
湧泉客棧二樓的走廊盡頭,「潮」字門牌被海風吹得微微晃動,銅製門環上還掛著幾縷乾枯的赤草繩。
掌櫃吳伯佝僂著背,提著一盞油燈,燈芯燃燒時發出細微的「滋滋」聲,偶爾迸出幾點油星。128Please respect copyright.PENANAGJK7OLC7WZ
128Please respect copyright.PENANAXpuFnOMUq7
「兩位,實在抱歉,」吳伯推開雕花木門,屋內陳設簡單,兩張羅漢榻相對而置,中間隔著一張矮几,「近來黑潮市商旅繁多,只剩這間房了。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAGDxEa0pbLa
128Please respect copyright.PENANA57DANy894H
江小由站在門口沒動,手指無意識地摩挲著腰間抓周龜甲的紋路。她皺眉打量著房內:「就兩張榻?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAENlmjxqoGM
128Please respect copyright.PENANAQLUrLPbakr
吳伯呵呵一笑,臉上的皺紋擠成一團:「你倆未來要行走江湖,怎可拘這小節?再說了,」他指了指榻間的空隙,「這距離,怕是比小船上的艙位還寬敞些。」江小由聽後面紅如棗。128Please respect copyright.PENANA8MBX9Ser2N
128Please respect copyright.PENANA9pdEHK8svQ
林戴志站在江小由身後,耳根也微紅。他輕咳一聲:「要不...我去馬廄將就一晚?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAPfzE87VsmQ
128Please respect copyright.PENANAkudcazdfB3
「馬廄?」江小由翻了個白眼,「你是嫌自己身上的味道不夠重嗎?」她大步走進房內,徑直坐到西側的榻上,龜甲在她指尖轉了個圈,「吳伯,這房我們要了。」128Please respect copyright.PENANA4bVpdNPSJI
128Please respect copyright.PENANAenKByvInUk
吳伯笑眯眯地點頭,將燈放在矮几上:「子時漲潮,熱水會送到。若需要宵夜,樓下有剛撈上來的牡蠣。」他退到門邊,又補充道,「對了,夜裡風大,記得關窗。上月有個商賈沒關緊窗,早上醒來發現枕邊多了隻海鳥。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAkgV0ilcfwz
128Please respect copyright.PENANAag8Mtv4QPi
門關上後,屋內陷入短暫的沉默。江小由盯著地上的青磚發呆,林戴志則呆呆地站在門邊。
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海風從窗縫鑽入,吹得燈火搖曳。江小由從包袱裡掏出一包粗鹽,沿著兩張榻之間撒出一條歪歪扭扭的線。128Please respect copyright.PENANAe6aEEL2WRd
128Please respect copyright.PENANAKtrVeJR9db
「這是...?」林戴志疑惑道。128Please respect copyright.PENANAvh9cfYXKA6
128Please respect copyright.PENANAqK27Hjf97x
「界線。」江小由頭也不抬,「越界者死。」128Please respect copyright.PENANABp8AcXn9D1
128Please respect copyright.PENANAge2DRTbnTx
林戴志張了張嘴,最終還是沒說什麼,默默走到東側榻邊坐下。他脫下外袍時,一枚銅錢從口袋滾落,在地板上轉了幾圈,最後停在鹽線邊緣。128Please respect copyright.PENANAQD6fVlgIWZ
128Please respect copyright.PENANAe4Wx47OLhF
江小由瞥了一眼:「還不撿?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAMrQ0C1Kkm9
128Please respect copyright.PENANAEdAWNR2ZiO
「啊,是...」林戴志慌忙去撿,手指不小心碰散了幾粒鹽。128Please respect copyright.PENANAxwRSMlLBOk
128Please respect copyright.PENANAtqXXzqa6wA
「真是蠢魚。」江小由嘟囔著,從袖中掏出一把新的鹽,仔細補齊了缺口。月光透過窗紙,把她的影子投在牆上。128Please respect copyright.PENANASWyCaFolbE
128Please respect copyright.PENANAFbAB4LCotV
林戴志和衣躺下,藤編的榻面發出「吱呀」聲響。他試圖找個舒服的姿勢,卻不小心壓斷了一根藤條。128Please respect copyright.PENANAKFJMMQN62i
128Please respect copyright.PENANAJSen7NJ04J
「你能不能安靜點?」江小由猛地坐起身,龜甲被撞跌在地上,發出輕微的碰撞聲。128Please respect copyright.PENANApnzReNy6IV
128Please respect copyright.PENANADTk610bwxS
「對、對不住...」林戴志僵住不動,連呼吸都放輕了。128Please respect copyright.PENANAOWiqB9SnKd
128Please respect copyright.PENANAdGBPaM7tMH
江小由拾起龜甲,盯著他看了半晌,突然嘆了口氣:「算了。」她重新躺下,背對著林戴志,「明天還要去找吳伯問詳細,睡吧。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAShss23dVr8
128Please respect copyright.PENANAyC1UA1QYqy
屋外傳來更夫敲梆子的聲音,潮水拍打岸邊的聲響隱約可聞。林戴志望著房梁,輕聲道:「小由...」128Please respect copyright.PENANAoXqKPX2Pfg
128Please respect copyright.PENANAOVZXuBzp31
「閉嘴,睡覺。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAO4mcAnKGQU
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「我是想說...」林戴志猶豫了一下,「你的龜甲...好像裂了道縫。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAwo8tnRqmow
128Please respect copyright.PENANAKsDW8teAoS
江小由立刻摸向腰間,仔細檢查後發現只是光影造成的錯覺。她鬆了口氣,隨即惱怒地抓起藤枕砸向對面:「胡說八道!」128Please respect copyright.PENANARp59Cb0jq6
128Please respect copyright.PENANAIuqlyAFex0
藤枕準確命中林戴志的臉,揚起一陣細小的灰塵。
黑暗中,兩人都沒看見對方微微揚起的嘴角。
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翌日清晨,湧泉客棧的天井裡積著昨夜的雨水,門前的青石板縫隙間鑽出幾叢野蕨。
一個筋肉虯結、黝黑如礁的老漢蹲在灶台前撥弄炭火,鐵架上烤鰻魚的油脂滴落時,激起一陣帶著焦香的青煙。128Please respect copyright.PENANAINVOK6lAaF
128Please respect copyright.PENANAQGnHLIOCFl
他將烤得酥脆金黃的鰻魚擱上木臺後便離開,而臺面的茶湯卻映出三張神色各異的臉。128Please respect copyright.PENANAc2vc2IHIa1
128Please respect copyright.PENANABPedWs1gME
「貢珠樓頂層供著一塊紅玉天后碧,」老吳用筷子在桌面劃出樓閣輪廓,「半個巴掌大的血髓玉,夜裡能照出三丈內的人影。」128Please respect copyright.PENANA4IL98FXgRG
128Please respect copyright.PENANAGYYVz7HVT3
江小由舀起一勺黍米粥:「不就是塊值錢的石頭?」128Please respect copyright.PENANATJ7nsX8MjK
128Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4kEyUzpYj
「就是塊值錢的石頭,」他咧嘴一笑,露出參差不齊的黃牙:「值的錢可連整條南港村的人頭也買下。」128Please respect copyright.PENANA8eW4vYCSfC
128Please respect copyright.PENANA9WSSUYYEd7
茶湯中忽然晃過林戴志慘白的臉,他想起那夜巨鯊幫火把下,東灘一個個赤紅的人頭。他握著瓷勺的手一顫,魚粥在桌面洇出個不規則的圓。128Please respect copyright.PENANAT4iX4N62nw
128Please respect copyright.PENANARhhLrm1Q19
「怕啥?」江小由的龜甲在指間轉了個圈,「當初捅洪浪的膽子呢?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAG4L9t4Ue95
128Please respect copyright.PENANA0Ot6dgkRi0
吳伯突然起身推開窗欞。晨霧中,遠處貢珠樓的鎏金尖頂刺破雲層,檐角銅鈴隨風搖出細碎金光。樓下市集的早點攤正支起油布棚,裹著頭巾的婦人將成串的臘魚掛上竹竿,空氣裡瀰漫著豆漿與醃菜的氣味。128Please respect copyright.PENANADnEr8j9fob
128Please respect copyright.PENANAfpnyNIfaKn
「據聞此石頭上月被怒濤眾南海分舵主趙山紅所奪。正好兩天前趙山紅帶著精銳去紅螺嶕收月錢,一來一往,也要三、四天。」他在窗框某處一按,暗格彈出兩套粗布短打,「這是貢珠樓雜役的工服,腰牌是老夫用鯊魚骨仿的。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAz8FdPLPQMa
128Please respect copyright.PENANAfNA9APrg8c
林戴志摩挲著衣物上陳年的醬漬:「我們扮成洗玉匠去偷?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAkhKcVXFCaM
128Please respect copyright.PENANAlOJP8MpCgF
「差不多,是搬運工。」吳伯又咧嘴露出黃黑的牙,「趙山紅吞了巨鯊幫的地盤,正招壯丁蓋新賭坊。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAI1rr6kF4cK
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江小由突然將手拍在桌上。「老鬼,這不是要我們去賣命?」128Please respect copyright.PENANAFBaZ6wNtgt
128Please respect copyright.PENANA8HieqeeHcH
「小由此話差了,」吳伯慢悠悠斟茶,「老夫是生意人,咱們做的是交易。」他從袖中抖出張泛黃的路引,「只要取回紅玉,往杭州的官船,觀月社的門路,老夫全包。」128Please respect copyright.PENANA3ywy7JgRG9
128Please respect copyright.PENANAYHljz9vayO
林戴志與江小由同時抬頭,兩人獨自前往西湖實在並非易事。128Please respect copyright.PENANAq4JPO7XHC6
128Please respect copyright.PENANA3ulW6qYkBn
「如何?」吳伯將路引湊近炭盆,「當然你們也可以自己去。不過聽說西湖邊的醉仙樓,一道醋魚已能賣出南海明珠的價...」128Please respect copyright.PENANAB47CdoSXRH
128Please respect copyright.PENANAei0FJScoYr
江小由怔怔盯著路引上「臨安府」三個硃砂戳印,灶膛裡半焦的木炭「嗶啵」爆開,濺起的星火險些燎著裙角。林戴志悶聲套上粗麻短褐,布料摩擦背脊舊疤的窸窣聲,與那夜焚燒的漁網聲重疊。128Please respect copyright.PENANAhs4sgYeQ8N
128Please respect copyright.PENANA1KtFrEI7Jj
「午時二刻,」吳伯將鯊齒令牌塞進他領口,枯指在城防圖上叩出油漬,「憑腰牌可經西門入寨,守衛換哨有半盞茶光景。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAt2odhMC9z1
128Please respect copyright.PENANAmd4RPUKoh4
「老猢猻,」江小由一腳踢散灶灰,「你就對我們這麼有信心?你若敢耍花樣…」128Please respect copyright.PENANAjRZqvbzq7C
128Please respect copyright.PENANAR34N838ADO
吳伯渾濁的眼珠映著炭火:「丫頭,老夫做生意,算盤上的珠子,可不是誰都撥得動的。」頓了頓又道:「若失手,就說是巨鯊幫來報仇的。別連累老夫,否則…」他意味深長地看了眼窗外,「南港村也別想好過。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAQDKgsYtuYF
128Please respect copyright.PENANA9p7d4grLXU
一旁的林戴志正反覆擦拭短刀。刃面映出他緊抿的唇線,舊傷在麻布下隱隱抽痛,而那夜巨鯊幫的火光,彷彿正在鐵刃上重燃。