I warmed his cold blood

After a night of rest, Herren recovered a lot of physical strength.

In other words, he forced himself to recover his strength.He didn't have time to grieve, lost his soul in regret for his father.

He seems to be a long-lost traveler, tossed and wandered, just entering his warm home, he is about to pick up a knife and ax to resist foreign invaders and guard his homeland.

Guard everything about him, everything about Polio.This has become a belief.

He got up before dawn, took the gold box and went to Fanny.

Fanny was so angry that her body, as well as her soul, had been eaten to pieces by the disease.She was very weak, as if she would breathe her last breath at any moment, and she didn't have any breath of life.

She is dressed in white, hoping to drive away the black that represents death with pure white, and even her face is pale.

That obsidian became the only black thing on her whole body, or rather the only thing that fit her current situation.

She was lying on the bed, her face turned ashen from the persistent low-grade fever.Felitina wiped her face and hands with herbal juice, gave her water and food, but she just swallowed some liquid food.

Helen stood at the door, and he knew that his mother was going to the underworld.

He sighed, sat beside her, raised her weak hand, and kissed her.

Fanny opened her eyes, and saw her Hermia.The mother and son looked at each other for a long time, and the two pairs of black eyes reflected each other like a cold pool.Looking at each other for a long time made Helen feel intensely sad, and his brows trembled uncontrollably.

"My child..." Fanny smiled weakly, "Did you know that...you would be silent when you were sad? You were so lively and lively on weekdays, but now you are like a little nightingale who no longer sings...you His disposition, in some respects, is really too much like Pliny..."

She stopped, and said in a guilty tone: "What happened before... As a mother, I'm sorry. I didn't let you have a father's love, but I still restrained you with my own ideas..."

Herron's throat was burning hot, as was the tip of his nose.The sourness went straight to his head, making his face hot: "Mother...don't say any more. I am too stupid, I am blinded by ignorant hatred!"

He opened the gold box, and gave Fanny the ivory whistle.

Fanny was stunned.

"Sisi is his father's personal slave. He said that his father always asked him to clean this gold box. I went to the clan mausoleum to remove his coffin yesterday, and found this in the sarcophagus...Unfortunately, I have to guess, he is The one who swallowed this golden box and died..."

Fanny took the whistle, and looked carefully at the sunlight coming in through the window.She turned the whistle slowly, trying to get every corner of it into her eyes, and she remembered the light reflected from every corner.

Gradually, her lips began to tremble, her chin twitched to the left, her brows trembled violently, and her cloudy eye sockets were filled with tears.Her breathing became more and more uncontrollable, as if the breath rolled up from her abdomen hit her nose and mouth hard.

Finally, she cried out.

"I knew...he cared about you...he cared about you!" She cried, "My husband, he cared about my son...he died in an ominous way, using my son's Precious thing..."

Helen patted her on the back to comfort her: "Mother... Now I want to know the whereabouts of father's red ring. I heard that he left the house after he put on the black ring. In my vague memory, he On the day I left, I had a big fight with you..."

Fanny's expression froze for a moment, and Helen continued, "Can you tell me...why did he quarrel with you that day?"

Fanny was silent for a long time.Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she subconsciously clasped her arms tightly.This act of self-protection made her worthy of sympathy.

"Hermia..." she said, "if I tell you about my sin, you will be one step closer to the Lord of Misfortunes. All I can say is... I am sorry for Pliny. I forced him to marry me, but Another failed wife."

As she spoke, her shoulders kept trembling, and her eye circles became more and more red. She couldn't help but hugged her son's hand, tears streaming down her frail and emaciated face, "Hermia...don't make me say it...please Yes! How cruel it is to ask a mother to confess her guilt to her son!"

Seeing her almost pleading gesture, Helun quickly comforted her: "Mother, don't be afraid... I won't ask any more questions."

Fanny calmed down a bit, and lay down limply in relief, like a weak animal that has just escaped from the jaws of a tiger.She no longer has a strong breath, only endless fragility.

"As for the red ring, I really don't know what happened to it," she said. "Pliny only said that he gave it to the person he loved the most, but who would be his true love? His cousin is dead. It's been so long...why I've loved him all my life, but I don't even know who he loves..."

Herron wiped her tears, and Fritina fed her some sugar water.

"Don't talk about these unhappy things..." Helen held her cold hand and warmed her up, "Then let's talk about my father. I never wanted to get to know him seriously before. Don't you like to mention him very much? "

Fanny recalled the old image of Pliny, turned her head to look at Heron, and raised her hand to poke his cheek, "The greatest feat I have done in my life is to give birth to you, my Hermia. You and Pliny is very much alike."

She turned her head again and closed her eyes quietly, "Pliny is the most elegant person I have ever met. He has no vices, lives an extremely self-disciplined life, and regards spirits and baths as the bait of sin. He is very stubborn. I dare say that once he has made up his mind, not even Jupiter can tempt him with the throne. He is always taciturn, like a stern judge. But..."

She paused, as if thinking of something, a shallow smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, that smile was similar to pampering, and her sickness was relieved a lot by this smile.Helen felt as if she had found some long-preserved memory, and she felt as if she was actually there.

"He's also very cute sometimes... like a kid..."

"When?" Herron asked.

Fanny squinted her eyes with a smile, and her voice was too soft, with instinctive tenderness, "Occasionally when he gets drunk...you know, as a nobleman, he always has some entertainment that he can't shirk, although He's gone as far away as possible..."

Helen thought for a while and asked, "Then what will happen to him when he's drunk? Will he go berserk? For example... giving away valuable things to others..."

"Oh, that's not going to happen." Fanny smiled. "He will only become very well-behaved, like a newborn puppy, very obedient. I'm always worried that he will keep all his secrets in his heart." Leaked when drunk..."

Without saying a few words, she coughed violently, as if a piece of thick phlegm was stuck in her throat.Felicity quickly helped her sit up, patted her on the back, and brought the handkerchief to her mouth.

Fanny coughed up a mouthful of bloody phlegm, which had turned black.Felitina fed her some water and wiped the cold sweat off her face with a wet towel.

Fanny glanced at the slave girl and said with a smile, "Hermia, don't forget your promise to me. After I die, I will set Felitina free and find her a good husband."

Felitina's hands trembled, and a red cloud appeared on her face.She seemed to have thought of some sweet picture, a simple and honest smile bloomed on her dark face, her usually dull eyes overflowed with brilliance, and the corners of her eyes were slightly curved.At this moment, she showed the posture of a petite woman. Under the strong and bulky shell, there seemed to be a weak inner core that urgently needed to be protected.

Her ruby ​​earrings fell on both sides, as if the red cloud of shame was dyed by the earrings.

"Look..." Fanny couldn't help teasing, "our maid has a sweetheart! Her shy face is as cute as a pink-eyed bunny!"

Felitina was so embarrassed, she was too shy to know how to react.She tucked her chin in and turned her face away slightly, as if she didn't dare to face the question of the person in front of her.

Seeing her reaction, Heron suddenly thought that Lucas also had this embarrassing reaction.

Being very insensitive, he never delved into the cause of this embarrassment.In the past, he simply looked at the past.But now, he realized that he seemed to have overlooked something.

—something that cannot be explained, and can only be experienced through intuition or sensibility.

……

The pleadings have been sent to the court for several days, but there has been no splash.

Helen sent the slaves to the court several times to urge them, but still did not hear back.

He went with Lucas to visit Gattuso.

His cousin sank into lethargy and melancholy, his plump face so thin that his cheekbones showed.

His enthusiasm also disappeared with Seneca, but he still had to comfort Sulla, who was in a worse condition, and become her support.He put government affairs aside, frantically looking for Seneca, even went to the slave market, but the child was still missing.

Sulla fell ill.She lay there all day and all night, languid and emaciated, like a cold corpse.

Fortunately, her sanity has recovered, and the madness is gone.

Helen walked to her bedside and softly called her name.

Sura turned her head stiffly, like a mummy that had been silent for many years, only the head was turning.

"Herron..." she whispered, "here you come..."

Her lips were trembling, tears welled up in her eyes, every muscle in her face was convulsed, and she looked distorted.

Even so, the gentle and polite side of her character still made her want to get out of bed and pour a cup of hot milk for the visiting Heron.

Herron stopped her.He couldn't help feeling sad when he saw her forced smile.

A mother who lost her child seems to have lost her soul, leaving only a breathing shell.Her despair, like an unstoppable rage, swept over all those who approached her, and no one could remain unmoved.

"Don't get up, Sura." Helen helped her to lie down, "I came to see you and Gattuso."

"Oh..." Sura pulled an ugly smile, "He and I are fine, we have already gone to the court... I believe... Seneca will come back soon..."

Her epilogue disappeared into tears.She lowered her head, clenched her fists and trembled, her face flushed red, and it took all her strength to hold back her tears.

Helen became sad, and he patted her on the shoulder to comfort her: "I will help you find Seneca, Sura. I can't guarantee a smooth result, but I will work hard for it and do my best Help you reunite..."

When Su La heard the comfort, she couldn't bear it anymore, and burst into tears.She hugged Helen's arm, kicked her legs wildly, and kicked the quilt into a ball, tears soaked his sleeves:

"Seneca! Seneca...my child...my child...God, please let me sacrifice my life for his safety..."

She cried for a long time before she calmed down.

……

On the way home, thin white snow floated in the sky, falling slowly like light feathers.It was dark in the evening, and Rome was stilled by the new round of snow.People rested very early, closed the doors and windows, and hid in the house with their arms warmed by the stove.All restlessness was suppressed by the cold snow, and the dust of the streets was washed away.There is no cold wind howling, everything is quiet, so quiet that even the sound of freezing water can be heard.

The snowflakes fell slowly, like stars falling in the night sky, silently.

Herron sat on the carriage, with Lucas next to him, driving the carriage unhurriedly.The night sky was like a huge ink plate, quietly staring at the two of them.

He never realized that the number of times he chose to sit side by side with Lucas on the car deck was increasing.

Helen stretched out his hand and raised it to the height of his nose, the snowflakes fell on his palm and melted immediately.

He exhaled heavily.

Lucas looked sideways, "Your expression tells me that you are tired."

Herron put her arms behind her and raised her head to meet the snowflakes. "This is probably the heaviest burden in my life, Lucas..."

He sighed, "My mother is about to die, and I have to find the red ring as soon as possible, and my cousin's family is also in trouble... I dare to swear, from the past to the present, I have never been burdened like this... "

Lucas did not comfort him as usual, but kept silent.Helen turned his head a little strangely, and met his blue eyes.

His eyes lit up instantly when he saw Heron, which was almost an instinct; so much so that he could reveal his inner fluctuations without speaking.His roughness and stubbornness will also restrain at this time, like a sharp sword quickly sheathed.

"At times like this, I am troubled by my own incompetence and humbleness." He said, "I should have lifted all obstacles for you, and let you be as unrestrained as a free bird. This is my duty..."

"Oh Lucas, don't take everything on yourself..." Herron put his arm around his shoulders, "This has nothing to do with you."

"My humbleness makes me unable to protect you tightly." Lucas looked serious, "All I can do is to walk with you, no matter what you encounter. Even if you need to cut off your limbs, I don't care if there's blood, or if you're blind and dumb. Maybe you'll still have troubles and troubles, and I'm sorry I can't keep you away from that. But I can assure you, you'll never be alone."

Heron listened, and suddenly stretched out his hand, flicked it on his forehead, and said pretending to be stern: "As your teacher, I admit that your rhetoric has improved again."

He smiled again, "I'm very glad that you didn't make false statements just to please me. Most touching words are the most realistic, aren't they?"

Lucas rubbed his forehead and smiled at him.

……

When the master and slave returned home, they found that there was a visitor at home.

Mrs. Slan brought her daughter-in-law to visit.According to etiquette, they have been waiting for the head of the family in the atrium.

This was Herron's first encounter with Daho's wife.She has just served as the head's virtuous wife, and she needs to come forward when Dahe is unwilling to come.

She wore gold and silver, her shiny blond hair was ironed into small waves, and there was a small diamond crown pressed between her hair.Her lips were embroidered with red thread, the cashmere scarf around her neck was also inlaid with gold thread, and even the dark green cloak was embroidered with gold patterns.It made her look refined and regal, as if every thread was bejeweled, though she was not beautiful.

The precious ornaments piled up with money made her appear inherently noble and covered up the flaws of her appearance.

Her name is Yusha.Since Fanny's father died, her father had been the most senior senator.

Before Mrs. Slan could introduce her, she came over and stretched out her hand for Helen to kiss the back of her hand.

Mrs. Slan stood behind her with a look of contempt on her face.

"I've heard that Polio's people have extraordinary looks," Yusha laughed, with the corners of her eyes slightly raised. "Sure enough, even the night can't hide your beautiful face, Mr. Polio."

Helen put down her hand and frowned slightly, "I don't think beauty is a compliment to a man, Mrs. Usa. I'd rather you change the description, such as handsome, masculine, etc."

"Oh..." Yousha walked past him with a smile, and walked to Lucas, "I'm afraid this slave can bear these two words better. He is very handsome, like a mighty and tough gladiator..."

Through the cloak, she stroked Lucas' arm and felt the muscle lines in the cloak.

Lucas was surprised by her excessive intimacy, and when he looked up, he met Yusha's obviously provocative eyes.

She winked at him.

Lucas took a step away from her, ignoring her teasing.

Yusha was not angry, she was just using the male slave as a plaything.Her lustful heart will never stay on any man.

Her red nails protruded from the green cloak, like a few red flowers in the trees.It is also sprinkled with gold powder, which is a favorite dress for women in brothels, but under her seemingly solemn appearance, this kind of detail is covered up; or even if it is discovered, people will not think much about it.

"Hmph..." Helen was not happy, although he had to admit that what Yusha said was true.

Silan came over with a paper bag in his hand, and the rising heat and tempting fragrance came out of the paper bag.

"Heron... This is Phoebe's specially baked cheesecake, which she specially made for you, you can try it in private."

Her ending was slowed down on purpose, and her eyes became serious, as if hinting at some unspeakable secret.

"Why do you want to taste it in private? Opening a gift in front of the giver is a form of etiquette, isn't it?"

As he said that, Helen, feeling hungry, tore open the paper bag, broke the cake in half, and took a few bites, before paying attention to Silan's surprised expression.

He glanced at the leftover cake and found the clue, and pulled out the diamond ring from the cake.

"Did Phoebe knead the dough with the ring on?" he asked, returning the ring to Silan solemnly.

Silan's face began to turn blue.She was a little dumbfounded.

"Be careful next time, and keep such a valuable thing well. I won't covet this ring; but if I meet a greedy person, I'm afraid I will suffer a loss of money."

His expression is very serious, serious, very upright.

Silan coughed a few times on purpose, "Helen, we are here to see Fanny... I heard that her health has not been very good recently."

Herron rewarded Lucas with the cake and took them to Fanny's bedroom.

When Silan saw Fanny on the couch, his breath became stagnant, and tears flowed down involuntarily.

She walked over quickly, took Fanny's hand, gasped, and cried, "God! Why are good people not treated well? My dear Fanny, why have you become so thin... ..."

Fanny smiled, and patted her friend's shoulder, "Don't be sad, my friend... people will die one day, anyway, I still have a child to bury me in the coffin..."

Fritina fetched chairs for them and graciously poured water.

Silan still couldn't get over his grief.Her eyes kept looking at Fanny, and she kept wiping her tears with her handkerchief, as if smelling death, "My God... my Fanny, you make my heart hurt. You are the only one I can say My dear friend, if you are gone too, to whom can I tell my pain and joy?"

As she spoke, she began to cry bitterly again, and her handkerchief was soaked.

"Oh... After I can't walk with you, you just need to remember how happy we were when we were young." Fanny said with a smile, "Remember when we were not married, and we often met to taste the food at the stall ? We also swear that we must eat all the delicacies in Rome before we get married..."

"You always ate very little, but drank a lot." Slan said sadly, "At that time, you loved to drink fine wine, and you tasted all the wines in every province... But, later on, you I don't drink anymore."

Fanny froze for a moment, a pain crossed her face, "Yeah, no more...Alcohol is the root of all evil. It can only make people lose their minds and damage people's health. It must be the devil or the culprit Messenger sent by God..."

Silan sighed, "You have changed so much... Back then, you liked to appreciate gladiatorial performances the most, and you also raised a lot of gladiators, all of them tall and mighty. I envy you to death, I didn't expect you Then he became an ascetic believer..."

Fanny smiled bitterly, and turned her face away.The joy of reminiscing about my youth quickly disappeared, leaving only the unspeakable pain, like feeling a piercing pain.

Since Yusha is visiting for the first time, as the head of the house, Helen takes her on a tour of the house.

Yusha was not interested.She was used to seeing marble carvings, as well as gold and silver jewelry, and only sighed in surprise when she saw the flock of pigeons in the open space.

Lucas stood among the doves, the moonlight shining on him, dyed his blond hair to silver, and trimmed his black cloak with silver.The sky is very clear, and the moonlight shines in this corner without hindrance. The sky is full of silvery white moonlight, and even the dust is silvery white.There was a white moon above his head, floating white feathers at his feet, and a thin layer of snow on his shoulders, like a black gem squeezed into the flowing silver sand.

He was silent and motionless, and the occasional hand that sprinkled food proved that he was a living person, like a statue, and also like a weather-beaten lonely man who licked his wounds when no one was around.

Heron was facing his back, and suddenly felt nostalgic for this scene, and couldn't bear to look away.

He has seen many appearances of Lucas, but at this moment, he has this nostalgia for the first time.

"Lucas!" he couldn't help calling him, waving at him.

Lucas turned around and walked gradually, the coldness of the moonlight disappeared, and when he approached his master, his handsome and enthusiastic face remained the same as before, he was still the active and lively Lucas.

"My lord," he said with a smile.

Helen froze for a moment, and found that he didn't have anything to say.

He just wanted Lucas around.

"Your name is Lucas?" Yusha pointed to him and said, "Are you a gladiator? Your strong figure told me."

"Yeah." Lucas nodded.

"Wow." Yusha stretched out her hand and touched his shoulder, "It's the first time I've seen a gladiator so close, he's so brave! I think..."

She paused, "I want to take him home, just overnight, and return it to you the next day, how about it? The election is coming soon, and I can introduce you to my father. For you, I don't think there is anything better than That's a better deal, isn't it?"

Lucas froze in place.He knew that some ladies coveted the gladiator's body as a plaything to fill the gap of desire, but he never thought that he could face such a thing.

He suddenly became tense, his heart was pounding, and this emotional ups and downs were more intense than fighting in the arena.He looked at Helen with an almost pleading expression, afraid that he would say a sad choice, like a sinner waiting for judgment.

Herron didn't look back at him.

He had already made up his mind.

"With all due respect, if I remember correctly, you were carried into the house by Daho at the last wedding."

"Oh, that's right." Yusha curled her lips, "But you also know that this kind of thing itself is the leisure pleasure of the nobles, and it is also the privilege of the nobles. Slaves are born to satisfy their masters, of course, including physical ones. pleasure."

Herron stared at her, suddenly bored.He was annoyed for no reason, like a fire shot from his abdomen to the top of his head, which made his mind go blank for a moment, for no reason——

He thought it was for no reason.

He pulled Lucas over, ripped off his cloak and inner armor, put one arm around his neck, and poked his heart with the other:

"See? This is Polio's family seal, not Antony's. Lucas is my property, and even my mother can't slander him at will."

Yusha looked at him and laughed out loud, "Master Polio, do you know that you look like a newly married girl, and you are spreading the joy of her marriage everywhere?"

Helen put on a displeased face, and successfully missed the point: "Don't use the word girl to describe me, I hate any feminine words placed on me!"

"Forget it," Yousha sighed with a smile, "You gave up the chance to be promoted, why are you so serious?"

She turned and walked away gradually, and said to the air: "May Polio's slaves be pure for generations!"

"She looks so dignified, but she is actually a lecherous woman." Helen said, looking at her back with contempt.

Lucas coughed awkwardly.At this moment, Herron realized that he was still hugging him affectionately, his fingers were still on his chest, and their cheeks were very close to each other.

He felt Lucas exhale, hot as boiling water on a stone pot, almost burning himself.The heart under the rough skin was beating rapidly, beating his fingers like a small hammer.

Herron dressed him, slapped the snowflakes off his shoulders, and tied the cloak straps tightly. "The clothes are all wet, so don't feed the pigeons in the snow. These fat guys with wings will Find food for yourself..."

Lucas didn't respond to him.

Heron was a little surprised, he raised his face and met Lucas' eyes.He was half a head shorter than Lucas, and the angle of his face made it difficult for him to see Lucas's expression clearly.

"I want to ask you..." Lucas said softly, a little hesitantly, "Why did you reject her...that's a great opportunity, isn't it?"

Helen was silent for a moment, and suddenly with both hands, he tightened the cloak tie tightly, as if trying to strangle Lucas to death.

Lucas was nearly suffocated by him, his face flushed, thick arteries protruding from his neck.

He quickly broke away from Heron's hand, took a few steps back, coughed violently, bent over to gasp for breath, and looked at the suddenly mad Heron in puzzlement.

"I hate you, Lucas. You made me miss a good opportunity... Who told you to say that..." Helen pouted and said sullenly, "Otherwise I wouldn't defend you like this... ..."

"What did I say?" Lucas was confused.

Helen looked over faintly, folded his arms, the light in his black eyes flickered, like the moon reflected in the cold pool.

"Do you love her?" He asked an irrelevant question.

"How could I love her?!" Lucas said with a smile, "God, this is the first time I've seen her..."

Helen was not satisfied with the answer, and said contemptuously, "Does it mean that you fell in love with it after seeing it a few times?"

"Impossible." Lucas said firmly, "I don't like this kind of frivolous woman, and she's already married."

Helen nodded and slowly approached him.The shadow cast by the marble eaves swept across his face; when he emerged again, his face was as pure and white as washed by moonlight.

"That's good." He looked a little superior, "I'm just helping you keep your promise."

"What... what promise?" Lucas scratched his scalp, puzzled.

"You once said that you only want to have sex with the one you love." Helen's eyelashes trembled slightly, "Since you don't love her, you shouldn't spend the night with her. I sacrificed the chance of promotion and kept your promise, which is considered I reward you."

Lucas laughed twice when he recalled, "Well, then I'm really grateful for your reward."

……

It was very late, and Madam Slan did not stay long.She and Yusha were going home in the carriage.

Herron personally sent them to the carriage, and Fanny, unable to get up because of her illness, ordered Felitina to go and see her friend off.

Silan could not hold back his tears until he got into the carriage.She has been more sentimental than ever since her husband died.Sickness, poverty, and hunger always caused her sadness.

Yusha returned to her stable and dignified appearance, maintaining a moderate official smile on her face, like an inviolable lady.

Felitina helped her into the carriage.

She turned her face away, blinked her eyes, as if she was thinking about something, and still had that faint smile.

Suddenly, she stretched out her hand and touched Flitina's earring, startling the loyal slave girl.

"These earrings... are made of high-end materials!" she said. "I have only seen rubies of this material at private sales of nobles, and the price is very high. Mrs. Fanny herself wears cheap obsidian, but gave it to The slave girl's expensive ruby..."

She glanced at Heron, "She must be a great master."

Heron's face darkened.The fiery red earrings jumped into his field of vision mischievously, rampaging through his mind, messing up his memory.

He frowned, desperately trying to remember.There seems to be a similar picture circling in my mind, as if this pair of earrings is looking for its own kind, like an iron block being attracted by a magnet.

He froze.

He remembered that it was the ruby ​​of the whore Apina.No matter the color, radiance or shape, they were all too similar to Flitina's earrings.