第一章 盛世(二)
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一直到自家的门口,舅甥之间的亲情依然温暖着李旭。更多小说ltxsba.com舅舅家与他家相类,在各自的族中都属于末枝。属于他们自己名下的田产很少,每年从佃户手中收上来的租子勉强够一家人嚼裹。至于其他应对官府和日常在族中迎来送往的花销,则不得不依赖些其他营生了。而李、张两家都是历经了百年的大族,号称礼仪传家的,所以经商在族中是最令人看不起的职业,虽然族中长辈们每年不少从经商子弟手中拿孝敬。
比起舅舅家的朝不保昔,李家家境略好。这得益于李旭的父亲李懋身子骨结实,还会说几句突厥话,每年能跟着往来商队跑一两趟塞外。那边牛羊贱而茶叶、麻布稀缺,往来一次可以赚到不少铜钱。只是近年来前往塞上的商路越来越不太平,每月都有人财两失的噩耗传开。好在李懋跑塞上商路有些年头了,跟的全是大商队。其人又是个直性子,与沿途的胡人部落也能套上些交情,所以买卖还能维持,并能拿出些余钱来供儿子去官学读书。
“二少爷,您可回来了,老爷来门口问了好几次呢?”远远地,管家李忠就迎了上来。一边帮李旭拉坐骑,一边小声抱怨。他是从小就追随在李懋身后的,如今一个人把管家、护院、长随和帐房的职位全兼了,所以对小主人说话也没太多客气。
“我爹回来了?什么时候到的?刚好今天从舅舅家拿了些酒菜回来,麻烦忠叔拿去厨房,让忠婶热一下,算我给爹办的洗尘宴!”李旭拍了拍骡子背后,笑吟吟地吩咐。忠婶是老管家的妻子,和管家忠叔一样,兼了“李府”上的厨娘、夫人的贴身婢女以及李旭的保姆等职责。平素李懋飘渺在外,整个家中只有李旭娘两个和管家夫妇,主仆之间除了礼仪外,更多是亲情。
“又去搜刮你娘舅了么?被夫人知道,少不得又要一顿叨唠!唉!早跟少爷你说过,你娘舅那不容易,这世道一天不如一天,人肚子都填不饱,哪来的闲钱去他那里喝酒吃肉……”
管家忠叔从骡背上卸下酒肉,絮叨着向院子里去了。李旭冲老管家的背影吐了下舌头,自己牵了青花骡子去后院马厩,把缰绳拴好,又给所有牲口添了草料,补了井水。把一切收拾利落了之后,才换了件居家穿的短衣,来到正房见自己的父亲。
先前李旭交给管家的干麂子肉和杂菜已经由忠婶和他母亲两个收拾利落,整治成了四样小菜摆在桌上。李旭的母亲不喜饮,而非年非节,管家忠叔又不好上主人家的桌子,李懋一个人独酌,正喝得好生没趣。终于看到儿子终于进了门,举起杯来大声叫道“小旭子,过来,跟爹对一盏。就你小子知道疼人,算着爹回来的日子去敲你舅竹杠!”
“没正经!”李张氏不满地啐了一口,放下了手中的针线活计。
“不了,官学里的先生说,酒,酒能乱人品,乱人品性!”李旭看了看母亲的脸色,找借口搪塞掉父亲的邀请。脖颈上刚刚长出的喉结却不由自主地滚了滚,发出了清晰的“咕噜”声。
“算了,别装了。从小就被老太爷抱在怀里抿筷子头的酒虫,想不让你喝也难。只是莫多喝,免得耽误了晚上背书!”李氏娘子听闻此声,爱怜地看了孩子一眼,低声叮嘱道。
“哎!谢谢娘!谢谢爹!”李旭等的就是母亲这句允诺,三步并做两步赶到自己的座位旁,取了酒坛自己筛了满盏,举起来,与父亲的酒盏碰了碰,然后继续高举到眉间向父亲致敬,接着,一饮而尽。
“好小子,单看这喝酒,就是咱李家的种儿!”李懋笑呵呵地夸道,爱意写了满脸。春末随着商队北去,秋初才赶回家。一路上千辛万苦,为的就是能和妻儿坐在桌子边一块吃口儿安稳饭。三个月不见,儿子的个头又蹿起了一大截,只是自己的妻子看上去更憔悴了,眼角间和面颊上的皱纹,印证着男人不在家时生活的艰苦。
“爹一路鞍马劳顿,儿谨以此盏向爹爹表示心意。祝爹爹建康长寿,生意越做越好!”李旭端起酒坛,又给自己的父亲分别斟满。舅舅密法浓制过的酒看上去非常稠厚,在油灯的微光下,摇曳起来就像块温润的琥珀。这让他不由自主就想起了下午的事情,待父亲把陶盏放下时,一边筛酒一边说道:“我今天路过舅舅的客栈,帮他收拾了一下。他那里生意很冷清呢!”
“那是,如今百姓手里钱少,官府征的又多,商路凋敝,客栈自然没人光顾。偶尔去两个点菜的,还都是些他不敢向人家要钱的主儿。而寻常人家,谁又有钱去他那吃喝!”父亲李懋低叹了一声,不知道为妻兄还是为了自己。
日子渐渐变得艰难,做生意的人总是最敏锐的感觉到世态的变化。开皇、仁寿年间,皇上没那么英明神武,也写不得好文章,但自己从塞外弄回来的皮货和牲口,总是很快就能脱出手去。而现在是大业年,说是家大业大,自己从集市上办货却要花费以往三倍的力气。从塞外运回来的货物,也要花费三倍的力气和时间才能在不折本的情况下出手。
“那你还厚着脸皮从舅家拿吃食,下月去官学时,记得顺路带件长衫给你舅舅,娘今年春天时刚做好的,本来想着入冬时给你穿。反正看你这身板长法,谅也穿不下去了!”李张氏听丈夫和儿子说起自己的娘家,放下筷子,低声说道。
屋子中喜庆的气氛被生活琐事冲得有些淡,夫妻、父子三人都沉默下来。张家窘迫在那里明摆着,而李家的情况仅仅是比张家好一点而已,即便李张氏想多帮衬娘家人一点儿,也挤不出太多的东西来。
“啪!”麻油灯的灯芯爆了,吐了一个老大的火花。李张氏借着剪灯草的机会离开了饭桌,转身的瞬间,轻轻用手背揉了揉眼睛。
“好好的,你难过什么。三十年河东三十年河西,谁知道哪天宝生哥的运气又转回来了!”李懋用筷子敲了敲桌子,有些不满地说道。见妻子低着头不搭话,没来由地心里一软,松口道:“我这次带了一头牛,三匹瘦马回来。骨架还看得过去,明个把牛找人驯了熟悉犁杖,今年冬天再给马多加些料,开了春就能卖个好价钱。到时候,借宝生哥点儿本钱,让他请个好厨子,再到郡上把杨老夫子请来写幅字挂在大厅里,说不定能转转运气!”
“那敢情是好,只是明年咱家办货的钱还够不够手?管宗祠的二哥最近老过来问,看你什么时候能回来好商量明年给祖宗加香火钱的事儿。旭子的书读得好,后年县里推举乡贡去京城考试,只两个名额,没些钱打点……”李张氏听见丈夫决定对娘家施以援手,感激之余,想起自家的很多麻烦事情来,又开始肉痛钱财,絮絮叨叨地说着,半晌也没说是否同意丈夫的安排。
作为族中末枝,平素就受族人排挤。丈夫迫于生活又从了行商这个贱业,让族中那些长者抓了把柄在手。如果一切打点不周全,李旭进京城考试的美梦就会变成泡影。虽然当今圣上一再强调各县送来的乡贡(注1)要唯才是举,如果举来的学子不中用,要追究地方官的责任。可不带‘贝’字的才永远比不上带着‘贝’字的财顶用,况且上谷郡这么大,官学里出类拔粹者又岂是自己家旭儿一个。
“香火钱我已经预备好了,若木二哥来寻我,不过是想趁我回来时打些秋风而已。”李懋叫着自己本家兄弟的字解释道。“至于旭子考试的事情,后年应试,只能投考明经(注2),考取了也不过到地方上当个小吏。不如等上几年,待加了冠(注3)后,直接去考进士,出来后至少能作个县令。一旦得中,也算咱老李家坟头冒了青烟!”
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