"Things are settled?"

"Yes, Hadrum and the 'fathers' of the Senate are much more honest now, and they stay in their villas all day and dare not go out."

Crassus the Younger returned to Rome for a month, took care of these difficult political matters, and then returned to the Ancona front. Although Apis had learned from various sources about what had happened in Rome during the month, he pretended to ask Crassus the Younger.

"That's good, but we still have to be careful, these people have been suppressed this time, and there may be something else going on next time. The title of king was always a sword in the minds of the Roman people, and it was not to be violated. We still want to keep the Senate and the Citizens' Assembly, and even in the future, when we settle the matter of Octavian, we will return power to the Senate. ”

"What?!"

Little Crassus was shocked when he heard this.

"You're done listening to me, brother. You and I both know that the Senate is no longer suitable for this huge country, and we cannot really hand over our rights and interests to a group of people who rely on the power of our ancestors to twist their tongues and indulge the fate of the country, but the people of Rome do not know this, for the people of Rome, the Senate and the Citizens' Assembly are the symbols of the republic, as long as these departments and institutions still exist, people will not think that we are the most powerful people in Rome, and the return of power to the Senate is only symbolic, until then,' The Senate 'had to be cleaned up all over again. And once we have done this ritual symbolically, the people of Italy, all those who have Roman citizenship, will be united, we will honor the tradition, we will uphold the Roman spirit, and that is enough, and that is the most important thing. Our next enemy will soon be Antony, who is superior in wealth and strength to us, and it is possible to defeat him if we rely on the strength of the people. ”

Appis recounted methodically in front of little Crassus. This was originally the method used by Octavian after the unification of Rome in history, but at this time, Octavian never had the opportunity to use it again.

After this idea and plan was confirmed, Apis did not act against Rome, the Senate, or the remnants of Octavian, which also made Hadrum and Oculia uneasy, and the Praetorian guards passed by their doors every day as a vigilante patrol, without touching a single hair, which was more frightening than going to prison. Without moving them, without any action, many people's psychological defenses collapsed in advance......

Then, the senators and representatives of the commoners, who had been bribed by Apis and Crassus Jr., began to fight back. When the beast show was over, they held rallies in the streets and gave speeches—

"Citizens, citizens of Rome, behold, this is the benevolent Apis, who, no matter how much his opponents slander and slander him, has no cruel vengeance against his opponents. Hadrum and Oculia are still alive and well in their villas, our senates, our citizens' assemblies are still alive, our cities are still thriving, and our voices are still free. Is this what Hadrum called a tyrant, a so-called dictator? If yes, then I'd rather follow this dictator for the rest of my life! ”

"Yes, Appis even left his legions outside the city when he entered the city, and that was only a small part of the people who entered the city to keep Rome safe!"

The people who are bribed off the stage and the people who make speeches on stage sing and harmonize, like a stage play, which is more exciting than the performance in the theater, except that in the theater, people know that it is a show, those are clowns, and in public, the clown becomes the leader of the people......

…………

"Tell me, Domitius, how long will it be before you take that fortress! Damn, these citizen soldiers, Rome has changed hands, and their Octavian has been beaten to the point that only a small city remains. What else are they resisting here?! Foolish, foolish! ”

Appis besieged Octavian at Ancona, while in southern Italy, in the region of Calabria, Antony met with stubborn resistance from Octavian's old forces. As Apis said, these people swore allegiance to Caesar, and no one could dominate them, except Caesar, except Caesar's rightful heirs. Moreover, this is a group of warlike and experienced Roman veterans, who hold on to fortresses and cities, which is a headache for Antony.

"Five more days at most, General."

Sweat mixed with blood, Domitius replied anxiously.

"Well, in five days' time, I would like to hear from you that you have taken the fortress, otherwise, someone will take your place. I will lead the army and level this fortress! ”

Anthony was annoyed. He was anxious to go back and linger with Cleopatra, and in Brindisi there was a great deal of grain from Alexandria, as well as tributes and auxiliaries from the tribes and kingdoms of the East, which he had to return to review. There is no more time to stay at the front.

As soon as Antony left, the stone-walled fortress on the southern Italian cape was attacked by Domitius like a wild beast. Twenty-five wild donkey trebuchets hurled artillery and Molotov cocktails into the fortress around the clock, and slaves frantically dug siege tunnels underneath the fortress, even if the fortress was solid underneath.

…………

"Calabria, it will be ours in the end, my dear, don't be so anxious."

Brindisi, Antony, who had a fiery temper, became gentle and docile again when he saw the bewitching and beautiful Cleopatra. He fell to his knees at the queen's feet, pressed against Cleopatra's belly, and listened to the voice of the belly. In the bulging abdomen, their "love crystallization" is being conceived, and although Anthony is not very fond of this new life, he still has to accept this reality. The enchanting queen captures her prey and will not let him go easily.

"This child will witness the great day of his father's conquest of Rome."

Cleopatra took Antony's hand, pressed it to her face, and said softly. There was confusion in his eyes. There is also an insatiable desire for power.

Antony knew Cleopatra's thoughts, and she wanted to connect herself more closely with her through the advent of this child, and Rome and Egypt would become one. This was Cleopatra's final thoughts. However, Antony did not want to admit that the child was his own, after all, Rome is Rome, Egypt is Egypt, the two should not be confused, Antony knows what the consequences of announcing this child born to him will be, at that time, Rome, Italy, I am afraid that there will be another round of public opinion frenzy against him.

"He had a wise and wise mother."

Anthony stood up and replied with a smile...... 8)