Chapter 20: Chase (Part 2)
"I forgot to talk to you about what Caesar thinks of you."
"Never mind the baldness, he is too old. Besides, I don't want to go to Gaul to find him. I need him now." The words of the former mistress were filled with wet urgency.
"You can go to Milan in a while, where his governor's camp is. Seville can't run that far." But at this time, Claudia was about to tear through Lepidus' defense line, and her hand had already reached Under the robe, he was still mumbling with blurred eyes, "Actually, I am not like they slandered, I am an ice cube on the bed..."
Suddenly, another maid rushed in in time and shouted, "Cicero's house is surrounded by people!"
At this moment, the two of them coughed twice in embarrassment. Claudia quickly retracted to the sleeping position just now, and hurriedly picked up a wine glass in her hand. The red Thessalian high-end wine unconsciously flowed along her hands and clothes. His sleeves were dripping down, while Lepidus stood up and pretended to wander around, looking at the murals and knick-knacks of his former mistress's mansion, and finally stared at the small gilded statue of Oscar that he had given to his mistress before.
"Well, what did you say?" Claudia put down the wine glass again, then seemed to come back to her senses, and continued to ask the maid. Before the maid could answer, the noise and curses outside the yard had already said it all. Of course, the two of them automatically ignored the induction just now because they were too nervous.
From the beautiful mansion under the poplar trees nearby, Cicero walked out with a pale expression. Through the hollow flower wall, Claudia and Lepidus were surprised to see that Cicero was actually wearing a dark-colored coat covered with coarse cloth and patches. Clothes, this was the mourning garment of the Romans, in which the greatest orator wore it, shouting confessions to beg forgiveness from the people.
"Cicero, this idiot, should have organized his supporters to defend the house and then seek Pompey's help. But now, I asked Claudius to organize a mob to attack him. It was just a probing attack. Unexpectedly, this guy actually took the initiative to put on mourning clothes and beg for forgiveness, which is equivalent to admitting his mistake with a guilty conscience. This has no other effect except arousing the mob's enthusiasm and sense of victory." Li Bida's eyes were in the sparse shadow of the flower wall. While walking around, Claudia next to her was happier than watching the most exciting drama. She also waved Fulivia, who was hiding at the end of the colonnade because of fear, to come over, "You were a noble lady before. Twenty years have been spent in looms and boudoirs, and today you have to experience the power and prowess of your husband, because sooner or later you will be the wife of a consul, and you must adapt to these scenes as soon as possible. "
Unexpectedly, Fulivia, who had a look of fear on her handsome face, actually watched it with gusto after sticking to the flower wall for a while. She laughed loudly at Cicero's timidity, saying that he was not like him at all. Men, real men should be like her husband, ready to take out a dagger and fight for his life.
Lepidus had no intention of listening to the chatter between these two stupid bitches. He followed Cicero's path and walked forward close to the flower wall, then walked directly out of the gate and quickly ran down the Palatine Hill. Because he saw that Cicero was actually not completely stupid. He wore mourning clothes to ease the aggressive mood of the mob and avoid being torn into pieces as soon as he came out. Claudia and Fulivia were so happy to see this as proof. , otherwise the tribune’s sister and wife would just jump up on the flower wall and encourage him casually, and Cicero would definitely be beaten wildly.
Then, Cicero stumbled and ran down the hill. Lepidus understood that he was heading towards the streets of Rome to seek help from his supporters. As long as Pompey could finally come forward, everything would be fine.
The greatest orator in Rome, with his hair disheveled, wearing mourning clothes, stepped on the dirty puddles on the street, walking from street to street, with a sad and plaintive tone, "Help me, help me" Me, I am the father of the country that you once respected!" And Claudius's mob followed him, neither openly attacking him nor letting him go, but constantly insulting him and saying that he was the one who counted. The founding father is just a broker who framed people for crimes. There are also women and children throwing stones randomly. Cicero walks in front and these people follow behind. Once some citizens who sympathize with Cicero come out, If you try to protect Cicero, you will immediately be threatened or even beaten by the mob, and you will never show mercy.
When Cicero walked to the side of the main square, his best friend Aetius ran over panting and stood in front of the mob ready to defend Cicero, but several strong mobs swarmed up and killed Aetius. Si pushed him to a street corner, slapped him violently several times, tore off his robe, and warned him not to meddle in his own business. Most of the rest continued to drive Cicero out of the city. Aetius, like a leaf in the autumn wind, with bleeding nostrils, made a gesture of surrender to the few mobs who grabbed his collar and pushed him. He hit his head against the wall twice and let him go.
"Aetius, Aetius, my good friend! Heavenly Father, this is the darkest day in Rome." Cicero turned around, his face full of tears and wailed at his friend who fell under the wall. He said, but the mob laughed loudly and continued to throw stones at him. Cicero jumped twice awkwardly and timidly, but he was still hit in the ankle and could only cry and limp towards the outside of Rome.
At this time, he saw Aetius struggling in the distance and made a special gesture to him.
It means, "Follow the second path as promised and leave Rome."
Cicero lowered his head and walked aimlessly towards unknown streets...
"You said Cicero wants to run away and leave Rome?" Claudius, who was commanding in the Temple of Virtue, heard Lepidus' words and said, "That's fine. Anyway, our goal is to drive him out of Rome."
"That's not enough." Lepidus said seriously, "You must know that your power is only within Rome. Once Cicero runs away from Rome, he will get support from people in other provinces over time. You must know that Cicero has always been favored by the rich knights in Campania and Sicily. Then he will come back soon."
"You mean I want to issue a new decree?" Claudius understood.
"That's right. The farther Cicero is driven away, the better, because everyone in Rome knows today that he is guilty. What we have to do is to completely destroy the reputation of the father of the country." Lepidus said coldly, and he would do it once and for all.
At this time, in the picturesque Alba, Pompey and Julia were boating on the lake. The young bride had woven a ring full of branches and leaves, and playfully put it on Pompey's head with a smile. Pompey initially rejected this childish trick with some embarrassment, but then he had to accept it because he wanted to accommodate his beautiful lover.
Demetrius was calling their names on the lakeside at this time, saying that Cicero had met with an accident in Rome. (To be continued.)