話說程璿宇因一只同心鎖結交了漢中官宦子弟源子煜,二人一見便興趣投合,來往書信半載,程璿宇應源子煜邀請前往漢中求習機關之術。程璿宇自成都出發,走寬闊平穩的商道,坐了二日車,剛過正午便抵達漢中城內,車伕問他要下榻哪間客店,他卻答要直接去玄機堂,一隊車輛就這麼穿越繁華大街,帶他和一干隨行奴僕行經擁擠熱鬧的市井,又過了一條專開打鐵鋪的巷子,從這兒開始沿途店鋪愈漸稀疏,車輛轆轆愈漸響亮,直到遠離人煙塵囂的一幢靜僻大屋前纔停下,簷下的烏黑匾額用朱紅色勾出「玄機堂」三字,字上漆色給日光曬褪了些。85Please respect copyright.PENANAIz2h53F0F8
85Please respect copyright.PENANADyarpbQ1HJ
程璿宇人還沒下車就從窗子瞧見一個穿藕色衣衫的身影佇在大屋門前,正高高地引頸向他這兒盼,見那人白膚紅唇,一雙上挑眼兒流露媚春之韻,正是源子煜。85Please respect copyright.PENANASZwElu4hVG
85Please respect copyright.PENANAW35LitFEnT
「子煜!讓你好等了。」程璿宇捎一臉春風笑意落下車來,踏流星步伐向他走過去,對方也喊他的名迎上來,二人互相拱手行禮。85Please respect copyright.PENANAIfB6qGML2W
85Please respect copyright.PENANAlU4UDEZCDu
他倆在先前只見過一面,但多回書信往返,早就在字裏行間熟稔了,這回再見便直呼其名相稱,真情流露,熱切不已。85Please respect copyright.PENANAlVtCbXfY14
85Please respect copyright.PENANAEYxErzheLI
「外頭這樣熱,怎麼不在屋裏等?」時值暮夏,暑氣未消,正午過後的日頭最是炎辣,程璿宇見源子煜瑩白額頭上早已掛滿汗珠,幾道汗水淌下來濕了頰側,「綺疏,帕子扇子呢?」他喊剛從車上下來的丫頭綺疏,她立刻拿著東西上前,將帕子交與源子煜,又提起扇子正要替他搧,程璿宇就從綺疏手裏接過扇子,親自動手給源子煜搧涼。85Please respect copyright.PENANAvVVI8LMmWi
85Please respect copyright.PENANArGptQnXVgj
「屋裏悶著,想你馬上會到就出來看了,怎麼曉得你這時候纔到。」源子煜笑回,用帕子拭去一臉淋漓,見程璿宇頭戴如意巾,身穿玉色直身,腰間帶鉤是玉做的,一身溫潤雅氣,又笑意明爽,如同上回初見,因在燦燦日頭下,今日重逢源子煜纔留意到他眼瞳髮色較常人要淺淡些,是棕黃顏色,給日頭照得瑩透。85Please respect copyright.PENANAMfk0mBk9le
85Please respect copyright.PENANAxbsCzJ5Uh9
「那我可真來遲了,該再早些出發的。」程璿宇語含歉意,溫溫答道。85Please respect copyright.PENANAGmdHUZQ2jV
85Please respect copyright.PENANAfGIvsrZ4FH
「你是遲了,今晚喝酒直接罰三杯,先記著了。」源子煜沒客氣,用那雙風情妖嬈的眼直盯程璿宇。85Please respect copyright.PENANA7aWgFjV9kJ
85Please respect copyright.PENANAU2P2HPkBLb
程璿宇面上春風不減,手上扇子也沒停,欣然答他:「罰,子煜備了什麼好酒罰我?」85Please respect copyright.PENANAdhe6zl2jOs
85Please respect copyright.PENANAL88ZijaKcr
「罰什麼罰,哥哥們怎麼不進去說話?兩個白皮細肉的偏要站在這兒罰曬太陽。」候在一旁的綺疏忽然插話揶揄他們一句,她可不是普通丫頭,從小就在程璿宇屋裏伺候,大了以後又做過他的通房丫頭,朝夕親近,自然是少了些主僕分際,說話隨意。85Please respect copyright.PENANA5G9pjdpdQu
85Please respect copyright.PENANAgKFIVbRB42
源子煜聽了便趕緊推開深紅門扉,擺手招呼程璿宇進去:「哎,姑娘說得是,我忒怠慢遠道來的客人了,璿宇快進去喝杯茶歇息一會,我再引你去見師傅。」85Please respect copyright.PENANA4MfJWaocbZ
85Please respect copyright.PENANAKDEzluGZEL
「不過站這兒說幾句話,哪兒的怠慢,她打趣我罷了。」程璿宇口吻謙善應對道,又回頭向綺疏交代,「你們先去客棧安頓,我晚上過去,要是過了酉時還沒到就不必給我備晚飯了。」綺疏應了話,把他的包袱從車上找出來交與他,他便跟著源子煜進去門內了。85Please respect copyright.PENANAE33p4rFKQ1
85Please respect copyright.PENANAU8Xj6aK8ky
源子煜領程璿宇走過院落,到大廳上坐了,叫小童僕送上茶水與他解渴,自己則向堂內的機關老師傅報備去,二刻後領程璿宇去見那位老師傅,程璿宇按照禮數送上束脩,正式拜師入門。師傅今日不教課,走完了儀式源子煜便帶程璿宇看玄機堂內各處,堂內果真如源子煜在信中所述,各式大小機關皆全,有的出自老師傅手藝,有的是門生所做,又有些試驗中的半成品,無一不奇巧精妙,令程璿宇飽開眼界。待二人走覽完大屋已是酉時,滾火似的烈日垂到了屋瓦上頭,源子煜說要帶程璿宇上這兒最好的飯館吃飯,二人便從這靜僻街巷走出去,往熱鬧街市去。85Please respect copyright.PENANAQRcb8NKD7K
85Please respect copyright.PENANAj9rVCZLa7r
珍滿樓位於人潮最盛的一條大街上,掌廚的是漢中地方名廚,每日用飯時候必是座無虛席,來晚了只能被樓裏夥計擋在門外,今日亦同,一群人在樓前對裏頭飄出的美饌鮮香引頸聞香,那夥計喊現在滿座了不收客,要趕人離開,但他一見源子煜走上前,旋即陪上笑臉恭敬招呼,引源子煜和程璿宇二人進去,沒一會夥計就挪出了包廂讓他們上座點菜。85Please respect copyright.PENANATl5PXXLkwt
85Please respect copyright.PENANAQT7l2VdRoS
源子煜是這兒熟客,用不著夥計介紹,一上座就喊出幾道菜名,說要讓程璿宇嚐嚐漢中獨有的好滋味兒,那夥計先給他們倒上水,菜餚隨後一道接一道端上來,葫蘆雞、溫拌腰絲、燒三鮮、金錢釀髮菜……無一不是色香俱全,擺盤巧緻,每只盤上必有刀工精細的裝飾兒,頗有炫耀廚子精湛手藝的派頭,源子煜招呼程璿宇趁熱嚐,他便揀起筷子將每道菜都先試了一口。85Please respect copyright.PENANAKNyfK5Gtca
85Please respect copyright.PENANAHJNzKCCLMt
「瞧你吃得這樣斯文,都瞧不出來究竟吃得香不香。」源子煜端坐在程璿宇對面,瞇起細長雙眼打量他細嚼慢嚥的吃相,自個面前的飯碗筷子都還沒動。85Please respect copyright.PENANAId7MAHmA40
85Please respect copyright.PENANAESi9WSPPCY
程璿宇端著碗,朝對方揚揚嘴角笑,待嘴裏的菜都嚥下去了纔開口稱讚道:「香呢,滋味可好了,風味別於成都菜,可這鮮辣勁兒又有那麼點相像呢。子煜別只顧我了,也趁熱快吃罷。」85Please respect copyright.PENANA56CkxAHGKY
85Please respect copyright.PENANA8uaUzDELZO
源子煜便揀筷子挾了幾道菜,又與程璿宇碗裏添上一大塊帶著油亮薄皮的雞肉。85Please respect copyright.PENANAaKvOFgCAuo
85Please respect copyright.PENANA1tWjM0cO9w
程璿宇有些禁受不住對方盛情如此,趕緊婉轉勸道:「呦,子煜這樣殷勤,這雞肉我還捨不捨得吃了,別老招呼我,我倆還陌生麼?」他面頰上笑渦淺淺盪漾,目光同源子煜的交會在一塊。85Please respect copyright.PENANAvjAouVQzgg
85Please respect copyright.PENANAEsMzT98t7N
源子煜是諳世故的,自是聽懂了弦外之音,他微微頓了下臉面:「那麼璿宇自便罷,哎,說要罰你酒,想喝什麼酒?」85Please respect copyright.PENANAhXZZSEZoW4
85Please respect copyright.PENANATR1VOKUm5Y
「都行,自然是作東的人決定了。」程璿宇只知吃那道金錢釀髮菜得配桂花稠酒,不甚清楚漢中這兒還有什麼好酒,便讓對方拿主意。85Please respect copyright.PENANAYQkoYtWZTy
85Please respect copyright.PENANAttb9t2P7Ko
源子煜向他挑挑眼,隨後叫來夥計要了一壺西鳳酒,這西鳳酒最是陝西人的鍾愛,酒色清冽如雪山川水,滋味卻是醇烈似炎夏熾火,號稱揭罈能使花間蜂蝶聞香醉臥叢下,果真酒一送上來包廂裏頭頓時一股醇香橫溢,濃而不俗,清雅芳甘。85Please respect copyright.PENANAyKiBzS25QC
85Please respect copyright.PENANAOLLwelqdnh
「璿宇,來,說好的先罰三杯。」源子煜立刻執來酒壺斟滿杯盞,將其中一只推到程璿宇面前,他率先端起酒杯,程璿宇跟著也端了。85Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZfJS0Xtc6
85Please respect copyright.PENANAXkFZwYfEs0
包廂裏點的燈明晃晃映下來,使得二人尚未進飲,面頰已是朱紅如霞,目光爍爍似星,相覷有靈犀,他倆手舉酒杯一塊站了起來,相互敬酒。85Please respect copyright.PENANALhlBjNASgO
85Please respect copyright.PENANAaFoQtQNtJA
「璿宇為我倆情誼遠道而來,這杯敬你心意,望你在這兒能盡興,滿載而歸,不虛此行!」85Please respect copyright.PENANA9UgyukQZC2
85Please respect copyright.PENANAO0QGD1M54c
「我既來了,自然不負子煜盛情,往後勞煩你指教了。」85Please respect copyright.PENANAWCzt9x3ySw
85Please respect copyright.PENANA6Xs7Lff3ab
二人語罷,程璿宇唇沾杯緣淺嚐了一口酒,那西鳳酒色澤清淺通澈,嚐來滋味甘甜如泉,酒氣濃灼似火,纔下肚就燒熱了脾胃,他暢然嘆道:「真是好酒――都說什麼人喝什麼樣的酒,子煜熱切真情,我是嚐到心頭上了。」他仰頭將酒水一氣飲盡,抿了抿唇,擱下那滴酒不剩的白瓷杯。85Please respect copyright.PENANAU9BRbU4zlL
85Please respect copyright.PENANA1IpfD8QM5M
源子煜手中酒杯也乾了,面上多了一襲珠寶似的光采,他笑道:「呵,你這張嘴可比在信上的還巧舌如簧,我可不吃這胡話,還不知收斂麼?來,還欠二杯。」他嘴上不買帳,臉上卻是神采飛揚,高興得很,給程璿宇又斟滿了酒。85Please respect copyright.PENANAEYsAPbCyUx
85Please respect copyright.PENANASRMm0rNfCJ
程璿宇再舉起酒杯向源子煜敬過,一口飲乾,酒杯纔碰上桌,源子煜旋即再斟,瞧著他喝完。85Please respect copyright.PENANATFbWMZEaXJ
85Please respect copyright.PENANAwnJv1w1JQd
君子飲酒,一杯表恭敬,二杯顯溫雅,三杯知進退,酒過三巡,不亂則可飲無量。85Please respect copyright.PENANAPDRNLQZKc1
85Please respect copyright.PENANA7yXOIB6ztM
二人也不怎麼顧吃菜了,酒是一杯接著一杯的喝,源子煜盡了地主之誼,替程璿宇倒酒倒得很是殷勤,程璿宇也毫不推托,給倒上了就爽利喝完,滿桌子菜還沒吃上一半,酒已經叫夥計送來第三壺了。