I put out his fire

After more than ten days of trekking, the army finally arrived in Gaul.

Gaul was a remote province.Low, cheap wooden houses are arranged in a haphazard manner like a weed pile.Gauls are naturally tall and tall, but they always look ashamed because of poverty.The dirt-paved streets kicked up thick dust, and children in tattered clothes had only stones as toys.The stone pillars of the temple were eroded by the wind and fell to pieces.

Nero was placed in a separate tent, and Rhodes' tent was next to it.

The environment of the barracks was very familiar to Rhodes.He fetched water from the well and washed the dust off his face.

He has very slender fingers with edges and corners. At this time, his bright facial features are completely buried in the palm of his hand.

Rhodes stroked his face with well water, and the thick eyebrow line was wet and messy.He raised his wet eyelashes slightly, and saw Nero in military uniform through his thin fingers.

A chain mail of intertwined wire stretched over Nero.His slender waist was fully displayed, and he was wearing a dark red shawl, holding a sharp sword tightly in his white hand.

His whole body was full of offensive temperament, only the shaggy silver hair was soft and waxy, like a white cloud floating on the top of a dangerous mountain.

Nero, who was dressed in gray iron, was caught between Rhodes' fingers like a piece of iron sand.Behind him is the world of yellow dust.

Rhodes wiped off the water on his face, and a soft smile appeared on the corner of his lips, "It's pretty handsome." He smiled.

Nero blushed instantly, joy filled his heart like thick honey.

He walked over softly, and his iron boots made a series of thin and heavy footprints on the muddy ground.

"I feel like a statue plated with iron." Nero waved his arms, and the flexible chain mail fit his body extremely well. "The toga robe is much more comfortable than this."

"You are wearing the lightest ones." Rhodes raised his hand, pointed at the strong Gaul soldiers not far away, and threw out a string of shiny water droplets, "Ordinary soldiers can only wear hard and loose scales." First."

Nero glanced over.There were two soldiers there doing combat training.

They wielded iron knives against wooden shields, and fought with skilled moves and swordsmanship.One of them swept the sharp sword like harvesting, sweeping out a cold light; the other resisted with a shield, and counterattacked at the moment of stalemate.The sound of swords and halberds resounding through the barracks, blasted into Nero's ears like thunder.

"They have more experience in combat than I do." Nero said gloomily, his extremely clean eyebrows trembling slightly, showing a hint of helplessness.

His worried tone paused, and he sighed softly: "I don't even know how to shoot an arrow now, but I want to command these fierce guys with the theory on parchment. These soldiers will not obey me."

"Normal." Rhodes folded his arms, and his black figure was very slender.

A strand of sunlight slanted into his thick temple hair, vaguely illuminating his smiling face.His tone was casual and straightforward, mixed with a sense of caring: "After all, you are still a child who has never even held a sword."

The child's words made Nero's spine tremble slightly, and there was a dull pain in his heart.

He froze for a while, his fair face was as dark as a layer of dust.

The cold wind in Gaul is strong, carrying coarse dust and sand from a distance.Rhodes' long hair was disheveled, and his cheeks were stinging from the sand and stones.

He subconsciously pressed the hilt of his sword.

Nero suddenly opened his mouth and said, "I want to become as strong as you."

Rhodes froze for a moment, and a smile jumped into the corner of his sharp eyes.He volunteered: "Then let me teach you."

Nero nodded: "That's what I mean too."

Rhodes stared at him slyly for a while, and suddenly a black shadow flashed, approaching him like a ghostly fire.Before Nero could react, he had already held his sword-holding right hand.His chest was pressed against Nero's back, and his flowing temple hair lightly pinned the back of Nero's neck.

Nero's breath stopped and he licked his dry lips.

Rhodes grabbed his long sword and threw it aside.The long sword swirled in the air and hit the ground with a bang.

"Then start with the simplest hand-to-hand combat." He whispered.

His lips were so close to Nero that Nero could hear his sensual breath, like a demonic spell.

……

The governor of Gaul commands the entire province, has the right to mobilize troops, and manages the finance, justice, and engineering of the entire Gaul.He was the supreme governor of all Gaul.

When the Governor came to see him, Claudius put on a mask to hide the amusing bruise on his face.

He sat on the animal skin throne in the tent, his thin waist bent like a thin strip.The old candlelight illuminated his shrunken features.

"Long time no see, Reco." Claudius whispered with his face half covered.His small eyes, as round as black beans, rolled around ridiculously, looking a little unnatural.

Lei Ke's iron-shoe-like footsteps stopped in front of his eyes.

He had a tall, aquiline nose, a broad build, and was a big, fierce man.The long sword in his hand was still soaked in dried blood, and a long purple scar ran from his forehead to his ear, like a twisted centipede, giving him a rude and savage aura.

Since the time of Caligula, Lei Ke has been serving as the governor of Gaul.

He suppressed barbarian rebellions many times and participated in countless battles, winning and losing.

Lei Ke glanced at him contemptuously, swished out his sword, and hooked off the emperor's mask with the tip of the sword.

"Have you been beaten by a woman again?" He said arrogantly.

"Oh..." Claudius was stunned by this sudden move.The blade of the sword was only a millimeter away from his ear.

His eyes were dim, and he said aggrievedly: "Save me some face, Lei Ke. Anyway, I'm also your cousin...you can't scare me like that..."

Lei Ke scorned, and simply threw the mask into the brazier.The mask was instantly reduced to ashes.

His hammer-like eyeballs slanted over, glaring at Claudius, and his contempt almost turned into spikes and poked out of his eyes.

"You're such a coward!" He picked up his thick arms.

Claudius covered his bruises like a doormat, peeking at Lei Ke from between his fingers, his eyes resentful.

"You also know that I am in a difficult situation, Lei Ke... I have a wife who is like a ghost. She relies on her natal family to mess with me. The crown of laurel on my head is comparable to thorns..."

"Don't use her family to cover up your fear of guilt!" Lei Ke said coldly, "She has a dowry and power, but you are also the emperor. You have blood that she doesn't have, and you are evenly matched with her!"

"Ah..." Claudius sighed wearily, "The throne makes me miserable. I have to deal with infectious diseases every day. The baths that lack money to operate and the floods that don't stop for a long time have made me impeached by the Senate , might as well come to Gaul and hide for a while..."

"Hmph!" Lei Ke looked at him coldly, and said sarcastically, "It's unfortunate for the Romans to have a deserter emperor like you!"

Claudius sighed.He let go of the hand covering the bruise, raised his eyes quietly, and there was a sad look under the drooping eyelids.

He sighed: "If you hadn't given up the throne back then, I wouldn't have been able to be the emperor..."

"Shut up!" Lei Ke interrupted sullenly.

He turned his face slightly, the outline of the scar on his forehead was deepened, it was very ferocious, and his tone had an undoubted deterrent force: "I am a person who is loyal to my friends, you should be very clear about this!"

Claudius shut his mouth resentfully, and gave Lei Ke a look like a resentful woman.

Lei Ke walked to the door of the tent with heavy steps like iron.

He opened the curtain, and the thick figure was framed in the background of the blowing yellow sand, with a hint of desolation.

"By the way..." he remembered, "You brought Nero with you this time? That guy who looks like a little sheep?"

Claudius nodded, and the curved figure moved on the animal skin seat.

"Quentin is dead, and I haven't had time to designate an adopted son. He is currently the most promising successor." He said with a tired look, "Under the pressure of the Senate, I can only bring him here..."

Lei Ke turned sideways, folded his arms, and said with a pretentious expression: "Your son is dead, but I can't see any trace of sadness on your face..."

Claudius looked at him carefully and coughed awkwardly.His sunken shoulders shrugged uncomfortably, as if his whole body was wrapped in uncomfortable ropes.

"Actually..." he said in a soft voice, his face was very weak, "I suspect that Quentin is not my child. You also know that at this age...the number of times I have had intercourse is very small..."

Shock erupted on Lei Ke's face like a volcano.His brows and eyes are full of fierceness filled with fireworks.

"My God!" he exclaimed, "you don't look like a man!"

"There are some things you can't understand, Lei Ke. As the emperor, I can't control many things..." Claudius curled up on the animal skin and said sadly, "I am the most noble person in the world." prisoner!"

Lei Ke paused for a while, walked out of the tent with heavy steps, and said in a wanton tone, "I'm going to meet that little sheep!"

……

Since Claudius left Gaul, Messalina has been living in her father's house.

Julius devoted himself to comforting his daughter.He devoted all his material resources and time to doting on her, and even the beautiful slaves didn't care much about her.

He cooks himself and bakes a mullet for Messalina.

The tender red skin of the fish is slightly rolled up, and the belly of the fish is filled with minced pork.He carefully covered the fish skin with chopped walnuts, poured hot olive oil on it, and the fish meat was fragrant, and even the fish bones were so crispy that they could be eaten.

Messalina was dressed in a black mourning dress, facing the mirror, slowly caressing her haggard bare face with her thin hands.

Julius brought the mullet to her dressing table, lovingly stroked her dry red hair, and said softly, "You need to eat, Messalina."

Messalina tore open the fish, mechanically stuffed a spoonful of minced pork into her mouth.Her trembling eyelids swelled more and more, and the tears welled up filled the fish.She cried out as she ate.

"My Quentin used to love this..." she cried, "My child... why did you die?"

Julius hugged her distressedly.Messalina's tears and snot stained his silk.

"My son is dead..." she complained to his father, "I have lost everything... Claudius is already planning to adopt another boy... That sinister white-eyed wolf has failed the generous money we gave him dowry!"

Julius patted her on the back, thought for a while and said, "You can consider having another one, my child. You have so many handsome male slaves, as long as they are born by you, Claudius will not Dare to make a mistake..."

Messalina shook her head in despair, with sticky snot running down her mouth.She clenched her father's sleeve tightly and cried, "I don't want to suffer another dystocia, father... I am no longer young, who knows if the arrival of a baby of unknown gender will kill me..."

Julius sighed sadly, blowing his tangled beard.

Messalina turned away her tearful face and buried it in his fat stomach.Julius's silk was soaked immediately.

"My family will fall like my children..." She said sadly, "I can't witness its decline with my own eyes..."

Julius bent down and kissed her red hair comfortingly, and the paunchy figure stood on the ground like a gourd.

Messalina's eyes were bloodshot, and her facial features were twitching with mania, as if a wave was passing quickly across her face.

She was emotionally extreme, already hysterical.