Once Ash Liren spoke these words, Sauron found himself unable to answer.
Firstly, although Sauron possessed a method to save Ash Liren, it currently remained at the theoretical stage only.
And crucially, Ash Liren was asking what price she must pay?
Was Sauron to say, you must contend for the position of City Lord of Rouran, and destroy Ash Luo?
That would be far too abrupt. At present, Sauron and Ash Liren were complete strangers to one another.
To plunge directly into the crucial matter would only ruin things, and might even expose himself.
Sauron immediately said, “In saving the lady…”
He had intended to say there were no conditions whatsoever, but Ash Liren waved her hand and said directly, “Very well, we are but shallow acquaintances speaking of deep matters. That is all.”
Sauron started.
Ash Liren said, “The greater the sacrifice, the greater the demand. I cannot give you what you desire. The sir may continue to remain as my son’s tutor, but there is no need to speak further of other matters. As for my body, whether I live three years or five, it matters not.”
Sauron bowed and said, “Please believe me, lady. Even if you can give me nothing, I shall devote my whole heart and strength to saving you.”
Ash Liren nodded noncommittally and said, “Very well, I shall not delay the sir’s time further. Please begin your lesson.”
Then, she departed directly.
…
Next, Sauron began his lesson. There were six students in total, or rather two accurately speaking: Ash Yuanba and Ash Nan. The remaining four youths had come to accompany Ash Yuanba.
This first lesson covered the common script of the human kingdoms, which could be considered elementary education.
Ash Yuanba was very clever. He had heard many things, and his thoughts roamed freely through the heavens. But he had never received a complete education from childhood, having driven away every tutor. So his foundational education was actually quite lacking.
This child was indeed clever and possessed of perseverance. This common script lesson, although Sauron explained it in simple yet profound terms, still seemed rather dry and tedious compared to the handgun, or the cup shattered by sound resonance.
Moreover, Ash Nan was too young, born into an ordinary peasant family, and had never attended school. To accommodate her, Sauron had to begin with the simplest material, the most basic elementary content.
Although he had studied it all before, Ash Yuanba remained very earnest.
And Ash Nan was completely filled with extreme interest, delightedly learning every character that Sauron taught.
The first lesson, an introduction to common script, lasted half an hour in total. After class ended, Ash Nan was still burning with enthusiasm, practising writing the characters Sauron had just taught.
Sauron walked before Ash Yuanba and said, “The content I just taught was surely far too simple for you. Why then could you sit still?”
Ash Yuanba said, “The master’s teaching is extremely interesting. Unlike previous tutors, who merely taught me how to read and how to write. But why the characters are written thus, they knew not.”
They naturally knew not. The common script of this world had been copied entirely from Earth by the Dragon Emperor alone. The people of this world merely memorised it by rote. Regarding the origins and construction of these characters, they were completely ignorant.
Unlike Sauron, who could explain the pictographic roots of many characters, and derive numerous stories and connotations from them.
Ash Nan was too young, and naturally understood only partially. But for Ash Yuanba, it was extremely interesting. He could understand the world through these connotations.
After a quarter hour’s rest, the morning’s second lesson began: basic mathematics.
Sauron began by explaining the ten fingers and the origin of the decimal system.
In teaching his students, he did not do so for examinations, but to allow the children to understand more. Thus, his scope for发挥 was greatly expanded. This first basic mathematics lesson was completely explained in simple yet profound terms, with thoughts roaming freely through the heavens.
He began by explaining how humans in primitive society first encountered the most basic mathematics, and how they explored the truth of the world.
The children listened completely entranced, and without realising it memorised all the numbers, as well as why these numbers existed, and the origins of these numbers, all with perfect clarity.
As he was speaking, Sauron suddenly felt a pair of eyes upon him.
He could not help but look up, and immediately saw a delicately carved little face pressed against the window outside the classroom, with a pair of lively, innocent, large eyes.
Instantly, Sauron’s heart trembled, and his entire being went numb.
This was his daughter Fu Qinqin. This was Sauron’s biological daughter.
He was not the true Sauron, but he had inherited everything of Sauron’s. So this little girl was his own daughter.
Although he had seen her portrait before, and had imagined this moment countless times, when he truly saw her, Sauron still felt as though his heart were melting.
She truly resembled him, truly, truly beautiful.
Especially these large eyes, so pure and flawless, so dark and bright, so full of spiritual energy. They truly had a quality that could melt one’s soul with a single glance.
These eyes were filled with timidity, yet also filled with curiosity.
She had lived in the Autumn Wind Convent from childhood, rarely encountering the outside world, and was filled with curiosity about the entire world.
But she was too small, and too weak, and her biological mother was also neglectful. So she was filled with unease about the outside world.
She was truly somewhat thin. Her little face was truly only the size of Sauron’s palm, as if a pair of large eyes occupied half of it.
And she was not as tall as children of the same age.
Seeing Sauron’s gaze turn toward her, she first seemed startled, like a frightened little bird about to flee.
But immediately after, she sensed the unparalleled love and tenderness in Sauron’s gaze.
Although she did not understand the meaning of Sauron’s gaze, she could sense it.
At this moment, Sauron truly wished he could release all the love in his heart through his gaze alone.
Seeing that Sauron had suddenly stopped, Ash Yuanba and Ash Nan could not help but look toward the window, and immediately saw Qinqin’s little face.
Ash Nan said excitedly, “Qinqin, come quickly…”
Seeing so many pairs of eyes turn toward her at once, Qinqin turned and ran.
Sauron chased after her, watching her tiny figure from behind, his heart aching as he called out, “Run slowly, run slowly, do not fall…”
Qinqin stopped and turned to look at Sauron.
“Darling, shall we come to class tomorrow, yes?” Sauron said lovingly.
This child was too timid. It would be too sudden to have her enter the classroom and face so many strangers now. Let her come tomorrow, so she could be mentally prepared.
“Yes?” Sauron squatted down, striving to make himself the same height as his precious daughter.
Qinqin looked at Sauron’s face, and at his gaze of boundless love, and nodded rapidly. Then she ran off like a little bird.
Instantly, she nearly carried Sauron’s heart away with her.
…
In the afternoon there were two lessons, one art lesson and one common script introduction.
In the evening, after returning to the courtyard, Fu Yan’er, as Sauron’s personal maidservant, was still completely nowhere to be seen. He did not know where she was hiding and slacking off, so Sauron was also unable to see his precious daughter.
In the evening, Ash Yuanba went to Ash Liren’s room to receive punishment, lying across a stool to be whipped three times by Ash Liren, because he had called Qinqin a little mute during the day.
These three lashes truly struck his back, immediately raising three bloody welts. Ash Liren struck for real.
Ash Yuanba, having received the lashes, not only did not cry, but was instead overjoyed.
In his eyes, his mother was too cold, and not affectionate toward him like ordinary mothers. Although he knew his mother loved him very much, he still longed to act spoiled and be close to his mother like other children.
So even being beaten by Ash Liren made him happy. Because other mothers also beat their children.
“How was today’s lesson?” Ash Liren asked as she applied medicine to her son.
“It was truly too interesting.” Ash Yuanba said excitedly. “The master is too formidable. Clearly it was very simple material, yet I listened completely entranced, even forgetting the passage of time.”
“That is very difficult to accomplish.” Ash Liren said. “The simpler the knowledge, the closer it is to the origin of civilisation, and thus the more complex and profound it becomes. To explain it well requires extremely, extremely vast learning.”
Ash Yuanba said, “Was Father also such a learned man?”
Ash Liren started, then nodded and said, “Yes, your father was such a learned man.”
She had been attracted by his all-knowing erudition, and his gentle, breeze-like temperament. She had rejected the advances of countless royal and noble young men, and married the unremarkable, common-born scholar Yan Ping.
“If only Father had not left, how wonderful that would be. Then I would not have had to drive away so many tutors.” Ash Yuanba said.
Ash Liren felt sorrowful, and said nothing.
Sensing his mother’s sadness, Ash Yuanba immediately fell silent. Then he said excitedly, “Mother, do you say the master is more formidable, or Father was more formidable?”
Ash Liren said, “That would not be fair, because in Mother’s heart, your father will always be the most formidable.”
Ash Yuanba said, “I truly hope tomorrow comes quickly. Mother, look, I was beaten today. May I sleep here tonight?”
“You may not.” Ash Liren said.
The unruly child Ash Yuanba said with a mournful little face, “Why? A’nan can.”
Ash Liren said, “Because A’nan is a girl, and will marry in the future. You are a boy, and must learn to be independent and self-reliant. At this age, still sleeping in the same room as your mother, you will grow up full of feminine softness.”
“Will I become like Uncle Ash Luo?” Ash Yuanba said.
“You are not to speak of him. From now on, you are not to speak that name before Mother.” Ash Liren said.
“Yes, Mother.” Ash Yuanba said. “Whoever Mother hates, I hate. You hate Ash Luo, so I hate Ash Luo.”
Ash Liren gently pinched his little face. She did not know who this boy had learned from, but he certainly knew how to please people.
Her rare affectionate gesture instantly made Ash Yuanba so happy he felt faint.
“You are not to bully Qinqin in the future, do you understand?” Ash Liren suddenly said.
Ash Yuanba said, “Understood. But every time she sees me, she has no good expression, as if she dislikes me very much.”
…
The next day, Sauron arrived at the classroom early, bringing a schoolbag containing brand new books, pens, and paper, everything complete.
He had never done needlework before, but this schoolbag was embroidered by his own hand. He had been busy until late into the night yesterday.
Because the first two schoolbags had been truly too unsightly. This third one was barely passable.
Moreover, to make it convenient for his daughter to write, he had also bound stacks of white paper into exercise books.
There were ones specifically for mathematics homework, for common script, and even ones specifically for drawing.
For the mathematics exercise books, he had even drawn lines. For the common script exercise books, he had even drawn grids.
In truth, he knew that doing this might reveal a flaw, but he could not help himself. This daughter was truly too adorable.
He waited for nearly half an hour, and finally A’nan and Qinqin came in hand in hand.
Little Qinqin entered, first glanced shyly at Sauron, then immediately lowered her head.
Then, her large eyes glanced toward the schoolbag in Sauron’s hand.
And Sauron noticed that she already had a schoolbag on her back, very exquisite and beautiful, identical to the one A’nan carried, and ten times more beautiful than the one Sauron had made.
“Master, Qinqin’s schoolbag was made by my mother for us. Pretty, yes?” A’nan showed off.
“Pretty, pretty!” Sauron very embarrassedly hid the schoolbag he had made behind his back.
He had never imagined that beneath Ash Liren’s ice-cold queen exterior, there lay such a tender and delicate heart, which had long since prepared a schoolbag for Qinqin.
Next, because his daughter was present, Sauron’s teaching became even more brilliantly superb.
Most importantly, it was filled with boundless emotion, fearing that his own daughter might not understand or learn well.
Moreover, because his daughter liked to draw, he forcibly increased the weekly art and drawing lessons to three.
Over the following days, Sauron secretly gave Qinqin the pens and various exercise books he had prepared.
Then one day, A’nan discovered them, and exclaimed that Qinqin’s books were different from theirs.
Although Qinqin did not know why, she sensed with perfect clarity the love that Sauron felt for her.
Under this love, the smiles on her face grew more and more frequent.
And sometimes, even when there was no evening lesson, she would come to Sauron’s courtyard to play with A’nan and Ash Yuanba.
Of course, even when she played, she sat quietly, or drew pictures by herself.
Then, Sauron would teach her to draw with great enthusiasm, drawing various little animals: ducklings, chicks, kittens, puppies.
To please his daughter, under the pretext of needing subjects for drawing, Sauron bought a pile of little animals. The entire courtyard was filled with chicks, ducklings, little rabbits, and kittens. Because Qinqin liked little animals, whenever she had the opportunity, she would come to Sauron’s courtyard to play.
When no one was paying attention to her, she would even giggle aloud.
…
Time passed thus uneventfully, day by day.
Twenty days had passed since Sauron became Ash Yuanba’s tutor.
These days, because he was with his daughter, Sauron lived very happily.
But he also lived in great anxiety. Because Ash Liren consistently avoided him, giving him no opportunity to speak.
And in these short twenty days, Ash Yuanba had completely come to regard him as the person he most worshipped and was closest to.
On this day, Sauron was drawing a little duck together with his daughter.
Suddenly, Fu Yan’er walked in.
Sauron was now somewhat annoyed with this woman. She was a most unfit mother. Normally she showed no care whatsoever for Qinqin. Every time his daughter came to Sauron’s courtyard, it was A’nan who brought her, and Sauron who personally sent her back.
Not once had Fu Yan’er sent her daughter to school, nor once had she collected her.
Moreover, the clothes on his precious daughter’s body had initially been carefully prepared by Ash Liren. Later they were made by Sauron, at his own expense.
Now, even Qinqin’s food was prepared by Sauron through others. Otherwise, given Fu Yan’er’s character, she would completely敷衍了事.
She had been sent by Ash Liren to serve as the personal maidservant of the tutor Yan Ziyu, yet in these twenty days, her figure had almost never been seen.
For the vast majority of the time, she was either lying down reading picture books, or applying makeup.
Of course, her life was still rather straitened. Ash Liren would not short her of food and clothing, nor force her to work. But she would not give her much money either.
Initially, Sauron had bought silk for Fu Yan’er, asking her to make a few garments for Qinqin.
As a result, this silk had all been taken by Fu Yan’er to make garments for herself. In the end, Sauron could only make garments for Qinqin and send them over.
After more than ten days of not showing her face, he wondered why she had suddenly appeared?
“Sir, I beg you for a favour.” Fu Yan’er said. Even when begging, she did not know how to lower her head.
Sauron said, “Speak.”
Fu Yan’er said, “I am confined in this residence and cannot go out, and I know not a single person. You hold a high position in the residence. Could you help me deliver a letter?”
“What letter?” Sauron said. “To whom?”
Fu Yan’er said, “To Sauron, asking him to… send someone to collect us, mother and daughter.”
Sauron’s face twitched slightly.
This woman, fortunately she had found him. Had she asked another to deliver her letter, and it had been intercepted, and people had learned, especially if Ash Luo had learned, that Sauron’s cousin Fu Yan’er and his biological daughter were here, then the trouble would be immense.
Given Ash Luo’s perverse character, knowing that Sauron’s former woman and daughter were here, what he might do, only the devil knew.
Moreover, given Fu Yan’er’s vanity-loving character, once she saw Ash Luo, it would not be impossible for her to take the initiative to flirt with him.
“Very well, I shall think of a way. Do not act rashly.” Sauron said.
“Thank you, sir.” Fu Yan’er said, then went out happily.
Watching her departing figure, her waist and hips particularly alluring and graceful, this woman had a pretty face and a good figure, but her brain was lacking.
Sauron watched her departing figure with a slightly disgusted gaze, then noticed that his daughter was watching him with wide open eyes.
He quickly changed his expression and said, “Qinqin, I am sorry. I should not have shown such an expression toward your mother.”
She lowered her head slightly in grievance. Whenever others showed a poor attitude toward her mother, she would feel very sad.
In her heart, her mother Fu Yan’er, no matter how lacking, was the person closest to her.
…
The next day, Sauron left the residence, ostensibly to tour Rouran City, but in reality to meet with the Gao Faction eunuch intelligence organisation.
In these twenty-some days, the royal house and the Gao Yin faction had sent dozens of experts to Rouran City one after another, all under Sauron’s command.
The meeting place was a tavern called the Heavenly Sea Pavilion. This place had been operated by the Gao Faction for over a dozen years, yet had never been activated. There was absolutely no flaw to be found.
Sauron strolled leisurely, as if window shopping, heading toward the Heavenly Sea Pavilion.
Suddenly, his keen spiritual power sensed that someone had fixed their eyes upon him.
Instantly, he raised his guard secretly, but showed no expression on his face, walking naturally toward a place where crowds gathered.
However…
Almost the next second, he smelled an intoxicating fragrance, and his vision grew hazy.
“Sir Yan, my young master invites you to be his guest.” Four powerful martial artists stepped forward, surrounding Sauron.
Two of them seized Sauron’s arms and lifted him into a carriage.
A black cloth bag was placed over his head, rendering him unable to see anything.
The carriage galloped rapidly toward the western part of Rouran City.
…
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped.
Two warriors carried Sauron into a courtyard, then seemed to open a hidden door, descending over a dozen metres along a staircase, arriving at an underground secret chamber.
“Sir Yan Ziyu, long time no see!”
An eerie voice sounded. Although Sauron had heard it but few times, it was absolutely unforgettable.
Ash Luo? He had returned!
“I merely passed through Rouran City. No one knows I have returned.” Ash Luo said. “Soon I shall attend the wedding of a dwarf and a cripple.”
The wedding of a dwarf and a cripple? Was he speaking of Tu Liyang and Tu Lingduo? Were these two finally to be married?
Ash Luo stepped forward and removed the bag from Sauron’s head.
Once again, Sauron saw Ash Luo’s eerie, evil, beautiful face.
“Sir Yan, you were also my启蒙 teacher. A day as teacher, a lifetime as father.” Ash Luo bowed respectfully and said, “Your student pays his respects.”
“Hmph…” Sauron snorted coldly and said nothing.
After all, he was not the true Yan Ziyu, and he was completely unaware of the history of Yan Ziyu having been Ash Luo’s teacher. The less he spoke, the fewer flaws he would reveal.
Ash Luo said, “This time I have invited my teacher here, apart from renewing our teacher-student bond, there is also a matter for which I require your assistance.”
Sauron said nothing. After all, he had been kidnapped, and it was perfectly normal to remain silent in anger.
Ash Luo said, “I hear that you have now become that little brat Yuanba’s tutor, and are greatly trusted and relied upon by my sister Ash Liren?”
Sauron still said nothing.
Ash Luo said, “You also know that I love my sister very much. I am desperately eager to possess her. So there is a matter for which I very much need your help, sir.”
“Never…” Sauron said angrily.
“Hypocritical righteousness.” Ash Luo said. “I am very particular in my dealings. I can pay you your reward first.”
Then, he clapped his hands.
Instantly, two female warriors carried a person in.
This was a woman, completely unconscious, her body wrapped in a quilt, revealing only a face of exquisite beauty.
Truly a face like peach blossoms, mature and gorgeous.
“You know this person, yes? Over a dozen years ago, she was also one of your students, and you favoured her very much. Now she is one of my father’s concubines, his most favoured concubine. You are truly blessed with extraordinary good fortune in love.” Ash Luo said, “How about this? I shall grant you your wish, and you shall grant me mine? You sleep with your female student, I sleep with my sister. We both indulge in this abnormal affection. How about it?”
“Beast, animal…” Sauron said angrily.
Ash Luo said, “Once you have slept with her to your satisfaction, you will owe me a favour, and I will also hold a tremendous leverage over you. Thus, I can force you to do things you are unwilling to do.”
“Dream on, never!” Sauron rebuked in Yan Ziyu’s tone.
Ash Luo produced a pill, a pink pill, and said, “This pill is called Pink Blaze. It should be the most potent aphrodisiac in the world. Anyone who swallows it will become a lust-crazed beast, and cannot be relieved of its effects without losing half their life.”
“Haha…” Ash Luo laughed, and directly stuffed this Pink Blaze into Sauron’s mouth. With a gentle pat, it fell into his stomach.