Mr. Curitius felt that he had suffered great humiliation.

He, a diplomat of the great Roman Republic, a noble Roman nobleman, and the third son of the Rufus family, a family of senators of the Republic, was now being treated as a slave, locked in cages, and wantonly humiliated and beaten.

What's more, these savage barbarians are not allowed to bathe and eat!

This made Curitius, who has always been a cleanliness and a self-proclaimed gourmet, unbearable!

Three years ago, Curitius had been ordered by the Roman consuls to set out from the Roman colonies of Asia Minor to the East to find the remnants of the Seleucid dynasty that had been lost in the East, to make contact with them, and to explore the world.

Since Alexander's crusade in Macedonia, the Greek world has been in intermittent contact with their relatives scattered around the world.

After two Punic Wars, the Macedonian War, and the Syrian War, the Roman Republic defeated all its competitors and took over the Greek banner as the dominant juggernaut in the Mediterranean.

The Romans found news and clues from the East from the Greek and Macedonian city-states.

Out of the desire for those precious spices and silks from the East.

Thirty years ago, just after the end of the Syrian War, the Roman aristocracy began to actively liaise with the East.

Curitius was one of the Roman missions that traveled eastward over the years, and he was probably the one who went the furthest, and he was probably the unluckiest of all.

Three years ago, when he set off from Syria, he was still a fresh meat in bright clothes, sought after by countless noblewomen and aristocrats.

He was at the same time at odds with three noble ladies and four aristocratic men. And maneuver around it.

Now......

He looked at his tattered clothes, which were completely invisible, and his body stained with sludge and feces.

Curitius, he just wants to die.

He closed his eyes. began to recall the origin of the nightmare.

Remember, a year ago. When he set foot in the land of the kingdom of Bactria, the last territory of the Seleucid kingdom, he was filled with excitement.

Because, on the way, he already knew that the kingdom of Bactria, which had ruled a vast area including India decades earlier, was the real overlord of the East.

He was full of thought that if he could reach the kingdom of Bactria, he would see the king. And if he makes a request, the other party will definitely help him find the hometown of spices and silk, the legendary 'Silk Country'.

Only, he did not expect that when he met its king in the capital of Bactria.

He found that the ancient kingdom was already weak.

The nomads from the east, who destroyed all their self-confidence and confidence.

The whole kingdom can only tremble in the iron hooves of the eastern barbarians, completely forgetting the honor of their ancestors.

their army. It's even more cowardly.

Completely ineffective.

The entire kingdom of Bactria has in fact submitted to the nomadic barbarians who call themselves the 'Yue's'.

As for the news of the Silk Country?

The Bactrians knew nothing, but by chance, Curitius learned from the 'Yue'.

Silk Country. Still further east.

But on the way, there are the world's most terrible demon peoples 'Wusun' and 'Xiongnu' to block it, and all the goods and news of the 'Silk Country' have to pass through the hands of those two demons. to come to the West.

Curitius scoffed at this.

What demon?

The great Roman aristocracy, not afraid of any challenger.

Hannibal and his Carthaginian army. They all fell at the feet of the Romans.

There was nothing in the world that the Romans were afraid of.

Especially. The Roman Republic today is in its heyday.

As a member of the ruling class of this regime, Curitius did not think that anyone else in this world would dare to attack the great Roman citizen and the third son of the senators, him, Curitius.

With such confidence, Curitius hired a dozen guides, took his own mission, and continued on the road.

They crossed the area where the Cypriots were concentrated, and smoothly advanced eastward.

Along the way, Curitius even encountered several apparently Hellenistic city-states, where he stayed for a few days to learn more about the East.

Eventually, Curitius arrived at a colony that the Bactrians had abandoned decades earlier, which had become independent and elected their king.

They call themselves Dawan.

These Dawans were very enthusiastic about Curitius, not only helping him and his envoys to move on, but also providing guides.

But the nightmare happened after they crossed the border of Dawan.

A savage barbarian cavalry attacked Curitius' legation and wiped out all the guards of the mission, and then took Curitius and the rest of the people as slaves.

These days, no matter how much Curitius protests, how angry.

The barbarians responded to him in no way other than whipping and torture—even if the accompanying guide, a Dawan who had also been captured, explained to the barbarian nobles and generals in the local language.

Even, Curitius heard the contemptuous laughter of these barbarian generals after hearing that he was from the far west, the most powerful country in the world: Rome!

They seem to be saying: Rome? That's a god horse? The most powerful? Laugh at your uncle!

Subsequently, Curitius's fate underwent numerous twists and turns.

At first, Curitius was told that the great Hun plough appointed by Heaven needed sacrifices to the heavens, and that white slaves like him were the best tribute to please the gods.

So Curitius was dragged into a river, washed, loaded into a prisoner's wagon, and headed east.

On the road to the East, Curitius waited for his death in despair.

At first, he thought that this barbarian kingdom in the east was probably similar to Syria.

But soon. He knew he was wrong.

Half a month later, when the prisoner cart passed through countless city-states and kingdoms. Walk through countless meadows and rivers. However, the capital of the barbarians. Still out of reach.

On this day, the prisoner van, as usual, arrived at a tribe of barbarians.

Faintly, Curitius heard a burst of kowtows.

He barely opened his eyes, and only saw a barbarian nobleman with a terrifying copper ring tied to his nose and his hair scattered, speaking to the cavalry kneeling at his feet, and Curitius had nothing to do during this half-month hellish journey. began to learn the language of these barbarians who called themselves the Huns.

Although the other party spoke very quickly, Curitius heard two key words: slave and handover.

This made him tremble: Am I going to die today?

However, a moment later, Curitius saw the Hun nobleman who had just spoken from the prisoner's car, standing in front of him, looking at himself with contempt, and then saying a bunch of things that Curitius didn't understand.

Fortunately. This time, someone finally got the job done.

Next to this nobleman, a slave of an apparently Greek race, bowed his head. Translated to himself in Dawan's language: "Slave, your luck is good, originally. You should be offered as a sacrifice to the gods. But, for now. The great Plough Gutu has decided to give you as a gift to the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, thank you for the kindness of the Plough Gutu, slave! ”

It's hard for Curitius to describe how he feels at the moment.

It's very complicated.

Shame and excitement, excitement and fear.

The plough was lonely, and Curitius knew that this was the king of this barbarian people who called themselves the Huns.

This king had a vast territory, a powerful army, and countless people and slaves.

It was a barbarian empire that was not inferior to Rome, or even more powerful than Rome.

Curitius had always thought that the leader of this barbarian was probably the last and most powerful king of the eastern frontier of the world.

The whole of the East was under his control, and even the legendary Silk Kingdom may have been just a vassal of his men—along the way, Curitius saw many city-states and kingdoms, trembling under the iron hooves of the Huns.

But today, a whole new term jumped into his ears - the Han Dynasty?

This statement is strange, especially after speaking in the language of Dawan.

There is an indescribable smell.

Emperor?

Is it similar to a title for Alexander the Great?

And behind these doubts, there is a fact that makes Curitius's whole soul tremble: the emperor of the Han Dynasty? Han dynasty? Zeus, is there a power in the east of this world that is not inferior to the Hun empire?

At this moment, Curitius had an intuition: the so-called Han Dynasty should be the homeland of spices and silk, the last frontier of the Eastern world.

What kind of empire should it be?

Curitius was a little wistful.

In his mind, the country that could produce such a beautiful cloth as silk and a miraculous crop as spices.

It should be a civilized country, right?

I don't know, is there a philosopher like Aristotle in this country?

Is there such a mathematical masterpiece as Geometry?

Is there an immortal chapter like Homer's epic?

Is there a thinker like Plato?

Are there any beautiful and immortal poems?

Is there a long and enduring history and a culture as bright as a galaxy?

And most importantly: whether the country respects such a noble Roman aristocracy as him.

…………………………………………

A month later.

When Curitius's eyes saw the great miraculous work of mankind that meandered forward and stood among the mountains: the Great Wall.

His whole mind was overwhelmed by the seemingly endless fortress that reached the end of the world—this was simply not a miracle that could be created by man, and only the gods of Mount Ospirin could have such power.

"What are you looking at?" The accompanying Hun soldiers whipped down: "Be honest, don't look around, when you enter the city of the Han people, give me some rules, don't embarrass me!" ”

The Huns can not care about anything in front of other people, and their nature acts.

But in the face of the Han Dynasty, at least universal values and basic moral norms must be observed - diplomacy is no trivial matter, and if you lose the face of the Great Huns, you will definitely be repaired when you return home.

The performance of Curitius. It was a shame for the Huns: to make them feel like a hillbilly.

Curitius hurriedly lowered his head. In the half-baked Hun dialect that he learned in the past month, he begged for mercy: "No! ”

Curitius. Now, I just want to reach the capital of the Han Dynasty immediately, meet the emperor of the Han Dynasty, and tell him who I am.

Curitius believed that the emperor of the Han Dynasty would have been very pleased and welcomed by such a noble Roman nobleman as him, and at the same time, the noblewomen and handsome men of the Han Dynasty. Exotic visitors like him will also be welcomed.

Therefore, Curitius wisely chose to protect himself.

The soldier whipped a few lashes, then walked away swearing.

Soon, the mission arrived at a checkpoint at the foot of the Great Wall.

After the members of the mission revealed their identities and tokens, and handed over their credentials, the members of the mission were released.

However, Curitius and others, who were gifts, were stopped.

A Han Dynasty officer riding a war horse with a serious face. With dozens of soldiers, from the hands of the Xiongnu mission, he took over the escort task of Curitius and others - to enter the territory of the Han Dynasty, such gifts as slaves. It will be strictly controlled and inspected.

"You are already the slave maid of the Son of Heaven!" The officer sat on his horse and said in a very haughty and cold voice: "This is a blessing for you! I can't fix it in a few lifetimes! Waiting for Yidi, originally Ru Mao was bloodthirsty. Led beasts to eat people, and did not know etiquette. I don't know shame and don't know the rules. Today, I am fortunate to have the grace of the Son of Heaven, I should cherish it and swear allegiance to the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty, do I understand? ”

A man standing next to the officer, in the Hun dialect, translated his words.

Curitius listened to the officer's words, looking at his demeanor and appearance.

In a trance, he felt something familiar.

It's like...... It's like......

Oh, as if in the Roman arena he saw the barbarian slaves captured by Rome.

You lowly slaves, foolish barbarians, please the noble Roman citizens with your blood and your lives!

Life or death, you have no right to decide.

But......

Wait a minute!

I am a noble Roman nobleman, the son of the senators, and a diplomat on the mission of the Roman consul!!!

You people of the Silk Kingdom should not do this to a Roman nobleman!

But Curitius hadn't had time to say where he came from.

The young Han Dynasty officer covered his nose and rode away.

Dozens of soldiers of the Han Dynasty immediately rushed up, using swords, escorting Curitius and others to the passage of the level.

Several men who looked like low-ranking officers shouted at Curitius and others, and the interpreter next to him reprimanded loudly in the Xiongnu dialect: "The Yidi who have been sent to the left are all listening: China is not your grassland, China is not your soil nest, in China, the etiquette is the greatest, the upper and lower are humble and insurmountable, since you have been given to my Han Son of Heaven by the Xiongnu Shan Yu, you will be the house slave of the Son of Heaven in the future, cultivate the land for the Son of Heaven, open mines and dig roads for the Son of Heaven, and clean houses for the Son of Heaven, This is a blessing that you can't cultivate in several lifetimes, you must cherish it, you must not collide with the nobles, and spoil the mood of the nobles, otherwise, you don't know how to die, after a while, there will be officials from the Shaofu to take you away, you all remember to me, this is the Han, this is China! There is a great etiquette, so it is called summer, and there is the beauty of uniforms and chapters, which is called China! The people of Shaofu will teach you Chinese rules and etiquette, and you must learn them well, and strive to get rid of them as soon as possible! (To be continued......)

PS: At this point in time, Rome had already achieved hegemony in Europe, which was the point in time before the Third Punic War.

And the arrival of the Romans in the East, it should be possible.

After all, the Romans recorded the rise and fall of the Kingdom of Bactria, especially the decline and destruction of Bactria.

Pompelius, for example. The writings of Trogus could not have been recorded in such detail without being to the East.

It was not until 130 BC that the West severed ties with the Hellenistic city-states of the East.

However, around 30 BC, the Roman historian Curtius still recorded the existence of Hellenistic city-states in Central Asia.

PS: I haven't been able to manage the book review area lately, and I don't have the energy to write much.

The main reason is that the author's cervical spine has deteriorated, and there seems to be something wrong with the lumbar spine.

It hurts a lot after sitting for a long time, and the whole body is covered with plasters, and I haven't read the book review area for almost ten days, sorry~

Because, I really hurt so much~

If you have an opinion, go to the group~

I sometimes go on QQ.