兩年,葉家給葉鸛兩年讓他建立起揚州的經商通路。71Please respect copyright.PENANA96lyc7SblV
在洪九安指導、與其盡力融會貫通下,葉鸛很快也習得幾招半式,逐漸能從大量情報裡快速取得其所欲知之訊息,劍術更略有所長。而二人在相處閒聊間更是若得知己。71Please respect copyright.PENANAJlp4Hp9nSX
這一載又半中,兩人著實稱得上交流甚繁,於公論事、於私習武切磋,讓周遭人議論紛紛,畢竟丐幫中誰都知曉洪九安身旁除了師門兄長外再無親近任何男子。71Please respect copyright.PENANAnzEurJdQUW
許多丐幫弟子都知曉洪九安過去所經歷之事,葉鸛自然也因此有聽聞某些對於洪九安的私下流語,而他人口舌難防,即使他極力避開不聽也能隱約知曉其過去。但男人並未詳細詢問、也不願,只是記下所有洪九安厭惡的言論,盡量避開以求相處和睦。71Please respect copyright.PENANAzQpZQc4zw4
至於洪蒔,似乎終於自戰兢間恢復,逐漸能在母親與葉鸛比試時待在旁邊,又或央求葉鸛教其劍法。71Please respect copyright.PENANATOaPks4VIZ
對於女孩,男人不但有求皆應允、更同樣相當愛護,不時還會帶點她喜歡的甜食予之。洪九安見狀,雖有微詞卻終究為女兒作罷,也算對善待洪蒔的葉鸛多上幾分好感。71Please respect copyright.PENANAJVZKrTiH8K
三人身影時常不離的傳言流傳極快,直到身處丐幫總舵的胡斌同樣聽聞此事,震驚之餘決定親自從君山行至藏劍山莊探查葉鸛身世,接著再方回揚州打探消息,只為確認傳言真偽。71Please respect copyright.PENANAYPXiJJvhBz
而此趟他悄聲而來,並未與洪九安相見,數日皆僅於遠處屋頂磚瓦上眺望相互切磋之男女。71Please respect copyright.PENANAnLYAUVgy43
今日演武場上的對峙來到尾聲,葉鸛終是收劍朝洪九安作揖,而本坐在旁等待的洪蒔亦上前抱緊母親的腰,轉頭對葉鸛露出笑容、又仰首向洪九安講了不知何話,使得本凌厲颯爽的女人眉間竟染上柔和與淺淡歡喜,葉鸛則是滿面羞赧再次拱手。71Please respect copyright.PENANA42CmTt7tng
側看說是一家三口正遊城也毫不為過。71Please respect copyright.PENANA9lSuM1Wy1b
屋簷上的男人神色益發凝重。71Please respect copyright.PENANAMLvXVUGVqz
當年未保護好師妹是他一生的心底刺,他絕對不會再犯同樣錯誤。71Please respect copyright.PENANAtnIQq28djB
待到女人牽著洪蒔離開,胡斌此刻方沿屋脊追著男人前去,直到葉鸛要入門前他見機不可失,便運氣於掌心、瞬身跳下屋簷朝對方破綻的肩處打去。71Please respect copyright.PENANA9xVePbEOzx
等葉鸛察覺不妙時已身中兩掌,肩胛處猛然陣痛,趕忙扭身勉強閃過第三掌。71Please respect copyright.PENANAlEik4WtCmi
是蛟龍翻江!71Please respect copyright.PENANAjPkUWr0zXY
近段時日與洪九安對峙許多,葉鸛自也識得丐幫掌法,來不及思量為何遭攻擊,只能先抽出輕劍應戰,回手施展招式平湖斷月,以鋒刃向前突進,又接連傾斜劍路刺出黃龍吐翠之姿欲掌握反擊節奏。71Please respect copyright.PENANAfDX0hbLFll
只是胡斌並未被影響,即刻壓低身形、運氣於腳側身龍躍躲過銀亮劍光,右掌正中葉鸛握劍的前臂、再施加勁道,震得藏劍弟子自肩至虎口發麻、頓時握不住劍,武器隨後鏗鏘墜地。71Please respect copyright.PENANAw5StBaV27m
來往間,胡斌亦早已準備集中內力於左掌心,藉機猛力朝葉鸛胸口一擊。71Please respect copyright.PENANAv4Z08m4eZi
葉鸛深知對方難以應對便放棄反抗、僅翻身取起重劍格檔在胸前扛下對方這技亢龍有悔,狼狽撞上磚牆。71Please respect copyright.PENANAvYwkwqkCov
而胡斌雖於比試中佔得上鋒,卻不知為何有些怒火,抽出打狗棒指向葉鸛鼻尖沉聲問道:「你是葉家六少爺葉參生?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAPX6fVZQgG7
自知技不如人,葉鸛閉起雙眸深深吐息,壓下指尖的顫抖、垂首應答:「葉、葉某正是,請問俠士尊稱——」71Please respect copyright.PENANAkpGKNfQYxj
這近而立的男人竟比師妹畏縮得多!71Please respect copyright.PENANAI9Nq4pYunm
胡斌心想這葉少爺似乎真如消息般毫無鬥心,頓時覺得自己舉動過頭,方收起武器表明身份。71Please respect copyright.PENANAQV8sfqpsco
「某名胡斌,九妹的六師兄。」71Please respect copyright.PENANANoJq6HRWJr
九妹?71Please respect copyright.PENANAkBYcbsjgdW
陌生稱呼使葉鸛愣了會,後才意識到是男人對洪九安的稱呼。71Please respect copyright.PENANA2BaJOMXMMO
他曾從洪九安與洪蒔口中聽聞胡斌稱號,更因慌亂未質疑,只想在丐幫總舵之人竟遠行來此,連忙忍疼起身行禮致歉:「葉某失禮了,胡兄遠道而來,不知能幫上甚麼——」71Please respect copyright.PENANAmxfXf417By
「參生兄,寒暄則免。」71Please respect copyright.PENANAnuJ8M8m0Hf
打斷葉鸛之語,胡斌眼底閃過打量、口中則豪無掩飾此趟目的:「你近期除公事外亦與我九妹相當親近,究竟當何心思?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAYyokUyhF8t
對方所言如針直戳入葉鸛心底,彷彿看穿其所想,驚得他下意識低頭、應答不自主結巴:「洪、洪三舵主她、她教導葉某許多,葉、葉某自是感激之情!」71Please respect copyright.PENANAPrZhtmWVAI
「感激之情?」71Please respect copyright.PENANA2REdIAFpoL
胡斌雙手環胸,神態相當嚴肅,未有半絲平日嬉鬧之狀。71Please respect copyright.PENANAEEq021HHuq
「我這幾日觀察下來恐怕絕非僅止於感激之情。」他不留情面又再直問:「參生兄,你對九妹了解多少?又從旁人耳中聽來多少?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAhkD5v36Lcm
「我——」71Please respect copyright.PENANADz8UJki6dR
自己了解洪九安多少?71Please respect copyright.PENANAyVzX81tqmJ
又從旁人的隻言片語中知曉洪九安多少?71Please respect copyright.PENANAot9ywQLfdR
葉鸛難以應答。71Please respect copyright.PENANAamaTkekqGE
而未給機會反駁,胡斌猛然靠近以幽黑雙瞳緊盯著他。71Please respect copyright.PENANA8lAjk5VZuX
「看來你不但不了解九妹,也不知道她經歷過甚麼事——」說到這,丐幫弟子神色陰沉揪住藏劍少爺前襟。71Please respect copyright.PENANA7B2mEALQ2N
「我知曉你和九妹有生意往來,無法避不見面,只是把警告先說在前頭。」71Please respect copyright.PENANAupHcZggdCY
胡斌字字句句清楚道來:「你已近而立,九妹不過雙十年華,還有大好日子,別有甚麼奇怪的心思,若她受傷,不管你是否為藏劍山莊的少爺,我定先一掌打死你。」71Please respect copyright.PENANA9Zzu2GxyOG
狠戾之語使葉鸛指尖微微顫抖,雙腿更顯乏力,踉蹌幾步撞在竹籬上。71Please respect copyright.PENANAqfAztXFDGk
他沒有反駁餘地,僅能接受。71Please respect copyright.PENANALGHDOqwVLS
「葉、葉某銘記在心。」71Please respect copyright.PENANAsvqF5JChDy
而當胡斌確定自己的警告有帶到,亦不留戀轉身踩踏柱身、躍至屋簷後消失於暮色,徒留葉鸛獨自壓緊前臂的痛楚,久久無法自已。
71Please respect copyright.PENANAwa0P1Tk3I5
*
71Please respect copyright.PENANAFViwyBJNYp
胡斌離去後葉鸛獨自於房中沉靜半日,腦中閃過數次欲去找洪九安的衝動,然儘管許多事想親口詢問她,男人卻不知從何開始,既擔心自身笨拙再次惹對方不悅,又因胡斌的警告和那些一直抗拒聆聽的閒言縈繞不退、成為牢籠使其難以動彈。71Please respect copyright.PENANAgMVAftdB3h
何況,葉鸛同樣相當清楚旁人並非說出甚麼和善之語,如同自己在藏劍山莊中被無數目光審視。只是他仍難以想像,若金日耀眼的洪九安亦會被如此對待。71Please respect copyright.PENANAMgDgrogxz2
最終男人選擇躲避,並將營商之事交予屬下前去處理。71Please respect copyright.PENANAYfnyWVqlbE
但人或許能逃離一時,又怎可能躲著一世?71Please respect copyright.PENANAkVmdiKXCir
洪九安即刻察覺葉鸛足不出戶,本欲探望卻被藏劍弟子們以葉鸛體病婉拒,便立即差人送來補藥,讓男人看得滿腹罪惡,同時渴望再次見到洪九安時會升起喜色,又懼怕此等和悅將成毀壞之端。71Please respect copyright.PENANAQFEhtC1WzF
而糾結猶豫數日,葉鸛最終仍鼓起鼓起勇氣踏出門房。71Please respect copyright.PENANAYLD4ppsm4s
只是其前腳離門檻,便聞周遭響起細碎低喃,讓他寸步難行。71Please respect copyright.PENANAeguIdgDXTq
丐幫揚州分舵的守堂人。71Please respect copyright.PENANApGG3kiXyjP
「這不是葉六少爺嗎?怎麼形單影隻在此?」71Please respect copyright.PENANA6KoPWNRFqV
洪九安的副手。71Please respect copyright.PENANAhJqqnsOoKI
「葉六少爺,聽說你這幾日身體微恙?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAci3WIFMfrc
分舵主的護衛。71Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZB8zJ6YSJ
「該不會又惹三舵主生氣躲著吧?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAuZjcRjABCl
揚州分舵二舵主。71Please respect copyright.PENANA08sd3yOTRh
「哎呀,九娘那ㄚ頭從以前就特別兇悍,沒學得她師姊半點性子!」71Please respect copyright.PENANALhAaaSX5SC
丐幫弟子。71Please respect copyright.PENANAgvyRKXD1Rv
「秦哥,你怎麼能怪師妹?畢竟師妹經歷過那種事啊,尤其對葉六這種富家少爺自是痛惡。」71Please respect copyright.PENANAqAQoRfMkKs
「住口二黃,你才沒事怎提這陳年往事兒?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAcnT9YgLNq0
丐幫前輩。71Please respect copyright.PENANASaofZJus2q
「老身一直想問,葉六少爺是不喜歡咱幫裡九娘?」71Please respect copyright.PENANAsy31RyZxR5
逃不掉。71Please respect copyright.PENANAeECc5KYveI
「哎!姥姥!這種明眼人都看得出來,妳還問做啥呢?」71Please respect copyright.PENANALtuwrLrC10
都逃不掉。71Please respect copyright.PENANAdWRK9cikDa
「勸葉少爺還是別打這主意,洪三舵主對你和善不過是為生意。」71Please respect copyright.PENANACEUn8frcnU
無論是誰,生來人世都逃不掉的宿命。71Please respect copyright.PENANAlREu195dYV
不過,葉鸛已經畏縮躲藏前半輩子,無論對拋棄他的爹娘、還是視之為容器的葉家。71Please respect copyright.PENANAlba89H0XyD
後半生亦要繼續?71Please respect copyright.PENANAxZiGUiXvAb
要嗎?71Please respect copyright.PENANAAbOFZ17XQ6
「而且啊,雖然聽聞葉少爺不過是一介養子,但到底是藏劍山莊的少爺,還是找個清白人家吧,洪三舵主還帶著個沒根的拖油瓶呢!那孩子也真是可憐,而且你也聽說過吧?她曾有一段婚約,那段婚事喔——」71Please respect copyright.PENANAqtjnJcRNUs
「不、不對!」71Please respect copyright.PENANA2tFe9z38Bl
打斷眾人之言,葉鸛視線因為緊張落於自己鞋尖沒敢移開,語調顫抖猶疑但同時相當堅定:「洪、洪三舵主是值得尊敬之人!葉某並、並無他想,阿蒔——三舵主千金也是個好孩子,絕非甚麼拖油瓶!而那些故事,除非三舵主親口說,否則葉某什麼都沒聽過。」71Please respect copyright.PENANA5tw75QZGE3
他握緊拳頭久久佇立於無數目光下,看來既卑微卻異常頑強,直到三兩弟子、長者們自討沒趣、搖頭離去,他方無力似靠上牆壁。71Please respect copyright.PENANAE6CZ7mbg6C
這時,站在陰影處的洪九安本是知曉葉鸛出房,便欲來找其理論卻未料如此,僅能輕輕掩住洪蒔雙耳直到話語平息才鬆開,隨後閉起雙眸。71Please respect copyright.PENANAjJKjMUk1aU
「走吧蒔兒,我們回家。」她說,轉身離去。71Please respect copyright.PENANAMJiXiLEbTS
(未完待續)
ns 15.158.61.51da2