客棧位於沙漠邊陲，由一對夫婦和五名兒女經營，客人大多是經由沙漠進出中土的商旅。十歲的蔻兒排行第三，負責為投棧商旅送餐和添置日用品，偶爾會充當嚮導，帶他們到鎮內市集採購物資。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsPavt0xR6
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZTs3Nvsea
商旅們很喜歡這機靈乖巧的女生，會給她講述家鄉的風土人情、大唐天子的仁政、中土與西域在文化上的異同……頃刻間，整個世界濃縮在蔻兒耳邊。遼闊無垠的，多姿多彩的。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINmtuGelmg
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRU8JwnuQJ
「我要去見天子！」蔻兒告訴老爹。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH0HCq9q7U
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUvH0TOYnB
「為甚麼？」老爹吃驚低頭望向矮小的女兒。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5kIHVeDuf
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaRgk2LozF
「我想知道他的宅子為何能容納三千個妻子！不會很擠擁嗎？」蔻兒畢竟是個孩子，動機十分單純。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIeeYyvQmm
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4VX9taiiv
「他的宅子很大、很大，所以能夠容納多人。」老爹假笑一聲，敷衍回應。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoz3xTpHQVO
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedNPe1ndvy
「我也要當他的妻！」蔻兒立下宏願。「然後帶著大家入住他的宅子！」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j1zVfqM0J
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcpCFTfcWB
「女啊！木門要對木門，竹門也要對竹門，更何況是天子的龍門！那不是我等尋常百姓家能夠對得上！」老爹當即笑得彎了腰，笑她不自量力。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNGp64dwJ1
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArGftLIkG9
自尊一損，鼻子一酸，眼眶一紅，蔻兒答不上話。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoFmqvWQaf
匆匆廿載，兄弟姐妹早已嫁娶遷出，兒孫滿堂。只有蔻兒一人雲英未嫁，伴在爹娘身邊打理生意。鄰里經常取笑她，笑她一口歪理，說甚麼木門可以對龍門。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38WbYMFofu
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkcZSLUzJI
聽在耳裡，蔻兒豈會不介懷，但只能一笑置之。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAcyx4Byg9
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4Hp7vHgjf
近年天氣變幻莫測，沙塵暴肆虐，少有商旅橫越沙漠，客棧生意銳減。為了糊口，蔻兒心生一計，乾脆以自己的伶牙俐齒作招徠，為客棧招生意。在多少個天氣惡劣的夜晚，她粉墨登場，以一根巧舌力敵無數賤嘴。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR77G5rk25S
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCdvDbMAjk
「說甚麼木門對龍門？你連茅房的破布簾也不如！」酒客無情直擊蔻兒心房。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1ojibehTi
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9T2wQsFfN
哄堂大笑。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSAr88lCHK
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIAYkV8zr8
「我不知道自己是否破布簾，只知一塊布可有百種用途，視乎大家如何處理。」蔻兒幾經風霜，早已變得圓滑世故。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPRGddbW0x
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY2HImil25
「你想大家如何處理你？」醉客樂極忘形，大開黃腔。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQpme1Xh2f
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWrQGHylr4
「想大家無條件給老娘數百元寶買個好夫君！」蔻兒將自己的痛處當笑料，給客人佐酒。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGleYKTVJg
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW5qtb4Cxu
眾人笑得前仰後翻……563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RwHPw72V7
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrYMbKYONC
夜深，曲終人散。酒客要不或爬或躝歸家去，要不醉得不省人事，被蔻兒一家抬上客房。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZ44r94MjT
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFaJwtf4z0
「一石二鳥。」說話的是一名老婦。整個晚上，她與四名年輕女伴獨佔一枱，要了滿桌清淡的小吃伴白粥，邊吃邊默默觀看蔻兒的鬧劇。「既能大賣酒水，又能名正言順向醉客索房租。很不錯的頭腦。」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CRCBD31UX
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiQGf44sh0
「過獎！」蔻兒得意上前答話。由她們踏入店面一刻，蔻兒已倍加留意。舉止得體，談吐有禮。衣著說不上光鮮，但也穿戴整齊，不染塵垢。想必是低調行事的大戶人家。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUn4CiwH0Am
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCrAzSFwv5
「不痛嗎？」老婦言簡意賅，神情淡然。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbnNxgzLZ7
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOmTPuUmSV
「再痛也是要過活呀！」蔻兒豪氣萬千，一笑盡泯恩仇。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z5mRKyv08
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfsHRlypFI
老婦心領神會，閉目暗忖，從懷中取出一把紙扇。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2LMZte6Ss
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mRiwunkzg
「三個選擇。一，攜紙扇，親到長安，然後得官位；二，棄紙扇，立取萬金；三，棄紙扇，棄萬金，立當清官夫人。」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UDATqKc3V
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsubToX3X3
爹娘聞言，驚覺老婦乃官場中人。二人馬上勸蔻兒立取萬金，不要涉足官場：「我們只是尋常百姓，沒有本事……」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrOJKpKPTw
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMGf9qpLBU
蔻兒打斷父母的話，執意取過紙扇：「我才不是對木門的木門，也不是對竹門的竹門，更不是對龍門的龍門！」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkdECoHRBi
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwNwYqhUCo
此話一出，女伴們旋即目露凶光，殺意畢露。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO9PI16kdq
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HsAXHNVZw
「好一個女漢子！」老婦樂極，仰首大笑，及時阻止女伴發難。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFvuUYKKDR
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFe05hPLpl8
「你等我！我會讓你見識我有何本事成為龍門的龍！」蔻兒未有察覺異樣，眼中只有對未來的無限憧憬。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZEgKL3pmp
懶理父母勸阻，蔻兒孤身前往長安。風塵僕僕，路途遙遠，她花上一年才到達目的地。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAwv8iijyQ
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0rH6v3aRG
根據女伴們當日的指示，蔻兒去到城內宰相府，拿出紙扇予宰相過目。宰相接過紙扇，面色一變，命家丁將蔻兒速速拿下，打入天牢，酷刑審問。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk0BaffRGt
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAscwiwgBo
幾日後，查明真相的宰相親臨天牢，釋放蔻兒。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpDMxDi4W8
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKtaqcaV7O
「你知道當日的老婦是誰？」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvscNAMxgP
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKqAbRT4W1
「不知道。大概是個高官夫人吧。」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ygaH3pv3L
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmSbO58wTk
「你真是有眼不識泰山！」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3KTMhzY6r
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiK1tDyDuCC
原來老婦是武后武則天。當年，她帶著四位武功高強的女侍衛微服出巡，暗中考察與西域通商的必經之路，偶遇蔻兒一家……武后回宮後遭遇政變，被逼襌位予兒子李顯（唐中宗），幽禁深宮，至今已無實權。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2J5WowsoD
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGiREovbfo
蔻兒心如死灰，徹底沉溺在傷痛當中。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg3qgzXqQF
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnS89uGLka3
因何而痛？痛在失去伯樂、失去知音、失去希望。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrfWKoYfIw
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4gUsseYTo
那夜的每個眼神、每句豪言，都是兩個孤獨靈魂的深切交流。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCX0pqwD7h
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IKu4ZJuGa
彼此就是對方的一面鏡。武后從蔻兒身上看見自己的勇氣與機智，蔻兒從武后身上看見自己的堅忍與沉著。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvdpegzsL4
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfRAWUzAcM
奈何二人身份懸殊……563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiqQ1gh0u7
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuhXcwTtgi
蔻兒獲釋後離開長安，自此杳無音訊。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGAnYp3uOU
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2wc9dFEK5
半個月後，被幽禁的武則天身邊多了一個不知由來的大齡婢女。婢女一直侍奉左右，直至武則天離世。該婢女聰慧機敏、忠心不二，武則天親信上官婉兒遂將其留於身邊。及後，唐中宗駕崩，韋后權傾朝野。上官婉兒助太平公主（武則天之女）及臨淄王李隆基（武則天之孫）發動政變，殺韋后及其黨羽。至此，該名不經傳的婢女下落不明。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kMvGm9sx0
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXfMrmtwVU
同年年底，失蹤五年的蔻兒突然重踏故土，與親人共聚天倫。563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoIGTKRy4O
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTbfVjdIpQ
鄰里見蔻兒仍是孑然一身，不忘予以嘲弄：「說甚麼木門對龍門？你連茅房的破布簾也不如！」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdy7ntDxw2I
563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKetkp3lCUI
蔻兒聽罷，嫣然一笑：「是木是龍我作主，我命由我不由天。」563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVd9bUCvml
註：女主角蔻兒十歲的時候，武則天尚未稱帝，當朝天子還是李系男兒。所以她的童言是合乎邏輯的。
ns18.225.72.113da2
