"I like betrayal, but I don't like betrayers." - Julius. Caesar

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What the! Cicero's chest felt like a hammer had been struck, and the tribunes laughed triumphantly.

"Yes, both books were burned, it was a pure accident." Cato Jr. stood in place, and said with a very resolute expression, he did not want to mention the defection between Dillinger and Asher, but Claudius obviously did not ask much, he just put on a sad expression, and said, "It doesn't matter, even if the account books are destroyed, but these coins are in good condition, I will ask Barsatus to count them in detail, and I will not let Your Excellency be embarrassed by the slightest bit." ”

"I must make it clear that there are three thousand talents in these wooden chests that I have borrowed money from." Cato Jr. slowly handed over the paperwork of the Chamber of Commerce.

Claudius took the letter and looked at it suspiciously, then smiled wryly and said, "I'm sorry, I can't figure out the reason, do you mean that half of it can't go into the treasury?" But" then he gave up his words to Barsatus, for he was the tribune of the treasury of the Temple of Agriculture, and Barsatus was embarrassed to say, "My dear Governor, if all your books are burned, then the distinction between the sources of money will not be convincing, and in this respect you will have to follow the example of the great General Pompey, whose harvest in his triumph in the East is so well recorded that you have made me particularly troubled." ”

At this time, the elders and tribunes of the entire venue whispered. Apparently began to express suspicion and dissatisfaction with Cato the Younger's property. "Ladies and gentlemen. No need to discuss. The loss of my account books is both torture and a crime, and it is understandable for you to question my loyalty and integrity, all because of the lack of ability of the contemptible people to act on a daily basis. But I'm going to defend myself a little bit, because there's no doubt about it here. Calto the Younger pointed to his heart, "My intolerance led me to find a witness, and that was Nicias, the chief eunuch of the Ptolemy of Cyprus." ”

So Nicias stepped forward. Clearly explained how little Cato divided the property of Cyprus, and then patted his chest to ensure that little Cato was fair and honest, and there was no possibility of embezzling a penny.

"But who allowed the governor of the republic to divide the property of the hostile nation among the mercenaries in the name of Pharaoh?" Claudius's tone became cold, which also provoked a louder discussion among the people around him.

"But according to common sense, the mission of the Illyrian Thirteenth Army is to go to Cyprus and Egypt for restoration, at least for now it is under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province." It was only then that Cato the Younger had no choice but to publicly admit the identity of the Thirteenth Legion.

Ebro said, "But, Julius. Caesar's legion just has an empty number. And it's embarrassing, although the Senate issued a declaration of war on Egypt. However, in the official existence, the Roman Republic did not send any troops, so the de jure connection between you and the Thirteenth Legion probably does not exist. ”

"Okay, if you make a special trip here to greet you, the purpose is like this, then you are afraid that you will get what you want, let me say a word of anger, since a few tribunes are in charge of the treasury of the Agrigrium Temple, then I will not distinguish between public and private these seven thousand Tallents, please watch and do it!" Little Cato finally became angry, he understood that these people had colluded to set up a situation a long time ago, and the instigators behind the scenes were Caesar and that Li Bida.

Who would have thought that Claudius would really consult with several people, and then elect Barsatus as his representative, and make an interim decision that half of the seven thousand tarents, whether public or private, should be paid to the treasury in accordance with the established regulations, and an additional eight hundred tarents should be paid to the municipal secretary to celebrate the triumphant career of Cato the Younger in Cyprus, and the rest could be at the disposal of Cato the Younger. In addition, after the end of Cato the Younger's term of office this year, he could remain in Rome and continue to serve as a lawyer, while one of the consuls, Gabinus, Pompey's closest confidant, went to take over the affairs of Cyprus and Egypt, and by the way, the unjustifiable Thirteenth Legion was upgraded to a full-fledged auxiliary legion to fight the Egyptians.

"What a bastard, so it's not like we're not getting the slightest benefit from this war!" Brutus was about to go crazy, but little Cato forced his composure and asked Claudius if he could not pay the money to the municipal secretary.

Now Claudius is really in the clouds, and the following words may be his sincere expression: Dear Cato, you must know that you will soon be of the age to run for consul, and you almost never hold banquets and beast shows in the city of Rome in the name of your family, I am afraid that the people will not even know who you are when the time comes, of course, it is your personal freedom whether these eight hundred towers are handed over to the municipal secretary, and I have no right to forcibly interfere.

"I will communicate only with the noblest clans of Rome, and not with the scoundrels who eat cheap alms, for only the noble can really think about the future of the country, and the scoundrels will only indulge in the abyss of revelry and drunkenness, and their vision will only be beyond the world of tomorrow." Cato Jr.'s tone was very tough.

Soon, the news of Cato the Younger's reluctance to come up with an acher to hold a celebration, and the news of his seizure of the great fortune of the Seven Thousand Tallents, spread throughout the city of Rome at the same speed, and even though the Temple of the Concorde had not yet made a final decision on the matter, the Akuta had already been posted on the pillars of the main square, and the people were all disappointed, and a lot of criticism of this man followed, "Since Cato the Younger is not willing to be with the gangsters, then we are not willing to make friends with him." ”

"Uncle, you were too impulsive just now, I can understand your feelings, but what does it matter if you lower your posture appropriately to please the people, if you want to confront Caesar and Pompey, you must buy the people, no matter how much you dislike these inferior people." In the streets of the Saturnalia leading to Palatine Hill, Brutus hurried after his uncle, and behind him was in a hurry.

But Cato the Younger sighed and said, "Why should I say these things if the books of accounts are still kept?" Then we would have at least five thousand Tallents to run for, and my original plan was to have my father-in-law consul this year, my brother-in-law Dumijus the next year, and my brother-in-law Dumijus himself running for consul the year after that when I was old. But now that the books are destroyed, and the money is destined to be stolen by Claudius, we can only guarantee that one person will run for election, and that is my brother-in-law Dumijus. ”

"But where is the rest of the money going? Aristocrats or commoners, I think it should be commoners, the current situation of the republic, the nobility has no discipline at all, uncle, you heard about your colleague Si Pinzel, before he was the core of the anti-Caesar aristocratic camp, but after Caesar stuffed him with 40 million Seth retreats from Gaul, he immediately turned into a three-headed monster in the Senate and shamelessly greeted the three-headed monster and opened the door to them. ”

"No, go to the side of the nobility, and I'll go with Cicero to preside over the speech on the people's side." Cato Jr. replied stubbornly. (To be continued......)