Augustus Road

Soon, the morning sun of the next day shines on the seven hills, and flocks of birds fly through the smoke of residents. On the winding streets, men and women driving mule carts and sitting on shoulder carriages are already passing through like a weave. , the order of the Senate was so urgent that several Flamen priests of Jupiter, according to the description of the Curia attendant, made new copper watches overnight and placed them in the temple hall. In front of the door, waiting for the right time, he placed this object inside.

On Palatine Hill, in Antony's mansion, the new governor of Syria also stayed up all night. He paced back and forth in the hall uneasily and anxiously. It was obvious that the oath he made on the Holy Mountain yesterday made him unable to sleep and eat well. No, not only It was an oath, but also his own conscience and integrity. He could no longer betray Lepidus' friendship. That would really ruin his reputation, but he really couldn't think of a way to solve the problem of secretly selling Caesar's inheritance. In that case, he would still Disgraced.

"Marco, are you still worried about the so-called friendship that is so false? He came to help you back then just to trap me and my legion. Later he succeeded, and all the legions and I were destroyed. I almost died in the desert of Africa. Thanks to the desperate protection of several Massi centurions, I escaped with three cavalry. However, my capital and reputation were gone, so I, Curio, could only Begging and exchanging benefits with the Senate, and now he is continuing to use you to pave the way for Caesar's adopted son and his own son. Marco, you are fighting against him alone. You are not Lepidus' opponent at all and can only be played by him. During the applause, your cunning and conspiracy are not on the same level as him. Lepidus is a colorful and poisonous snake. At first, you were attracted by his beautiful words, but when your value disappeared. He will tear apart your flesh and blood without hesitation and take everything about you as his own." Curio, who was sitting on an armchair in the corridor next to him, kept speaking to Anthony in a low voice that was suppressing his anger. Apply pressure.

Now Curio's face has been completely ruined. He is no longer the thin and dissolute young man before. His face has arrow wounds. Later, a Numidian witch doctor saved him, but his appearance was lost. Now he is only filled with resentment. If Caesar were still alive now, he would not hesitate to join Brutus and Cassius. , stabbing the blade into this man's chest, but now that he is dead, the only opponent is Lepidus!

But he saw that Anthony was still sighing. This state was not in line with Anthony's character at all. This descendant of Bacchus, a descendant of Anton. The incarnation of the evil plague, after all, will he still be fettered by feelings, whether they are real or fake?

"Listen Marco, now that the chess game has been set, it depends on your decision-making. As long as Lepidus can be removed, the mediocre and incompetent people in the Senate are nothing. Let's use the Senate to kill Lepidus first and seize his territory. and the army, and then invade the Senate, the entire Republic can let us do whatever we want - Marco, I have reached a secret agreement with Aetius and the others, and now in response to Lepidus' layout, this grand drama has begun. He is He has no choice but to entrust his wife and daughter to you now. This is not because of how deep his relationship with you is, but because he is testing you and restraining you. So Marco, you don't need to worry about anything at all. Wait until the Senate to attack Lepidus. Just turn a blind eye." Curio stood up and approached Anthony.

"But..." Anthony mumbled.

"There is no chance. The opportunity is today. We have the most perfect plan and the largest number of allies. Marco, you are willing to succumb to that foreigner in your life. Do you think that your surrender can win him?" Do you sympathize and understand? You are wrong. His nature will not change. You must rest assured that I will not trap you. Do you know what miserable things happened to me after the army collapsed? How did I survive? It was worse than death. I took shelter in the house of Pompey's widow, Cornelia, who settled in Pompey's cemetery in the city of Utica. I was pitied by her and had to avoid Lepidus. The spies are monitoring me, but they can’t recognize me because of what I look like now!” Curio shouted angrily, his face distorted, “All the situations now are waiting for you, but frankly speaking, now is Your chance is not the key to our success. Even if you don't participate, Lepidus is finished."

After saying that, Anthony stared with blood-red eyes and murmured "Opportunity". Now Fulivia and Claudia have been sent away by him, because these two women will not let him continue to fight against Lepidus. , so he was getting more and more anxious now, because the scratching sound became more and more frequent, and his heart almost burst out of his chest.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the house. Curio was frightened and hid himself in a hurry, while Antony ran out of the door in surprise. He also found that all his servants were gathered in the front yard. Then, at the beautiful archway, Claudia and Fulvia came in first. They both wore wreaths on their heads and were obviously drunk. They danced happily on the sedan chair and thanked the gods for their blessings loudly, "Get out of the way, Marco, you should be grateful that you have made such a good friend!" Fulvia, with a drunken voice, used a cane made of grape branches to hit her husband lightly with a smile, and then waved her hand behind her. Antony looked back and almost died of anger: Corinna and Potti, sitting on the sedan chair, followed his wife and Claudia in a mighty procession and entered his house, surrounded by countless slaves carrying luggage and flags.

"Where is Lepidus!" Antony grabbed his wife's arm and asked anxiously.

"Then do you still need to ask? He naturally went to the assembly hall of the people's assembly, praised your friendship in public, and reiterated the oath you and he made in front of the sacred temple yesterday, vowing to protect each other's wives, daughters and relatives. How touching! So today he gave me and Claudia countless gifts and fine wine." Fulvia was really moved. She was crying, holding the hands of Corinna and Boti who got off the sedan chair, and shouted, "Don't worry! Don't worry! In this mansion, I will immediately ask all the sword fighting slaves to protect you carefully, and even drive my husband out. Then this will be our world. Even if there is a legion outside to besiege me, I will resist to the death and share the same fate with you." (To be continued...)