Chapter 32 Chapter Thirty

The army reluctantly left Buheng and crossed the second waterfall.A dam raised the security of the frontier fortress, and the troops entered what was sure to be pacified, Kush, which was still populated by the hardy Nubians whose prowess was known to every household.It was a short journey to the island of Say, where stands the second residence of the Nubian kings, the frontier fortress of Shayat.A few kilometers downstream, Ramses discovered another island, Amaha, which conquered Ramses with its pristine beauty.If fate had smiled on him, he would have begged his father to build a small temple here in honor of the grandeur of Nubia.

Shayat is full of refugees fleeing the rich plateau of Ilan to fall into the hands of the mob.The king of Nubia, intoxicated with self-victory, sent only a few veteran soldiers who were quickly defeated, and the mob of two tribes had crossed the third waterfall and marched north. Shayat was first occupied. Seti ordered his subordinates to sound the alarm.An archer was placed on each emplacement, the top of the tower was guarded by several outposts, and the dark places of the trench and the foot of the high brick wall were filled with infantry. Then Pharaoh and his son, accompanied by the silent and despondent king of Nubia, asked the commander of the frontier for his opinion.

"It's all bad news," he admitted, "for a week the riots have spread beyond measure. Usually these tribes are quarreling and unwilling to join forces with each other, but this time they have come to an agreement! I report this to the Zhibu Heng, but..." The presence of the Nubian king prevented the commander from making real criticism. "Go on," Seti demanded. "Had we intervened in time, we could have suppressed the riot in the early stages. Now, I think it might be wise to retreat." Ramses heard his head pounding, he couldn't imagine that the Egyptian security officer was so timid and short-sighted!

"Are those tribes so terrible?" he asked. "A pack of wild beasts," replied the commander, "they fear neither death nor pain. They take pleasure in fighting and killing, and I will no longer blame anyone who hears them screaming and rushing to kill them and runs for their lives." "Escape for your life? But that's treason!" "When you see them, you will understand. Only a very good and large army can eliminate them, but today, I don't know whether our enemies are hundreds or thousands." "Follow the refugees and take your king to Buheng." Seti ordered.

"Do I have to send troops to support you?" "Furthermore, my communications officer will keep in touch with you. Cut off the Nile River and ask all soldiers who can fight to start guarding the border for battle." The Nubian king slipped away quietly, fearing other punishment.The commander prepared to retreat, and two hours later a long column began moving north.In Shayat, only Pharaoh, Ramesses and a thousand soldiers remained.The morale of the soldiers suddenly became very low.It is said that 10,000 bloodthirsty blacks will appear on the castle, ready to kill the Egyptians.

Seti asked Ramses to carefully describe the truth to the army. The young man was not satisfied with only telling the truth and dispelling false rumors. He wanted to arouse everyone's courage and responsibility to defend the country, even if it required risking suffering. , his phrasing is easy to understand and straightforward, while his enthusiasm resonates.Knowing that the king's son will fight alongside them with no privileges, the soldiers hope that Ramesses' passion, combined with Seti's brilliant strategy, will save them from disaster. The king decided to march south, and it seemed ideal to him to attack the opposing army actively, and retreat if the opposing army was outnumbered.At least, he can know their number.

Accompanied by Ramses, Seti spent the night studying maps of Kush and teaching his son to identify the geographical landmarks.Delighted by the strong confidence felt by the Pharaoh, the young man learned quickly, determined to keep every detail in his head.No matter what the future holds, tomorrow will be a glorious day. Seti returned to the room reserved for the monarch in the frontier fortress, and Ramses was lying on a simple bed.Laughter and sighs from the next room cut through his dream of triumph, and he got up in horror to push open the door of the suspicious room. Sai Dawu was lying on his stomach, enjoying the massage of a young Nubian woman with a beautiful face, a charming body, and a naked body.Her dark skin is shiny, and her figure is not at all like a black woman, but rather reminiscent of a Thebes noblewoman.Seeing that Sai Dawu was so comfortable and thought it was fun, she giggled.

"She is fifteen years old, and her name is Lotus," said the Snake Wizard. "Her fingers exude an incomparable magical power, which can make people relax. Do you want to experience her skills?" "I shall regret stealing such a beautiful prize from you." "Also, she has been exposed to the most dangerous snakes without fear, and together we have collected a large amount of venom. What luck, and all the gods! I like this expedition... I have reason not to miss this opportunity." "Tomorrow you guard the city gate." "Are you going to fight?"

"We're going forward." "Of course, Lianhua and I are in charge of monitoring. We are going to catch about ten cobras." The mornings in winter are very cool.The infantrymen wore long gowns, which they did not take off until the Nubian sun warmed their blood.Ramses was driving a light carriage, behind the scouts and ahead of the army.Seti walked among the troops, escorted by his special bodyguards. A roar disturbed the peace of the prairie, Ramses ordered to stop, then jumped out of the carriage and followed the scouts to check. A gigantic animal with a long nose wailed in agony as a javelin was stabbed at the end of its oversized nose, and it struggled to get rid of the javelin that was killing it.Long ago, Elephant Guam on the southern border of Egypt was named for its existence, but it has since disappeared from there!

This was the first time the prince saw an elephant. "A gigantic bull elephant," asserted a scout, "his smacks of up to eighty kilograms in each self-defense strike. Do not approach him." "But it hurt!" "Those Nubians tried to kill it and we let them escape." It came over. When a scout ran to report to the king, Ramesses was already walking towards the elephant.About twenty meters away from it, he stopped and caught its eyes.The wounded animal stopped struggling and looked at the small stranger. Ramses held out his hand, and the bull elephant raised its trunk, as if understanding the two-legged man's good intentions.The prince walked forward slowly.

A scout tried to yell, but his companion covered his mouth.The elephant approached Pharaoh's son cautiously. Ramses wasn't scared at all.In the intent eyes of the four-footed animal he saw an intelligence so quick as to read his intentions.With a few steps left, he was only a meter away from the wounded, whose tail started flapping to the sides. The prince stretched out his arms, and the giant dropped its nose. "I'm going to hurt you," he said, "but it's inevitable." Ramses held the handle of the javelin. "Do you want to?" The elephant's two oversized ears flap the wind, as if in response. With a violent jerk, the prince drew the weapon with a single stroke.The giant screamed and was relieved.The scouts looked in horror at the end of the bleeding nose tightly wrapped around Ramses' body.In seconds, he'll be mashed, and then it's their turn.Better run for your life. "Look, look!" The prince's delighted voice stopped them, and they turned to see him standing firmly on top of the giant's head, where the nose held him so lightly. "From this mountain," cried Ramesses, "I can see the slightest movement of the enemy." The prince's booty inspired the army.Many people marveled at the supernatural power of Ramses, praising him for being able to tame the most majestic animals by his will.Elephant wounds are treated very effectively with tampons soaked in oil and honey.Between the elephant and him, there is no language barrier: one speaks with words and gestures, the other with nose and ears.Under the protection and guidance of the giant, the soldiers walked on an unobstructed trail, and finally arrived at a village formed by a group of huts with dry mud as walls and palm leaves as roofs. Everywhere were the bodies of old people, children and women, some disemboweled, others with their throats and necks slit.Those men who tried to resist were left dead in a farther place, with mutilated limbs.All stored grains were set on fire, and livestock were driven to extinction. Ramses felt very sad.That is how war, with its unrestrained cruelty, turns man into the most savage plunderer. "Don't drink the water from the ancient well!" shouted an old soldier. The two young men were parched and drinking water to quench their thirst.Ten minutes later, their abdomens suddenly burned, and they both died suddenly.Mobs poisoned the well to punish the local population and their brethren who wished to serve Egypt. "A disaster that I can't do anything about," Sai Dawu lamented. "When it comes to poisonous plants, I have to learn from scratch. Fortunately, the lotus taught me." "What are you doing here?" Ramses said in surprise, "Aren't you guarding the castle?" "It was a boring job...the nature in front of me is so wonderful, so rich!" "Do you like to see a slaughtered village?" Sai Dae puts a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You see now why I prefer venomous snakes? They kill more gracefully, and they give us powerful prescriptions for disease." "Human beings are not limited to this kind of horror, are they?" "Don't think bad, come and drink a cup of lotus herbal tea, it will make you invincible." Seti's face was heavy.In his tent, Ramses and some senior generals were summoned. "What do you suggest?" "Further forward," suggested a veteran, "cross the Third Rapids and capture Eland. Swift movement will ensure success." "We could fall into a trap," said a young officer. "The Nubians know we use this tactic well." "Exactly," agreed the pharaoh. "In order not to fall into a trap, it is necessary to know the enemy's position. I need some volunteers who can attack at night." "It's dangerous." The veteran said cautiously. "I know." Ramses stood up, "I volunteer." "Me too," said the veteran, "and I know three men with the courage of a prince."