Make an oath before God
The moment the words fell, the air in the power center of Thebes seemed to freeze.
The High Priest of Isis looked at Ding Wei. This knife was not pointed at external enemies, but was first used to cut off the shackles that bound herself.
Three days later, a piece of news jointly released by the royal palace and the Temple of Amun was like a huge rock thrown into the Nile River, causing huge waves.
In order to quell the controversy over the "temple's interference in politics", Princess Ding Wei requested to hold a "double king sacrifice ceremony" at the Temple of Amun and accept the "three tests of divine judgment" in public.
If she fails to pass God's test, she will voluntarily give up her position as princess and leave Egypt.
The whole city was shocked when the news came out.
From nobles to commoners, everyone was talking about this princess from another world.
Some people praised his courage, some ridiculed his arrogance, and more people were waiting for the unprecedented grand ceremony with a mentality of watching a good show.
Deep in the temple, the high priest Nefer finally revealed a grin of confidence on his face.
She immediately summoned her trusted priests and whispered, "Prepare for the 'Fire Path Trial' and pave the path with the hottest holy fire stones. I will see that foreign woman's feet burned before the eyes of all the people, forcing her to wail and admit she was just a mortal who deceived the world!"
However, before the order could leave the inner hall of the temple, it was intercepted by a pair of ears.
That night, the figure of Isis appeared in the secret room where the ritual was being prepared.
She looked at the red-hot stone slabs that emitted an ominous heat, and the temperature in her eyes was colder than the river water in the winter.
She didn't scold anyone, but just waved calmly.
"Withdraw."
The priests looked at each other, not daring to move.
Isis's voice suddenly grew stern. "God's test is to judge the heart, not to destroy the body! Replace the Path of Fire with the 'Heart Mirror Pool' and fill it with the first rays of holy water at dawn. I will allow God's light to personally examine the heart dedicated to Egypt."
No one dared to disobey this high priest of transcendent status.
Overnight, the scorching flint was removed and replaced by a shallow pool of black granite polished to a mirror-like finish.
On the day of the sacrifice, the streets of Thebes were deserted.
The avenue from Karnak Temple to the royal palace was crowded with people on both sides.
They were eagerly waiting, wanting to witness with their own eyes this judgment that would determine the fate of the nation and God's will.
When the time arrived, the heavy stone door of the temple slowly opened.
Ding Wei was dressed in the most holy white linen robe, with the Ulaus double-feather crown symbolizing royal power on her head. She walked barefoot, step by step, up the steps leading to the temple.
Beside her was Pharaoh Ramses II, wearing golden armor and with a stern face.
The two stood side by side in front of the "Heart Mirror Pool".
The water in the pool was clear and shallow, reflecting the sky, the sacred pillar, and the two of them closely connected.
Nefert stood aside, a hint of cold sarcasm on his lips, waiting for Ding Wei to say something wrong in public, or to be forced to retreat by the chill of the pool water.
Ding Wei's gaze swept across the thousands of people below, across the priests with different expressions, and finally fell on the clear pool water.
She took a deep breath, and her voice was clear and firm, echoing throughout the temple square: "I, Ding Wei, am not a goddess who has been born on earth, nor was I born on this land. But my heart is devoted to the king and the people of this place!"
The moment the words fell, a miracle happened.
The pool water, which originally only reflected the light of the sky and the shadows of the clouds, suddenly began to emit a layer of dazzling golden light without any warning!
The light was soft and sacred, rising from the bottom of the pool and enveloping Ding Wei and Ramses, as if the gods themselves were present.
The crowd erupted in thunderous exclamations, and the priests were dumbfounded. They fell to their knees and shouted, "Miracle! This is the approval of the god Amun!"
The mockery on Nefert's face froze instantly, turning into an expression of disbelief.
She stared at the golden light, not understanding what was going on.
Of course, she didn't know that just before dawn, Isis had quietly come to the pool and sprinkled a small bag of finely ground gold powder into the bottom of the pool.
When the first ray of sunlight in the early morning shone into the temple at a specific angle, the refraction of the water waves and the reflection of the gold powder intertwined to create this impeccable "divine revelation."
Ding Wei calmly accepted the worship of the crowd and slowly stepped into the pool.
The water in the pool was slightly cool, but it made her feel more awake than ever before.
She walked across the Heart Mirror Pool step by step, golden light rippling under her feet, as if paving a galaxy for her to reach the pinnacle of power.
After the ceremony, Isis walked onto the stage under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
Holding a golden scepter, she solemnly declared, "After consultation among the seven temple officials, the gods have issued a clear directive. From this day forward, divine authority will return to the altar. It will not be involved in military affairs, politics, or worldly affairs, but will only assist the king and protect Egypt!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was silent at first, and then broke into thunderous cheers.
This statement was equivalent to publicly depriving the high priests headed by Nefertir of the power to interfere in state affairs.
Nefer trembled all over, his face as pale as paper, but in front of the "miracle", he could not refute a single word.
After the crowd dispersed, Ding Wei found Isis in the side corridor of the temple.
She held the other's slightly cold hand and whispered, "Thank you for choosing man over God."
A complex and indescribable bitter smile appeared in Isis's eyes. She shook her head gently: "I just... don't want to see the altar stained with blood again." She had seen too many sacrifices.
That night, while Thebes was still immersed in the shock of the miracle that had happened during the day, a Hittite envoy suddenly rode to the palace and urgently requested a meeting.
In the living room, the envoy spoke arrogantly and bluntly, stating that the Hittite king was willing to marry his most beloved princess to Ramses, so that the two countries could be friends forever and jointly resist the other nations on the sea.
Ding Wei sat beside Ramses, her mind clear.
This is an extremely insidious temptation.
As soon as the Hittites witnessed her status as the "God-chosen Queen", they immediately extended an olive branch of marriage to her.
If Ramses refused, it would be tantamount to announcing to the outside world that there was a rift between the two kings of Egypt, and the Hittites could take advantage of the situation; if Ramses accepted, then her foundation as a co-ruling princess would be completely shaken, and the political structure of the two kings would collapse.
She did not respond on the spot, but just smiled and said that such a big matter needed to be discussed with Pharaoh.
The next day, Ding Wei did not give a reply, but instead invited the Hittite envoy to visit the weaving workshop in the palace.
Among the dazzling array of brocades, she personally unfolded a newly completed masterpiece for the envoy.
It was a painting of "Two Snakes Entwined around a Lotus". Two sacred snakes representing royal power were holding a pharaoh's crown in their mouths and coiled around a lotus symbolizing Upper Egypt. Their postures were intimate and integrated.
Ding Wei pointed at the brocade and said to the messenger with a smile, "My king already has a co-ruling wife, just like these two snakes sharing a crown. There is no room for a third person. This brocade will be given to your princess as a return gift. I hope she can find someone to stand shoulder to shoulder with her in the Hittites."
The messenger looked at the brocade whose meaning was obvious, his face changed, and in the end he could not say a word and left in disgrace.
However, just after the messenger left, Ding Wei found a piece of unfinished cloth that had been hastily hidden in a dark room deep in the weaving workshop.
When she saw the pattern clearly, the blood in her body seemed to freeze instantly.
The pattern was a ferocious single snake devouring a blood-red sun - that was the emblem of the Hittite royal family!
There's a spy among the weavers!
The thought struck her mind like lightning.
This is not just spying, it is a curse and a declaration of war!
She was about to order the weaving workshop to be sealed off and the matter thoroughly investigated when suddenly, a rapid and heavy bell rang outside the palace.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three bell sounds pierced the sky; that was the highest emergency warning signal from the border beacon tower!
Ding Wei rushed out of the weaving workshop and saw Ramses in the courtyard wearing his scarlet armor, holding tightly in his hand a secret report that had just been delivered by a messenger falcon.
"The Hittite army is gathering in the direction of Kadesh." His voice was low, but it carried an irrepressible excitement and murderous intent.
He turned around suddenly and looked at Ding Wei who was walking towards him at a rapid pace, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "This time, we will not defend anymore, we will attack."
Ding Wei grabbed the cloak handed to her by the servant and tied it neatly around her shoulders. With a sharp look in her eyes, she headed straight for the military affairs office: "Then let them see what the wrath of the two kings means."
Before she finished her words, she turned around, her eyes as sharp as torches, piercing through all the noise and bustle before her, and locked onto the direction leading to the military affairs room.
At this moment, there was no panic in her mind, only a rapidly unfolding, blood-stained map of Kadeshi.
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