Augustus Road

Under the bright sunlight, the envoys of the King of Mauritania and the King of Getullia stood sweating profusely at the door of the Brothers' Temple in Ouaga City, holding olive branches high in their hands, and behind them were all loaded with precious gifts - emeralds. , dyes, silk robes and gold vessels - the mules and horses kept pleading to Matthias and Alp with their hands folded, asking the high priest to receive them.

"His Excellency the High Priest has led the guards to the port of Hippo to command the expedition against the young Pompey brothers in Spain. If you are here to discuss important matters related to the fate of the country, please go back temporarily and wait until the war in Spain is over. Then make a proposal to the high priest in person." Matthias answered very skillfully and tirelessly, holding the document scroll in his hand.

"However, please be sure to convey the sincerity of peace between our two kings, and ask the high priest to accept these two olive branches. Whether it is compensation or land cession, they can be submitted for discussion and discussion - we have not actually given anything to the murderers such as Labienus. He refused any support and did not participate in any secret talks with Rabinus that were not conducive to the high priest and the republic. He must believe in our sincerity." The envoy almost cried and kept repeating, unwilling. Leave.

"Very good, the high priest authorized me to ask, where did the large number of Mauretanian and Getulian soldiers in the Rabinus army come from during the Battle of Tumul River?" Matthias said in a very serious tone. Harsh, which also made the kingdom's envoys feel humiliated, because the other party was just a personal servant, and the status of the two parties was completely unequal. This was also the shame that Lepidus deliberately inflicted on us, the ruler of Rome Aren't you always so arrogant towards the surrounding kingdoms?

"Those are all lawless deserters, deserters..." The envoys rushed over. But he defended without any confidence.

"But those captured soldiers didn't speak like this." Mattia said with a sarcastic tone. "Now let me continue to ask you. Since the two kings have appointed you as full-power envoys, do you have the power to refuse and agree to matters at the national level? If not, our army can reach the capital of your country, Go and negotiate with your king personally."

The envoys expressed that of course they had this power, and then they showed Matthias and Arp their scepters and documents with the seal of the kingdom.

Matthias pretended to observe, and then he pulled away the scroll in his hand. "Mauritania and Getulia are two ungrateful kingdoms! The high priest authorizes me to ask you, if your country really wants to clarify itself on this matter, then allow us to escort all soldiers captured from your country. , go to your capital palace, ask the king to confront these soldiers face to face, and the staff officials appointed by the high priest will act as judges to observe the decision-if the judge finds your king not guilty, the high priest will consider pardoning your country, and only needs to teach you a lesson. A fine will suffice; but if he is guilty, let him be bound and go to the high priest's table to accept any punishment. Now I ask you, do you agree or disagree?"

Seeing that the envoys' faces were ashen, Matthias slowly closed the scroll and asked loudly again, "Agree or reject?"

"Please allow us to return to our own country and consult the noble king. If we make such a request independently, then the king will definitely whip us to death." An older and solemn representative of the envoy begged and begged.

At this time Matthias shook his head, and then he pointed towards the gate of Wagga City. The envoys turned to look and saw groups of infantry and cavalry marching boldly, "You don't need to be whipped, because the front The army to destroy your country has already set off. Also, those soldiers from your country who were captured by us will not be confronted in court. They have all been pardoned and joined our army as guides. "Then, Ma said. Tia snapped her fingers at the Medje guards twice more, and the group of black warriors carried out two wooden cages from the temple, "We have prepared these things, and there are a few more Silesian ones." Leopards and tigers from the Euphoric Sea are being brought into the city of Rome in ships. When the high priest returns in triumph, your former king will be stripped of his crown and authority, enter here naked, and fight with these ferocious beasts in the Colosseum of Rome. To bring the last pleasure to the people of the Republic.”

"Give us a reason to insult our noble King without restraint, Romans! You are provoking a war that your Senate will not allow, and our captured soldiers will never turn their swords against the King. "The envoys from the two kingdoms could no longer bear it and protested collectively.

"Because you live on the edge of the desert, you have lost the most basic and prudent judgment of the world structure. Do you still think that this is the era of the Jugurtha War? As long as you remain respectful, as long as there are voices in the Senate to excuse you, as long as you can use the Republic Can internal factions benefit from this? Poor barbaric and uncivilized nation, then you should listen to the voices of some special people." As he spoke, Matthias summoned several people from behind as if by magic. Ordinary soldiers came with Gallic iron helmets and chainmail.

But when the envoys took a closer look, they found that these men, who looked the same as ordinary Roman soldiers, had black skin, and the shoes on their feet were also short boots often worn by desert people.

It was obvious that these people were all renegade Getulians and Mauritanians.

"Tell me your names." Mattia said proudly in front of everyone.

"Vallus-Nero-Phidius..." The soldiers unashamedly said their Latin names one by one. It seemed that they changed their original names after entering the camp.

"Who are you loyal to?"

"We have made a solemn oath to be loyal only to the cause of the high priest and the Aemilius family. No matter where we are, we will fight to the end for our oath." The soldiers shouted collectively and in an orderly manner, obviously familiar with the task.

Several envoys could not stand it. They angrily accused these soldiers of forgetting the dignity of their nation and country, abandoning their children and homes, and serving under the Romans. But the one named Phidius retorted: "What's wrong with swearing an oath to the high priest? He not only pardoned our death penalty, but also allowed us to participate in the war as auxiliary soldiers, with a share of spoils and military pay, and promised to grant us the status of subjects and a fixed amount of resettlement land after the demise of Mauritania. Don't use any false royal dignity to restrain and accuse us. Only officials will believe those things. I can now say without fear of any gods that our king is an incurable fool. If his kingdom perishes, it is his own fault. There is no need for his people to be buried with him!" (To be continued..)