The heralds were so embarrassed that they were on the steps, neither to go, nor to go, but the leader of them cleared his throat and explained to Octavian, "Actually, the removal of the public enemy declaration is only a process, but the Senate still needs time in the steps, and since it has been collectively agreed to elect you and Leo as tribunes in the popular assembly, it is actually tantamount to a reconciliation with General Lybidaeus." ”

Octavian, however, sneered a few times, and gave the document to the herald, saying, "Do I still need a private gift from the Senate when I and Leo became tribunes in the election campaign?" I'm sorry, but I think this kind of behavior is a complete shame to the Senate, which represents the people, and to me as a young Caesar. ”

"However, according to the regulations, neither you nor Leo are of the same age, and you will not be able to apply until at least thirteen years later." The herald explained, still smiling.

"That's just a legacy of Sulla, and only the conformists regard it as something insurmountable, so is it not by ability and character that a person is determined to be competent for official office by his ability and character, but by his age? Aged waste is still waste. Go back and tell the Concorde that we will go directly from Capua to the city of Rome, and let the people and the veterans carry us up to the Holy Mountain, one by one, to become a veritable tribune. Octavian replied proudly.

But at this time, Leo, who was sitting next to him, stopped talking, and he politely asked the herald, which senator was willing to give me the honor of tribune?

Upon learning that it was Cicero, Leo immediately stood up respectfully and humbly, and made a gesture of the student saluting his teacher. And Octavian had to stand up with him. Then Leo said that we would consider the Senate's edict. In addition, on behalf of His Excellency Caesar, I would like to convey my thanks to the Temple of the Concorde and His Excellency Cicero, and to assure our men that they will enter the city of Rome peacefully.

When the herald left, the little brothers immediately began to discuss in the public villa of Capua, "Leo know that it is your father who has been declared an enemy of public order. Octavian said anxiously that this was the reason why he had just stubbornly asked the Senate to cancel the proclamation.

"It doesn't matter, now that Cicero has sent someone. It means that in the Senate it is he who has the final say, and those who have been before must have lost power, so the problem can still be solved within the framework of peace, and my father will never be in any danger! I'm waiting to hear from him. Leo said with great certainty, and then he went to the middle of the colonnaded courtyard, took Octavian's hand, and whispered to him, "Turinus, when you go to the city of Rome, you must be respectful to Cicero." Just like he did with his ancestors and elders, he always had a good impression of you."

Exactly at this moment. Bypassing the porch on the other side, beads of sweat on his forehead, Meecenas handed a letter to Octavian, "Your mother's and stepfather's urgent letter was delivered by fast-paced mules and horses. ”

Inside, Attia and Phillips were very nervous, and they collectively persuaded Octavian and Leo not to return to the city of Rome, because Lybidaeus had been declared a public enemy, and now his life and death were uncertain, and Octavian's sensitive identity as "Caesar's heir" came to the city of seven hills, and there would be far more enemies than friends, and everywhere would be full of dangers, so "You and Leo should go to Macedonia or Asia Minor to continue their study and take refuge." ”

Even his parents said so, and the pride of Young Caesar suddenly faded a lot, and he sat on the stone chair a little tired, and then he seemed to be cheering himself up, "No, it is my vow to avenge my adoptive father, besides, now I can take refuge, but Leo can't, we must carry the whole thing through to the end, just like the three Horace brothers faced the enemy, there will always be someone who will win glory in the end." ”

At this time, the clouds have fallen, this is a common climate in the Apennines in May and June, everyone feels hot and sweaty, they all sit down, their chests feel breathless, previously in the academy were three or four of them acting at the same time, but now there are thousands of people following them, if in a peaceful environment they are leaders, if in a war environment they are commanders, this is not only an identity, but also a burden and responsibility, no wonder Octavian has begun to be in poor health these days, it seems to have symptoms of malaria malaria.

Suddenly, a gray pigeon stopped on the ridge of the roof and jumped down, "It's a military pigeon." Agrippa stretched out his arm for the other man to jump on, and then pulled a small roll of paper from the barrel on his lap.

"It's ciphertext." Octavian spread it out and looked at it, and then put the letters back together, this system was known only to Caesar's former senior commander, and Mecenas next to him quickly transcribed the official documents, "It's His Excellency Li Pida, he asked us not to back down, in the city of Rome, no one has anything to do with us, since the Senate is willing to give 'weapons', then we can use them to arm ourselves." ”

"Yes, yes, that's how it should be!" Octavian slapped his fists and said simply.

But the next day, when Octavian had a three-day malaria attack, and his face was so red and white that he could not even ride a horse, Leo and Agrippa helped him to a thatched mule cart and led the procession towards the city of Rome.

The centurions who followed Octavian took off their leather cloaks and robes and handed them into the hands of Leo, who was standing on the mule cart, to shield the young Caesar lying on the board, but there was still a storm rushing in, "Gather around you and keep the wind and rain in it!" So many centurions and the people consciously gathered around the mule cart.

At this time, the phlegm in Octavian's throat was like thunder, he curled up on the cart in pain, the rain kept seeping into his pale skin, and Leo kept pouring orange peels into his mouth, "I can't back down, I can't back down, how I fear that I will die before the age of thirty, in that case, I will miss this heroic generation." Go on, I've been like this since I was a child, and if the disease wanted to take me away, it would have been done a long time ago, and there was no need for me to live until the day I became Julius' adopted son. ”

Caesar the Younger was not imposing enough to enter the city of Rome: he did not look at all like a triumphant young general, but like a tuberculosis man, with only half a life left, lying upright on a cart, surrounded by wet grass and scattered orange peels.

"I'm going to be the first to see my parents, I'm going to see my sister — by the way, I want to see Corinna too." Octavian, whose eyes were blood-red but whose condition had stopped slightly, reluctantly sat up and asked Leo.

"You have to meet a doctor named Timosius first, maybe he has a solution to your condition, otherwise you can't do anything with anyone." Leo, who was also drenched, reminded as he carried his luggage. (To be continued......)