第一百零九章 复相逢(1 / 2)

剑下苍天 汉斯咖啡 2375 字 2022-06-17

未等二人胸中惊悸消散,贺庭兰便又淡然问道:“不知二位昨日来时,可曾看清府衙影壁之上,所书那两行题字了么?”

少卿心头一懔,只依稀记得在那上面确曾刻有些文字,可惜彼时只顾匆匆而过,却也并未太过留意。

“尔俸尔禄,民膏民脂。下民易虐,上苍难欺。”

贺庭兰口中声音虽不甚高,却是字字如锥,足堪洞穿人心,“凡此一十六字,原是本朝太祖皇帝所留,引以为天下为官者戒。只是此话固然乃是出自一片真心,庭兰却觉仍旧略有些许不妥之处。”

“所谓民者,邦本之所在,当以为贵。彼上苍者,冥冥之臆谈,何足尊高?下民上苍,爱毛反裘,实在倒置本末,诚为可叹事也。”

少卿悚然动容,因受兄长言语所感,往日璇烛一席谆谆教诲遂自然而然脱口而出。

“先生从前也曾言道,天下之昌非在帝胄,非在君子,更同样非在庙堂。而在生民身上一布一麻,万姓口中一饮一啄,黎庶手内一文一厘。”

“不错!不错!”

贺庭兰眼前一亮,频频点头之余,俨然竟颇有些难以自持,“令师真知高论,足见心中怀系苍生。如此殷殷挚诚,实在教人好生钦佩不已!”

“大人爱民如子,这自然是我江夏全城百姓之福,只是……”

兄弟二人正来言去语,不料身边却忽传来蓝天凝茫然之声。待发觉众人皆正看向自己,霎时间又绯红了脸颊,嗫嚅着开了口道:“古往今来,官府向为朝廷威严所系。倘若一味迁就于民,又是否会使别有用心之徒横行无忌,对朝廷法度不再心存敬畏,以至为所欲为,反成日后祸乱之源?”

“似这些话……想必也都是柴先生他们向同姑娘反复说起的吧。”

贺庭兰面露莞尔,却不急于回答,而是转口反问蓝天凝,直教其人愈发惴惴慌乱。

“方才姑娘谈及法度,与所谓别有用心之徒,那也着实好极。庭兰便暂由此引申,姑且为诸位抛砖引玉。”

“律者,所以定分止争也。法度二字,世人皆以为其肇创初衷,必然是为秉公理,正人心。养天下浩然之气,存万世一定之规。令彼宵小者忌惮于此雷霆手段,不敢轻易有所造次。不过蓝姑娘是否曾扪心自问,究竟乃是何样之人,方可称之为虫豸宵小,方可称之为包藏叵测,方可称之为别有用心?”

“这……”

蓝天凝口内讷讷,登时为之哑然。其实不仅单单是她一人而已,旁边顾楚二人听闻此问,心中亦不免茫然若失,仿佛如坠云里雾中。

而见众人尽皆缄默,贺庭兰当下便无保留。一席肺腑发自于心,出乎于口,余音绕梁不啻黄钟大吕,经久犹未稍稍弥散。

“凡人善恶之辩,古来由之久矣,至今而无盖棺定论。既则如此,我辈又何以但凭一几臆测揣度,而将天下其余之人尽皆认作穷凶极恶,急欲诛之以为后快?”

“圣人无恒心,以百姓之心为心。又或言之,并三代以来贤能所立法度者,实则非在震慑,而应当在保全。是为保全天下兆亿生民衣食暖饱,保全百姓黎庶乐业安居。保全其不受流离失所之苦,免遭岌岌可危之祸。便如瀚海之于游鱼,长林之于飞鸟。诸位,不知你们是否曾见过视牛马如仇雠的牧人?而凡此二者之间,却又何尝有过纤丝差异之处?”

“二哥此话极是!”

少卿抚掌而呼,细细回味这番振聋发聩之余,更愈发对眼前这位兄长生出良多心悦诚服。

“大人微言大义,天凝……天凝受教。”

蓝天凝无地自容,慌张张起身抱拳执礼。贺庭兰摆一摆手,温言请她坐下。而后拿起手边粥碗,自行啜饮半下,恍惚只觉入口滚烫,阵阵燎灼喉咙。

“庭兰幼时贫寒,往往如此一粥尚不可得。后来几度险难成人,幸蒙家慈家严戮力维系,始能于今日同诸位对坐洽谈。”

他神色一黯,又喃喃道:“不事农桑,所得却远超寻常百倍。合算休沐之期,旬日之中已可足足占有三四。如此不劳而食已属问心有愧,只是……”

言及至此,贺庭兰口中忽的戛然而止。少卿与蓝天凝兀自不明所以,反倒是楚夕若双瞳湛湛,幽幽吐气如兰。

“沧浪之水清兮,可以濯吾缨。沧浪之水浊兮,可以濯吾足……”

贺庭兰眼中大亮,就连声音也变得略微发颤,“夕若姑娘冰雪聪明,举世可堪无双!庭兰当以此话为勉,但愿胸中一泓沧浪之水,终生犹可澄澈如初。”

“二哥你刚刚这话,依少卿看却是大错而特错啦!”

面对这番突如其来,贺庭兰不觉微微一怔。少卿则面露得色,双眉一轩,将目光往楚夕若脸上悠悠瞥去。

“你刚才说咱们楚小姐冰雪聪明,可她其实从来痴的可以!是了!若要我看,昨日里也多半是她不慎露出了什么马脚,这才教蓝姑娘识破了咱们的藏身之处。”

楚夕若杏眼含嗔,几欲发作,却又不愿在人前失了自衿,一时只得强忍怒火,又在暗中一踢少卿小腿,教他忍不住张嘴大叫一声。

不过经少卿此问,她心中也同样渐生疑惑,旋即收敛愠色,同蓝天凝奇声问道:“蓝姐姐,昨日你又究竟是如何发现我们三人的?”

“我……”

蓝天凝玉容流绯,忍不住往贺庭兰处瞥过一眼,“此事其实无甚奥妙,不过是当初我和柴叔见那公案之上忽然多出一枚手印,这才借此推想,公堂里应是遭人闯了进来。”

“至于为何认定三位便藏身在那帷幕后面……也只因除此之外,四下里便已再无其余可供容人之处。”

如今真相大白,三人终于恍然大悟。遥遥追忆彼时情景,不也正是少卿曾随手在那公案上面轻轻一拂?看来蓝柴二人之后见到之物,便多半是在当时所留下无疑。

少卿老脸一红,未成想竟会弄巧成拙。好在他应变奇疾,当下话锋一转,哈哈大笑道。

“这便叫做塞翁失马,焉知祸福。若非如此,只怕昨日里蓝姑娘的那许多朋友还不知要在城外等到多晚,才能接到我二哥这位新任的知州大人呐。”

“大人!大人!”

楚夕若嘴角一撇,刚想骂他无耻,却忽被外面一阵阵高呼打断。转眼间,昨日那位柴公差便急匆匆踏进门来,口中喘着粗气,对贺庭兰连声禀告道:“城中楚家的家主楚人澈,已前来拜会大人!”

“你说什么?”

楚夕若两肩发晃,只觉眼前一片天旋地转。蓦地站起身来,旋即又跌坐回凳上,两片绛唇兀自縠觫打颤。

少卿大急,忙凑到跟前,将她一只素手攥在掌心,又在其耳边好一阵劝慰安抚。

“少卿,夕若姑娘,你们这是……”

贺不知内情,与旁边蓝天凝对视一眼,一时如坠云里雾中。

<--di--!>
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