A Pharaoh and Her Beloved Queen - Chapter 13

Edith had anticipated all possible outcomes of this battle in advance and had made ample preparations. What Ye Zhiqing saw was only a small portion of the clauses; the documents she hadn’t seen before contained more about how to negotiate with the Hittites in the event of an Egyptian defeat, even listing that the Egyptian army would withdraw from Kadesh to stop losses in a timely manner.

This point surprised Ye Zhiqing greatly. Egypt was severely lacking in iron ore, while the territory of Nusya was rich in iron resources. Withdrawing from Kadesh would mean Egypt was willing to hand over these iron resources on a silver platter.

More importantly, Kadesh was a city of towering cliffs and treacherous terrain—a vital throat-passage linking northern and southern Nusya. It had been the Egyptian military’s stronghold and strategic focal point for many years. If Egypt wanted to push further north and restore its rule over the entirety of Nusya, it undoubtedly had to hold Kadesh firmly.

Reasonably speaking, even if this battle were lost, Egypt would not make such a massive concession.

Edith watched Ye Zhiqing, who was lost in thought, with a composed air, finding the sight exceptionally pleasing to the eye. She did not speak to interrupt her, but leisurely poured a cup of wine. Just as she was about to bring it to her lips, a slender, pale arm suddenly blocked her path.

“Your Majesty Edith, if you want your injuries to heal as soon as possible, you cannot drink alcohol.” Her black eyes held their usual deep calm, but her words were saturated with a strong sense of obstruction. Unbeknownst to anyone, Ye Zhiqing had shifted her attention from the documents to Edith.

In such sweltering weather, Edith’s wound had not continued to fester or inflame, yet it showed no signs of improvement either. This was not a good sign.

Edith set the wine cup on the table and leaned back against the chair, lazy and casual. A flash of playfulness, too quick to catch, crossed her features. “Zhiqing, do not deny it; you truly are concerned about me.”

No one had ever been like Ye Zhiqing—able to ignore the power of life and death represented by the throne beneath her.

“Your Majesty Edith, I am concerned about myself. After all, you are the only one in Egypt who can protect me.” A faint but well-reasoned rebuttal.

“You are expressing your dissatisfaction to me,” Edith chuckled, unbothered by Ye Zhiqing’s answer.

“I am not.”

Denying it directly, Ye Zhiqing did not wish to continue arguing over this meaningless topic. Catching a glimpse of the wound on Edith’s shoulder, her gaze darkened, and she walked toward the door.

Lamassu was waiting just outside.

“Lamassu, go and bring the King’s topical medicine.”

“Yes.”

The medicine Edith needed was kept in a room on the other side. Before long, Lamassu returned with a silver vessel containing the medicinal liquid for cleaning the wound, along with topical ointment and some cotton gauze.

Ye Zhiqing took them and walked back into the room. Her gaze fell behind the desk, where Edith had picked up the draft treaty again. A golden reed pen occasionally made marks on each clause; clearly, many details still required Edith’s careful consideration.

Stopping her steps, Ye Zhiqing recalled for a moment. According to the Egyptian history she knew from the 21st century, Egypt and the Hittites ceased fire for a period after the Battle of Kadesh, and the “Treaty of Kadesh” was not officially signed until six months later.

Hearing the footsteps stop, Edith looked up, her gaze skimming over the medicine in Ye Zhiqing’s hand. She nonchalantly set down the reed pen.

“Zhiqing, you haven’t told me your opinion on this treaty yet.” Her index finger habitually tapped the tabletop, yet it made no sound—a characteristic movement when Edith was in deep thought.

Ye Zhiqing suppressed the words already at the tip of her tongue, walked closer, and placed the silver tray on the desk. Her eyes flickered slightly as she said unhurriedly, “When Your Majesty’s injuries are fully healed, I will tell you my opinion.”

Even though Edith enjoyed the most advanced medical conditions in Egypt, Ye Zhiqing still couldn’t set her mind at ease. In Ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, medical methods were nothing more than internal medicine and external application.

And should Edith’s injury worsen, it could be fatal—especially under the harsh climatic conditions of Tanis.

Until now, Ye Zhiqing could not be sure whether Edith’s survival in this battle belonged to the part where historical trajectory allowed for deviation.

The most direct threat Ye Zhiqing could think of now was the wound on Edith’s shoulder that refused to improve.

A late-arriving cool breeze drifted silently over the threshold. Edith’s smooth long hair swayed irregularly with the wind. She was surprised, yet not surprised, by Ye Zhiqing’s unexpected answer.

They had not spent much time together, yet it seemed they already shared an indescribable tacit understanding.

Setting down the documents, Edith rose and walked to a solid gold soft couch nearby. She lay down and closed her eyes in a casual, lazy posture that nevertheless exuded arrogance and wildness. In the dim room, a faint golden glow seemed to cluster around her; no matter where she was, she was the most dazzling existence.

Ye Zhiqing let out a helpless, light sigh. She walked over and, with practiced ease, began to undo the shoulder buckle and bandages one by one. Upon seeing the wound, a trace of inexplicable anger surfaced in her eyes.

The wound that had been under control was starting to break down again at the edges, and the skin around it was severely red and swollen. Ye Zhiqing kept a tensed face as she dipped cotton cloth into the medicinal water to begin cleaning the wound; her gentle touch, perhaps due to some thought, suddenly grew a few degrees heavier.

Hiss— a slight intake of breath was suppressed in Edith’s throat.

The cotton cloth was quickly soaked through with dark red blood. Ye Zhiqing couldn’t help but quicken her movements. By the time she finished cleaning the front of the shoulder, a thin layer of sweat had seeped through her own long robe.

The person on the couch breathed slowly and deeply; she seemed to have fallen asleep from extreme exhaustion.

The wound on the back had not been treated yet. Ye Zhiqing hesitated repeatedly before slowly leaning in. Edith still showed no reaction. She reached her hand behind Edith’s neck, intending to prop her up slightly to deal with the injury on her back.

Just as her hand touched the cool skin of the back of the neck, Edith abruptly opened her eyes. A sharp light shimmering with killing intent instantly spread, followed by an overwhelming, daunting majesty that surged like a tide. The air grew stagnant, heavy, and oppressive.

A moment of suffocation. Ye Zhiqing frowned and stopped her movements, feeling as if an invisible hand were clutching her throat.

As the drowsiness in her eyes cleared and Edith saw the person over her, the murderous aura that had exploded out instantly retreated, vanishing completely into the air as quickly as it had come. She stared silently at the person hovering over her.

Their eyes met in an ambiguous position—one above, one below. A trace of cold fragrance wrapped in a sweet scent circulated between their breaths. Clearly, Ye Zhiqing had realized the problem as well.

The Queen of Egypt, who had retracted all her sharp edges, lay on the soft couch looking at her intently. Her collar was half-undone, and her eyes shimmered like rippling water; it seemed as if a fierce fire were burning within, with brilliant golden light shadows dancing amidst the liquid luster.

In the reflection of their eyes, there was only each other.

The sunlight climbed from the base of the corridor to the window frame. Ye Zhiqing suddenly felt as if she had been burned; she snapped her hand back, her face still maintaining a facade of composure even as a flush of crimson bloomed at her ears.

“I was only going to apply medicine to the wound on your back.” It was clearly the truth, yet it carried the flavor of trying to cover something up.

“Mm,” Edith hummed softly. An elegant, pleased curve hooked the corner of her lips. She closed her eyes again, making no further move.

Ye Zhiqing: “…”

Ye Zhiqing dazed for a few moments. So, she still needed to prop Edith up herself. At the thought of the two of them being so close just now, the clarity and resolve in her pupils wavered slightly.

Rubbing her temples, Ye Zhiqing gathered her thoughts, restrained her urge to leave, and tried to discard everything from her mind regarding what had just happened.

She extended her hand again to prop up the back of Edith’s neck, resulting in a posture where Edith’s upper body leaned lightly against Ye Zhiqing’s chest.

Forcing herself to ignore the strange sensation in her arms, Ye Zhiqing applied the medicine to Edith at the fastest possible speed.

Getting up, taking the supplies, leaving—the actions were done in one smooth motion.

Behind her, Edith opened her eyes and watched Ye Zhiqing’s retreating, fleeing figure. A few bursts of lighthearted laughter echoed in the room after Ye Zhiqing left, saturated with a trace of doting and indulgence that even Edith herself hadn’t noticed.

After stepping out of the room, Ye Zhiqing took a long time to calm down slightly. Her chaotic heartbeat echoed in her chest, clearly audible.

Lamassu followed hurriedly. Seeing Ye Zhiqing’s unusual expression, she asked anxiously, “Miss Ye, what is wrong?”

Handing the silver tray to Lamassu, Ye Zhiqing shook her head gently, pushed open the door of the inner courtyard, and walked toward the outer court. Right now, she only wanted to be far away from Edith.

In the twenty-three years she had spent in this other world, no one had ever been able to disturb her thoughts so easily in such a short amount of time.

This left her frustrated and also terrified—a terror of being unable to maintain the most basic self-control in a dangerous environment.

With a change of thought, Ye Zhiqing asked as she walked, “Lamassu, can I leave this courtyard now?” Ye Zhiqing thought about how it had been a full half-month since she woke up and hadn’t left the inner court; it was inevitably a bit stifling, so she might as well go out and look around.

“Miss, the King has instructed that you may go out whenever you wish. The royal guards will ensure your safety.”

Nodding, Ye Zhiqing walked toward the gate.

Orderly stone paths came into view. Stone buildings with white walls and yellow roofs were scattered in an organized fashion; the lines were rugged, yet they possessed a distinct, free-spirited beauty.

Ye Zhiqing wandered aimlessly. It was only after walking out that she realized the courtyard where Edith lived was likely far from the city center of Tanis. Judging by the architecture, it seemed to be in a commoner’s district. She guessed that because of Edith, Ye Zhiqing had walked a long distance without seeing anyone other than soldiers.

A squad of guards followed behind her. Since Lamassu hadn’t come along, Ye Zhiqing didn’t speak; she picked a direction at random and walked forward with her head down.

Until she was blocked by a low wall. “You can just wait for me below,” she instructed plainly. Then, Ye Zhiqing quickly climbed the stone steps.

The fierce wind quickly dried the sweat on her face. Beyond the low wall lay the boundless desert, looking like layers of golden waves rising and falling under the sunlight—magnificent and vast.

Facing the majesty of nature always makes one feel their own insignificance. Her gaze moved from far to near as Ye Zhiqing freely took in the beautiful scenery before her; the restlessness in her heart subsided bit by bit.