By then, the night was already fully fledged!
Chapter 60: First meeting with the Great Caesar and the Doudizhu Sisters (additional chapter 1)
Under Haruman's guidance, Ye browsed his new manor.
The manor had a very nice environment, quiet and with a unique Western European style beauty. There was a small stream and many big trees at the entrance, where you could rest and take a break from the heat.
There was also a lot of land near the manor that came with it, which could be used to grow some fruits and vegetables.
Ancient Roman farming was already very mature, with grains, grapes, olive trees, and fig trees as the main crops, and all the necessary farming tools were readily available.
At night, he prepared to have his subordinates cultivate some crops, so that they could be self-sufficient in the coming year. If his character was a little more lazy, he could start living the comfortable and enjoyable life of an ancient Roman slave owner right now—becoming the evil landlord class.
However, with a clear path to becoming stronger, but with the intention of just messing around, it is a waste of his talents and resources. After gaining power, if there is no slightest ambition to grow, then what is the difference between him and a salted fish.
Therefore——
Just being a Roman free man is not enough, it is completely insufficient.
Not being a citizen, without citizenship rights, he cannot vote, and naturally he is not eligible to run for the office of tribune, let alone the later consul of Rome, so the path of promotion from a commoner is almost welded shut.
This is not good enough—this level cannot satisfy Ye.
Since we have come to this era, it is not enough to just be a Roman emperor, but it is also too boring to just hide away and be a local rich man.
And thinking about the current war of the League, an idea came to Ye's mind, which Ye wanted to mention at the dinner party.
After leaving the slaves at the manor, Ye followed Haruman to the location of Caesar's family.
Soon night fell. When Ye and the others arrived, Aurelia Cotta, young Caesar, Caesar's sister, Caesar's younger sister, and Caesar's uncle, Lucius, were all present.
Caesar's sister and younger sister, along with their mother Aurelia, were generally two little blonde beauties who had inherited their mother's fine genes. The two young ladies were looking curiously at Ye's arrival with their aquamarine eyes.
Out of curiosity, the two sisters had heard from their mother about the heroic and powerful performance of Ye at the slave market long before, and they kept exclaiming at the thrilling experiences of their mother and young Caesar, while also developing a little crush-like admiration for this powerful warrior.
After meeting Ye in person, they were instantly captivated by his handsome face.
If a man is very strong and has a good figure, then he will be liked by many women and young girls in Rome. And if this man is slightly more handsome, then it will be even more remarkable.
The girls in Rome will scream for you like crazy, and when you show off your testosterone, they will faint from the waves of excitement.
They can become quite passionate and bold, even noblewomen and aristocratic ladies are no exception. Many noblewomen have the hobby of keeping strong and handsome gladiator slaves for their own enjoyment.
And now the night is that man with all the strength and appearance online. This walking hormone, which girl doesn't get confused when she sees it?
However, because their uncle and mother were both present, the two young beauties were still relatively reserved and restrained and did not speak.
Ye's gaze did not linger on them for long. The younger Caesar was only about ten years old, and his sister and younger sister were still two little sprouts. What was there to look at?
Instead, Ye's gaze finally fell on the only adult male present, a middle-aged man with an air of authority that commanded respect—Lucius Caesar.
Haruman had already briefed him on the situation when he arrived. This time, it was Aurelia Cotta who hosted and thanked the night's family dinner, so everyone present were young Caesar's immediate family and relatives.
Caesar's father had not yet died at this time, but he was still the governor of Asia Minor and was temporarily away from home. His uncles, Marius and Sextus, did not live with them.
Although Lucius Caesar had also established his own family long ago, he was still closer to young Caesar as a member of the same "Caesar" clan.
After the assassination, he immediately returned and took swift action to investigate and retaliate against the people behind the plot.
At the same time, Lucius was very grateful to Ye, and decided to personally entertain Ye. It was also out of his appreciation for Ye's talents that the banquet was held today.
"Lucius Julius Caesar." Lucius, who had a military background, simply introduced his name. With his majestic appearance and calm demeanor, ordinary people might not even be able to speak in front of him.
But compared to Lucius, even the Greek hero Achilles, who had faced real monsters, was unruffled and introduced himself without any humility.
Then Night spoke: "I know you, a hero on the Italian battlefield. Not only were you once one of the consuls of Rome, but you were also the commander-in-chief of the southern theater of the Italian campaign. This is the first time I've met a big shot from Rome."
The Italian campaign Night was referring to was the massive War of the Allies.
It is a war that is often overlooked in history, but is actually of great significance, far surpassing the Spartacus Uprising in terms of scale and impact.
And it was during this period that Lucius was active.
Hearing the words of the night, Lucius Caesar's face flashed with an unmistakable look of worry and fatigue. As soon as he heard anything related to the Alliance War, he felt a headache...
Lucius said, "I can't be considered a hero. Only someone who can resolve this war can be worthy of the name hero."
Then he forced himself to perk up and smile, inviting Ye to sit down.
Ye didn't mind either...and together they began to enjoy a sumptuous dinner with the Caesars.
During this time, the two did not talk about the Alliance War, but instead engaged in a wide-ranging conversation. Lucius gained a deeper impression of Ye, discovering that Ye was not only powerful, but also very knowledgeable, seeming to understand a little bit about everything.
Ye also gathered quite a bit of the information he wanted to know during the conversation without realizing it.
This information and news was something that Haruman, who had been a slave in the dark dungeon before, had no access to.
This also gave Ye a clearer understanding of the current Rome, and certain thoughts and ideas became clearer.
Finally, when dinner was over, Aurelia Cotta tactfully took the children away, leaving the table completely to Lucius Caesar and Ye.
On the way, little Caesar seemed very eager to stay and join this extra wine banquet that could only be attended by adult men, but was unfortunately forcibly pulled away by his mother.
At this point, Lucius Caesar spoke up and asked Night if there was anything he could do to help.
"You have done the Julius family a great favor. A life-saving debt must be repaid.
If you have any requests, you can feel free to ask me. As long as I can do it, I will fulfill it for you."
Chapter 61 Everyone was already tired of this war
and Night had been waiting for this sentence—
"How about helping me get Roman citizenship?" Ye said with a smile, as if it were a very simple matter.
But only the two parties involved knew how outrageous this was.
Lucius Caesar's face changed: 'I'm sorry, I can't do that. You'd better change the condition.'
He looked apologetic. If it were an ordinary period of stability, agreeing to Ye's condition would be no problem at all.
After all, he had been a Roman consul before, and it was the easiest thing in the world to grant a foreigner or two Roman citizenship.
But the war with the allies was currently raging across the Italian peninsula over the issue of Roman citizenship. The Senate would never allow such a sensitive matter to be handled at such a critical juncture.
And the rebels would never allow it either. They had fought for so long to gain their own sovereignty, but had gained nothing, while a foreigner had managed to do so with ease.
Of course —
to be honest, the status of Ye in Lucius Caesar's mind was not that high.
It was not high enough for Lucius to be willing to take risks for him. Although he appreciated Ye's strength, Rome never lacked capable gladiators, but commanders who could lead Roman soldiers to fight well!
Ye was not surprised by Lucius's response. He just continued, "What if I can help you solve the problem of the war with the allies?"
Lucius Caesar: "What?!"
"Are you serious?" Lucius began to doubt the young man in front of him.
The conflict in the Alliance War was very sharp and obvious, and it had reached an irreconcilable level. How could Ye help him solve the problem?
To be honest, this war that has swept from the Italian Peninsula to the entire Roman Empire has been going on for far too long, so long that neither side can actually bear it anymore.
They both desperately need a major victory.
Now that total war is in full swing, as commander-in-chief of the southern theater, Lucius Caesar was able to return this time thanks to the onset of winter. The cold winter will slow the soldiers' movements and accelerate the loss of body heat, making it not the right time for combat.
The two sides temporarily suspended the fighting and waited for the arrival of spring, when the decisive battle would take place.
"Can you lead Rome to victory?" Instead of directly refuting Ye, Lucius asked such a soul-searching question.
Ye did not answer this question, but instead said, "To solve a problem, you must first understand its true nature. Have you ever thought about the consequences Rome will face if it wins or loses?"
He wanted to take the initiative in the conversation and was unwilling to be led by Lucius.
After all, it was Lucius, not him, who was really anxious...
For Ye, it didn't matter what Rome became.
As long as there was a stable environment, and as long as he could simulate the universe becoming stronger, it made no difference to him whether the city at his feet was the capital of Rome or the capital of Italy.
But Lucius couldn't do that. The problem of the Alliance War had made him anxious for a long time, and he urgently needed a solution that actually worked.
With this man's broad perspective and various historical performances, it is impossible not to see that Rome has already begun to decline. If this civil war continues, it will only make the neighboring countries, such as the one on the other side of the Bendo, laugh and smile.
Lucius: "What do you want to say..."
Night: "In fact, you can know just by thinking about it.
If Rome wins, it will only temporarily suppress the voices of resistance, but as long as no one other than the Romans has been exterminated, how long will the next alliance war be?
And I don't need to tell you the consequences of winning the war of the allies;
both outcomes are the last thing you want to see.
But unless all of Rome's allies are killed, the Romans and the allies, such as the Italians, will never give up their resistance.
The solution to this problem is actually very simple, and you know it very well...
It just needs to undermine the interests of some people who have been hindering the resolution of the problem.
Ye's words were almost exactly what was on Lucius's mind.
Lucius' heart trembled a little. He knew who the people were whose interests Night was talking about...
The nobles, led by the Senate, and even he himself were among the many nobles.
However, he was not as greedy for power as those corrupt guys in the Senate.
After long periods of war, and witnessing the scenes of compatriots killing each other during the Alliance Wars, Lucius had actually long since had the idea of rebelling.
He could not bear to see Rome's own brothers and sisters killing each other. But this path was difficult —
so difficult that without the help of others, he was not at all sure he could succeed.
Lucius: "What exactly are you trying to say..."
Ye: "Of course I'm talking about — how to give everyone Roman citizenship.
If the Senate can pass a policy that gives everyone Roman citizenship, then the Allies will have no reason to continue fighting.
Their demands are the same as mine. If it weren't for the effects of the war with the allies, it would be very simple for the Julii family to help me obtain Roman citizenship."
Night's words were shocking, and Lucius suddenly turned pale.
He never expected that this young man would actually say the words that could not be mentioned in the Roman capital.
Especially in front of a Roman upper class figure like himself.
Lucius Caesar: "You want to convince the Senate to introduce a new Roman citizenship law!"
It is not illegal to talk about such things.
Every free man has the right to freedom of speech, but what happened to the last tribune who dared to speak out for the allies...
Lucius Caesar took a deep breath: "Let's drop the subject.
You can ask around about what happened to the last person with such ideas.
He was a tribune, but he was still assassinated.
The trigger for this war was the reason for that assassination.
For now, I can pretend I haven't heard what you just said –
you can make a new request.
I'll remind you, young man... don't tell anyone what you just thought.
I won't do anything to you because you saved the future heir of the Julius family.
But other nobles may not be able to hold back."
Yet, Night shook his head and said calmly, "You're referring to the tribune Drusus, aren't you?
On the way to the capital of Rome, I already learned from Haruman the origin of this war.
However, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
Those who stopped this bill in the past may not continue to do so.
It is just that the content of the bill needs to be slightly revised, and those people may not refuse to give in.
Just as you are tired of this war, everyone is tired of this war."