湖衣在縱橫交錯的密道不知爬行了多久,找到一座階梯,她扶著石壁一步步登上階梯,約莫走了百餘階,終於看見第一道光線自縫隙透進來,差點教她睜不開眼。155Please respect copyright.PENANAHGkqUbEStS
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她從縫隙探看,放眼所及空無一人,這才小心翼翼地從密道走出來,她發覺自己置身在一座儲物的庫房內,四周堆滿陳年舊物。155Please respect copyright.PENANAZPYHf1Z6vq
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湖衣先確認無人後,在陰影的掩蔽下走到屋外,庫房緊連著數幢相似的石屋,斑駁的牆面爬滿青苔,遠處還有數條狹窄的渠道,幾名中年婦人在渠道旁浣衣。155Please respect copyright.PENANAx5AjMcYdw0
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不遠處還有座石造羊舍,十幾頭山羊正啃食槽中乾草,一條瞎眼老狗懶洋洋地翻過肚子,躺在羊舍前方曬太陽。155Please respect copyright.PENANAHJw0h1jaL3
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這不是宮中會有的景象,她確定自己已不在宮城內。155Please respect copyright.PENANAN8l3004kze
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依照成祖實錄記載,京城分為三重:第一重城為宮城,是皇帝住居和理政之處,又稱大內;第二重城為皇城,宮城之外套著皇城,分布著朝廷辦事機構監、局、司、庫等;第三重城為外城,外城是京城百姓住的地方,到了外城,就已遠離宮禁,可以自由出城。按距離推測,她應該身在皇城某處。155Please respect copyright.PENANAoGjiPMA6vB
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眼下四顧茫然。155Please respect copyright.PENANAXvWKU7iBYZ
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三頭落單的山羊逕自從她面前走過。 155Please respect copyright.PENANAouOZNMYstQ
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有沒有人可以問問?她心想。155Please respect copyright.PENANAbgQ0igLu2M
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總不能問山羊吧。155Please respect copyright.PENANAyN2aZkl5Vk
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羊舍旁那頭瞎眼老狗似乎察覺她的心思,伸了伸腿後站起來,一瘸一瘸地走向羊舍。湖衣跟隨在後,才發現羊舍之後還有一排長屋,土牆破舊陰暗,不知是否有人居。155Please respect copyright.PENANA3G5PQbQoE8
155Please respect copyright.PENANAVvC7TAbBCc
老狗在土屋外吠叫了幾聲,屋內傳出回應,幾聲像患有肺疾的咳喘,拖著窸窣的步伐,門扉「呀」地一聲打開了。湖衣退回屋角的陰影中,門內走出一名蹣跚的老人,形容憔悴,臉頰凹陷。155Please respect copyright.PENANAs1Og2OCnja
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老人拿出一碗殘羹,老狗迎了來,迫不及待地吃著。155Please respect copyright.PENANAG7Oa1xczGJ
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「老黃啊,今天就剩這麼點啦,你慢著點吃!」老人以尖細的聲音說完,舉起佈滿斑紋的手,撫了下老狗的頭,接著又岣嶁著背,危顫顫地走回屋裡去。155Please respect copyright.PENANANSdMKRpLEz
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湖衣仔細思量,老人沒有鬍鬚,膝蓋腫得像突起的樹瘤一般,腰間圍著鼓脹的厚布疋,應是年老而無法在御前侍奉的太監。155Please respect copyright.PENANAMY6iz6vX8P
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她努力回想記憶中關於皇宮外圍的一切……羊……老人?155Please respect copyright.PENANAPgoWS3iGG0
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是了,金鼇玉蝀橋以西,羊房夾道。155Please respect copyright.PENANAg5AXxaqdYg
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年老或是患病的宮人,會被送來此處醫治,或是等死。155Please respect copyright.PENANAnnAslOHu7c
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羊房夾道靠近欞星門,該處是太監們出宮辦差常走的便門,說不定可以從那裏混出宮去。155Please respect copyright.PENANA2c8oJ1F1yO
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湖衣環顧四週,老人已不見蹤影,而那老狗,正挨著一個不知從何而來的男孩兒。155Please respect copyright.PENANAqI1Mxv1B79
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孩子看上去約莫十歲,穿著粗布衣衫,披散著一頭長髮,身形清瘦,手裡把玩著幾個麻布製成的小沙袋,口裡吟唱著:155Please respect copyright.PENANAgskayiQDCx
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空山新雨後,天氣晚來秋。
明月松間照,清泉石上流。
竹喧歸浣女,蓮動下漁舟。
隨意……隨意……155Please respect copyright.PENANAUHX2zV4jqi
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男孩歪著小腦袋,像是忘了詞。155Please respect copyright.PENANAj6g3htfjd6
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「隨意春芳歇,王孫自可留。」湖衣不假思索接詞。155Please respect copyright.PENANAgDiSNTDCte
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孩子轉過身來,好奇地看著她。155Please respect copyright.PENANA4Kj4WSn8rN
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湖衣不禁心疼起這孩子,他定是窮苦人家的孩子,不得已小小年紀就被賣到宮裡做宮役,又被發配到這樣荒涼的地方。155Please respect copyright.PENANAedJjLjvNh5
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她蹲下身子,柔聲地問他:「孩子,你怎麼獨自在這兒?」見男孩不答,湖衣又問:「你知道欞星門往哪走嗎?」155Please respect copyright.PENANAMKN6ySdIVL
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「我不知道啊,姐姐,」孩子抬起小臉望著她,「而且我娘不許我和陌生人說話。」155Please respect copyright.PENANAip14oKL3Ej
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此時孩子的額前的長髮因抬頭而向後曳撒,露出清秀的面容,這男孩兒有著精緻的五官,一雙丹鳳眼,女人般的薄唇,似有某種莫可名狀的熟悉感。155Please respect copyright.PENANAN5gK8pMte6
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母與子。155Please respect copyright.PENANALViPq4puCa
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她望向水渠,想起馮瑛曾說過的話。心底打起寒顫。155Please respect copyright.PENANAZkYyXbSfWK
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金水橋。筒子河。155Please respect copyright.PENANASq7zF4CaUi
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母親與未出世的孩子。155Please respect copyright.PENANAK3ReQhdoDn
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天哪,怎麼回事。155Please respect copyright.PENANASuJqrU9LhK
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孩子竟被藏匿在這兒?155Please respect copyright.PENANAdsPttyeATB
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湖衣因震驚而踉蹌後退了幾步。155Please respect copyright.PENANAYRAhE3muw0
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原來,多年前的宮中疑案,還有眼下困局,一切問題都在這裡有了交代。155Please respect copyright.PENANA8RhP4UudB4
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湖衣緊握雙拳,內心天人交戰。155Please respect copyright.PENANAOVJ9CwTmWK
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過去數月,她日日夜夜都夢想著逃出皇宮,如今出宮的路近在咫尺,難道要回皇宮去自投羅網?155Please respect copyright.PENANAyto0FPsvM2
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但……橫斷在眼前是足以動搖社稷的大事,她又怎能視而不見,一走了之?155Please respect copyright.PENANA6Zo4mVPdPc
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湖衣思忖半晌,心中已有決斷。155Please respect copyright.PENANAhjB3M1diua
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「乖孩子,聽你娘的話,躲著點,」湖衣捧起他的雙頰,仔細叮囑,「別讓任何人看見你,我很快就回來。」155Please respect copyright.PENANAjB6zW5lDjw
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她得回去找馮瑛,馮瑛肯定能認出來。155Please respect copyright.PENANAQnYN7RU6NZ
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湖衣轉過身,一路快步,直到再度進到土屋裡的密道入口,心頭掛記的全是那孤單的孩兒和他可憐的娘親。155Please respect copyright.PENANA8pLDKfWF3I
155Please respect copyright.PENANAU7Wq9mGyT0
她飛奔而入,下了階梯,碰到第一個岔路,依照記憶,她走右邊的通道,然後一路向右,向右,再向左,跑到頭昏眼花,幾乎喘不過氣。155Please respect copyright.PENANANX8kSvijV6
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她在心中祈求,自己的選擇能讓大明朝江山永固,百姓安寧。155Please respect copyright.PENANAObQuyc2f4a
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若能保護好這孩子,讓萬貴妃無從施以毒手,太后和公主也無須再綁架年輕女子,只要她辦妥了這事,一切一切都會不同。155Please respect copyright.PENANAIc5q1JQNQo
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她飛快地奔回原路,爬出佛堂的通道。155Please respect copyright.PENANAUIoZlXiVzH
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小佛堂一如往常,靜悄悄的。155Please respect copyright.PENANALy3ePeFimS
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「馮瑛,馮瑛!」她叫了幾聲,都沒有回應。155Please respect copyright.PENANAv7XJBMJBdq
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湖衣心生疑惑。155Please respect copyright.PENANAkZbuCEvUZH
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平日她每回進入地道,馮瑛都會站在堂口守著,莫非馮瑛認為她已離宮,所以不再守門?155Please respect copyright.PENANAMyaNeRTzwz
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湖衣一邊把魏徵銅像推回了原位,一邊低頭思忖,或許馮瑛回咸若宮去了。155Please respect copyright.PENANAa1i6Rt12YJ
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於是她伸手推開佛堂的門,某個重物自背後襲來,她就此失去意識。155Please respect copyright.PENANAxZ2Aoqzyzk
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§155Please respect copyright.PENANA5UA6UG59Nh
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殘陽若血,天街御道上颳起了一陣不祥的風,今日迥異於往昔,雲霞是混合了鮮血與落日的駭人顏色。貞順門城樓上的鴟吻在狂風中顯得格外陰森,像有惡鬼潛藏在暗處,教人汗毛直豎。155Please respect copyright.PENANA8BUcOaDXLe
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「見鬼了,今兒是個什麼日子?」年輕的門衛忍不住抱怨。155Please respect copyright.PENANABVnUy6QyGf
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「叫什麼,你該不會是怕鬼吧?」負責把守城樓的騎尉回答,握著長槍的手也在顫抖。遠方傳來陣陣烏鴉嘶啞的叫聲。155Please respect copyright.PENANAXgqW1sME8J
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不祥之兆。155Please respect copyright.PENANApO18Y64Lap
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平日即使入夜,貞順門也未曾如此靜謐,總會有前往各宮辦差的太監,負責打更的宮役,巡邏的侍衛,人聲來來去去,可眼下因為皇上正在齋戒,各宮宮門深鎖,只有寒風吹過樹木的颯颯聲,伴隨他們值夜。155Please respect copyright.PENANAjvOYbwcocR
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步履聲吸引了兩人的注意,三名西緝事司檢校押著一名罩著黑色頭套的女子,欲出宮門。155Please respect copyright.PENANAeuPtVGqow6
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「幹什麼的?」騎尉發問。155Please respect copyright.PENANAmUGq2aqEmJ
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「我等奉長安宮總管太監之命,將犯過的宮女押往宮正司懲戒。」其中一名檢校回答。155Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0SLGudNo1
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貞順門外甬道是通往宮正司的必經之路,只是騎尉隱隱覺得有些不對。155Please respect copyright.PENANA0Mb7w54fwA
155Please respect copyright.PENANAt9wMeTJMGf
年輕門衛盯著眼前四人,尤其是那名宮女,為何要用黑布罩頭?155Please respect copyright.PENANAgkvhtQ4mYI
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兩名檢校見到門衛狐疑的眼色,便自行掀開黑布,女子雙眼緊閉,顯然已陷入昏迷。155Please respect copyright.PENANAAwxCXeFfyL
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「她惹怒了萬貴妃,長安宮總管太監下令嚴懲。」一名檢校說。155Please respect copyright.PENANA0vPLyMTPqA
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騎尉見那女子長相端莊秀麗,心下明瞭,她未必是犯了甚麼過失,多半僅是惹起貴妃妒意,才會遭罰。155Please respect copyright.PENANA84KppD7fXy
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而那汪直雖被皇上撤去西廠廠公一職,西廠也遭關閉,西廠廠尉全數回歸西緝事司,但是宮中人人都知道,西司背後是汪直,汪直背後是權勢滔天的萬貴妃,西廠再起是遲早的事,西緝事司的人可得罪不起。155Please respect copyright.PENANAfogDOlfj1v
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「那就有勞三位,」騎衛說道,「甬道走到底右方,便是宮正司所在。」155Please respect copyright.PENANANOIIgAldN3
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一名檢校笑答:「多謝。」155Please respect copyright.PENANAHUoR20QKme
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兩名守衛讓到一旁放行,三人便拖著犯事的宮女走了。155Please respect copyright.PENANA2Fx02LQWV4
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落日最後一抹餘暉消失在眼前,風在他們的四周吹拂,某處的狗似狼一般地向天長嚎,從剛才騎尉就一直聽見不尋常的匡噹聲。155Please respect copyright.PENANATUmKjdhG81
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「你說,京城會不會像金陵一樣,出現妖孽呢?」年輕的門衛還在自顧自地說。155Please respect copyright.PENANA5QQO8LJMtv
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簡直不知死活。騎尉暗罵。守夜時,要是說出不吉利的話觸了霉頭,必然會生出事來。155Please respect copyright.PENANAlE2odIGmDx
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匡噹……匡噹……155Please respect copyright.PENANAguRFriQfaZ
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這聲響究竟從何而來,他環顧四週,打定主意要找出來源。155Please respect copyright.PENANAylO1wbqCvb
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「糟了!」騎尉大吼。155Please respect copyright.PENANAvI2WuqcQSk
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「怎麼啦?」門衛一臉震驚地問。155Please respect copyright.PENANAG1yRKPgO0M
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「你看那個,」都尉指著在城門上被夜風吹得匡噹響的齋戒木牌,「齋戒期間,各宮齋戒祈福,不理刑名,怎麼會在此時懲治宮女?」155Please respect copyright.PENANAiXj3uj860c