51Please respect copyright.PENANAsZYQxpVOov
由於瞳打算在嬝舞樓裡建造茶館,所以瞳也趁著熟悉嬝舞樓之便,不時出入前苑,和那些僕役和妓子們打交道,以旁敲側擊地收集所需的資訊、物色人才。51Please respect copyright.PENANAAASdGvgdS2
51Please respect copyright.PENANATmYrArwRWf
嬝舞樓本多招待那些貴族遊宦,所以樓內的妓子就算是下層的,也會些貴族平時愛把弄、炫耀的東西,寫幾聯好對子更不成問題。瞳早打定主意要盡其所能地學習各種技藝,以備未來不時之需,所以瞳一見到妓子寫的好對聯或者是有所疑惑的地方,便會親自向那妓子詢問。51Please respect copyright.PENANAg1FFEDMdDp
51Please respect copyright.PENANAsDhwZP8TNJ
雖然嬝舞樓是金絡裡著名的大青樓,但在這世界裡,青樓裡的女子在人家眼裡只比街上的乞兒好些,縱然有艷名在外,卻鮮少被人以青眼正視。就像曾為青樓花魁的李奴兒之母李霞,一朝嫁為人婦,受盡萬般屈辱,那些曾許下山盟海誓的男人們卻到哪去了?51Please respect copyright.PENANAaAyr0FcbHZ
51Please respect copyright.PENANAZAFq7HrIex
再者,這嬝舞樓作主的是三位花魁。那些僕役一個個只懂得巴結花魁,對前苑的妓子沒什麼好臉色,瞳就有好幾次撞見男奴強扯著漂亮的妓子、口出穢言。還好這些男奴都知道瞳是炎菊的書僮,一對上瞳冷絕的眸子,只能緊張地辯解了幾句,倖倖然離去。51Please respect copyright.PENANARNCVbVl0XY
51Please respect copyright.PENANAEhIYNBLY2p
相較之下,身為花魁書僮的瞳卻能放下身段,恭謙地向妓女詢問、解惑,也不刻薄勢利,這些妓子自然也越發親近瞳了。51Please respect copyright.PENANARW1RltzLNn
51Please respect copyright.PENANAJDsMu8wk3Z
前些日子,端著自己第一次煮出的飯菜、正從前苑打道回後苑去的瞳卻聽見一聲聲尖銳的打罵聲與哭叫。瞳頓了一秒,便抬起腳,轉了方向,往聲音來處走去。51Please respect copyright.PENANAnvIh28PF72
51Please respect copyright.PENANA0NPizHxqcZ
「妳這個痴兒!教了這麼多次,妳卻一點也記不住!」一名體態微福的老婦手裡拿著掃帚,一手捉著女童的耳朵,惡狠狠地叫著,「哭!哭!就只會哭!如果觸怒了樓主,看我不把妳扒下一層皮去!」51Please respect copyright.PENANAgC3WS6LLN9
51Please respect copyright.PENANArMt1kfuoKJ
耳朵被擰得疼了,女童哭叫得悽慘,求饒聲淒厲得令人心疼。51Please respect copyright.PENANAT7Cvd4dqK7
51Please respect copyright.PENANALCquYWIsyw
瞳認得那老婦。老婦姓吳,苑裡的妓子都稱她吳嬤嬤。這吳嬤嬤不僅是嬝舞樓的老鴇之一,更是徐榮的妻子。瞳第一次參觀前苑時,就是這吳媽媽陪同的。後來,知道瞳經常到前苑裡向妓子和僕役們學習技藝,便隔著三叉五叉地為瞳噓寒問暖一番,逢迎諂媚的次數只比人多而不少。51Please respect copyright.PENANAZymtKpofzM
51Please respect copyright.PENANAE7hb7fHrsM
瞳皺了眉頭,走向前去,刻意弄了聲響,一雙眼冷冷地瞪向吳嬤嬤,曝著光的半張臉匍匐著兩道怵目驚心的刀裂,看起來格外猙獰。51Please respect copyright.PENANAXi1MucyOIS
51Please respect copyright.PENANArNLCfjuymo
吳嬤嬤一看到瞳,嚇得丟開手中的掃帚,擠了一張諂媚的臉,陪笑地說:「哎呦!原來是映魂啊!要回後苑那兒去了嗎?」51Please respect copyright.PENANAa32xffmQiB
51Please respect copyright.PENANAWORkqOFjrY
瞳沒有回話,只是直直盯著吳嬤嬤看,看得吳嬤嬤一身冷汗,也不知道怎麼開口好。51Please respect copyright.PENANAI59SSgnj2N
51Please respect copyright.PENANALz9S42NTTA
正當此時,那女童踉蹌著步伐,滿臉淚水與鼻涕地跑到瞳的身後,拉緊了瞳的衣角,啊啊啊地叫著。51Please respect copyright.PENANA0YT2oKxaOA
51Please respect copyright.PENANAQOJ4pyzwMr
吳嬤嬤見著,一張臉都鐵青了,作勢捉人,怒斥:「妳這痴兒!竟——」51Please respect copyright.PENANAIcdZRdaGEh
51Please respect copyright.PENANAHjxBHjxnRU
「新奴?」一眼掃過四肢上的瘀青,不想再聽吳嬤嬤尖銳的叫聲,瞳逕自打斷吳媽媽的罵語,直接切入正題。51Please respect copyright.PENANA9VVGw5r6Jq
51Please respect copyright.PENANAxTkFMSPtmH
「是、是……」吳嬤嬤尷尬地應是,卻又被瞳那雙黑眸盯得心虛不已,直打顫了身子,伏了地,叫道,「是妓子。幾、幾日前碰上一、一對夫婦急、急要賣孩子,聽、聽說這女童、有把好嗓子,所以、所以……嬤嬤也是想給樓主驚喜啊!」51Please respect copyright.PENANAWIyfxwod7S
51Please respect copyright.PENANAptD2o31rI8
嬝舞樓和別的青樓不同,因為權力放給了三位花魁,所以在這裡的老鴇是沒有資格管賣妓子的。一旦犯了規定,可不是單單趕出嬝舞樓那麼簡單。水諾就曾告訴瞳,曾經有個老鴇犯了惑罌的忌諱,結果被碾斷了手骨、打得半身不遂,丟進乞丐堆裡,任其自生自滅了。51Please respect copyright.PENANA065JTuG4a0
51Please respect copyright.PENANA26OPfwr3gi
不過,也有例外的時候。51Please respect copyright.PENANAwOUgjHA28p
51Please respect copyright.PENANAE3CO1uKNb7
炎菊就是另一位嬤嬤偷偷買進來調教的,樓主和兩為花魁得知以後也未加以苛責,更沒想到炎菊竟成了樓裡的第三位花魁。事後,那位嬤嬤的地位便跟著水漲船高,除了三位花魁,就是那位嬤嬤的話最大。51Please respect copyright.PENANA4qCQY3HXh4
51Please respect copyright.PENANAbYPzGtQRLt
瞳曾聽那些妓子們說過,這吳嬤嬤有那徐榮作靠山,一直都看不慣另外一位嬤嬤,更對另外一位嬤嬤帶進來的奴僕不是一般的刁難。自從炎菊成了花魁之後,吳嬤嬤囂張的氣燄終於弱了下來,嬝舞樓裡才有好日子過。51Please respect copyright.PENANAypVxS3MkvR
51Please respect copyright.PENANAz8s3qQKvbF
另一方面,吳嬤嬤也開始積極地收留孤兒、買賣孩童,心裡打好算盤,想順著另外一位嬤嬤的老路走。51Please respect copyright.PENANAQO5gU0ZZOe
51Please respect copyright.PENANAGJBjuznQ5A
所以,瞳一看到那面生的孩子,便立刻明白了。51Please respect copyright.PENANAGoxLPFiIJA
51Please respect copyright.PENANAOKknl8EyXY
瞳看向身邊的孩子,一雙灰藍色的眼蓄滿淚水,嬌小的身形與滿身的髒污撐著一副可憐兮兮。51Please respect copyright.PENANAAMn7PzTu7w
51Please respect copyright.PENANAQEuh3cuRwk
「這是第幾個了?」沉默良久,瞳又看向惴慄不安的吳嬤嬤,問了一句。51Please respect copyright.PENANANtOr6GhrGl
51Please respect copyright.PENANApfflQzpyqW
僅此一句,吳嬤嬤卻驚得身子一大震,抖落一身篩糠。立刻抬起頭,皺了一張老臉,哽著喉嚨說道:「哎呦!映魂、不!我的小祖宗啊!就看嬤嬤平時待妳不薄,好的字帖都給妳留下,妳可千萬別跟小姐們說啊!」51Please respect copyright.PENANAj7d5xx6ehY
51Please respect copyright.PENANADRtWVZpyQc
瞳看著吳嬤嬤,卻覺身邊的孩子緊緊地將自己的衣服攥緊,不由得躊躇了起來。51Please respect copyright.PENANA5mhJwe8lJl
51Please respect copyright.PENANAgzF78yB4wx
只是瞳也知道自己的身分,強出頭的事絕對不能幹的,再者瞳還得求助樓主實現自己的計畫。在還不曉得樓裡誰事樓主的親信之前,在樓裡豎立敵人是件愚蠢而且不明智的事——就算是個地位卑下、負責掃除穢物的奴僕也是。51Please respect copyright.PENANAZzF4eWSCBh
51Please respect copyright.PENANAwjsltsTtzv
瞳輕輕攬住小童的手,垂眸,低道:「吳嬤嬤,時候不早,廚姨那兒,正缺人手。」51Please respect copyright.PENANAfvfpFLeXIu
51Please respect copyright.PENANA6oJST3WgOO
吳嬤嬤一聽,知道瞳的打算,立刻會意地笑燦了一張滿是皺紋的臉,陪笑地連聲應是,沒心力管那小童,趕緊帶著剛撿回的一條小命,跑開了!51Please respect copyright.PENANA98mcvHoV7m
51Please respect copyright.PENANA5Wv9wZfzjR
掏出懷裡的帕子,瞳再度看向小童,輕拭著女童已經被塵土、淚水與鼻涕混濁的臉,問:「我是李映魂,妳叫什麼?」51Please respect copyright.PENANAZnjUBc4cEZ
51Please respect copyright.PENANAkUd1NaQgPI
「殊、殊英。」自稱為殊英的女童怯怯地看著瞳,捏著繡著小小朵蒲公英的衣服,有些結巴著。51Please respect copyright.PENANAnycZPNJAfI
51Please respect copyright.PENANAeqSsZgY7FG
「我只是個奴,能否留下都難說,所以才沒能幫妳。」不知怎地,一直待人極其疏離的瞳卻自顧自地解釋開來,一時反應過來,住了嘴,瞳自己也詫異萬分。但是看那殊英只睜著一雙眼,迷茫地看著自己,瞳只能無奈地嘆了一口氣,提起手邊的食盒,拿出自己剛做好的紫米饅頭和豆漿饅頭遞到殊英的手裡,道,「吃吧,這我自己做的。」51Please respect copyright.PENANALNDOU3cFBh
51Please respect copyright.PENANABZ7ywp1ONw
「啊!」51Please respect copyright.PENANAKTT4fZUaoB
51Please respect copyright.PENANAFpqBHtJ2hc
話罷,瞳便轉身離去,卻又被殊英捉住了衣服。瞳回望進殊英一雙灰藍色的眸子,沉默一會兒,抬起手,輕輕拍了殊英的頭,才說:「回去休息吧,我也該走了。」51Please respect copyright.PENANAR5jlMtxC7w
51Please respect copyright.PENANA7okRXkPezD
殊英看著瞳良久,終於放開了手,緊緊地捧著懷中的饅頭,看著瞳轉身離去。51Please respect copyright.PENANA5WP6CM8834
51Please respect copyright.PENANAxkzsHj4mhy
此後,瞳每天都會在同個時間與地點碰上看著天空發呆的殊英,習慣地將自己做好的食物分一半給她,習慣地看殊英看見自己時綻開的純淨笑容。51Please respect copyright.PENANAkrpFtb9i2G
51Please respect copyright.PENANA18cLEchLmD
只是兩天前起,殊英卻不再出現於瞳的歸途上了。51Please respect copyright.PENANA4gXLN8Pmis
51Please respect copyright.PENANAtDQPGW9LzS
蓋上食盒的蓋子,摩娑著盒上的花紋,瞳垂下眼簾,不語。51Please respect copyright.PENANAD3D6vZxo5q
51Please respect copyright.PENANAokOqRNtdNh
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