苏府三房的百年楠木柜,"他指着章面的年轮,"万历三十年官府清丈时,"声音发颤,"他们就用这柜子藏匿熟地田契,"指向"新垦良田"的官方批注,"把李二妞的七分陪嫁田,"银签子划过篡改处,"变成了三房名下的‘官田’。"
林宇的枪口突然砸在田契上,"砰"地惊碎了盛碎屑的瓷盘:"七分良田能收四石稻,够十口人吃半年!"他算珠般掰动铁指套,每个关节都带着松潘卫的旧伤,"苏府倒好,三钱银子收走良田,还逼死苦主!"忽然想起在苏府库房看见的田亩账,每页边角都画着缺笔"损"字,"他们把收来的良田按‘新垦’报官,"枪管划过田契上的火漆印,"每亩三钱的税银,"冷笑,"比辽东军粮还贵三倍。"
陈墨从田契夹层取出半片指甲,甲床处的凝血状态与李二妞的死亡时间完全吻合:"这是她反抗时掰断的,"指甲边缘嵌着的靛青里混着松脂,"和苏府火漆的成分一样,"望向尸体手腕的勒痕,"护院夺田契时,"银签子划过勒痕深处的绳纹,"用浸过松脂的桐油麻绳,"抬头,"和暗格机关的封口绳一模一样。"
更夫的梆子声在远处回荡,陈墨展开卷边的《大明户令》,洪武四年的朱批在灯光下格外刺眼:"‘女子陪嫁田,夫死归本家,不得没入官’,"他指着被篡改的条文,"苏府却添了‘无男丁者视同绝户’,"银签子戳向田契上的三房私印,"用家奴的指印盖过官印,"望向林宇,"这田契不是文书,"声音发闷,"是绞杀百姓的绳套。"
林宇的火枪突然指向房梁,五具无指尸体在阴影里摇晃,断指处的血痂已发黑:"老子在矿场见过更狠的——断指充丁,断田充税,"枪管扫过李二妞的断指,"朱元璋的‘休养生息’,"冷笑,"成了他们的‘休民养贼’!"忽然撕开田契,背面的暗纹显现出三根断指交叉的三房族徽,与前文在管家袖口发现的暗号完全一致,"原来早就算计好了:断指、夺田、顶名,"指向尸体,"三步绞索,活活绞死百姓。"
陈墨从尸体发髻取出半片残破的《算学启蒙》,泛黄的纸页上用米汤写着算术,墨迹里混着暗红的血点:"三丁折银九两,陪嫁田七分,税银三钱
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