Chapter 227 Senate

"Oh!" Aetius exclaimed, stopped in front of the tent, turned around and said to Luca with an apologetic look: "I'm so sorry, I was so anxious to get to know you that I forgot I brought a distinguished guest with me. Oh my God, look at my memory, I almost forgot about him!"

As he said this, he turned around and pointed behind Luca, who looked in the direction he pointed. He saw another carriage slowly driving into the camp gate, but this carriage was much more low-key than Aetius's, with ten cavalrymen surrounding the carriage. They were still exclusive slaves, serving as the horse stools for the rich and powerful to get off the carriages, and they had always been like this. The humble thoughts that were forced into them made them feel that everything they did was justified.

A man dressed conservatively, wearing a white toga with a red cloth belt, he looked old, with gray hair, but his straight figure gave people the feeling of being strong and healthy. The only difference from his strong body was that he had been frowning since he got off the car, as if he was thinking hard about some complicated problem. No matter how much he was praised for his unwillingness to admit old age, he still leaned on a cane, but this cane was straight, like a flag, with a golden spearhead on top and a golden sign hanging below.

"SPQR" Luca repeated the letters engraved on the sign in a low voice, and was surprised to realize that this was the sign of the Senate.

"Senate." Luca whispered to himself in his heart. He seemed to feel something was wrong, because the presence of people from the Senate here was enough to show that they would also participate. According to their extremely ambiguous relationship with the Vandals, they did not even obtain Augustus' consent when they accepted the vassal state. They came to Luca's camp at such a critical moment, which Luca did not want to see no matter what.

"What is he doing here?" Luca asked Aetius in a low voice.

"Oh, the Senate heard that you surrounded and killed Gaiseric, so they came to express their condolences on behalf of the Senate. We commend you for your achievements as a guest from the Eastern Empire!" Aetius smiled, but he was afraid that the old man would hear him, so he lowered his voice and told Luca.

"Welcome, my staunch supporter." Seeing the old man standing under the car, Aetius opened his arms, walked quickly forward and shouted loudly.

When the old man saw Aetius, his frown instantly relaxed, he opened his mouth, revealing his incomplete gums, and the wrinkles on his face became even more wrinkled, as if the difficult problems that had just lingered in his mind were solved in an instant, or he temporarily put these problems aside and started acting. Of course, politicians are all excellent actors.

"Oh, God, thank God, thank God!" The senator also opened his arms and hugged Aetius who came forward. The two of them looked very harmonious, which made Luca feel that something was wrong.

"I thought you forgot that I was behind you. I was very upset just now, my friend." The senator held Aetius' hand tightly and refused to let go, his tone full of apology. "But I want to apologize to you, my friend..."

"Let's save the apology for later!" Aetius pulled his hand away from the senator's hand. In order to show his friendliness, he put his hand on the senator's shoulder, making it seem to others that they were very close.

Luca inadvertently noticed a hint of disgust on the face of the elder. He obviously hated this action or hated Aetius himself. However, he quickly suppressed the disgusted expression and replaced it with a very easy-going smile, which made Luca admire him very much. The elder perfectly restrained his emotions.

"Oh, you are Flavius ​​Luca, the adopted son of Augustus of the Eastern Empire, right?" The elder walked up to Luca and stopped, looking at him with a smile and said, "Hello, my name is Thermitius, a lifelong member of the Senate."

"Thermitius!" Luca was stunned when he heard the name. He stood there with a blank mind.

Thermitius was a person who heard rumors from Aresio, who was once a staunch supporter of Boniface. It was his witty words that forced Aresio, the empire's treasurer, to be tied up and put on Boniface's chariot. When Boniface was defeated, he escaped and became a staunch supporter of the victor Aetius. It was not that he had no stance, but that he was too smart. He was always able to maneuver easily in political struggles and always stood in an invincible position. Luca never expected that such an extremely dangerous person ten years ago would be standing in front of him alive at this moment.

"Hello!" Luca came to his senses and saluted hurriedly. Before he could fully come to his senses, Luca's right hand was grabbed by Thermitius. Thermitius smiled and said to Luca: "I heard that you are a great hero who defended Greater Sicily for Rome. I would like to salute you, a young and promising man. Of course, the next question will be discussed after we go in!"

Before Luca could nod, Themitius had already pulled him into the tent.

Fortunately, Luca had prepared in advance, so that Aetius and Themitius saw a table full of delicious food as soon as they entered. This made them both very happy, and they even praised Luca for being Augustus's adopted son, who was thoughtful. They said that they were hungry after a day's journey, and now there was food and wine, so they could sit down and eat and chat! Luca listened to their laughter and just laughed along, but didn't know what to say.

The three of them sat down, and their two guard captains stood behind them. Andrew was a little unwell, so Luca sent someone to take him away early. There were many guards standing behind Luca, so it didn't have much impact.

"First of all," Thermitius opened his mouth after just taking the first sip of wine. He said to Luca, "The Senate heard that you came from afar to solve the urgent needs of the empire, so the Senate specially asked me to come here to announce that the Senate recognizes your noble title of Flavius. And in Rome, we have also prepared a mansion for you that suits your status. A hero must have a place to live!"

"Ha, I didn't receive such treatment when I was this age, Lord Luca, you have proved that you are a very capable person and a true pillar of the empire!" Aetius responded from the side.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that this was just a verbal commendation to fool people, because the surname Flavius ​​was a royal surname, and only Augustus himself or the regent Queen Augusta could identify a person or a surname. But the mansion was a real good thing, and I didn't know what it looked like. Luca still responded with a smile on his face, and he was also thinking hard in his heart what the meaning of this Thermitius feeding a candy first! "Then let's talk about Gaiseric!" Thermitius changed the topic, and everyone present, even Aetius, straightened up. Everyone quietly waited for the old man to see what he thought and said about the plan to encircle and annihilate the Vandals.

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(End of this chapter)