Treading through the spring fields, the team of four men walked on the road to Rome. Pen~Fun~Pavilion www.biquge.info all the scenery beside the road looks so fresh and lovely at the moment. Far away from the killing, blood, and conquest, at this moment, there is only expectation, Rome, it seems to be ahead, his shadow, his voice, gradually clear, Appis even imagined that after returning to Rome, he was the first to go to Octavia and tell her that he had become a trifu promoted to Rome, and that his assets were enough to become a knight. Finally, the moment I have been looking forward to for three years is coming soon.

"What are you looking forward to in the city of Rome? Or do you want to go back and do something you want to do? ”

Seeing Appis's high mood and confidence every day, Emma couldn't help but ask, this Germanic girl had never seen her master so cheerful as she had been during this time. His happiness was endless, like a hot spring in winter, warming people's hearts, but Emma wondered what it was worth looking forward to that made Appis, who had always been calm and rational, so excited, that he had no sense of posture and majesty as a Roman officer in the past.

"Yes, my wife. It should be said that the person who was about to become my wife was the only purpose and source of motivation for my conquest in Gaul. ”

Appis replied with a smile on his face as he sat on his military horse. It was as if everyone else was transparent, except Octavia beckoned beautifully in the distance. He didn't care about the feelings of the others present.

"You have a wife in Rome?"

Emma was amazed at this answer, having spent so much time with Apis, but had never heard him speak of it. She had always thought that Appis had joined the legion in order to get rid of slavery, gain freedom, and have a place in Rome. It never occurred to him that Appis would have this purpose in joining the army in Gaul.

"Yes, not yet, but I believe that in the near future she will be my wife. My legal wife. I'm looking forward to it. ”

Appis replied with blissful joy, not noticing Emma's stiff expression.

"Do you have a fond memory?"

Emma inquired curiously about Appis' past. At the same time, he also had some faint pain, as if during this time, the reason why he stayed by Appis's side was also out of some personal feelings, otherwise, in exchange for other Romans, Emma had a bitter hatred.

"Yes. Before I became a member of the Legion, I was a low-ranking slave in the city of Rome, a gladiator slave. I fought and bled there. Then, she found me, put aside her identity, and talked to me. We have dates in many places, in the backyards of the villas of the nobles, in the small rooms of the Temple of Apollo, in the basement of the Roman Theater, on sunny days, rainy days, I have hugged her, kissed her. ”

Regardless of Emma's expression, Appis spoke eloquently, with a flash of glory on his face, while Emma responded with a stiff expression...... One of them is like the heat of early summer, and the other is like the cold of winter. Appis hadn't told Emma that he had been secretly having fun with Octavia in the small room of the Temple of Apollo, otherwise the girl would have sounded even sadder.

"And what's her name?"

Sekras was behind, and when he heard the conversation between Appis and Emma, he couldn't help but come forward and gossip.

This Roman veteran was not interested in anything else, and was full of bad taste for this kind of male and female affairs. Especially for Appis, in the eyes of Sekras, during the years that Apis joined the army in Gaul, he hardly touched other women, and only occasionally vented his long-lost bestiality in the brothel. Other times, the young officer didn't even have a female slave. The Germanic barbarian beside him was also released by him in Britain and became a free citizen.

"That's not what you should be concerned about. Sekras. ”

Faced with Sekras's curiosity, Apis turned his head away and half-jokingly refused to answer. Octavia, Octavian's sister, Caesar's niece and granddaughter, this relationship, if told to others, given Caesar's current situation, would definitely not agree. It's not necessarily a good thing to let the rest of the legion know. Although Sekras and himself are already comrades-in-arms, people's hearts are unpredictable, and Apis still maintains a vigilant heart for what to do. And for now, it is obviously the most appropriate way to answer Sekras in this way.

……

Rome.

"Marcus, our enemies are already on their way."

In the spring of Rome, the rainy season is at its end, and Apis and Seklas are galloping all the way to Rome. And in this gorgeous ancient city, there is a restless restlessness, and conspiracies ferment in the gloomy air. People came and went, like masks and cloaks, and they whispered like assassins sharpening their daggers in the shadows.

"I know, Karenus. I'll be ready to beat them at the campaign convention in Civic Square and get more votes. Even those who wear the title of citizen have been corrupted by money. ”

Little Cato, in the mansion of Carrenus, spoke again in high spirits. However, Carenus, who was also a senator, had a different view.

"Cato, we've been friends for years. I know your character so well. But in this matter, your integrity and integrity will not help you, nor will it help us in the situation we are in. Behold, our enemies, are now on their way to Rome. You don't know, I don't know, I don't know, in the civil elections in a month's time, no matter how loud and righteous you preach in the civic square, not many people will be willing to listen to you from beginning to end, they only care about how many dinars they have in their pockets after the congress, so we have to change our strategy for now. ”

"Change strategy? Tell the straight, my friend, your plan. ”

Although he was also a member of the Senate, the supreme ruling body of Rome, Cato the Younger had a different quality from the others, he was upright and did not like to talk around the bush.

"Cato, there is one thing you and I must agree on before we can do this. Roman politics has never been based on so-called freedom and equality, and for a hundred years, in order to maintain the republic, many good Romans have been forced to raise the bright red dagger and slit the throat of the tyrant. Behind the peace of Rome, it was often bought at the cost of countless blood. ”

Karenus stared at Cato's flickering gaze and continued—

"We must completely erase the traces of those on the list before they enter Rome."

"You mean to send out assassins to assassinate those candidates?"

As soon as Carrenus's voice fell, Cato asked aloud. Obviously, Cato was not willing to do such bloody violence, and even scoffed at it.

"Everything we do is for the future of Rome, my old friend."

Seeing Cato leap so wildly, Carrenus knew that his idea could not be accepted by this high-minded old stubborn.

"Have you thought about the consequences of doing that? The populace of Rome will be outraged by this, and they will unite against us, against the Senate! Assassinating a tribune candidate before the election is something that fools will know who did it, and we're digging our own grave to do that, Karenus. ”

"But they have no evidence."

Carrenus continued lightly -

"The mob will only be accused of treason. All we need is a little bit of the army to calm this seemingly raging storm. Moreover, it can also make more people who were originally going to support Caesar wake up, so that they will not dare to support him in such a grand manner. ”

"No, you will only cause turmoil and unrest in Rome, and cause more bloodshed and confrontation. I don't approve of your plans, Karenus. The Senate needs to punish any nobles and citizens who are greedy for power with just judgments. And not with such bloody and shoddy means. ”

The conversation concluded that Cato the Younger did not approve of the Senate sending men to assassinate Appis. There are also other candidates who will be participating in the Election Assembly. (To be continued.) )