Chapter 356
Although the bathing area was a little crowded due to the large number of people, it did not make people feel suffocated, because apart from the thick and tall stone walls, the bathing area did not have a roof, which was conducive to the circulation of air. Some people even liked to take a bath here when it was raining.
Polyxis looked at the crowded bathing area in front of him and said enviously, "I estimate that five or six thousand people come here to take a bath in a day. The Devers make a lot of money!"
"Who told you not to join when the consul raised the money?" Nannilus retorted, then took off Bolton, took off his shoes, and gave them to the slaves. Stepping on the smooth marble floor, he strode towards the hot spring pool.
Polyxis hurried to follow.
Nannilus slowly sat in the pool, and the comfortable water temperature made him heave a long sigh of relief. He cupped the spring water and thoroughly wet his head and face.
The people walking back and forth in front of him blocked people's sight, so no one would notice that the two senators were sitting naked in the middle of them.
Nannilus closed his eyes, leaned against the wall, and seemed to be asleep, which made Polyxis swallow his words a few times.
After more than ten minutes in the large hot spring pool, Nannilus came to a small pool next to it. The water was not deep, and the bottom of the pool was covered with sand. The other small pool was paved with pebbles, and the bottom of the other small pool was covered with river mud.
Nannilus simply lay down and rubbed his back with the soft sand … After another ten minutes of soaking, until his skin was already red, he got out of the pool and asked a slave to massage his body.
After another ten minutes, Nannilus got up. After asking the slave to pay for the massage, he dragged his limp body and staggered to an empty corner, sat on a bench by the window, and closed his eyes to rest.
Polyxis came to sit beside him, stretched, and said, "It's really comfortable to take a bath in the hot spring! You don't say, the bathing area built by the Devers has really brought great benefits to the Turís! Why didn't we think of doing this in the past? As expected of the Beloved of God! "
Enanilus slowly opened his eyes, looked at him, and slowly said, "Since you know how powerful Devers is, you still often lead the opposition to him in the Senate. I don't remember you being so bold before, Polyxis! "
Seeing that Enanilus was finally talking to him, Polyxis breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, but he said with an aggrieved expression, "Of course I know that without the Devers, the Diónia Alliance wouldn't have the status it has today. I also wanted to do something with Devers, but he didn't give me a chance! He only valued his mercenaries, who only knew how to talk with their fists, and allowed them, who were illiterate, to hold high positions! There were also the barbarian leaders, who were even more barbaric. They sat in the Senate every day and yelled in Greek that no one could understand, with a foul smell all over their bodies! There were also the Amendorians, who used to be driven by us, who wore the badge of the so-called 'Primitive Citizen' every day, deliberately showing off in front of us … We are the real owners of the city of Turís, but now we can only stand aside in the Senate! Me, Orpheus, Masisakus … We only put on the coat of senators for the Turís to see, but in fact, we are no different from ordinary citizens! … "
Enanilus glanced around, and no one in the crowded and noisy bathing area noticed the difference between the two of them. He reminded in a deep voice, "You are too excited, lower your voice! Polyxis, you just haven't had your turn yet, maybe by next year, you will be the governor of a city. "
Polyxis sneered, "Enanilus, you don't have to comfort me, even you don't believe your own words. Think about it, a Persia can sit in this important position for so many years, without any rotation or election, do you think my ability is worse than his?! I was also one of the 'Ten Generals' of the Turís many times. Because I had nothing to do in the Senate, sometimes I was sent by the Devers to help this foreigner, and I was ordered by him! Is the Alliance of Diónia still a place for us real Turís?! "
Enanilus opened his mouth, but did not speak.
"Of course, you might say, 'You, Burcos, Ancitanos, and Plesinus are all highly valued by the Senate.'" Polyxis sneered, "How can Plesinus compare to us! He is just a civilian, and now he is completely a dog of the Devers. The Devers use him to bite people. Ancitanos, on the other hand, is completely focused on the book he is writing, and does not care about anything else. In fact, he does not have much power. Burcos, on the other hand, has been serving as an agricultural officer, but he has to deal with peasants and slaves every day. How many times can he return to the city of Turís in a month?! Sometimes, he can't even attend important Senate meetings. Rather than being a senator, I think he is more like an ordinary civil servant of the Alliance. As for you, Enanilus, you do have the power of the navy, but — "
At this point, Polyxis deliberately paused.
Enanilus turned his head and asked casually, "But what?"
Polyxis chuckled and said, "In recent years, the Devers have allowed foreigners to build shipyards in Turís, breaking your family's monopoly on shipbuilding. What do you think?"
Enanilus's eyebrows twitched, and he slowly said, "That's because … the territory of Diónia is too vast, and we need more warships to protect our coast, and my family … can't produce so many warships in a short period of time …"
"Oh, you are really considerate of the Alliance!" Polyxis said sarcastically, and looked at him sharply, "Unfortunately, the Devers did not seem to thank you. As for the fact that he allowed the family of his second wife to obtain more warships than your family, what do you think about this? "
Enanilus was silent, his skin that was scalded by the hot spring water covered the embarrassment on his face. He was very clear: Due to his family's monopoly on shipbuilding, it led to lax management, which led to many quality problems in the completed warships. Because of this, the Devers had a few private talks with him, which was why the Senate later passed the Devers' bill to allow merchants from the Alliance to build shipyards in Turís …
"Also … the hero who conquered Ciudad Abyssinia, the standard-bearer at the Triumphal Parade, and whose statue is in the Hall of Valhalla, in just a few years, quickly rose from an ordinary sailor to the commander of your fleet, and often went in and out of the Devers' mansion. What do you think about this?" Polyxis' next question caused Enanilus's expression to change.
"The Devers made you the commander of the navy because he had no choice but to use you. He didn't have anyone under him who understood naval warfare. But now he seems to have found one, and he seems to be much more trustworthy than you! Enanilus, do you think the Devers still need a former Turís nobleman like you who doesn't fit in with his boorish mercenaries?! "
Polyxis' words were like a poisonous snake biting at Enanilus's already restless heart.
Polyxis had been staring at Enanilus' face, and at this moment, he sighed: "If we old Turís don't think of something, I'm afraid we can only become spectators in the Senate, doing nothing until we die of old age. I can't accept this!"
Enanilus clenched his fist, shaking his head and said: "Polyxis, you don't understand the strength of the Devers! Even the sailors of the Diónia navy that I lead, consisting of preparatory citizens and freedmen, see that young man as the true commander, and I'm just an executor. Not to mention the soldiers and generals of the Diónia army — "
"Enanilus, what are you thinking! Do you think I'm plotting to overthrow the Devers! "Polyxis interrupted him, shaking his head with a chuckle:" No! No! No! I'm not that stupid! We have to admit …. that the Devers made a great contribution to the Diónia alliance. Without him, the Turís would have long ceased to exist. We're just trying to get back some rights for the citizens of Diónia, and at the same time limit some of the Devers' power. We don't want him to treat us old Turís coldly! " Polyxis pointed at the men in the baths with a slightly agitated expression and said: "Do you think they don't want to participate in the assembly?! The blood of the Greeks flows with a passion for politics, it's just that the glory of the Devers made them temporarily forget it. As long as someone keeps reminding them, just like what I've been doing, then the situation will change a lot! Didn't the protests of the citizens of Turís, Crimissa, and other cities show that the situation is changing?! … Enanilus, for our own sake, and for the sake of the Diónia alliance, are you willing to join me in the Senate to continue to insist on the 'assembly', so that the distribution of power in Diónia will be fairer?! "
Listening to Polyxis's provocative words, Enanilus's expression kept changing, and finally he said hesitantly: "But … there are too few senators in the Senate who support this proposal!"
"Actually, there are quite a few, I've already gained the support of some people …" Polyxis whispered a few words in Enanilus's ear.
Enanilus was shocked: "Really?"
"Just like the last time I told you how to free the slaves to get more land, when have I ever lied to you!" Polyxis reminded.
Enanilus clenched his hands again and again, and finally clenched them into fists.
… …
"Respected senators, I have a proposal." Polyxis stood up from his seat.
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