逸天心感不妙,而且梓喬等人也沒了蹤影,心下一計較,連忙發足往東邊跑去。507Please respect copyright.PENANAxFSbfpComL
507Please respect copyright.PENANAZymXIW26vB
在商店街之後就是鎮外的近郊了,四周黑沈沈的,草長到有人頭高,借着月光只能看見腳下的石路,遠處隱約有一點光亮,順着路一直走,人聲也愈來愈旺,終於走到一處遠遠能看見一座約有六七米高的城堡,火光和人聲正是從此處傳來,逸天摸了摸腰間的長劍,小心翼翼地走向城堡的方向。507Please respect copyright.PENANA1siRmeG9Jt
507Please respect copyright.PENANA0vlLeLjle3
轉了幾個彎,地上有一道被人用斧頭劈開了的鐵柵,左右也開闊了起來,一道大理石砌的磚牆,圈住了一整大塊地,那鐵棚原先應該是安在牆上的。507Please respect copyright.PENANA8Z0JnpQWlp
507Please respect copyright.PENANACJ4T28Nhra
牆內先是一個大水池,池上面有一個金鑄的碑,上面雖然有碑座,碑身,但獨獨是沒有碑文。507Please respect copyright.PENANAgCYYH3SbhN
水池前方通向城堡,周邊都是樹木,樹上卻掛了好些閃亮的東西,仔細一看,竟是金打的葉子。507Please respect copyright.PENANAWf9PdM37uT
507Please respect copyright.PENANAGWJC6k5msv
再裡面就是城堡了,下面圍了一大群手持火把或鐮刀、草叉,甚至大刀、錘子的民眾。地上還有十幾個死人,好像有些還是穿着鎧甲的守衛。507Please respect copyright.PENANAlkDZwKsbPV
507Please respect copyright.PENANAb8mMjJ2npU
人群足足有數百人,衣衫和城裡的人一樣簡樸,對比之下,應該都是葛屯的居民,他們把城堡圍得跟鐵桶似的,也難為這庭院能安下這數百人,上百枝火把映在銀光閃閃的堡上,亮如白晝。507Please respect copyright.PENANAQ87q7eia9W
507Please respect copyright.PENANAmmrbBw0MXX
「弗朗特!滾出來!你的好日子要到頭了!」507Please respect copyright.PENANAaVoTnncwSL
507Please respect copyright.PENANALCEoBFkgca
「衛兵們!你們還要為這殺千刀的惡賊賣命嗎?」507Please respect copyright.PENANAYipVYLWCPH
507Please respect copyright.PENANA8xBRgBV7jX
「老賊,你龜縮不出也是無用,快快投降,你野爹我還能留你全屍!」507Please respect copyright.PENANAMYRsTStGR1
507Please respect copyright.PENANAv0v8YzeJof
守衛們被逼到大門前了,然而城堡重門深鎖,絲毫沒有要開門的意思。507Please respect copyright.PENANAf1jofxi1qQ
507Please respect copyright.PENANAEYeeIWds7p
逸天也大約猜到這群人是來討伐一個叫特朗弗的人,但對於前因後果還是一無所知。正思索間,一條長杖點了點他的背。507Please respect copyright.PENANA1Kc8fVE2Wu
507Please respect copyright.PENANACx9rnZHWO4
「過來。」逸天轉頭一看,原來佚和小蝶早就到了,正躲在一棵大樹後觀察事態,佚是在樹後低聲提點他。507Please respect copyright.PENANAwEe4oZlDsx
507Please respect copyright.PENANA02qwqO7st8
「梓喬呢?」逸天見狀連忙走到就近的一棵樹後躲藏,然後才低聲問道。507Please respect copyright.PENANAS6U0LtsALB
507Please respect copyright.PENANApSExH5GhXQ
小蝶指了指左邊的一棵樹,從這個角度可以看見樹後有一角長袍和半隻皮靴,應該就是梓喬和樺凡了。507Please respect copyright.PENANA9yrqIEqKKz
507Please respect copyright.PENANATyNIqBL9er
這時城堡的大門開了,裡面走出來一個人,鐵甲從頭包到腳,手上提了一把大斧,他身材高大,一走出來,前面的民眾都自覺退開了幾步。507Please respect copyright.PENANAbUX5fHGJRo
507Please respect copyright.PENANAg7MLOKRMTt
「你們要是現在退走能留住性命,敢上前的,殺無赦!」他一把銀光閃閃的大斧507Please respect copyright.PENANANHVGkjP8BP
在手,懾得民眾不敢上前。此時,一名老人在邊上發話了,正是那個叫逸天躲在旅館的老人。507Please respect copyright.PENANA1KAdxqpTEW
507Please respect copyright.PENANAUidpRwLelW
「今日,老賊的衛隊外出搜割民財,過了今天就沒有機會了。他城中根本無兵,這不過是緩兵之計,斷不可就此放過了他。」那老人原來是這群人的首領,這一番話過後,原本畏畏縮縮的民眾又開始鼓噪了。507Please respect copyright.PENANAF7LjTVPhmn
507Please respect copyright.PENANAy8usEIkILC
佚問:「等?」507Please respect copyright.PENANAMgJ67MtMR7
507Please respect copyright.PENANApjdg4LQUBh
逸天聽見佚在問他身邊的小蝶。507Please respect copyright.PENANAewRVCrjbVn
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「等。」507Please respect copyright.PENANAK2QX18Ar9P
507Please respect copyright.PENANAho2MCr43FN
那人聽這套不行,忙換了一套說詞,口氣也鬆動了:「其實特朗弗大人已經下過命令了,只要今日他們退走,他馬上就免了接下來三年的賦稅,還每人送一袋金幣,這樣大家好來好去,也免得傷了和氣。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA3LgMAjfQp2
507Please respect copyright.PENANAUhoXPdWdNf
「和氣早就傷了,金幣甚麼的,簡直是混帳,把我們當成傻子了,我們今天不殺了這老賊,我們還能有命嗎?縱得千金又有何用?此刻正是生死存亡之時,大家衝!」507Please respect copyright.PENANAFA6yTSJbDa
507Please respect copyright.PENANA83HgX4gJ5W
那老人一聲令下,村民便往前衝去,一陣躁動后,那人敵不過人多,攔腰斬開兩個村民,便被一錘打爆了腦袋,四周的侍衛也四散逃去,很快門外的村民搬出一條大木撞門了。507Please respect copyright.PENANAbVydbfdGid
507Please respect copyright.PENANAhkBiao8bxn
逸天心念一動:「這群人居然沒有摘樹上的金葉子,這倒真有點古怪。」507Please respect copyright.PENANAnsJoor1s80
507Please respect copyright.PENANAFENLDbn7Wc
一次,兩次,三次,門開始出現裂痕,只消合力再撞一下就破門了。507Please respect copyright.PENANA3PKexKG1U1
507Please respect copyright.PENANAuLecjjv1Vl
忽然間,一陣大風刮過,眾人手上的火把滅了大半,人群陷入一陣慌亂之中,也就沒人撞那最後一次門了。507Please respect copyright.PENANAomKuULqf2S
507Please respect copyright.PENANAIA5y8OeouY
小蝶和佚在樹後轉出來,梓喬和樺凡也隨他們出來了,小蝶五指纖纖,手裡凝了一團火球照明,一手拿着一塊金澄澄的令牌,佚的杖上包了塊油布,正在當火炬燒着。507Please respect copyright.PENANA3PXI3Gs62N
507Please respect copyright.PENANALyrpX1SdKG
「皇室密使來訪,特朗弗,你何不出來相迎?」507Please respect copyright.PENANA2CZ2cCpbPI
507Please respect copyright.PENANAqnDsVpPOJU
小蝶這句話一說,人群登時炸開了鍋,有幾個膽小的,已跪在地上叩頭大叫「大人饒命」,倒似小蝶比那把大斧還可怕。507Please respect copyright.PENANAH8wnsB6kA1
507Please respect copyright.PENANAPF3HlNna0m
逸天這才不明所以地跟了出來,那老人倒是挺沉着,對小蝶一躬到地:「小人拜見密使大人,今日之事,請大人為我等主持公道。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA39GGaoi0ui
507Please respect copyright.PENANA2VJP4iUwtH
「且說無妨。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA986LEW4jgY
507Please respect copyright.PENANAeAIlrzIbbf
那老人沉吟不語,拜了兩拜,方道:「小人以前是鎮裡的老師,在鄉民裡算是有點聲望,我們有些是鎮上的居民,有些是村裡的,都是年年被那特朗弗壓搾,我們葛屯的百姓,都對此人深痛惡絕。今年他又平白新加了一份田稅,我們日子實在是過不下去了,方才在半月前推舉小人為首,要趁今日為民除害。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA4xTwjurTZz
507Please respect copyright.PENANAjxUhM2bh6x
「那你倒是說說,他如何個壓搾法?陸下一向體恤民情,我們定會為你作主。」507Please respect copyright.PENANALcm5r12V1M
507Please respect copyright.PENANAUSmLKYH60L
「葛屯一地,向來田地豐沃,又在北方之中心,商旅在此交集,經濟鼎盛,但那特朗弗倒行逆施,以賦稅搜刮民財,我們平日上供之後,日子已難過得很了,還豐年賦稅加倍,荒年賦稅不減,不時又把上面發的錢糧克扣。我們明明奉公守法、努力工作,生活卻絲毫沒有好轉,甚麼整個葛屯也每況愈下。」507Please respect copyright.PENANAcF7whMn5KC
507Please respect copyright.PENANAgN1VYm9GL0
小蝶微一點頭:「他是葛屯的領主,賦稅有一半歸他,又有調節稅收之權,前面一節你說的合情合理。但他可管不了其他事,克扣錢糧一節,你且交待清楚。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA5xf5yJ0qhn
507Please respect copyright.PENANAMwHQ4pbqa1
「城裡的官吏與他勾結,把荒年上面發下來的救濟錢糧與他瓜分了。還有他放貸予商人,教他們囤積居奇,或是以本傷人,把同行逼死,物價於是也漲得飛快。他雖無掌權之名,卻因財雄勢大,掌了好些實權,甚至還以錢財賄賂官員,在城中安插黨羽,好阻隔下情上達。我們也是被逼得太緊,上訴無門,才會趁他城堡裡沒人,打算將他一舉拿下,斷不是我們存了反心,實在是為勢所逼。」507Please respect copyright.PENANA0j43ZK95FQ
507Please respect copyright.PENANAvjGjxdybkC
其實老人一番話的重心,就在這最後一句中,總是要說明白了他們是反特朗弗而非反皇室。507Please respect copyright.PENANAF3SExtEwE5