公鸡报晓三遍/span园中鸟雀开了嗓/span未曾闹够时/span天蒙蒙的便透了一丝丝的明儿/span顾公爷昨晚梅开二度/span本该睡得香/span不料发了一个噩梦/span一脑门冷汗的自床上翻起/span起后浑身如江上波纹一般的/span一层层的起着鸡皮疙瘩/span
他自披了娇红的小袄在那里发癔症/span姨娘娇红迷迷痴痴的翻身/span伸着嫩白的莲藕胳膊去搂老爷的腰/span嘴巴里有些不情愿娇嗔着嘟囔：/span爷今儿不是休沐吗/span起的这般早/span/span说毕/span娇红坐起/span捞自己衣裳却见老爷披着/span便撩开帘子往外看了眼/span昨夜闹腾的厉害/span便把人都打发出去了/span值夜丫头就没睡在榻上/span
她翻翻白眼儿/span刚要张嘴骂/span顾公爷却自己从床上翻起/span没等人伺候/span顺脚儿提拉着鞋/span冲着正院儿报春堂就去了/span
初冬的早风最是刺骨/span尤其是从热被窝子滚出来/span那便是穿什么衣裳都遮不住的往骨头里钻/span可顾公爷却不在意这个/span他一路急行/span后面跟着的几个亲随跌跌撞撞跟着/span有没睡醒的还撞了柱子/span
这一路/span顾公爷越想越慎得慌/span虽然爹死了那么多年了/span他还是怕他/span自己五十多了跟亲爹说话/span那边语气要重了点/span他大腿肚子依旧还会转筋/span很多事儿连带着对鬼神的敬畏呼啦啦的往他脑袋里走/span走马皮灯一般一圈一圈的/span他就说嘛/span这些年总觉得什么重要的事儿被忘记了/span
坐定在那里缕缕/span又没什么事儿/span
昨夜/span顾公爷发了一个噩梦/span梦见自己老爹指着他的鼻子问：/span坏狗（顾公爷奶名）/span你小兄弟呢/span你帮我带好了吗/span/span反反复复的/span整一夜/span拢共就这一句/span临麻雀叫的时候/span老爷子在梦里打了他一拐/span骂道：/span你这不孝的狗东西……/span拐没落到脑袋顶/span顾公爷就醒了/span
醒了一身的冷汗/span如今被风一吹浑身刺骨的凉/span
顾公爷出身门阀平洲顾氏/span那是几朝的望族/span他们这一脉原本算分叉之一/span四十年前/span他爹顾老公爷随先帝爷起兵/span一路跟随到新君建国/span虽主枝儿那一边是书香传家/span可这边偏偏就走了歪路/span走武科/span难免的/span主枝儿那边对他们是看不上的/span
看不上便看不上/span一场反了前朝的大战/span有全族赴死就前朝的/span也有街边的无赖混混成了位列九卿的新贵人/span新贵人开了新贵门/span这是规律/span
如今/span新国/span老皇上死了新皇上来/span老顾家位列三班/span一门新贵/span将星闪耀/span旧族那边不照样不敢言语吗/span想当初/span老枝儿家系名谱都是前朝御赐的荣耀/span爷爷是庶出的旁支儿又如何/span如今两边祭祀/span供奉/span每十年的祭族大会顾岩跟他的兄弟们站第一排/span唱祭的是他顾岩的长子顾茂德/span这里没主枝儿什么事儿/span
四十年了/span发生很多事儿/span顾公爷他爹/span顾老公爷一辈子/span有半辈子是在战场上呆着的/span七十几了还带兵出征呢/span老顾家带的这队人马/span被民间称为/span顾家军/span/span老太爷活了一个大岁数/span去世那年正正的米寿八十八岁/span那会子说起来/span谁不羡慕/span五世同堂的武勋之家/span
老太爷是去了之后/span长子顾岩袭了爵/span除了爵位/span顾公爷在中书省任正三品的参议/span后在孝期/span却遇上密王作乱/span奉旨去兵部接了左侍郎带着顾家军/span兄弟六个齐齐的就去了前线/span
这一去/span整八年/span灭了密王/span平了西北六地/span兄弟们东南西北散去/span回来的时候顾岩整六十六岁/span卸了武职/span依旧回了中书省/span任右丞/span正二品的实权大员/span实封食邑两千/span因他有了大军功/span家里依旧叫开国郡公府/span自下一代开始方始世袭/span逐渐递减/span
旁话不说/span单有一件大事儿/span顾公爷被惊醒就是因这原由/span这事儿说起来是件奇事/span就是/span早先老太爷活着的时候/span七十九岁那年先帝赐了个出身书香门第的美人给做了小夫人/span算填房/span老太爷雄风不倒/span他跟填房老蚌生珠/span又得了一个幺儿/span
这幺儿名叫顾昭/span老太爷老年得子/span对这孩子自然爱如珍宝/span就给起了个奶名叫/span盆子/span/span养在身边/span旁人轻易都不得见/span五岁前这小兄弟顾岩就没见过他的小脚丫子踩过地面/span可见当初老爷子对他多稀罕/span
盆子长到两岁/span老太爷的填房也死了/span如此他便亲力亲为/span自己照顾幺儿/span
八十有儿/span无论怎么说/span这都算是奇事/span那孩子一生下来/span老爷子爱的不成/span又去上面给求了从五品的乡男出身/span所以老七顾昭还在吃奶的时候就有了年十七石的禄米/span一百六十五贯的俸禄/span说起来/span顾岩兄弟七个/span顾岩只有一个姐姐算是同母嫡出/span这老姐姐早年也去了/span难产死的/span连个后都没留下/span
至于其他的五个兄弟都是庶出/span老太爷一辈子在先帝面前都是个心眼实在的粗人/span也就求过这一件事/span就是给小娇儿要个出身/span
要说老公爷那人/span对孩子们还是不错的/span他是从兵起家/span所以给儿孙安排的职位皆是在武职/span天南地北的/span一个旮旯丢一个的都放了出去/span谁也碍不着谁/span家里就这点子家业/span你哥哥拿大的/span你们拿小的/span出身你们有了/span就都老实儿的呆着去吧/span
人离得远了/span亲便是亲了/span这些年/span礼节上兄弟几个诚意十足的常来常往/span当大哥的对兄弟都帮衬/span如今兄弟六个/span最不济的是故去的老四顾咸家/span他家长子也在外省也任着正五品的实缺/span
早先/span先帝爷起兵之后/span兵荒马乱很多年/span这嫡庶之分/span宗家礼教/span俱都靠了后/span这些年/span刚开始平稳/span一些老规矩也就慢慢的又讲究了/span父父子子/span君君臣臣/span嫡嫡庶庶的/span又都拿上来当大事儿说了/span一不小心/span把嫡出的小弟弟丢在平洲老宅子八年不闻不问/span顾公爷越想越不是滋味儿/span
一个小东西/span对于顾岩来说/span他能碍着自己什么事儿呢/span真碍不着/span给口饭吃而已/span关照一下就结了/span早先顾岩对小兄弟还算好/span也或多或少的带了一些父辈的疼爱/span还亲手喂他吃过饭/span把过尿/span他整整比自己小弟弟大了五十岁/span有时候老公爷偏爱了/span他也不会计较/span跟个奶娃子计较/span多没意思/span
这个小弟弟是什么时候消失在自己视线里的呢/span老爷子一边走一边想……
那年/span老太爷病危/span顾岩打上京回到平洲郡城的大宅/span急的在堂屋满地乱转/span屋外顾昭被他奶爹毕成抱着进来要找爹/span当时顾岩有些气闷/span就没好气的叫他奶爹带他快点出去/span
那便是顾岩最后一次正眼见自己小弟弟/span他被奶爹抱着/span愣愣的趴在肩膀上/span小瓜子脸瘦的都凹下去了/span就剩一对大眼珠子那么凸着/span直直的看着自己/span然后/span平平静静的拐个弯就不见了/span
后来/span老太爷还是去了/span临死抓着小七的手不放/span顾岩正难受/span也没仔细看他/span虽老爷子千叮嘱万嘱咐/span小七碍不着他们什么/span叫他们一定看护好/span看着他成家立业/span兄弟六个跪着也是赌咒发誓的答应了/span
答应是答应了/span那什么爹都去了/span天塌了/span大家难过呢/span后来那不忙吗/span再加上小七好像也没派人来过/span也没什么他的消息/span就这么稀里糊涂的就给断了/span
一眨眼儿/span八年了/span打老太爷去了/span小七被带回平洲祖乡下的宅子/span老爷子在那里给他留了一处宅子/span几千贯的分家银/span两处庄子/span二十五顷土地/span三座山地/span还有他奶爹一家子连伺候惯他的也没几个人/span比起顾岩他们得的/span几乎就是芝麻粒儿/span
老爷子睿智/span知道给多了/span小家伙也保不住/span所以/span兄弟七个/span小七得的东西最少/span大多都是田产/span收地租靠地里的出息过活的小钱儿/span
给那么少/span不就是求他这几个长兄/span看在小弟弟可怜的份上/span帮衬一下吗/span可惜呀/span密王作乱/span一乱八年/span再然后先帝去了/span新帝登基/span老顾家还算是皇帝袖子里的亲兵/span这一家大小的都在这八年奔了前程/span倒是把那个刚断奶的娃子忘了个干干净净/span
老爷子越想越觉得对不住/span脚步越发的快了起来/span
老太太卢氏早早的就起了/span这些年担惊受怕的/span她觉一贯少/span起来后/span她坐在报春堂的堂屋窗下看几个小丫头逗她的那几只爱鸟/span这几只鸟养的精/span每天要吃半个鲜果泥儿/span两个鸡蛋黄/span如今可是初冬/span蛋黄好找/span这鲜果子却难寻了/span
卢氏/span出身世家都梁卢氏/span性格贤淑平和/span是个顶不错的贤良妇人/span如今她的日子是苦尽甘来/span老爷也回来了/span孙子都抱了好几个了/span她每天也就是养养鸟儿/span逗逗孙男孙女/span为最小的老儿子操心/span顾公爷那头/span她不怎么管/span也就是老两口初一十五睡一起/span一个月也就两天/span打成婚那天起/span丈夫南征北战的东南西北到处跑的/span他们早就习惯各住各的/span各管各的/span平时/span老公爷不怎么打搅卢氏/span他一般都歇在娇红那边或芸娘那边/span
老太太卢氏正拿着小勺子在果子上抿果泥儿/span顾公爷背着手/span披着外袍从院外急步走了进来/span一脸的黑气/span老太太吓了一跳/span手里的果子咕噜噜的滚到了地上忙问到：/span可是出了什么事儿/span/span
顾公爷忙撑了一些笑样子出来/span摆手：/span没事儿……莫怕/span/span他一呼噜胳膊又对着下面侍奉的一众丫头/span小厮又没好气的说到：/span都出去/span/span
卢氏点点头/span扶着大丫头红枣的手坐回屋里/span又吃了半粒养心丸/span摆摆手/span叫红枣也出去后/span这才将乱蹦的心才收回来/span
卢氏拿着帕子抿了下嘴角/span慢条斯理的问顾公爷：/span老爷大清早的到我这里/span可是……是娇红有事/span/span
/span你莫乱想/span她能有什么事/span我是说……老七那边/span这些年没什么事儿吧/span/span顾公爷挺心虚的打听/span心里有些羞臊/span他自己忘了/span也没嘱咐卢氏去关照/span
/span老七/span什么老七……呀/span/span卢氏先是迷茫/span接着一惊/span拿着帕子捂着嘴巴/span她也想起来了/span她也忘了/span这不怪她/span八年了/span守孝/span担心/span守国孝/span又管家/span还要提心吊胆/span小七爷那边的事儿她就没往心上放/span
顾公爷的脸阴的吓人/span他这人发脾气一般是不骂人/span可卢氏就是怕呀/span成婚开始她就畏惧自己这位杀人如麻的夫婿/span再说了/span就是丈夫从没托她管过老七的事儿/span她也该着问问的/span坐堂媳妇/span家里家外不安排全面/span这是真的失职了/span老爷子托孤那会子/span她也在身边的/span
/span要不/span叫茂德媳妇过来问问/span当初她掌家的时候/span好像是交代过的……嗯/span说过的/span/span卢氏想找个帮手挡挡/span好歹媳妇们来来/span老爷的气儿也能顺点/span最好把孙孙门都抱来/span
老爷子没说话/span也没逮住谁怨谁/span这事儿怨他自己/span哎/span都气的老父亲打地下钻出来托梦了/span八岁的孩子/span八年不闻不问/span这有六个哥哥呢/span那边都不知道过成什么摸样了/span兵荒马乱的/span顾岩越想越后怕/span
坐了半响/span卢氏先开了口：/span老爷别想多了/span老七的奶爹毕成/span当初是跟着老爷子的旧人/span那是个稳妥人/span最最忠心不过/span要是小七爷有事/span那边早就来报信了/span这些年/span就一直没人来/span想必……也是安稳的/span如今小七爷/span十六了吧/span/span
顾公爷沉默半晌/span点点头/span背着手出去了/span这事赖不着妻子/span这都怪他/span做武职的就这点好/span该怎么就怎么/span该自己承担的/span那就是自己的错儿/span
打堂屋出来/span顾公爷立刻安排了亲随陶若/span带了七八车礼物/span挑了一车好东西/span派了家将/span卢氏还安排了两个手脚利落的小丫头花蕊/span花丽一起跟车去了/span还吩咐务必要好好哄着七爷/span把小七老爷给妥妥接来/span
车队走时已经是晌午/span卢氏坐在屋子里想事情/span正想着/span大儿媳妇苏氏带着小孙女顾铭慧进了屋/span手里还提着半篮子果子/span
苏氏进屋未语先笑：/span母亲这是怎么了/span闷闷不乐的/span这不/span我娘家庄子上寻了好多面果子/span我想着母亲这边该是要断顿了的/span/span其实她是听下面丫鬟说/span老爷子仿佛跟老太太拌嘴了/span就寻了理由过来/span家里的老太爷/span老太太是个慈祥的/span也不像别人家那般讲究多/span成天价招呼一大帮的后辈儿孙齐齐的站在院子里请安/span这边就初一十五来院子里请安/span人多了卢氏觉得闹/span然后一起用个早饭罢了/span
/span并没有什么/span他年纪大了/span犯了孩子气/span/span卢氏依旧一脸平静/span不该说的/span她不会跟媳妇儿露/span老太爷托梦骂顾老爷不孝/span这话能说吗/span
所以卢氏没打算告诉苏氏/span只是安排她打扫好宿云院/span拣上等的名贵摆设送几套过去/span家具要新作/span硬木一概选上等的红木/span花梨木/span软木家具全部用楠木/span式样要选上京最时兴的样子办/span铺盖要置办八铺八盖/span一概零碎皆由老爷子的大帐里出/span都要最好的/span另挑几户老实可靠/span眼里有活的家生子在那边等着侍奉/span将自己身边跟了三十多年的管事范秋华家的潘婆子派过去暂时管着/span
卢氏这个意思/span也就是说/span那边是老太爷老太太要直接管着的/span你们下面的媳妇就别伸手了/span
苏氏捂着嘴巴打趣：/span母亲这是准备给四弟找到媳妇儿了/span是谁家的/span有无测定测定/span前几天/span我回娘家/span我娘家舅舅说/span今上还要给功勋人家放一批低等爵位/span小四儿生就的福分大/span兴许这次能轮上也未可知/span母亲瞧瞧/span要不然/span咱还是等等/span/span
苏氏说的四弟/span是卢氏的幺儿/span名叫顾茂昌/span今年十七/span卢氏五十有的他/span也算是老生子/span平日子对他最最疼爱不过/span甚至有些惯坏了的样子/span
顾茂昌在卢氏看来是赶上个好时候了/span这天下太平/span无灾无难的/span所以/span他即没在兵部谋出身/span也没在族学里多认几个字儿/span只是跟着一帮子上京的名门之后/span整日子会客/span访友/span斗鸡/span蹴鞠/span打马球度日/span说起来/span小四儿这一代也就这样/span他家军功出身/span如今新帝登基/span除了老几户武勋人家/span新帝需要的人才慢慢的从兵部挪到了吏部/span今上缺的是能人干吏/span文采上等/span能将国家平稳下来的人/span
因此上/span京里的名门子弟/span要么读书搏个新前程/span要么就学习如何做个合格的纨绔/span
卢氏亲昵的摸着曾孙女的头发/span顺手拿喂鸟的小勺子刮了点儿果泥塞孙女儿嘴巴里/span在她看来/span孙女跟爱鸟/span地位都差不多/span孙女儿还不如鸟陪她时间久呢/span
/span怎么可能/span老四要是成婚/span就安排他去南院了/span咱家地方大/span先帝爷封的好地方/span你们就是再生几窝也住得/span宿云是北边最好的院子/span这是……给你七叔准备的/span/span卢氏说完这话/span脸上泛起一些红晕/span自己都六十五了/span还有个十六岁的小叔子/span最小的儿子都大他一岁/span这事儿说起来/span颇有些羞涩/span
/span小七叔/span/span苏氏重复了一句/span便想起来了/span也捂嘴笑：/span哎/span那可是久不见了/span小七叔可好/span眨巴眼儿的/span小七叔也到年纪了/span还是父亲母亲心眼儿好/span这一太平/span就巴巴的接他来家住/span什么都是现成的/span要早几年还不知道怎么样呢/span/span
苏氏笑眯眯的说完/span把孙女儿抱回去/span拿着手帕做着擦嘴的样子/span不露痕迹的将孙女儿嘴巴里的果泥抠了出来/span
这话卢氏爱听/span可不是/span早几年兵荒马乱/span要什么没什么/span整日子提心吊胆的/span晚上请老爷过来/span也要这么说/span
/span说的就是/span老太爷就留下这么一个宝贝蛋儿/span总不能闪失了/span如今他有福了/span什么都是现成的/span你多看看/span要有那个家世干净的/span就给小七爷留着/span小七爷那也是有乡男爵位的/span总不能亏了他/span/span
/span瞧母亲说的/span咱家什么门第出身/span要找也要找上等的人家才配得起咱小七爷/span这事儿就包媳妇身上了/span/span苏氏应付着/span心里或多或少的却有些不屑/span乡男是最低等的爵位/span还是个虚爵/span小七爷除了辈分大/span其他的优点是一概全无/span还在平洲乡下地方长大的/span说起来/span平洲那地方挨着蛮地/span多出野人/span谁知道是什么歪瓜裂枣的样子呢/span
接小七爷的人十一月中旬去的/span陶若转年四月低回来的/span小七爷没接到/span说是/span不在家/span小七爷常年在外/span两三年才回一次平洲/span
陶若跟老家族人探听了/span说是小七爷爱在南地走动/span已经多年没回祖宅了/span打听完/span一路车马不停的陶若又去了南地/span在边界县城/span寻访多日才找到小七爷的一处住地/span可惜/span小七爷依旧不在/span说是带着毕成家的老大他奶哥哥毕梁立出去游玩了/span要来年末才归家/span陶若还想打听/span可惜老毕成老的都傻了/span一会东/span一会西的/span什么也打听不到/span毕成家的婆娘早两年也死了/span陶若认识的人一个没找到/span
人没接过来/span老太爷整整失落了好几个月/span跟儿孙们不能说/span跟兄弟们更是不能提/span说出去/span怕笑话/span只能是自己蹲在家里生闷气/span每个月初都派出一批人去南边等着接人/span这一等便是一年整/span/P/DIV
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