"Lord Antonio, the merchants have agreed to raise money, but it's just ...... They put forward a number of conditions. The clerk cautiously approached Antonio's desk, gently placed the parchment in front of him, and then shrank aside and stood still, waiting in silence.

Everyone knew that this was the time when the young Chancellor of the Exchequer was at his worst, and that they did not want to be a substitute and a discouragement bag for others, let alone the lowly merchants.

Antonio glared at the clerk angrily, and picked up the parchment from the table, "Isn't serving Caesar enough to make them feel honored......?" Let me see what's in it......"

"Lending to all in the northern cities is permitted, and more reasonable interest rates may be proposed...... All roads and buildings built with funds raised should be inscribed with the names of all donors and benefit from them...... Open the grain trade, ore trade, salt trade ......" Antonio suddenly raised his arm and tore the parchment in his hand to shreds: "These greedy demons!

"Get out of the air, get out of the way, everyone!" Antonio yelled at the clerks, "get them all out of the city, and don't let these lowly reptiles defile the great Senate again! Usury, the road tax, the ore trafficking, and the grain and salt deals—do they really think they are the rulers of Rome? Do they really think that Caesar will give them the lifeblood of Rome to these sluts?! In the name of the great Hades Pluto I curse them not to die well!"

The clerks and clerks fled the room in a panic amid Antonio's curses, leaving only Antonio, who was panting and panting, sitting in his chair with his eyes up. Suddenly raised his hand. knocked over the flask on the table. Blood-red wine spilled on the floor. He slapped his thigh in annoyance and let out a rapid hiss.

Antonio, in pain and helplessness, held his head and closed his eyes tightly. Fat and greedy faces appeared in his mind, making him angry. No one knows better than him the terrible greed of these merchants, who can do anything for money, food. Minerals, salt, tax rights...... If Rome's lifeblood fell into the hands of this group of demons driven only by profit, it would be the most terrible thing in the world!

The lowly merchants, tirelessly transporting goods from one place to another, rivers of gold flowing with their donkey carts. People seem to have gotten rich. But has the wealth increased? No, there is still so much food, and there is still so much gold and precious stones dug up. The actions of the merchants would not cause the elk to produce more musk, and Jupiter would not rain more because of their tireless efforts. Businessmen have a need to exist, but not as much as they themselves think.

"Brother, what's wrong with you?"

A nervous but soft voice came. The sound of hurried footsteps made Antonio look up. The person in front of him forced him to squeeze out a forced smile: "Julia, why are you here, my good sister?"

"I just saw ...... You drove them all away, merchants. The weak girl said as she squatted down slightly, picked up the flask and put it away, took out a white handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped it on the table: "You look quite ...... Dispirited. ”

"It's nothing, it's just a job matter, something that doesn't go well but it's not too big a deal. Working with boring numbers all the time makes me a little irritable. Antonio smiled hard: "What's the matter, didn't you study at school?" There are no interesting books here, just piles of numbers. ”

"I heard...... Caesar is coming back, so I wanted to ask. Julia lowered her head and put her hands on her thighs: "General Belisarius must know the truth...... So I want to ask my brother to help ask...... He ......"

"Did you go to Constantine's house?" Antonio's expression was a little helpless: "Don't you know that guy is married, or is he with a Noldor elf with pointed ears, called ...... He...... What ...... I"

"Igo. ”

"Whatever she's called!" Antonio interrupted Julia with a wave of his hand, probably thinking that he was too rude, and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, but you have to understand that you can't go to that Ustan again, sister." Maybe you love him, but he's married now, and if you go again, people will think we're in the Konstantin family, and what will other people think of us?"

"We must do everything we can to defend the dignity of our family...... It is true that she is not as illustrious as the family of Constantine, so admirable and respected, that if we have any small fault, it becomes dull. Antonio's voice was full of helplessness: "Is it easy for us to have the position we have today? Caesar gave me a high position, but this also made Antonio's family a target for other people's jealousy, and the Senate doesn't know how many people want to pull me down!"

"So...... Please, I beg you, Julia my good sister. Antonio clasped his sister's hands as if holding the flames of the temple: "Forget him...... He abandoned you, we don't have to live for him, you say yes, I'll help you find a better Ruyi Langjun - do my best. ”

"I want to go to the temple and pray for Caesar and for the returning soldiers. Julia's face was like stagnant water, and she slowly stood up: "So that the gods of heaven may see their great deeds." ”

"Oh, of course, we should pray for blessings. Antonio nodded incessantly and forced a smile: "Such a great history should be remembered by future generations, which god are you going to pray to?"

Julia glanced back at her brother and said lightly, "Mars." ”

"The god of war? Antonio stood up and stretched out his hand to the departing Julia to grab her, but stopped at his feet: "But isn't it normal to pray to Juno, the queen of heaven, at times like this?"

The girl did not respond to him, and the beautiful figure drifted away, closing the door as if no one had ever been here, and the dull Antonio looked at the fragments of parchment on the table and let out a long sigh.

"It's hard to say, but I have to admit it. Antonio muttered to himself, "I really don't want the help of Virgil's owl with a thousand eyes as much as I do now!"

—————————————————————————————————————

In the quiet temple, the heavy-faced girl knelt on her knees in front of the statue of Mars, the god of war, clasped her hands together and whispered softly, her curved eyelashes fluttering from time to time.

With the majestic statue of Mars and the resolute face, Julia seemed to see the Roman soldier who didn't know anything about the world, the guy who thought he didn't know anything, the warrior who let himself see a real, living Roman hero.

"Honor, dreams, no, no, no, it's not that complicated. I want to live, and I want my brothers to live, so I have to kill them! They die so we can survive, it's as simple as that!"

She remembered the first time she saw Igo—so good, so full of energy, and a good warrior, as if she had been born to be united with Urstein. Julia flinched, she was no better than a child in front of her, and she was ashamed of herself compared to Igo.

"It's truly amazing, and I'm sure there's no better carving in the world than this temple. ”

A calm voice rang out from behind Julia, the girl turned her head, and a young man dressed in a scholar's robe walked up behind her, an elegant smile on his lips and a little cynicism.

"The Romans used stone and earth to create miracles that are unmatched in the whole world - even the carvings of the imperial capital Issos are not as beautiful and lifelike as these are true. He muttered to himself, and when he looked down and saw the puzzled girl's face, he smiled and bent over his chest without hurrying or annoyance: "Ah, I'm sorry, did I disturb your prayer, noble miss." ”

"You just said ...... Romans?" Julia looked puzzled, "Where are you from?"

"Marions, the endless emerald savannah, where my ancestors and I have always lived. Adile's face was leisurely, and the corners of his mouth were slightly curled: "Of course, it won't be long before I become a Roman." ”

Julia smiled softly, her goose-egg-like face flushed slightly, Adile's eyes flickered, and she walked slowly into it without a sound.

"This is Mars, the god of war, Lord of Hosts of Rome?" asked Adil with a smile, "wielding a spear and a shield, and driving a chariot to bring death to the enemy?"

He was also the father of the great Romulus, the common ancestor of all Romans. Julia whispered, "Lover of Venus, the goddess of love, the protector of all Roman warriors." ”

"Aha, a brave warrior always wins the hearts of girls. My father was one such man, and he won thirty challenges before he was favored by my mother. Adil shrugged: "He doesn't like me, because I'm not as brave as him." ”

"A lot of girls like me, but not because I'm good, it's because my family is good, my family is rich, and they really deserve to tie the knot with gold and livestock. Casually teasing, Adil bent down slightly: "Adil Allama, this is my name, Miss." ”

"Julia of the Antonio family," Julia slowly got up, smiled indifferently and nodded at Adile: "It's a pleasure to meet you." ”

"Can you show me around this temple?" Adil asked softly, "It's not too interesting, I just want to know more about it...... Beautiful statues, and fascinating stories...... I think that if you are so well-read in poetry, a virtuous and virtuous young lady must be well versed in these stories. ”

"Absolutely, Mr. Alama. Julia's face was gentle: "Honored." ”

(First of all, I would like to thank Sukhoi Pasha (this name is really catchy) for the monthly pass, as well as the tip from Sister Cat; sevenleft (seven left?or left seven?) and lmcy (abbreviation?) monthly pass~) (to be continued......)