
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAGUn5UO6LQu
75Please respect copyright.PENANACaiENf2p2b
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAiH7pJYr4te
75Please respect copyright.PENANAL4FbD1URna
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?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAaJNaRidjsI
75Please respect copyright.PENANAgain0exqUd
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAdWzTXwbESD
75Please respect copyright.PENANAiaCkuSbJKF
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?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAKzClySyHhb
75Please respect copyright.PENANAEbm2ShR9Lq
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAY6XeDDtxJf
75Please respect copyright.PENANACq9ER2oWNh
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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAnzaqyiP2KQ
75Please respect copyright.PENANAUblJUHIADN
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。
75Please respect copyright.PENANAoJtH3iwiOu
---
75Please respect copyright.PENANAIx0cgFvCy7
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAhI6Xu62zxh
75Please respect copyright.PENANAikNwkTdIsx
「這是...?」林戴志疑惑道。75Please respect copyright.PENANA9Wk4sBUzB6
75Please respect copyright.PENANAMFbFsj5NE6
「界線。」江小由頭也不抬,「越界者死。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAL9zjNVBani
75Please respect copyright.PENANASNaS3YTWgq
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAxpV8TEmfVE
75Please respect copyright.PENANAtqNLqIg0nY
江小由瞥了一眼:「還不撿?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAAsJC1mJQev
75Please respect copyright.PENANAGZT2pcMtx0
「啊,是...」林戴志慌忙去撿,手指不小心碰散了幾粒鹽。75Please respect copyright.PENANAFVVDPcewb9
75Please respect copyright.PENANAfF58cEUxpE
「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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAGqsnbnzW6W
75Please respect copyright.PENANAyA8ZdwKLih
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAFuY2BqGK3I
75Please respect copyright.PENANAGT8qCLC2Dr
「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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAoM20TN0TXj
75Please respect copyright.PENANApGCpXSVzbj
「對、對不住...」林戴志僵住不動,連呼吸都放輕了。75Please respect copyright.PENANAjAzTYv73lJ
75Please respect copyright.PENANAL7rxveiH1P
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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAmEiObEw7FI
75Please respect copyright.PENANAaR1gIFAC7r
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...」75Please respect copyright.PENANANPO6gXYlX4
75Please respect copyright.PENANAttadRPqMRZ
「閉嘴,睡覺。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAaIr1nrQV48
75Please respect copyright.PENANA9KZoZmZUVo
「我是想說...」林戴志猶豫了一下,「你的龜甲...好像裂了道縫。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAPWYQFDFpHP
75Please respect copyright.PENANAVDHLY35btI
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!」75Please respect copyright.PENANAYknd582fv9
75Please respect copyright.PENANAZLeeQAE1Z7
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。
75Please respect copyright.PENANAAWEhtfj9WA
---
75Please respect copyright.PENANAwH1CNJnkhw
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANANuqoYXnig5
75Please respect copyright.PENANAXxwXnYIckr
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAluup7oEAXI
75Please respect copyright.PENANAYPlvdDQLcs
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAmc8Knvisa6
75Please respect copyright.PENANAm5HZXyPS52
江小由舀起一勺黍米粥:「不就是塊值錢的石頭?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAwUHtL3iTIY
75Please respect copyright.PENANAq3x1Pc9O29
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAjm4GMwYWZF
75Please respect copyright.PENANA5QBmkB3ON7
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAI8snSQYegg
75Please respect copyright.PENANA57n1wcpCrW
「怕啥?」江小由的龜甲在指間轉了個圈,「當初捅洪浪的膽子呢?」75Please respect copyright.PENANA3xEc2361Z4
75Please respect copyright.PENANA1qmUh6qLs1
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANAweOKGJI61h
75Please respect copyright.PENANActUF5BPYmZ
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAuIvo7K4qCc
75Please respect copyright.PENANAFk3KR30FvZ
林戴志摩挲著衣物上陳年的醬漬:「我們扮成洗玉匠去偷?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAmxo5YSCBoj
75Please respect copyright.PENANAIMutGkZP5m
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAHb20wBwXh9
75Please respect copyright.PENANArDs6NAVV8H
江小由突然將手拍在桌上。「老鬼,這不是要我們去賣命?」75Please respect copyright.PENANAPVxJAtEC8K
75Please respect copyright.PENANAGQakBABCp3
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANALwoGqT851p
75Please respect copyright.PENANAQeACO4BQSy
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANA65weysa4JC
75Please respect copyright.PENANAP0yruFiJF3
「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...」75Please respect copyright.PENANASFSbNHm4F2
75Please respect copyright.PENANATwFprdoMIn
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。75Please respect copyright.PENANA0AE331UFV9
75Please respect copyright.PENANAW9npvi5T5K
「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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANAtMMXZqHUxA
75Please respect copyright.PENANAa9wSsaKOca
「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…」75Please respect copyright.PENANAzdVyJAjTuV
75Please respect copyright.PENANAwCh3hBSthB
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。」75Please respect copyright.PENANA9Hhy5Xvzxp
75Please respect copyright.PENANA8CSlkZZ52v
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。