第8章 郑家(1 / 2)

玉琢 坐酌泠泠水 0 字 2022-01-04

叶琢见箱笼里不过是几身家常衣服,好衣服也就两套;首饰盒里除了有六种式样有些陈旧的珠玉饰物,其余的也不过是几件银首饰、两枝金簪子。正要再问,却听得身后的郑氏道:“琢儿,就这么些。娘的嫁妆,都变卖了。本来想着把那些嫁妆留给你的,但兄嫂日子过得艰难,我只能先顾他们……至于衣服首饰,老太爷持家有方,每人每年做衣服和打首饰都是有一定规制的。他常说商贾之家,不必奢华。”

叶琢默然。

难怪说到将嫁妆和衣服首饰让郑氏带走,叶予章答应得那么痛快。原来是根本就不值几个钱!

郑氏从首饰盒里将那六件珠玉首饰和一枝金簪子拿出来,塞到叶琢手里:“这几件,是娘为你留下的,你好好收着。”

“娘……”叶琢正要推托,郑氏却正言道:“你听我说,你舅舅家,这么多年,我给他们的银子也不下三、四百两,总算对得起他们了。这首饰,是娘特意留给你的。你不拿着,娘心不安。再说,如果你舅舅真心对娘好,就算不给他们财物,也照样是好的;可如果人心坏了,就算给再多,也不过是增长他们的贪婪。”

叶琢接过首饰,点点头道:“好,我收下。”她正担心郑氏回了娘家,会被兄嫂所哄骗,把钱财都骗光,然后给她气受,再随便找个人把她嫁出去呢。现在她能有这样清醒的认识,真真令人心慰。这些首饰,她可以保管着。等哪时郑氏遇到难处了,她自然会拿出来变卖,帮她度过难关。

虽然这样想,但叶琢还是不放心,叮咛道:“娘,您那银票,也私下放好。就说没钱,只给了这些衣服首饰回来。患难之中见真情。趁着这个机会,您也看清楚舅舅和舅母的为人。如果他们对您好,女儿以后一定会报答他们的。”

“娘明白。”郑氏摸摸叶琢的脸,感慨道,“娘的琢儿,长大了。这些道理,比娘都明白。”

“是啊,娘,您女儿精明着呢,会在府里过得好好的,您不必挂念。咱们俩,把各自的日子过好,不让对方挂念,就是帮了对方的大忙。”

“好。”郑氏伸出手,紧紧地握住了叶琢的手。见夏槿把箱笼重新关好放到了车上,对她点了点头,便吩咐车夫,“走吧。”然后疲惫地闭上了眼睛。

郑家离叶家宅子并不远,马车只走了两盏茶功夫,便停了下来。叶琢见郑氏仍闭着眼睛,苍白的脸上满是倦容,正不忍心叫醒她,却听得车外有人惊喜地叫道:“姑奶奶,是姑奶奶回来了吗?”正是印象中那舅母刘氏的声音。

郑氏闻声醒过来,睁眼问:“到了?”挣扎着便要站起来。叶琢忙跟秋月扶着她下了车。

刘氏比郑氏大三岁,虽然家境贫寒,还生了五个孩子,面容却丝毫不显苍老。身上穿着一件藕色衣裙,正满脸笑容地迎上来。

她看到郑氏被叶琢扶着下的马车,脸色苍白,脖子上似有伤口,那包裹着布上还渗有血痕,而秋菊在后面提着个箱笼,郑氏的贴身丫鬟夏槿和夏荷却不见跟来,不由得脸色一变,问道:“这是怎么了?”

“舅母。”叶琢打了声招呼,便扶着郑氏径自进了门,“进去再说吧。”

郑家在郑氏出嫁之前,曾是跟叶家财力相当的绸缎商。只是天降横灾,在叶琢出生那年的冬天,一场大火把铺子连货物烧了个干净,郑父也丧生在那场火灾中。郑氏的母亲早丧,她的兄嫂及侄儿因住在老宅里幸存下来。但因火灾是从郑家燃起来的,累及了邻人,里长代邻人来索赔,郑鹏举只得把老宅及田地卖了,赔偿了别人的损失,才免了牢狱之灾。从此他只得贩些粗布杂货,每日挑着到乡下去贩卖,得些银钱养家。而郑家现在所住的院子,则是郑氏变卖了嫁妆买的。当然,房契上写的是郑鹏举的名字。

叶琢扶着郑氏进了门,看到这院子倒也宽敞,左右两旁种着两棵果树,墙角有几畦菜地,屋子临窗的地方还种了些花卉。此时正值金秋,黄艳艳的菊花开得正盛,引来几只蜜蜂上下飞舞。进到厅堂,只见屋子虽然没有雕梁画栋,却也宽敞明亮;厅里摆放的八仙桌、椅子有七、八成新,雕工也算精细;桌上还放着一套细瓷茶具,几案上是一对青花瓷大花瓶——从这种种景象看,郑家怎么看都不像生活“艰难”的样子。

叶琢扶着郑氏坐到椅子上,转头看见刘氏正神色怔愣地站在门口,不由微皱了一下眉,道:“舅母,您收拾一个房间出来,让我娘躺一躺。”

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