Augustus Road

"What you said does make sense." Unsurprisingly, Caesar immediately approved of Lepidus' plan and said that I would immediately send Ebro to lobby Pompey. I would join forces with him to recommend Claudius's patron. If the civilian officials are re-elected, then the other party will definitely be grateful to us. As for the follow-up procedures, I will leave it to you.

It was good now. Lepidus was so happy that he was ready to use the spirit of "little top" again to get this thing done as quickly as possible. But at this time, Caesar stopped him and then released the official document. He came down and then asked: "Do you have anything to hide from me regarding the matter of Egypt and Cyprus?"

When Caesar asked this, Lepidus' thoughts immediately returned to last year's battlefield in Lusitania. Although there were no high-tech equipment such as monitors or bugs in this era, his little moves could not be hidden from Caesar who had many eyes and ears, so he He hurriedly said: "That Ptolemy XII came to Rome this time, and he only brought 3,500 talents of property. And you also know that in order to restore the country...just give The gift from you and Pompey cost the Pharaoh six thousand talents... so I lent some money to the Pharaoh... After all, it is for the benefit of the Republic and you, the consul. ...Part of the debt will still have to be paid back to you in the future...Before that, I can actually operate it on your behalf..." Li Bida's voice became softer and softer. vague.

"Then I have to thank you very much, dear Lepidus. But I heard the news that you found a group of knights and raised 2,500 talents for the flute player, but five years later you asked him to Thirty percent interest is repaid every year, which means that the Pharaoh will eventually pay you back 5,400 talents of money. If the Pharaoh cannot repay it, you will be in charge of Egypt's wheat export business as the largest creditor. , and with so much money, you are going to give me four hundred talents of debt, right?" Caesar's smile suddenly made Lepidah feel like he had nowhere to hide.

But he quickly smiled calmly and said, "How is that possible! Forget about wheat, even if I add the exclusive rights to Egyptian papyrus, I will not go against your new jurisprudence!"

"But let me look through the debt draft signed by you and my father. Oh, by the way, there is indeed an item about the transfer of the papyrus franchise." When he heard this, Caesar laughed, and Lepidus almost cried. , I saw a small door at the corner of the stairs in the official residence hall opened. Cleopatra held up the scroll of the agreement signed by Lepidus and her father, read it aloud and walked out.

Caesar took over the draft agreement, and Lepidus was beside him, thinking, "This plan is very clear. It will monopolize wheat and papyrus first, then get involved in taxes, and then the finance minister and military governor. Look at this The entry, it really opened my eyes. Lepidus, you actually added that if you cannot repay the debt, you will automatically have the power to appoint and remove the chief eunuch of the palace. What do you want with this?" Caesar's eyes were smiling.

Just when Lepidus made an expression of "I can explain all this" but before he spoke, Caesar raised his left hand to indicate that he didn't need to say more, but did not call the retinue to give the respected and honest Curia squire. After dragging him out, he stood up with a smile, touched Cleopatra's head affectionately, and made a decision to Lepidus: "This matter will be settled privately. You will reduce the interest to 15%. In addition, if 5% If the Pharaoh really can't repay the money after the year, you can serve as the Minister of Finance of Egypt - our republic has no restrictions on this. Also -" After that, he pinched Cleopatra's mouth and said, "Don't. Forgot, your father still left me fifteen hundred talents! If you don’t pay me in five or even ten years, I will go to your country with my attendants and many legions. Forced collection.”

On the street back, Lepidus lowered his eyes and walked slowly in front of Cleopatra's sedan chair. The girl first opened the curtains and gently tapped Lepidus' broad back with her staff, teasing him to talk to her. , but Li Bida was so angry that he didn't bother to pay attention to her. Then the young lady became even more impudent, and directly kicked Li Bida's back with her bare feet with a smile, causing the bells to ring. Le Bida gritted his teeth with a helpless expression, and was She pedaled until she was rocking.

"Don't be angry, I did cut off some of the profits you deserve."

"It's not part of it, it's most of it." Lepidah corrected with a snort.

"But it is precisely because of this that the relationship between us is not a relationship of mutual use, but a true friendship. You and I, my father, and my country."

"Caesar and I also have friendship, shouldn't it be worth a price?" Lepidus said, turning back, pinching Cleopatra's little foot and stuffing it back.

At this time, Cleopatra's tone behind the veil became serious, "No matter what, I also need a friend like you, Lepidus."

Li Bida didn't want to pay attention to this girl anymore. Is this how to be friends? You said to your face that you were a savior and a reliable friend, and then sold your draft agreement in the blink of an eye. I believed you once, and you expect me to believe you a second time?

After sending that annoying little loli away, Lepidus walked into the luxurious apartment on Jukola Street. As soon as he entered the door, he took off the heavy toga on his left shoulder and stretched his arms. He saw that Potty had also arrived tonight. Here, just when he was about to ask the reason strangely, Bodie put down his sewing, wiped his hands, took out a roll of vellum from his clothes, and handed it into the man's hand. It seemed that the matter was quite urgent.

Lepidah took it and unfolded it. There was only one line on it: "Help my stupid son - Sevilla sincerely."

Stupid son? Isn't that Brutus? But didn't he go to Greece and Asia Minor to study? Could he have encountered some trouble there?

"Actually, Brutus has returned to Rome, but he only told his mother Seville and his wife Portia, and no one else knows yet." Potty saw Lepidus muttered, and hurriedly explained, and then she took With a guilty expression, she said, "During this period, Portia often came to the gatherings of veterans' wives. She would not only ask us some interesting stories, but also talk about her own family. Many of these words I secretly I wrote it down. I didn’t expect that the first time I learned to write would be to do something like this.”

"My dear, of course Portia will often attend the parties organized by you, because she has a slight sense of my identity even if it is not completely accurate, and you are the channel through which she understands me, and I understand Caesar, Pony, and the like. "There is a way to practice." Lepidus said, and brought a bundle of writing pads to Porty and opened them, which were filled with some important words that Portia said on a daily basis.

After watching for a while, Lepidus slapped his forehead and said that Brutus was really stupid. This straight man should have only one purpose when he came back, to deal with the three-headed monster and to devote himself to the Republic like his uncle. (To be continued.)