Augustus Road

"These Celts only boast." - Alexander the Great

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But before the letter was returned, Lepidus added one more sentence: I agree to return the fifth legion of the province to you, so that you will have four legions on hand in the coming year, which is enough to defend against Parthia, and you don’t even have to defend against— - Because Surena will soon die in my hands, and the Archon's revenge will be avenged by my hands.

Correspondingly, Surena, who was stationed outside the city of Seleucia, after hearing that Herod had entered the city, never dared to mention the battle situation and was unwilling to lead the army into the city, because Surena felt that his current status and situation Very delicately, he defeated Crassus and cut off his head, but he was defeated by Lepidus, a Roman lieutenant at the city gate of Calle. The diplomatic envoy who had been arrogant and rude before lost most of his baggage. Supplies, how to evaluate his merits and demerits, even he can't define it. You must know that there are seven famous families in Parthia. His family's current status will undoubtedly arouse the jealousy of other people, as long as there is a small clue. , and his victory and glory can be wiped out.

Therefore, Asasis Herod's attitude suddenly became very important. However, Surena was still very "at ease" with Herod. He put on the other person's crown with his own hands, which also meant that The contract between the king and his ministers. So Surena mobilized all the educated staff around him and wrote several letters of advice to the king of Seleucia, with three main ideas:

I hope that my victory over Crassus will be recognized in the form of a national celebration;

After overwintering. I will ask for help. Go to attack the Roman province of Syria. I hope that Assasis will continue to let me take charge of the military without any doubt;

Furthermore, before the celebration, Assasis should punish Serxis, who had neglected his duties in the previous war and led to the defeat, by killing or exile himself, and depriving him of his official title and status.

About half a market day later, the monarch's messenger came to the camp on a horse and brought back Herod's opinion. "Sersis has been imprisoned by me. I only need to wait for the resolution of the senators in Seleucia (Parthia also has a council of senators) to accept the crime. Because there is still a strong Roman military force in the city of Calle, so you When attending the celebration, just take your retinue with you. The army can be put in charge of the adjutant, and you can continue to confront the enemy. Do not relax. After entering the palace, I will immediately appoint you as the prime minister of my son Paclus, and hand over the military power of the country in the coming year. Let me go to Syria, but don’t forget to bring Crassus’ head. That is the most important part of the celebration.”

Surena was overjoyed to receive such an affectionate document from the monarch. He took it out many times and shared it with his concubines to read. Now he only had less than seventy beauties left to accompany him, and the rest were all captured. However, those women had no intention of mourning their kind. They lost their great beauty. After becoming a rival, he became even more flattering and wanted to win more favors and favors from his master.

After careful preparations, Surena left the camp a few days later, taking a large and luxurious honor guard with him, and began to head towards the city of Seleucia. "General Surena captured the Roman consul alive and wanted to kill him before the king," he said. A victory in front of the palace!" Such exciting news was spread throughout Mesopotamia by specially hired messengers a few days before his departure to increase his popularity - he even made it up. This vivid story was taught to the Greek guide Edlomax, and the legend of how Crassus fell into the trap of a clever general, fell into a swamp, and was finally captured in embarrassment. To the point where life is boring.

As for Paxianus, the veteran who was brought in to impersonate Crassus, he rode at the forefront of the team on a tall horse. He was led by the groom Pomaceris, who was now a one-eyed dragon. The Roman veteran learned a lot of Greek and was forced to wear Persian women's clothes, hold a pornographic book from Miletus, and read the most filthy and obscene passages in it in public, which caused bursts of laughter from the soldiers and the people. When people laughed at him and said, "You are "A Roman consul? Don't you think so?" Pasianus would reply with a sullen face, "Yes, I am a ungrateful man. All the soldiers respectfully call me 'The Great Triumphant General'!" Then everyone laughed even crazier.

They will be even more joyful when they see the batons behind the "Roman consul". Except for Rossius, who was captured together, the others holding the batons are beggars, hooligans and Seleucids. The prostitutes happily hung money bags on their sticks, and some hung the heads of dead Roman centurions on fascist axes, singing various pornographic ditties to mock the Romans.

Behind the team was Surena's caravan, filled with money bags and women, who kept throwing coins at the onlookers, or the brave slave could climb into the car and chat with the The woman, who had no man to spare, had a happy time, drank wine until she was drunk, was squeezed into a "human fuck", and then quietly dumped on the roadside in the early morning of the next day.

When this huge, absurd and violent triumphal procession passed by the ruins of Babylon, Surena saw a madman running in front of the procession, shouting, "O proud general, you will hang the belt containing the spoils of war." On the chest, it’s nothing like ordinary people.” But in the noise and carnival, no one cared about what a madman meant, including Surena.

Finally, in the city of Seleucia, there were celebrations everywhere. Taverns, arenas and theaters were full of music and dancing every night. Surena was like a Roman war hero, wearing a sky full of petals, from the main street to the gate of the palace. All the lower-class nobles lined up on both sides of the street to welcome him. Only his groom Pomacellis was disgusted by this scene. He sniffed and warned his master that there seemed to be conspiracy dregs in the corners of the palace.

"Your nose is blinder than your eyes, idiot." Surena scolded, and then asked him to put Crassus's head in a beautiful box, send it to the palace, and present it to His Highness Azasis.

So, Pomacellis, holding a human head, walked in front, Surena, wearing gorgeous clothes, followed, and the group passed through the long palace wall. Several eunuchs saw them and hurriedly pushed the door of the palace theater, because His Highness Artasis was watching Greek tragedy with the elders, which was a common thing for the upper class nobles of Parthia.

When the door was pushed open, the high singing and beautiful melody immediately entered Surena's ears. When the elders on the side of the stage saw him coming up from the passage, they all burst into thunderous cheers and applause. The smiling Herod stood in the half-open box at the highest point and opened his arms to him.

"Welcome, the greatest hero of the empire!" (To be continued...)