春雨過後,陣陣花香幽遠於古樸的街巷建築間。那古鐘悠悠,迎來又送去了虔敬的平凡百姓。
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「如此一來,這年藥王院的稅賦就解決了。貧尼謝過綰小姐。」
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又一個拱門過去,年逾五十的老師太與臉容婉柔的年輕女子漫步於花葉素雅的庭園內。
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「終究是滇道,愚娘亦只能微援至此了。後續關牒等還得有勞德善師太再作安排。」
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阿綰拿著傘晗首微笑,步過佛塔後緩緩止住了步伐,向身邊的老師太優雅一揖。
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「此當自然。」
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德善豎掌回躬,慈祥的笑靨上滿是對這廿八少婦的喜愛。今乃潘朝錦泰十三年,朝廷稅賦要價漸高。她所掌的藥王院遠遠不及那大少林招風,於本地官場裏倒算享負美名,不然按理而言一隅蘭若(註一)也不會吸引這樣多富貴人家的女子帶髮進寺修行。當中巧妙她自是心裏有底,卻也無可奈何;朝堂急索稅賦,誰又能逃得過呢?惟有每年變著法子呈獻些新思新藥,年關就算這樣過去了。
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且看當下身邊的女子,得遇此心思澄明的大家閨秀,也算是她福德不薄。
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「上巳將至,妳可有打算?」
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沉默一如以往,她靜靜與女子同行過那幾樹將開的白槐——又是槐花將開的時節,思憶裏仍殘存著女子打傘望花的哀容。
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「……大抵還會跟阿姊說、一切安好吧。」
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直到踏進了寺院那人來人往的前庭,阿綰才輕輕回話。她扭首就見對岸的拱門下有人正將直幅緩緩收起,依稀能隱隱看見那寫著不駢卻對的「暹家醫郎、推骨正脈」……
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「阿綰娘、阿綰娘!!!!」
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霎時那腕傷槐貼腹,阿綰順聲看去,只見一個荳蔻年華的雙髻少女匆匆跑來,那牌刻桃讓她一眼就認出了來人:「小霜日安,莫急。」
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「阿綰娘日安——我家小姐……這事真不能不急、您看……」
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名為小霜的少女不住喘氣,她斂了斂眸,扭身向老師太淺淺福身作揖。得其豎掌回福,她就抬起小霜的雙手輕拍安撫道:「沒事,我們邊走邊說。」
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古鐘悠悠,正好啟市,她與少女踏出了佛門,未顧身後地上的羽刻吸引誰的注目。
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「所以璋桃姑娘的簪飾壞成怎樣了?」「這……」227Please respect copyright.PENANADq5RbQTP4K
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隨司珍娘疾步於集市的檔舖間,小霜的思緒縈迴了好幾次,才在喘息間勉強組織好言詞;亦是在掃掠奇珍美物的空檔間,阿綰的思緒幾經連結才將事情理順。227Please respect copyright.PENANAaU5DYTM5Qk
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花殘、枝斷、珠散,重打是必然的,但注定趕不及兩日後的歌樂宴——對想要博一贖身良機的青樓女子而言,實非筆墨能比擬的絕望。
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「當夜那位京師來的公子可會參宴?」227Please respect copyright.PENANAG2o4wiwqkq
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轉入另一個小金坊之際,她放緩了腳步,兩旁的珠材絲線漸見清晰。
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「蕭公子嗎?還不清楚啊……」227Please respect copyright.PENANAzJFSiMASeI
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小霜邊走邊說,路邊的銅鏡淺映出她為自家小姐而憂愁的臉容。她才十四歲,這才子佳人的事情聽是聽得多,可真到發生在身邊的人身上倒是頭一回。她哪裡清楚這固中門道?只知道如果蕭公子參宴、贖下自家小姐,那就是最圓滿的結果。
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「我明白了,放心。」
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話語清柔似雨,她稍一定神,就隨女子佇足於一檔小小的簪材販前。
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「小霜,勞煩妳幫忙掌個眼,我辨色不太在行。」227Please respect copyright.PENANAqiReDZEoMk
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阿綰邊挑邊說,幾縧彩絲繞搭在她纏白紗的左腕上;那素雅的彩線與素白的紗絹下,小霜卻忍不住偷看那絲線下隱見的黥墨:「都、都很般配啊!小姐一定會喜歡的!」
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「嗯,我明白了。」
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少女的窺望多明顯,阿綰只一笑置之,低眸解開腕上的白紗、兜攏起彩線與三數裹盛珠玉似的錦囊。珠響清脆,又似是點綴了頭上漸清的雨聲……
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「珏羅館,呵。」
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攏紗的柔夷隨聲一怔,小霜還未反應過來,阿綰已然謙卑地斂下兩眸琥珀,一掌呈袖向掌攤的婦人遞過那紗上的貨物——黥花的左腕坦然著:「掌櫃夫人,請問何價?」
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掌攤的婦人一挑眉,冷笑道:227Please respect copyright.PENANAOpniA9s2n6
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「珏羅菩薩(註二)一曲何價,我按著收就是了。」
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「喂你怎麽?!別欺人太甚了!」小霜總算明白了,氣得在原地正跺腳,一手狠指向掌攤的中年婦人、開口就罵:「阿綰娘明明就不是……」
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「小霜。」
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婦人一臉鄙夷、少女一臉錯愕,阿綰只有平順著琥珀色的目光與臉容,墊著紗絹將貨物輕放到婦人面前。
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「愚娘無禮,擾了夫人清靜,就此告辭。」
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那婉柔的身姿叉手深揖,又有點點雨露藉屋簷滑落,滴在那腕猶算完整的黥花。227Please respect copyright.PENANAaEvgMXcLTy
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清冷過骨。
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「小霜,走吧。簪子的事容我再想想。」「等等阿綰娘……」
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紛爭戛然而止,小霜怔了怔,眼看司珍娘已然打起了傘抬玉步離開,她還是忍不住往掌攤的婦人狠狠哼聲才急步跟上。
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「嘖,還想著拿貞節牌坊呢。」
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婦人不屑低喃,低首只見那絹白紗還墊著未賣的絲線珠材,沾了雨露,眼看就要沾濕絲線……
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「嘖嘖嘖真麻煩……」「夫人,且慢。」
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驟雨間那鑼響深遠,送去了煙火菩薩,又迎來了異鄉的不良人。
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TBC.
註一:蘭若:原意為森林中的空地,引伸其義為僧侶的聚居地,與佛寺同義。
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註二:菩薩:唐朝時禮佛之風盛行,雅稱美女為菩薩;若稱菩薩蠻,則指來自女蠻國(現代認為大約是古緬甸或泰國)的女子,多為婢女或青樓妓女,少數為皇室貢品。
ns 15.158.61.7da2