Chapter 9 Chapter nine

The alley where Baji, Pazar's former prime minister, lived, was shrouded in gloom.Baji has always been a diehard, indifferent to all slander.He used to work in land surveying, so he was extremely precise in his work, and he treated his subordinates even more cruelly and severely.No accommodation.Since he was overwhelmed by the heavy workload, he asked Ramses to relieve him of his duties and let him spend the rest of the year in a hut in the city. In fact, the Pharaoh noticed Pazar's performance as a judge early on and his conflicts with some dignitaries, so he pinned his hopes on this young judge who was fully pursuing the truth, hoping that he could expose the conspiracy , to save Egypt, and Baji also agreed to Pharaoh's choice when he had more than enough heart but not enough power.For Pazar's impeccable performance both in conducting his investigations and performing his duties as a judge certainly deserves his full support.

Baji's wife had dark hair and was extremely unattractive.Seeing that her husband's condition had worsened, she hurriedly informed her neighbors.Usually, Budgie gets up early, walks alone in the big city, and doesn't come back until just before lunch.But this morning, he complained that his back hurts.He believed the pain was only temporary and was not planning to call a doctor, but he finally backed down because his wife was very insistent. The nearby residents gathered together as soon as they heard the news, offering secret recipes and cursing the demons that made the former prime minister sick.Suddenly, everyone fell silent, and it turned out that Nefeli, the chief physician, had come.She was wearing a long linen one-piece dress, exuding a kind of holy beauty all over her body, and beside her was a donkey carrying a medicine box, Beifeng.North Wind walked straight ahead, through the crowd towards Budge's house.It stopped when it found its destination.As Nefili became more and more popular, many housewives came forward and said a lot of compliments, but Nefili rushed into the house, so she didn't say much, just responded with a smile.

Budge's wife seemed disappointed.She had hoped that a male doctor would come instead of such an attractive woman. "You really don't have to go there yourself." "Mr. Budge was a great help to my husband when he was in trouble, and I have always been grateful to him." Nefeli entered the two-story white house, first through a dark and undecorated foyer, and then followed the hostess up the narrow stairs to the second floor.Baji was resting in the room, which was poorly ventilated and the walls hadn't been repainted for a long time. "It's you!" He couldn't help crying when he saw Nefiri, "You really shouldn't waste your precious time..."

"Not long ago, didn't I heal you?" "You even saved my life. If it weren't for you, my blood vessel problem might have killed me." (see "Law of the Desert") "But you don't trust me now?" "of course not." Baji straightened up, leaned against the wall, and said to his wife, "Go out first." "Do you need anything?" "The doctor is going to check me up." Only then did the hostess leave with heavy and somewhat hostile steps. * * * Nefeli took the patient's pulse at several points, and with a wrist clock she timed the reaction times of the organs and their proper rhythms.She listened to the heartbeat again, to see if the heating and cooling cycles were working properly.Baji has always maintained a serene and almost indifferent attitude.

"What's the diagnosis?" "Wait a moment." Nefiri then produced a thin, solid wire with a small piece of granite attached to the end, and used the pendulum to examine various parts of the patient's body.On two occasions, the stone continued to circle in great circles. "You be honest," the ex-Prime Minister demanded. "I know this disease, and I will help you treat it. Do your feet often swell?" "That's right. I soak in warm salt water every time." "Will it be more comfortable?" "Recently the effect has been relatively small."

"Your liver has enlarged again, and your blood has become thick. The diet is too greasy, isn't it?" "My wife is used to this cooking hammer method, and it is difficult to change now." "You'll drink a lot of radicchio, and potions made from bryony root, fig juice, grape juice, avocado, and Egyptian fig. Try to make as much urine as possible." "I've forgotten the prescription. I believe I have something else, don't I?" "Try and see if you can stand up." Baji strained to his feet as Nefiri moved a special wooden chair beside him.This chair is supported by several horizontal beams, and the seat with a slight depression in the center is made of fishbone rope.Baji sat down stiffly, but the weight of his whole body made the chair rattle.Once he sat down, Nefiri picked up the pendulum again.

"You are the first symptom of kidney disease. You should start drinking a mixed drink of water, brewer's yeast, and fresh jujube juice, four times a day; the container can be filled with an ordinary clay pot, and the mouth of the pot should be sealed with dry mud Cover it with another cloth. This prescription is simple, but it is very effective. If it does not take effect immediately and you have difficulty urinating, please notify me immediately." "It's up to you again for this treatment." "Not necessarily, if you hide something, I'm afraid I can't do anything about it."

"Why do you say that?" "I feel deep anxiety in you, and I must know why." "You are an amazing doctor, Nefiri." "Would you like to reveal?" Budge hesitated for a moment before saying, "You know I have two children. My son annoys me a lot, but he seems to be quite interested in the identification of cooked bricks. As for my daughter..." He lowered his eyes , continued, "My daughter only stayed in the temple for a short time because she found the ceremonies boring. She later went to work as a statistician on the farm, and the farm owner was very satisfied with her performance."

"Are you very strict with her?" "No, their happiness is the most important thing, so why not respect their choice? My daughter wants to start a family, and I encourage her." "Then what is it that displeases you?" "It's so stupid! It's sad! My daughter listened to the slander and went to court to ask for an early separation. What else can I give her but this house?" "I can't help you with this, but I know someone must have a way." * * * The warrior kept begging for a snack, and Pazar finally had to give in to it.Baji sat on a comfortable seat with a parasol above his head, because he was always afraid of the sun.

"Your garden is too big, and it's always a hassle, though it's carefully looked after by a gardener! I still like a cottage in the city." "But dogs and donkeys like wide open spaces." "How's it going when you've just started as Prime Minister?" "It's been really hard work." "At the inauguration ceremony, you should have been vigilant: this is a job that is more bitter than bile. You are still young, don't worry, you have more time to study." Pazar really wanted to tell him how wrong that idea was, but he put it another way: "The more I lose control of the situation, the more likely the country will fall into instability."

"Aren't you too pessimistic?" "More than half of the precious metals in the national treasury have been embezzled." Pazar said honestly. "More than half of them...impossible! The last few times I checked, I didn't find this situation." "Mefeng used all administrative means to cover up illegality with legality, and shipped most of the state treasury's inventory abroad." "For what reason?" "To maintain peace between our country and its neighbors and vassals." "He is indeed old and cunning. I should have guarded against him more." "He looks like he is striving for the top, working hard, and full of enthusiasm... All the higher-level officials are deceived by him. Who would have imagined that he is so hypocritical?" "It's really a great lesson." Baji looked very frustrated. "At least we already know where the danger lies." "You're right." Budge agreed. "Although your teacher, Blarney, is irreplaceable, I may be able to help you a little." "I was too conceited before, thinking that if I became the prime minister, I would be able to control the overall situation soon, but Meifeng has set up many checkpoints. I am afraid I don't have any real power." "If your subordinates think the same way, then your position will be in jeopardy. You are the prime minister, and you have to lead everything." "But all my decisions were blocked by Meifeng's minions." "You have to get around obstacles." "How to get around it?" "Every department has an experienced and important person, but the position is not necessarily the highest. Find this person to rely on, so that you can know all the operations of the administrative agency." Baji gave him a few names, gave him some details, and then urged: "When you explain to Pharaoh, you must be very careful. Ramses is very smart, and no one can fool him." "If you encounter difficulties, I hope to hear more from you." "Although my home is not as luxurious as yours, you are still welcome to come to me at any time." "The heart is much more important than the appearance. Are you feeling better?" "Your wife is a great doctor, but it's a pity that I am a patient who sometimes doesn't obey." "You have to take good care of yourself." "I'm a little tired, and I think it's time to say goodbye." "Before I send you back, I want to confess one thing to you: I have seen your daughter." "So, you know..." "Nefeli asked me to come forward, of course I am bound to do so." Baji didn't seem very happy, and Pazar quickly explained: "This is by no means a privilege. You are the former prime minister and should be respected according to the procedure. I have the responsibility to solve this problem for you." "How did my daughter react?" "There's no need for a court session. You can keep your house, and she'll use me as surety to take out a loan to build her own house. Now that she's got her wish, you and your family can live together again. You, just wait." Be a grandfather." Baji's serious expression disappeared suddenly, and he couldn't hide his inner excitement: "You gave me too much good news at once, Prime Minister Pazar." "Compared with your help to me, this is really insignificant."