
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAEzBMAJYy3n
117Please respect copyright.PENANAEJnr538iZD
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANACXHZTH6H1U
117Please respect copyright.PENANAx189U0dUrs
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?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAGmHjpSaMAa
117Please respect copyright.PENANATntdJz2Xsa
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAglFcIiGCcf
117Please respect copyright.PENANAWniNHbaDLW
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?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAmfNFDYUd2C
117Please respect copyright.PENANAlVw9bHJsnl
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAvETQIuB8Eh
117Please respect copyright.PENANAyrwmJGaUNZ
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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANABJkR3dqVnv
117Please respect copyright.PENANAV3NzJAa97p
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。
117Please respect copyright.PENANAE493FIIXPC
---
117Please respect copyright.PENANAX4MFDlGwJv
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAerQOxWFM1p
117Please respect copyright.PENANAvbAzYRvUtf
「這是...?」林戴志疑惑道。117Please respect copyright.PENANAnZg9g2UkmQ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAbuKux5h775
「界線。」江小由頭也不抬,「越界者死。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAK6p78obgs9
117Please respect copyright.PENANAu0kCRzRGFJ
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANA9WrUO1Z5aT
117Please respect copyright.PENANAjGWSh7zKdJ
江小由瞥了一眼:「還不撿?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAVKSDxsMtjp
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkc7MAl7Efz
「啊,是...」林戴志慌忙去撿,手指不小心碰散了幾粒鹽。117Please respect copyright.PENANAMvtUgnn14X
117Please respect copyright.PENANAenNN18BpnZ
「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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAw8YgZoLsFt
117Please respect copyright.PENANASbked0IYkf
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3Z5zCyoAS
117Please respect copyright.PENANA6CiY6qCHz5
「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。117Please respect copyright.PENANASRi7FYXx9Q
117Please respect copyright.PENANA2bKaDjjIYp
「對、對不住...」林戴志僵住不動,連呼吸都放輕了。117Please respect copyright.PENANA8061ijC7Ot
117Please respect copyright.PENANA5fDPCPqDRs
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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANASavlNUkGk9
117Please respect copyright.PENANAb4Y3JX10Pi
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...」117Please respect copyright.PENANAvZOdC59WmZ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAQIJJ6Xe1hu
「閉嘴,睡覺。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAkYRsrJIkhw
117Please respect copyright.PENANAZ93ImlZnCp
「我是想說...」林戴志猶豫了一下,「你的龜甲...好像裂了道縫。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAqodWUwEjUQ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAcI1rK3eYF5
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!」117Please respect copyright.PENANAYMQFuiQ5jc
117Please respect copyright.PENANA355h29etam
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。
117Please respect copyright.PENANAwfuZQfvrhH
---
117Please respect copyright.PENANAcvMjfe8o41
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAmEp8pXNlMc
117Please respect copyright.PENANAz6EuIKGci5
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANA0N4picHna4
117Please respect copyright.PENANAUkWH7Ga73q
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANABdX4htVkuC
117Please respect copyright.PENANA7pX2xsPO7M
江小由舀起一勺黍米粥:「不就是塊值錢的石頭?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAe8i56mliNs
117Please respect copyright.PENANAnKd05QwLma
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAg8GvpkPiIF
117Please respect copyright.PENANArmEQXEqRxD
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAxaVURmZCnz
117Please respect copyright.PENANAlA0EH5H3Ho
「怕啥?」江小由的龜甲在指間轉了個圈,「當初捅洪浪的膽子呢?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAkpISpaaHYC
117Please respect copyright.PENANAGBBEfaKeOT
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAc3KVOpyCiM
117Please respect copyright.PENANAOkCfcWVQtq
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANA15EzcBhuYn
117Please respect copyright.PENANAQBSQKsr78A
林戴志摩挲著衣物上陳年的醬漬:「我們扮成洗玉匠去偷?」117Please respect copyright.PENANANjPMLFGdZt
117Please respect copyright.PENANALDJ61cxNCH
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAAwGJFXA5cz
117Please respect copyright.PENANAP2MjJ9ST59
江小由突然將手拍在桌上。「老鬼,這不是要我們去賣命?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAk2ww8xQLHG
117Please respect copyright.PENANAlH16Fuzqlh
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAOAmQDWqPFz
117Please respect copyright.PENANAC3BeTiBZbK
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAnc1ABFWnbv
117Please respect copyright.PENANAex34eYQMPR
「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...」117Please respect copyright.PENANArE4KRF8baZ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAwEiZshGoew
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAetZUbKT3hL
117Please respect copyright.PENANAYVh1O1OvNt
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAPoM8rSN150
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkGIqUPFUXb
「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…」117Please respect copyright.PENANAATpZhpPZsJ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAqQvc96PJoF
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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAQrZJHPWzAq
117Please respect copyright.PENANA18vBR1MOwh
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。