小喬怔怔望著眼前這位美得不可思議的女子，一時說不出話來。她的腦中閃過許多猜想，卻從未想過江東那位藏身於袁府的內應，竟會是一位年紀只比她大上些許的少婦。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImHfPo7VNj
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuMzlSJBE8
「甄宓……」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSQ9WU0wWa
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlCb6o12pt
甄宓語氣不變，淡淡接道：「我的夫君是袁紹次子，袁熙。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoub1HCctO
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0Zll0khdn
小喬倒抽一口氣。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw34IYbPdz
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVd3P8RCdCl
「那麼……妳是袁紹的兒媳？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpag9K0vLJT
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0ndTIOI7O
甄宓頷首。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMehQVZgk0
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa547DJJyHJ
小喬一時無法平復驚訝的情緒，腦海中過往所知的線索紛紛浮現。那個足以在袁府中穿梭自如、掌握袁軍消息、又能安排外來者入府的人——若不是書吏、也不是婢僕——就只可能是夫人之位。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2IBKHgxVA
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreoZ2QK8C1
而這個人，正是她眼前的甄宓。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EwV6b6bS6
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbhGPgZZyS
小喬忍不住問：「妳……既然是袁府的夫人，又怎麼能在這種宅院深牆裡與外界聯絡，卻來去無聲？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaoTAoKAR2
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOEpyrJkgD
甄宓望著她，終於第一次，眼中浮出一絲幾不可察的波動。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez3FUIPUkh
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaj43A74PR
「妳知道嗎，原本這府中，確實另有一人，暗通江東。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3fqKWDwaj
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAMTweHC00
她語氣仍冷靜，但聲線稍低了些，彷彿說的是一段埋葬已久的往事。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cJXfaWmMw
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx0kKJQdVf
「那人是袁紹府中的一名老僕，原本是袁紹派來照應袁熙的，但實際上卻早已與江東暗中聯繫，在袁家內蒐集情報。後來劉夫人懷疑府中有內鬼，私下審問幾名下人，終於逼出了一絲線索。那位老僕……在一夜之間便『病故』了，屍體焚化，無人敢問。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNB5QOa12HP
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAVdAdUoZq
甄宓繼續道：「那天夜裡，劉夫人下令查封那人房中遺物。我料定其中必有遺藏未被發現，便假借清點物資之名，先她一步進入那間屋子。最終在書桌底下的暗格中，我找到了一封未能送出的密信與一塊江東的信物。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5w6mNYfPG
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ9FzgqVBI
她說著，從袖中取出一塊小巧的木牌，牌面已被磨得光滑，僅能隱約辨出刻痕。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrRK9R1aID
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG45Jdy8GGT
「我照著那名老僕留下的線索，一步步摸索與江東聯絡的方式——用特定的火漆、特定的墨香、藏在廚房瓷缸內、又或書架底板下的雙層夾縫……那是一條無比艱險的路，每一次往來都可能送命。但我接手了。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgZtlTk7WW
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrhnkyrAFH
「為什麼？」小喬喃喃問。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXvctABBhx
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl02kdmYlST
甄宓頓了頓，聲音依舊平緩，卻多了一絲仿若從深井中傳出的沉靜回音：「我身為袁熙的夫人，表面看似風光，實則如履薄冰。劉夫人嫉妒我貌美，日日冷眼以待。她或許不會立刻動我，但她對小妾們下手的方式，我看在眼裡。若我不自保，終究步她們後塵。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYK003EKIA
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1Ip5NXg9n
「與其等死，不如選擇一條活路。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXVhVHchgh
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQJlMSIXve
她抬眸看向小喬，目光清澈無波，冷得像湖水。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoC6hlUz3b
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdtqGz6p7J
「而江東，是那時唯一一條尚未腐爛的繩索。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESdzGmZ7J1
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq8StVodjJ
甄宓起身走到那扇小窗前，指尖輕觸著鐵框上微鏽的痕跡。片刻後，她低聲道：31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XAoBu3dcl
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXusfMBWL5
「我會賭，另一原因是我明白——袁家若得天下，百姓便再無安寧之日。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbgYWx0DGM
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlmEMNDbgX
小喬怔住。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxvmHxHl2h
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGfNmHNEqu
甄宓轉身，神色依舊冷靜，語調緩慢：「袁紹這個人，雄心勃勃，卻剛愎自用。他的兒子們……袁譚、袁熙、袁尚……個個自視甚高，彼此爭權，從來誰不服誰。若袁紹得勢，三子必因繼承之權而起內訌——到時，戰火不知又要牽連多少百姓的性命。袁家得天下，不過是更多屠戮的開端。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjFXAmWf3f
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mpgxlLDjq
「所以……妳選擇通風報信，幫江東。」小喬低聲道。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXYPxurKrr
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPkdXjjKoV
「不。」甄宓糾正她，「我不是『幫』，我與江東是合作。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2smi2sCar
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90c5d35zhr
「……合作？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJENwq78FER
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinPu9FIHPe
甄宓點頭，話鋒一轉：「我有個問題要問妳。一個月前，周瑜以信物與我聯繫，只說將送兩名女子進袁府，需我安排進府之法，並儘量掩人耳目。我答應了，卻不曾問他要做什麼。妳們的目的是什麼，現在可告訴我了嗎？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiheFQQAsz
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUYx77AOPk
小喬這才明白，原來甄宓從未真正知曉她與姊姊的任務。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUMUcvy9LS
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwebiWLZK2
她深吸一口氣，緩緩道來：31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw3gqMj2DO
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkqkwNPdx5
「我與姊姊奉周瑜大人之命潛入袁府，目的是探查袁紹府內動向，尤其是他的後宅與書信往來。我們化名為婢，取信於劉夫人，漸漸接近她……本是想探查她與袁紹的往來是否有重要機密，以及透過劉夫人挑撥袁軍內部，沒想到……」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjdQM38N2w
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrL7swfO18
她語氣微頓，腦中閃過石棺與中毒的記憶。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZneonIkuh
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnASMcdbvFD
「……沒想到會碰上那處地窖。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ070KYmEbNN
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGELySOd4Ky
甄宓目光凝住，微不可察地點了點頭。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeNzsfYSNE
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYV0WPe2ha
小喬突然想到什麼，身子微向前傾：「等等，我中了毒後昏迷，那我姊姊大喬呢？她現在在哪裡？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsELT6cWwd
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1n0pBTWTmp
甄宓垂下眼眸。半晌，她輕聲道：「我猜，劉夫人是對妳們姊妹的姿色心生妒忌，所以故意設局——她先是引導妳去發現西廂的秘密，再親自去探查，見妳果然進入地窖，便以妳私闖禁地，懷疑妳與妳姊姊別有所圖的藉口，將妳們分別囚禁起來。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NJRk7yuxG
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3VXQYhGRz
「什麼？！姊姊她……因為我……」小喬驟然失聲，臉色發白。
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5xz2rVb8x
「別急，妳姊姊暫時無礙。我讓她被關進的是劉夫人不常涉足的儲庫，用的理由是『另有用途』，幸好劉夫人沒再深查。」甄宓語氣仍舊平靜，「妳若太過慌亂，反而會惹人懷疑。妳現在需要的是冷靜。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvehGSeuFO
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcwodszMaD
小喬努力壓下慌亂的情緒，咬牙問道：「那……妳能幫我救姊姊嗎？或者……妳願不願意繼續幫我們執行計畫？我們需要妳的幫助。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOxge9PXRl
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkryWLyLwY
甄宓微微側身，垂眸片刻，終於搖頭。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2XXHUIAKN
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBXQptzqzz
「我能把妳們救出去，但我不會參與妳們的計畫。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Sc862waFA
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIITwZPZ9pJ
小喬愕然：「為什麼？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJI93dl055
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOFSRySUXh
「我的身分太過敏感，一旦暴露，不僅無法自保，連肚中的孩子……也會被捲入危險之中。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVSuWIbctg
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbugj93hbZc
她抬手輕撫腹部，那裡尚未顯懷，卻已有了生命的痕跡。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGi2yuDaej
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnGmm9uD7u
「我只是江東的盟友，不是部下。江東若是在官渡戰敗，我還能選擇依附曹操、劉表等軍閥，憑我的才識與手段，保全自己與孩子並非難事。那麼……我為什麼要為了妳們，涉險至此？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YHBoh1feZ
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPo5CrTqze
小喬望著她，欲言又止，不知該如何反駁。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0NIUs7CoL
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMQuhyjLaL
「……那妳要怎麼安排我們？」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMGDSiW0YJ
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbycU1xYtLZ
甄宓轉過身，走向門口。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqu2VgDpbW
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxESnHn0IQj
「我會設法與周瑜聯絡，讓他在數日內派人來接應妳們。我會為妳們製造機會離開袁府，但能否成功，還要靠妳們自己的機警。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3xI5R7OMH
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN3PkSIBQr
她站在門邊，回頭看了小喬一眼，語氣仍是淡淡的：31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D9eaHAhbE
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMnBxyBHTe
「再留在這裡，只會讓妳們白白送死——妳們畢竟沒經驗，不適合當探子。離開這裡吧，至少還能留下性命。」31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw0eXTlyar
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAS2sNfQGv
說罷，她拉開門，踏步而出。31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiqt3JcppP
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarAdHanKcH
門扇「吱呀」一聲關上，重新鎖死。
