Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty-Four

The office assigned to the new Chief Grain Treasurer was spacious and well-lit, and there were four permanent professional clerks waiting on his errands.Mei Feng wore a new loincloth and an ill-fitting short-sleeved linen shirt, his face glowing. Of course, he is very satisfied with the success of the wholesale business, but being able to enter a government agency to exercise public power is a wish he has had since he was able to read and write.Due to his humble background and low education level, this seemed like an unattainable dream to him.However, his hard work made the administration notice his ability, and now he is more determined to show his talents.

After he greeted his colleagues and emphasized that he attached great importance to order and work attitude, he began to look at the first document given to him by his superiors: the list of taxpayers who have refunded taxes.He, who has always paid taxes on time, looked at this document and found it interesting.who?A rich man, an army clerk, a joinery master and... Judge Pazar!The inspector noted the time of late payment, the amount of the fine, and that the chief of police had personally sealed the judge's door. At lunch time, Meifeng went to the clerk Yalo and asked him where Pazar was currently living.When they arrived at Suti's house, Meifeng only saw the chariot captain and his mistress. As for Pazar, he had just left the house, and Meifeng was caught up in time by the fast boat that was going to communicate with Memphis and Thebes. Pazar.

"I heard about your troubles." "It was my oversight," Pazar admitted. "It's so unfair. The punishment is so heavy for a small mistake. You can appeal." "It was my fault in the first place. Besides, what good is it to me that the proceedings are always lengthy? Maybe the punishment will be lessened, but it may attract a lot of enemies." "The elder of the door hall doesn't seem to appreciate you." "He has always liked to test young judges." Meifeng looked at him sincerely. "You helped me when I was in trouble, and now I also hope that I will pay off the fine for you when I am defeated."

"I can't promise." "Otherwise, how about I borrow it from you? Of course, there is no interest. You don't want me to be greedy for a little bit of money from your friends, right?" "How can I pay you back?" "Leverage on your expertise. I've just become the chief financial officer of the barn, and I will often rely on your expertise in the future. You can calculate how many consultation fees are equivalent to two sacks of rice and one fat cow. "Mei Feng answered very readily. "Then we will meet each other often in the future."

"This is your proof of ownership of the property." Mei Feng and Pazar reached an agreement. The elders of the door hall are preparing the cases to be reviewed tomorrow: shoe theft, inheritance disputes, compensation for accidents...they are all simple and easy to solve cases.Then came a visitor who made him curious. "Pazar! Have you changed jobs, or come to pay the fine?" Pazar jokingly said: "The second answer is the correct answer." After speaking, he laughed too. The elder looked happily at Pazar who was quite calm. "Very well, you still have a sense of humor. This job is not for you, and you will appreciate my strictness in the future. Go back to your village, find a girl in the country to marry, have two children with her, and put Forget about judges and judiciary. This world is too complicated. I understand people's hearts very well, Pazar."

"Then I should congratulate you." "You are finally rational!" "This is what I want to give you." The elder looked at the property certificate and couldn't help being dumbfounded. "I have placed two sacks of rice at your gate, and the fattened cows have been placed in the stables of the Tax Bureau. Are you satisfied?" Looking at Meng Moxi, one can tell that he is in a bad mood: his head is red, his facial features are tangled together, and with his strong nasal voice, his expression of irritability is fully revealed. "Pazar, I met you today out of courtesy. You have to know that you are just a commoner now."

"If that's the case, I don't dare to disturb you." Meng Moxi couldn't help but raised his head, and asked suspiciously, "What do you mean?" "This is a document signed by the elder of the gate hall. The tax I owed to the tax bureau has been paid off. He even thinks that my fat cow is much bigger than the average cow, so part of it will be included in my advance tax payment next year." "How do you..." "I hope you can remove the seal on my gate as soon as possible, and I will be grateful." Meng Moxi's attitude changed 180 degrees immediately.He smiled and said, "Of course, Your Honor, of course there is no problem! In fact, this unfortunate incident happened, and I also said a lot of good things for you."

"I absolutely believe it." "Our future cooperation..." "We'll be able to work together. One more little thing: about the embezzled grain, the matter has been settled. I also know the whole story, but you know it before I do." After Pazar was reinstated, everything returned to calm, and he immediately boarded a fast boat to Thebes.Cam was with him.The baboon was sleeping soundly on a small bundle in the cradle-like boat. "You surprised me so much," Cam said to his boss. "You survived the test of the general and the stone mill. Usually, even the strongest people will be smashed to pieces."

"Lucky." "It should be said to be a kind of hope. This kind of strong hope makes all people, things, and things have to bow to you." Cam said in admiration. "You overestimate my abilities." Down the river, they got closer and closer to Nefiri.The Chief Physician Nabamun will soon settle accounts with her, but she will not reduce the scope of her medical practice. It seems that conflicts are inevitable. The ship reached Thebes in the evening.Pazar avoided the crowd and sat alone on the edge of the river bank.The sun slowly set in the west, dyeing the western mountains red; in the field, the shepherd boy blew the melancholy sound of the flute, and drove the livestock home.

There were not many passengers on the last ferry.Cam and the baboon sat in the stern, and Pazar moved closer to the sailor. He wore an old-fashioned wig that covered half his face. "Roll the boat more slowly," Pazar said to the sailor. The sailor's head was still leaning against the rudder. "I have something to tell you, you are safe here. Don't look at me when you answer." Who would notice a stalker?Everyone was hurrying to get to the other side, some were talking, some were dreaming, and none of them looked at the boatman at the helm.He doesn't have many needs alone, he can easily meet them, and he can live alone.

"You are the fifth veteran, the only survivor of the Sphinx Honor Guard." Shao Gong did not deny it. "I'm Judge Pazar, and I want to know the truth. Four of your companions are dead, probably murdered, and that's why you're hiding. There must be something hidden behind such a horrific massacre." "How do I know if you will harm me?" Shao Gong finally spoke. "If I tried to kill someone, you'd be dead. Trust me." "For you, of course it's easy..." "Not really. What cruel truth have you seen?" "There were five of us...five ex-military guards at night on the Sphinx. It was purely an honorary duty before our retirement, and there was no danger. I sat with another companion around the famous The outside of the lion's enclosure. That day, we fell asleep as usual.He woke up when he heard the sound, but I wanted to sleep, so I reassured him that it was okay. He was still worried and insisted on taking a look, so we walked inside the wall, only to find the corpse of a companion on the right side of the stone statue, and a second one on the other side. "His throat tightened, and he couldn't continue. He interrupted for a while before continuing: "Then there was a moaning sound... From... until now, that sound still often appears in my ears!It was the captain of the guard, lying dead between the claws of the sphinx.Blood was pouring from his mouth, but he still tried to speak. ""What did he say? " "It was said that someone attacked him, and he tried his best to resist." "who is it?" "A naked woman and some men. 'Weird words in the night,' was all he said at the end. My partner and I were terrified.Why is it so cruel... Do you want to notify the soldiers in charge of supervision?My companion does not agree to notify, otherwise there will be troubles in the future, and maybe we will get into trouble ourselves.The other three ex-servicemen are dead... We'd better not say anything and just pretend we didn't see or hear anything.At dawn, when the guards on the morning shift came to take over, they found the massacred bodies, and we both pretended to be panicked. "Have you been punished?" " "Not at all. We officially retired and went back to our village. My partner became a baker, and I was going to fix cars for a living. After he was assassinated, I had to go into hiding." "Assassination?" Pazar noticed his peculiar wording. "He's always been very careful, especially with the stove. I'm sure he was pushed in. We're still stuck with the Sphinx. They don't believe us. They think we know too much." is afraid. "Who interrogated you in Giza?" "A senior officer." "Has General Asher contacted you?" "No." "At the trial, your testimony will be decisive." "What court?" Shao Gong asked suspiciously. "The general signed a document certifying that you and your four companions were killed in an accident." This news made Shaogong heave a sigh of relief. "That would be the best, and I would cease to exist as a person. " "I can find you, so can they. You can only be free if you testify in court." The ferry docked. "I... I don't know. Leave me alone." Pazar still tried his best to convince him: "This is the only way, for the reputation of your dead companion, and for yourself." Shaogong thought for a while before saying, "I'll answer you when the first ferry leaves tomorrow morning." The stalker jumped ashore and wound the rope around the stake, while Pazar, Kem, and the baboon walked away. "Keep an eye on this man tonight," Pazar told Kaim. "how about you?" "I'll spend the night in the nearest village and come back at dawn." Cam hesitated.He didn't like the order. If Shao Gong revealed something to the judge, the judge himself would be in danger, and he couldn't take care of both of them. In the end Kym chose Pazar. The Eater of Shadows also boarded the same ferry as the sun went down.Kem sat in the stern, and Pazar took the seat next to the sailor. Strangely, the two of them looked at the other side of the river side by side.But there are not many passengers on board, everyone has a spacious and comfortable space, why does he have to be so close to the boat?Unless you want to talk to him. Shooter... This is the most obvious but also the least conspicuous profession. The Devourer of Shadows jumped into the river and drifted across the Nile.When he reached the other bank, he hid in the reeds for a long time, and secretly observed the movement around him.The scorpion slept in a hut made of wooden boards. There was neither Kaim nor Fufu nearby, so he waited patiently and confirmed that the cabin was indeed unattended.So he quickly slipped into the house, took a belt and put it around Shaogong's neck, and Shaogong woke up immediately. "If you move one more time, you will die immediately." Shao Gong was powerless to resist, so he raised his right hand to signal surrender.The Devourer of Shadows also let go of his hand slightly, and asked, "Who are you?" "I am... Shao Gong." "Which army?" "Asian Legion." "What's the last task?" "Guards of the Sphinx's honor." "Why are you hiding?" "I am afraid." "What are you afraid of?" Shaogong paused and said, "I...don't know." "What's the secret?" "No!" The belt around his neck tightened again.He had to be honest: "At Giza, there was an attack...a massacre...someone invaded the Sphinx and killed my companions." "Who is it?" "I did not see anything." "Did the judge question you?" "yes." "What did you ask?" "Same problem as you." "How did you answer?" "He threatened me with court, but I didn't say anything. I don't want to have legal trouble." "What did you tell him?" Shao Gong lied this time: "I am a boatman, not a retired soldier." "great." The belt finally came loose.While the retired soldier was panting from stroking his aching neck, he was punched on the temple by the Devourer of Shadows and passed out.The killer pulled the boatman out of the hut, dragged him to the river, and then held the boatman's head in the water for a long time before letting the body float beside the ferry. Simple drowning incident, who said it wasn't? Nefiri filled another prescription for Shabab.As Shabab took good care of herself, her recovery was quick.Feeling alive again, and no longer suffering from the burning pain of the arthritis, she asked the doctor to let her have sex with the hotel porter, a young man of Nubian origin and in good health. "May I interrupt you for a moment?" Pazar asked. "My work is almost over, too." Nefiri looked exhausted. "You have too much work." Pazar said pitifully. "It's just a moment of fatigue. Any news of Nebamun?" "He hasn't said anything yet." "It's just a temporary calm." "I'm afraid so." "How is your investigation?" "It's a big step forward, although I was suspended by the elders of the gate hall." "What's going on?" While washing her hands, she listened to Pazar's account of what happened, and then said to him in an envious tone: "You have many good friends, like our teachers Brani, Suti, and Meifeng. . . . what luck." "Don't you feel lonely?" "Although the villagers will help me, I can't find anyone to ask for advice when I have difficulties. Sometimes it is very stressful." They sat together on the mat, facing a large palm tree forest. "You seem happy." "I just found an important witness. I wanted to tell you first." Nefiri didn't avoid his gaze.In her eyes, he saw a kind of attention, maybe love. "You could be thwarted, wouldn't you?" "I don't care. I believe in justice like you believe in medicine." Their shoulders accidentally touched each other.Pazar twitched, nervously not even daring to catch his breath.Nefiri didn't seem to feel it, and she didn't move away. "Will you sacrifice your life for the pursuit of truth?" she asked looking into the distance. "If necessary, I would not hesitate." "Will you still miss me?" "every second." His hand brushed against Nefiri's, and then hugged her lightly, almost imperceptibly.I just heard Nefili say softly: "Whenever I feel tired, I think of you. No matter what happens, it seems that I can't beat you, and you will always continue to walk the way you should go." "It's just an appearance, and I often have doubts in my mind. Suti often said that I was too naive. For him, the most important thing is to take risks. Once he may fall into the nest of habit, what kind of crazy thing does he do?" Can do it all." "Are you afraid of getting used to it too?" "Habits don't conflict with me." "Can a relationship last for years?" Pazar said in a very sincere tone: "If it is not just feelings, but the whole person's devotion, a paradise on earth, a combination of the dawn and sunset witnesses, then it can even last a lifetime. Love that fades can only Said it was a trophy." Nefiri rested her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing his cheek, and said as if dreamily, "You have a strange power, Pazar." This is just a dream, just like the yellow fireflies in Thebes night are fleeting, but the faint light illuminates life. Pazar lay flat, his eyes staring at Fanken, and he spent a sleepless night in the palm grove like this. He wished he could make the most of this brief moment, while Nefiri was still so lighthearted, before she pushed him away and closed her heart again.Did she already develop a love for him, or was she just tired?When he thought of her willingness to accept his existence and feelings, his whole body was as light as a spring cloud, and as excited as a rising tide. A few steps away, the Fufu policeman had just eaten a few dates and was spitting out the date pits. "It's you? Why... Hurry up!" Cam's voice came from behind the baboon: "I decided to keep you safe." "Go to the river, hurry up!" At daybreak, a large crowd gathered on the river bank. "Get out of the way!" Pazar yelled. Shaogong's body had been brought back by a fisherman after it floated away with the river. "He probably can't swim." The people around him were chattering, but Pazar just checked the corpse on his own. "This is murder," he announced. "He has string marks on his neck and marks on his right temple where he was violently struck. He was strangled and knocked unconscious before being pushed into the water."