Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen

"We set out for Thebes," Pazar said to the north wind. The donkey was very happy to hear the news, but when the clerk saw their luggage, he asked worriedly, "Are you going to be away for a long time?" "I don't know." "How can I contact you when necessary?" "Let's put the file away and wait for me to come back." "But……" After all, Yaluo felt that something was wrong, but Pazar only persuaded him: "Be on time, don't keep making your daughter wait so long." Cam lived in a three-story building near the armory, which contained about a dozen two- or three-bedroom apartments.

Pazar specially picked the time when he was on vacation, hoping to find him at his residence.The door was opened by a baboon with glazed eyes. The living room was full of knives, muskets, and bombs.Cam is repairing a bow. He was astonished to see the judge. "How did you come?" "Is your luggage ready?" Pazar asked back. "Didn't the trip be cancelled?" "I've changed my mind." "As you are told," was all he had said. Bombers, spears, daggers, bludgeons, short and thick wooden sticks, axes, square wooden shields...Su Ti played with these weapons flexibly during these three days.His performance was proficient and confident, without the jerkyness of a recruit at all, which made the officers in charge of organizing the recruits look at him differently.

At the end of the testing period, the recruits assembled in the large courtyard of the main Memphis camp.In the stables on the side, column after column of horses looked at the large group of people with interest, and there was a huge cistern in the center of the courtyard. Suti had visited the stables, which had pebbled floors and gutters that drained sewage.Both cavalry and chariot soldiers are here to tend to their beloved horses, which are well fed, clean, cared for and living their best lives.In addition, Suti also left a good impression of the barracks built under the shade of a long row of trees.

But he still hated discipline very much.In the past two days, the orders of his superiors and the clamor of the soldiers have formalized his adventures. The ceremony of enlisting recruits follows exact rules.A soldier would explain to the volunteers the various benefits of joining the army in an attempt to convince them, and the main benefits include safety, respect, and good retirement benefits.The standard-bearers hold aloft the banners of several important legions serving the gods Amun, Ra, Ptah, and Seto. There is a royal clerk who registers the names of recruits enlisted.There are baskets full of food piled up behind him, because tonight the generals specially prepared a sumptuous dinner for the recruits, including meat, chicken, duck, vegetables and fruits and other delicacies.

"There will be better days in the future." One of Suti's companions said in a low voice. "I don't have one." Su Ti replied unhappily. "You want to give up?" "I'd rather choose freedom." "You are crazy! The captain said that you have the highest score in our echelon, and you may get a good job right away." The companion was really puzzled by his decision. "What I want is adventure experience, not to be incorporated into the army." Suti's decision to go was decided. "If I were you, I'd think about it again."

While the two of them were arguing, a court messenger trotted through the Great Court bearing a set of scrolls.He handed over the papers to the royal clerk.After reading it, the clerk stood up and gave a few simple orders.In less than a minute, all the gates of the camp were closed. Volunteers whispered to each other. "Quiet!" the officer yelled, and began to explain soothingly, "We have just received instructions from our superiors. According to the will of Pharaoh, you are all recruited into the army.Some will go to camps in the provinces, and others will leave tomorrow for Asia. ""Either an emergency or a war. said Suti's companion.

"I don't care." "Don't be stupid. You'd be a deserter if you slipped away." The companion's words worked.Su Ti evaluated the probability of himself escaping to the wall and disappearing into the nearby alley: it was equal to zero.This is not a clerk's school, but a barracks full of archers and spearmen. This group of forced recruits walked past the royal clerk one by one.The clerk, like other soldiers, had a half-hearted expression on his face. "Su Ti...excellent grades. Assignment: Asian Legion. You will serve as the archer next to the chariot captain.

Tomorrow we will leave at dawn.Next. "Suti saw him engrave his name on a board. Escape is impossible now, unless he intends to spend his life hiding abroad, never to see Egypt or Pazar again. It seems that he is destined to be a hero. "Will I be under General Asher's command?" The clerk glared at him and said, "I said: next." Suti was allotted a shirt, a tunic, a coat, a breastplate, a leather cuff, a helmet, a double-headed axe, and a central acacia wood A thick bow.This bow is 160 centimeters high, and it is not easy to draw the bow. If it is shot in a straight line, the range can reach 60 meters, and if it is shot in a parabola, it can reach 180 meters.

"What about dinner?" "Here is bread, half a kilo of jerky, oil and figs." The logistics officer replied, "Eat it. If you want water, there is it in the sink. After eating, go to bed. Tomorrow, you will have to eat dust." On the southbound ship, all the passengers talked about was the decree of Ramses the Great.According to reports widely circulated by various heralds, the pharaoh ordered all temples to be cleaned, all state treasures to be counted, the stocks of granaries and public warehouses to be counted, the sacrifices to the gods to be doubled, and an expedition to Asia to be prepared.

But the rumors exaggerated the facts. There were rumors of impending catastrophe, armed riots in the cities, rebellions in the provinces, and an imminent Hittite invasion.As a judge, Pazar naturally had the responsibility to maintain public order. "Wouldn't it be better to stay in Memphis?" Cam asked. "We won't be away for long. The village chief will definitely tell us that the two ex-soldiers who died accidentally have been mummified and buried." Pazar was confident of this. "You are pessimistic." "Five Falling Dead: This Is Officially Recorded Fact."

"But you don't believe it." "What about you?" Pazar asked back, hoping to get some more advice and support. "What does it matter? As soon as the war starts, I'll be drafted." Pazar was still skeptical about the rumors, so he refuted his statement of starting a war, "Ramesses has always advocated the peaceful coexistence of the Hittites and the Asian countries." "But they will continue to invade Egypt." "Our military is so powerful, why worry?" "Then why are there so many strange measures when you decide to go out this time?" "I'm also confused." When Kem asked, Pazar was stopped. He thought of a more likely reason: "Maybe it's a domestic security issue." "The country of Egypt is rich and the people are safe, and the king is loved by his people. Everyone in the country has no worries about food and clothing, and there are no thieves. There's no sign of unrest." "You're right, but the pharaoh seems to feel a little differently. " The wind was a little strong in their faces, so the sails were lowered, and the water sailed alone.At this time, on the Nile River, there are still dozens of ships traveling from north to south, forcing the captain and crew to remain vigilant at all times. About a hundred kilometers south of Memphis, a River Police cutter pulled up to the boat and ordered the captain to slow down. A police officer then jumped onto the deck by grabbing a cable. "Is there a Judge Pazar among the passengers?" "I am." Pazar stood up. "I must take you back to Memphis." "why?" "You've been charged." Suti was the last to get up and get dressed.The battalion supervisor also gave him a push to make him move faster. He dreamed of Shabab last night, of her caresses and her passionate kisses.She gave him such unexpected pleasure that he decided to visit again soon. Under the envious eyes of other recruits, Suti boarded a two-wheeled chariot. The chariot captain who called him was about forty years old, and his whole body was muscular. "Stand still, boy," he reminded in a low voice. Before Su Ti had time to put his left wrist into the buckle belt, the chariot captain urged his horse to charge forward.Their car was the first to leave the camp and head north. "Have you ever fought a war, boy?" the Chariot Captain asked first. "The battle against the clerk." "You killed them?" The chariot captain asked suspiciously, not understanding what he meant. "Probably not." Su Ti was not sure. "Don't be disappointed, I will give you a better chance." "Where are we going?" "Chasing the enemy, we are still the vanguard!" The chariot captain said vigorously, "We will cross the delta, settle along the coast, and beat the Syrians and Hittites to pieces. I think this The decree is right, I haven't trampled on these savages for a long time." "Aren't you slowing down?" Su Ti wondered on the chariot moving at full speed. "A good archer can hit the target even in the most unfavorable situation." "What if I miss the shot?" "I will cut off the fastening belt on your hand and let you go down to eat." "You are so strict." Su Ti said in disbelief. "Ten battles in Asia, five wounds, twice as much reward as the average heroic warrior, King Ramses personally commended him many times, what do you think?" the chariot captain said about his glorious history. "Can't make any mistakes?" "If you don't succeed, you will become benevolent." Becoming a hero is much more difficult than expected.Su Ti sighed deeply, stretched his bow, and no longer thought about the galloping chariot, the bumpy road, and the rough road. "The tree in the distance ahead, shoot!" The chariot captain gave an order, and the arrow flew into the sky, drawing a beautiful arc, and when it hit the trunk of the acacia tree, the chariot whizzed past under the tree. "Well done, kid!" Su Ti sighed and asked, "How many archers have you kicked out?" "I've given up counting. I'm afraid of half-asses. I'll buy you a drink tonight." "In the tent?" "Officers and assistants can go to the tavern." The chariot captain said with a smile. "Then... what about women?" Su Ti never forgot about women. The chariot captain slapped him hard on the back, and said with a smile, "You are a born soldier! After drinking, let's have a good time." Su Gao happily kissed his bow, God really cared for him. Pazar really underestimated the enemy's ability to counterattack.On the one hand, they prevented him from leaving Memphis and went to Thebes to investigate. On the other hand, they thought of depriving him of his status as a judge so that he could no longer intervene.It seems that the truth he has been trying to reveal is indeed about murder, and there is more than one case. Unfortunately, it was too late.What he feared finally happened.Shabab listened to the instigation of the Chief of Police and reported him for disorderly conduct.All the judges were going to condemn his absurd habits as unfit for duty Cam came into the office, head bowed. "Have you found Suti?" Pazar asked nervously. "He's been recruited into the Asian Legion." "he's gone?" "He's a chariot archer now." "The only witness who can prove my innocence has not been found." Pazar pointed at the deflated balloon. "I can replace him." Although Kem volunteered, Pazar couldn't let him take the risk. "No, Cam. They're bound to find out you weren't at Shabab's that day, and you're guilty of perjury." "I can't stand by and watch you be slandered." "I shouldn't have gotten to the bottom of it," Pazar said regretfully. "If even the judge can't tell the truth, then what's the point of living?" Kaim's grief and indignation were really heartbreaking. "I won't give up, Cam. But I don't have any proof." "They just want you to shut up." "I will not obey." "I, and the baboons, will be on your side." The two couldn't help hugging each other excitedly. On the third day after Judge Pazar returned to Memphis, the case was held in the wooden gate in front of the palace.The rapid development of the procedure is mainly due to the special status of the defendant: as long as the judge is suspected of breaking the law, he must try it immediately. Pazar didn't expect the elders of the gate hall to pardon him, but when he saw the members of the jury, he couldn't help but be shocked by the breadth of the plot.Members included Denis the transporter, his wife Ninofa, Chief of Police Monmothy, a royal clerk and a priest of the Temple of Ptah, most of whom were his opponents.If the clerk and the priest remained silent, then the situation would be even more one-sided. The elder of the door hall, with a shaved head and a cross-front loincloth, sat sullenly in the back of the court. There is a piece of fig wood about half a meter long at his feet, representing the presence of the god Maat.The jury stands to his left and a clerk to his right.Behind Pazar was a group of spectators. "Are you Judge Pazar?" the gate elder asked. "Serving in Memphis." "Among your subordinates is a clerk named Yalo?" "yes." "Pass to the plaintiff." Pazar was secretly startled, Yalo and Shabab: what an incredible combination!It was his closest working partner who betrayed him. But it was not Shabab who appeared in court, but a small brown-haired woman with a fat body and a hideous face. "Are you the wife of the clerk Arlo?" "I am," she replied in a high-pitched, rough voice. "You will state, under oath, the reasons for your accusation." "My husband likes to drink, and he drinks a lot, especially at night. For a week, he has been scolding and hitting me in front of his daughter. My lovely daughter is scared to death. I have scars from his beating, and I And the doctor's report." The woman babbled about being abused by her husband. "Do you know Judge Pazar?" the gate elder asked. "Just heard." "What do you want to ask the court to do?" "I want the court to convict my husband and the employer responsible for his character. I also want two new clothes, ten sacks of corn, and five roast geese. If Yalo hits me again, I want double compensation. " Pazar was astonished to hear her accusation. "Call to the principal accused." Yalo appeared in court in great embarrassment, his rosacea accentuated by his scowling expression.He defended himself awkwardly. "My wife messed with me. She doesn't cook. I beat her out of necessity and to express my anger. You have to understand me. Working for Judge Pazar is very hard work. There is no flexibility in time and there are too many documents. It’s terrible, I really need to find another clerk to help.” "Would you like to protest, Judge Kasar?" the elder of the gate hall turned to Pazar and asked. Pazar defended himself and said: "His remarks are not correct. We do have a lot of work, but I also respect the character of the clerk Yalo and understand his family problems, so I let him go to and from get off work flexibly. " "Can someone testify for you?" "The residents in the district should be able to." Pazar replied. The elder of the door hall then asked Yaluo: "Should we summon them to appear in court? Do you agree with Judge Pazar's words?" "No, there's no need...but it's not entirely my fault." Yaluo knew he was wrong, but he was unwilling to admit it. "Judge Pazar, do you know about your clerk beating his wife?" "have no idea." "You must be responsible for the conduct of your men." "I admit." "It was your fault that you failed to check Yarrow's moral conduct." "I don't have time." "Negligence is the only correct term." The elder of the door hall refused to accept any excuses and severely criticized. The elder of the door palace asked Pazar to step back and wait for orders, and then asked the plaintiff and the defendant if they had anything to say.Only Arlo's wife kept repeating her accusation emotionally. The jury then discussed. Pazar suddenly felt like laughing.Isn't it inconceivable that he was punished for a family dispute?Arlo's weakness and his wife's stupidity set an unexpected trap, which did exactly what his opponent wanted. The court will follow the judicial process and relegate Pazar to a faraway place, leaving him without any power to rely on. After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury reached its conclusion. Elder Gate Hall announced in his usual deep voice: "The jury unanimously voted that Clerk Arlo's behavior towards his wife was indeed inappropriate, and he was convicted. He must give the defendant everything he asked for, and he was punished with thirty boards. If the offense is committed again, the wife can immediately divorce him.Will the defendant be convinced? " Being able to get things done so smoothly, Yaluo happily lay down without saying a word, ready to serve his sentence.Egyptian law has never been merciful to a mob who abuses his wife.After the beating, Yalo, weeping and moaning, was taken by a policeman to the district infirmary for treatment. "The jury passed unanimously," the elder of the door hall continued to announce, "Judge Pazar acquitted. This court recommends that he not dismiss the original clerk, and give him a chance to correct his mistakes." Mumosi nodded to Pazar and hurried off to serve as a juror in another courtroom, this time in a case of theft.Dennis and his wife came to congratulate him together. "Inexplicable accusations." Mrs. Ninofa said angrily, and the colorful robes she was wearing once again attracted whispers from all the citizens in the city. "No matter which court will acquit you." Dai Nisi said exaggeratedly: "We in Memphis need a judge like you." "It's not wrong." Ninofa also echoed, "Only in a caring and just society can business have a future. We are very impressed with your determination and my husband and I appreciate courage.If we have any legal issues in business in the future, we will definitely ask you for advice. "