Chapter 10 chapter Ten

The big market in Memphis is full of people's voices every day, some people are doing business, some people are talking about right and wrong.There are quite a few chattering women among the merchants in the market, and they take advantage of their business opportunities to gossip endlessly.Occasionally there will be some loud arguments, but in the end the deal can be done and everyone is happy. The chief of police came to the market square with the baboon police. As soon as the killer appeared, the thieves did not dare to act rashly, but Cam pricked up his ears, hoping to know from the conversations of the common people that people were in favor.In addition, he would quietly question informants in jargon.

On this day, Cam came to a wrist product vendor, wanting to buy a goose that had been dried and tied up and put in a jar.But the merchant sitting on the straw mat bowed his head and ignored him. "Are you sick?" Cam asked. "Worse than being sick." "Stolen?" "You can tell by looking at my products." The clay pots placed on the ground are made of clay produced in central Egypt. They are not only decorated with beautiful garlands, but also have a bright blue appearance that is even more attractive.This kind of jar is used to preserve food, and the effect is excellent.Cam looked at the label: water, wine, but no meat.

"The loan has not been delivered." The vendor admitted, "It's really miserable." "What's the reason?" "I don't know. The transporter comes with an empty boat anyway. I've never had anything like that happen!" "Are there any other similar cases?" "It's the same for all the industry! Someone has sold some of the stock, but no one can get new stock." "Maybe it's just a time delay." "If there is no stock tomorrow, I promise there will be riots." Cam dare not take this incident lightly, because the rich need meat for banquets, and the poor need dried fish to live.

So he went himself to the warehouse where the meat cans were centrally stored. The person in charge of the warehouse stared at the water of the Nile with his hands behind his back."What's going on?" Cam asked. "There has been no cargo ship entering the port for eight days." "And you didn't report it to your superiors!" "Of course I have." "To whom?" "My direct supervisor: Wrist Cargo Officer." "Where can I find him?" "His workshop is near the slaughterhouse of the Ptah Temple." * * * Usually, the butchers in the slaughterhouse have to pluck the feathers of the geese and ducks hanging on the long pole, clean the internal organs, and then soak the legs, and then store them in large earthen pots with labels. Today, everyone is drinking beer and chatting.Seeing this, Kaim asked, "Why don't you do anything?"

"We have ducks, geese and earthen pots, but we don't have any salt." One of them replied, "We don't know anything, you should go to the person in charge." The Pickle Officer, a short, fat man almost bald on the top of his head, was playing dice with his assistant.When he saw the chief of police and the baboons, he naturally didn't want to play, but said tremblingly: "It's not my fault." "Did I say it was your fault?" "But all of you are here..." "Why don't you send the salt to the butcher?" "Because there is no salt to grow."

"Speak clearly." "Originally, there are two sources of salt: the Nile River Valley and the oasis area. After the hot summer, the spittle of the god Seto condensed into a solid on the ground near the river, and the whole area was white. Because this salt contains a The ingredients probably set the temple stone on fire, so it was quickly put away. In Memphis, we also use salt from the oasis, because we make a lot of wristwork. But now, there is nothing..." "why?" "Because the warehouse storing the Nile salt has been seized, the desert caravans from the oasis are no longer coming."

* * * After Keim heard the news, he rushed to Pazar's house immediately, but the prime minister's office was filled with more than a dozen angry senior officials.Each of them rushed to speak, each louder than the other, but their voices had already been drowned out by the noisy noise.In the end, under Pazar's order, they spoke one by one in turn. "The price of processed and unprocessed leather is now the same! The craftsmen are threatening that if you don't come forward to adjust the price, they will go on strike." "The hoes sent to the Temple of Hador for the farmers' plowing were either defective or not strong enough. Not only that, but the price had tripled, from the original two dubans (a "duban" was equivalent to ninety A gram of copper, which is the standard value used to calculate the value of goods) rose to four durbans."

"Now even the most common shoes cost three times the original price, not to mention other expensive items." "A ewe increased from five Durbans to ten Durbans; a fat cow increased from one hundred to two hundred! If the increase continues like this, everyone will stop eating." "The price of corbels has gone up so far that even rich people can't afford them." "Not to mention bronze and copper ware! It won't be long before you have to use the whole wardrobe to get a container." Pazar stood up and comforted him, "Everyone, please calm down."

"Prime Minister, the increase in prices this time is really outrageous!" "I know, but from whom?" The officials looked at each other, and one of the most excited said, "This...is you!" "Is my seal stamped on the official document of the order?" "No, but there are chapters of the two chambers! It is impossible for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economic Affairs to disagree? This is unheard of." Pazar understood how these officials felt.The trap set by Meifeng was really powerful: artificial inflation led to public complaints, which in turn made the Prime Minister a target of public criticism.

"I made a mistake, but I will correct it immediately. You will immediately make a standard price list and I will officially approve it. Anyone who raises the price of an item without authorization will be punished." "Should... adjust the value of Durban?" "unnecessary." "The merchants will complain! Because this mistake has already cost them a lot of money." "I don't think this will have any impact on business opportunities. Please act quickly, tomorrow I will send envoys to various cities and towns to announce my decision." The officials then bowed and retreated one by one.Cam looked at Nuo Da's office and the bookshelves that were crumbling under the pressure of paper scrolls and drawing boards, and said, "If I'm not wrong, we escaped by luck."

"I got the news last night," Pazar said. "It took me all night to figure out how to wall this torrent. Mafia wants to upset everyone to justify my policy. Wrong, and the pharaoh is incapable of governing the country. Although we have escaped this disaster, he will continue to work hard and profit from a few specific industries. His purpose is to divide, pit the rich against the poor, and spread hatred emotions, and then use this negative force to stabilize his own roots, so we must be vigilant at all times. Have you brought good news?" "I'm afraid I will disappoint you." "What happened again?" "Salt is out of stock." Pazar couldn't help turning pale.Without salt, the people would have no daily food such as wrist products, meat, dried meat, etc.He said puzzledly: "But the harvest is very rich." "The doors of the warehouse are all sealed." "We're going to tear it down." * * * The seal was affixed by the White House, and Pazar removed the seal under the witness of Kem and two clerks. The clerk immediately recorded the action, dated it, and signed it by the prime minister.The salt official personally opened the door for them. "It's so wet!" "The process of harvesting and storing these salts is missing," Keim said. "It's all soaked in decaying water." "Send someone to filter immediately." Pazar ordered. "It's too late." In a rage, Pazar asked the salt official, "Who spoiled the salt?" "I don't know. After Meifeng's inspection, he thinks that these salts are not suitable for human consumption or brain-soaked food. It is written in detail in the records and fully complies with the regulations." The salt officer felt the baboon's sharp eyes staring at him, so he kept trembling, but he really didn't know anything. * * * The department in charge of trade with the oasis area is a subsidiary agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Although situated on Egyptian territory from early times, these remote areas remained mysterious and alien to the inhabitants of the valley. In any case, the oasis is the main production area of ​​natural hydrous soda and high-grade salt, and the former is a necessary substance for maintaining public health and making mummies.For a long time, there have always been a large number of donkey teams carrying these precious heavy objects and shuttling through the desert trails. The person in charge of the administrative work of the oasis used to be a partisan who expelled the Bedouin robbers. His square face was covered with sun-burned lines and his chest was thick. He was a person who could appreciate the price of hard work and danger. Seeing the appearance of the baboon, he couldn't help but said a little worriedly: "Tie up this beast, otherwise what will happen if it loses its temper?" "The killer is a sworn cop," Cam replied. "He only troubles criminals." The oasis district official couldn't help being furious: "No one has ever dared to doubt my loyalty." "You haven't saluted the Prime Minister of Egypt yet." The district official had to reluctantly salute with a stiff posture.I just heard the Prime Minister ask: "How much salt do you have in your warehouse?" "Very little. The Oasis donkey team hasn't brought salt here or Thebes for weeks." "Aren't you surprised?" "I myself ordered all transactions to be halted." "You made your own decision?" "I have received an order." "Is it Meifeng?" "yes." "for what?" "In order to lower prices. The people of the oasis refused immediately. They believed that the double house would eventually change their position, and the situation reached a deadlock. They didn't respond to my request. Fortunately, we still have the salt of the valley, so luck is not bad. " "It's not bad luck." Pazar repeated the district official's last words while being startled. * * * The Devourer of Shadows shaved his head, wore a wig to cover half of his forehead, and covered it with a long robe, completely changing his appearance.He led two donkeys on a long rope to the door leading to the kitchen of Pazar's house. He sold the steward some fresh cheeses, soda cheeses in crocks, and curds with alum.The supervisor was a little skeptical at first, but later found that the product seemed to be good.Just as he bent over to take a closer look, the Devourer of Shadows knocked him unconscious immediately.Then drag it to the courtyard. He was finally about to act.