Chapter 14: Cato's Books of Account (I)
"From the border of Ningirsu to the sea, there are tax-collectors everywhere." - History of Sumeria
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"You'd better go to Canadis, I think he's better than I am, for I've never seen this ledger and am very unfamiliar with the situation." Before leaving, Munajus publicly replied to the governor.
Cato Jr. knew that his patrons were making trouble, but lacked communication and persuasion, and he thought that as a patron, everything was given by my patron, so I had to obey unconditionally. However, after hearing the harsh words of the patron, Munajus became even more stubborn, and simply rented the house on the island of Cyprus, refusing to accompany the patron to escort the account books back to Rome.
As a result, Cato, who was furious, sent men to Munajus's apartment, removed all his furniture and furnishings, and forced him to comply, for two reasons: one was the status of the patron, and the asylum had every right to confiscate anything, property, and even life of the person he was sheltering; The second is that in Rome, in Rome, if an incumbent official refuses to attend a meeting of the Senate or a meeting of the Hundred Citizens, he may be punished with confiscation of furniture.
But Munajus was unmoved, and he spent some money and rented another apartment, which he was said to admire, and claimed not to charge him any rent (in addition, the prince and the commander of the Restoration, who was well acquainted with Libida in the city of Salamis), and gave Munajus all the furniture, couches, toiletries, potted plants, and cabinets. This is because these things are not his property. So Cato no longer had the power to confiscate.
Angry little Cato. It was said that he would dissolve his asylum relationship with Munajus as soon as he returned to Rome, but the other Cannedis also had to stay in the province to take care of chores, so he had only Brutus and Cassiyo, plus two servants, Dillinger and Asher.
After leaving Cyprus and boarding the ship, Cato the Younger copied the account books he had obtained from the Temple of Great Love in Paphos, in duplicate, and gave them to Dillinger and Asher to look after each other, just to be on the safe side. The two were on different boats.
"Uncle, why don't you let me take care of this important thing personally. You must know that these two were Claudius's minions before, and their credibility is worrying. "After lifting the anchor, Brutus insisted that his uncle give him the account book, but Cato thought for a moment and replied - "My dear nephew, you do not hold any public office in Rome at the moment, so I do not want you to have anything to do with the books, the tax collectors, or the finances, etc., which will give people in the city a means of attacking you, and you have a great future. Don't let these factors destroy yourself.
As a result, when the fleet crossed the Aegean Sea and anchored in the port of Schenkle in Corinth. Asher suddenly asks for an urgent meeting with his master, Cato.
"My master, the account books are dangerous in Dillinger, because he has long been bribed and betrayed by Li Bida!"
"What" Although he had a vague premonition before, little Cato was still unwilling to face his proudest family motto, and failed to completely domesticate the cruel reality of Dillinger, a tomb robber, could it be that his previous pious and self-reliant appearance was deceiving me?
After listening to Asher's informant, Brutus calmly faced himself, and immediately rushed to the room where he was with several armed servants, and found that Dillinger had already fled, and several lines of the same letters were carved crookedly on the wall, as if it were the name of the Greek, "Theotusus", and then Brutus found the burned ashes on the ground, and could not help but rebuke angrily, it seemed that this pile of ashes was the remnants of Dillinger's burning of the account books, and he rummaged through them, but found nothing.
"Say, what do you know about it, he was bought by Li Bida!" Brutus asked, grabbing Ascher's scarf and yelling.
"He told me before, just before he left, the one named Lybidaeus came to Nicosia to see him off, and he gave him a signal to act, and Dillinger also told me to go with her, saying that he would soon be introduced by that Lybidaeus to the Pharaoh's tent as the chief court guard, and after saying that, he gave me a lot of silver coins, and this." Ascher's tone was calm, and then she pulled out a delicate and precious turquoise chain in front of Brutus, who took it and was caught in contradiction and confusion.
But then he reacted a little and said to Asher, "I believe your words, but you have to understand that I can't trust you from now on, and hand over the account books." ”
Asher didn't say anything, and slowly took out the book, Brutus nodded slightly at her, then opened the book, looked at it, and left after confirming that it was correct.
But a moment after Brutus left, Asher, who was leaning against the wall, smiled charmingly at Brutus's free slave Peragirus, who snorted slightly, and then walked out of the room with Brutus with his head down.
In the days that followed, the weather became worse and worse, and after leaving the warm island of Cyprus, the whole side was covered with black waves, and the mixed snow, ice, and rain, and within three days, under the complaints of the sailors, little Cato had to give the order to postpone the journey, for it was not very safe for the whole ship's money, and to anchor in Corfu to escape the bad weather.
"Uncle, I still advise not to stay, and Cassiyo has also said that this kind of weather is not a great impact on safety, and as for the sailors, we can find a way to appease them with some rewards, or cross them as soon as possible, and stay until Brindisi, and we will be victorious." You must know that Di Lingmo was bribed by Li Bida to burn the account books, so I don't know what else this person will do, I don't believe that Asher, so I took the account books back and put them by your side, uncle, which is the safest. Brutus was a little apprehensive about the decision to anchor in Corfu.
But little Cato decided to stop, as if Dillinger's betrayal had dealt a blow to his self-confidence, and the whole fleet docked on the sickle-shaped island of Corfu, which created a natural haven, and all the servants and men unloaded all the wooden cabinets against the sea breeze and piled them up on the shore. Brutus looked at the mountain-like property with distraught, and begged Cassiio to arrange for a reliable oarsman, armed with swords and clubs, to keep watch day and night.
"Hey, my friend, with Lipida's cunning, do you think he's going to do such a foolish thing as planting spies and burning gold and silver?" When Cassiyo heard his friend's request, he couldn't help but laugh and mock Brutus for having no experience in the world.
"For what is impossible, Dillinger was bribed by him, I am afraid that it is to steal money, so that the account books and the actual money do not match, and then Li Bida and Caesar's close confidants in the city of Rome will definitely take the opportunity to attack my uncle." Brutus insisted on his opinion, and then a red flame stained his and Cassiyo's figures, and the two of them turned their heads to look at the camp where little Cato was, and it was burning violently! (To be continued......)