Augustus Road

"When a warrior stands unyieldingly at the forefront of the ranks, he stakes his life and faith." -Tirtaeus, a poet of the Greek city-state

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But no one could persuade Brutus to go back to what he had decided. Soon, in front of the gate of Zhukoma's winter camp, he was riding a donkey, followed by several followers and two pack horses carrying luggage, water and food. Wearing the clothes of an Athenian philosopher, with a few light silk threads strung on the left lapel, he headed towards the mountainous area on the back. Cassius and Apis wanted to send a hundred men to escort him, but Brutus was also He refused: "I am not going out to fight, but as the treasurer of the province, I am going to meet another treasurer and walk from this military camp in the Republic to that military camp. Why do I need to carry soldiers and weapons?"

This calmness made everyone admire and worry at the same time.

In the coach's camp outside the city of Chinodosha, Lepidus was surrounded by incense and carefully cut out papyrus documents with a knife. They were filled with dense words and stamped. After the completion, he There was a layer of sweat on his forehead, and he breathed a sigh of relief, then put the documents away, put them into the box, handed them into the box, locked them, took out the keys and put them away, and then sat there for a while. He walked to the sink and began to wash his hands very carefully, rubbing them back and forth.

"You like to wash your hands recently, and this is the fifth time today." Helen Putina, with her hair in a ponytail, leaned there and said at the door frame where the inner and outer curtains meet.

Lepidah smiled unnaturally, quickly shook off the water drops on his hands, and claimed that this was a revelation he received in the temple when he went to Armenia to visit the Holy Mountain, warning him to keep clean.

After prevarication, Lepidus sat at the table again and kept wiping his hands with a silk scarf. Helenputina frowned at his inadvertent and weird behavior, and then said: "There is a guy who has been trekking in the desert for two sets. On the day of the market, he said that he came from Antioch. When the cavalry on patrol caught him, they thought he was a spy. Three of his followers were dead, and his donkey was also dead. Finally, he got to the mountain. Only with the help of the people can I save my life and come to Ikni.”

"Isn't such a person himself a donkey? I don't seem to have many friends like me, but there is one. If the donkey was his friend, he would carry it across this desert." Li Bida folded the silk scarf Put it aside, "Then now invite my friend Marcus Brutus to come in."

In front of the brazier, Brutus had a dirty beard and black and gray bags under his eyes. The cheekbones on his face were horrifyingly high, as if he had just recovered from typhoid. The unpredictable weather in the desert winter was the cause of his entourage's death. Several servants brought drinks and barbecue. "Eat, your favorite Legion barbecue."

Seeing Brutus like this, Lepidus also felt a little sad. He also sat in front of his friend and picked up a piece of barbecue with a fork. The two of them ate facing each other in silence. After a long time, Brutus regained his strength a little. He spoke. "I'm here to ask the legion to return to the province."

"There is no need to defend Antioch. It is just Cassius's mediocrity. As long as I am here, Parthia will not dare to extend the front to attack the Syrian province." Lepidus chewed and said slowly.

"This is the resolution of the Senate."

"It was just a resolution of the Senate that was frightened by the boring reports of Cassius and Ignatius. Both Caesar and Pompey saw the situation here clearly. It was not that serious at all, so the latter detained a legion. Capua is proof of that.”

"This is the resolution of the Senate, the resolution of the Republic." Brutus' eyes under his messy hair were like a will-o'-the-wisp, sparkling and burning. With incomparable weakness, he stared at Li Bida and said these words repeatedly. His current head no longer allowed him to think more.

Lepidus' eyes were also a little moist. He patted his friend on the shoulder and replied: "I have added the four brigades of Angandinus to the fourth legion, and there are also seven legions. This is what I can give you. The most complete one. Including the previous five legions, the three legions were all rescued by me!" At this point, Li Bida stood up and said in an angry tone, "I rescued them all, otherwise they would have to be here. The desert awaits destruction or slavery to the Parthians."

"Thank you, Republic..."

Before Brutus could finish his words, Lepidus immediately pointed his fork at the other party and interrupted, "There is no republic, you owe me!"

"Yes, I owe you. Romans never owe others favors."

"Then I ask you to do something." Li Bida immediately took advantage of the situation, "This is the price that must be paid. Anyway, it was that uncle who taught you to do this. You idiot, you rode a donkey into the desert. Have you ever thought about Portia?"

Brutus did not answer, but continued to twist the roast with his trembling fingers and stuff it into his mouth.

"Provide evidence and forms to Rome and hand them over to my people, and then someone will file a prosecution with the Centurion." Lepidus said solemnly, "The targets of the prosecution are Casio and Ignatius."

At this time, Brutus' barbecue fell to the ground. He struggled to hold on to the pillars in the tent and struggled several times before he stood up. "What crime!"

"Needless to say, Ignatius abandoned his former consul before the battle and escaped privately. Cassius later abandoned the Sixth Army and returned to Antioch with cavalry artillery, leaving a fatal flaw in the rearguard of His Excellency the Governor of Syria. It is also unforgivable - I repeat, the three legions were all saved thanks to my courage and wisdom. "

"What's in it for you?"

"Because I am the most resolute supporter of the discipline and justice of the Republic and never allow discussion of advantages and interests." Lepidus stood opposite Brutus's two Roman rulers and said in a tone of irony to the republicans, "These two people There will be no future in politics, and this is the fate they deserve.”

"Please give up the prosecution of Cassius and sacrifice Ignatius. This will be all right." Brutus said this in a low voice with some uncontrollable shame, but Lepidus It was said that his voice was not loud enough for him to understand, so the helpless Brutus repeated what he had just said, very loudly and with a face full of shame.

This performance finally satisfied Lepidus, and then he put forward the condition that he would not sue Cassio, "The commanders of the Fourth and Seventh Legions, namely Paulus and Antony, including the chief centurions of the two legions, in terms of personnel No changes are allowed. I hope you can make a guarantee. Don't think too much. This was an expedient measure I gave to my subordinates during the war, but they were unwilling to change and had no choice but to keep it as it was. "

"Yes, I promise, in the name of the family." Brutus felt very tired. Since he could command these legions for the Republic in the Syrian province, personnel issues could be discussed in the long term.