午後風起,黃沙隨風掠過官道,一輛樸素的馬車在塵土飛揚中緩緩駛近鄴城。馬車表面覆著簡單帆布,車輪沾滿泥塵,朝著雄偉堅固的北地重鎮一路而來。25Please respect copyright.PENANAae6weduHyA
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鄴城城門高聳,磚牆厚實如山。城牆上,士兵戒備森嚴,遠遠望見馬車靠近,早有一隊戍衛整裝列隊,持槍而立。25Please respect copyright.PENANA9lhyeQ56cN
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馬車一停下,為首的守城兵大步上前,橫槍擋住車頭,喝道:「來者何人?」25Please respect copyright.PENANAmKWFiJiltU
25Please respect copyright.PENANAbyJwpyrsSa
趕車的是個中年漢子,滿臉風霜,穿著粗布衣服,神情沉穩。他不卑不亢地指了指車廂,語氣自然:「袁府新進的婢女。」25Please respect copyright.PENANABuUaBxbpyt
25Please respect copyright.PENANAJxOXXA1yFU
那守門士兵聞言,眉頭微皺,繞到車側打量了一番,目光如刀般審視馬車的蓋布。25Please respect copyright.PENANA0J7Uv5o1Fx
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「主公正在官渡與孫策軍交戰,情勢緊張。無主公大印或劉夫人親手書信者,一律不得入城,還請回吧。」士兵冷聲說道。25Please respect copyright.PENANAyVDR6qKdOc
25Please respect copyright.PENANACiGE5w4FHu
車伕絲毫不慌,從懷中掏出一封卷起的文書,雙手呈上:「這是劉夫人親筆手諭,請過目。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAibIM3DJGPT
25Please respect copyright.PENANAvKMiR199b9
士兵狐疑地接過來,展開一看。只見上頭的字跡娟秀清麗,落款印章確實是袁府主母之名。25Please respect copyright.PENANAPdzbOsqKFc
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他遲疑了一下,將文書奉還,深深看了車伕一眼,轉身對著城上高聲喊到:「開門!」25Please respect copyright.PENANADUQyZzfD46
25Please respect copyright.PENANAiNDDCxcZke
沉重的木門在鐵鍊與轆轤的拉動聲中轟然打開,發出一聲沉悶的低響。馬車毫不遲疑地往城內駛去,消失在鄴城層層街巷與高牆的陰影中。25Please respect copyright.PENANApbCE5RfkvV
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馬車在石板路上顛簸前行,馬蹄聲與車輪聲在鄴城街道間回盪。車廂內,細碎的光線勾勒出兩位女子的輪廓,一個沉靜端雅,一個神情機警。25Please respect copyright.PENANAjaCmFb5PWx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgJNRzjvOt0
大喬微微掀開窗簾,望了眼外頭的街景,又放下簾子,壓低聲音道:「周瑜說,這次能順利進入鄴城,靠的就是那個潛伏在袁府中的內應。據說那人早就與江東有暗中聯繫,只是,連周瑜也不知此人究竟是誰。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAMkAuqJ17me
25Please respect copyright.PENANAd92HFWLQ5i
小喬蹙眉思索:「連公瑾都查不出來,這人可真是藏得夠深……不過既然能把我們的通關文書送出鄴城,還讓守軍不加盤查,顯然在袁府中有不小的地位。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAmNQglVnbI5
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHMkI6mtHz5
「嗯……但也因此,我們更要小心。」大喬眼神凝重,「若是走錯一步,被劉夫人看出端倪,咱們怕是連退路都沒有了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANATaqswLS1C1
25Please respect copyright.PENANANLN3IopOM6
小喬嘟起嘴來,輕聲道:「姊姊,我倒很好奇那人是誰。若是女的,會不會是袁紹的某位侍妾?也有可能是個看似不起眼的婢女……若是男的……嗯,會不會是假意投靠袁紹的某位書吏?」25Please respect copyright.PENANAEVCVhKAAxB
25Please respect copyright.PENANAaFaV009yxQ
「不論是誰,身為一個內應,能在這樣的地方安然無恙這麼久,必然有過人之處。」大喬頓了頓,低聲道:「我們這次潛入,是以劉夫人選婢的名義。接下來就看那人能不能接應我們了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANACAi962Ouae
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgJMcG6OHx6
談話間,晃動的馬車驀然停了下來,車伕敲了敲車壁。「袁府到了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANARpVmRO8Ffi
25Please respect copyright.PENANAYsArYgQ4FH
姊妹兩人整理了衣襟髮髻,彼此對視一眼,下了馬車,映入眼簾的便是高大的朱門和兩尊威嚴的石獅。25Please respect copyright.PENANACbed1E9ZhS
25Please respect copyright.PENANACPFaXS6h1a
袁府的門衛上前審視,見車伕出示的手諭有劉夫人印字,沒多說一句話,便揚手放行。25Please respect copyright.PENANAmZvbLYuwDL
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府門打開,兩位江東少女同時深吸一口氣,踏進袁府大門。25Please respect copyright.PENANAExuqCHD5ak
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兩人依著婢女引領,步入袁府深處。25Please respect copyright.PENANAvw2JOarmTE
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一行人走過了流泉石橋、小荷池塘,以及一條竹林掩映的曲徑。穿過庭院後,便是廊道深幽,一道接著一道的屏門與垂簾,宛如一層層神秘的輕紗罩著袁府,讓人捉摸不透。25Please respect copyright.PENANAJIQ7fIBHy2
25Please respect copyright.PENANAJXOLNagjyi
走了一段,婢女在一間房前停下,輕聲道:「夫人,那兩位新進婢女來了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAgimxBVklF9
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIxm7Da08rr
房內傳出一聲溫柔回應:「讓人進來罷。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAsJHEFY6RkG
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婢女將房門推開,大喬與小喬步入房內。25Please respect copyright.PENANANiDgW0exxf
25Please respect copyright.PENANAp7FC9UVLpo
只見綺帳輕揚,珠簾低垂,一位中年女子坐於雕花榻上,衣著雍容華貴,眼角眉梢皆帶笑意。她眼波輕轉,視線落在兩人身上,輕聲一笑,道:「這便是新來的婢女嗎?模樣還挺標緻,好似畫裡走出來似的。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAXAtbMfcQ89
25Please respect copyright.PENANAWGE7b17gL8
這般親切態度,讓小喬怔了怔——本以為袁府內主母性情嚴厲,卻未料竟如此和煦。她連忙低首行禮,答道:「奴婢見過夫人。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAkgbKyFLhz6
25Please respect copyright.PENANARxjc1m4qvm
「快起來。」劉夫人含笑起身,親自走下榻,扶起她的身子。「自今日起,便是我府中的人了。妳們還年輕,若有不懂之處,慢慢學就是。誰不是從這一步走來的?」25Please respect copyright.PENANASaXU9NP36A
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8bm3CFcUYk
小喬心頭微暖,幾分緊張不覺散去,甚至露出一絲笑意。25Please respect copyright.PENANACvbUvsa8XI
25Please respect copyright.PENANAGYNpTSz4g6
大喬也隨之行禮,語氣恭敬,卻沒鬆懈神情。她注意到,劉夫人雖言辭溫婉,眸光卻銳利,眼波轉動之間,細細打量她們衣著氣度,似是將兩人從頭到腳審視了一遍。25Please respect copyright.PENANAvkeWLYuZjA
25Please respect copyright.PENANAzUli0PevKN
「我給妳們取個名兒吧。」劉夫人溫柔一笑,挽著小喬的手入座,「妳眉眼柔婉,笑容甚是可愛,就叫『容兒』,如何?」25Please respect copyright.PENANAdh2zhrP7Rq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2AsX6xEGD
小喬有些受寵若驚,輕聲答道:「多謝夫人。」25Please respect copyright.PENANACZuuvl8is6
25Please respect copyright.PENANAmexLW7w9Ec
劉夫人又轉向大喬,眼神多停留了一瞬,道:「妳氣度安靜端雅,倒有些像我那二媳婦……嗯,叫妳『蓮兒』罷,出淤泥而不染,是個好名。」25Please respect copyright.PENANANVGMaYlVuJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAr20ZKJ0bs5
大喬俯身道:「謝夫人賜名。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAQzTVcgAn9h
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZHGURmSGpO
「好了,不必多禮。」劉夫人拍了拍手,一名婢女端上糕點,放於案几上。「這一趟妳們遠道而來,也該吃些零嘴壓壓驚。」25Please respect copyright.PENANArzhSmLgMan
25Please respect copyright.PENANABtawntkAZ6
這般待人之道,幾近厚遇,令小喬更加心悅,神色自然許多,目光裡甚至多了幾分敬慕。25Please respect copyright.PENANAPYvvQHZh9k
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而大喬望著那桌上精緻點心,沒有伸手拿取,眼中微不可察地掠過一抹戒色。25Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZWyVdXYQa
25Please respect copyright.PENANAlWXZ6GcLpI
劉夫人依舊笑容滿面,還親自替兩人倒茶。「容兒、蓮兒……妳們既來到這裡,就當做是自己新的家。府裡規矩雖多,但凡事只要勤快、聽話,自然能有好日子過。至於那些亂七八糟的閒話、耳語……切莫理會,也莫傳話。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAb7hiFM5qvS
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語氣仍溫柔如水,卻已暗藏告誡。25Please respect copyright.PENANAGeH0gWypAW
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小喬聞言乖巧點頭:「奴婢記住了。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAwrR5Bz5iCS
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大喬則含笑應下,心中的警戒卻更深了一層。25Please respect copyright.PENANAKKQW3FzTvX
25Please respect copyright.PENANAnavjzcpFS9
「行了,今日也累了,下去歇著吧。明日我會吩咐管事的分派妳們差事。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAI6jJLFkCzg
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兩人再次行禮,轉身退出房間。25Please respect copyright.PENANADQak9L7kGX
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屋內漸歸寂靜,香煙裊裊。25Please respect copyright.PENANApGt77mlKL4
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劉夫人緩緩轉身,走到窗邊,望著兩人遠去的背影,眼中笑意如常,卻已不再溫暖。她端起茶盞,輕輕啜了一口,低聲道:25Please respect copyright.PENANABzJzE4xLQk
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「人是挺好說話,倒不難使喚……可生的太美了,未必是件好事。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAxnYlS50mIT
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她將茶盞放下,語氣如霜:25Please respect copyright.PENANAVlMhJJQIli
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「吩咐下去,盯緊她們,尤其那個叫蓮兒的……眼神太靜,看不透,也看不慌。我不喜歡這種人。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAhmD9OQA0UH
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身後婢女低聲應是,正要退下,卻又被叫住。「等等,這樣太花時間……」25Please respect copyright.PENANAKYG9JcAZAT
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劉夫人抿嘴沉思。半晌,她的嘴角勾起一個陰險的弧度。25Please respect copyright.PENANAGU6qsX913a
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「算了,還是讓我親自來吧。」25Please respect copyright.PENANAxo3eFwvBj6
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房內的香氣在氣氛的凝重下,此刻竟帶有幾分寒意。