司的合印。
谢渊俯身拾起半块带字的炉砖,指腹碾过"
泰和号"
三字,声音陡然冷肃:"
萧将军可曾想过,"
他转身望向北方,炉烟在眼底凝成霜,"
太祖爷在涿州开矿时,"
顿了顿,"
是为让大吴战马踏碎胡虏,"
指尖捏碎砖片,矿渣从指缝滑落如泪,"
如今他们,"
声音颤,"
用太祖的铁,"
指向账本,"
换太祖的马,"
再指向南方,"
送给太祖的敌人!
"
"
换走的是战马,"
他的袍袖扫过账本,"
送来的是断蹄——"
谢渊猛然转身,衣摆带起暗炉余灰,"
去年青石口之战,"
他盯着萧枫,"
三十七名骑兵坠马,"
顿了顿,"
全因蹄铁断裂!
"
萧枫举着火漆印模贴近蹄铁内侧,火印的飞鹰纹与泰和号商队的烙印完全重合。
"
他们,"
他将印模摔在地上,瓷片迸裂声惊飞檐下冰棱,"
用大吴的官印,"
指向账本,"
给敌国的战马盖通关文牒。
"
戌初刻,驿馆油灯在马政指挥的脸上投下青灰阴影。
萧枫的验马锤敲在案头,震得改龄药水的玻璃瓶来回滚动:"
说,"
锤尖指着瓶身镇刑司印,"
这药从哪来?"
指挥的喉结滚动,直到谢渊展开《镇刑司密信录》,才敢开口:"
三年前冬至,"
他盯着油灯芯,"
王经历带十名缇骑,"
声音颤,"
说不改龄就把我们全家"
谢渊的勘合符扫过药瓶,显形出底层的瓦剌文"
马腐边破"
:"
萧将军,"
他望向窗外积雪,"
和周龙案的密语一样。
"
马政司的"
马料损耗账"
在烛光下泛着硫黄味,谢渊的手指逐页翻动,烛泪滴在"
苜蓿损耗三百石"
的朱批上,将"
耗"
字染成暗红。
"
萧将军你看,"
他用验马锤尖挑起账本,纸页在冷风中簌簌作响,"
每石损耗银三钱,"
锤尖敲在算盘上,算珠碰撞声如催命鼓,"
刚好够买涿州私铁十斤。
"
林缚将镇刑司分赃清单铺在案头,每月十五的"
马料车"
记录旁,隐约可见飞鹰纹暗记。
谢渊突然冷笑,验马锤重重砸在"
损耗"
二字上,墨色四溅如血:"
三年前周龙案的分赃银,"
他的袍袖扫过清单,"
正是这个数目——"
顿了顿,目光如刀划过马政指挥的脸,"
所谓损耗,"
锤尖挑起私铁矿渣,"
是镇刑司的抽成;所谓马料,"
指向暗炉方向,"
是敌国的马蹄铁!
"
"
损耗是幌子,"
他猛然合上账本,烛火被震得明灭不定,"
通敌才是真章!
"
谢渊转身望向窗外马厩,战