客棧位於沙漠邊陲，由一對夫婦和五名兒女經營，客人大多是經由沙漠進出中土的商旅。十歲的蔻兒排行第三，負責為投棧商旅送餐和添置日用品，偶爾會充當嚮導，帶他們到鎮內市集採購物資。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgEnQO2ehf
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oJvMHWnzy
商旅們很喜歡這機靈乖巧的女生，會給她講述家鄉的風土人情、大唐天子的仁政、中土與西域在文化上的異同……頃刻間，整個世界濃縮在蔻兒耳邊。遼闊無垠的，多姿多彩的。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXU6yxeXqT
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3l2Z7MJBLw
「我要去見天子！」蔻兒告訴老爹。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ866AKMyxJ3
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzW3BFEpsd
「為甚麼？」老爹吃驚低頭望向矮小的女兒。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKzubMweLR
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2efB6ssH5
「我想知道他的宅子為何能容納三千個妻子！不會很擠擁嗎？」蔻兒畢竟是個孩子，動機十分單純。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyMfEQPDX2
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5nzv3mT3f
「他的宅子很大、很大，所以能夠容納多人。」老爹假笑一聲，敷衍回應。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZ0E2vZ5YU
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4fpK0AYMQ
「我也要當他的妻！」蔻兒立下宏願。「然後帶著大家入住他的宅子！」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFvwL54VRM
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA9WKkXFw5
「女啊！木門要對木門，竹門也要對竹門，更何況是天子的龍門！那不是我等尋常百姓家能夠對得上！」老爹當即笑得彎了腰，笑她不自量力。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYXcuwUtw3
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLncBcaD3h5
自尊一損，鼻子一酸，眼眶一紅，蔻兒答不上話。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmepgM3blfo
匆匆廿載，兄弟姐妹早已嫁娶遷出，兒孫滿堂。只有蔻兒一人雲英未嫁，伴在爹娘身邊打理生意。鄰里經常取笑她，笑她一口歪理，說甚麼木門可以對龍門。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVrpZOxswH
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjDGxzA64E
聽在耳裡，蔻兒豈會不介懷，但只能一笑置之。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLR1ywiPr3
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzizn3IASa
近年天氣變幻莫測，沙塵暴肆虐，少有商旅橫越沙漠，客棧生意銳減。為了糊口，蔻兒心生一計，乾脆以自己的伶牙俐齒作招徠，為客棧招生意。在多少個天氣惡劣的夜晚，她粉墨登場，以一根巧舌力敵無數賤嘴。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDF7YzMvkOv
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjohxsi4oZW
「說甚麼木門對龍門？你連茅房的破布簾也不如！」酒客無情直擊蔻兒心房。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqRshgi7lt
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡed5N824Nu0
哄堂大笑。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAjx94CCoP
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJ1wnRVoAS
「我不知道自己是否破布簾，只知一塊布可有百種用途，視乎大家如何處理。」蔻兒幾經風霜，早已變得圓滑世故。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFiEMJ5i19
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzokFCH7qSc
「你想大家如何處理你？」醉客樂極忘形，大開黃腔。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZfX93kSdw
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhfuWkypxd
「想大家無條件給老娘數百元寶買個好夫君！」蔻兒將自己的痛處當笑料，給客人佐酒。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA9pUluRSx
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsALVPJxisz
眾人笑得前仰後翻……585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbbEnfTdaA
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xUnPnSiSj
夜深，曲終人散。酒客要不或爬或躝歸家去，要不醉得不省人事，被蔻兒一家抬上客房。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9wbKXOzhI
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzokvVDkVC7
「一石二鳥。」說話的是一名老婦。整個晚上，她與四名年輕女伴獨佔一枱，要了滿桌清淡的小吃伴白粥，邊吃邊默默觀看蔻兒的鬧劇。「既能大賣酒水，又能名正言順向醉客索房租。很不錯的頭腦。」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQYEAZvXeW
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlr3qVeqK1g
「過獎！」蔻兒得意上前答話。由她們踏入店面一刻，蔻兒已倍加留意。舉止得體，談吐有禮。衣著說不上光鮮，但也穿戴整齊，不染塵垢。想必是低調行事的大戶人家。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg900BzF4Mq
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jMkfcwdTS
「不痛嗎？」老婦言簡意賅，神情淡然。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuh3FhsQyY7
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsrAvWYzgO
「再痛也是要過活呀！」蔻兒豪氣萬千，一笑盡泯恩仇。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbHUbiVJ2I
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhLwyWwlBw
老婦心領神會，閉目暗忖，從懷中取出一把紙扇。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnsLUP8BWU
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCFJ0dM4WJ
「三個選擇。一，攜紙扇，親到長安，然後得官位；二，棄紙扇，立取萬金；三，棄紙扇，棄萬金，立當清官夫人。」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj32XtcwTKq
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgZknnz3ly
爹娘聞言，驚覺老婦乃官場中人。二人馬上勸蔻兒立取萬金，不要涉足官場：「我們只是尋常百姓，沒有本事……」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gawjZI3BT
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FcODXNRt5
蔻兒打斷父母的話，執意取過紙扇：「我才不是對木門的木門，也不是對竹門的竹門，更不是對龍門的龍門！」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uo0eVvkW9
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9esRbZoMo
此話一出，女伴們旋即目露凶光，殺意畢露。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIasyeG2l6
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpd8HfDr2b
「好一個女漢子！」老婦樂極，仰首大笑，及時阻止女伴發難。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp8OlNqHVC
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKlM0bbU9O
「你等我！我會讓你見識我有何本事成為龍門的龍！」蔻兒未有察覺異樣，眼中只有對未來的無限憧憬。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGk7NmKDSl
懶理父母勸阻，蔻兒孤身前往長安。風塵僕僕，路途遙遠，她花上一年才到達目的地。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H3mNixCiG
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAUQe2Lu9K
根據女伴們當日的指示，蔻兒去到城內宰相府，拿出紙扇予宰相過目。宰相接過紙扇，面色一變，命家丁將蔻兒速速拿下，打入天牢，酷刑審問。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJNMsc92cZ
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQjhXU5LPi
幾日後，查明真相的宰相親臨天牢，釋放蔻兒。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDI2mfi5C8m
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w8gP56l9c
「你知道當日的老婦是誰？」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEGEngqeAG
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZdPdXkMWE
「不知道。大概是個高官夫人吧。」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR2859twgH
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIFEAXEmOz
「你真是有眼不識泰山！」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6EphTHQxQ
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBl6t3dzAW
原來老婦是武后武則天。當年，她帶著四位武功高強的女侍衛微服出巡，暗中考察與西域通商的必經之路，偶遇蔻兒一家……武后回宮後遭遇政變，被逼襌位予兒子李顯（唐中宗），幽禁深宮，至今已無實權。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BZ03wNoWG
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoyLcqXET4
蔻兒心如死灰，徹底沉溺在傷痛當中。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcEPt1ZLCy
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyE0U18YYV
因何而痛？痛在失去伯樂、失去知音、失去希望。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkCvUxy6vI
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw3iYb3z87
那夜的每個眼神、每句豪言，都是兩個孤獨靈魂的深切交流。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnaaxQ5siz
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2cKO6jL1D
彼此就是對方的一面鏡。武后從蔻兒身上看見自己的勇氣與機智，蔻兒從武后身上看見自己的堅忍與沉著。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqlmqrhsgx
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iIF8Pu5Nt
奈何二人身份懸殊……585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZuhawlSxU
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzs0riItbO
蔻兒獲釋後離開長安，自此杳無音訊。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjL6l4dktb
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbd1jsAx0lL
半個月後，被幽禁的武則天身邊多了一個不知由來的大齡婢女。婢女一直侍奉左右，直至武則天離世。該婢女聰慧機敏、忠心不二，武則天親信上官婉兒遂將其留於身邊。及後，唐中宗駕崩，韋后權傾朝野。上官婉兒助太平公主（武則天之女）及臨淄王李隆基（武則天之孫）發動政變，殺韋后及其黨羽。至此，該名不經傳的婢女下落不明。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsL6IYN3gcN
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHnX3SK7et
同年年底，失蹤五年的蔻兒突然重踏故土，與親人共聚天倫。585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUF2JWufVn
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21fqeTZrLv
鄰里見蔻兒仍是孑然一身，不忘予以嘲弄：「說甚麼木門對龍門？你連茅房的破布簾也不如！」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYA4jeMwaJ
585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NQu7SaOCG
蔻兒聽罷，嫣然一笑：「是木是龍我作主，我命由我不由天。」585Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2FMGQqpXm
註：女主角蔻兒十歲的時候，武則天尚未稱帝，當朝天子還是李系男兒。所以她的童言是合乎邏輯的。
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