Brutus retched twice, then slapped his hand on the head to relieve the pain in his cheeks, "I'm willing to share the debt with Yulia after marriage, it's not a big problem, I know beforehand, it's just a few dozen Tallant's debts—I've already negotiated with a few tax-bearer knights like Calabis, and once I'm in office, it won't be difficult to amass so much money." Oh, you're Yuria's slave? He turned his gaze to the Phoenician Habaruka.

"Yes, and it may not be soon, and soon the mistress will sell me in order to pay off the debt." Habaruka clouds are lightly predicted.

"And you, Calabis, are Yuria's creditor?" Brutus's subsequent question about Calabis made him really not know how to answer it.

After the ship anchored, the three of them walked together because they had a common goal, Habaruka said that the house and farm of the Libida family were in the Oristano plain in the southwest of the island, and that Brutus was going to visit a Greek scholar in the city of Cagliari, but was rejected by Calabis, "I must go to the camp of the Thirteenth Legion in a half-market day to take part in the war against Pontus." ”

"I remember, you're Calabis, the hero who took back the Eagle Banner." Brutus was very excited, although he was very unhappy with the behavior of the original owner of the Eagle Banner, Marius, but he was very interested in the Eagle Banner, which symbolized the military glory of the Republic, "I also want to enter the barracks as soon as possible, so that my service career can add glory to the Republic." ”

So they set out on the road the same day, and Habaruka was familiar with the road. Three donkeys were rented on the outskirts of the city. Plus a corner saddle peculiar to Rome. He rented a Sardinian dwarf mare to carry the luggage, and all three donkeys were very sensual to the swaying mare's buttocks, and they barked "ang", and chased the mare briskly and freely, and it seemed that they were all geldings, but the mare was very disgusted by the smell of the donkey, and quickened in panic. The vineyards and wheat fields on the hill next to the road are receding, and the blue of the sky is slowly fading in the glow of the setting sun. The clouds turned a deep pink, and after Zuihou had crossed a bridge, Habaruka said that he would not be able to reach his destination today, so they got off the donkeys and stayed in a deserted shepherd's hut, and Carabis invited Brutus to sit in front of the haystack, and then Habaruka set up a brazier, and found a barbecue, a knife, and a small jar of honey, and Carabis took out the fat, onions, cider, and feta cheese from his luggage, and poured honey on the fat. Pierced on the barbecue grill, the aroma of the grill overflows. Mixing cider and goat's milk in the raw onion, the three of them put the wine-milk onion salad and a large piece of roast meat on the plate, grabbed it with their hands, and then the wind swept away, "Please enjoy the 'legion roast fat'." ”

"Oh my God, I didn't expect the soldiers in the barracks to be able to eat this delicacy." Brutus said with envy as he ate his heart.

Calabis looked at this ignorant boy and smiled—the legionnaires could still drink expired sour beer and wheat rice that had not been sifted once! But he didn't say anything, but went and filled the donkey and mare with some hay. When he had eaten and drunk, Habaruka lay down on the haystack at the door of the hut and fell asleep, while Brutus and Carabis lay on the blanket in the center, looking at the starlight in the hole in the dilapidated roof, and continued to chat.

"You must be wondering, I, Weishenme, am coming to propose to Yulia. Actually, my cousin, oh, little Cato's daughter of Pothea, wanted to marry me—and I didn't hate Pothea, for her hair was soft and black, like the soil of an olive grove. ”

Calabis smiled, "Because you're a philosophist, and they're all awkward. Maybe you are still worried about the former mustard of the two families. ”

Hearing the teasing of the new knight, Brutus laughed hahaly, apparently Calabis had said something on his heart, "Yes, I love my deceased father, and I hate Pompey too, but I love the republic even more, no matter what, my deceased father betrayed the republic first, and involved another prominent family, so I have a sense of responsibility to bridge the rift between the two families since I was a child." ”

As he spoke, Calabis's ears moved twice, then he got up slightly, made a gesture to Brutus to be careful not to move, and then pinned his sword to his waist, and pulled Habaruka, who was struggling from sleep, "Stand here with your eyes open!" Then in the barn by the hut the shack three donkeys cried out in unison, and Calabis crossed the railing with his hand, and then fought with some of the men in the shadow of the barn, who had neither weapons nor fists, and were soon knocked to the ground, writhing and groaning.

It was a gang of thieves who wanted to steal the mare, but when Habaruka came to see with the lamp, he was surprised and called out everyone's name, "Don't you stay in the Ophilenu manor and stay with the mistress, but you want to run out fifty furlongs and come here to steal my horse?" ”

"Phoenician Habaruka, what other manor!? Yuria's creditor is coming soon, she owes twenty tarents, and the wheat alone cannot pay it off, and Yulia is ready to sell slaves, that is, us, to work in the salt lakes or mines! Several people shouted.

It turned out that this old Li Bida's granddaughter had reached the point where she had to sell slaves to pay off her debts.

"But if you run out without permission, you will cause Yulia to be sued for debt." Habaruka was still thinking about the hostess, "You can't leave the manor!" ”

In the darkness, the men cursed loudly, and Karabis said to Habaruka, "Let them go, if they are really sold to the mines by your mistress, I am afraid they will not live for two years." With that, Calabis threw them a few silver coins, and when they had been pardoned, they saluted the knight, and then they supported each other and ran towards the other side of the bridge.

"You're too good for the fugitive slaves, Calabis." Brutus came out of the shack and said.

Calabis looked back, pierced in his left ear in the light, "Yes, because I was a slave too." ”

Now, it was Brutus' turn to be stunned.

The next day, it was almost dusk when they arrived at the Ophelenu Manor, an old but elegant mansion with walls, fish ponds, and orchards, and a glimpse of the glory of the former Lypidaus. When he walked in, Brutus spoke to Calabis again, his tone was obviously unnatural, and he seemed to be trying to keep a little distance from him, but Carabis only smiled lightly, "Sure enough, it's just a boy." (To be continued......)