Before AD [Babylonian Favorites]

I look back at him.

Tijs held her chin and winked at me provocatively.

Ptolemy, Krest and the others appeared on stage one after another, and Hephaestion rushed in not too early or too late, just in time for the first dance to start.The dancers are all tall men, bare to the waist, Greek robes dragging below the waist, holding spears or shields, jumping back and forth to the beat of heavy drums, as if fighting fiercely in war.

Through the shadowy figure, Hephaestion could be vaguely seen pushing through the crowd and coming to Alexander's right.But he didn't sit down immediately, but leaned his head and whispered to Alexander for a while, Alexander nodded and smiled while watching the war dance, until finally he patted him on the shoulder, and he also sat down with a smile.

The hall was crowded with people, and the passionate dance and music set off an upsurge.Many people stood up and clapped their hands and swayed their bodies to the rhythm.I'm not interested in singing and dancing, I just wanted to know if Hephaistion wore a ring.But they can't see anything when they stop like this.

This is really unsettling, and my forehead is gradually dripping with sweat.

"Where is there a seat in front? I don't want to sit here, it's too hot." I wiped my forehead.

"Where are there any seats? How about we go to the generals?"

I stood up without saying a word, and Tai Qisi followed me.

I struggled through the crowded human wall and came to the outside of the main hall. I felt that the surroundings were no longer so noisy and irritable. I leaned against the pillar and took a long breath.

"Hey, everyone is having a carnival, what are we doing here?" Taijis was a little dissatisfied.

"It's nothing, just look at the moonlight," I closed my eyes, "you can go back first."

"Why is your face so red? Wasn't it fine just now? Why don't you want to watch it all of a sudden?"

"Uncomfortable." As soon as I said it, I felt a little ambiguous, so I added another sentence, "I feel uncomfortable."

"Okay, okay, I know you want to get rid of me, okay, anyway, you can watch the moonlight with your eyes closed anyway, I'm not interested, hmph, I'm going back." Taiqi After saying these words, Si walked away gradually.

I moved my lips, but didn't hold him back.In fact, I just felt really uncomfortable.

When the bright red flame paints everyone's face red, they are having fun, they are enjoying great joy, and for some reason, I feel nothing but falsehood.I can't stand it at all.

I have become accustomed to thinking about problems for Alexander, his totalitarian throne full of problems, his crumbling hegemony, his lion-like comrades-in-arms... What I see is not joy, only Huge loopholes that are hard to fill.

But history is already doomed, why should I ask for trouble?

I turned around and wanted to go back to the table, but accidentally bumped into a figure running out from behind the pillar.

"Ouch!"

Seeing that she was about to fall to the ground, I hurriedly grabbed her.A large group of women rushed over after hearing the sound, dressed in exquisite and gorgeous gold silk red dresses, their faces were covered with thin and transparent red gauze curtains, and their long black hair was covered with golden headdresses.One of the women, no, it should be said to be a girl, but at the age of thirteen or fourteen, she looks particularly eye-catching.It's not because she's overly beautiful or anything, but she has an aggressive air that doesn't match her age.Especially in her eyes, the luster shone, and she could not see the panic that only girls have, only vigilance and scrutiny.

"I'm so sorry." She came over, nodded slightly to me, and spoke Greek very fluently, "Did I bump into you? She is my maid, and she usually has rough hands and feet. I hope you don't get angry."

"It's okay." I responded gently, paused, and wanted to leave.

"Excuse me, have you met His Majesty Alexander?"

Her voice made me stop, I nodded, and pointed with my hand: "If you want to see him, you can go in directly, he is inside."

She hesitated: "Can you tell me, Your Majesty... what kind of person is he?"

I was stunned: "This is not easy to say."

"I understand, but I would take the liberty to ask what kind of man he is in your opinion?"

There was a sense of desolation in the girl's sweet voice, like moonlight, not bright but very soft.

I think I know who she is, I just didn't realize she was so young.

I smiled slightly: "Heroes, emperors, war geniuses." These are all things you want to hear.

"Thank you, you're such a nice guy."

There is one more person who is about to enter his life.I walked back to the hall, this time heading straight for Alexander.The dance turned into a wrestling match at this time, and several strong men were fighting fiercely. I squeezed for a long time before I squeezed behind Alexander.The soldiers around me were about to stop me, but Melanie stopped me.He pushed aside the crowd, ran over and said in a low voice, "Why did you come? Your Majesty asked you several times just now."

I kept silent and followed him.I only heard Melanie say: "Your Majesty, Bagos is here."

Alexander raised his eyes to look at me, and his originally loose eyes gradually focused.

Maybe it's my illusion, but I think his eyes seem very lonely, the more lively the surrounding is, the more lonely he is.

"Well, Bagoas is here." He put down his glass and waved to me, "Come here quickly, I have prepared a gift for you."

I blinked and took a few steps closer.

"Stretch out your hand." He lifted his chin towards me childishly, his brows and eyes slightly curved when he smiled, and the sapphire blue in his pupils swayed like wind chimes, he must be drunk.

I hold out my hand.

He gently grasped it, and then put his palm on my hand. There was a thin layer of calluses on the fingertips, which was very warm.

There was a cold hard object on my palm.

He didn't move his hand, but smiled and said, "Guess what, boy, what did I give you? If you guess wrong, you will be punished with a glass of wine."

My heart was pounding.There are uneven lines on it, and it is long and rectangular. I really lack imagination, so I had to bite the bullet and say, "A comb?"

Alexander chuckled and let go.

I lowered my head, just glanced at it and didn't move.It's a fairly small dagger, about the size of a Swiss Army Knife.The gilt case is inlaid with a bright and delicate ruby ​​on the handle.

"Melanie, bring the flagon, I'll fill it for Bagos myself."

The wrestling match has entered the climax, the roar of the big man and the whistles and cheers of the people merged into one.Alexander turned a deaf ear and concentrated on pouring the wine.Fragmented hair fell on his forehead, eyelashes drooped, and his slender fingers held the wine glass as hard as holding a sword.

"This dagger was given to me by my mother when I was ten years old. My mother said that killing people is easy. It doesn't require great skill or formidable aura. All you need is a sharp dagger and a proper timing."

He hands me the glass: "I used it for self-preservation when I was a kid."

I silently took the wine, respected him, and drank it slowly.The taste of wine melts in the mouth, followed by the refreshing aroma of grapes.I put down the wine glass and pinned the dagger to my waist: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He stroked his head and looked at me, and after a long time said slowly: "I hope you never use it."

Before the sentence was finished, the sound of the drums suddenly disappeared, and the wrestlers retreated in sweat.Everyone was still puzzled, and after a while, several chubby aliens suddenly emerged from the sea of ​​people in all directions, rushed to Alexander on their little feet, and said in unison: "Respected His Majesty Alexander, please forgive our presumptuousness."

Alexander raised his eyebrows: "Oh?"

One of them put his hand on his chest and said in blunt Greek: "We are Sogdian nobles, from the Great Xia ahead of your journey. I heard that you are as brave as a god, and I am here to express our loyalty to you. The people of Great Xia I am willing to follow in your footsteps, become your subject, and become your most loyal friend."

Strange, Alexander seemed very surprised, but why would Antigonus be so bold as to arrange this kind of political affairs at the banquet privately?I looked at Antigonus and found him crossing his arms in the corner, looking confident.

There were whispers all around, and Alexander did not speak, but motioned him to continue.

The man cleared his throat and said loudly: "If you don't mind, the following song and dance is a gift from us. Please, and all Macedonian generals and friends of Scythia, follow the dancing girl Dance and have a good time!"

The cheers sounded again.

Accompanied by the music like the ding-dong of spring water, the door of the main hall was pushed open, and a group of dancers in bright clothes filed in.The women in red gauze curtains twisted their waists and spread out, revealing the girl with slender eyebrows and thick eyes.Long legs, slender waist, and small breasts and buttocks that are not plump, all I can see are her snake-like eyes, which are black and white.

When the girl danced, she didn't have Taijis's explicit provocation, but her movements were soft but powerful, and her posture of raising her hands and twisting her waist was as if she was a poisonous but beautiful snake.There is temptation, but at the same time, it is wary of the audience. This kind of temptation is aggressive.

The envoys of Great Xia sat aside, secretly observing Alexander's reaction.

Alexander was expressionless at first, fiddled with the wine glass with his fingers, watching lightly.But as soon as the girl came out, he tapped the wine glass on his fingertips, and he forgot about it.After that, only this girl remained in his pupils.

Hephaestion suddenly started drinking.

I touched the dagger at my waist.As long as Roxanne made Hephaestion jealous, he would be drunk and the ring would be easy for him.Does this count as reaping the benefits of the fisherman?

However, I quickly discovered the problem—Alexander's expression seemed wrong.

The emotion in his eyes was quite complicated.

Not love at first sight, there is no love, just an infatuation with hatred and resentment.I don't understand it, but I don't think it's the way a stranger looks at someone he's meeting for the first time.Suddenly, his blue pupils shrank.

With a clang, the wine glass fell to the ground, and the crimson wine stained the carpet.

He is afraid.

Although it was fleeting, I saw the fear in his eyes.

"What's her name?" He gently asked the Sogdian envoy.

"Roxana, Your Majesty, Roxana means the beauty of light."

"Take her away."

"His Majesty?"

"Take her away!"