"What? Empty-handed again? With a sneering expression, Cicedes visited Andrew's mansion, the place that Luga had given him, and he did not know how many times he had seen the figure of Cicedes and his guards.

"Why are you again?" Andrew was a little impatient, but because of Sicedus' social status, Andrew still had to give some face, so as not to make Cicedes hold a grudge. "How do you know?"

"This is not the hospitality of an aristocracy." Intentionally or unintentionally, Cicedes sarcastically addressed Andrew.

"I'm sorry, Lord Sicedes." Andrew had to lower his posture to face Cicedes, not only because of the status gap, but also because Andrew knew the consequences of offending the dignitaries of this place, and he could not be so rude.

"My retinue told me that you had said more than once that you wanted to see Caesar, but every time you couldn't even enter the palace gates, the dignified commander of the forbidden army was stopped by his own soldiers." Sicedes found a random seat and sat down, he looked at Andrew, who said nothing.

One of the maids beside Andrew thought for a while, but Quinta nodded, who was sitting on the side, and stepped forward to pour a glass of wine for Cicedes.

"Oh yes, thank you so much, I do get thirsty." As he said this, Cicedes raised his glass, and one of the guards beside him stepped forward to take it, tilted his head and drank the wine from it.

"Sorry, I've always been alert, yes, since I was born." Cicedes explained to the Andrews with an apologetic smile, and then raised his glass to the maid.

Only then did the maid come to her senses, and hurriedly poured another glass of wine for Cicedes, who took a sip and then put it on the wooden plate served by the guard beside her.

"Tell me, Lord Andrew, how many more times do you plan to go?"

"I'll have to explain this to Caesar!"

"I'm afraid that Caesar will not listen to what you want to explain now, and even he will not give you the slightest chance." Cicedes smiled contemptuously, looking at Andrew as if he were looking at a poor tramp, "Caesar is not in the Flavi Palace, and my scouts have told me that a month ago an army passed through my precinct, heavily armed cavalry escorting a spacious chariot, and I think there is no reason not to believe that it was not Barcellus himself sitting in it. ”

"How is that possible?" Andrew almost yelled, "Tell me, where is he now?" ”

"The convoy is heading east, and it looks like your old buddies have left you to go it alone." "As for where he went, I can only guess Isuria, the place full of robbers and bandits, and I didn't expect him to go there quietly, and I really can't think of any other reason to negotiate with any robbers." ”

"Maybe you're mistaken?" Andrew retorted.

"Haha, I hope so." Cicedes chuckled dryly and looked at Andrew, there was something else hidden in his gaze, which Andrew didn't see.

"So, Lord Andrew." Cicedes sighed lightly, and then got up, it seemed that he did not want to linger too long. "Think about it, after all, your companion no longer needs you, you must remember that there are people who are willing to serve Augustus all over the world, and you are not the only one who is not missing, don't forget, he can be where he is today, not because of you."

"Alright, I hope you can leave, right now!" Andrew couldn't take it anymore, he stood up and pointed out the door, and whispered to Cicedes.

Cicedes snorted coldly, then got up and said impatiently: "Your Excellency Andrew, at least, you still have some use in me, I know your intentions, Andrew, I have to remind you that your careful thinking is too much, everyone around you can see your fancy intestines, I have to remind you, Your Excellency Andrew, this is a very, very dangerous idea." ”

"What I'm thinking has nothing to do with you!" Andrew waved his hand in refusal.

"I hope so, Lord Andrew." Cicedes snorted coldly, then turned around and walked out of Andrew's villa with the guards behind him.

Andrew stood still, like a piece of wood, as if his soul had been drained.

"Andrew, oh dear, what the hell is wrong with you?" Looking at Andrew's appearance, Quinta was also very worried, she asked Andrew, but Andrew did not respond.

"Andrew?" Quinta called out to Andrew again, and that's when Andrew came to his senses.

"Oh, oh!" Andrew responded, and only then did he come back to his senses, "Golia, where is Golia?" ”

"She's learning rhetoric from a teacher." Quinta looked at Andrew with a puzzled look and said, "Hey, have you forgotten?" Caesar invited this teacher. ”

"Oh yes, Caesar, Caesar!" Andrew muttered as he paced back and forth in place: "I know, of course I do!" ”

Intentionally or unintentionally, Quinta reminded Andrew of the fact that Luga nodded and promised to take care of him and Golia.

Admittedly, he was now terrified, or at least puzzled, and more than once he had questioned in his heart whether his loyalty to Luga had deteriorated. But what is certain is that he has indeed changed, and he is no longer as pure and impulsive as before, at least looking at Quinta and Golia, he now finally understands the meaning of his existence.

What did he have? is nothing more than a companion who saved his life halfway, and an eagle banner that can make him an official and a half-job. What else does he have? The dinaris in his pocket couldn't even give him a big meal, what else was left? The whole body was as worthless as his life.

It is precisely because he has nothing that he has no scruples, he is not afraid of death, and he is also eager to fight for something from life and death.

But now it was different, he had everything he had ever dreamed of, a title of nobility, a magnificent villa, and an innumerable number of gold coins of Shalidi (the Eastern Roman gold coin) and his wife and the children he loved.

He is no longer fearless, but has worries, he is no longer reckless, but has to think twice before acting.

Just like now, while he longs for a higher position and social status, he is worried about whether this will hurt the feelings between his closest comrades-in-arms, after all, power is such a thing, you can say, but you can't grab it.

Now Andrew is facing a multiple-choice question, after all, who to choose now is very worth pondering.

In the east, after saying goodbye to Zeno, Luga set out immediately, and he could not wait to return to Constantinople, for he now had a new plan and prepared for further consolidation.

Boarding the carriage, I saw Lickinia sitting in the carriage, clutching her chest and showing a hint of discomfort and pain on her face.

Luga took a look and knew what was going on, this woman who had to worry about everything.

"How's it going?" Li Kinia hurriedly collected her expression and asked with concern.

"It's going well." Luga smiled and walked over to Licina's side, "As I had imagined, people in remote areas will always be very easily satisfied. ”

"You always have very strange ideas." Leekinia sighed softly, "I don't know if this will have the effect it should have." ”

"Don't worry, my wife." Luga comforted: "We are preparing for the best, and we must also be mentally prepared to face the worst. ”