Chapter 1085
After the war in the western Mediterranean, the Devers issued two reforms to the army: one was that a squad officer must undergo a study and assessment to be promoted to a general, and the other was that as long as an officer met the requirements, he could be promoted to a general, but he might not necessarily get a definite military post immediately. Because there were only so many general posts in the kingdom, there might not always be a vacancy, so they had to wait. They often had to teach in the barracks for a few months or even a year before they could take up their post.
Obviously, Patroclus and Sextus did not expect to be so lucky. Although they tried to suppress it, their joy was still evident on their faces.
The Devers stepped forward, took a brand-new commander's helmet with a purple and red crown from Martius, put it on Patroclus, and then said in a deep voice: "Congratulations, Commander Patroclus! This time, you will go to Rome and take over the 14th Legion. Now that the Gauls are frequently attacking the northern border of Etruria, they may attack the south at any time. Whether the kingdom sends reinforcements to help the Etrurians defend the border or not, the Latin region is very likely to become the frontline of the war! So when you get there, not only must you step up the training of the soldiers with the military training officers, but you must also be vigilant at all times and work hard to think of strategies to deal with the enemy. Once the war breaks out, I hope that the 14th Legion can become the main force to defeat the Gauls! "
"Your Majesty, please rest assured! I will definitely lead the 14th Legion to ensure the safety of the kingdom's territory and protect the people of the kingdom from harm! "Patroclus gave a powerful military salute and replied solemnly.
The Devers nodded, then turned to Sextus, took another commander's helmet, put it on, and said: "Congratulations, Commander Sextus! But as the new commander of the 18th Legion, your task is not easy! The southern territory of Iberia is the most unstable part of the kingdom. There are many natives around the border who harbor ill intentions towards the kingdom, and there are also many people in the territory who are not completely loyal to the kingdom. When you get there, while working with the local officials, you must also actively go into various places to investigate and understand the situation of the people so that you can have your own independent judgment.
While strengthening the training of the legionnaires, you must also make full use of the military training time and use various methods to increase the recognition of the citizen soldiers towards the kingdom. I hope that under your leadership, the 18th Legion will become the mainstay of the southern region of Iberia! Of course, the kingdom is also keeping an eye on the situation there. We won't let you fight alone! "
The words of the Devers put a lot of pressure on Sextus, but he still punched the left side of his chest with his right fist and said resolutely, "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will complete the task and defend the southern part of Iberia!"
… …
Crotocatax walked out of Rome's City Hall. The breeze that blew against his face lifted his tired spirit. He nodded to the palace guards on both sides and walked down the stairs.
Every time he stepped on the square of Rome, a sense of joy rose in Crotocatax's heart, because the old square, which had not been renovated for decades, had been greatly renovated when he served as the construction officer of Rome. It was completely new. Seeing the people walking and playing happily in the square, he could not help but smile. Often at this time, he would subconsciously look to the north. The temples on Capitoline Mountain exuded a magnificent brilliance under the setting sun, which was also a result of his painstaking efforts.
Because of this, he was loved by the people of Rome. All passers-by who passed by would greet him warmly, and he would respond enthusiastically.
Of course, under normal circumstances, the people would not approach him. This was because there had been an attempted assassination of Crotocatax two years ago. After the incident, the people of Rome knew that this gentle and kind young official was actually the eldest son of the King of Devers, and they also understood why he was always followed by a group of guards. And after the assassination, Crotokatax requested the inspection office and the court not to expand the scope of the case when tracking down the criminals involved in the incident, and not to harass the families of the criminals … These actions further increased the people's love and respect for him.
Crotocatax's mansion was not far from the City Hall. It was on the top of the Palatine Mountain, separated from other residences, and guarded by the palace guards.
When Crotocatax walked into the mansion, his wife, Dido, immediately came out of the main building and came forward to greet him.
Looking at his wife who was smiling like a flower, Crotocatax's thoughts ran wild. A few years ago, when he learned that his father had engaged him, and that the woman was a Carthage's woman, and she was a few years older than him, he was quite resistant. However, he had always been obedient to his father's decisions since he was a child, so he did not explicitly object. However, at the beginning of their marriage, his attitude towards his wife was cold. However, after constant contact, his attitude changed. He deeply felt that his wife was not only beautiful, but also very cultured. She was also very concerned about him, and at the same time, she was a very intelligent and capable woman. Although the women of Diónia were much more open than the traditional Greek women, outstanding women like Dido were still very rare in the kingdom. It was her unique character that strongly attracted Crotocatax. In his heart, Dido's importance gradually surpassed his sister, Cynthia.
"You're back! You must be hungry. Dinner is ready! "Dido looked at her husband, who was a little tired, and went forward to hold his arm, saying with concern.
"Hmm … What's delicious today?" Cloto Catax held his wife's hand and asked casually.
"There's your favorite fried beef, and codfish that your mother sent over," Dido replied.
"Codfish marinated in salt?" Codfish was delicious, but it was not produced much in the Mediterranean Sea, and it was not easy to catch. Once it left the sea, it was easy to rot and not easy to preserve. This made codfish a relatively expensive delicacy. It would take at least three to four days to travel from Turií to Rome on a fast boat, and if it was not salted, it would have long since stank. This was why Cloto Catax asked this question.
"It's not salted." Seeing the surprised look on her husband's face, Dido explained, "Your mother put the codfish in a clay jar, filled it with ice, and then sealed it. She wrapped it in several layers of cloth and kept it in a cool place at the bottom of the boat. So when it arrived, the ice had not completely melted, and the codfish was still relatively fresh. I asked the chef to make fried codfish …"
"That's too extravagant! She went through so much trouble just to send a few fish!" Cloto Catax frowned.
"This fish is not for you to eat." Dido rolled her eyes at him and touched her abdomen. "After Chris was sent to Turií, your mother found out from Pelo (Dido's trusted maid) that I was pregnant again, so she sent a lot of things to express her condolences, and not just this codfish!"
Cloto Catax hurriedly corrected himself. "That's a gift! Of course it's a gift! You see, my mother is very concerned about you! "
Dido was silent for a moment, then said softly, "It would have been better if she hadn't taken Chris away …"
"Parents miss their grandchildren very much! Besides, with Chris pestering you every day, you won't be able to rest properly. This isn't good for the child in your belly. Have you forgotten what the doctor warned us last time? … "
"You're right, I shouldn't have mentioned this again. Let's go eat first, or the food will get cold." Dido was straightforward and walked into the dining room with her husband.
"Here, have another one." Cloto Catax forked another piece of codfish and placed it on Dido's plate.
"I'm already full, I can't eat anymore." Dido forked the codfish on her plate back to Cloto Catax.
"You're full already? You're pregnant now, you should eat more, "Crotocatax advised with concern.
"I'm only three months pregnant, so I don't have such a big appetite. Hurry up and eat, you haven't eaten much just now."
"Then hurry up and take a walk in the courtyard. It's good for your body."
"Okay." Dido nodded in response, looking at her husband who was engrossed in eating the fish, her eyes full of love. When she first agreed to marry Cloto Catax to the King of Devers, it was completely out of necessity. How could she not know that her husband was also dissatisfied with the marriage when they got married? But at that time, she knew that Cloto Catax had become the pillar of support for herself and the entire Magonid family in the Kingdom of Diónia, so she tried her best to make this young husband fall in love with her, and it was during this process that she gradually and truly fell in love with him. Not only because of his identity, his appearance, but also because of his gentleness and his respect for women. In this era, whether it was in Diónia or in Carthage, men who truly respected women were rare. This was also one of the reasons why the proud and independent Dido had never married. On the other hand, Cloto Catax had been influenced by the King of Devers since he was a child, and under the influence of what he saw and heard, this habit was deeply ingrained in his bones, so Dido felt that she was very lucky.
Of course, there was always a trace of unease in her heart. After all, she was several years older than Cloto Catax, and now she was almost 30 years old, and her mother-in-law, Cristoya, had always seemed to have a bad impression of her. Therefore, not only did she meticulously care for her husband in life, but she also tried her best to help him in his career. She thought that in this way, even if she grew old in the future, Cloto Catax would not be willing to leave her.
"Today, Cornia came to see me," Dido said softly.
"Cornia?" Cloto Catax could not remember who this person was for a moment.
"Wife of Licinius Stolo, Judge of Rome."
Comments