後轉出來,梓喬和樺凡也隨他們出來了,小蝶五指纖纖,手裡凝了一團火球照明,一手拿着一塊金澄澄的令牌,佚的杖上包了塊油布,正在當火炬燒着。418Please respect copyright.PENANAZdFLtPiQdx
418Please respect copyright.PENANAcu17CUJST9
「皇室密使來訪,特朗弗,你何不出來相迎?」418Please respect copyright.PENANAZRmwfUu7Ih
418Please respect copyright.PENANAvwRYrB1h7b
小蝶這句話一說,人群登時炸開了鍋,有幾個膽小的,已跪在地上叩頭大叫「大人饒命」,倒似小蝶比那把大斧還可怕。418Please respect copyright.PENANABpBLwC5nOC
418Please respect copyright.PENANA2sLLtJfhvS
逸天這才不明所以地跟了出來,那老人倒是挺沉着,對小蝶一躬到地:「小人拜見密使大人,今日之事,請大人為我等主持公道。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAv2P39lHIs3
418Please respect copyright.PENANAVP9fvraxEy
「且說無妨。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAkFcpNiuihE
418Please respect copyright.PENANAJbbY7Wzcrn
那老人沉吟不語,拜了兩拜,方道:「小人以前是鎮裡的老師,在鄉民裡算是有點聲望,我們有些是鎮上的居民,有些是村裡的,都是年年被那特朗弗壓搾,我們葛屯的百姓,都對此人深痛惡絕。今年他又平白新加了一份田稅,我們日子實在是過不下去了,方才在半月前推舉小人為首,要趁今日為民除害。」418Please respect copyright.PENANASjyLNk7Gu8
418Please respect copyright.PENANA4QjOxAnXrd
「那你倒是說說,他如何個壓搾法?陸下一向體恤民情,我們定會為你作主。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAaFwglboS62
418Please respect copyright.PENANAGesvYmuStQ
「葛屯一地,向來田地豐沃,又在北方之中心,商旅在此交集,經濟鼎盛,但那特朗弗倒行逆施,以賦稅搜刮民財,我們平日上供之後,日子已難過得很了,還豐年賦稅加倍,荒年賦稅不減,不時又把上面發的錢糧克扣。我們明明奉公守法、努力工作,生活卻絲毫沒有好轉,甚麼整個葛屯也每況愈下。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAZecznud2x4
418Please respect copyright.PENANAkUDMb4Pkna
小蝶微一點頭:「他是葛屯的領主,賦稅有一半歸他,又有調節稅收之權,前面一節你說的合情合理。但他可管不了其他事,克扣錢糧一節,你且交待清楚。」418Please respect copyright.PENANA9EbhFO7J2Z
418Please respect copyright.PENANAhoE7Xw1Uy1
「城裡的官吏與他勾結,把荒年上面發下來的救濟錢糧與他瓜分了。還有他放貸予商人,教他們囤積居奇,或是以本傷人,把同行逼死,物價於是也漲得飛快。他雖無掌權之名,卻因財雄勢大,掌了好些實權,甚至還以錢財賄賂官員,在城中安插黨羽,好阻隔下情上達。我們也是被逼得太緊,上訴無門,才會趁他城堡裡沒人,打算將他一舉拿下,斷不是我們存了反心,實在是為勢所逼。」418Please respect copyright.PENANAGgUV4SShgX
418Please respect copyright.PENANAuOJv6t08bN
其實老人一番話的重心,就在這最後一句中,總是要說明白了他們是反特朗弗而非反皇室。418Please respect copyright.PENANAe33bhfjYSu