第四十六章:四處求援
事隔多年,人事已非,吳秋硯走入「金龍城」中,只覺街景建築,幾乎都與幼時記憶中的不同,他憑著印象,來到一座佔地甚廣的院落前,那是他所記得的「乾坤正宗」總壇所在地。
但他幾乎不敢相信眼前場景,因為他所看到的是,一處破敗失修的空盪廢墟,地廣依舊,卻四處雜草叢生,大門上的「乾坤正宗」四字如昔,卻布滿了灰塵污隙,院落中什麼人聲都沒聽見,只有蟲鳴樹上而已,昔日三合相連的正宗府第,如今更無人影,只有蛛網漫結之景,提示著乾坤宗的光華遠矣。
吳秋硯茫然入走其間,穿堂過殿,見其中淒涼落魄,對照昔日繁榮興盛,不勝難過,他蹲下身來,輕撫一支橫倒在地的錦旗,其上書有「乾坤正宗」四個大字,不禁悲傷地落下淚來。
他傷心難平,悵然坐在一只堆積灰塵的大椅上,不知過上多久,建築入口似乎有二三人影出現。
吳秋硯心中一喜,以為是「乾坤宗」的故人來此,連忙擦乾眼淚,起身相迎。
卻見走入廳中之人,是三個衣衫襤褸,手持破碗,好似叫化子般的中年男子。
三人瞧見了吳秋硯在場,同時往他身上打量一番,其中一人更道:「小兄弟,你新來的?先說好,這一間地方我們三個早就佔了,先來後到,你去隔壁那一房吧!」
原來這些人,是窩居在這廢墟裡的流浪漢?
吳秋硯原本的期待之心,霎時化為滿腔酸楚落寞,他紅著眼眶,遲疑了幾許,抱拳問道:「請問三位前輩,知不知道原本住在這裡的人,都到哪兒去了?這個『乾坤正宗』,是多久以前變成這樣?」
三個叫化子你看看我,我看看你,先相互私議了幾句,又各自回想了一陣後,其中一人才答話道:「這個宗門作廢,應該有七八年的時間了吧,聽說是在當任宗主被魔軍抓走以後,就漸漸變成了這個樣子……」另外一人此時也接話道:「後來那些宗裡的人,有的戰死、有的被抓,應該也所剩無幾了,至於少數還活存的,好像都投靠到別的門派去了……」
吳秋硯心裡更加難過,卻又忍不住多問了些:「請問那些活著的人,是投靠到哪些門派去了?」
三名叫化子,又是相互看望一陣子後,同時搖頭說道:「這我們就不知道了,我們也不是江湖中人,就只是在這地方待的久了,才聽說過一些傳聞而已。」
吳秋硯見三人絲毫不似江湖之士,也就不多勉強,拱手又行一禮說道:「多謝三位前輩,小弟先告辭了。」說罷,轉身便出了去,重新回到來時的大街上。
吳秋硯不願就此放棄,便憑著記憶以及途間的幾次問路,又尋到了座落在「金龍城」裡的幾個名門正派,包括「玄刀門」、「仙鶴門」、「點水樓」等,皆先向守門者表明身分,說自己是昔日「乾坤正宗」吳掌門的親生兒子,獲得引薦入內之後,又再向當家者表明來意,說自己希望能夠得到兵馬上的協助,以集眾人之力,去向「天外聖城」救回父母。
這三個門派的當家,聽聞吳秋硯的求請,都有些為難之情,畢竟「天外聖城」江湖稱霸已有多年,這些年來在其恐怖勢力籠罩下,正道諸門為其殘殺侵害,死傷極眾,甚至整門遭滅者,亦所在多有,於是僥倖苟存的這幾門派,對於「天外聖城」這個組織,多採能避則避的心態。
雖然這個時候,其實「天外聖城」已經發生叛亂易主,但由於事發未久,消息還未及自聖城裡流傳出來,以致如今江湖中人,仍然不知此變。
加上吳秋硯自身,雖然也才從聖城逃出而已,當時卻於混亂中走得太急,實沒機會了解到城中叛亂的實況,更不知曉「天外狂魔」蕭聖月,已然喪命在他座下首徒的劍底。
所以至今,在所有城外人的眼中,那「天外聖城」仍然是個可怕非常的地方;在所有正道名門的心中,那「天外狂魔」蕭聖月,也依舊是那殘忍無道的聖城霸主。
於是出於懼怕之心、避戰之意,這三個正道名門的當家,都是找了藉口婉拒吳秋硯的懇請,並且於推拖間,都不惜自貶身家,說自個兒的門派實力,恐怕不足成事,所以吳公子你,還是另請他派之高明吧!
吳秋硯連續碰上了軟釘子,雖然失望難過,卻不消沉意志,他先後向三位當家辭了謝,打算另謀出路,本來他一貧如洗,看來連個牲口也沒得騎,總算其中的「點水樓」當家稍有歉意,命人自樓裡追了出來,塞了點銀兩給吳秋硯,說是當年吳成忌,待他一門不薄,如今對於救人一事,他們雖然力有未逮,至少能夠支援點薄銀,以示感謝舊情。
吳秋硯受的是名門教誨,本不輕易接受餽贈,但想自己現下兩袖清風,這四處搬找救兵的旅程若要繼續,卻不能不稍有一點銀兩支使,於是吳秋硯硬著頭皮,還是尷尬言謝地收下了。
吳秋硯於是利用這些銀兩,買了匹馬及一些食糧,又緊接著踏上行途,天下四方地去找援兵了。
吳秋硯孤身行旅,遍跡中原各州,前前後後又拜訪了至少十三家名門,卻總是碰壁,每當表明來意,說是要往那個「天外聖城」救人,那些當家們都是同樣反應,找了各種理由說詞,推拖婉拒。
吳秋硯確實灰心不已,想不到從前記憶中鋤強扶弱、懲惡行善的中原正道諸門,如今變成了個個怕事避戰的樣子。
他決定不再像個無頭蒼蠅一樣,四處拜訪那些不成氣候又沒有膽識的宗派,他決定直接就去找上當今武林的頭,銜領現今中原正道的領袖之門,一個叫做「翠涵山莊」的江湖勢力。
其實這個「翠涵山莊」,對於吳秋硯來說並不熟悉,他幼時雖然聽過此名,卻印象中這個山莊,當年還只是個沒什麼大功業的小宗門而已,倒沒想到,時至今日,「翠涵山莊」已發展成江湖中的領導地位。
但吳秋硯行旅之間,曾多次向各路人士詢問打探過,問道當今天下,中原武林裡誰是領首,幾乎得到的答案無一差異,不論男女老幼,都說放眼江湖,如今就屬柳揚塵領軍的「翠涵山莊」,是正派第一把交椅,不論名聲實力,都是所有正道宗別之首。
但聽連續幾個人都這麼說了,吳秋硯當信不疑,按著指示方向,便往居於荊州境內的「翠涵山莊」方向,行路趕去。
吳秋硯跋涉多日,終於到了「翠涵山莊」門前,表明身分,讓守莊之人請了進去。
吳秋硯在迎賓廳等候幾時,便見一名身著湖水藍錦袍的中年男子出現,體格健實,容貌端挺,兩鬢微白,卻一對眉眼精明,瞧來氣度雍容,頗具領袖之風。
吳秋硯知曉,此人便是現任「翠涵山莊」之莊主,以「滄浪劍法」聞名於世的柳揚塵。
但見柳揚塵身後,且還隨行二人,左右各是一男一女,男的瞧來二十五六年紀,方正臉型,一襲墨綠勁裝上著鎧甲披風,腰繫雙刀,很是威武挺拔;女的瞧來十九二十年紀,容顏極美,身段纖細嬌柔,一套鵝黃套裝外罩雪紅輕紗,甚是風姿綽約,背後卻負一柄鞘紋精緻的長劍,顯然也是懂武之人。
吳秋硯雖然意中有人,始終把蕭靈臻放在心上,見了眼前此女美甚,也不禁好奇朝她多瞧了兩眼,暗想:「聽說柳揚塵膝下無子,卻有一個美若天仙的獨生愛女,號稱『中原第一美人』的柳暮嬋,看來就是他身後此女無疑……」
思量之間,見柳暮嬋的目光,似也正向自己移來,吳秋硯反而立將眼神移開,以避對視,轉看向另外那名鎧甲披風的年輕男子,又想:「這個年輕武者,既然得隨在柳揚塵的左右,想必是莊主極為信任倚重之人,可能就是他座下的首席武將,人稱『天水日長虹』的藍天軍。」
吳秋硯一邊看著入廳三人,一邊已站起身來,拱手示禮相迎,敬言說道:「晚輩吳秋硯,前來打擾柳莊主了。」
柳揚塵立即拱手回禮,說道:「吳公子還請不必客氣,您是名門之後,願來寒舍大駕光臨,我榮幸之至,歡迎尚且不及,又如何說上打擾二字?」
柳揚塵跟著介紹起了身後一男一女的身分姓名,正就是他的獨生愛女柳暮嬋,以及莊中之首席武將藍天軍,二位年輕人與吳秋硯相互行禮如儀,簡單幾語介紹自己。
柳揚塵又與吳秋硯簡易寒喧了幾句後,便招手要他入座,自己則行至廳首,坐於主席,讓另外的柳暮嬋及藍天軍,各入左右偏席。
柳揚塵自知吳秋硯的拜訪,定是有所為而來,於是親和一笑,提手說道:「吳公子,想請問您今日造訪寒舍,可有什麼希求,是柳某幫得上忙的嗎?」
吳秋硯也不多客套,直接就要表明來意,將拳一抱,說道:「我想請柳莊主幫忙,調派兵馬,北上前往『天外聖城』,助我尋找那至今生死不明的雙親。」
柳揚塵聽之一訝,問道:「生死不明的雙親……您是說吳成忌掌門賢伉儷,至今仍有可能在『天外聖城』裡存活著麼?實不相瞞,自八年多前,吳掌門夫婦被聖城魔軍圍捕擒走以後,音訊全無,江湖中人大多認定,吳賢伉儷應當已經英勇捐軀,喪生在魔軍的殘忍對待之下……」
吳秋硯搖了搖頭,說道:「當年我們一家三口,確實都遭聖城魔軍擄進城中,到了城內,我爹爹媽媽找到時機,拼死護著我這小孩脫困逃離,於聖城中到處藏匿,沒再落入敵手,他們自己卻仍受制於魔軍手中,從此未再與我相見,我也因此不知道他們後來是生是死,下落何在……」
言及於此,吳秋硯不禁紅了眼眶,哽咽又道:「我雖幸亦不幸,在逃離魔軍掌控之後,於聖城城區四處亂竄,僥倖遇到一名善心人士,雖身屬聖城一員,卻始終良心未泯,暗中找了個地方將我藏起,不被那些魔軍搜捕尋到,從此並一直庇蔭我,讓我躲於城中的隱匿處,平安度日……這八年間,我曾經有幾回,試圖找到離城機會,希望能夠逃出聖城,以向外界求援報訊,奈何聖城城區的巡守極嚴,我努力多年,總是通不過其中的層層戒備,以致最後,一概無功而返,我也因此,藏身在聖城裡七八年過,除了習成『浩然乾坤功』以外,一事無成,直至兩個月前,聖城內部發生叛亂,城內魔軍忙於平亂,無暇他顧,這才讓我找到機會,終於逃離成功,南往中原重鎮,尋求正道援助。」
柳揚塵專意聆聽,不禁嘖嘖稱奇,沒想到眼前這個青年吳秋硯,當年遭擒之時,還不過是個男孩而已,卻能夠數逢奇遇,在這凶險非常的「天外聖城」裡,藏匿存活八年之久,卻居然沒有叫人發現揪出,以致幸運活到今日。
柳揚塵尚還訝異於吳秋硯的幸運奇遇,後頭聽他說起「天外聖城」近日剛發生一場叛亂之禍的時候,更是驚訝非常,愕然於北方魔域發生如此大事,江湖上居然風聲未起,他「翠涵山莊」身為中原武林首領宗派,怎地尚未聽聞消息?
柳揚塵於是忍不住問道:「吳兄弟……你方才說『天外聖城』發生叛亂?而且還是兩個月以前的事情?坦白說……這個消息我『翠涵山莊』至今仍不知,想來江湖上的大多人也都還不知,你當時身歷其中,可知曉這場叛亂是由誰起頭?結果又是成敗與否?」
吳秋硯目光深遠,懇辭答道:「不瞞柳莊主,當時晚輩忙亂於離城之間,確實對此實情,並不了解太多……但我知道這是蕭聖月門下『聖城五子』所起的頭,而且應當早有預謀,因為當我離城之時,城區四處都正陷入戰亂,顯然這波叛變,私下早有連結動員,一朝揭竿而起,就是全面性的叛軍多路,而非光憑『聖城五子』的軍力而已。」
柳揚塵聽至此處,陡然間腦海裡,閃過一個多年前的身影,那是一位容如冠玉的俊美少年,自負自信地對己誇下海口,說道他在三五年內,必親手取下蕭聖月的狗命。
柳揚塵忽有回憶,陡然間心頭一震,驚然自問:「那個少年……他似乎是後來『天外雙煞』中的『白煞』冰心,莫非他……莫非他策動了此次叛變?也真的實現了他的預言?」
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