I warmed his cold blood

When Brutus came to talk business, Herron was sitting on the fence of the raised platform feeding the pigeons.

The pigeons cooed and pecked at each other like a cloud sinking to the ground.With cotton-like white clouds above his head and floating white feathers under his feet, he is like a thin pillar supporting the two worlds.

His movements are very patient, throwing only a little bit at a time.He was drinking leisurely, touching his bare feet from time to time, with corn kernels piled up on his hand.

Brutus is brought to the second floor by slaves.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Helen turned her head sideways, squinted at him from the corners of her eyes, and beckoned him to come over with a smile.

Brutus paused, and walked away with his mouth tightly pursed, his expression so serious that it was almost stiff.

Helen touched the fence with the rim of his wine glass, making a brisk knocking sound, motioning for him to sit up, "Are you afraid of heights?"

Brutus didn't respond, just glanced lightly at the pigeons, and didn't move for a long time.

His lips moved, beads of sweat appeared on his sunken nose, and the wrinkles between his brows quivered slightly.

"That's why I'm afraid." Helen smiled and jumped to his side, poking the corn at him, "I like pigeons, they are very cute. No one would hate these little guys, would they?"

Brutus' face was pale, his small eyes drooped, and the eyeballs flicked from side to side.He clenched his fist, and the blood vessels entangled in the joints protruded slightly.

"I came here today...to discuss business with you."

"Ah yes! Let's talk about business..." Helen swung his wine glass, "Did you see the silk in the courtyard? It feels like iced milk!"

Brutus curled up his fingers and touched his nose, regaining his composure, "Its price should be equal to gold."

"Guess its purchase price, Brutus." Herron said pretending to be mysterious.

"I guarantee you at least 90 dinars."

"Oh, you guessed wrong." Helen raised his index finger and shook in front of his face, "But it's not your fault, that importer only offered me a special price. Let me tell you, my purchase price is only 48 dinar."

"It's impossible..." Brutus said in shock, "The price of silk can never be so low!"

"But that's the truth. Silk is not expensive in Silk Country, but it has become gold in Rome. My importer has a lot of channels and is very cautious. Recently, the ban has been so strict that he only dared to cooperate with him many times. Doing business with acquaintances..."

"But you have never been in business..." Brutus doubted, "This business alone was recommended by Gattuso."

"I haven't been in business, but my surname is Polio!" Helen said emphatically, smiling slyly, "Pliny left me a lot of property, including reliable suppliers. His light is just, maybe this is... the advantage of bloodline?"

Brutus fell silent like a dumb bird.His cheeks turned blue-gray, and his jaw trembled convulsively, as if he heard the name of some devil.

After a while, he spoke slowly: "I need to take a look at your order contract. Please forgive my suspicion, after all, the contract is signed in my name, and I don't want unnecessary mistakes."

Helen raised his head and drank the wine, and slowly handed him the contract.

Brutus looked very carefully, his eyes stayed on each line, and he even flipped back and forth.His eyes were like a saw, he wanted to chop and disassemble each letter, as seriously as if he wanted to pick them out and eat them in his mouth.

"Red amber?" he wondered.

"This is a code. We use red amber to represent silk, for safety." Heron smiled.

Brutus thought for a while, folded the contract and returned it to him, saying: "The importer's approach is very smart."

"However... there is one thing I must warn you about," Herron said, "I do not wish to share this importer with you; that is, I do not wish you to go past me to do business with him. As you know, I do too. If you want to make money, if you cooperate directly, I will drink the northwest wind!"

"Please rest assured! This is a business rule, and it involves my integrity. I will never break it." Brutus promised earnestly.

He bent down slowly, his head drooped obediently, and his five fingers were tightly attached to his sides.This low-browed and pleasing look reminded Helen of the very humane dog of Gattuso's family.

"Oh, of course I believe you!" Herron patted him on the shoulder, "You are a reputable retailer, otherwise I wouldn't take the risk of showing you the contract."

After the two checked their belongings, Brutus didn't stay long.He refused Heron's dinner, and hurried away with five boxes of silk.

Helen lay sideways on the sofa, and the silver tray was full of food.He was very happy, drank a lot of wine, and looked a little drunk and lazy.The slave poured wine for him, and he cut open the bread with a knife, squeezed salad dressing, and spread a few leaves of lettuce and caviar.

He eats slowly and with great grace, keeping his hands clean and his mouth free of crumbs.

Lucas walked into the dining room with a lamp and blew out the candles in the shade.

Herron lay watching him, raised his glass and said, "Lucas, come and taste these."

He stretched out his toes to touch the open space around him, and his calves and knees were so brightly exposed.

Lucas walked over unnaturally and lay down carefully.

"Slaves cannot turn their backs to their masters, so turn around." Helen ordered.

Lucas turned over and saw that Heron's lips were pressed tightly against the mouth of the wine glass, the corners of his eyes were slightly red, and his blinking speed was half a beat slower.

He gritted his teeth, forced himself to look away, and quickly drank a glass of wine.

"Why do you want to deceive Brutus?" he asked. "The unit price on the box is 48 dinars. But the slave of the Horace family told me that the price you negotiated was 110 dinars. "

Helen raised an eyebrow, "It seems that I have a well-informed messenger."

"The slave served you and Horace's dinner, he overheard." Lucas said sullenly, "You lost too much money. Do you... want to help Brutus make a fortune?" ?”

He lowered his head, his voice became softer as he spoke, and his chest began to rise and fall violently.

"You're right. I'm indeed sending him money, and it's a lot of money." Helen didn't care.

"Just one step of silk, you lost 62 dinars. But there are 70 steps in a box..." Lucas was a little excited, "I have to say, you are like losing a marble mansion, For that weak Brutus..."

Helen smiled and said, "You seem to be worried about me?"

"Oh, you are my master..." Lucas whispered, "I depend on you for my food and drink. I have to worry about you and your Polio..."

Helen sipped his wine without answering his questions.

Lucas tore off a piece of bread and gnawed on it like a ball of wet cotton.He couldn't swallow, so he took a big gulp of wine and forced the bread down his throat.

"Don't you like it?" Helen put down his glass, "Your expression looks like you're crying."

"No...no." Lucas lowered his head, "I just don't drink much..."

The two ate for a long time lying on the sofa.Nut husks and crumbs piled up on the ground, napkins twirled like small white flowers, cheese sliced ​​messily, and broken fishbone everywhere.

The excessive satiety made Herron drowsy.His head was getting heavier and heavier, and finally rested on his arm...

He was awakened by a rapid, high-pitched female voice, which was familiar to him.

"Hermia! How can you let a slave lie down and eat?!"

Lucas jumped off the sofa and knelt down to Fanny who came suddenly to admit his mistake.

Helen stood up and said lazily, "Lucas, go down. It's none of your business here."

Lucas hesitated for a while, and obediently left.

Fanny grew thinner.

Her face was pale and blue, like dry cold plaster covered with a layer of blue powder, and her lips had no blood.She lost the demeanor that a lady should have, like a person who is about to die.The obsidian on her forehead is like her funeral object.

"There must be rules in the house. The slaves will grow lazy if you pamper them like this!" Fanny said sternly.

Herron stood up and picked up a piece of cheesecake.He took his mother's hand, kissed the back of her hand, turned it over and stuffed the cake in.

His expression was exceedingly docile, which no doubt pleased Fanny.

"Oh... my Hermia..." Fanny turned her anger into a smile, "I've never been able to deal with you like this..."

"He was a gladiator who earned me a prize and was loyal to me. I should reward him." He tightened the ties of his woolen cloak for her.

Fanny frowned. "Don't get too close to that rough slave. He's a barbarian, and he can't control his behavior. I'm afraid you'll suffer..."

"No." Helen smiled and shook his head, "Many people's appearance and heart are completely opposite."

Fanny hesitated to speak.

Heron said to Felitina beside her: "Go and pour a glass of wine for mother. I can guarantee that the fine wine imported from Gaul will make her forget all her sorrows!"

Felicity nodded, and was stopped by Fanny just as she was about to take a step.

"The doctor has forbidden me to drink, Hermia. I may not even eat meat..."

Helen was surprised, "Mother, is your illness already this serious..."

"I may not live for half a year." Fanny said sadly. "The doctor said that my liver seems to have been enchanted by a witch. I am going to see Pliny soon, but at the last time, I want to be with my son." spend time together..."

Herron fell silent.

Mother's life is coming to an end, and that day is getting closer.But now there was no clue, and Brutus didn't seem to take any action.

Everything is as calm as stagnant water.

He sighed heavily, and said to Fritina, "Mother lives in the house during this time, and you will take care of her."