Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

Thick foliage of palm, fig, and carob shaded the heat.During the break after lunch, Nefili enjoys a quiet moment in the garden, but after a while, the little green monkey starts jumping, climbing up and down, screaming, and happily picking up Fruit is dedicated to the hostess.Little Rascal couldn't be quiet for a moment.Just like Nefiri couldn't sit still for a moment.After he was satisfied, he hid under the chair and watched the dog warrior run back and forth and play. Isn't Egypt just like a big garden?Under the Pharaoh's shade, trees thrive in the freshness of the morning or the tranquility of the evening.In fact, Ramses often personally inspected olive and avocado groves.He always likes to take a walk in the garden full of flowers, and also likes to observe the growth of fruit trees.The tall and dense branches and leaves not only provide shade for the temple, but also the nesting place for the holy messenger birds.The sages have said that a man who is restless is like a tree with a dry heart and gradually withering; on the contrary, a peaceful state of mind can bring abundant fruits and spread a refreshing atmosphere around.

Nefeli planted a fig tree in a small pothole with a holed earthen pot to catch the water and protect the young sapling.After the tree roots gradually extend downward, the fragile container will be broken, and the broken pottery mixed into the pottery will make the humus soil more nutritious.Nefeli carefully firmed the edges of the dried mud so that it wouldn't lose water too quickly after watering. The warrior barked excitedly, and it seemed that Pazar would be home soon.Every time it was fifteen minutes before Pazar arrived at the gate, no matter what the time, the Warriors had an accurate hunch.If he was away from home for too long, the warrior lost his appetite and ignored the provocations of the little rascals.As soon as Pazar entered the house, regardless of his status as the elder of the temple, he ran beside his pet dog, let the warrior climb on his loincloth, and left two black paw prints.Pazar took off the loincloth.Lying naked on a straw mat next to his wife.

"The sun is so warm." "You seem tired," Nefiri asked softly. "There are far more annoying things than usual." "Did you forget to drink copper water?" "I don't have time to think about myself. My office is always full of people, everything from war widows to clerks unhappy with their promotions, and everyone is full of grievances." Nefiri lay down beside him. "It's not fair for you to say that, Judge Pazar. Look at your garden." "Suti is right. I did fall into the trap. I really want to go back to the countryside and be a junior judge." Pazar said blankly.

"The God of Destiny will not allow you to go back. Has Su proposed to send to Coptos?" "He left this morning with weapons and luggage. He promised me to bring back Asher's head and a large pile of gold." "From now on, we will pray to Minshen, the protector of the explorers, and Hador, the god of the desert, every day. Our friendship can transcend time and space." "How is your patient?" "There are a few people that worry me a lot. I'm still waiting for several precious medicinal materials to prepare a prescription, but the Pharmacy Department of the Central Hospital has put my application on hold." Pazar closed his eyes.

Nefiri then flashed concern: "Is there anything else bothering you, dear?" "Sure enough, I can't hide it from you. It's about you." "I broke the law?" Nefeli wondered. "The successor of the chief physician in the palace has not yet been determined. As the elder of the gate hall, I must check whether the candidates are legally qualified, and then submit the list to the professional physician committee. But I have to admit that the first Candidate qualifications." "who is it?" "Dentist Kadash. If he is elected, the papers Mei Feng prepared for you will be put on the shelf immediately."

"Can he succeed?" "He has a letter of recommendation written by Nebamon." "Is it fake?" "There are two witnesses to prove that this letter was indeed written by Nebamon. And he was in a good state of mind at the time. These two people are Dainis and Xieqi. This group of robbers is becoming more and more open and aboveboard." Pazar said heavily sighed. "My career future doesn't matter, as long as there is a private clinic where I can continue to treat diseases." "They're going to close your clinic and they're even going to sue you."

"Anyway, there are the best judges who will fight for me, so what am I worried about?" Nefeli said with a smile. "Kadashi...I have never been able to figure out his role, and now the answer is revealed. What privileges does the Chief Physician have?" "To treat the pharaoh's illness, appoint medical teams such as physicians and pharmacists in the palace, handle and control poisonous substances, poisons and dangerous drugs, decide on public health policies, and then implement them after the prime minister and the pharaoh agree." "Let Kadashi have such power... This is exactly the position he covets."

"It's not easy to influence the committee to decide who to choose." "You are wrong. Dennis will definitely bribe the commissioner. In the eyes of everyone, Kadashi is very respected. He has practiced for many years, and... and Ramses only suffers from one disease: periodontal disease. This time The appointment is also part of their plan, and we must do our utmost to prevent it." "How to stop it?" "I don't know yet." "Are you worried that Kadashi will endanger the pharaoh's health?" "He wouldn't dare to do that, it's too risky."

At this moment, Rascal jumped onto Pazar's stomach and tugged at his body hair.Pazar cried out in pain.The right hand also took advantage of the situation, but it missed, because the little green monkey had already hidden under the hostess's chair. "If Nian hadn't made some contributions to this damned little Fusheng when we first met, I would have given him a good beating." In order to express his apology, the little rascal climbed a palm tree and dropped a date palm, which Pazar caught right as soon as he stretched out his hand.The warrior—seeing this, immediately ran over and ate the dates.

Nefiri suddenly showed a look of Qi Ran. "Why are you sad?" "I had a -- a very crazy idea." "what you up to?" "I give up." She shook her head. "tell me." "What's the use?" She curled up beside him and said quietly, "I want...to have a child." "I thought about it too." "Do you want us to have a baby?" "It's not a wise decision when all the facts are dark." "I once wanted to overthrow this idea, but you should be right." "If I proceed with the investigation, we'll have to wait a little longer."

"We cannot forget Blarney's death or we will be the most despicable couple ever." He asked her softly, "Do you think it is necessary to wear this dress again? The weather at night is so comfortable." * * * The task of the Devourer of Shadows is not an easy one.First of all, if he leaves the job too frequently or for too long, it is easy to attract attention, and because he is worried that he may be implicated if he has an accomplice, he always acts alone.Since he had to figure out Pazar's habits alone, he naturally needed a little more patience.The second is that the client wanted him to disable the elder of the gate hall instead of killing him, and to cover up the flaws with accidents. This plan proved to be very difficult: therefore, the Eater of Shadows demanded three gold bars as a reward, and with this wealth, he could buy a farm in the Delta and spend the rest of his life without worry.In the future, he can take pleasure in killing when his desire is strong, and he will have a large group of servants at his disposal to take care of him in every possible way. As soon as the gold was in his hands, he would start hunting—thinking of the advantages of having accomplished this masterpiece for himself.He couldn't help but get excited. * * * The stove was burning white hot.Xieqi had already placed the mold in advance, and the flowing liquid metal in it would be shaped into large and large gold bars.At this time, the temperature in the laboratory was unbearable, and Dainis was already sweating profusely, but the chemist with the black mustache didn't shed a single drop of sweat. "I've already made an agreement with our friends," Dennis said. "No regrets?" "We don't have a choice." Dennis said as he took out Cheaps' golden mask from a cloth bag.And the gold necklace that originally hung on the pharaoh's chest. "These are enough to make two gold bars." "What about the third piece?" "Buy from General Asher. He has no flaws in encroaching on the public gold mines, but unfortunately nothing can escape my eyes." Seki gazed at the face of the pharaoh who built the Great Pyramid.His incomparably solemn facial features have a kind of sacred and inviolable beauty.The goldsmith who carved it back then gave him a feeling of eternal youth. "He scares me," Xie Qi said bluntly. "It's just a funeral mask." "But his eyes . . . were alive." "Don't phantom anymore." Dennis said impatiently. "That judge stole the god iron that we were going to sell to the Hittites and the golden scarab that I planned to bury with us, and it has caused us a lot of losses. It is too dangerous to keep the gold mask and necklace. Besides, we still have The Shadow Eater will be paid. Do it quickly." Xieqi followed Dainis's words as usual.The noble countenance and golden necklace disappeared in the furnace.Soon, molten gold is poured into the mold along the fine grooves. "Where's the golden elbow?" Xie Qi asked. Dennis suddenly said brightly: "It can be used as... the third gold bar! Then you don't need to look for Asher." Xie Qi was a little hesitant. "It's best to get rid of it as soon as possible." Dennis said firmly, "Just keep the most important item, which is the will of the gods. Pazar will never find it where we hide." Dennis sneered as he watched Ziaps' golden elbow disappear into the furnace. "Dear Sheche. You are about to become one of the most important people in the country. Pay the first part of your reward to the Eater of Shadows tonight." The desert policeman was at least two meters long, with two old daggers with old handles stuck in the waistband of his loincloth.He never wears shoes.Because he often walks on gravel.Thick calluses sprouting from the soles of their feet impenetrable even acacia thorns."What's your name?" he asked. "Suti." "Where did it come from?" "Thebes." "What do you do?" "Carrying water, gathering flax, raising pigs, fishing..." Suddenly a tall shepherd dog with empty eyes came, and it put its nose on Su Ti and sniffed non-stop.This dog should weigh more than 70 kilograms, with very short fur, and scars all over its back, as if it might pounce on it at any time.The police continued to ask: "Why do you want to be a miner?" "Because I like adventure." "Do you also like thirst, extreme heat, hornworms, black scorpions, marches, and working in tight, airless spaces?" "Every profession has shortcomings." Su Ti shrugged and said indifferently. "You chose the wrong line, brother." But Su Ti smiled foolishly on purpose, and the policeman let him pass. Among the people queuing outside the miners' recruiting office, he was one of the more attractive ones.He was imposing and muscular, making the candidates next to him look even thinner and unsuitable. Two older miners in the office asked the police the same question, and he repeated the answer.It seemed to him that they were looking at him as if they were picking animals for their carts. "The team will be out soon, can you go?" "Yes." Su Ti agreed immediately, and quickly asked, "Where are you going?" "Join us, just obey, don't ask too much. Usually half of the novices pass out halfway, they have to find their own way back to the valley, we don't spend energy on caring for soft-footed shrimp. Two hours before dawn Let's go, here is your equipment." Suti got a walking stick, a straw mat and a rolled quilt.He tied the quilt and straw mat to the cane with a piece of string.In the desert, travelers absolutely need a cane to tap the sand to keep poisonous snakes from getting close. "Where's the water?" "There will be a ration at that time. Don't forget the most precious thing." Around his neck Suti wore a small leather pouch into which he could put gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, or other precious stones, if he were lucky enough to find them.In addition to receiving the salary, everything in the bag also belongs to him. "It won't hold much in it," he said, looking at the bag. "Boy, there are a lot of people whose bags are always empty." "The technology is too poor." Su Ti said disdainfully. "You talk so much, you will know how to shut up when you enter the desert." * * * About two hundred people gathered at the east gate: the edge of the path.Most of the people secretly made two wishes to Minshen: I hope to return safely, not to die of thirst, and to bring back gems in leather bags.Everyone wears amulets around their necks.People with a higher level of knowledge have consulted a master astrologer beforehand, and some have canceled their trips because of unlucky astrology.People who don't believe in God will also hear such experience from their predecessors: "Go to the desert without God, return to the valley to be with God." Avery, the leader of the expedition, was a tall man with extremely long arms and a beard.He is covered with black and thick hair, like an Asian black bear.As soon as everyone saw him, several rookies gave up immediately, hearing that Avery was rough and cruel.He went around the team, stopping for a while every time he came to a volunteer. "You are Suti?" "It happened to be me." "You seem very ambitious." "Of course I didn't come to pick up rocks." "Before that, I will let you carry my bag on your back." The giant captain threw a heavy backpack to him, and Suti put it on his left shoulder without saying a word.Avery said with a sneer, "Go ahead while the weather's on. You'll lose your pomp soon enough." The procession set off before sunrise—and until noon the route was bare and desolate all around.People who live in the countryside and are not used to the desert terrain have blood on their feet.Avery avoided the hot sand, picking paths strewn with small boulders, each of which was as sharp as metal.The high mountains that the team passed first made Su Ti feel thrilled. These mountains seemed to be an impenetrable natural barrier, keeping human beings out of the mysterious country in the mountains.There, there are pieces of rock dedicated to the construction of the god's dwelling, and they have accumulated amazing energy.The mountain is the mother of rocks, she gave birth to precious minerals, and these rich treasures can only be seen by those who wait and persevere.Su Ti was out of his mind for a while, and unconsciously put down his luggage. As soon as he lost his mind, someone immediately kicked his ass, causing him to roll onto the sand. "I didn't allow you to rest," Avery said mockingly. After Suti stood up, Avery said again: "Clean my bag. You can't put it on the floor when you are eating and resting. If you dare to disobey, I will let you have no water to drink." Su Tizhen wondered if someone had denounced him, but looking carefully, the other volunteers also suffered from the captain's difficulties.Avery likes to use extreme means to test the people under his hands.One of the Nubians made a gesture of throwing a fist, and was immediately beaten and thrown aside the path. In the evening, the team arrived at an open-air sandstone quarry.There are stonemasons in the quarry who knock down the stones and make their own group's unique marks.Along each vein, and then around the intended stone, there are small, carefully dug trenches: after the foreman drives wedges into the incisions distributed along the guy lines, the stone can be quarried intact from the parent rock. Dig down people. Avery booked him a greeting: "I brought a group of slackers to the mine, if you need help, just ask." "Of course it's all the better. But haven't they gone—all day?" "If they want to eat something, they have to be allowed to do some work." "Isn't that against the rules?" "The law is for me to decide." Seeing that he was so persistent, the foreman said: "There are more than ten stones to be transported down from the top of the mine. If more than 20 people move them together, it will be much faster." Avery appointed several people to help, including Suti.After taking back his luggage, he said, "Climb up after drinking some water." The foreman had originally designed a chute, but it collapsed halfway, so the stones had to be hoisted to the break by ropes first.Then untie the rope and let the stone slide down the chute to the bottom.In order to prevent the stones from falling too fast, five people stood on both sides and firmly pulled the cables tied with the stones steadily.In fact, after the chute is repaired, this set of ropes will no longer be needed.But since the work schedule is a little behind, Avery's proposal can be regarded as a big favor to the foreman. The accident happened when the sixth stone was being moved.Because the person balancing the rope was too tired to slow the descent of the stone, the force on the cable was so strong that it threw everyone who was pulling the rope aside.Among them was a worker in his fifties who fell headfirst into the joke. He wanted to hold Suti's arm, but the other two companions pulled Suti back hard, which made him catch nothing. The screams of the workers who were involved in the accident soon became inaudible.The big rock ran over his body, rolled out of the chute, and smashed to pieces with a loud bang. The foreman could not hold back his tears.Avery said, "At least half of the work is done."