In the town hall next to the port wharf, where the bright Sicilian May sun gently shone through the central patio, like a golden pool, Leo lowered Caesar's paperwork to the small table beside him, and addressed all the officials, "I am the envoy and aide-de-camp of the Sicilian wartime provinces, and the treasurer of the high priest's expedition to the army, and all the fleets, supplies, warehouses, and powers of deployment are in my hands, but the republic is by no means a place for private receiving, and it is because of my important duty that I have assumed such an important role. It is all the more important to put personal emotions and self-interest out of the way. I must therefore reject this letter from outside my zone of charge, and keep the original copy of it, and submit a copy to His Excellency Marclus, the provincial envoy, and to the Senate of Rome, with the expectation of a reasonable disposition of the matter. ”

Then he sternly asked everyone, "How are all the legions being disposed of now?"

"There is only one twin legion, commanded by General Tellureas, stationed in the Tarlinton area, ready to wait for orders to cross the Channel and go here to support the Spanish battlefield." After searching for the officials and clerical slaves around him, they reported.

"What about General Maximus's detachment?"

"I have just assisted General Macmillan to defeat the enemy Lipo's interception fleet on the island of Saxingio in the Balearics, and escorted seven legions to the New Carthage area to land ashore."

Leo nodded, he needed clarity on the situation, "Send a fast rowing boat immediately, entrust the siege of Saxingio Island to Maximus, and then return Macmillan's main fleet to Lilibal." "At this time. A slave from the house also stepped forward and said. "A thousand elite soldiers of the Hitius. Arrived at the city pier. ”

"Good, good." Leo sinked down, and a sudden sadness welled up in his heart: "When I was a child, my mother taught me kindness and forbearance, but my father continued to instill in me the way and the city as an adult, and I knew that maybe this character might be only two sides of the coin, but - Turinus, Agrippa, and my sister Corinna - what face will I face you in the future? Will this be the greatest trial my father has ever given me?

The city of Margara in the Ebro Bend, Spain. It was bustling again, and the high priest's legion marched toward the northeastern coastal streets, and all the inhabitants and the masses stood at the gates and on both sides of the road, holding flowers, and bidding farewell in the aisle. Although the High Priest's stay here was short, it brought a real "spring breeze" to all twenty-one towns south of the Sierra Nevada, from the city of Cadiz to the city of Magara:

reduced the tax on the towns from one-seventh (Caesar's previous rule) to one-tenth;

The blood tax provided by the town to Rome for war was abolished. That is, to provide people to engage in the cause of military slavery and auxiliary armies;

abolished most of the checkpoints, and a considerable part of the previously temporary tax increases;

The garden land that was originally confiscated and returned to the state. one-third was allocated to the poor, and two-thirds were open to lease to local or foreign knights;

Reward the construction of local workshops and fleets, and trade activities, and reduce the taxes levied on freed slaves.

In short, "the cause of the revival of the republic began in the city of Magala." These were the words of the High Priest and Consul, and the moment to make everyone believe in a miracle and restore their faith, and isn't the city of Cadiz a good example? The high priest had only been here for half a month, and the previously withered city of Cadiz was bustling with activity, with rivers full of boats, brothels and shops filling the streets again, and many of the inhabitants of the countryside who had fled the war returning to live and work in peace.

The military was majestic and majestic, and the high priest on horseback had a thick beard, smiling frequently and waving to the crowd around him.

At this moment, on a high hill overlooking the whole march, among the bushes and weeds, the figure dressed as a druid priest was lurking there, sweating profusely, muttering to himself, "Yes, yes, probably so much military strength, that helmet, that cloak, and that gilded baton in the saddle, absolutely not wrong, and behind it was the shoulder and umbrella on which his wife sits." Then he rolled up the parchment and gave it to the shepherd boy beside him, "Spread it to that village three miles away from Rome, and someone will reward you." ”

Then, when the two men saw the army moving away, they took a breath and stood up from the grass, when suddenly an arrow flew from the canopy of a nearby tree, and the shepherd boy was struck in the neck at that time, and the blood splattered on the priest's robe with a muffled grunt, "Damn it! The priest hastened to grab the scroll of paper, and ran with no chance of his life, and out of the high hills and woods on all sides came out of the high hills and woods on all sides, and many horsemen with spears and bows and arrows in their arms, and shouted and surrounded the priest in the middle like a cat chasing a mouse

In the camp left on the outskirts of Magara, behind the newly built road, about 5,000 soldiers, including two brigades each of the legions of Leus and King Numa, and nearly 3,000 Spanish natives, were sitting in a collective and orderly manner, arranging their outfits and weapons, behind them a large number of military slaves leading horses, and in a certain humble tent, the high priest, who had shaved his beard and long hair, was crossing his legs and covering his face and upper body with a blue wool cloak of an inconspicuous ordinary centurion. Soon the herald delivered the news, "The first batch of supplies from the warehouse in Utica City has been delivered. ”

"Distribute it to every soldier. In addition, a second batch of supplies will be in place soon, and the city council and garrison of Magala City will be called to do a good job of subsequent transportation. At this time, Li Bida turned over, tied the cloak to his body with buttons and pins, and then picked up the sword next to him, "Let's go!" Climb over the snow within the vada! ”

Then, he slowly walked up to Colora beside him, grabbed another sword, and handed it to him, "If this expedition misses, even if I don't execute you, you won't be able to escape—so I'll give you this sword, and if you are in a desperate situation, be brave and plunge it into your chest." ”

Colora took the sword, "I believe that this sword will follow me for thirty years, and when I die, it will be displayed on a display shelf in the atrium of my family house for future generations to admire." ”

"I hope so, because I have children." Li Bida smiled.

By dusk, the information was still delivered to the village identified by the priest, and then the intelligence network that Sexetus had laid down before began to work, and in about two market days, the information of Libida's military operations was delivered to Szectus in the city of Ursau. (To be continued......)