Richthofen had probably gotten up early, and when he saw Wang Weiyi, his eyes were full of sarcasm, as if he knew what had happened last night, or wanted to ask, did the Rambler have the energy to do anything else all day today?

Wang Weiyi was also a little embarrassed, after all, they were not real Romans, and they were still a little embarrassed in the face of such a ridiculous thing.

"Look, our lover." Richthofen couldn't help but laugh first: "Do you need me to help you find a good doctor to help you recover your waist?" ”

"There's nothing wrong with my waist, but I'm worried about you." Wang Weiyi sneered at him without showing weakness: "It's you, I think maybe Krasicius won't let you go." ”

"Damn it." Richthofen felt a chill down his back at the thought of Krasičius' terrifying eyes, and he would rather go back to the battlefield and face Caesar face to face each other now than face Krasičius' eyes.

And all this was provoked by Ernst......

The two of them had been bickering since breakfast, which made their butler Balras very curious, he had never seen such a host.

Just after breakfast, the only consul Pompey came from outside to report that Pompey had arrived, and the two of them looked at each other, could it be that Pompey was so eager to collect the interest on the house?

Welcoming Pompey in, Pompey looked very concerned and asked if they were still used to living here, after a polite reply. Pompey said slowly: "Today, the Senate will be open to the public and solve some problems of Roman citizens. My friends. Splitus, Tius, are you interested in participating? ”

Wang Weiyi and Richthofen didn't understand the rules of Rome at all, so they looked at each other and asked tentatively, "Can we also participate?" ”

"Of course." Pompey was very curious about their question: "It was a meeting open to all, every Roman citizen could attend, of course. And it doesn't include the lowly slaves. Ah, in this meeting, I will also introduce a young man from Rome to everyone. The son of a Roman hero......"

This quickly aroused the curiosity of Wang Weiyi and Richthofen, and Pompey said slowly: "I think you should have heard about the extermination of those damned pirates and my fight against the king of Pontus before, right?" ”

Wang Weiyi nodded. These are two of Pompeii's most glamorous things.

Then. Piracy was rampant in the Mediterranean, using their ships and armed forces in collusion with the noble knights of Rome to raid merchant ships, rob coastal cities, and engage in "human flesh trafficking". In 67 BC there was a food shortage in Rome, which was believed to be caused by piracy and demanded urgent measures. The Citizens' Assembly appointed Pompey commander of the bandits, granting him unprecedented powers. Equipped with 25 deputies, 120000 infantry. 4,000 cavalry, 270 warships, cleared within three years.

Pompey faced with the vastness of the Mediterranean Sea and the elusive nature of pirates, he devised a strategy of slicing and outflanking. He divided the Mediterranean and his army and weapons into 12 parts, which were placed under the command of the lieutenant general, so that the net was removed from the Mediterranean, and a situation was formed in which armies and pirates were at war everywhere in the Mediterranean. Pompeo also personally inspected the various strongholds and strengthened the supervision of the lieutenant generals. Pompey's army was so large, tactically skillful, and well prepared that the pirates panicked. Most of the pirates hid on hilltops and bays. Pompey's use of force was accompanied by a policy of leniency towards the pirates, preserving the lives and liberty of all who laid down their arms. Under these circumstances, the pirates surrendered, but a few die-hards were resolutely suppressed by Pompey. At its worst, more than 10,000 pirate diehards were eliminated, 900 ships were captured, and 120 pirate fortresses were destroyed. Pompey also resettled captured pirates either by repatriating them to their respective countries or by moving them to live farther along the South China Sea. Pompey brilliantly completed the task of quelling the pirates in only 3 months. Maritime trade, which had been stagnant for a long time, was restored, the security of Italy and the countries bordering the Mediterranean was assured, and control of the Mediterranean was restored to Rome.

At the beginning of 66 BCE, the Citizens' Assembly approved the proposal of Manilius, who had been a staunch supporter of Pompey's efforts to eradicate the pirates, and appointed Pompey as the commander in chief of the battle against the Pontic king Mithridates VI, replacing Ruculus, who had already made great gains in the war with the Pontic king, and took over his army.

After Pompey came to the East, he first negotiated with the king of Pontus and demanded that Pontus surrender unconditionally, which was refused. So he led his army to besiege Pontus, cut off its food routes, and threatened to surrender. After the last Lu, the king of Pontus had no choice but to lead his elite troops to break through the siege, and Pompey led his troops to chase and fight. In the upper reaches of the Euphrates, he caught up with and routed the army of Mithridates VI. King Pontus led 800 cavalry to barely break out of the siege, and Pompey's army pursued the victory, breaking into Iberia and Albania. However, due to the great difficulty of fighting in the mountains, Pompey had to suspend the expedition and retreat to Pontus in order to be satisfied with the superficial submission of the mountain tribes of the Transcaucasia. In 63 BC, Mithridates VI was poisoned and died, and Pompey triumphantly ended the Mithridates War. After the war, he merged Bithynia and Pontus into the Roman provinces, and later Syria into the Roman provinces. He was active and intervening in Asia Minor, Palestine, and installed new kings in Galatia, Cappadocia, and Judea, and brought some of the countries of the East under Roman enslavement.

Pompey himself became the "king of kings" in some kingdoms in the East. He reached the peak of his power and prestige, becoming the most powerful man in Rome.

These are two things that all the Romans talk about, and one man played a big part in Pompey's two glamorous expeditions:

Tribune Manilius!

It was because of Manilius that Pompey reached the pinnacle of his life, but unfortunately, Manilius did not enjoy the honor with Pompey.

Not long after Pompey's triumph, Manilius was assassinated by his own enemies. He left behind a son, Cuarius, who was adopted by Pompey as an adopted son.

Pompey is introducing the Senate and all the Romans today to Cuarius, who has grown up.

Wang Weiyi vaguely guessed the purpose of Pompey's invitation to go. But he wasn't quite sure, and he thought for a moment: "I'm glad to accept your invitation, Lord One Archon. ”

Pompey smiled with satisfaction.

Of course, Wang Weiyi and Richthofen were also curious about the Senate......

．．．．．．

The Roman Senate, perched at the foot of the Palatine Hill, defied the crowd of people rushing towards it like a king, and no matter how agitated they were, it did not twitch the corners of its mouth.

Since yesterday afternoon, the citizens of the Roman Republic have known that the sole consul, Pompey, will come to the Senate today. As Pompey's power grew, he also began to be deliberately secretive. Usually only the senate was held in the colonnade of the temple of Apollo next to his house, and he had not been to the senate for a long time, so the news attracted the attention of the whole city. In addition to the fact that a thousand senators were almost absent. A large number of people also came to see the excitement.

The Senate gates face Piazza Fabiru, where the senators usually meet, and although it is not a temple, the Romans considered it a holy place. There is an arcade in front of the door of the Senate. It's like the entrance to a temple. The building of the Senate itself was a large square hall, each side decorated with a column surmounted by a cloister, now packed with the populace.

Below, three rows of marble benches, arranged in a semicircle, were the seats of the senators, covered with silk blankets or animal skin cushions. Directly opposite the gate were two marble tables and two ornate triumphal chairs for the consuls. In the middle of the highest row of semicircular marble seats, the seats of the older senators are the presence; Facing the Archon. With his back to the gate is the seat of the tribune. It was won nearly 200 years ago, when the Senate was in session, and the tribune's seat was located under the arcade in front of the courtyard gate.

In the expectant gaze of everyone, Pompey's sedan chair slowly came from the Palatine Hill to the front of the Senate, the commanders of the six guards beside the sedan chair were guarding with swords, and Cuarius who followed on foot, that is, the young man that Pompey would solemnly introduce today.

In the crowd, Wang Weiyi and Richthofen were silently watching all this......

After the four-person sedan chair with frugal decoration familiar to the Romans stopped, the original bustling sound suddenly lowered its decibels, and the eyes in the square and the cloister were fixed on the sedan curtain at the exit of the sedan chair, waiting for its owner, Pompey, the sole consul who was supreme in the hearts of the Romans, to lift it.

But strangely, after waiting for a while, there was still no movement in the sedan chair. Krastinus, a young officer, listened with his ear to the barrier of the sedan chair for a minute or two, and soon a strange smile appeared on his face.

Clastinus whispered a few words to Cuarius, who stepped forward and leaned into the sedan chair...... After a while, Pompey's body came out of the sedan chair, and the Roman ruler rubbed his eyes, smiled embarrassedly, and said to the dense crowd: "Friends, I fell asleep on the road, you know, I hate to get up early." Alas, I slept early enough last night. ”

A burst of laughter raised the sound of the square again, and under the great noise, Pompey straightened up his purple robe, and walked peacefully towards the steps of the Senate in the passage of the crowd: countless hands reached out to him, eager to shake his hand; There are constantly people chanting Pompey's name and praying to the gods of heaven to bless him; Bouquets of spring flowers were cast on the old man, delicate petals on Pompey's shoulders, on the placket of his clothes, and on his skin, which was already slightly old.

Pompey faced all this with a smile, his demeanor solemn and amiable, and his gentle gaze made everyone feel that they were being watched by him. After ascending the steps, many of the elders who had heard the cheers outside also rushed out to greet their true masters, led by Macenas.

Suddenly, Pompey's eyes fell on a woman in her fifties, who tried to squeeze to the front, but was blocked by the strong arms of the officers, and nearly fell under the crowd.

"Let the honorable woman come here." The people around heard Pompey's gentle and majestic voice.

The handsome Cuarius immediately strode over, first helping the woman break free from the crowd with his strong arms. Then he helped her to his grandfather.

"If I'm not mistaken, what do you want to say to me?" Pompey said softly with his trademark gentle smile.

The woman had evidently not recovered from the shock of being trampled on by the people just now, and her face was blue and white. Wait for her breathing to gradually settle down. Only then did she realize: she was already standing in front of Pompey. Looking at Pompey, who ruled hundreds of millions of people, the woman's natural timidity made her can't help but take a step back, her lips trembled a few times and she didn't speak.

Pompey's keen eyes had already seen that the woman was holding a scroll of paper, no doubt a petition for his help. He smiled slightly, and humorously said to the elders who had come to him, "Look, she looks like she's collecting a coin from an elephant." Friends, please tell her. Pompey in Rome was not so terrible. ”

The joke relieved the woman of some nervousness, but she was not brave enough to present herself in front of Pompey, and silently handed over the petition.

Pompeo opens the petition. Quickly skimmed through it, "Oh, your husband has just died, may the gods of heaven bless his soul...... Well. He left you with a pile of gambling debts and three young children. The creditors are also threatening to evict you from the house where you are now living. ”

"Yes, I have no choice but to come and pray to our father, hoping that his mercy will help me to get out of this terrible situation." The woman's tears welled up and she fell to the ground and began to kiss Pompey's hand.

Pompey kindly helped her up, "Please get up, since Pompey knows about this matter, please believe it." He would never allow this to happen! Later today, my adopted son, Cuarius. Even the young man who supported you just now will visit your home, and you will not feel anything lacking in the future. ”

Immediately, he thought for a moment and said, "It seems that you are very tired, you must have been waiting for me here since very early, now please sit in my sedan chair and go home, so that you can save some energy." ”

When the officer of the Guards next to her urged the woman to board Pompey's sedan chair, she realized from a moment of dizziness what had happened, and she began to search for Pompey with her eyes blurred with tears, only to see the sleeves of his robe flickering, and Pompey had already entered the hall of the Senate surrounded by the senators.

After entering the Senate, Pompey still had a smile on his face, but Cuarius, who followed him closely, still keenly felt the change, and the smile lost its charming charm but added a little arrogance, and the amiable and enthusiastic Pompey in the square became the sole consul of Rome full of dignity and solemnity; Apparently in the square his adoptive father wanted the common people to forget who he was, while in the halls of the Senate he wanted those who had the right to sit here to remember that he was the master of Rome.

Pompey waited until the senators were seated before he made his way to his seat, greeting them as he went, calling out each of them by name without being reminded, much to the surprise and delight of the few senators who had just entered the Senate and had not yet had a chance to get to know him. The attitude of the sole consul of Rome was affectionate and haughty, and a series of words suitable for the identity and character of the person to be greeted blew through the hall like a spring breeze, and he paid no attention to the flood of words that poured in him.

After reaching the semicircular marble seats in the highest row, Pompey bowed gracefully to the two consuls below him and sat down quietly. Cuarius quietly retreated under the cloister, where he saw Pompey's official chamberlain Manias reclining on a marble column, and several Guards officers were also there.

Cuarius greeted them politely, and stood with them, and then his eyes were fixed on his adoptive father's seat, and after a moment he frowned, and some of the senators who sat beside Pompey seemed to be dressed in thick clothes, which was strange in early summer. Soon, he judged from the slightly stiff movements of the patriarchs: under the toga robe is armor!

Cuarius was taken aback, and he tried to keep his composure, but his feet began to move quietly there. Manias, who had been watching Pang Peizi's every move with concern, noticed the young man's movements, and he respectfully and carefully stopped Cuarius.

"My master, please don't worry." He whispered.

Hearing this, Cuarius frowned, because Pompey hated being called "master" very much, so except for his loyal butler Diomedes, who refused to change his words, Pompey could not do anything about him; The rest of the family, including those like Manias who had been freed from slavery by Pompey, no longer called him that. But today, Manias added the title to his head again, which made Cuarius very unhappy, but for now he could not care about it.

"Don't you see that my adoptive father's people are wearing armor? Maybe they still have weapons hidden! Cuarius also whispered.

Manias smiled slightly, of course he saw it, and he knew what kind of weapons the patriarchs were carrying. Every time Pompey came to the Senate, Macenas would arrange for ten loyal senators to secretly wear armor and carry short swords to protect him in the Senate, and the cautious Pompey did not want the assassinations that often happened in Rome to happen to him.

"They were all loyal friends of Pompey, volunteering to protect him." Carefully choosing his words, he said to Cuarius.

Cuarius breathed a sigh of relief, and at that moment he heard the consul's speech. (To be continued......)