貴賤無序,何以為國。——《左傳·昭公二十九年》45Please respect copyright.PENANAONv0BziZRU
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“不是,爹,武功是.......”45Please respect copyright.PENANAjEL3KA8bcn
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“你別整些沒用的,我就問你,你到底準不準備成家立業。你表哥就比你大三個月,人家現在已經做了伍長,說不定來年就升裡正,你看你呢?爹也不要求你怎麽有出息,就是有一技之長,能安身立命就行。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA9OA5y8zkmW
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“所以我才要去學啊。什麽伍長、裡正,你讓我做我都不想做!”莊周也動了氣。45Please respect copyright.PENANA4BveaFgdfb
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“伍長都不想做你想上天啊!”莊老三拍案而起。45Please respect copyright.PENANAhau5VIHIce
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“行了行了,喝了點酒就知道訓兒子,有能耐你也去和裡典拜把子,那你兒子也是伍長了!自己不行還說兒子。”莊母埋怨道。45Please respect copyright.PENANAKp5nZ7M4Zd
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好好的一頓團圓飯吃得不歡而散,晚上莊老三推醒妻子:“櫃子裡不是還有八十多錢嗎,你給兒子拿五十錢。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA7N0DPntqHQ
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“後悔了?你不是不同意他去嗎?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAofyuqnZlHH
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“後悔個屁,我是不同意,但臭小子要去楚國,沒錢怎麽行,趕緊給他。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAtPp5JPIN2F
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莊母噗嗤一笑:“我早就給了。老東西還嘴硬!”45Please respect copyright.PENANA8zLyzK7MRg
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莊周臨別時莊老三沒有出門送他,母親一直送到村口,他塞給母親二百錢,母親執意不要,說“出門在外用錢的地方多”,爭來爭去,最後收了一百錢,她知道,回去肯定會被莊老三埋怨,果然,莊家小屋中傳出莊老三的聲音:“糊塗!怎麽能要孩子的錢呢!”45Please respect copyright.PENANAdU3e7lXBjl
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還好有劉太公送的馬,莊周行了十幾日已至楚國境內。隻見楚國無論風景、事物、語言、風俗都與北土迥異,不禁大感新奇。如果不是著急向雲夢澤疾行,真想好好體驗一下南楚風光。45Please respect copyright.PENANAWiyKqKmgXv
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雲夢澤在楚國國都郢城的西麵,地跨長江,範圍廣大,方圓九百裡,湖泊如星羅,山川似棋布。分為“雲澤”和“夢澤”兩個區域。45Please respect copyright.PENANAThTJT9NrVf
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雲澤在江北,夢澤在江南,百年前是湖水充盈的大湖泊,後來漸為乾涸,變成兩塊巨大的濕地。夢澤稍好,草木叢生,而雲澤變為了一望無際的沼澤地。夢澤中有一大山脈名盤紆山,天之庠序即建在此山之中。45Please respect copyright.PENANAafIskeZ3j2
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越近夢澤,人煙就越發稀少。一是夢澤地處荒僻,並無大城鎮。二是自楚簡王起,為表示尊崇,將王族獵苑與農神祀所遷出夢澤;至楚聲王時更擲下嚴令,禁止國人進入夢澤漁樵田獵,後將此禁令範圍縮小至盤紆山,但限製仍多,商賈行旅,農織百工,自不停駐。45Please respect copyright.PENANARG3rnILJos
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這一日,莊周行至進入夢澤的最後一城——楛邑。這本是一小縣,卻和之前行經之地的冷清形成鮮明對比,大街兩旁到處都是攤檔,極其熱鬧,叫賣聲不絕於耳。45Please respect copyright.PENANA7mDawrdxq5
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“來看看劍,天之庠序有劍術課,需要自備符合規格的寶劍。我家的劍長是最合標準的。”45Please respect copyright.PENANASwTC7LUZhL
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“公子,這有墨家的‘通關寶典’,保你這一科獨佔鼇頭!誒,別走啊,這還有‘儒家心法百問’呢!”45Please respect copyright.PENANA1wt59roCNq
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“一貫錢一包‘火齊散’了啊,陰陽家必備。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAPJ9qnvipGx
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莊周左瞧右看,大感新鮮。這時隻聽有人喊道:“這位公子,這位公子?”莊周見一人站在巷子口招呼自己,左顧右盼,像是生怕被人看到一樣。45Please respect copyright.PENANAxYQVG5MugN
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“你是叫我?”莊周好奇問道。45Please respect copyright.PENANAPgpaB7Mhjh
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“你過來,來呀,我和你說句話。”那人神神秘秘地說。45Please respect copyright.PENANAjqgGHgsmx7
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莊周下馬而來。那人把莊周拉到一旁,低聲道:“想不想去天之庠序上學?”45Please respect copyright.PENANATVTD6phS3D
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“什麽意思?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAxcCYDMvkpq
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“你就說想不想,你想要是想,我能辦!”45Please respect copyright.PENANA62SOaCIZOf
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莊周詫異道:“怎麽辦?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAGirXYSvydq
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那人從包袱中掏出一個白色玉板,45Please respect copyright.PENANAktc6JGEoPc
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竟是天之庠序的入學牙璋!和莊周身上那塊除了顏色不同外一模一樣,他晃了兩下,隨即又放回包中。“三百金。拿著這個,直接入學。” 莊周轉身欲走,那人急忙拉住莊周,“兩百五十金,不能再少了。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAbug9fTJLb3
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莊周搖頭苦笑:“真不用了。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAlveBszD00x
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“那還可以幫助提高期中大考的排名,這可關係進修期選專業。”見莊周無動於衷,又續道:“年末大試也可以安排啊。終身大事,花個幾百金值啊。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAwO7yJid7no
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“別信他。”一錦衣青袍的少年勒馬道。旁邊馬背上還有著一個黑綢勁裝的青年。45Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2qRWE8bEu
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商販一見兩人嘻嘻一笑,“小人還有事,幾位公子慢聊。”說罷一溜煙似地跑了。錦衣少年叫道:“再讓我看到你,小心狗命!”45Please respect copyright.PENANAIuKAkDfCzT
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黑綢青年向莊周道:“那人是不是說他是孟子的外甥,能辦期中大考的成績?都是騙人的。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA91D0EpzRAa
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“是,我一表兄以前花三百金買了他的牙璋,結果入學時一眼就被發現是假冒的,連大門都沒進去,丟死人了。”錦衣少年道。45Please respect copyright.PENANA8faCM3X5Hl
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“這什麽人啊?”莊周感到好笑。45Please respect copyright.PENANA9A82QWZKGK
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“騙子,大騙子,這兒這種人很多的,你一看就初來乍到,很容易被騙。”錦衣少年提醒道。45Please respect copyright.PENANA2fvMrwHpmO
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“還請二位指點。”莊周拱了拱手。45Please respect copyright.PENANAAjFHqCrDTS
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黑綢青年看了看錦衣少年,似有詢問之意,少年略一點頭,徑道:“好說,你上馬,邊走邊談。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAOuc3dBxL0G
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莊周略覺奇怪,這青年明顯比這少年大了幾歲,怎麽反倒聽少年的主張。出巷發現,這兩人身後竟跟了十幾人,提著大包小包,捧著長盒短匣,都做仆人裝束。45Please respect copyright.PENANA6wgocQJYXN
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“你知道這兒是什麽地方嗎?”錦衣少年問道。45Please respect copyright.PENANA7udDcSXt1Z
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“楛邑啊。”莊周說。45Please respect copyright.PENANAyShr6ZLKfN
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“不不,我說的是這條街市。它有個名號,叫‘學市’,所謂靠山吃山,靠水吃水,它靠天之庠序這麽近,當然要吃它了。每至學校開學之際,四方商賈便匯集此處,做學子們的生意。到後來,這兒竟變成了一個大的交易市場,跟道術沾點邊的,都在這兒出售。故而除學子外,也有不少人千裡迢迢而來,但上當的居多。魚目混珠,不可不辨。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAm1jML7fvdb
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莊周聽得來勁,見這錦衣少年侃侃而談,頗有得意之色。知他性博覽而喜言,接著問道:“還想請教如何分辨呢。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAgO27D6VLES
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“分辨之法,不一而足。眼力不夠的,不要逛攤檔,要去有門麵的店鋪。”他揮鞭一指,“這條街上很多價格都是虛報,遇到不懂的就吃定,遇到行家就認慫。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAfSGyRxeI6K
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“可不是,碰到我們姬公子這種行家就隻能認慫。”黑綢青年青年打趣道。45Please respect copyright.PENANA2QKT3RTOiD
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少年笑了笑,“我可算不上行家,但你看,東西我們也買了不少,總之沒吃大虧。你這是還沒買禮物呢吧。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA9jj5Tf39o0
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“買禮物做什麽?”莊周問道。45Please respect copyright.PENANAGpu7tfCTJA
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“贄敬啊。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA13etpa0skR
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“什麽是贄敬?”莊周不好意思地問。45Please respect copyright.PENANALrPBRtsJqL
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兩人驚奇看了一眼莊周,少年道:“你不是本屆天之庠序的入學弟子?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAe4vO9qHKhq
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“我是啊。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAYG6OFBfjEO
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“拜見之貲,名曰贄敬。山上老師那麽多,總不能什麽贄禮都不準備吧。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAdnzptnCSvx
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莊周有些窘迫,他可從來沒想過這個問題。就是現在知道了,但囊中羞澀,也買不起了什麽像樣的禮品。眼看後麵一眾仆人手提肩扛大包小件那麽多,反觀自己,兩手空空,不覺微感慚愧。45Please respect copyright.PENANAyXAJyiBITm
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“走,我帶你去‘備物軒’,那兒的東西好。”少年熱氣地說。45Please respect copyright.PENANA8zEADWg0mD
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“感謝厚意,我......還是不買了。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAwjJUbQnmrM
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兩人先前見小販向莊周推銷,猜測他是天之庠序的學生。既入得天之庠序,那必是名門之後。又見他裝束普通,便以為是墨家弟子,恪守勤儉之風。待見莊周不明贄禮之義,又顯是囊中羞澀,不禁起疑。45Please respect copyright.PENANAOtWxXQD1SC
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青年問道:“閣下是墨家高足嗎?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAFwujpOkLGF
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“不是。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAawAnGhwFA4
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“那令尊是?”45Please respect copyright.PENANASe9xFm0AYa
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“我爹是木匠。”莊周見此二人拐彎抹角詢問自己出身,頗覺沒趣,心想不如快刀斬亂麻,如果兩人是勢利之徒,趁早分道揚鑣。45Please respect copyright.PENANAjsS7zaIetp
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果然此言一出兩人大為吃驚,連木匠之子也能入得天之庠序了?!少年歎了一句:“真是江河日下啊。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA32afhsXeCW
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“這是什麽意思?”莊周問道。45Please respect copyright.PENANA8l3VX7x9eL
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少年抬起頭,攬轡徐行,充耳不聞,竟似不願再和莊周講話。45Please respect copyright.PENANAjGBoGoXYXn
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青年道:“知道什麽樣的人物才能進天之庠序嗎?知道這位公子是誰嗎?這可是蔡國太子殿下,還不見禮!”45Please respect copyright.PENANAHHlaOPvtZV
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這少年便是蔡國太子姬珅。蔡國曾兩次被滅國,國貧力弱,為楚國附庸,公族中已連續五屆沒有入學名額了。蔡侯多方奔走,年年向學校貢禮,經營數載,這才獲得薦子入學的機會。頗有重振家聲之感。45Please respect copyright.PENANAlbfumJHoyQ
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姬珅笑道:“都是同窗了,我不講究的。要是見禮可以給董兄見禮。晉陽董氏,那是汾水邊上有名的武林世家,乃晉國董太史之後。他家的‘九門重手’更是世間絕技。董兄什麽時候教我開開眼界。”45Please respect copyright.PENANADReb5hRvlx
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“我這點功夫怎麽敢在公子麵前獻醜?”董成嘴上雖這麽說,但為蔡太子當眾稱讚,心下頗喜。蔡國雖然沒落,但畢竟是有土封國,自從和他碰麵,總覺得矮人一截。兩人彼此互相吹捧調笑,竟全沒將莊周放在眼裡。45Please respect copyright.PENANAh0HBU6woYQ
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莊周天性淡然,隻管趕路,不予理會。抬首看見前麵道口上停著幾十匹駿馬,幾輛貨車,一輛錦幛大馬車尤其醒目,三十多人垂手佇立。為首一人向前眺望,似乎在等什麽人。45Please respect copyright.PENANABfUCw25jgS
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“好氣派,這是楚宮的人吧。”董成看那馬車文錯考究,馬頭黃金當盧,白壁遊環,絕非尋常貴族之物;又見一眾人衣著考究,皆配長劍,虎背熊腰,相雜肅立,卻不交一言,誰知他們這樣站了多久?顯是訓練有素的侍衛。此為楚國境內,除了楚國王族又有誰有這樣的氣派?45Please respect copyright.PENANAE0ec1EjYjd
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姬珅也和董成一般想法,暗讚董成一介布衣,也算見過世麵,竟識得此車的金貴。董氏雖是世家,但在姬珅心中不過以武夫目之,並不放在眼裡。他想起自己父親常去楚國朝貢,這次能獲得入學資格也有楚王之力,聽說楚太子也是這屆入學,心中暗喜:“可能是來接我的。”楚國如此尊重蔡國,下次進貢可要加重其禮。想及此處便放慢馬蹄,整理妝容,以示對楚使的尊重。45Please respect copyright.PENANA9gc8TVSJop
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這一細微動作被董成看到,馬上道:“瞧我這腦子,竟忘了‘蔡楚之誼,友於兄弟’,這應該是來接公子的。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAEeb5wzO8A7
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姬珅搖了搖手,竟不知可否。莊周心道:“蔡依楚存,天下皆知,還說什麽“友於兄弟”,自是為了臉上好看,這董成真會說話。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA6rwSqZcqhX
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董成驅馬上前,向眾人作揖道:“蔡國太子到,問候各位勞苦。”儼然一個太子家宅中負責傳信通告的舍人。45Please respect copyright.PENANA1bBriPihyh
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為首的白衣秀士略一點頭,並不答話。45Please respect copyright.PENANAYRjO8nH8ob
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董成頗為尷尬。姬珅想畢竟上國使者,架子大,需自己親自交涉。朗聲道:“晚生姬珅,見過各位,有禮了。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAZUZYeR6vin
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為首的一拱手,竟似全然沒將姬珅放在心上。姬珅心想:這楚使不會不知我姓名吧。便問道:“敢問閣下在等待何人?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAxWP8ya9VXy
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白衣秀士不答,眼睛卻隻看向姬珅身後。姬珅大怒,暗道這人如此傲慢,等見到楚太子,非要添油加醋地告上一狀不可。45Please respect copyright.PENANAr3pvenkpFz
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莊周見此情景頗為好笑,不想再耽誤時間,向董成、姬珅道:“兩位慢聊,我先走了。”豈料那傲慢的白衣秀士竟然主動走上前來,躬身問道:“敢問尊駕貴名是莊周嗎?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAfAgK0ERhVj
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“你怎麽知道?”莊周一臉驚奇。45Please respect copyright.PENANA6lNnLZfu0X
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姬珅、董成大驚,異口同聲:“你是莊周?!敵大鵬的莊周?”兩人早就聽說一個叫莊周的人擋住了大鵬罡氣,是這屆天之庠序的學生,萬不相信就是眼前這個窮小子。還想可能是重名也未可知。45Please respect copyright.PENANA4Sh5KXSUpx
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莊周還沒來得及反應,白衣秀士急忙單膝跪地行禮,喜道:“小人顏昭,奉主人之命恭候莊公子多時了。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAH0q5nvwohE
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“恭候?我?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAikqAtPcGJS
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“是,一來迎公子入學,二來為公子壓送贄禮。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAR4H04SllpF
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“我沒有贄禮啊。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAwgaDxxSCA4
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“主人已為公子備下了。”顏昭回頭:“拿出來給公子過目。”45Please respect copyright.PENANARs69gv3jD1
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眾人有抬大箱,有捧小盒,站成一列,依次開蓋,傳聲呼報:“白壁一對、玉鬥一雙、瑪瑙耳杯兩對、玉耳金盞一套、蟠螭紋金盉六隻、鳳鳥銜環金熏爐一對、鬆石錯金帶鉤十副.......”45Please respect copyright.PENANAs3BVY5FeT1
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莊周、姬珅、董成一行人聽得呆了。 莊周根本不知這些物什價值幾何,隻是心想哪裡用得了這麽許多!董成雖知禮物貴重,但也有幾樣是見都沒見過的,對自己出言輕薄頗覺後悔。姬珅可是識貨的行家,心知這禮單的份量,單那座“透雕玉座屏”,整個蔡國都找不出一件來。這手筆當真了不得。45Please respect copyright.PENANA7Z4ZRXTRcs
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“這.......我絕不能收。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAdSogHovI5Y
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“請公子一定收下,不然豈不辜負主人一片美意?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAvEHtQvKTjC
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“你家主人是誰?”45Please respect copyright.PENANA2ATfCNJMNm
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“請公子上車。”兩人拉開馬車車簾。“車到學校後,主人自會前來相見。”45Please respect copyright.PENANAMYc4VU99Bc
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“足感盛情,我還是自己走吧。”45Please respect copyright.PENANA8NQ0KG1vjK
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“請不到公子無法向主人交待,請公子成全。”顏昭俯身便拜。同時身後眾人一起下拜,齊聲道:“請公子成全!”45Please respect copyright.PENANAYDp4j1J5sl
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“使不得!快起來!”莊周趕緊下馬,伸手去扶,但顏昭卻像巨石一般紋絲不動。45Please respect copyright.PENANASN6geogOYh
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莊周心想此情難卻,認識的人中能擺出這陣勢的恐怕隻有萬章了。但自己一個無才少年,萬夫子又是老師一輩,無論如何也用不著如此相待啊!無奈之下隻好上車,等到了學校後再向夫子告謝。45Please respect copyright.PENANA47Md9eFeMP
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莊周從沒坐過馬車,見車中寬敞明亮,錦緞鋪就,還有一股淡淡的清香,心下對萬夫子更是感激。45Please respect copyright.PENANAq14YjZs6v7
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眾人紛紛上馬,隨著馬車緩緩而去。姬珅、董成兩人被晾在原地,無人理睬,心中不解:“這什麽世道?一個木匠之子都有這麽大排場了?”45Please respect copyright.PENANAojXeUTK9u4