比武場上,劍拔弩張。791Please respect copyright.PENANAyuxyA3nlWT
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眾人圍着武場中的一大片空地,或坐或立。東首主家席,站首男女二三十人。為首者一女子,坐一圈椅。其餘南、北、西角各有約十到二十人,或六七人成圍,或八九人一團,全是男子。791Please respect copyright.PENANA8AJyiS3xkW
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西首一黑劍紫袍、個子矮小的男子道:「蘇姑娘,海豐派比武盛會,怎麼不見你家掌門王師傅主持?」791Please respect copyright.PENANAey1lhIJZ8U
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那坐圈椅的姓蘇女子聽後,心想:「此矮子好生無禮。難道這些人知道師父患有重疾,才敢來此撒野?」但轉念又想:「他們未必知道師父的事,不可在言語間露出馬腳。」於是答道:「家師主持比武招賢大會已有二十餘年。他道我蘇寧雪這個後生小輩,足以應付此等武會有餘。」言下之意,即單憑她一名年輕女子,就能打發一眾江湖人士。791Please respect copyright.PENANAvmdySndbSc
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蘇寧雪續言道:「我海豐派年度比武大會,為了在地方招賢。你們個個有門有派,來此所為何事?」791Please respect copyright.PENANA2nBA7rG5S5
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嶺南有大小幫會門派三百餘,她本不可能認得各門各派。只是嶺地十五大門派,包括海豐派在內,於廣東人人皆知。剛才那黑劍紫袍的矮子,自是潮州府蓬州派的人。蘇寧雪亦從人們衣衫配飾之中,認出了廣州府從化派、本府惠州府長樂派的門人,連遠至韶州府的曲江派也派人到來,其他兩個不認得的門派,自然非比等閒。791Please respect copyright.PENANAjrATh9w3VG
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蘇寧雪暗暗叫苦:「十五大派至少來了四派,難道他們為了那事?想是師父亦未必料到,消息會傳得如此之快。」791Please respect copyright.PENANA9pqq9qr0CC
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東首一名光頭老漢笑道:「老夫鄧堂,來得貴派,自然為了比武切磋。僥倖勝者,不是有賞嗎?我等皆為財而來,你們說對不對?」話後笑聲四起。蘇寧雪手中微抖,心道:「此等謊言也能宣之於口,明是來尋事的。」791Please respect copyright.PENANA56rTQzYOuZ
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過去海豐派比武招賢,原意是於江湖中招收武藝傑出良才。海豐地處中國南疆,興盛比不上廣州府,更不用說跟江浙和中原地方相比,自無傑出人才。791Please respect copyright.PENANAWnHLNUxGth
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二十多年前,蘇寧雪師父王習以四十兩銀為賞,舉行比武大會,四海之士皆可參與。得勝者獲賞後,再與海豐派一位好手較勁一場,用以試煉人才。但數年後,武林有門有派之士為賞而來參加比武,得賞錢後卻一走了之。再過數年,過去比賽勝出的人,又借故離去。自此,海豐派比武大會的賞錢,由四十兩降為五兩,如勝出者最後再打敗海豐派中的一名門人,又可再得五兩,足夠一白丁養家數年。791Please respect copyright.PENANAHi5gu3GhRj
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由此之後幾十年來,即使勝出者武藝不如過去奪冠之人,或武功平庸得被海豐門人輕鬆收拾,那些人倒是真心投效海豐門下。791Please respect copyright.PENANAon63zhm5aF
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蘇寧雪見那光頭老漢鄧堂鄧色衣衫,便知他是曲江派門人。鄧堂為財之言一出,蘇寧雪心下有氣:「你明是諷刺我派以區區十兩招賢。」又想:「此間人等本可素服而來,不露自己何門何派。他們反而行之,自是有恃無恐。」蘇寧雪思索片刻後道:「曲江鄧老師傅何等身份,怎會在意區區十兩?」791Please respect copyright.PENANA6N2xe2RsL9
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東首一名藍衫壯丁在他們說話之間一直打量着蘇寧雪。藍衫壯丁見蘇寧雪眼睛明亮,面容秀美,大約二十歲年紀,身穿青色襦裙,繡鞋頂弓起,不帶兵器,說話間略有一絲懼意。蘇寧雪身旁的黑衣女孩,背起長劍,立定不動。女孩腳下,卻有一全身白毛的小狗倚腳而睡。791Please respect copyright.PENANAB28AHhYDdx
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那藍衫壯丁想:「海豐掌門王習用人如此不濟,竟用此等年輕姑娘主事。她身旁的黑衣小劍僮,比她鎮定許多。只是在此場合,竟帶上一只懶狗,可真不倫不類。」大有鄙視之意。他又想:「早知如此,我們得知消息後大可娓娓而來,多帶點人手。若此人露出口風,其他各派便是敵人。現下她師父王習不在,我們也不用轉彎抹角,談個沒完沒了。」791Please respect copyright.PENANAexrVe1PQum
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鄧堂本欲繼續發言,那藍衫壯丁截住鄧堂說話,搶言道:「我們明人說亮話,蘇姑娘只需說出喬老故宅所在,陳某在此擔保,大夥兒立時一哄而散,以後再不生事。」791Please respect copyright.PENANAca097ttR4i
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蘇寧雪不識他是何派人物,心道:「不過兩三天時間,消息竟已傳遍嶺南。」見到來的門派僅有六個,加起來的人眾不過五六十人,便道:「你們想恃眾迫人,須知我海豐總壇內,也有弟子二三百人。」791Please respect copyright.PENANA7uJCBWLfSv
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蘇寧雪要他們明白,現下武場在海豐總壇之內,蘇寧雪雖然只帶二三十名從人到達武場,但只要她一聲呼喚,餘下子弟定會傾巢而出,少則也有七八十之眾。當然所云二三百者,其實只是虛言,用以恫嚇眾人。蘇寧雪本想抬出師父王習的名號來,但王習身患重疾,如果對方聽後當面叫陣,她可應付不了。791Please respect copyright.PENANAuYCEvm2Gyi
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那姓陳藍衫壯丁聽言後微微變臉,一時語塞。他想此際趕來匆匆,一二日間沒能多攜人手,又沒甚麼周詳計劃,果然不妥。他又沒想到眼前女子心中驚慌時,竟可以言語反客為主。791Please respect copyright.PENANAtK66Z9faMr
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那位來自潮州府蓬州派的黑劍紫袍男矮子大叫道:「姑娘說你有二三百位手下,到底誰才是恃眾迫人?大家依江湖規矩、比武規矩辦事,咱們六派各派一人比武。你是主事者,咱們六人中勝者再跟你比。」791Please respect copyright.PENANATTckDUcPhL
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按照歷年慣例,比武大會勝者須與主人家海豐派的一位門人比試,但沒有規定海豐派使那一名幫眾應戰。紫袍男子續道:「咱們仰慕海豐派門威、人威、人數之威。勝你之後,老子加入海豐派,喬老故居甚麼的,老子一看到底。」比武尚未開始,那男子顯然已當自己為勝利者。791Please respect copyright.PENANAJSPBgMQR5N
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蘇寧雪尋思:「這粗人無禮至極,這話欲正合我意。」蘇寧雪初次主持大事,雖能以言恫嚇眾人,但若然鬧翻,雙方人眾拼個你死我活時,她未必有能力指揮眾人退敵。又想此後恐怕不斷會有人找上門來,海豐派當下不能元氣大傷。791Please respect copyright.PENANAonfJGJMRnO
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蘇寧雪從圈椅中站起來,說道:「跟據過往做法,來者先互相比試。你們六派各派一人競賽一番,勝出者再跟我比試。」心下卻說:「這莽人跟我說規矩,很好。六派均想知道喬老故居所在,我讓六派人物自我相爭、自相殘殺,我正可看清他們的武功家數,唯恐來人不肯答應我的建議。」791Please respect copyright.PENANAlhwb22gdgp
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蘇寧雪自幼練習家傳「天公劍法」多年,早能和師父王習打個平手。論武藝,海豐派中除了師父,就只有她的大師兄、她本人及她的一名親傳女徒三人為最。蘇寧雪的大師兄在外未歸,親傳徒弟年紀尚幼。如今大敵當前,非親自出馬不可。791Please respect copyright.PENANAENKyNELBZ7
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眾人竟答應蘇寧雪的建議。那後悔領人甚少的姓陳藍衫壯丁,報稱龍門派人士,全名陳雙,人稱「陳仲俠」。龍門派字號跟從傳統「伯、仲、叔、季」而排,掌門陳義為「陳伯俠」,陳雙為「陳仲俠」。「陳仲俠」的對手,是諷刺蘇寧雪以十兩招賢的曲江派光頭老翁鄧堂。兩人本來懷有長劍,但步上武場之前,竟不約而同地遺下配劍,讓從人保管。791Please respect copyright.PENANAo2h0DeiyF4
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二人在武場中央抱拳敬禮後,陳雙緩緩向鄧堂面門擊出一拳。那拳飄飄無力,直往無人處抓去,三歲小兒亦能躲開,便是剛曉得步行的嬰孩,亦能回避。鄧堂卻直接迎來這掌,慢慢提手,手臂輕碰陳雙掌心,擋開來招,然後誇張地向前大邁一步。陳雙拉開手臂,四肢靜止不動,無故大開破綻。鄧堂竟不直要害,兩手交叉,提腳作勢踏向陳雙右足。慢戰數合後,陳雙大笑道:「鄧老爺太極功夫,果真高明之極。」鄧堂緩緩地道:「老夫行年六十,居然跟後輩打個平手。」二人比招,一無章法,二無鬥心,三無凶險,眾人大笑不止。陳雙和鄧堂退下後,另有兩人上場互比,虛晃幾招後,又告平手。791Please respect copyright.PENANAc1QtKPC8fe
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初時比武,蘇寧雪坐在椅上觀看,還不明所以。不久她便看出端倪,心生怒意:「他們裝模作樣,每場力求平局,想是最後六人一同勝出,然後群起圍攻於我。」原來六派亦有有智之士,皆知彼眾我寡,不能內鬨生變,讓蘇寧雪坐收漁利,當下計議聯手對付海豐派。蘇寧雪一直不肯說出喬宅所處地方,現下說死了要依規則比武。若在規則容許下以六對一,任憑蘇寧雪武功再高,也難以得勝。況且蘇寧雪親口同意比武之事,她輸了後不得不就範。其他的事,容後再說。791Please respect copyright.PENANAbI9CITquT5
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六派代表在短時間內「比武」畢後,光頭老翁鄧堂朗聲道:「五年前貴派大會中,鬥到最後的兩人不分高下,同為勝者,共分獎銀。蘇姑娘當日年幼,想必略知一二。其後他們以二敵一,打敗貴派一名弟子。今天我們六人互相不能打倒對方,算是同時勝出。」六派人眾又大笑起來。791Please respect copyright.PENANAq80mCFSPwh
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此事海豐派上下皆知,蘇寧雪無從抵賴,緩緩地道:「言則各派高人要以六人之力,欺負一位年輕姑娘?」791Please respect copyright.PENANAA1KHtG4CAo
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鄧堂答道:「蘇姑娘不必過謙。貴派王師傅以蘇姑娘主持大會,姑娘想必具有驕人藝業。依老夫所見,以六對一,貴派確不會心服。老夫年輕之時,曾隻身於浙江台州寧海一間孔廟內殺敗「殺命軍」三名好手。蘇姑娘青春年少,長江浪起,必有作為,不是膽小鼠輩。老夫只一曲江老頭,願與龍門派陳雙兄,和此紫袍黑劍蓬州派洛先生,領教姑娘高明功夫。」791Please respect copyright.PENANADtYh6C49k5
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「殺命軍」本名「救命軍」,以謝氏為首。他們收受錢財,替人辦事。長年以來,黑白兩道均僱用「救命軍」高手殺人,故江湖名之為「殺命軍」。鄧堂道出陳年舊事,自是吹捧年輕時以一敵三之能;又說甚麼「驕人藝業」、「高明功夫」云云,抬舉了蘇寧雪一番。背後意思卻甚明白:「鄧堂能以一取三,海豐高徒卻是鼠輩。」鄧堂開口時頗有長者風範,但話到頭來,蘇寧雪仍要以寡對眾,非輸不可。791Please respect copyright.PENANAEAME47ha70
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蘇寧雪想:「現下是誰恃眾迫人、佔人數之威?」正想回話時,東北角一位少年哈哈大笑道:「老和尚要以三對一,當真無恥至極。」791Please respect copyright.PENANAXBXhBw6B2o
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