Chapter 14 king of babylon

"It's Babylon's guard!" I stood up and pointed to the flag, "Don't be afraid, this is Babylon's guard!" Sith immediately cheered up and rushed forward, yelling, "We are from Tyre, and we are escorting the princess to Babylon!" The leader of the masked man in black reined in his horse and looked us up and down, "You are the team that escorted the princess to Babylon? What happened?" Sith carefully took out a roll of sheepskin documents from his arms, handed it to the man, and briefly explained the encounter with the robber. The man browsed quickly, and his sharp eyes fell on me, "Is this Her Royal Highness the Princess?"

I nodded quickly. "Thank you for your hard work on this journey. We followed the order of the King of Babylon to welcome the princess into the palace." He put the document in his arms and turned his horse's head. "Follow us." His attitude was obviously casual, and he obviously didn't take Tire seriously.This may be the sorrow of a weak country. I guess the princess I pretended to be will not be taken seriously by the king of Babylon. After walking under the scorching sun for a long time, when I was falling asleep, I suddenly heard Sith shout excitedly, "Your Highness, look, the city of Babylon has arrived!"

Looking in the direction of Sith's finger, I saw the blue city gate that often appeared in the history books of West Asia - the Ishtar Gate.Ishtar is the goddess of love and war in Babylonian mythology, and the gates of Babylon are named after the gods. The gate is about 4 meters high and 2 meters wide.The upper part of the gate is an arched structure, and the two sides are connected with the continuous city walls. On the walls on both sides of the gate opening, there are images of aurochs made of yellow and brown glazed bricks, Marduk dragon and Istar dragon.In front of us and behind us, there are foreigners in different costumes, caravans, civilians, and nobles sitting in gorgeous soft sedan chairs.

I looked up at this gate, and my heart was fluctuating. Not only Nebuchadnezzar II, but also Darius I and Xerxes I of the future Persian Empire, and Alexander of Macedon passed under this gate. emperor…… All of them are heavyweights... All kinds of languages ​​echoed in my ears, with ups and downs, as if playing a melodious symphony, and there was a bustling scene everywhere. Passing through the city gate is a broad avenue, which can be used by four two-wheeled carriages to drive side by side. This should be the legendary "Grand Ceremony Avenue".On both sides of the road are two parallel high walls, the two walls are based on dazzling blue, the frieze on the wall is composed of colored glazed bricks, and each wall has many red, white and yellow The lions and their heads are all pointing at the end of the "Holy Road". It looks like two neatly arranged lion teams are marching mightily towards the city.In the middle of the road is a rare bit of asphalt paved with gray and pink breccia.

I wonder if this is the earliest asphalt road in the world? The luxurious palace of Nebuchadnezzar II is located on the corner of the city wall where the "Ishtar Gate" was built, between the Avenue and the Euphrates River. As soon as I stepped into the palace, I felt dizzy for a while. There were countless attendants, numerous rooms and halls, and endless steps... The whole palace was like a maze with no exit, and only the light yellow was shaking in front of my eyes. The masonry palace walls and the luxurious decoration of exquisite dark blue glazed bricks. The Yanhe Street in front of the palace and all the courtyards are full of green trees and flowers planted in clay pots and artificial flower beds, which are lush and vying for beauty. The Yanhe Street is also paved with burnt bricks. The steps lead directly from the main hall to the Euphrates.A pier was built at the end of the steps, and beside the pier, there is always a king's luxury cruise ship swaying in the waves of the river, waiting for the king's arrival.

This palace is like a fortress in a city. The 900-meter-high city wall firmly isolates the outside world from the palace. The Nangong that the maids took me to consists of five building groups, each of which has an open building. A courtyard, surrounded by ornate halls and other rooms.The courtyards are connected with each other by solid gates, and each distinctive building complex is like a "city within a city". After following the maids through four courtyards, they stopped at the entrance of the fifth courtyard. "Princess, from today onwards, you will live here. The queen and other concubines all live in this palace." The fair-skinned maid smiled at me, "My name is Alia, I will Take care of your daily life."

"Thank you, so where does Wang live?" I blurted out. She smiled meaningfully, "The king lives in another palace next to this place. Of course, sometimes the king will come over at night." I have also read in books before that there are three main palaces in the city of Babylon, namely the South Palace, the North Palace and the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar. Usually, the South Palace and the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar are regarded as a whole. Collectively referred to as "Nangong", Nangong consists of five areas, namely the military garrison area, the administrative office, the state affairs office, the king's bedroom and the harem.

I smiled at her and asked casually, "By the way, Alina, should I visit the queen later? I wonder if the queen is easy to get along with?" "Queen Amedith," Alina said with a strange look on her face, hesitated, "Although the queen has only been married from Medi for only half a year, she has already become the king's favorite woman. I think The princess had better go see the queen tomorrow morning, otherwise..." After hearing what she said, I felt a little relieved. Fortunately, it seems that I am not too late.But judging from her tone, it seems that the queen is not easy to get along with.

"What about your king? I heard he is a terrible person..." I pretended to be curious and opened my eyes wide.She hurriedly motioned me not to continue, looked around again, and then said in a low voice, "Do you know that many people work in the palace for a long time without knowing what the king looks like, because almost no one dares to look up at him . "No way?" I suddenly felt a little funny. Could this Babylonian king be an ugly monster? "The king led the army to conquer Urartu recently. I heard that he beat the opponent to death. He will return to Babylon in a few days." A look of envy suddenly appeared on her face, "Princess, can you marry our king?" , what a stroke of luck.”

"Huh?" The veins on my forehead trembled, I don't think it's any kind of luck... However, I have obtained a lot of useful information from her. Since the queen is still fine, I just need to keep an eye on the queen and everything will be fine. As for the Babylonian king, as long as I be careful and keep a low profile, in this huge harem, A princess of a small country like me should be easily overlooked by the king. Early the next morning, as soon as I woke up, Alina came in and waited on me to wash my face. When she was about to apply a layer of sesame oil on my hair, I stopped her in time...

I like the fragrant sesame oil, but I prefer to eat it in my stomach instead of wasting it on my hair. She had no choice but to give up and put on a set of Babylonian clothes for me. The clothes of the Babylonians are slightly more complicated than those of Egypt and Assyria in the same period. There are actually three layers inside and out. First, the one that reaches the feet is made of cloth. Underwear, and then a thin wool coat over the underwear, and finally a shawl with tassels. Alina combed my long hair and said with a smile, "Princess, you are so beautiful, you will definitely win the favor of the king." I stared at myself in the bronze mirror, and was also slightly surprised.Why didn't I think before that I was really good looking, it must be because I lost all confidence under the shadow of my father's beauty. When I arrived at the queen's bedroom, I was a little surprised. There were many beautiful women standing there, and they seemed to be some concubines.The moment they saw me coming in, the expressions of all the beauties were different, but I'm sure that nine out of ten of them hate me. Queen Amedith really surprised me... Dressed in red, she has a graceful figure, charming eyebrows, bright temperament, exuding a kind of wanton beauty all over her body, like a thorn rose blooming in the desert.Against the backdrop of the surrounding concubines, it is even more eye-catching.I noticed that her collar was embroidered with a pattern of delicate purple blooms in the form of rosettes.In ancient Babylon, purple was generally a color that only kings could use. It seems that the rumor that Nebuchadnezzar favored her the most was indeed true. She sat there without moving, just raised her eyebrows, "So you are Princess Aymis of Tire, you are so arrogant, you let so many of us wait for you early in the morning." "I'm new here, and I really don't understand many rules. Please forgive me. I won't do it next time." If it wasn't for this mission, I wouldn't be so humble, but I, Ye Wan, can bend and stretch like a spring. There is no need to feud with the queen for a moment of quick talk. What's more, she is still my important target this time. "Queen, the princess is the same as us. They all left their hometowns and married here. Maybe it takes a little time to get used to it. This time it's better to forget it." A soft voice came from the concubine, I looked up to see who this person was speaking for me.When I raised my head, I also felt a pair of bright and gentle eyes looking at me at the same time.Looking in that direction, I saw a beautiful woman in green clothes, she looked a bit like a Persian. Hearing her talk about leaving home, the queen seemed to be in a daze for a moment, but immediately recovered her haughty look, and casually pointed to the seat next to her, "Sit down." I sat down and pretended to casually look at the concubines beside her. Under their seemingly docile appearance, there must be deep resentment and resentment.Was the queen's tragic experience caused by jealousy among women? "Princess Aymis is so beautiful, maybe she will get the chance to serve her bed soon." An inexplicable smile suddenly appeared on the queen's lips, "My sisters, do you think so?" Waiting for the bed... It seems that there are crows flying over my head... The expressions of the concubines were even different, but they quickly agreed with the Queen's words. For some reason, I feel that the queen seems to have an inexplicable hostility towards me.Isn't she making enemies for me by saying these words suddenly? "Queen, I heard that the king will come back from Urartu in a few days, right?" A charming concubine asked expectantly. "Yes, the king will be back soon, and a grand banquet will be held to welcome the king's triumphant return..." When it was mentioned that the king was coming back, the queen's eyes were full of deep love, but when her eyes fell When she was on those concubines, there was an elusive look in her eyes. Ah----Is Xiaoni going back to Babylon? Finally, I will see the true face of this famous Babylonian king... The day of the king's return will soon come. Before the banquet started, I rejected the golden makeup that Alina wanted to paint on me, but changed into a light green dress with lotus patterns, and tied up my hair casually. Please, I don't want to attract his attention, or...uh------I get dizzy when I think of the word sleeping. After following the crowd into the luxurious main hall, I was allocated almost the last position as expected. Well, this position is good, and it will definitely not attract anyone's attention. I raised my head and looked towards the first seat. Today's queen is dressed up a little more attractively than usual, with a joyful smile on her delicate face.Not only her, but all the concubines today tried their best to dress themselves up, hoping to attract the king's attention.The colors of clothing in the ancient Babylonian period have begun to increase. They are no longer the same primary colors as before. There are not only red, green, blue, purple, gold and other colors, but also the craftsmanship and embroidery that can weave patterns.At a glance, the beauties in brocade clothes are pleasing to the eye. Various kinds of bread, fish, mutton and unusual beef, as well as vegetables such as cucumber, cabbage and lettuce are placed on the dining table. Appeared in the food, the exquisitely carved bronze vessels are filled with pomegranates, dates, figs, water chestnuts, medlars and other seasonal fruits. The rich and fragrant fragrance, various foods, and melodious music filled the entire hall with a sense of luxury. Everyone began to relax gradually, and their speech and actions became a little more willful. Until today's protagonist -------- King of Babylon walked into this hall, almost instantly, I immediately felt the anxiety and tension in everyone's hearts. Looking from here, I can only see his tall and tall figure from a distance. He is wearing the traditional Babylonian robe "Candice" and a gorgeous purple shawl embroidered with gold and fringe. He is calm and awe-inspiring. The dignity and tolerance of the emperor violated. Nebuchadnezzar II, the most famous king of the New Babylonian Kingdom, interpreted his name in Babylonian as "Nebu, protector and successor of the crown". I didn't hear what he said. Of course, I didn't care what he said at all, but I drank a few glasses of date wine, this kind of sweet wine made from water and wheat koji mixed with figs and raisins. Wine, endless aftertaste. It was finally the end of the show, and I was about to go out with everyone. I just took two steps, but someone stepped on my skirt from behind. I lost my balance, and I just heard a plop. I fell down very unsightly on the ground. The surroundings suddenly became completely silent, and occasionally there were a few sneers. It is conceivable that all the focus is on me at this time. Sigh, I look so good now... Which bastard stepped on my skirt... Forget it, let's get up first and then talk... I was about to get up when a cold voice came from above my head, "Who are you?" This voice, this oppressive aura... is probably my "husband", just right, take this opportunity to see his true face, is he ugly or not? I raised my head suddenly, and what caught my eyes was a head of brown hair like a waterfall, like delicate and cool silk, sliding across his cheeks like flowing water, and the undisguised wildness and domineering between the flying brows, different Uncommonly firm and unwavering.Those deep eyes, dyed with a quiet silver-gray, are like a bottomless black hole, which is daunting, but full of temptation, making people want to go in and find out.The corners of the tightly pursed lips seemed to still carry the bloody wind and cruelty on the battlefield. Not only is he not ugly, on the contrary, he is a genuinely handsome man. "Oh, isn't this Princess Aymis of Tire? Isn't she really disrespectful?" I followed the reputation, and it was a concubine I had seen before who spoke. A look of schadenfreude. My heart moved slightly, could it be that she was the one who stepped on the corner of my skirt just now?Just as he was wondering, he suddenly saw her looking at the queen, and the two exchanged their eyes very briefly, and an obvious smile appeared on the queen's lips. "Is it you I'm asking?" He glanced coldly in that direction, so scared that the concubine didn't dare to say another word. I stood up unhurriedly, straightened my skirt, and said, "I am Princess Aymis from Tire. The Kingdom of Tire sent me here specially to show the sincerity of peace. Just now It’s true that I’m losing my manners, but I think in a big country like Babylon, a ruler like a king must have a heart as broad as the Tigras River, and I will never blame a woman who represents peace for such a small matter Bar." Although I don't want to attract his attention, I also don't want to be punished for no reason. He narrowed his silver-gray eyes slightly, and there was no trace of emotion on his calm face, "So you are the princess of Tyre, you seem bolder than I imagined, few people dare to look me in the eyes There's so much more to say." I felt a little bad in my heart, so I quickly lowered my eyes and said in a low voice, "Just now I was in a hurry, so I won't dare next time." "My lord, Princess Aymis also made an unintentional mistake. Let's forget it this time. You just came back, so you should rest early." The green-clothed concubine who spoke to me before spoke softly. Although I kept staring at the ground, I could still feel his sharp sword-like gaze. After a few seconds, the pair of leather shoes finally moved away slowly... Huh... I just breathed a sigh of relief. When I got back to the room, Alina gave me a massage and said with a smile on her face, "Princess, that's great, today you are a blessing in disguise, and you have attracted the attention of the king, maybe you will be called to bed soon. " N crosses quickly climbed up on my forehead. Using this method to attract Neb's attention is too shameful, it is simply destroying my image. "By the way, who is the woman who spoke for me today?" I took the opportunity to ask. "Oh, that's Princess Lemi. She has only been married here for half a year. Like you, she was sent here because her country was defeated. Maybe it's because of this relationship that she speaks for you. "Alina rubbed the sesame oil on my arm and said, "But Princess Lemi is mature and stable, and she is very kind, and the king likes her a lot." "It turned out to be like this..." I have a headache about the harem relationship here. "However, princess..." Alina hesitated to speak, and a strange look crossed her face. "But what?" I won't let go of the slightest bit of doubt. "Princess, there is actually one thing that I want to tell you after much deliberation..." She lowered her voice, showing a frightened expression, "I heard that in this palace, every once in a while there will be concubines or concubines. The maid is missing." "There is such a thing?" I was taken aback, "When did it start?" "It's just recently. I heard... I heard that there is a monster in the palace. It comes out to eat people every once in a while, and it only eats women, so..." She shuddered suddenly, "So you have to Be careful." "Don't you know?" I asked in surprise. She sighed, "The king is often busy with battles and rarely returns to the palace. In order to avoid the king's distraction, the queen ordered everyone to conceal this matter. Besides, there are many concubines and wives in the palace, even if there are a few fewer. How could the king notice it?" I smiled at her, "Thank you Alina, I'll be careful." Well, could this man-eating monster... have anything to do with the Queen's murder?