"Appis, Lepida. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoNext month, when the grain is ripe, I will land in Greece with the freshly harvested grain. Pompey was still there waiting for me. This civil war must end as soon as possible, and the people of Rome cannot tolerate this situation for a long time, and internal strife will only blow down the Republic. During my landing in Greece, I hope that you will remain in Rome and administer this great city for me. Of course, if necessary, I will call you to land in Greece as my last reinforcements. ”

In the early autumn, when the cold wind swept through the streets of Rome and the summer heat had faded, Caesar met with Lepida and Apis alone in his house.

Perhaps knowing that Antony was not good at management, Caesar deliberately took this arrogant cavalry captain with him, and chose another heartfelt deputy, Lepida, as the main person in charge of managing the city during his own absence from Rome. Appis, as Lepida's assistant, also stayed in Rome temporarily.

It's just that Apis also knows that the city of Rome at this moment is no longer the city of Rome in the past. Pompey and the Senate also had a large number of nobles and merchants leaving, and the city was in tatters after the vicissitudes of war. In the face of the financial crisis, there are also a large number of bankrupt farmers who are scolding their treatment. Even if Apis didn't say it, Caesar knew the great difficulty of taking over the temporary administration of the city at this time. However, Octavian was still a minor, and Antony was not good at managing the economy, and at this time, Caesar may be the only one who can temporarily take over the mess.

"I would leave a quarter of my assets as a backup fund to manage the city. But you have to tighten your fiscal management. There are too many poor civilians in the city, and only a few can get jobs. Solving the livelihood of this group of 'refugees' is already a major problem. I don't know how long the battlefield in Greece will last, but I will force Pompey to a decisive battle as soon as possible. Once triumphantly returned, all the predicament we are facing now will be alleviated. Pray for the protection of the gods. Hopefully, the next time we meet, we'll be able to sit here like this. Talk about the future of Rome. ”

Caesar said. Then, a tired look appeared on his face. However, like all leaders, he has come to this point with no turning back. In other words, since the day he took out a loan to please the Roman plebeians, Caesar chose this lonely and difficult path of reform and power. There are too many things for him to think about and carry alone. The politics of Rome, the management of legions, the management of cities, the situation of the conquered barbarian tribes, progress. There are also the thoughts and actions of the people within the legion, everything needs to be considered by Caesar, to observe, and then to act. It can be said that every action needs to be reached after countless trade-offs before reaching a conclusion. Standing in front of this great leader, Apis sometimes had to sigh at how difficult it was to become a ruler, especially a wise ruler. Although how many people are envious.

……

In the fall, Caesar boarded a ship bound for the Balkans in Greece, and at the same time, Octavian and the young Agrippa were among the huge contingent. Apis and Lepida stood on the docks, looking at the crimson sky with melancholy.

However, there is one thing that is going in the direction that Apis had predicted, and Apis is ready for it. That is, after harvesting all the grains on the outskirts of Rome in the fall, the people of the city found that there was not much left of stocks of other agricultural products. Especially wine and olive oil.

Perhaps some businessmen who saw an opportunity for business saw it in the coming year when Caesar ordered that the countryside outside Rome must be planted with grain. But they did not have as much trade as Apis. They also hoarded small quantities of goods, and Apis was the commander of the legion. On some of the way, it's much easier than those who are pure merchants. So, this winter, this deal, Appis is undoubtedly the biggest winner.

Seeing the scarcity of these goods in the market, which was causing the prices of these goods to rise, Appis knew it was time for Seklas to bring the goods back to Rome.

It's just that before entering the city, Appis didn't want his people to enter the city so blatantly.

A week later, in the province of Roman-sul-Fa, the border province of Gaul with Rome. The ruffian centurion Sekras received a letter from Rome from his commander. The content was to ask Sekras to send the goods that had been prepared in the spring to the Roman border. They were then wholesaled in batches to merchants throughout Rome. Let these goods flow into Rome through different channels.

After receiving the order, Sekras began to get busy. Throwing away the slave girls and the fine wines from Gaul, he began to direct the slaves to carry these goods out of the warehouse. The goods that have been stored for more than half a year can finally be exchanged for large sums of silver coins when the season comes. Of course, Apis was also a man who knew how to be considerate of his subordinates, and when Sekras had left Rome a year earlier with this difficult task, he had promised him. After half a year or a year, he can own one-tenth of the profit from the resale of this batch of goods. This lucrative fortune even allowed Sekras to buy a villa in the city of Rome, plus a dozen slaves. It is equivalent to instantly becoming an aristocratic class with property from a street ruffian. This is undoubtedly a great satisfaction for Sekras, who has never seen so much wealth, and of course, it is also in exchange for the centurion's incomparable heart.

"Brother, why don't you let that ruffian go directly into the city of Rome to sell this shipment, it can make a higher profit. I mean, why are you doing this so obscurely, hiding, when it's a legitimate deal? ”

Only Appis, Sekras, and Klein knew about the hoarding and selling, and at the moment, Crane was clearly puzzled by Appis's approach.

"Caesar. It's all because of Caesar. Selling wine and olive oil, which seems to be a legitimate and legitimate business, is not to Caesar's heart at this moment. Because this is not a time of peace, in other words, it is precisely because of war that we have the opportunity to make a fortune this time. And the wealth that profited from it was not used on the battlefield, not on the legions, then how would Caesar think of me? A despicable, cunning, mercenary businessman. What's more, this merchant is still a profiteer who uses his military power to gain benefits, so that when Caesar returns, our good days will come to an end. ”

Appis explained schemingly.

But when you get these benefits, won't Caesar know? I mean, even if you were so hidden, Caesar would still know about it. When the time comes, won't hiding it irritate him more than not hiding? ”

Although Klein is a rough man who fights beasts in the arena, many times, he is not a real beast and has his own mind.

"Yes, therefore, this cargo cannot flow into Rome in a fair way, but the benefits obtained through it must be used in Rome or legions. I had expected Caesar to take me to Greece, and at that time, I would take this asset out and use it for the maintenance of the legion. I circled the money for the construction of the Roman legions, in order to achieve the final victory of this civil war. That way, Caesar won't be angry with me, and he might use me even more. However, as it stands, Caesar did not take me to Greece. He just left me in Rome. And I, after reaping this profit, must also find an opportunity to spend it on the maintenance of the city of Rome. At least public construction or reassuring the masses. If so, perhaps Caesar would have commended me for my contribution to Rome when he left Greece. At that time, a higher military rank or a Roman official position would be waiting for me. ”

Apis sat back in his soft chair and spoke confidently, while Crane was once again dumbfounded, amazed at the fact that his former gladiator friend could have such a deep political mind. In other words, his wisdom was no less than that of any Roman nobleman. When doing something, there is always a deeper purpose.

But Klein seemed to have another problem in his mind short-circuited.

"No, Appis. You're just going around in circles. If you encircle the wealth and then donate it for free, wouldn't Caesar think you were too cunning and too pretentious? ”

"But I expressed my heartfelt feelings. Caesar needed people who were sincere to him, people who understood the times, and people who were smart and capable, in fact, I did this to prove my ability to show him. I think, just as he reused Lepida, Caesar needed a group of capable people to re-establish order in Rome, not people who would only swear allegiance. ”

Appis slowly returned.

"Oh, that's too complicated. Appis, in Rome, how many people aspire to wealth, and if they have wealth, they have everything, but you, on the contrary. You gave up your wealth to get Caesar's reuse and gain power? Doesn't wealth buy the power it deserves? ”

Klein always didn't understand a lot of the complicated stakes. However, Appis did not show the slightest sign of impatience.

"No, you're wrong. Klein. In Rome, with power comes wealth. Wealth is only temporary, and smart people use wealth to win status and power, and then through power, reach the pinnacle of wealth. This kind of person is like Caesar. It is well known that our great Caesar, when he first entered politics, was destitute, and he even fled to a brothel to escape his creditors, but his profligacy was not a senseless waste. He is winning the recognition and praise of the people. He is seeking a path to power. And after letting money pave the way for him to the pinnacle of power, he began to have a brilliant life. Ran for consul, manipulated the Senate, marched into Gaul, and finally returned to Rome with the legions. Caesar was the kind of person who used money, wealth, not to be used by wealth, money. Crassus, on the other hand, is the kind of person who is used by money, wealth. Compared with Caesar, Klein's wealth at the beginning can be described as rich, but he was eventually destroyed by wealth, he peeped at Caesar's achievements in Gaul, and like Caesar, through war, to obtain considerable asset returns, so he attacked Parthia under the influence of interests, and in the end, buried himself there forever. ”

Appis finished speaking, and there was a confused expression on Klein's face. Perhaps, this rude gladiator, like the ruffian Seclas, can only hear a certain level of truth, and no matter how deep the theory of power is, it is no longer applicable to his world...... (To be continued.) )