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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。十歲的芸兒排行第三，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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZViHSi5kZJ
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUNjj36MUv
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，整個世界濃縮在芸兒耳邊。遼闊無垠的，多姿多彩的。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b6UfYlP7W
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjcfzCWKdj
「我要去見天子！」芸兒告訴老爹。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAPq9wwB9c
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH3rUBWCch
「為甚麼？」老爹吃驚低頭望向矮小的女兒。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VJoDHIiV1
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqAK62qu7R
「我想知道他的宅子為何能容納三千個妻子！不會很擠擁嗎？」芸兒畢竟是個孩子，動機十分單純。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkdyD55kcD
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5OpnO6tTR
「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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM5CGa5OIV
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrLtD8sYKF
「我也要當他的妻！」芸兒立下宏願。「然後帶著大家入住他的宅子！」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbLUNGJfPP
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4gYLZg6DI
「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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0Cz1KftaI
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVLw7S3CJk
自尊一損，鼻子一酸，眼眶一紅，芸兒答不上話。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCaitIUlv6
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2xgKTQtjK
匆匆廿載，兄弟姐妹早已嫁娶遷出，兒孫滿堂。只有芸兒一人雲英未嫁，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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJX9ih5vHq
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz20tkfACq
聽在耳裡，芸兒豈會不介懷，但只能一笑置之。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6A97hYMm31
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMT6e7AE2P
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，芸兒心生一計，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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYOKuqXLIY
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjR9YdnZCM
「說甚麼木門對龍門？你連茅房的破布簾也不如！」酒客無情直擊芸兒心房。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hsW2x356B
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qf7DQ1Y7N
哄堂大笑。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ44hSHHv2A
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DLJbT27mQ
「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。」芸兒幾經風霜，早已變得圓滑世故。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzex4gyR2k7
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuIPeDFd4b
「你想大家如何處理你？」醉客樂極忘形，大開黃腔。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XV7kGPLR0
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH6Ma21Yzn
「想大家無條件給老娘數百元寶買個好夫君！」芸兒將自己的痛處當笑料，給客人佐酒。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23y7PqqWxr
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJfJffBq48
眾人笑得前仰後翻……564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PGRQ0IbmH
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDH2MMn2R2
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，被芸兒一家抬上客房。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhU0hc9naC9
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrAmv9cXPq
「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，邊吃邊默默觀看芸兒的鬧劇。「既能大賣酒水，又能名正言順向醉客索房租。很不錯的頭腦。」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pMXNfsjwT
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLigcYK2wg
「過獎！」芸兒得意上前答話。由她們踏入店面一刻，芸兒已倍加留意。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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzu7ZvwUsB
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuynex1GDaQ
「不痛嗎？」老婦言簡意賅，神情淡然。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3oudl5QbR
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMsVz23wnM
「再痛也是要過活呀！」芸兒豪氣萬千，一笑盡泯恩仇。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXh2JKiNhN
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3Ki8NurGF
老婦心領神會，閉目暗忖，從懷中取出一把紙扇。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTj4ywJ6K5
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4oKUf0W2T
「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。」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtNtXc8Kvq
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjZ4b2NKT7
爹娘聞言，驚覺老婦乃官場中人。二人馬上勸芸兒立取萬金，不要涉足官場：「我們只是尋常百姓，沒有本事……」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVSrWovhoZ
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJxqNy5JIU
芸兒打斷父母的話，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！」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoviQomtSa
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mRsmaqNDd
此話一出，女伴們旋即目露凶光，殺意畢露。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9wz7fIMKL
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJT8EM8DCK
「好一個女漢子！」老婦樂極，仰首大笑，及時阻止女伴發難。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDkl2jcsvV
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3v5kSUvBig
「你等我！我會讓你見識我有何本事成為龍門的龍！」芸兒未有察覺異樣，眼中只有對未來的無限憧憬。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAAjE6S4rY
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXIswfCQ5r
懶理父母勸阻，芸兒孤身前往長安。風塵僕僕，路途遙遠，她花上一年才到達目的地。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1N4TmZI1m
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHQwhiMlYe
根據女伴們當日的指示，芸兒去到城內宰相府，拿出紙扇予宰相過目。宰相接過紙扇，面色一變，命家丁將芸兒速速拿下，打入天牢，酷刑審問。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qMG6fN3th
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONSYlBgNXy
幾日後，查明真相的宰相親臨天牢，釋放芸兒。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3Ly9feaSR
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsqRryX7EU
「你知道當日的老婦是誰？」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeeNa71bAH
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25pS7n02ID
「不知道。大概是個高官夫人吧。」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEyWftwSwO
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPeOF1gxUV
「你真是有眼不識泰山！」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhNSd0gDWC
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNphB58S1w
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，偶遇芸兒一家……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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDBCY1tOG4
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ixhZRsb6C
芸兒心如死灰，徹底沉溺在傷痛當中。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9kybKi00a
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBNd8vC9lN
因何而痛？痛在失去伯樂、失去知音、失去希望。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0Iv51YtuJ
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnn8yiCdzf
那夜的每個眼神、每句豪言，都是兩個孤獨靈魂的深切交流。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcyCwNq2On
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMZEkuU3pK
彼此就是對方的一面鏡。武后從芸兒身上看見自己的勇氣與機智，芸兒從武后身上看見自己的堅忍與沉著。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQbRuDlbul
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ha7kokFiU
奈何二人身份懸殊……564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEWvuutfJ5
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdzOtAbhQq
芸兒獲釋後離開長安，自此杳無音訊。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtaCcuPHRH
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGasyIZsH1
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。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4MzN5cKAJ
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7Y3ddvmea
同年年底，失蹤五年的芸兒突然重踏故土，與親人共聚天倫。564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluyTGnnJvW
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXFwtaJ6Y6
鄰里見芸兒仍是孑然一身，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！」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjpjF9UujJ
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3l7LjKoPK
芸兒聽罷，嫣然一笑：「是木是龍我作主，我命由我不由天。」564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13HcRQPav0
564Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzjHHbQfKG
註：女主角十歲的時候，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。
ns3.147.63.135da2
