Yet, Hammurabi has just ascended the throne in Babylon, and the famous bas-relief has not been completed, nor has Utu’s alias—Shamash—been widely known. To outsiders, he is just an affable elder who enjoys frequenting taverns and tasting malt wine.
At this moment, the Sun God Utu, who thought he was well concealed, feigned anger and said:
"What do you mean ’extravagance’! Drinking wine should be enjoyable. Aside from quality, it depends on who you drink with. You keep this old man company every day, chatting and relieving my boredom—I couldn’t be happier. By this account, shouldn’t I be paying you a commission?"
"Fine, fine, I won’t mention it, and I won’t take advantage of you. From now on, consider this wine and food your commission to me."
Luo En gave an awkward smile and raised his glass, toasting the other party.
As a sip of refreshing malt wine with a lingering sweetness went down, Utu showed a satisfied smile and then asked:
"Speaking of which, do you have an answer to the question I posed to you last time?"
"You mean the ’eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’ rule? I think it aligns well with the concept of [justice], but in execution, it might need some moderation."
"For example, if my sheep were accidentally killed by a neighbor, under the ’eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’ rule, I would also have the right to slaughter one of his sheep as compensation. But doing so would lead to both of us losing a sheep. As you know, a live sheep and a dead sheep are not the same price at the market. So, handling it this way would only result in a lose-lose situation."
"That makes sense. How do you think it should be handled?"
"Allow more options, permit the offender to pay an equivalent amount of money, lamb, or other tangible and intangible items as substitutes, letting the victim choose which as compensation."
"Great idea! You haven’t let me down!"
Utu laughed heartily, patting the young man’s shoulder with an expression filled with praise and joy.
As the god of justice and righteousness, it took him a long time to understand a truth:
The pursuit of law is not absolute justice, but relative balance, to establish a stable order.
Therefore, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth should not be the ultimate goal of justice, but a means and deterrent to achieve it.
Unexpectedly, the answer for which he took a long time to find was understood by the young man opposite him in just a few nights.
It must be said, this is a good seedling with wisdom and ideas.
Seeing Utu drinking heartily for this, Luo En couldn’t help but be speechless.
His encounter with the Babylonian sun god was pure chance, initiated by an unexpected sharing of a table and a few casual conversations.
When inadvertently discussing issues related to social systems and justice, their views coincided remarkably, many ideas were in congruence.
Thus, the delighted Utu drew him as a confidant, often inviting him to drink at the Gods Tavern as a drinking buddy.
Luo En, worrying about a lack of legitimate reasons to stay longer at the Gods Tavern to increase the chance of meeting Ishtar, naturally agreed readily.
And more importantly, the Sun God Utu was, in name, the brother of the Venus Goddess Ishtar.
By maintaining a good relationship with him, perhaps he could also follow the vine to find the Heavenly Goddess.
Under Luo En’s intentional pleasing, the atmosphere of conversation between the two became increasingly harmonious, and they inadvertently mentioned Hammurabi, the newly appointed king of Babylon.
He seems to be compiling a codex recently and plans to build a temple for the Sun, Justice, and Jurisprudence God Utu in the center of the city, to represent the codex’s justice and the divine authority of power.
However, the city’s guardian god in the Babylon region is King of Kings Marduk. According to custom, Hammurabi needs to choose Marduk as his patron god and should first build a temple and offer sacrifices for him.
Or the well-known god of wisdom and earth, Enki, who is Marduk’s father and holds sufficient status and divine authority.
Nevertheless, Hammurabi chose the relatively weaker Sun God Utu, discarding the first two, inevitably inciting the displeasure of the two great gods, Marduk and Enki, and inviting disaster upon himself, an act of utmost imprudence.
Utu was also quite troubled by this, not knowing how to make a decision.
He drank the malt wine in his cup, unable to resist asking the drinking buddy in front of him:
"What do you think about this matter?"
"I heard from the Babylonians I’ve met that the current King Hammurabi is a wise and cautious king, with undoubted faith in King of Kings Marduk. So, I think he knows exactly what he’s doing. Using the name of Sun God Utu to show the divine right of kings and the inviolability of royal power just makes the codex more significant and easier to implement, it doesn’t mean he wishes to convert to the Sun God. Because the sun’s presence is so evident, manifesting daily through sunlight, just like the law and justice exist everywhere."
Luo En expressed his own views in a conciliatory tone, not forgetting to add a few compliments.
Utu listened to this well-reasoned argument, and the worries in his heart gradually dissipated.
However, he was still a bit puzzled:
"Hammurabi could just be a king devoted to god, why take such a risk?"
"Perhaps in his heart, the weight of justice surpasses that of royal and divine authority. To achieve justice, even if the heavens fall and the earth splits!"
Luo En answered with emotion, subtly inserting his own thoughts.
To achieve justice, even if the heavens fall and the earth splits?
On hearing this, Utu’s heart was shocked, and a surge of shame and impulse welled up inside of him.
A mortal king, to uphold justice, has such courage, while he, as a god of justice and jurisprudence, was hesitating, utterly disgracing his identity and duty!
How could such a matter allow a mortal to outshine him?
"It seems I must make a trip to Babylon!"
"To meet King Hammurabi, this righteous person you spoke of."
Even if he can’t completely uphold justice, letting the [Codex] be successfully born and implemented, at least he can protect that king’s life in secret.
But this unexpected arrangement disrupted Luo En’s original plan.
Initially, he intended to connect with Ishtar through Utu, never imagining that with a little provocation, this Sun God would unexpectedly develop a public spirit to practice justice and jurisprudence.
The die is cast, and Luo En had no reason to stop it, so he had to ask:
"When will you depart?"
"The sooner, the better. Let’s make it tomorrow."
"Then let this drink be my send-off for you, wishing you a safe journey and that all you wish for comes true!"
Utu nodded, taking the wine glass and drinking it in one gulp, becoming even more fond of the handsome, gentle, wise, and spiritual young man in front of him.
On a whim, he suddenly raised his hand, hooked the young man’s neck, revealing a mysterious smile on his old face:
"You’re still single, right? Want a wife?"
"I have a sister, currently unmarried. She is beautiful, understanding, and has a good personality, she just hasn’t met the right match. I think you’re not bad, why not consider it."
"Inanna, like me, is also an Akkadian."
If this crazy woman were really as perfect as you say, could she still be single up to now?
And would she compel a Sun God to mediate personally, choosing a mortal as her husband?
Everyone knows that good stuff doesn’t stay easily available for long.
Luo En secretly grumbled in his heart, but on the surface, he nodded excitedly and said:
"Since she’s your sister, she must be extraordinary. Even if I can’t form a good relationship, getting to know her would also be greatly beneficial."
Although things took many twists and turns, whether it was the development, process, or outcome, all exceeded his expectations.
But ultimately, what you seek is not found after wearing out iron shoes, yet comes without effort.
For now, never mind what kind of nature this Heavenly Goddess has, just seize this opportunity to find her first.
"It’s good that you agree. She’s at Abi Mountain, and I’ll arrange for Siduri to help meet you later, it’s settled then~!"
Having arranged the lifelong affair for his unlucky sister at home, Utu was in high spirits, formally ending tonight’s drinking feast, and waving goodbye to his present drinking buddy, and future brother-in-law.
"I’ll wait for your good news, Dumuzi!"
Watching Utu’s figure disappear into the night, Luo En took out the identity certificate forged by Semiramis from his arms, looking at the record of—Shepherd Dumuzi, his mouth twitched slightly.
This fateful encounter really was...