Chapter 562: I Will Take Revenge First

Xiao Er squatted down at the side: "What's wrong, miss?"

"Second uncle, there's a hole here!"

"A hole?"

"Right!" Tuan Tuan stretched out her little finger, probed into the hole, and her fingertip touched something soft.

She strained to reach further, hooked it with her fingernail, and pulled it out.

A corner of a sheepskin scroll was revealed.

Xiao Er stared, wondering what this thing was, hidden in such a place?

Tuan Tuan pinched the corner and pulled hard; a not-large sheepskin scroll fell out of the hole in the hammer head and landed on the ground.

She picked it up, took her short legs and ran to Xiao Ningxun's side; Xiao Er hurriedly followed.

"Third Brother!" she held up the thing in her hand: "Look! What did I find?"

Xiao Ningxun took the sheepskin scroll and unfolded it; it was densely covered with writing.

The earlier roasting had scorched the edges, making them slightly curled, but overall it was still intact.

He raised his head, looked at Kang An: "Have you seen this thing before?"

Kang An shook his head, looking at Tuan Tuan: "Where, did you pick it up?"

Tuan Tuan turned and pointed: "Over there! There's a hammer head on the ground! I dug it out from the hole in the hammer head!"

Kang An followed the direction of her finger, his gaze landing on that black lump of iron.

He stared for a moment, walked over, looked at the hammer head, his expression gloomy: "Father's,."

Xiao Ningyuan took out a fire striker from his bosom, lit it, and moved closer to Xiao Ningxun.

Xiao Ningxun, borrowing the firelight, softly recited:

"An'er, when you see this sheepskin scroll, I may already be old, no longer here."

Kang An was startled, his eyes instantly brightening: "This is Father's writing to me?"

He leaned forward, and together with Xiao Ningxun began to look at it.

"My given name is Ai Zezi, a person of Kucha Kingdom, living at the foot of White Mountain."

"Our family has, for several hundred years, generation after generation, guarded the vein of Wu Jin Mud."

"This is the greatest secret of the clan."

"But the clan rules are strict; those who guard Wu Jin Mud may only marry women from within the clan."

"The clan elders say that only thus can the secret be ensured never to leak."

"When I was sixteen, your grandfather passed the secret of Wu Jin Mud to me."

"He said I was recognized by the clan as the most outstanding artisan of this generation, and should become the next guardian."

"But I met your mother."

"Her name is Ayimu; she is not a Kucha person and does not know blacksmithing."

"But whenever she smiles, I feel as if the snow on the whole White Mountain melts."

"I know the clan will never allow me, the next guardian, to marry an outsider."

"In their eyes, this is betrayal, an intolerable betrayal."

"I once thought of begging the clan for mercy, to let Ayimu stay in the clan."

"But I merely probed with a question, and suffered a heavy punishment."

"Your mother said, 'I don't care where you go; wherever you go, I will go.'"

"After thinking for several days, I brought your mother, left White Mountain, headed west all the way, finally settled in Shule Kingdom, hid my identity, and became an ordinary blacksmith."

"In this life, I have been true to my own heart, but I have let down the clan, and also let down you and your mother."

"You have never seen your grandfather, nor any of your uncles or other clan members."

"You were born in Shule Kingdom, grew up in this small courtyard, and because of me you have lived a lonely, solitary life."

"Back then, your grandfather gave me two pieces of raw stone."

"He said this is the clan's rule, a token of the guardian's identity."

"Today is your sixth birthday; I gave you one of those pieces, and also passed on the secret art of Wu Jin Mud to you."

"Although I am hiding here, I understand that as soon as I leave White Mountain, if anyone finds out I possess the secret of Wu Jin Mud, I will not be able to protect myself."

"Throughout the Western Regions, year after year of constant warfare, tribes big and small, caravans coming and going, all want to obtain Wu Jin Mud."

"But they do not know where Wu Jin Mud comes from, nor how to use it."

"For many years, I have been extremely cautious, never daring to reveal even a trace of it in front of outsiders."

"Your mother always says I spoil you too much. But I say, I have only this one son—who else should I spoil if not him?"

"An'er, in this life, the person I have let down the most is your mother."

"She followed me leaving my homeland, yet never complained a single word."

"She always says, with me here and you here, anywhere is home."

"You learned to forge iron at the age of four, tapping with a little hammer."

"Your mother stood at the doorway watching for a long time, then turned and told me, 'This child really takes after you.'"

"She smiled beautifully."

Xiao Ningxun's voice sounded a little hoarse.

"I have been away from home for many years, and I do not know whether your grandfather is still alive."

"I hope he remains healthy; his name is Kere Mu, the previous guardian, and the person who loved your father most in this world."

"If one day you can return, take this piece of raw stone, go find him, and kowtow for me before him."

"Tell him, in this life I have regrets, but no regrets."

Wu Hui met your mother, Wu Hui took her away from the clan.

I only feel regret, unable to fulfill my filial duty at his knees.

Today is your sixth birthday; I write this down because I truly worry that when I grow old I may forget and won't have the chance to tell you in person.

An'er, you are the thing I am most proud of in this life.

May you grow up safe and sound, meet a woman you like, and have a child just like you.

Kang An stood stock-still, tears bursting forth.

So that's how it is between Father and Mother!

Tuan Tuan stretched out her little hand to wipe the tears from his face.

She wiped one side, but tears flowed from the other, back and forth, impossible to finish wiping.

"Xiao An'an," Tuan Tuan said softly and gently, "Your father loves you and your mother so much; you should be happy."

Kang An looked at her, his tears flowing even more fiercely.

Tuan Tuan opened her little arms and hugged him tightly.

Kang An buried his face in her tiny shoulders, crying so hard his whole body trembled.

Everyone looked at each other, filled with deep emotion, silently accompanying him to the side.

After a long while, Kang An's sobs gradually ceased.

He lifted his head to look at Tuan Tuan, pointing at the sheepskin scroll: "Thank... thank you, Tuan Tuan, thank you."

Xiao Ningxun rolled up the sheepskin scroll and handed it to him: "Keep it safe. You have family, you have clansmen, Kang An—are you willing to go find them?"

Kang An took it, gripping it tightly, glanced back at the house burned to ashes, a glint flashing in his eyes: "No."

"I will... first... take revenge."