Chapter 3 third chapter
It seems that he is not dead.When Ling Yang slightly opened her eyes, several blurred colors trembled slightly in the bright light, and what she saw were the curtains in her bedroom.
The carvings on the Babu bed, like hard vines along the wood, extend to the roof.They were all carved by the father and urged the master one by one.At that time, both father and elder brother said that although the Wang family had surpassed the Tang family in terms of family background-but the more this was the case, the more Ling Yang's dowry could not be wronged.They spent all they had and ruthlessly went to various shops to collect the debts-it was not natural, but they must not make people feel that the bride's natal family is inappropriate.Father kept asking the master, what styles and colors do poets and writers like the Tang family usually prefer, and they must not be abrupt so as to make people laugh.Ever since the master fell down the stairs, every time Ling Yang thought of her father or brother and sister-in-law, she always dodged away with a light touch as if she was afraid of being burned.I can't think about it, if I think about it too much, how can I cope with those endless days of suffering.And these relatives from her natal family have indeed never visited her once.It's just dragging someone to bring the letter.
Probably not dead.Otherwise, how could the heart and soul stay so calmly in human affairs for so long.After moving his body a little, he was suddenly pushed into the light outside the tent by the inexplicable pain all over his body.She blinked, and heard someone say in surprise: "Wake up!" Then she saw Yun Qiao hastily bowed her face and grabbed her left hand: "You're awake. Say, just lie down and don't move." Hui Niang's figure moved out from the edge of the tent, and said with a smile, "Yun Qiao, talk to Madam, talk about you and me, what does it look like, you should slap your mouth together." Then she sat crookedly On the edge of the bed, "Congratulations, madam. The doctor said that madam is two months pregnant, and it should be the first month of the first month. Don't worry, madam, the elders of the clan have already left, and they also know that the most important thing at this moment is Continuing the incense, Madam, don’t be afraid, just rest well.”
She wanted to say: This is impossible. ——A few days before the master passed away, she had seen a red tide, she knew it in her heart——but Yun Qiao stared at her face hard, and squeezed her hand harder with all her strength, she seemed to be I was so frightened that I didn't dare to speak.Hui Niang's tone was also decisive, Ling Yang's eyes were on the jade pendant that Hui Niang slipped into her skirt, and she could faintly see the royal blue cloud head on the embroidered shoes.The housekeeper's wife's voice was even louder, and she hurriedly greeted the little maid: "What are you doing in a daze, help Madam up with me, drink the anti-abortion medicine first, and then drink the soup after a while."
"They want me to die." Ling Yang looked timidly at the housekeeper's wife, her voice was so hoarse that she scared herself, "I've already made up my mind, I'll just go, I'll change a memorial archway for all of us, it's not worth it. Why? Why don't you ask me to go?"
The housekeeper seems to have heard a joke: "Why does Madam say these childish things again, she is going to be a mother..." Hui Niang also smiled: "Those old people in the clan are nothing more than a few words to teach Madam to behave herself .As far as death is concerned, madam has never knelt in the ancestral hall, and she was frightened for a while, but it is true." Yun Qiao didn't say a word, still staring at her face fiercely, as if she was about to shed tears .Tocolytics are very bitter.It felt as hard to swallow as the poison that the old woman gave her—did she try to drink a little bit of the poison? Death——the medicine soup was hot and ironed her throat, as if all the creases in her throat were being ironed out, and the cold air in her internal organs was pushed up, she broke away from the edge of the medicine bowl, and retched on the ground , can't spit out anything.The housekeeper patted her on the back while telling the little maid to pour water, her words were filled with joy: "It's all right, I'm afraid Ma'am is starting to get sick, I'll ask the doctor tomorrow morning to see what medicine to prescribe... "
Everyone spoke with certainty, as if that night in the ancestral hall was just Ling Yang's dream.
Could it be that she was really pregnant—anyway, women always have this day.Since everyone says it's true, then you can just take it as true.She heard her hand slowly hang down from Yunqiao's, and Sleeping took advantage of her weakness to push her hard, and she fell in like a slip.She didn't know how long she had slept. She only knew that when she woke up again, it was already late at night, and the pain all over her body had disappeared. She didn't call anyone, and sat up with her body propped up.For some reason, the lights were still on in the room, and she was obviously the only one——she slowly remembered something, she stood in front of the clump of bamboo that made her heart soften, and said to Tang Pu: Thank you, Uncle Jiu .At that time, she thought that Tang Pu was the last person she "knew" she saw in Yangjian.She smiled at him obediently, without hatred, she could only say goodbye to everyone in this way.She sighed faintly, feeling that she had entered the afterlife in a daze.
Yun Qiao quietly approached the tent: "Ma'am, right now there is only you and me in this room." Ling Yang seemed to be afraid of the cold, and hugged her shoulders tightly: "Yun Qiao, am I really pregnant with a child like you? ?”
"Madam, please understand." Yun Qiao's actions were indeed getting slower and slower.She sat down and rubbed her stomach habitually.
"The people who follow you, why are you here alone."
"Because I can't let the girls hear what I want to say to Madam." Yun Qiao put the lamp in her hand on the small table next to the bed, half of her face was dizzy into a slightly drunken look, "Madam is pregnant It was the gatekeeper woman in the ancestral hall who came out in a hurry to deceive the elders. Later, they were afraid that they would really hurt their children, so they asked someone to carry the wife back to our house—Ms. Hui became her own jewelry, After giving money to the doctor, the doctor told the elders that the wife is indeed a happy pulse. None of us thought that they told you to go to the ancestral hall, and it turned out to be a hundred times worse than a severed finger. This time it was not thanks to the housekeeper Son, I'm afraid I really won't see you again." Yun Qiao's fingers lightly slid across Ling Yang's face, her eyes met, one was pleasantly surprised, the other felt pity.
"So what? How long can I keep it a secret?" Ling Yang finally learned to sneer shortly, "This kind of thing, even if I wear a pillow around my waist for ten months, then what? Where is the child? You really don't need it Save me."
"Mr. Xie said, it's easy. When the time comes, I secretly asked someone to find out. There will always be poor people in the surrounding villages who can't afford to have children. They will give some money and bring them to the wife's house. Except for me , Mrs. Hui, the housekeeper, and Mr. Xie, no one in the house knows about this, so in front of the little maids, we have to act for them. Mrs. Hui said, when this period passes, we will definitely I’m going to thank the gatekeeper heavily.”
"I don't believe it's possible to hide it." Ling Yang shook his head, then slowly fell on the pillow, his hair slid down the quilt like moonlight, "Yun Qiao, why are you working so hard?"
"At that time, it was so urgent that no one could think too much. Madam thought, we should ignore it and let you die?"
"I will implicate you." Ling Yang closed his eyes, suddenly pulled up the quilt as he did when he was a child, and covered his head in, "It won't work, one doctor used money, and there are other doctors, there are so many people in the house, It's all eyes..."
"Hui Niang also thought about this. This time, we are really lucky. The doctor who is most often invited by the sixth and eleventh princes in the clan went to celebrate the third anniversary of his mother. He said it would take a few months Turn back. Niang Hui is also afraid that Liu Gong and the others will invite that doctor to come over to check the pulse, which is really difficult."
"As I said, it won't work."
"But." Yun Qiao quietly lifted the quilt covering Ling Yang's face, "If Madam really conceives a child within these two months, wouldn't everything work out?"
When my brother was young, he suffered from sleepwalking for a while. This problem came and went quickly. After more than a year, he recovered silently.It's just that after sleepwalking recovered, my brother never fell asleep before the second watch.Everyone in the house knows that the lights in my brother's study room will never go out, and everyone has long been used to it - the maid who serves beside my brother, just get up to refill him with tea twice, and my brother will wake up peacefully Together with the watchman watching the night, watching the Tang family mansion one after another late night.
So he was very surprised. The housekeeper knocked on his door with a lantern and no one around.The housekeeper's wife didn't have the usual hospitality on her face, she just said: "Brother, come with me, there is something urgent, the master is gone, so I can only discuss it with my brother, don't disturb the old lady."
He has been a little jealous of the housekeeper's wife since he was a child.An old servant who has served several generations of masters, there is indeed a majesty that descends from the sky at critical moments.
Ling Yang stared at Yun Qiao dumbfounded, turned over, and slapped Yun Qiao across the face. After the slap, she was frightened, but Yun Qiao looked at her as if nothing had happened, picked up a corner of the handkerchief with her fingertips, He wiped away the bloodstains that didn't exist at the corner of his mouth. "Yunqiao, do you think I'm an animal?" With tears in her eyes, Ling Yang felt like she was trembling slightly like the flame next to the wick.
"I just know that I have to keep you alive." Yun Qiao stood up, provocatively.
"I'd rather be dead than alive."
"I came up with the idea. I didn't expect Niang Hui to say that I could give it a try. Don't worry, brother himself can't tell anyone about this kind of thing. If God is willing to help and give you a child, that's fine too." The blood of the Tang family. Just try this for more than a month. If it takes a long time, the child is born too late, and naturally it will not work. Madam, I assure you, my brother will get married soon, and it is naturally impossible for the new young mistress to come. There is such a thing. If there is no news in this month, we will resign ourselves to our fate and follow the original method." When Yun Qiao spoke, she didn't look at Ling Yang's eyes, she just stared at her chin, there were more and more of them, Tiny ripples like raindrops.
"I just don't follow." Tears welled up, making Yang know why she was crying.In fact, it's not all because of humiliation, but because Yun Qiao's words are not unreasonable if you think about it carefully.It was precisely this "reason" that she was crying, "Master has just been buried, how can you tell him to close his eyes!"
"Madam." Hui Niang did not know when she stood beside Yunqiao. The two of them stood side by side. She had never felt that they were so close. It really exposed the lies we told, then it will not be Madam's business alone, Madam thinks that she is not a pity to die, but how will everyone in our house gain a foothold in the clan from now on?" Hui Niang flashed across her face. A little desolate, "If we really close this, madam, don't worry, no one will mention this matter in the lifetime of the few of us. After a hundred years, we will go to the underworld, and I will go to the master to plead guilty."
"What more crimes are you asking for?" Yun Qiao raised the corners of her mouth mockingly, "Let's go to the 18th floor of hell together, there is nothing to justify."
There was a soft knock on the door, and the housekeeper's wife stepped in lightly, followed by brother.
Yun Qiao smiled brightly, and walked gently to her elder brother, Ruoliu knelt down against the wind.Brother unconsciously took two steps back, and there was a faint twitch under his eyes, as if his handsome face was caught in a strong wind.
"The butler lady must have made it clear to my brother, right?" Yunqiao raised her face, as if she had no heart, "Yunqiao knew that she was humble, so she didn't dare to ask brother to save my wife, but..." She pulled out a stick. The silver hairpin pointed at his stomach as if nothing had happened, "If you don't want to follow me, just go back to your room and go to sleep. But if you tell others about this matter, Yun Qiao will be the first to die, and take the master's hand with you." flesh and blood."
Brother's tone of voice was still a little immature, he frowned and coughed lightly.Then he said, "You all get out." For the first time, he knew what it was like to be "the head of the family."The housekeeper's wife walked up to Yunqiao's side calmly, knelt down at her brother's feet deftly, and kowtowed deeply.He stared at the ecstasy in Niang Hui's eyes, and at Ling Yang's face as if he was about to die, he knew that he was satisfied.
The lights were blown out.Total darkness.
He couldn't see his fingers, but Ling Yang still closed his eyes tightly.Brother's young and thin body overflowed with a secret fragrance.When brother's body was pressed against her, his smooth skin met the same smoothness, and they naturally melted together - these are things that the master doesn't have.This thought slid smoothly down Ling Yang's back like a cold war.The pair of white and thin hands squeezed her leg. It didn't hurt, but it was very hard.He knelt in front of her body, leaned down, his lips faintly across her chest.The superficial touch of water seemed to have left a cinnabar mole on her skin.
"Is madam so afraid of death?" She heard the child's question.
She held her breath and shook her head desperately on the pillow.Brother suddenly pulled off the pillow, and her head hit the bed heavily, and was picked up again by his arm.His smell surrounded her, she wanted to hide her body under the quilt, but the quilt disappeared.
"You don't understand anything, do you?" Her arms finally wrapped around his back.
"Not at all." Brother buried his head in the hollow of her shoulder, as if smiling.
"Have you ever done this?" When she finished asking this sentence, she realized that she had already kissed him naturally, "Is it with the maid in your room? Or the girl in the hall? You should have never been to that kind of The place, the master is so strict..."
He grabbed her hair violently and bent her neck in an arc.She said "Ouch" in pain, and at this moment he held her crotch, and he descended.Her body suddenly became lighter than her soul.It seemed to be thrown down from a high place easily, and the long wind was blowing straight and unimpeded from inside.She bit her lip, dizzy for a while.So dangerous, so steep, but she felt happy.She knew she deserved to die, and from now on, even if she died innocently in that ancestral hall, or was drugged and drowned by them, it would not be considered a wrong.But on the contrary, it was precisely because she understood why she was not wronged, she also understood why Yunqiao and the others were so reluctant to let her die.
Brother finally fell beside her, his breath warming the skin on the inside of her arm.For a moment, she felt that she should touch his hair, as she always did to the master.She intentionally continued to ask the unfinished question: "Did you really go to the girl in the Goulan? Master doesn't know?" She knew that at this time, the child had lost his armor and no longer had the strength to be violent. treat her well.The master returned to this room just like that. Although she couldn't see the look on her brother's face, she could feel his panic.Her fingers were still entwined around his, the child leaned over and hugged her sloppily, but she pushed away.She heard him get out of bed in the dark silently, heard him pick up his clothes, and kicked a round stool as he walked towards the door—he seemed to stop quickly and hold it.So Ling Yang is sure that he will keep his mouth shut.The housekeeper's wife came in tacitly and took him out quietly.
She lay motionless, tears streaming down her face.Because for a moment, it should be the moment when her brother's face was pressed against her arms, she almost blurted out: "Master, do you want to drink tea?" Then she seemed to really see Tang Jian, every time the cloud and rain ended, his face There is always an unspeakable sadness in the world.Brother seemed to have it too—although she couldn't see his face, she could clearly feel it when their fingers intertwined.The source of this sadness is Tang Jian, her husband. In this familiar sadness, she shed tears of a widow with peace of mind.
She knows one thing.She is no longer afraid of death.
Three days later, Tang Pu's followers brought Ling Yang to the ancestral hall again.
Liu Gong looked at the woman who should not die, and cleared his throat: "Master Tang, since the incense of the Tang family depends on you to continue, let's not mention the matter of martyrdom for now." The woman said respectfully. He kowtowed and replied crisply: "Ling Yang is very grateful." At this moment, a sparrow flew over without a sound and stopped quietly on the threshold of the ancestral hall.
"It's just that now, you have to swear in front of your ancestors that you will abide by your law and order until death."
"Ling Yang understands."
"Tang Wang." Eleventh Gong always seemed to have a thick phlegm stuck in his throat, "You have to know how many eyes of my Tang family are looking at you."
She kowtowed again unhurriedly: "Ling Yang promises to the elders that he will abide by his duty and will not change until death. He will be a woman of the Tang family in life and a ghost of the Tang family in death. He will spend his whole life working hard for The Tang family traded for a chastity archway."
If you don't become a ghost of the Tang family, who else will you be?She smiled to herself inwardly.
When she came back from the ancestral hall, Madam Hui asked her: "Madam, I'm afraid it's been a long time since I've seen my natal family? I can send someone to bring a letter. These days, if they are free, come and stay in the mansion for two days." , talk to Madam."
She said, "No need."
Ling Yang found out that she hadn't seen the red tide during the rainy season.She waited patiently for four or five days before telling Yunqiao and the others.The housekeeper gave a long sigh, put her hands together towards the window, bowed vigorously, and muttered: "It's really the Bodhisattva who is watching us." Hui Niang smiled and said: "Come on, the Bodhisattva is watching, I'm afraid the day of reckoning with us will be later. .” Although the tone was sarcastic, there was a look of relieved joy on his face.Yun Qiao hugged her hard, her huge belly made her breathless, Yun Qiao smiled with tears: "I knew you could. I knew from the beginning that Madam is such a blessed person." Yang kept silent, she didn't feel much surprise, because since the first late night when brother came into her room, she believed that she could get everything she wanted.As for why she firmly believes that all the gods and Buddhas in the sky will favor her so much, she can't say well.
There was a flute sound, which silenced the ecstatic women in the room. "Mr. Xie is playing the flute again." Yun Qiao stared blankly at the window lattice - as her body became bloated, this expression often appeared on her face, as if she was not as smart as before, but Ling Yang felt that she was a bit dull It looks more beautiful. "It sounds good." Hui Niang stretched her five fingers in front of her eyes, as if looking at her crystal-like fingers, "It's hard for him to blow out so many stories in a simple way. In my opinion, it's no better than those music in the capital. Job difference, such a smart and transparent person, just doesn't like to do serious things." The housekeeper turned to Hui Niang thoughtfully and said: "I have been thinking about something these days, and now everyone in the clan is staring at it. The women in our house, especially Madam, Mr. Xie is always staying at our house, just in case someone will cause trouble." Niang Hui didn't change her face, but remained silent.Yun Qiao turned her face and said: "He has helped us so much, now he is told to leave because he is afraid that others will chew his tongue. Doesn't this show that our family is too heartless? Inviting him here is originally to invite a husband for my brother. What can I say! After my brother's marriage is done, when can I go back to the ethnology school to study, it will not be too late to invite Mr. Xie back." The housekeeper said with a wry smile: "I am also thinking about this level, if we speak, please thank you It’s shameful to go, Mr. Xie—it’s just that Mr. Xie is also interesting. He has been in our house for more than two months, and it seems that the more he lives, the more comfortable he is. Yesterday, I saw him under the wall in the backyard, talking to Liu Eryou who was watering the garden. Laughing..." Hui Niang laughed: "He has been like this since he was a child, and wherever he goes, he gets to know him within a few days." "I mean, doesn't he remember his family?" The housekeeper was puzzled, "Is his family not as small as his parents' family?"
Ling Yang seemed to be unable to hear their voices. She knew that the conversation around her was still going on, and she kept talking about Xie Shunhui who descended from the sky like a god to help these women make suggestions.But she couldn't hear what Huiniang answered, and then Yunqiao asked something curiously... because a sigh that seemed to be there suddenly passed through her heart.Perhaps, it was not the Bodhisattva who blessed her to conceive this child smoothly, but the master.This thought made her shiver slightly, but she softened quickly.This is what it means to be a couple for one night and a hundred days of grace.Involuntarily, like Yun Qiao, she touched her stomach—then gently put her hands back on her knees, she hated this action.
My brother's marriage is imminent, and the master will pass away in seventy-seven forty-nine days. It is rare that the master's wife in the bride's family is reasonable and agrees to complete the big gift in a hurry during the filial piety period - no one wants to spend another three years.The bride's maiden name is Zhou, she is from Chizhou, and she is considered a wealthy family.Although it is not comparable to the Tang family's scholarly fragrance, there have been two candidates after all.Ling Yang heard that the topic of Yunqiao and the others had turned to this marriage, only to hear Hui Niang laughing: "None of us has ever seen the bride, but I heard that she is a beauty, otherwise I would not be worthy of our brother." Son. When we got engaged back then, the master was still hesitant, thinking that she was a concubine, but I heard that there was only one daughter in the Zhou family, and the master and wife of the Zhou family treated her like a treasure. She grew up in the old lady's room since she was a child. , so I don’t mention the concubine’s words... I still remember that that day, the first wife persuaded the master and said: Master, think about it, if one day someone dislikes the third girl of our family as a concubine and does not want to marry us, will the master feel that? Damn it." Hui Niang paused for a long while, "In all fairness, our first wife is really generous. It's a pity that she left too early." The housekeeper's wife also sighed, saying who said otherwise.
"What's wrong with leaving early?" Ling Yang leaned on the kang table with her elbows, and said lazily, "What can I do if I live to this day? When the master died, she was also past thirty, so she couldn't get the arch anyway." A sentence was thrown out lightly, and the room was full of silence.Yun Qiao stamped her feet anxiously: "My wife, it's fine to talk about this in the house, you must not let outsiders hear it, wait until tomorrow for my brother's new daughter-in-law to come over, and your mother-in-law's talk is even worse." Can't be so disrespectful..." "Am I wrong?" Ling Yang didn't smile at all.Hui Niang quietly smoothed things over: "In Madam's eyes, there is nothing else but keeping the festival." Everyone could only laugh awkwardly.A little maid came at this time, saying that Tang Pu had sent someone to deliver the play list.The housekeeper went over to pick it up and gave it to Ling Yang. Ling Yang was stunned, then smiled and waved: "You bullied me for being illiterate again." Finally, the play list came to Hui Niang, who smiled and said: "Ninth Uncle really I know that our family has a filial piety, so we don't want to be too lively, and I am afraid that the bride's family and friends will make jokes, so I specially bring out his family's theater troupe. When my brother has a wedding, those who want to listen to the opera go to his house It's really thoughtful." Yun Qiao seemed to take a deep breath: "His family is really rich and powerful, and they have a troupe." Ling Yang knew that there was another reason for Tang Pu's doing this, and keeping filial piety is naturally the most high-sounding statement , but in fact, even if the master is still there, they may not be able to hire a troupe at present.
Hui Niang covered her mouth and laughed: "Tell me what's good about Uncle Jiu. The three-day drama actually included a team with a Qingyang accent. Isn't this making people laugh? We are rich people in the country?" The woman said: "Aunt Hui probably won't listen to opera for a while, Qingyang Opera is very popular now, besides, the bride is from Chizhou, Qingyang Opera comes from her hometown, so it is not impolite. Uncle's favor, we don't want to be too familiar..." "Master doesn't like Qingyang tune the most. It's vulgar and noisy, that is to say, the rolling tune is a little pleasant." Hui Niang frowned, "Ninth Uncle likes Qingyang tune Forget it, what "Lost Jingzhou" was sung on the big day, and it was a crime, this one was replaced with "Jie Taoyuan". Add a Kunqu tune, and the "Youchun" in "Huansha Ji" is absolutely indispensable. "The little maid agreed, and Madam Hui's eyes lit up again, "By the way, show Mr. Xie the list I have corrected, he is an expert."
Ling Yang knew that Huiniang liked to listen to "The Story of Huansha" the most, but she could only give pointers on the play list for a while to enjoy herself.On the right day, the few of them must not show their faces because of their filial piety.Maybe, if you can hear some faint sounds of silk and bamboo, Hui Niang can hum a few words quietly in the room: "Fu Rong, fat meat, green cloud girl, 罨 painting tower, Qingdai mountain. A thousand trees, peach blossoms, and ten thousand years of medicine, I don't know what to remember in the world." .” Ling Yang doesn’t understand, but he also thinks it’s well organized and beautiful.
Everyone is busy with their brother's big wedding.Then he was busy asking the doctor for Ling Yang's pulse and anti-fetus—naturally, he changed a doctor, but he insisted on telling the doctor that Ling Yang had conceived for three months.The doctor naturally felt that it was difficult. After three months, the fetal image would be too weak, so he kept prescribing various anti-pregnancy and blood-regulating prescriptions.From time to time, I worry that with such a weak pulse, the child may not be born at full term.The doctor came three or four times, and Ling Yang himself began to feel that the child belonged to the master in the first place.
Things during the day belong to the day, and things at night are naturally different.
Ling Yang's personal maid was replaced by Hui Niang, and that was after Ling Yang was taken to the ancestral hall.To be precise, it happened when Ling Yang fell asleep.The original maid, since the master became seriously ill, her parents came to the mansion frequently, trying to take her back to marry.When everyone was on their backs surrounding Ling Yang who had been brought back, Madam Hui did not forget to do one thing, that is to allow this maid to go home.For no other reason, Ling Yang will live a life of secrets from now on, and the person around him must be absolutely reliable.The new maid was originally from the old lady's room, named Lianqiao.She looks ordinary, and I don't see her saying even a word to any of the masters.Maybe the name is really right, what she is best at is decocting medicine for the old lady, how many times a day, what temperature, what time, what kind of medicine to induce - no matter how complicated the doctor's prescriptions and instructions are, it has never been out. Little mistake.Later, the master became bedridden, and she naturally took care of the decoction—doctors who often come and go in and out of the mansion have long been accustomed to handing over prescriptions to Forsythia.As long as she is guarding the medicine jar, her expression will be extremely comfortable, no matter how early or late she needs to go to bed, she is always content, and her eyes are not tired at all.It is almost suspicious, she is afraid that everyone in the mansion is sick all the year round.Hui Niang watched quietly for a few years, and felt that it was appropriate to transfer her to Ling Yang's house at this time.I don't know whether it was because the forsythia was too quiet or because Lingyang was too careless. After being carried back from the ancestral hall, Lingyang stayed on the bed for three days. Finally, he realized that it was an unfamiliar face who brought him the medicine.
Strange, but peaceful.Ling Yang knew that she was originally from the old lady's room, but was surprised why he seldom saw her.She said: "Madam, it's time to drink the medicine." Then she lowered her eyes and smiled slightly at the soup medicine, as if there were ripples in the bowl of medicine.After seeing such a smile for a long time, Ling Yang would feel that it is really disgraceful for him to be so afraid of taking medicine.It was even more disrespectful than when my brother came to her room in the dead of night.
Maybe Forsythia sleeps very lightly. In short, Lingyang is often awakened by Forsythia gently shaking in the pitch black. Forsythia does not say a word, and does not light the lamp. On the pillow, her breath was blowing on Ling Yang's face, and for some reason, there was a deeper and heavier force.Then Lianqiao silently lit a small candle, like a firefly, walked lightly to the door to let her brother in.Then the little light disappeared, and Ling Yang lifted the quilt to engulf the man's body temperature.When her brother was leaving, in the darkness, she could hear Lianqiao's tiny tremors in the air as she walked, followed by the sound of the door being bolted.Next, all that remains is to wait for dawn.At dawn, Lingyang and Forsythia never talked about the things at night.Ling Yang didn't know what Huiniang had explained to Lianqiao, since she couldn't open her mouth, it's fine not to say anything.The conspiracy in the middle of the night made Ling Yang have a strange scruple. When she needed Lianqiao to do something, she never called her. As long as she looked at her, Lianqiao would come up; if Lianqiao was not in front of her, she would She would rather look for her around the house than call her name loudly. When she found her, Lian Qiao said softly: "Madam called me." She seemed to be relieved, she couldn't say anything , she was embarrassed to call Lianqiao by her name directly.
But tonight, something is different.In the dimness, she heard Lianqiao whispering in her ear: "Madam, my brother is outside, should I call him back? It's different now..." That should be the first time she really heard from Lianqiao's mouth. Hearing this matter, it seems that as long as Lianqiao doesn't speak, she can pretend that Lianqiao doesn't know anything.She hurriedly said: "Call him in, and I'll tell him, this is the last time." She interrupted Lianqiao because she didn't want to hear Lianqiao say that "now" is "different from the past".Things happened and they happened, but when they said it, they were terrified.
When my brother got close to the edge of the bed, his elbow accidentally bumped into the carving on the head of her bed.He seemed to sneer, which made Yang know that it meant pain.Her palm slowly covered his arm, and her fingers touched the two shallow sockets of the elbow. He whispered: "It doesn't matter." Ling Yang's hand suddenly withdrew: "You can't come again. It's different now In the past, you can't hurt the child's fetal gas..." She was also surprised to repeat Lianqiao's words, "This is the master's child." After she finished speaking, she was also frightened.She simply gritted her teeth, and felt a kind of joy in her heart: "You are also a person who is going to get married. After the bride comes, you must treat her well. From then on, you are really an adult. She will give you To have children, all you have to do is to study hard, get a good name, and support our family..." Brother stood up from the bed, and in the dark night, she could only see a faint outline of thinness. "I beg you." Ling Yang's voice sank, "Yunqiao's children, as well as my children, are your younger brothers and sisters, please remember to take care of them." She heard her brother laughing, and then He smiled and said, "Ma'am taught you the right thing."
She smiled: "When the marriage is over, we can no longer always call you 'Brother Brother'. Niang Hui also said that from now on, the servants have to call you 'Master' properly."
She knew he would never come again.
Lian Qiao walked over with the candle in her hand, and when she turned around to lock the door, the faint light disappeared.It seemed to turn into her clear voice: "Madam, go to sleep, don't worry now. Madam's most important thing is to take care of your body and have a baby. Don't think about the rest."
"Come here and sit on my bed for a while, okay?"
When Lian Qiao sat down at an angle, she blew out the candle.Darkness once again destroyed.Ling Yang took Lianqiao's hand as if she had received an amnesty.
"Just sit for a while." Ling Yang felt that Forsythia's hand was cold, but it was comfortable.
"It's okay, ma'am, just sleep. I used to get up at four o'clock, and it's almost the same now." Naturally, Lianqiao's face was not visible, but Ling Yang felt that she had smiled.
"you are not tired?"
"I've been like this since I was a child. I don't sleep much. It's just right when I wake up in the fourth watch. The old lady's medicine has been boiled for more than two hours. Although I am serving the lady now, I still take care of the old lady's medicine."
"I like to make medicine so much. When you are going out in the future, I promise you to a doctor, or someone who opens a pharmacy."
"Ma'am, this is a joke. I have already thought about it. If I don't get married, I will stay in our house for the rest of my life. Madam thinks I eat too much?"
"Do you think it's strange?" Ling Yang suddenly smiled, "There is something I always think about. I can't sleep all night. When I was with the master, there was no movement. Why——with him, so soon Is there?"
"The madam is talking in her sleep. When the master is about to leave, it is God's will to leave the child to the madam, to give the madam the rest of his life."
The corners of Ling Yang's mouth turned up slightly, she felt as if it was time to fall asleep.
Because of the importance of filial piety, brother's marriage is not too lively, but it is considered decent.No, no one calls him "Brother" anymore, they call him "Master Chuan".My brother's first name is Tang Yan, but when he was young, the old lady felt that it was not good to have so much anger in his name, so she gave him a nickname, "Chuan'er".With such a river in the nickname, it can always be more balanced.But after my brother was five or six years old, no one mentioned this nickname, but now it is convenient, and if he picks it up again, "Chuan'er" will grow up and become Master Chuan.
Tang Pu came forward on behalf of the family and discussed many things up and down. All kinds of appropriate arrangements made many people in the house temporarily forget his usual arrogance and domineering.After worshiping heaven and earth, everyone went to Tang Pu's garden to listen to the three-day drama on the second day of the bridal chamber.Naturally, Ling Yang couldn't go.蕙娘和管家娘子忙着在前头招待往来贺喜的人，还得时时去老夫人房里转转——怕老夫人房里的婆子丫头一心只想着跑去听戏，没人当值看着老夫人。
令秧只好一个人坐在中堂二楼的暖阁里，论礼她不该到中堂来，只是那实在算是卧房之外，唯一一处清净的地方。她原先以为天边能传来戏台上的丝竹声，但是四周太静了，所有花团锦簇的热闹都是昨晚梦里的事情。“夫人怎么一个人在这儿，连翘又跑到哪儿去了？”蕙娘的声音从背后传来，吓得她一个冷战。
“连翘在厨房，看着给老夫人的药。”她转过身，跟蕙娘坐在了一处。
“这丫头，下辈子也不用做人了，我看托生成个药罐，倒是能称她的心。”蕙娘说完，喊着小丫头沏壶新茶拿过来，“这几天我腿都要断了，好不容易得个空儿，偷一下闲。云巧呢，把她也叫来说说话儿吧。今儿难得没有客，就咱们几个人。”
托着茶盘过来的小丫头答道：“巧姨娘在新房里，跟新来的川少奶奶说话呢。”
“说的什么，你听见没有？”蕙娘像是突然来了精神。
“我打新房前头过来的时候，就只听得巧姨娘一个人的声音，没听见川少奶奶的。”
令秧侧着脸，困惑地说：“倒也是呢，来了快三天，好像没听见过她说话。”跟着小丫头的声音突然欢快起来：“谢先生来了，可是有事找蕙姨娘？”
蕙娘冲着楼梯口的谢舜珲挥手道：“谢先生过来喝茶，难得家里今天清净，不用拘那么多的礼……”跟着她对小丫头说，“给我们下去拿两盘果子，然后你就可以去听戏了。”
谢舜珲闲闲地在蕙娘和令秧的对面坐下，笑道：“今儿的戏不算好，不看也罢。”然后谦恭地对令秧拱拱手，“夫人可好？”
“我那出《游春》唱完了没？”蕙娘看着令秧嗫嚅着不知该回答什么，立刻解了围。
“昨天就唱完了，你不看也不可惜——那个唱西施的一点都不好，干巴巴的看了难受。”谢先生笑起来的神情，看不出来是在刻薄别人。
“罢了，唐九叔家的班子在这儿也算是好的了，你什么好戏没见过，入不了你的眼是平常事。”蕙娘举起茶壶，斟满了三个人的杯子。
“在我眼里，嗓子是第二件事，头一样要紧的，既是唱西施，就得有那股缠绵劲儿。一张嘴，声腔里就既无水汽也无怨气，凭她再美的美人儿，也未必勾得走范蠡的魂儿，你说是不是？”谢先生的折扇捏在手里，扇柄轻轻叩着手背。
蕙娘笑着啐道：“越说越不像话了！我听惯了你胡说八道，这儿还守着夫人呢。你当这是你们男人的花酒桌么。”
“冒犯夫人了。”谢先生略略欠身道，“我是有事跟你说。两三天之内，我想动身回家去，学生新婚燕尔，做先生的总在旁边提醒着功课也没意思。来你们府里也打扰了这么些日子，是时候回去了。”
蕙娘心里一块石头落了地，嘴上却笑道：“你牵记着家小，我若强留倒显得不懂事呢。缺什么你尽管说，我叫人到你房里去替你打点行李。”
“倒还真不是家小的缘故。”谢先生也笑道，“我有个老朋友，早年我四处云游的时候认识的，最近到咱们徽州来看戏，想把徽州的几种声腔都听一遍，必须得我陪着。我早先没跟你提过汤先生？”
“谁记得你那些狐朋狗党。”蕙娘冷笑。
“妇人之见。汤先生跟你家老爷一样中过进士，如今官拜礼部祠祭司主事，十年前我们认识的时候他还未进京，只是直到如今仍旧是个戏痴。不止喜欢看，也喜欢写，你听过有出戏叫《紫钗记》的没有，就是汤先生的大作。”
蕙娘惊讶地瞪大了杏眼：“听戏听成精的我见多了，可是会写戏的还真是没见识过。”
“你们是说……”令秧有点糊涂，“戏台上唱的那些戏——都是人写出来的？”
谢先生和蕙娘愕然对看了一眼，谢先生问道：“正是。唱词若不是有人写，夫人觉得是从哪儿来的呢？”
令秧知道自己一定脸红了：“我小时候以为，戏台上的那些词儿，最初，都是神仙教给人的。”
蕙娘大笑了起来：“夫人真是有趣儿。”令秧讪讪地看着她：“你又取笑我。”谢先生却没有笑，反倒若有所思地看着她，这让她一瞬间觉得谢先生是个好人。
刚刚端茶的小丫头又急慌慌地奔了上来，人没露面，声音先过来了：“蕙姨娘，可了不得了，厨娘和一个老夫人房里的婆子在后头打起来了，那疯婆子打破了厨娘的脑袋呢……”
蕙娘恨恨地站起身：“真是片刻的安宁也没有。”说罢也只得起来跟着小丫头去了。圆桌前只剩下了他们俩。
谢舜珲觉得自己该告辞，可是他迟疑了一下。他发现这个名叫令秧的夫人满脸好奇地看着他。仔细想想，谢舜珲来府里这几个月，跟她除了见面问安之外，再无别的话。可是现在，她看住他的眼睛，居然开口了，声音细小，像是微微发颤，她说：“谢先生是读书人，一定知道很多事情，见过很多世面对不对？”
他一怔：“不敢当。”
令秧问：“有件事，我不知道该问谁才好，想请教谢先生。”
“夫人这么说就太客气了。”他微笑。
“谢先生知道不知道，若是一个女人，一直守节，不是说到了五十岁，朝廷就会给旌表吗？但是，天下这么大，女人这么多，该如何让朝廷知道呢？”
这其实是个认真的问题。谢舜珲不由得正襟危坐，他打量着面前这个女人，这个十六岁的孀妇，脂粉自然不能再用，就连发髻上也卸掉了所有的钗环——她想问的，是关于自己的终生，或者说，“终生”给她剩下的，唯一一条路。他想了想，回答：“应该是先由这女人的乡里有些名望的人，把她守节的事情写出来，呈给县衙，县衙再呈给州府，州府呈给省里的布政司大人，最后呈送给京城的礼部。礼部的官员审过之后，最后盖上圣上的御玺，就成了。”他竭力使用浅显些的说法，使她能够听懂。
令秧垂下眼睑，轻轻叹了一声：“明白了。说到底，能不能让朝廷知道这个女人，还是男人说了算的，谢先生我没说错吧？”
谢舜珲点点头，这个以为所有的戏都是神仙教给世人的女人，她不知道她自己很聪明。
“我什么都不懂，谢先生可以帮我吗？”她热切的神情依旧像个孩子盯着心爱的陀螺，跟她一身暗沉的灰蓝色衣服一点都不合适，“谢先生都看到过，先生那时候帮着蕙娘她们救过我的命，看见过我的处境。你懂得那么多道理，也会写文章，还有朋友在京城里面做官——我找不到比先生更合适的人了。我会做的，也无非是守着熬年头，剩下的事情，只能拜托你。等孩子出生了以后，我不知道那班长老们还会怎样为难我，我也不知道，我能不能平平安安地熬到五十岁——全靠谢先生提点了，我和我肚子里的孩子，来世给先生做牛做马。”她的右手轻轻地按住了肚子。
谢舜珲皱了皱眉，不待他开口，令秧若无其事地说：“我知道谢先生在想什么。先生觉得哪有什么肚子里的孩子，不是说好了到时候去偏僻地方抱一个回来么……这件事，蕙娘连谢先生也没有告诉，现在，这个孩子真的在我肚子里了，我们觉得这样才万无一失。至于这孩子是谁的，你就还是别问了吧，这种事还是不知道的好——我知道你不会说出去，先生现在明白了吧，我非要那块牌坊不可。”
虽然他一言不发，可是他眼睛里的那股寒气让令秧知道，他其实脊背发凉。令秧粲然一笑，艳若桃李——她只是想安抚一下他，不过谢先生到底不是个大惊小怪的人，只是安静了片刻，沉稳地说：“谢某会为夫人尽力。”
令秧突然想起来，那一天，正好是她十七岁的生日。
侯武初来唐府的时候，还不到十四岁。他一直记得，管家娘子操着比如今年轻多了的嗓音跟他说：“快给夫人跪下。”当初的唐夫人正在喝茶，将茶盅拿在手里，待他磕完头才缓缓放回桌上，手指间那个蓝宝石的戒指像她的笑意那样，不动声色地一闪。夫人摆手道：“起来吧，这么小的孩子就出来讨生活，够不容易的，你爹娘也真舍得。”管家娘子在一旁笑了：“夫人是心慈又有福的人，哪能想得到，穷人家的日子没有办法，舍不得也得舍。”侯武知道，怕是唐家每次买进来一个人，夫人都会说句类似的话——这府里有的是进来的时候年纪比他还小的小厮丫鬟，不过，和煦地说出这句话的唐夫人，一点都不令人生厌。
那时候，府里上下都在议论着那位新进府里不过一年多的如夫人，蕙姨娘。都说这蕙姨娘来头不小，千金小姐落了难，沦落风尘，然后遇上老爷——这倒也算不上是什么出奇的故事。众人都道唐夫人真是好涵养——听说了老爷带着教坊出来的蕙姨娘到西北那个穷山恶水的地方赴任，不过淡淡地笑笑说：“也罢，走远些好，横竖我眼不见心不烦。”只可惜，让夫人心烦的日子终究还是躲不过了，老爷辞了官回乡，还是大张旗鼓地将蕙姨娘带进了老宅里。
若只是这样倒也还好，可是近几个月里，自从老夫人突然染病之后，蕙姨娘渐渐地开始插手这个家的经营。起初，只说是替代老夫人暂管几天；后来，老爷看似若无其事地，当着夫人和管家夫妻的面，把账房和库房的钥匙都交到了蕙姨娘手里——那不过是侯武进府之前十几天的事情。
见过了夫人，下一个自然要去拜见蕙姨娘。进门之前，管家娘子突然不动声色地说：“我看你倒是个伶俐的孩子，若真的是那些榆木疙瘩，我这话也就不嘱咐了。”侯武连忙道：“多谢您老人家提点。”管家娘子笑道：“如今咱们府里管事的是蕙姨娘，她出身不一般，人也见过世面，你见了便知道是个厉害角色。这个宅子里上上下下，最不缺那些见风使舵的人，一窝蜂似的去巴结她。你呢，既然是新来的，她吩咐你做什么你没有不做的道理，毕竟当的就是这份差——可是你也得认清楚，谁才是这个家里的正经主子，你看上去规规矩矩的一个孩子，若是跟着那些没脸的轻狂货色学，不把夫人要你做的事情放在眼里，我头一个不答应，叫我当家的吊起来抽一顿再撵你出去，可不是吓唬你。”侯武也笑道：“管家妈妈尽管放心，我初来乍到，管他什么夫人什么姨娘，都不是我做奴才的该问的事情，我一切听着管家妈妈的吩咐。你叫我往东我便不敢往西，你叫我侍奉谁我便侍奉谁，你认哪个作正经主子，我便为哪个效力。”管家娘子这下喜不自胜，拍了一下侯武的肩膀：“好猴儿崽子，倒真没错看你。”
送他离家的时候，他娘把家里唯一一样值钱的东西塞给他：一个赤金的小挂件儿，约有半锭银子那么大，做成一个鲤鱼的形状，鲤鱼的眼睛还是两颗细小的红宝石。他娘让他把这小鲤鱼揣在怀里，嘱咐他：“自己学机灵一点，主子家里谁是管事的，便塞给谁，也好寻个靠山，别像你爹那样——只懂得卖力干活儿，糊里糊涂地被人暗算了也不知道。”
他原本觉得，这个小鲤鱼该趁没人的时候送给蕙姨娘。可是这件事会不会太难办了些——蕙姨娘可是个活在传说里的人物。不过当他跨进那扇门的时候，反倒略略一怔：蕙姨娘是个好看的女人不假，可是，远远不是众人嘴里那种沉鱼落雁的狐狸精。通身的打扮倒是比夫人还朴素些。说话也干脆利落，没有那么多过场，只微微点个头，对侯武道：“知道了，下去吧，管家要你干什么，就好生跟着学学。会不会骑马？”但是还没等侯武回答，便回过头去跟身旁的人安排起下一件事情。
从账房旁边的议事房里出来，侯武咬了咬牙，把在手心里攥了多时的小鲤鱼拿出来，塞到管家娘子手心里：“管家妈妈若是不收，就是看不起我了。我家里就剩下这么一样好东西，我娘给我带了出来。他日我若是出息了，定会好生地孝顺管家妈妈。”管家娘子反倒不知如何是好了，长长地叹了一声：“猴儿崽子，人太伶俐了，也不是什么好事，我劝你仔细点。”
一晃，已经过去了这么多年。
那几年，众人都兴奋地期待着，夫人究竟什么时候会按捺不住，开始清算蕙姨娘。只是随着老夫人的疯病越来越严重，蕙姨娘的权力便越来越大。众人已经习惯了她来管事情，而且，有目共睹，在蕙姨娘手底下，大小事情也都统筹得有声有色，她又有很多让收支更为合理的法子。这下众人的兴趣又变了，等着看蕙姨娘什么时候开始气焰嚣张地压过夫人——结局自然是扫兴，几年过去，日子平淡如水，他们期待的事情全都未能发生。夫人自然不会跟蕙姨娘情同姐妹，但是表面上的和善总是不会错的；况且蕙姨娘面对夫人的时候总是知道分寸，二人当着老爷的面，说说笑笑的时候也是有的。一个宅子的屋檐底下居然聚齐了懂事的人，真是不能不让人觉得沮丧。管家娘子也在人后慨叹：“到底不能不服，蕙姨娘真是好有胸襟。”似乎完全忘了几年前她还声色俱厉地警示侯武，别忘了谁才是正经主子。
总之，的确没人记得那个跳了井的账房先生。即使是下人们乘凉闲聊的时候，都鲜少有人提起——那个老爷刚刚卸任回府，就被冰冷井水泡得肿胀惨白的账房先生。想起来，还真觉得有点惨然，不过，都忘了也好。
人们都还挺喜欢侯武这个孩子，虽说不爱说话，不大合群，可是真的遇上需要他说话的时候，嘴巴也甜得恰到好处。上点年纪的婆子们都喜欢他，又听说了他家里没爹并且母亲再嫁，更是连连叹息，都想对这苦命的孩子好一点儿。见他在众人里人缘不错，管家娘子便也知趣，不会刻意地做出提携他的样子来，只不过在没人的时候，暗暗指点他一些府里的人情冷暖，尤其是这些冷暖背后的纹路和道理。
无论如何，他对管家娘子的感激，倒是出自真心。
他知道，他在等待一个机会。至于那机会究竟是什么，暂时也不清楚。
也许，他至少需要长大，到那时候，便不再是一个给人牵马跑腿送信打杂的小厮；到那时候，也许他能有机会接近一下那间总是让他觉得幽然并阴冷的账房，翻看那堆混杂着霉味和墨香的账簿——看看账簿里是不是真的记录着账房先生的阴谋和遮掩——他并不相信这样的痕迹存在，这样便能确信，账房先生并不是瞒不过去亏空才悄然投井。其实账房先生算不得是一个好父亲，一年回不了几次家，在家的时候就是沉着脸对他们没完没了地指责和训斥。
但那毕竟是父亲。
“侯”，原本是他母亲娘家的姓氏，他自作主张地告诉牵线的荐头，他叫侯武——也许这是多此一举，因为账房先生本姓“张”，即便有人重了，也算不得什么引人注意的事情，但是他觉得小心一些总是没错的。还有，还有就是——既然立定了心思要做一个故事里的复仇者，那么“隐姓埋名”就像一碗壮行酒那样不可或缺。他毕竟还是个孩子。
公平地说，只要不看见那口如今已经被封上的井，唐家大宅里的日子称得上是快乐的。饱暖无忧，他学什么东西都轻而易举，也遇上过这些善待他的人。比如夫人。其实他没有多少跟夫人碰面或者说话的机会，只有一回，夫人带着贴身丫鬟回娘家探视病人，管家派了他跟着马车同去，以防路上有什么事情需要他这个男孩子来跑腿。那是个春天，他看着自己的腿在车辕上轻巧地晃动着，树叶的香气和马身上的气味混在一起，还有天空的气味，都让他觉得愉悦。行了半日，身后突然传来了夫人丫鬟的声音——那姑娘的手腕从车厢的帘子里伸出来，帘子略微敞开了一点点，戴着镯子的水灵手臂递出来一只精巧的食盒，并笑道：“侯武，夫人说了今儿个一路辛苦，这点心是夫人给你的。”他看着那食盒的式样，知道是老爷夫人平时用的东西，一时间只是惶惑得不敢去接。他涨红了脸摇头，心里又深深地为自己羞耻：“不，姐姐还是拿回去，我手太脏了。”丫鬟笑了，他也拿不准她在笑什么——平日里能跟他说话的丫鬟都是那些做粗活儿的小姑娘，这些各个主子们房里的贴身丫鬟——他远远地看见了也是躲着走。
车厢的帘子又挪开了一点点，他看见了夫人的脸。车厢的窗格一左一右装点着夫人，夫人端然一笑：“这孩子，给你你便拿着，这点心做得精致，你在家里必定没见过的。”说话间，帘子又阖上了，独留下那只好看的盒子被他抱在怀里——他并不稀罕吃什么好东西，他只是想再看一眼夫人那一脸母亲一般的笑容。夫人在宅子里绝不会这样对他笑，他知道，这只能是在旅途中才会发生的事情。
夫人去世那年，所有的下人都戴着孝跪在吊丧的队伍里。没有人知道，为何侯武哭得那么认真。管家娘子只是在心里慨叹这孩子越来越有城府——她并不知道，侯武只是哀伤地想着：无论如何，夫人走了也好，她从此便与侯武所有的计划毫无关系。虽然当时他其实什么计划也没有——他只是觉得，所有的阴谋与恶意都应该远离夫人，哪怕——最坏的情形，哪怕夫人手上真的也沾过账房先生的血，那也一定是不得已——上苍总是秉承着一种残酷的仁慈，替卑微的侯武做了免受折磨的决断。
夫人“头七”那天起，管家把“巡夜”的活儿派给了侯武——不错的兆头，通常管家信赖谁谁才有巡夜的资格。一拢灯笼模糊的光晕里，老宅的建筑轮廓模糊，巡视各房的时候，他总是莫名地觉得内心柔软，脚下那一小块路被照着，静默无声，他知道也许同样会和游荡在这院子里的游魂静默地擦肩而过——他们萍水相逢，因此不会恋恋不舍地回首。往往，一抬头，便遇上哥儿书房里遥遥相望的灯火，老夫人诡异的呻吟声或号叫声听惯了，便也觉得那不过跟月色一样，都是景致。只有他自己才知道，他爱这宅子，他爱这个他发誓要毁灭的地方。
那一晚，账房的灯亮着，他走上去，提着灯的手腕微微颤抖，他知道总会有那么一天，父亲的魂灵会引他至此地。他毕恭毕敬地叩门，里面却传出来一个活泼泼的嗓音，带着点娇嫩的怒气：“今儿个究竟哪个糊涂东西上夜，好大的胆子，不知道蕙姨娘要核算账目么！倒来拍我们的门——接下来要进来数落我们坏了府里规矩不成……”他紧张得脑袋里一片空白，却觉得掉头就跑又会更糟，他嗫嚅道：“姐姐别恼，再怎么也不敢惊扰蕙姨娘，只是提醒姐姐，蕙姨娘如此操劳，倒拜托着姐姐留心着火烛——账房里都是纸张，万一燃起来可不得了——”他听见蕙姨娘笑了，那个舒朗的声音甚至有股慵懒：“她是跟你逗着玩的，你进来吧，瞧把你给吓得，亏你还是个小子。”
账房里的情形令他略微失望，因为并没有如他想象的那般，触目所及全是铺天盖地的账簿——也许它们都被锁在满屋的柜子里。桌上的油灯敦厚地弥漫过蕙姨娘的脸，让她看起来毫无白日里那么精明。她吩咐她的丫鬟道：“给这孩子喝杯茶，走了这半日也该累了。”他想道谢又说不出口，觉得自己该伸出双手接丫鬟递过来的茶杯，但是灯笼可怎么办——挣扎了半天终于想出了办法，将灯笼放在脚底下，不过躬身接茶杯的时候又险些踹翻了——总之，丫鬟在他面前暗笑得快要断气。其实他一点都不想喝这杯茶，这让他没法马上逃离这里，低着头盯了茶盅半晌，突然发现丫鬟已没了踪影，不知被差遣到哪里去了——蕙姨娘垂首凝神的时候，鹅蛋脸上泛着一层难以形容的光芒，嘴角是微微翘起的，他看得痴了过去。“蕙姨娘查账目，用不着算盘么？”然后他被自己吓了一跳，才发现居然把心里想的这话说了出来。
蕙姨娘抬起眼睛，眼神略微惊讶：“你倒还真是个聪明孩子。”见他又困惑地红了脸，便笑道，“可你不懂，算盘只能核对出来哪里算差了，这不用我操心，咱们府里有的是人能保准在数目上不出岔子。我只消看看每笔来龙去脉清不清楚，有哪项的开销名头看上去不合道理——数目错了事小，看不见哪里的数目撒了谎才是至为要紧的。”
他似懂非懂地点头，直到多年以后，才恍然大悟。
他打算退出去的那个瞬间，蕙姨娘轻柔地开口道：“侯武，再问你句话。夫人去了这些时日，下人中可有人传过我会扶正的话？”他大惊失色，着急忙慌地跪下：“蕙姨娘我……我，实在不知道。”
蕙姨娘无奈地托起了腮：“如此说来，便是有了。你若是再听见有人嚼舌头，替我告诉那些人——我一个罪臣之女，能遇上老爷来咱们府里已是上辈子的造化，别的我不会多想，尤其告诉那几个成天在夫人跟前献媚的——安生做自己该做的事情，就比什么都强。背后的小动作都省省吧，我见不得那些。”
他用力地答应着，心里模糊地知道，也许这便是他一直等候着的那个机会。夫人既然已经去了，夫人的那杯茶便也凉了。这大宅中的“正经主子”就成了蕙姨娘，不管是什么人再来做“夫人”。无论一直庇护他的管家夫妻在想什么，对他来说，便是到了换个码头的时候。
蕙姨娘总有办法的，有办法把他带到这个宅子里最隐秘，也最要害的地方，让他终究能够接近那个传说中疯得莫名其妙的老夫人。他不急，他甚至是贪婪地享受着唐家大宅里的少年时光，他是天底下最有耐心的复仇者——因为他真的做得到在大多数时候，放下自己的恨意。
真正让他开始焦躁的