A Pharaoh and Her Beloved Queen - Chapter 6

Ye Zhiqing considered herself sufficiently calm and restrained, but whenever she encountered this willful Queen of Egypt, her patience seemed to run thin.

Edith stood silently with her back to the light on the steps a few paces away. In the shadows, no one could see the sudden darkening of her eyes; her thoughts were difficult to discern.

The hand hidden at Ye Zhiqing’s side spasmed slightly from excessive tension. The clear ache in her muscles allowed her spiraling emotions to settle quickly; within moments, she had returned to her cool, self-possessed state.

“My thanks to Your Majesty for the rescue.” Realizing her earlier lapse, Ye Zhiqing performed a proper bow to Edith according to Egyptian etiquette. It was undeniable that Edith had just saved her.

An imperceptible gloom radiated from her. Edith stared coldly at the bowed Ye Zhiqing for a long while before spitting out a single sentence: “Queen Fu Jia, I hope I do not have to remind you of your current status again—a prisoner of war of Egypt, and my concubine.”

In this setting, deliberately invoking the title “Queen Fu Jia” was both a mockery and a warning.

The exquisite, hollowed-out stone door was pushed open with force as Edith strode inside.

Ye Zhiqing raised her head, looking meaningfully at Edith’s disappearing figure in the portico. The status of a concubine was indeed an insult to a monarch, but for a captive queen of a fallen nation, it was the best protection Ye Zhiqing had for staying in Egypt.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ye Zhiqing rose and followed Edith through the door.

She had been too preoccupied wandering the outer courtyard to notice that the interior held its own wonders. Inside was a small inner court designed in a strict rectangular layout. White, crescent-shaped alabaster stairs extended from four directions toward the center of the rectangle, where a small patch of vibrant green moss grew in the open space.

Each side led to a separate room. Except for the open door on the left, the doors on the other three sides were tightly shut. Undeniably, Edith was in the room with the open door.

Ye Zhiqing walked toward the room on the left.

A massive map centered on the Mediterranean hung on the wall, marked with a confusing array of different colored symbols. Papyrus scrolls were neatly arranged on a bookshelf by the door. Aside from that, the room contained only a stone desk and a wooden chair; it looked excessively empty and simple.

At first glance, Edith was nowhere to be seen. Just as Ye Zhiqing prepared to turn and leave, a massive force struck from behind, and her hands were swiftly twisted behind her back and clamped together.

She was lifted off her feet and, in an instant, pinned against the chair in a kneeling, prone position facing the seat. Sharp pain radiated from her wrists; a thin layer of sweat quickly covered her face, and her vision dimmed.

An aggressive, cold fragrance drifted from behind her…

“My concubine, you still do not seem to understand your place. I feel it is necessary to do something to ensure you remember it at all times.” Her posture was that of one looking down upon an ant from on high.

A sinister shadow clouded her amber pupils, matching the rumors of the cruel, bloodthirsty, and tyrannical Queen of Egypt.

“Ah—!” A crisp sound of a wrist joint popping out of place came from behind. Pain surged like a wave from her wrist, spreading through her entire body. Her frame shook with small tremors from the agony, and her sweat-streaked face was filled with endurance and suffering.

Ye Zhiqing’s wretched state clearly brought great pleasure to the person tormenting her. Edith leaned down, pressing against her ear, and whispered: “Queen of Punt, what do you say?”

The warm, moist breath touched the membranes of her ear and seeped into her burning blood. Numbness and pain violently struck what remained of Ye Zhiqing’s consciousness, feeling as if she were being ruthlessly lashed under a scorching sun.

She panted deeply, her chest rising and falling irregularly as she helplessly lowered her eyes.

A calm voice, laced with a slight tremor, flowed out—a statement made with abnormal composure: “Your Majesty Edith, if you merely wish to humiliate me, your concubine will certainly not disappoint you. But if you have other designs, upholding royal etiquette is the basic prerequisite for you to get what you want.”

There was no movement behind her for a long time. Ye Zhiqing could not see Edith’s expression, let alone guess her thoughts.

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence, broken only by Ye Zhiqing’s disordered breathing.

Sweat-dampened curls clung to her fair nape, and glistening beads of sweat seeped from the texture of her skin—a uniquely decadent beauty. Edith’s gaze darkened; she unconsciously swallowed before abruptly releasing her hands and stepping back.

Ye Zhiqing let out a muffled groan, collapsing limply onto the wooden chair. Her wrists hung at strange, twisted angles at her sides, and dark red bruises were scattered across her swollen joints.

The onslaught of pain pushed Ye Zhiqing toward her breaking point. Her consciousness gradually faded until she finally fainted.

Edith walked slowly to the front of the unconscious Ye Zhiqing. Her lips were pale and her brows were knit tight. Glancing again at the hideously swollen wrists, a trace of inexplicable agitation flickered in her amber eyes.

Edith realized that in front of this particular prisoner, she seemed unable to control the violence in her heart. Her complex gaze lingered on Ye Zhiqing for a long time before she sighed, turned, and left.

This was a much more spacious and bright room. Soft light poured across the alabaster floor from the window frames. Edith was focused on her desk, reviewing the latest battle situation, while Ye Zhiqing lay on a nearby pure gold couch, not yet awake.

The quiet time slipped away.

Warm light climbed onto her eyelids, and Ye Zhiqing slowly opened her eyes. A rich medicinal fragrance filled her nose. Her body was still somewhat weak, and a cool sensation came from her wrists.

Turning her head, she saw a dark brown paste covering both wrists. It was icy and cool; she felt only a slight pain when she tried to move her hands, and the terrifying swelling had subsided significantly.

Slap them first, then give them a sweet date? Ye Zhiqing watched Edith, who was focused on state affairs, in silence. She inwardly cursed Edith’s wicked temperament—a tyrant in every sense of the word.

“Have you looked long enough? Is my concubine satisfied?”

Ye Zhiqing suddenly realized she had been staring at Edith’s profile for a long time. She calmly raised an eyebrow and gave an entirely objective evaluation without bias: “Satisfied.”

Setting down the papyrus scroll, Edith slowly looked up, a sharp flash of steel crossing her eyes as she raised her lids. “Queen of Punt, remember your promise to me. Do not disappoint me; the consequences are more than you can bear.”

Ye Zhiqing was full of too many unknowns, and Edith had always been a patient hunter. These secrets hidden in the depths would be uncovered by her one by one.

By any means necessary—or by no means at all.

Seeing that the woman was awake, Edith did not intend to stay longer. After warning Ye Zhiqing, she strode out.

Lamassu, who had been waiting outside, carefully brought in a basin of fresh water. “Miss Ye, let me wash you and reapply the medicine.”

“Hiss—” Lamassu’s movements were very gentle, but once the paste was washed away, Ye Zhiqing couldn’t help but gasp from the pain.

“Miss Ye, you shouldn’t provoke the King.” A look of worry flashed across her face as Lamassu’s movements became even softer.

After these many days together, although Ye Zhiqing was usually quiet and silent, Lamassu could feel a gentle respect like a spring breeze when they spoke. This was something she had never experienced from other Egyptian nobles, and it quickly won her over.

Ye Zhiqing shook her head helplessly, three parts teasing and seven parts self-mockery. “Lamassu, I am but a fallen prisoner of war who has lost her dignity to survive. I do not have the courage to provoke the Queen of Egypt.”

The hand applying the medicine paused, and Lamassu continued: “Miss Ye, I heard the Hittites have added more troops to the north coast. Many people are working themselves to exhaustion over this, including the King.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiqing turned her head to look out the window, her pupils losing focus. If she followed the Egyptian history she knew from the modern era, calculating the time, the Peace Treaty of Kadesh should be signed between Egypt and the Hittites soon after Punt’s fall.

Ten years of war had exhausted both sides, leaving them unable to fight further. After the largest chariot battle in history broke out at the city of Kadesh, resulting in mutual losses and a stalemate, the two nations chose to sign a peace treaty.

This meant Egypt would not win on the Mediterranean front—and the Battle of Kadesh had not yet occurred.

In the Egyptian history she had once read, it mentioned that the Egyptian Pharaoh, Augustus II, was shot and killed during the Battle of Kadesh…

Her expression grew solemn. Important information she had previously ignored suddenly jumped to the forefront of her mind. Ye Zhiqing was momentarily lost and bewildered, her slender brows knitting tightly together.

The current Pharaoh of Egypt was Queen Edith. If the basic trajectory of major historical events did not change, then the one who would die in the Battle of Kadesh this time would be…

The thought came to an abrupt halt. Ye Zhiqing suppressed the terrifying idea in her head.

“Lamassu, do you know where Her Majesty Edith went?”

“Miss Ye, the King’s movements are not for us to inquire about. However, the King should return to rest tonight.”

“Return to rest?”

“Yes, Miss Ye. This is the King’s residence in Tanis.”

“…”

Speechless for a moment, Ye Zhiqing ultimately could not put her mind at ease. She planned to find Edith as soon as the medicine was applied.

“Miss Ye, there are soldiers guarding the door day and night. You cannot go out.”

“I can’t even send a message?”

“No.”

“…”

Belatedly realizing she was imprisoned here, Ye Zhiqing had no choice but to wait.

Worse still, Edith did not return that night, nor for several nights following. It was not a good sign.

Fortunately, Ye Zhiqing was free within the courtyard; she could even dispose of any items or people within the walls as she pleased.

Ye Zhiqing wasn’t sure if it was because Edith disdained hiding the battle situation from her or for some other reason, but she took advantage of these days to go through the military deployment maps and the long-piled war reports Edith had left there.

It was exactly as Ye Zhiqing had guessed: Egypt was currently at a distinct disadvantage. If not for the grain and wealth seized during Edith’s expedition to Punt, the situation would likely be even worse.

Ye Zhiqing stood before the military deployment map. The newly drawn markings were brighter in color, making it easy to distinguish Edith’s recent plans and intended march routes.

Heavy black clouds pressed down from the horizon, and the air throbbed with an unbearable, dry heat.

The heat in the room was suffocating, yet a cold sweat broke out on Ye Zhiqing. She stared expressionlessly at a small circled area on the map, without blinking.

It was precisely the area Edith had sent Heshi to scout.

Her deep gaze moved outward. The stone door of the inner court was tightly shut; Lamassu, who had gone out for news, had not yet returned.

Ye Zhiqing stepped barefoot onto the smooth, cold marble floor. A trace of chill surged from the soles of her feet into her body, allowing her mind to organize her chaotic thoughts more rationally.

When two armies clash with a vast disparity in numbers, the smaller force must be adept at using all external conditions—weather, terrain, and geography—to shift their tactics.

The battleground between Egypt and the Hittites was an open coast with nothing to hide. Looking at the map, the only variable was that rugged stretch of coast far from Kadesh.

If one wanted to lure the Hittite forces to that coast, the only foolproof method would be for Edith to use herself as bait. This perfectly explained why the Queen of Egypt had rushed to the Mediterranean immediately after the expedition to Punt.

It was an undeniably brilliant plan, with a high probability of turning the tide despite the odds. However, if the trajectory of major historical events could not be changed, then no matter how exquisite Edith’s plan was, a variable would occur—a fatal one.

Ye Zhiqing lowered her eyes, her temples throbbing violently. She held onto the edge of the table and slowly sat on the floor, frantically searching her mind for measures that could be used to save the situation in the worst-case scenario.

If her guess was right…

Ye Zhiqing knew very well that her life was now tightly bound to Edith. If something happened to Edith, her own fate could be easily imagined.

She did not fear for her life, but Punt—which had sustained her for twenty-three years… and the bonds and longings for the 21st century… Cold-hearted people often feel the deepest attachments. She desperately wanted to go back.

The light and shadow on the stone steps had moved only an inch, but Ye Zhiqing already felt the wait was too long—it had become an ordeal. The cool wind could not soothe the agitation in her heart.

Creak— the long-awaited sound of the door opening.

Ye Zhiqing stood up quickly and walked out, her speech rapid. “Lamassu, where is Her Majesty Edith now?”

The image of Miss Ye’s composed and quiet temperament was nowhere to be found. Lamassu could feel the anxiety beneath her calm face. Not stopping to catch the breath she had lost from running too fast, she replied hurriedly: “Her Majesty has gone to Kadesh to inspect the city. Aside from General Heshi, several other generals went as well.”

Lamassu, who was very good at reading people, clearly realized Ye Zhiqing’s reaction was highly abnormal.

She spoke hesitantly: “Miss Ye, the King will return once the battle is over. You needn’t worry.”

“I only fear I won’t be able to wait for her return.” As the words fell, Ye Zhiqing strode quickly toward the door.

Soldiers with long spears surrounded the small courtyard, sealing it tight. As soon as Ye Zhiqing opened the door, two spears crossed in front of her chest. The sharp, cold edges seemed as if they would pierce her fragile skin at any second.

“Miss Ye, you cannot go out.” Behind her was Lamassu, who had caught up at a run. Just as she was about to pull Ye Zhiqing back, she was stopped by a light hand gesture.

In the bright light, Ye Zhiqing’s back was cold and proud—completely different from her usual gentle indifference. There was a faint, suppressed, and awe-inspiring majesty radiating from her.

It was the style and air that could only be forged over years on a throne.

Her calm tone was enough to make hearts tremble.

“I am Her Majesty Edith’s concubine; General Heshi knows this well. I now demand to see General Heshi. This is an order, not a request.”

“If General Heshi will not come to see me, then I shall walk out to see him. If you have the courage to cut off my head to stop me from leaving this courtyard, then by all means, do not report this.”

The soldiers beneath the stone steps looked at each other. There had been much speculation in the army about Ye Zhiqing’s identity over the last few days. If she were to force her way out, no one would dare touch her—not even the hem of her clothes.

The soldier who ran to report was gone in an instant. The air seemed to freeze as everyone else remained motionless in their original positions, silent and hushed.