Chapter 25: False Feelings and True Intentions (Part 2)

"Of course, I can't stand those bastards Cassius and Brutus. You have to know that Lepidus, you are a hero who fought alongside Caesar many years ago. This is something that I, Bisso, and the entire family all hate." I admit it, but those two guys were originally from Pompey's camp, and they were not captured and surrendered until you crossed the strait, and their behavior is very suspicious now~" Bisso agreed, and then he said that Caesar's wife clan. He had also united his kinsmen, and Cotta, Dichias, and Paedis recognized Turinus's present claim to Caesar.

So, Lepidus directly took out an official document from the box of his boy Matthias and showed it to Pisso. After reading it, the other party was very surprised, "What, Caesar wants to open up the Isthmus of Corinth?"

The city's legal officer nodded and said that Caesar had 6,000 prisoners during the African War, and 2,000 of them were all stuffed into the Colosseum after the completion of the New Venus Temple. Not one of the ten would survive. Another four thousand were kidnapped in the Balearic Islands by the brothers Pompey the Younger. But there were 8,000 prisoners captured from the Gallic War. Caesar never sold them to the people as slaves, but kept them for personal use. Originally, he planned to liberate these people when the supply of soldiers was exhausted during the war with Pompey. The new legions came and were defeated, but the progress of the war was so smooth that Caesar was surprised, so now he ordered this group of people to follow Lepidus' archaeological fleet to the isthmus of the limestone cliffs of Corinth and open it up into a The waterway will make ocean transportation between Italy and the entire Asia Minor and Greece much more convenient. It will be a great project that can change the world.

But Bisso obviously thought Caesar was crazy, because he was also planning to drain the entire Tarquin plain swamp and build a new Roman city on it. "There will soon be about two hundred thousand. Rich men, technicians, craftsmen, philosophers and poets who have been granted citizenship will pour into the new city. The Roman city of earth and wood, which was as narrow as an ant nest in the past, will be replaced by masonry and masonry buildings. , the road also needs to be paved with large flat stones, so the old banks of the Tiber River need to be completely transformed." Caesar planned to spend about 10,000 talents to dig the isthmus and rebuild Rome, of which he planned. Two thousand were taken out from the private wealth, four thousand from the holy treasury, and the rest was drawn from the taxes of the Executive Yuan year by year.

But when Bishop expressed doubts about the feasibility of the project. But Lepidus smiled and said that this kind of result is not what we are concerned about now. Then he took out the official documents and whispered: "Now that kid from Cassiyo has already destroyed the Lusitania and Betica areas in far Spain." The people's dissatisfaction boiled over, and many of the native chiefs and colonial regiments who had protected me there sent fierce petitions, saying that Casillo and Teluleas had each recruited two regular legions, and they wanted to recruit three more each. to four auxiliary legions of the Alliance, plus three thousand cavalry, and Brutus, as treasurer, also ordered his tax collectors to extort and commit fraud, making the entire province miserable - until they returned to the capital to officially take office. As a legal officer, I estimate that the entire public square will be filled with litigants."

"What is this guy going to do? I heard from his financial slave that Casillo's debts have reached nearly a thousand talents. He seems to be fishing for the best and using the whole of Spain to build a huge army for himself. ." Bisuo muttered.

"It's very simple. He wanted to seize the power of the expedition with Brutus. Cassidy tried to find a way to become the governor of Syria and went to Parthia, while Brutus went to Dacia as the governor of Macedonia, and took the opportunity to be unfavorable to Caesar and re-establish Seizing power in the Republic, because they inherited the legacy of Pompey and Cato the Younger, I think they will bribe more swing elements if necessary. Now Aetius is their agent in the Senate, and they will also fight for Cicero, Diximus, Eurabella, etc., an alliance against us is secretly preparing to move," Lepidus said expressionlessly.

Bisso was obviously frightened by the seriousness of the matter. He said directly, I support you to be the governor of Syria and Antony to be the governor of Macedonia. However, Lepidus did not give a clear answer. He just smiled and said nothing, saying that he was only responsible for two things now. work, to carry out the isthmus excavation project and the excavation of the ancient city of Troy.

"Then I will pay you an additional six hundred talents from the Holy Treasury." Bisso immediately made a bid.

Lepidus also nodded appreciatively, "My subordinate Oplik has hundreds of strong and loyal sword fighting slaves who are willing to protect you and Caesar's wife. In addition, I also have two legions of veterans placed in Lepidus Castle. I will reinstate them when the time is right to save the situation in Rome. In addition, please convey my concerns to the dictator, because Caesar still does not believe that Brutus has betrayed him. "This is obvious. According to the retreat-to-advance strategy, Bisso was asked to rush forward temporarily to attract firepower. He could use a few months to arrange the entire sequence without letting Caesar notice it.

Therefore, although Lepidus said in advance that it would take two months to recruit archaeologists, in fact he had all the teams, fleets, and funds in place in four market days, and he was busy at both ends: 300 historians, poets, and craftsmen, Eight thousand Gallic prisoners of war and workers, as well as 70 ships, brought with them a large amount of utensils, money and food. They did not look like an engineering team, but like an expedition fleet, setting sail from Brindisi in a mighty manner. .

Leo and Turinus were also present in this team. At this time, the two young men received the names of their respective families, "Lepidus" and "Octavian". They were also awarded the title of cavalry captain by Caesar. Under the arrangement of their respective mothers and sisters, they wore majestic cloaks and armor, and had excellent horse gear and brave mounts - both horses were carefully selected by Lepidus' men from the stables of Cyrene. , specially gifted by boat.

"You guys, you are so handsome, what a handsome man and horse!" In front of the port camp, when watching the two teenagers chasing each other's horses happily, Lepidus also happily held the tip of the whip and praised them.

Over there, there were also two teenagers who came running and panting. When Lepidus saw one of them with gorgeous clothes and a slim and graceful demeanor, he smiled and opened his arms to welcome him and said, "This is my friend Knight Kaimax." My son Maecenas, you have come from Etrunia, my dear!”

Maecenas was Lepidus's friend and the son of "Crion" Cames, who was several years older than Octavian and looked much more stable. He was about the same age as Virgil, and his father was only He was a low-level official in Rome. Later, with the help of Lepidus, as his business agent, he earned millions of sesstus in Etrunia, several manors and villas, and obtained As the eldest son, Maecenas has successfully inherited his father's title and is going to the province to complete his military service. "I didn't go to Apollonia Academy with Leo. I am now a full-fledged officer." , served in the Macedonian Legion." (To be continued...)

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