The last dead leaves of late autumn had withered, and in the anticipation of all, the four legions of Cicero and Brutus had arrived from the north to join Caesar. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 infoDuring the seven years of Caesar's conquest of Gaul, there had never been a moment when all the armies had gathered together, as if they were reunited, waiting for the last orders of the commander-in-chief, and as if they were gathering together for the darkest hour before dawn.

Vicintoli had mobilized all the Gallic tribes except the Eduids, and now the Roman legions were left alone and on their own. However, there was not enough food for the Eduíns. Previously, Caesar's four legions were stationed here, and the Edui were barely able to supply the legions' supplies and food, but now Cicero and Brutus had brought four more legions from the north, and eight Roman legions had gathered on the territory of one tribe, and the Edui were obviously emaciated. The snowflakes of early winter have already arrived, and if this continues, not only Caesar's army will be cold and starving, but also the indigenous people of this area, the Edui people. And the supplies and food that arrived from Rome were so pitiful after the long journey. Less than a quarter of the grain and grass can reach the front.

It seemed that the Roman legions were going to survive an impossible winter.

However, Caesar could not give up, this was their last hope, and at the beginning of the spring, Caesar planned to send all his legions to find the large army of Vicintoli and fight the Gauls to the death, but would Vicintoli do this? The officers of the Roman legions did not know, the soldiers did not know, and Caesar did not know. Everyone's heart is like being infected with a dark breath, staggering on the road where there is no light in sight.

"Antony, Rabienus, will you still follow me? If this is our last winter in Gaul. ”

In the dark and cold night, Caesar sat in the military tent with a thick blanket, scooped up the bowl of oatmeal in his hand, and said to a few old friends who visited. In his eyes, there was no usual brilliance, melancholy, profound, like the unfathomable darkness in the night sky. But his words were still earnest, full of fatherly greetings.

"Caesar, no matter where you go or what kind of predicament you encounter, I, Mark Anthony, will follow you. Even in the infinite darkness. ”

Anthony replied first. This strong cavalry captain was not so melancholy, he only wanted to fight, he wanted only honor and wealth. Like Caesar, at this point, Antony has no possibility of retreating, and if he fails to conquer Gaul and returns to Rome, he will only be endlessly ridiculed and criticized by the people and political enemies. Even the second half of his life was spent in the eyes of people with contempt. It is better to spend the rest of your life like that, and it is better to fight to the death with the barbarians here. This is Anthony's idea. As soon as he was on the battlefield, the cavalry commander returned to a refreshed state. Like Caesar, Anthony was a born war maniac.

"What about you? Rabienus, my dear friend. We have gone through so many difficult years together and fought together on the front lines. We are like brothers, lovers, Rabbi Enus. ”

After hearing Antony's oath, Caesar turned his gaze to Rabienus's side.

In the flickering of the oil lamp, Rabienus seemed to see Caesar in his youth, when he was still a destitute Caesar. Speak out in the plebeian squares of Rome, empty your pockets for municipal construction, and owe usury for the sake of large-scale entertainment. Caesar in a desperate situation, indeed, the scene at this moment, Caesar's expression at this moment, is so similar to that time, but at this time, Caesar's eyes have a few deep crow's feet.

"Yes, Caesar, Rabienus will always be your friend, partner, brother and comrade-in-arms."

Rabbi Enus spoke to Caesar, word by word, calmly, earnestly and seriously. The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became quiet again. It was as if the air had frozen, in the middle of this cold night. Every breath became so clear, full of sadness.

……

"Appis, there's a barbarian girl looking for you."

"Barbarian girl?"

"Yes, she said she used to be your slave."

The day after the legions converged, Appis received an unexpected gift. Emma returned, a Germanic girl who had hated the Romans and longed to return to her tribe, but as fate would have it, she could not return to her tribe. Just as Apis had predicted, the Sugumbri had not accepted her, and the Germans had not been able to accept a woman who had been defiled by the Romans to return to their tribe, although in fact Emma had not been defiled by the Roman soldiers, but who would have believed it? Apis saved her, but even the Romans themselves did not believe that a Germanic girl had been in the barracks for so long and had not been **.

"The injured kitten finally has to return to its nest, and there is a shelter from the storm on a stormy night."

Appis looked at Emma and said lightly. But suddenly felt pity, as if both of them were people with the same disease. Because of his humble status, he could not be with Octavia, and Emma lost her family because her home was burned down by the Romans. In this age of bloody barbarism, too much misfortune befell innocent people.

"Apils, you are right, freedom may not be a cause for joy in Rome, and I will never be able to return to my tribe. I almost escaped from that tribe, and the men there even wanted to kill me. ”

Emma said, her eyes couldn't help but show a trace of sadness, as if in this cold winter, happy emotions are far away from people. Even Roman merchants, who came to Gaul every winter, were blocked at the provincial border this year, and the blockade of Viccintoli almost cut Caesar off contact with Rome.

"You are a poor man, and although you are Germanic, I do not treat you as a foreigner. I still say the same thing, if you are willing to go back to Rome with me after the war, I can let you stay with me and keep you fed and warm. ”

Appis said, reaching over and caressing Emma's delicate, angular face. It was the standard face shape of later Europeans, with a white complexion and golden hair, which was regarded as a symbol of barbarism in Rome in this era, but in later generations, it was regarded as noble blood. It's a real irony.

"Well, I'll follow you, Appis. The premise is that we can survive this winter. I hear that your men have begun to restrict rations for freemen and slaves. ”

Emma pondered for a moment before answering. Apis gave her full freedom, which no Germanic could have been so favored by his Roman masters. Although she had been dismissed from slavery status by Appis.