Chapter 27 Chapter 27.exquisite

Compared with some bustling bookstores surrounded by crowds, the Jinnian's playing and singing venue at the entrance of Beijie looks a little deserted. The oblate autumn moon shines from the gap in the wall behind the alley. There is a dog bud tree with sparse leaves and curved branches. The ink painting-like shadow of the tree is falling on the back of her moon-white cloth shirt. In such a cold autumn night, her light-colored moon-white shirt It always looks a little too thin, because that color belongs to warm weather. That pill of autumn moon, if you look at it in a cold and quiet place, it doesn't look very good, but if you compare it with the noisy lights all over the street, it looks extraordinarily cold, white and exquisite.But the girl playing the piano is colder, whiter, and more exquisite; what she holds in her hands does not seem to be a piano, but an autumn love that is almost completely abandoned by others.

She sat on a rough blue-white cold stone, with her legs slanted and her knees together, and she plucked the strings slowly, and the tiny tinkles flew out from under her green onion-like fingers. It seems that there is a wave crashing against the steep stone bank. When it is slow, it seems that a trickle of trickle is dripping from the tip of the soft leaf to the center of the stream. Whether it is rapid or slow, there is a sad autumn color in the sound of the piano. Sound, only the wind understands, the moon understands. Maybe because of this overly timid sound of the piano, the bustling crowd was driven away?She played a piece of piano music before the opening in this way, and there were only a few people around the venue!There are only a few old men and old women who don't like to be lively and are used to this kind of silence and mourning, some women who love to shed tears for the weak, the troubled, or the heroes who have been robbed, and a few children who don't understand , staying in the moonlight like water, waiting for something.

Maybe she just played the piano lightly like Yong Ye, dissolving the sound of the piano in the water of moonlight, soaking the heart softly, it is beautiful enough!The shadow of her sitting posture draws a hazy silhouette to the moonlight, and her beauty is indescribable. In Wanjialou, no one has seen a girl who is more beautiful and calm than her. She is Hanying and Wan. A mix of young girls, such an outstanding girl is actually living on the streets in troubled times, relying on playing the piano and singing for a living?It makes people feel extra pity. What are people waiting for. Maybe it's the narration of her sad life experience?

However, as if Shi Potian was startled, she sang with the extremely high-pitched high-pitched voice of the piano, almost desperate wailing, or sang as if she was complaining to the public. Her voice was a gust of grief and indignation that has lasted for thousands of years. What are you talking about? ! What peace do you say! I can't vomit the sadness of troubled times pack up The son in distress reunites his dream, and Yexiutina Moonlight night in the back garden is booked for life If you look around to observe the chaos, The fate of a hero, most pitiful She sang so passionately and mournfully. In the autumn wind and the moon, her libretto is popular and simple, and it is very easy to arouse people's nostalgia for the smoke and clouds of history. She sang, sang, and tears moistened her Even though she sang about history, she thought it was Baye, the Baye who wandered alone, the Baye who regarded death as home, the Baye who acted bravely, among the people she met in her life, no one could compare with him Ba Ye, thinking about his pain, his desolation, and the ups and downs he encountered, she can't help him, but she is willing to protect him, the blind man, with her sincere voice.

When she first heard the news that Guan Baye had his eyes cut off, she could hardly believe that it was true!Isn't it?How could such a brave person be easily murdered by villains? !Gradually, she couldn't help but believe that not only the old carpenter Wan Cai described in detail how Ba Ye came to Wanjialou, everyone in Wanjialou knew how Baye had his eyes cut off !Wan Cai told her that the blind Eighth Master is now living in the abandoned garden of the old house of Gu Ye's family, and has become a crippled person!He took her to visit outside the abandoned garden, and she wanted to know the lonely scene of Baye Guan after losing his sight.

People in Wanjialou may not be able to figure out the whole story of Guan Baye's loss of eyesight, but she knows the ghost behind the eye-cutting incident!Before this, she had never seen Gu Ye before, but she thought: the person who secretly fights against Ba Ye and can make him lose his eyes is many times more powerful than Judgment Zhu and Sixth Mao!Although she is eager to meet Ba Ye, it is not easy for her to get the opportunity to meet alone. To expose Gu Ye's crimes to Ba Ye, if the news leaks even the slightest bit, it will ruin the life of Ba Ye The tall long wall stood tall and tall, and she also dreamed of the desolate scene in the abandoned garden. In the deep autumn, the leaves fell, and the white dew turned into frost. How could the blind man in trouble be a hero?What hero? !If you don't tell him that he is in a lonely situation sooner or later, Gu Ye will kill him sooner or later.

Due to the trembling of her fingertips, the sound of the piano strings is also stiff and cold, each string is full of sadness, and the lingering sound slowly lingers in the night, lingering, penetrating into the depths of people's hearts. I should thank the old carpenter Wan Caining for taking the risk to take me in, and climbing the wall in the dark to meet the Eighth Master, paving the way for me to meet the Eighth Master. Now, the Eighth Master should come soon, right? While she was playing the piano, she was thinking deeply. The rising moon passed through the flowing clouds, passing through the flowing clouds. The moonlight became whiter and colder. How many of the people listening to the piano and music in front of me could understand the words in the piano?Qu Li's sadness? !The lights danced in the distance, and the voices of people roared in the distance, leaving only this small space in the corner of the North Street, immersed in her mournful piano sound, which really seemed out of harmony.

The days had changed, she was vaguely aware of this, she had also heard many rumors about the county town, Yanshi and Shawozi, those men who came down from the line of fire, with lingering fear on their faces, described them The situations I have experienced, including gunfire, smoke, human corpses, blood stains, and killing cries, also describe the scene of Yanshi falling in the fire, but these have passed, and have been rumored and awaited for a long time. The Northern Expedition is coming soon! She couldn't tell what kind of feeling she had in her heart, she just felt a little dizzy.She has lived in the salt market and has experienced two completely different lives. Before Guandong Shan Baye went to the salt market, she lived a lewd and laughing life. She is not lewd but the social atmosphere is lewd, she has no power Resisting the heavy restraints, whether it is Mao Liu or those lotus flowers, any weak woman, with tears and grievances, is cast into that shape, not her own self.

After Baye came to Yanshi, it was like a strong wind shaking the wild, sweeping away all the lustful drunken dreams, luxurious banquets, and non-stop string songs in Yanshi!The bondage of those sisters who had nowhere to complain was lifted.She spent the last period of her life in the salt market. The life of a poor and indifferent person was all bestowed by the eighth master. With such a period of time, life is not in vain! What about now that the Northern Expeditionary Army is here?No one understands Gu Ye's deceitful scheming, no one understands the conspiracy hidden in his heart, the Northern Expedition can save the people, but they can't save the Guandong Mountain trapped in the wolf's den!Everyone's joy is far away from her, she only remembers that before the Northern Expeditionary Army came, the Eighth Master of Guandong Mountain had already given her a world, whether it was sweet or bitter, it was always a world for one person.Pulled out of the shackles of obscenity, she has the courage to keep that world, from her awakened human dignity, to keep it forever.She didn't shed tears for the flesh and blood of the dead in the salt market, because they also died for the complete possession of that world.The only thing she worries about is Eighth Master!

The breeze blows the curving bangs in front of her forehead, and the soft waves are rippling, and her slow song becomes deeper and deeper.She sang the stories of loyal ministers being trapped in the past dynasties, and the stories of honest people who were often wronged. When she sang: It's all a disaster caused by desire and no benevolence! All over the world, when she is selfless and fair, sighing like smoke rises beside her, maybe these people who listen to the singing are also touched?In this world of desire and no benevolence, the benevolence of Guandong Mountain Baye got nothing but a crippled body. If the morals of the world do not change, what can the Northern Expeditionary Army do? !

Just when she finished singing the song and plucked the strings to change the tune, the blind Guan Baye groped along the dark corridor and stood behind the crowd, under a round pillar that the moonlight could not reach. No one noticed him, he just stood there silently, as silent as an ancient porch column, as if he didn't want to shock anything.I haven't heard such a bleak piano sound for a long, long time!On the rivers and lakes, the footsteps are hurried, the years are passing by, and there is no time to wipe away the dusty memories. If it is not for the loss of two eyes, I am afraid that there will be a rare opportunity to look back on the past! I don't know how far away it is?During the days of my childhood, blackness piled up in the musty corners of my heart, and the moonlight was a hazy milk mist, immersing the world in an almost lazy gentleness, gentleness, but with a bit of gloomy sadness, the windless summer night, The sound of the cicadas has just stopped, and the drums of the frogs are like thunder. They are resting under the shadow of the branches of the old willows beside the wheat field. High mountains and flowing water, people in the countryside don't like changes, and they are afraid to imagine the situation outside the sky, the sound of the piano is still so primitive, so flat, so desolate and sad, so slow and slow Yehu, huh, huh, just like that, resigned to fate, crying, lamenting, or foolishly smiling, the ancestors thousands of years ago were like this, passed down from generation to generation, and the days without change are A piece of engraved prints prints the same picture; spring plowing, summer cropping, autumn harvesting, and winter storage. The old one is smoked and yellowed, and a new one is replaced. The new one is gray, and the new one is replaced. An updated one.Those who play the huqin have these things in their hearts, and they play these things in their hands, sighing at the fifth watch, playing plums in four seasons, and plum blossoms playing simple and vulgar little tunes three times, just like their lives, babbling and calming running water On such a day, there is such a sound of the piano, which makes people want to sleep in it, or even die in it.Sometimes, the moon walks through the clouds, and the stars in the sky are swaying in the tired eyes. The earth is like a boat, lifted up by the sound of the piano, and I don’t know where to drift?People are swaying on the boat, feeling that the moonlight and the sound of the zither are blending together, it is hard to tell which is the harp?Where is the moonlight?The people playing the violin lean on the old willow roots, shaking their heads to match the music, they are intoxicated by themselves, and they don't bother to worry about tomorrow after a day's leisure!And that kind of music is showing the desire of the rural people to live. When the sound of the huqin was hoarse, Broken Dreams stepped under their feet. Many men went to the rivers and lakes. Some of them seemed to be unable to get rid of the old habit. In the box behind the car, there was still a broken huqin. I took it out when I lost my leg, and pulled it babbled for a while, not happy, but really boring, the same huqin, the sound of pulling it out is different!Maybe it's because of the shabby background of those barren village shops?I always feel that every string and every string is full of inexhaustible desolation. The sound of the piano tonight is just like this, which reminds people of those wild shops, deserted villages, melancholy moon buds, small oil cups that spit black smoke, and the heavy悒悒, the faces of people frowning in the continuous sound of Huqin. He couldn't see Little Wonton, but he could still recall some memories of her from the sound of her singing. When he first met her in Yanshi, he felt that her temperament was not ordinary Compared with her elder brother Bian San, what a woman in the world can have is far more different. It is true: one mother gave birth to nine sons, and all of them are different. Baye This soft and low sound awakened the left back, interrupting Guan Baye's thoughts, and he recognized that it was the voice of the old carpenter Wancai. Huai Shang has recovered, Eighth Master.You listen, you listen to the sound of those firecrackers.The old carpenter's voice was full of excitement, a kind of pure and primitive joy. He may not understand the phenomena outside the sky very well, but he insisted on a simple intuition that after the Northern Expeditionary Army came, there would be no major disturbances in the world. , the old people everywhere should breathe a sigh of relief. After recovering, Guan Baye turned around, raised his face to the sky, and muttered slowly, like a raving: Yes, recovering! There is also a hint of joy, just like a breeze blowing across the eyebrows, blowing quietly and then quietly going away.When he repeated these words, his heart was extremely heavy, because these three simple words contained too many things, too much hope, too much speechless bitterness, too much pain in more than ten years. The distorted lives of the people in the dark, too many struggles to defend human rights that have been suppressed by warlords, have been restored!Recovered!At the head of Tingsi Bridge and the banks of the Longtan River, how many bloods of the heroes of the Northern Expedition stained the soil in the north and south of the river?How many magnificent and tragic tragic deeds shake the hearts of the immortals?This is really enough! But it's still too early to talk about Xinyue, this is just the beginning!Liberation, yes, what about after liberation?This is a huge boulder that weighs heavily on people's hearts. This society is riddled with holes, and the north that has been sleeping for many years. What can the Northern Expeditionary Army use to make up for this corner of the world?How many grievances need to be straightened out?How many boundaries have to be broken?How many personal grievances have to be dealt with?How many rifts have to be bridged?Tens of millions of disaster victims are waiting for relief, tens of millions of people are waiting to be resettled, stragglers and bandits are waiting to be appeased and cleaned up, and the haze in the north still needs to go north to clean up. It's fair, such a burden needless to say, it's heavy enough when you think about it! Recovered!At this time when all kinds of wastes are waiting to be implemented, relying on military power and laws can't do much. It's unreasonable to only look at how the government can shoulder this burden alone. It is really an absurd excuse. Whether it is for the country or for the people, it should be everyone's duty. The world is full of talk, and there is no room for self-proclaimed hermits! The sound of firecrackers blares from far and near. Although I lost my eyes, I can still imagine the thousands of fiery trees and silver flowers blooming in the dark night, shining brightly and flowing across the sky, symbolizing the hazy joy in people's hearts. , no matter what, this night is always worth remembering, this extremely beautiful time And the sound of the zither is a stream of lamentation, which is described in detail by the tunes, describing a deep feeling that is easily forgotten by people. Ba Ye, you have the right to follow me to the small shop, the old carpenter said: this is not a place to talk That Bian girl I have already told her, Eighth Master, she will pack up as soon as possible and come to see you.I'm here to help you, Eighth Master. No.Guan Baye tucked up the corner of his robe and said, "You lead the way." The sound of the piano gradually faded away, and the alley was winding and deep; the footsteps of the old carpenter hit the high walls on both sides of the alley.Guided by the sound of footsteps, Guan Baye followed all the way; I don't know which garden is the daisy planted in?There is some delicate fragrance floating out, lingering and gloomy, rippling into one's breath; the wall bricks on both sides are old and damp, and at the same time emit a strong musty smell of severe frost, moss, and wet powder.A silent breeze of autumn night came from behind, rolled up the hem of his robe, and brushed it lightly; another kind of deep alley flavor fell into his keen sense. Due to the accidental loss of both eyes, he was able to spend a period of peaceful days and months trapped in the abandoned garden in the midst of earth-shaking upheavals. Although it was short, it has been considered a long time in his life of running around throughout the year; now , this should be the last night in the peaceful time. He expected that after seeing the girl Xiao Wonton tonight, there would be a huge change. This time, there will be no such group of loyal men to help Now, I must have a person to fight against the evil forces of Wanjialou alone. I am not a fatalist, but I must go to this self-chosen fate alone, even if that way was once tired and hated by me, a bloody five-step rivers and lakes-style fight.And this is a last resort in the face of the greatest evil, to implement this method is to obey Tianxin. In my opinion, time is running out, Lord Ba.The voice of the old carpenter floated in the darkness: Even if Miss Bian told you the truth, I dare not encourage you to fight against the evil forces. ! I know.Guan Baye said. You can at least consider it, I advise you to avoid it if you can!You have managed enough of Wanjialou's affairs!You are alone and your strength is limited. If you fight, you will lose your life in vain. We can't bear to see you throw your life in Wanjialou again. This is not just a matter of Wanjialou. Father Guan Baye said: In addition to Baoye, the death of Yeye brothers, the grievance of the old Liuhe gang, and the tragic death of Aigu, these things were done so viciously , It can be said that man and God are indignant together, and the law of heaven does not allow me to be alone and weak, and I can't avoid these. Turn the corner, Ba Ye.The old carpenter reminded. But even he himself was a little distraught and flustered. If it is said that Guan Baye has a stubborn temper, it is not wrong at all. Don't tell him the truth, and worry that he is in danger, and that he will be caught unprepared. Gu Ye's murderous hands; tell him the truth, but also worried that his temper will come up, so he will risk his life to make a desperate fight. Judging from the current situation, although Eighth Master is capable, he is too weak. Even if the leader of the militia, Old Man Peng, is his old friend, I am afraid it will be difficult for him to deal with Gu's ever-changing schemes? !In the panic, I accidentally touched a stone and almost slipped and fell to the ground. You don't take pity on me, father.Guan Baye said: I'm not the kind of person who is full of blood. When something happens, I have to deal with it, right?As for how to do it?I will judge the situation and consider it carefully. That's all right, Grandpa Eight.The old carpenter said: I am a person who believes in heaven, and there is nothing wrong with the way of heaven. If you don’t punish the murderer, someone will naturally punish him.People like Ba Ye, really, Ba Ye, you don't have to be in a hurry. The old carpenter's words were very dull, as if they were full of meaning, but he couldn't say anything out of his mouth. Guan Baye was confident that he understood it and understood the care contained in those dull words. Of course, he was deeply grateful, although he couldn't avoid the evil forces of Wanjialou as the other party thought, and post the words of the world's principles upside down.The footsteps stopped, and a strong smell of sawdust came over his face. He knew that he had arrived at Wancai's coffin shop. You and I go to sit in the back room for a while, and the old carpenter said: Miss Bian will come soon. Guan Baye agreed, and followed the old carpenter through several doors. He walked skillfully, across the doorsteps of the hallway, and the stone steps in front of the eaves, which made the old carpenter who looked back surprised. Before this, he had never seen a blind man like Guan Baye in the world, who was able to cross the house and pass through the courtyard without a walking stick, and walked so dexterously and quickly, just like a sighted person.To be honest, it wasn't long before Guan Baye lost his eyes, how could he be able to practice such kung fu?Thinking of this, his footsteps stopped unconsciously. I said, Lord Ba, you don't need a guiding stick, how could that be? ! this?It's nothing to say, Guan Baye held the door frame of the back hall with his hand, sighed slightly and said: When people encounter accidents, they have to overcome the difficulties that lie in front of them. Because of the loss of two eyes, they become a useless person, and they will not be reconciled to anyone. , isn't it?I can't see anything, I can't even feel a little light, I can only hear with my two ears Listening alone? No.Guan Baye said: On the one hand, it depends on listening, listening to your footsteps, and on the other hand, it depends on calculation. calculate?How do you calculate it? This calculation is based on listening and touching.When Guan Baye spoke, there was a faint smile on his face, which was outlined by the dim light in the wall hole in the back hall, adding a bit of mystery: I listened to the ups and downs of your footsteps, and estimated how far away you are from me?When you walk on flat ground, the sound is very different from when you cross the threshold, step on the stone steps, and go up and down. Based on this, I can more or less feel where you are walking?Of course, hearing alone is not enough, you have to rely on touch and smell to judge and help calculation; for example: just now I was walking in a narrow alley, I heard the echo from your footsteps and the two high walls, and the echo from the high wall From the smell of frost and moss on the ground, and the sound of the stone slabs under your feet, you can imagine what kind of alley it is? !I smelled the smell of sawdust and dried paint, and knew that I had arrived in front of your shop. I knew from the direction of the wind that the door of your shop faced west; In the general situation of Wanjia Building, there are three to four bays of one foot long, seven to nine beams and columns, and one beam and column on a four-foot-five slope. How many square bricks can be calculated as its depth?How many steps?Then compare these with your footsteps, and you can't go wrong!Father, this is the blind man's last resort. Oh my God!The old carpenter sighed and said, "It's fortunate that you are so careful, Baye!"If you don't remind me, I can't even dream, how much effort does it take? In fact, this is not unusual. Guan Baye said: Everything in the world has a reason, as long as you want to wear it, plus hard work, the old saying goes: Practice makes perfect, there is nothing wrong with it; you are a carpenter People must have had experience. When you learned to saw, learn to chisel, learn to plan, and learn to drill, which one was easy?After a long time, you will become proficient. Yes, yes!Everything you said makes sense, Ba Ye!The old carpenter had to be so impressed.He dragged a wooden chair, Yangguan Baye sat down, and at the same time called the little apprentice Hei Zhuan'er to make tea for Baye. Ba Ye Guan had just taken his seat, before a cup of hot tea touched his lips, when he heard hurried footsteps running back through the hall and courtyard in front of him. What's up?Little button?The old carpenter said to his apprentice. The town guns are back in action!Kou'er said: "The street is full of people, arguing about picking up the horses." Oh, you and Black Diamond, go to the front yard.The old carpenter said in a daze. After dismissing the two apprentices in this way, the air in the back hall became silent. For a while, the old carpenter didn't speak any more, only the sound of him smoking with the lamp, he puffed vigorously, which showed the tension and boredom in his heart. . On this corner of autumn night, it looks like a very deep black well, old and moldy, stained with stains from the shadow of a small oil lamp; The gloomy and dilapidated old house, and Guan Baye sitting silently with his hands on his knees, he was not only troubled, but also had endless grievances. A character like Ba Ye was originally a legendary dragon. How many earth-shattering events has he done in his life?From south to north, how many water and land piers have you run?How many worlds have you seen?How many hardships have you gone through?Let's not talk about the other side, just this time Yanshi raised his gun to resist the riots, and he was the first person to raise the fire when the Northern Expedition army and soldiers returned to the Huaihe River without bloodshed. This dragon's nest is trapped in the barren land in the corner of Wanjialou. People like Gu Ye, who are usually opportunistic and strive to keep themselves safe, have a grass on the wall, and the wind blows and falls on both sides. They are all taking advantage of the wind and waves. Get up, compare the two, can you say that Ba Ye is not wronged? ! He smoked desperately, making the smoke oil in the smoke pot creak, spit out the pungentness in his heart, and turned it into a thick fog Come back, then Gu Ye will definitely return to Wanjialou within a few days!If the long-sleeved and good-wielding Gu Ye catered to the Northern Expeditionary Army and took the title of a civilian army, at least before the chaos of the world was settled, he would be the overlord in these forty miles of wasteland. How can he deal with Gu Ye like Ba Ye is like now?I'm afraid that after Gu Ye came back, the first chess move would be Thinking of this, he couldn't help raising his eyes to look at Ba Ye again. Don't worry about me, father.Guan Baye still said that: Maybe I'm not a useless person. The old carpenter was strangely silent and shook his head. Guan Baye didn't know the other party's expression. I can't be regarded as a useless person, Guan Baye repeated: I believe I can still do some things that should be done.Although my good brothers have passed away one after another, I, Guan Dongshan, are still alive alone. You may still be able to do something that needs to be done, Mr. Eight.The old carpenter said: But, how are you going to mess with Gu Ye now?Don't forget, you even hold the food in Gu Ye's hands. If he has some intentions, can you prevent him from mixing rat poison into the food at will?You can't even get suspicious, when Master Gu feels that you are suspicious of him, that is the moment when he will kill you! Strange, why did you insist that that person is Master Gu? Miss Bian came, and the old carpenter said: You can ask her. Little Wonton carried a violin case, and hurriedly walked through the aisle in the half-moonlight, half-shadow back yard. She had already seen Baye sitting on the wooden chair in the middle of the back hall through the open door; The halo of the small oil lamp rose from behind him, flickering yellowishly, outlining his silhouette; for some reason, this silhouette aroused her association.It seems that at some time in the distant past, in the Northland, she had seen such a small, desolate and desolate temple, located in the deserted wilderness, with the sun that was sinking and falling alone. Yes, there are no green tiles, no red walls, no bells, no Sanskrit sounds, no trace of solemnity and splendor. Its ridges and roofs have long since collapsed, and its tile eaves have fallen off, and it has become a nest for wild birds. Every brick of its wall, every piece of ridge tile is sad and dark, blending with the gray smoke that spreads all over the field at dusk. The inside of the temple is full of dust and spiders, so black that people's eyebrows can hardly be discerned, On the shrine, the incense ashes were half-accumulated in the incense burner, and a few unburned and broken sticks of incense hung on the edge of the burner. On the distorted wooden candlestick, tear wax still remains, as if weeping for the neglected and forgotten god behind the curtain.Now this back room seems to be that temple, Ba Ye is that kind of god, the lights are as dim as dusk, isn't there a desert outside the Wanjia Building? !No matter if it is dilapidated or shabby, he is always a god, the god in her heart, stands and rises in her tearful eyes, he has changed her fate of wandering without a master and being insulted by others, now he is in the wilderness Among the vines, the same can accept her weeping and voicing, and the same can fulfill her wish, she knows he can! oh!Baye!She dropped the piano bag, and fell to her knees on the brick floor in front of him: Ba ​​Ye, do you still remember me? Miss Bian?Guan Baye stood up, stretched out his hands towards the place where the sound came from, and said: Get up, don't do this, you can talk when you get up! I was entrusted by Miss Hanying on her deathbed, Lord Ba!Little Wonton choked up and said: I am late!Tired you lose your eyes. The past, girl, you don't need to mention it anymore!Guan Baye said, his voice was surprisingly calm.Little Wonton got up and stood in front of him. I fled from Yanshi to Shahekou, and Little Wonton said: Many refugees fled there, and Miss Hanying took them in one by one. There was a prince Wang Dagui in Yanshi who came out with us and said yes Come to Wanjialou to meet Eighth Master Wancai and say, he didn't see you. he died!Guan Baye said. Wan Xiaoxier, a young man in Wanjialou, also died!Little Wonton said: I saw him being carried into the farm covered in blood with my own eyes. From his mouth, I heard that Gu Ye, who is the owner of the Wan family, is going to harm Ba Ye. What did Wan Xiaoxier say? He said that he said that the patriarch, Guye, wanted to trap Ba Ye and was unwilling to pull a gun to help Yanshi. Make the Wan family despise Ba Ye, and then kill you with poisonous hands!He rode a donkey overnight to report to Shahekou, but was chased and killed by Red Eyed Wanshu. You go on, I'm listening. He said he killed Wan Shu instead! Is that all? No.Little Wonton said: He said that Wan Shu leaked it before he died, that he was Baoye and Yeye brothers, and they all died in Guye's hands. Um.Guan Baye nodded thoughtfully. The messy gossamer was gradually entwined, making several signs more obvious, and also confirmed my original speculation that the culprit who stabbed the knife in secret was Gu Ye, which is generally correct! Isn't Wan Xiaoxi'er the little boy who followed Wan Liang and helped in the trough in the early years?Dad?He said to Wancai. No!The old carpenter Baye said that his eye sockets suddenly turned red and wet. Guan Baye can still vaguely remember the image of Wan Xiaoxi'er back then, a fair and handsome child who was very familiar with the brothers in the Salt Gang, and especially loved to listen to the various stories told by those men, he should not make up for no reason In fact, it is an indisputable fact that he took the risk to rush to Shahekou, and when he was injured and dying, he went to slander Gu Ye; besides, it is an indisputable fact that Hongyan Wanshu chased and killed Xiao Xi'er. What Xi'er said about killing Wan Shu is not absurd, because Wang Dagui once lost his life to find Wan Shu's body!This series of incidents that were shrouded in mist earlier has become clear now. Leaving aside the two serious cases of the Lao Liuhe gang and Aigu, the murder of brother Baoye by Gu Ye alone is enough to be a death sentence. ! I still have two letters left by Miss Hanying when she was dying.Little Wonton said: One is for you, Ba Ye.The other letter is entrusted to you to forward to the deacon of Wanjialou Hezu, this should be regarded as the evidence of Master Gu's crime. where is the letterWhere?Miss Bian? Here it is, Grandpa. She turned around and lifted up the piano bag on the ground, opened the bag, took out the piano, stretched out two fingers, took out the two tightly rolled letters from the belly of the piano, and handed it to Guan Baye. Shall I open it and read it to you? No!Guan Baye shook his head, put the two letters close to his body and said: I will find someone to read it another day. In fact, I was by the side when I wrote the letter. Little Wonton said: Miss Hanying was coughing up blood before she died. The letter was written by the old accountant. She read it and he wrote it.She doesn't know at all that Ba Ye has become like this, she begs you to uphold justice and redress for Baoye Yeye!Now, Ba Ye, since you have been tortured like this, I'm afraid it won't work. She said, sobbing and crying. I will!Guan Baye raised his eyebrows, and said in a decisive voice: "Just wait, this day won't be long!"I want to settle this account from beginning to end!Don't cry anymore, girl.He changed to a gentle tone and said consolingly: Let's put this matter aside for now, how long have you been in Wanjialou? It didn't take long to come to Wanjialou, and I wasted a lot of days in Yangjiao Town.Little Wonton said. After leaving Yanshi, how will the future life be arranged?Guan Baye said: You are young, you will never succeed and you will be floating on the waves all day long. This is not the way to go! Who can make arrangements for the days after the dynasty?Eighth Master, you can only take one step backwards.Little Wonton said: After Bian San died, I have no relatives, maybe I am destined to wander from east to west? !Don't worry about me, Ba Ye, I still have this piano. Her voice became slower and lower as she spoke, as if she was sobbing softly. Guan Baye could tell that this gnat-like moaning came out of the real sadness in his heart, it was really pitiful, a fine dust blown up by the strong wind, even if the wind stopped, it would still be there. Floating in mid-air, that's what she is.I persuaded the squires in Yanshi to disband the brothels. Although I rescued many people, I didn't make proper arrangements for them in their daily lives. It is true that although Huaishang has been restored now, the chaos in the north is still rare for a while. Ping Jing, who has the spare energy to take care of a weak girl like Miss Bian?After thinking about it, I still have to carry this burden, and I must not escape or stand still. Suddenly, he thought of his old friend Lu Xiaobodhisattva. I will not stay long in Wanjialou, Miss Bian.He said: I will wait for Master Gu to come back, and leave after finishing the work. In North Xuzhou, I have an old friend named Lu, I can entrust you to him, and he will try to settle for you. a shelter. I am willing to wait here for Master Ba, but she hesitated and said: However, when Master Gu is now in power, it is better for you to leave Wanjialou first, and then make Xu Tu What Miss Bian said was true, and the old carpenter echoed: Ba Ye, you should let Miss Bian take care of you, and avoid it before Lord Gu returns, as long as you hold the evidence in your hands, one day he will accuse him of. I thought, Guan Baye pondered and said: That's not necessary!When I do things, one is one, the other is two, and I never turn the corner.Maybe, maybe I can't get things done, and I will bother you to give me a thin-skinned coffin. Now I ask you to do me a favor and find two things that are handy for me. My eighth master, do you want to use a knife? !The old carpenter exclaimed in surprise. It's just for self-defense!A steel chisel with the handle removed is also fine, it is more convenient for me to carry it. also good.The old carpenter nodded again and said: It is better to take it with you for self-defense than to have it empty-handed. I will find it for you right now. He went to the workshop, found two brand-new small chisels with their handles removed, the chisels were only about four inches long, and handed them to Guan Baye, who weighed them in his palm and used them again. Thumb tried the edge of the chisel, nodded with a smile and said: Good!good!This thing can at least be used as a dart. No matter what the old carpenter and little wonton think, Guan Baye's decision still has the magic power of a nightmare. His calm and indifferent appearance makes people feel that all his decisions are deliberate and thoughtful, and there is no rash and impulsive element Inside, it seems that no setbacks can trap him, and from him, there is a concentrated strength beyond ordinary people. Master, master! Little Button yelled all the way in the front yard again: The town gun team really came back!Gu Ye also came back to Wanjialou! Master Gu is back?The old carpenter repeated, and turned to look at Guan Baye, showing fear and hesitation. Then, I thought, I should go!Guan Baye stood up and brushed off his sleeves habitually. Eighth Master Little Wonton was hesitant to speak but held on tightly to one of Guan Eighth Master's sleeves, exhorting, "Be careful, Eighth Master."她彷彿不是在叮嚀著一位她所敬重的豪士，而是在關切著一位她所熱愛的親人，無限的關切，無盡的淒楚，都化為這一聲保重，從她唇間迸出來，擊打著關八爺負創的心懷。 他朝外摸索著，小餛飩與其說扶掖著他，不如說緊緊的依傍著，隔著略嫌單薄的秋衫，他能隱約感觸到她偎在他脅間的肩膀的抖索和溫涼，關東山不是個魯男子，也並非不解溫情，祗是多年來飄泊著，闖蕩江湖，從沒為自己打算過，風暴沒停，干戈不息，他不願作一隻縮在柔情網裏的蜘蛛，以萬菡英那樣柔情俠性的姑娘，那樣一片掛念的情絲，他都從其中遁脫了，雖然明知這樣會害了菡英姑娘，也苦惱了自己，但風暴催逼著他的腳步，不能有片刻的停留。 愛姑是他生命裏的另一個女人，無論她對他懷著多少愛意，他始終對她懷著一個叔輩能有的關愛，無私情無欲念，但卻帶有報恩受託的心情；可嘆的是命運弄人，他覓著她時，為時已晚了，她歷盡人世的滄桑，並已深墜入悲劇的陷阱，成為萬梁鋪披著黑紗的未亡人，他不但無法彌縫她心靈的破洞，不但無法照看她的生活，反使她平白蒙受牽累，慘遭火焚 而小餛飩不同，她被逼在風月場中打滾，委屈含恨的跟著殺害她兄長的仇人，從她後來有勇氣凌遲毛六，就能看得出她內心深處始終執持著的俠性，她能不避艱危，隻身奔來萬家樓報信，更顯出她可貴的真情她是從滄桑歲月裏找到自己的人，她纖柔中獨現著堅毅和女性特有的韌性的剛強！這之前，他從沒被兒女之情深深觸動過，如今，他才初初領略這種柔情。 他緩緩的踏下後堂的門階，走在曠涼的院子裏，滿天柔柔亮亮的秋星結成一面亙古不變的大網，穿過薄雲的月亮迎著另一片薄雲，滑動著，映出偎倚前行的一雙人影，但他卻看不見這些情景，他的世界是一片無光的漆黑，漆黑中仍然騰湧著這世上邪惡四方逼近的，惡意的喧嘩，太多的失落，太多的追懷，太多的痛憤，太多的沉愴，使得他再度收斂了自己，他幾乎對於自己的未來，不敢懷有一絲夢想 八爺，我知道您的脾性，我不勸您逃避那將要來的事情，保全您事小，累您難做人事大，小餛飩低聲的說：不是麼？Baye? 你算是知道我了！關八爺說，有一分為人諒解的欣慰的感嘆。 但則辦完這事之後呢？ 生死難料，關八爺噓口氣說：我不能自知，卞姑娘，連我自己也不知道為什麼總覺得過了今天，就保不了明天？ !在江湖上是這樣，如今還是這樣我實在疲乏了！好像這世上祗多我關東山！ 要是您還活著呢？Baye? 哦關八爺默然語塞了。 這一問問醒了他，這是他從來沒有深想過的，是的！自己這一次在萬家樓辦完了事，了斷了多年牽結，日夕思想著的新舊冤仇，一身無寄，正該是入土為安的時候。 死，是一扇安靜的黑門，多少豪雄，多少奸佞，多少無名無姓的無辜百姓，在一場場亂離的風中，紛紛走進去了，自己怎能例外呢？至少，在黑門的那一邊，有著自己那一干誓同生死的好兄弟，有著自己崇愛著的，像戴老爺子師徒，像珍爺兄妹，以及一幫扼守鹽市的無名勇士們，死，對於自己來說，並不可懼，並不孤單！卞姑娘問得對，假如還活著呢？ ! 假如還活著呢？ 假如還活著呢？ 這低低的一聲問詢，細細的一聲問詢，晨鐘暮鼓似的，從耳際蕩響，一直撞向天邊！一剎時，恍覺天上地下，都波漾起這樣空洞的，巨大的，嗡嗡不息的迴聲！黑裏有一道閃電般的光翼，刷地平空掠起，使人忘記外事，一意返觀自己，自己赤裸裸的半生，那情境，就彷彿自己帶著槍傷，騎著白馬馳赴萬家樓當時，暴雨中所見的閃光景象一樣 陰綠的閃光蛇遊著，慘白的閃光抖動著，赤紅的閃光夾在其中，巨雷在四面八方滾響，關東山不是什麼了不得的漢子，祗是憂患逼壓中生長的一個生靈、揹著長鞭一般的索繩初闖道兒，心頭就劃出一道道滴血的傷痕吞飲那些血淚交織的故事長大，教育自己的不是書本，卻是遍野餓殍的喊叫，哀鴻的泣聲。 這樣朝前走著，肩頭的背負越加沉重了！然而，用得著你以天下安危為已任，去獨自肩承麼？不能像孫悟空那樣七十二變，祗有在肩背上留下多過七十二道的鞭痕！那段時空，幾乎是人血染成的。 關東山好像祗配做一個亂世人。 如今北伐軍已光復了淮上，當不乏治世的能人，如果自己了斷了這半世的恩仇，離開這座已被自己視為鄉土的集鎮，瞎眼人又該到何處去飄泊？何處去覓地棲身？關八不稀罕去北伐軍中表功領賞，不稀罕在地方上掛采披紅，就算是一隻倦鳥吧，也該有一處小而黯黑的，可供棲止的舊巢，而關東山你連一處那樣的窩巢也沒有！ 假如還活著呢？ 假如還活著呢？ 這嗡嗡不息，天和地應的鐘聲，你早就該想到的，即使你願意去敲打死亡的黑門，以求安息，或許那扇不開，連死亡也對你無份，你又該怎樣呢？ ! 這樣走著，通道彷彿變得很長很長，黑裏再沒有別的，祗有卞姑娘這麼一個人，微微顫索而溫涼的肩膀，她不再說什麼，卻為他留下一片適於深思的靜寂。 八爺，跟隨著他的老木匠過了半晌，才悶聲的說：卞姑娘她的心意，連我都懂得，您其實也該有個照應的人，您日後離開萬家樓，最好能帶她一道兒走世上最難得的就是真情份您甭見怪，也許我把話說左了！ 日後的話，還是留到日後再說吧！關八爺無可奈何的苦笑說：卞姑娘對我一片關切的情意，我全知道，可是今夜讓我說些什麼，卻不是說話的時辰！也許，也許明天我關東山，就會橫屍萬家樓容我把話留到明天以後吧。 他說著，柔柔的拍了拍小餛飩的肩膀，就孤伶伶的朝前走去了；他那宏大的背影，很快就被夜色吞噬了。 祗有蕭索的秋的夜風，抖動小餛飩的衣袂。 祗有秋夜的星月，落進她仰天的淚眼 率領著萬家樓，柴家堡，三星寨，七星灘各處槍隊歸來的小牯爺，到處被人群圍湧著，使他渾然有衣錦榮歸之感，在縣城裏，他很容易就領得了民軍的新番號，坐享其成的弄了個司令的銜號。 這銜號對他來說，超過論車裝，論斗量的金銀財寶，有了這個銜頭，他可以大明大白的和彭老漢分庭抗禮，甚至於可以藉分區安靖地方為由，把大湖澤來的那支民軍再推回大湖澤去，使西北角一帶地方，以萬家樓馬首是瞻；有了這個銜頭，他就不怕有人掀他的尾巴根兒，告發他一度私自勾結軍閥！甚至連當初那一串惡事，他可一筆勾銷，除去一個人，那人活著仍然使他苦惱。那人就是關八。 不錯，鹽布這一戰，使那些可能成為關八羽翼的人全都戰死了，祗落下關八一個人！可是彭老漢在北伐軍軍方極力推崇關八爺，列舉北伐軍光復淮上之前，論策動抗暴，奮勇抗敵，關東山應居首功。 事實既不容否認，萬家樓就無法長期鎖住這一條困頓的蛟龍，關八祗要入縣城，不用說，他不但是北伐軍的上賓，更是江淮地帶萬人仰望的豪雄，到那時，他祗消隨意吐出一句話，便會威脅到自己的地位和性命，所以要除掉關八，非得在他沒走出萬家樓之前動手不可！ 若想順利得手，又非得先把對方穩住不可！ 回來第二天，他就安排了一項慶賀淮上光復的盛大宴會，以萬家樓地主的身分，借宗祠的正廳和側廳宴請大湖澤民軍駐鄉的代表，柴家堡、三星寨、七星灘各地鄉團首領，地方紳士，以及萬家各房族的執事，耆齡長者，總計被邀的有兩百多人。 而關八爺正是這項盛大宴會的主客。 小牯爺計算過，關八為人外表剛毅，內心卻極為寬厚柔軟，祗要恭謙對待他，就能暫時把他給穩住，藉著這回在宴會對關八的尊崇和禮遇，正好替日後毒殺他鋪路，以杜人閒言。 宴會前，牯爺特地親自到廢園去拜望關八爺，奉上從縣城帶回的珍貴禮物銀貂的皮筒子一件，前朝古物，雙耳碎瓷瓶一對，蛇皮手杖一支，德造騎馬人十五鑽懷錶一隻，並且殷殷問候八爺的起居。 這對牯爺來說，祗是觀察對方的顏色。 使他放心的是：關八的心幾乎跟他的眼一般的瞎了，聽他的言談，彷彿對外事一無所知，說話繁複，瑣碎，一如土生土長的鄉翁。 兩人站立廢園一角的通道上，關八爺背著手，緩緩的來回踱步，而牯爺半斜著身體，一隻腳登在一塊薑黃的臥石上，手捏著下巴瞧著對方。 秋天清晨的微風，在他們之間流蕩著。 這一向局勢不寧，我也是裏外奔忙，實在慢待了八爺。牯爺說：如今，大局粗定，我一時也不會離開萬家樓，在照應上，也許會方便些的。您有什麼不便處，八爺，您儘管吩咐就是了！ 關八一直是個飄流命，牯爺，我失眼後，能有這麼座園子安身，業已夠好的了。 那座倉屋太古舊了些。牯爺說：容我著人來修葺修葺，馬廄設在園裏，氣味不好，改天我要人把它移出去，草圃，園樹，也都好好兒的整頓整頓，務使八爺您住得安心 關八爺表面上不動聲色，心裏卻暗笑一笑：你想移開馬棚？連一塊玉那匹白馬也替我移走？ !不過他立即謝著推辭說：用不著您這樣為我費心的，牯爺。這座園子，就是這樣就好！馬棚移走了，反而會覺得冷清，屋子修葺了，住著也許就不習慣了。 隨八爺您的意思吧，小牯爺轉口說：但望這荒僻地方，能留得住八爺。 接著，他零星的提起一些縣城裏的事情，再邀請關八爺赴今天舉行的晚宴。 彭司令他在縣城裏，對北伐軍軍方推崇八爺，也許日後北伐軍的將軍們會來拜訪您，再說，北地各處，無人不敬仰著您，所以適才我說：祗怕日後這荒僻的地方留不住八爺了！ 嗨，你弄岔了，牯爺。關八爺感慨的說：這世上，有些人太看重名利，爭權勢，爭產業，爭銜爵，有的引狼入室，有的兄弟鬩牆，我關八旁的不敢自誇，在這點上，卻一向極為淡泊，什麼功臣樓畫影，凌煙閣標名，即使有，我也沒拿正眼看過那些，如今淮上光復了！我這瞎了眼的人可有可無，世人忘了我也罷。 牯爺轉一轉眼珠，笑著，微吊起半邊嘴角，有一句話蘊在心裏沒吐出口你等著吧，關八，我會讓你在世人心裏被淡忘的。 至少，今兒這個宴會您得賞臉，頓了一忽兒，牯爺說：這是兄弟遵照眾議，特意為您設的席，這一角上赴席的人，都是仰慕您的人。柴家堡、三星寨那邊的請帖，兄弟業已著人騎馬去發了。 關八爺倒是非常爽快，滿口的答應了。有一句話蘊在他心裏，同樣沒吐出口好吧，這機會算是你送來的，我要當眾跟你把一本老賬從頭算清。 牯爺一點兒也沒料到這些，他總以為關八爺即使對自己所做所為微有所聞，一來他單身獨處萬家樓，二來他手上握不住任何證據，就有不滿之處，也必難當眾揭發；事實上，關八可能並不知道什麼，他觀顏察色的結果，使他具有這樣的自信。 他帶著這樣的自信辭了關八爺，離開那座廢園子，幾乎立即就沉進他自己造成的洋洋喜氣中去了。 牯爺這種人，就有這樣一種空無的、妄自尊大的自炫，他並不明白這些年來，遠在南方的革命軍曾標示過一些什麼，又做了一些什麼，不明白青天白日的旗號和他們所稱的主義的內涵，北洋既倒了，總得有個新的官府，在他眼裏，北伐軍就是這麼一種新的官府，他從官府裏領了番號，當然就是個官。 我算是替萬家後世開個例兒了！He said. 萬家的族人多半也夠懵懂的，正因為他們懵懂，牯爺在他們眼裏才高大起來，威嚴起來；他高大威嚴，不光是由於他那身耀眼的新的裝束，簇新黑色大英嗶嘰呢的民軍官服，閃光的銅扣，高筒紋皮帶純銀距輪的馬靴，白藤馬鞭和藍緞的披風而是由於他真的打破了若干年來萬姓族人不入仕的傳統，同時民軍司令這銜頭，在荒野鄉愚的心眼兒裏，是個了不得的、威嚴赫赫的高官。 牯爺說的沒錯，他確是替萬家後世開了個例兒，至少，擺在眼前的是柴家堡，三星寨，七星灘這一干大族大戶的槍隊組成的鄉團，名義上都成了他的治下。空無的，盲目的自炫，是很容易在懵懂人群中肆行傳染的，其中雖然有些人不滿牯爺的為人，也都因驚怔於他那新的使人眩迷的權勢，暗暗的低頭，俯認這回牯爺回鎮，實在是萬家樓闔族的光榮，不但使古老沉黯的一族宗祠生輝熠耀，更可說是光耀了族裏的先人。 甚至於族裏比較明智的幾個房份的執事，明明從眾多跡象上，隱約懷疑到保爺業爺的死，萬小喜兒，萬樹的死，關八爺的失眼，萬振全兄弟的遁逃，似乎都和牯爺有關，萬梁鋪那把火也起得夠蹊蹺，但由於了無證據，而且連關八爺也沒見反應，也就僅止於暗中猜疑，沒人敢明白的鬆口放話，把心頭的疑慮澄清，一個個都抱著等待的心理，等著日後再說。 在這種情形下。牯爺宴客，也就是萬家樓閤族宴客，牯爺開祠堂門祭告祖先，閤族也必得跟著祭告祖先！ 這些，都是拿當著喜事辦的至少在表面上，萬家樓戶戶張燈結采，鞭炮連天，造成一片滿溢的喜氣。 祠堂的大鐘，清早就已敲響了，祠堂裏外，經過連夜的打掃粉飾，弄得煥然一新，從高樓的二十四層石級起，經過樓前方場，一直到影壁長牆兩端的街口，打掃得光亮敞潔，捏不出一莖草刺。 去四鄉散請帖的鄉勇，騎著汗蒸蒸的馬匹，一早就出了柵門；宗祠的正門，大殿的一條長簷下面，都懸起五色的大號燈籠，白晝雖沒燃亮，光看秋風拂動的燈籠的角穗兒，就能覺得出宴會的氣派了。 二十四桌席，並不算多。牯爺說：不過，多少年來，這還是頭一遭大宴外客，所請的，又都是些地方上有頭有臉的人物，咱們可不能馬虎。 談到宴會時的餘興，有人就提起萬家樓的拿手好戲賽亮轎來。不過，牯爺一想到當初賽亮轎時那種亂勁，關八攔腰殺出的往事，便搖頭表示拒絕了。 那玩意兒練起來太麻煩，老班底兒又不全，新手又配不上，弄得草草率率，反而會出笑話，他說：為了湊熱鬧，多找幾班吹鼓手，宗祠兩側搭起布棚來，輪換著吹打就行了要是鎮上找得到唱的，一併替我找幾個來，宴後聽聽也好。中晌時祭祖，這些都不用，祗要挑一班細樂。 像小牯爺這種井底之蛙，是很容易躊躇滿志的，費盡心機，到如今四十里作主稱王已經是足慰生平了！祭告祖先原是他一手安排的儀式，但當他得意洋洋的踏上宗祠石級時，他仰望著這座先人營建的高樓和所懸的匾額，忽然覺得內心隱微之處，有著負疚於神明的灼痛，反呈出一塊塊自察的霉斑。 不錯，這階石盡處的平臺，正是當初保爺橫屍的地方；這殿廊兩邊，也曾停放過萬梁等一排排黑漆的棺材，這些族人的鮮血曾染紅過宗祠裏外，而自己，正是殺人奪命的真兇他不願相信祖宗有靈的傳說，不願相信世間真會有什麼樣的循環果報，但他卻無法忘卻由自己造成的血淋淋的往事，那一幕一幕的慘景，從一剎無由的強烈凜懼中升起，使他兩腿沉滯，脊骨有些發冷，更有一種心驚肉跳的感覺。 心一虛，神一亂，一切的感覺就都有些異樣了，也不知怎麼的，總覺今天的陽光有些帶綠陰森的、鬼氣的慘綠，穿堂的過道也過份沉黯，冷颼颼的走著幽風，上香時，鼎狀香爐裏的煙篆繞著人頭頸盤迴打轉，細樂也不像是細樂，那些音色原極柔美的笙、簫、管、笛，都變成了含冤帶屈的厲鬼的哭聲 在這種疑神疑鬼的心情下，他有些騰雲駕霧般的暈眩，但仍亟力裝出鎮定的樣子，機械的奉香，獻果，上花，獻爵，機械的祝禱著，談說著，叩拜著，周旋在眾多的長袍馬褂之間。更有一種異樣的感覺是前所未有的，他覺著談著說著，行著動著的人不是自己，祗是一付行屍，而真正的自己恰像一隻被垂在蜘蛛上的飛蛾，瑟縮於宗祠一隅的黑角上。 真的會有鬼麼？他這樣凜懼的自問著。 他仍然不相信這些，自幼他就是個野性的人，不願意受囿於傳說造成的恐怖的藩籬，他的身體是健碩的，不耽於酒色，有著充沛的元氣，多少年來，從沒產生過像今天這樣恍惚迷離，疑幻疑真的感覺。 Pooh!不過他搖搖頭，咬咬牙，又否認了他所疑懼的：全是這些日子應酬太多，太疲累了！世上哪來這多的鬼？ !何況又出著太陽 說也奇，正當他自寬自慰的抬眼去望太陽時，太陽突然的隱沒了，滿天的霾雲朝天頂彙集，使一上午晴朗的天色變得陰黯起來，頗有起霾的味道。 他明知按照季節推算，時序已近深秋，四十里蘆葦蕩子上，又到了風季，常會飛砂落霾，但也正因為心裏疑惑作怪，總覺不太順當，不太舒坦，尤其令人憎惡的是，老六合幫的鹽車陣，從早年起始，就愛在這種天色裏淌進萬家樓，眯人雙眼的大風砂滔滔滾滾的撲打過街道，六合車（即雞公車）的輪軸吱唷，吱唷的銳響著，劈破風砂滾過來，當時就有一種厭惡之感，總覺那群跟長房相契的野漢子，會在日後自己謀主族事時出來拖腿！ 事實也正如此，去年冬頭上平空殺出關八，險些破壞了自己的設計，險些救了保爺！他的新六合幫來時，可不正是霾天？ ! 霾天宴客，不怎麼妥當吧？ 牯爺祭祠完畢，步下石階時，覺有一股不幸不吉的預感，細細黏黏的，像蛛絲般的纏繞著他，使他真的想改變主意，把已經準備妥當的宴會改期了。 帖子都發到了吧？他恍惚了一忽兒，停下身來向左右說。 啊，早發到了，左右有人回話說：柴家堡的客人，業已備牲口動身來了啦。 oh 他萎頓的隨口哦了一聲，心想，請帖既已發到了，而且部份客人業已動身前來萬家樓，如果拿不出適當的道理，就這麼沒頭沒腦的決定把宴會改期，非但不妥當，簡直就是個笑話了。既不改期，那就得格外小心提防著，到底看看有鬼沒鬼？若是有鬼，也要看看它能慫弄著赴席的人，做出什麼樣怪異的事情來？ ! 回到宅子之後，他洗了一把臉，著著實實的睡了個午覺，為了培養精神，驅走那份怪異的恍惚疑懼的感覺，同時在睡前，摘出他壓在枕下的那柄小號，自來德手槍用蘸油的絲絨布細心擦拭一陣，填滿子彈，閉了保險，才安心的入夢。 一覺醒來時，已近黃昏時分了，最先他聽見一陣陣激盪如濤的風吼，震得窗上的玻璃格格有聲，彷彿是一個面臨死亡的駭懼者，擊打著抖索的牙齒一樣。他揉了揉睡眼，睜開眼來一看，窗外的天色濃黑得可以，一屋子的怪異的陰森。 天又起霾了！他自言自語的說。 登上長靴起來，招呼外間的跟差說：時辰不早了，各地赴席的客人，陸續來了吧？ 柴家堡，三星寨的都到了，車馬停在宗祠前，客人也都在那邊。跟差說：見您睡得沉酣，沒敢叫您您早該去了。 你先趕過去，告訴各房族的執事，招呼著遠客，牯爺說：我到老宅去接八爺，一會兒就去。 跟差走後，牯爺對著鏡子，把自己整頓一番，沒忘記把他那支用來得心應手的小號自來得塞進右邊的衣袋，一種不吉的直感，使他特意預備了這支防身的槍支。 雖然這一天下午突然變了天色，風勢陣陣轉緊，使萬家樓遇上今年第一度霾天，但在正街各處，宗祠入口，並沒因為風緊天昏就減少了那份熱鬧。 沿著保爺家宅前影壁長牆那一綹兒背風的地方，臨時張起四五處布棚，每處棚下設有桌凳，有四五班吹鼓班子，鼓著兩腮，突著乾裂的厚唇，紫漲著一張張黏滿塵灰的臉，費力的輪番吹奏的，熱鬧的，雜亂而又帶著原始喜樂的鄉俚的曲子，赴席的客人騎著牲口，搖著手杖，眯眼穿過沙風經過方場到祠堂裏去。 柴家堡來的，那個留八字黑鬍兒的族主是個煙癮很大的人，他慣吸水煙，他在前頭走著，專門有個跟差的跟著他，肩上軋著盛水煙袋的布囊兒，裏頭裝著六七隻形式不同，擦拭得晶亮的水煙袋兒；長柄的，彎嘴兒的，大號的，小號的，帶絨球的，繫銀鍊兒的，一大把搓妥的火紙煝兒，總有胳膊粗，叫風頭掃得亂抖。三星寨的族主是個跛老頭兒，這老頭兒是以急公好義，直來直往出名的，他老遠就下了牲口，由跟班拽著牲口跟著他走，他扶著一支紫色閃光的檀木拐杖，杖頭落地的聲音，比他的腳步更響，篤呀篤的，一路響上了石階。 八爺不知來了沒有？他用宏大微啞的嗓子，幾乎是喊叫著說：我這老頭子，一生就佩服過他這麼一個漢子！我拐著腿走路算什麼？能見著