I put out his fire

The sudden coup turned the finally stable situation into a puddle of boiling water.

As soon as the expedition to Gaul had settled down the battle with the barbarians, it was about to face another more complicated internal struggle.

Claudius rushed back to Rome day and night.

For five days on the road, he crouched like a photophobic bug in the dark corner of the carriage, with a golden laurel wreath askew in his disheveled hair.He had no appetite to eat, and his disabled legs stretched out weakly, as if he had a serious illness that had penetrated into the bone marrow.

He had to worry when his throne was threatened.

Messalina and his power can be said to be evenly matched.Looking at the position alone, the queen has already achieved a greater advantage.

Nero sat in the carriage, resting his chin on one hand.The streamer of light surging outside the car curtain lightly reflected his face, and a few cotton-like shadows quickly passed over his face.The backs of Nero's hands were still thin and pale, which gave him a negative, unhealthy aura.

He was sitting upright, and there was some urgency in his gloomy tone: "The empress married someone else and usurped power in this way. This is really a joke that will last forever."

Rhodes sat beside him, with his elbows resting on the table, and his bone line had just reached the level of clarity even in the dim carriage.

Nero moved his eyes to look at him, and his gloomy eyes showed signs of melting when they touched Rhodes.

"Who did she marry?" Rhodes asked. "Is that Anthony?"

Nero nodded, "He is her most trusted lover and has been with her for a long time."

He said with a stern expression: "Antony arranged the troops surrounding Rome this time. He exhausted all the soldiers and horses under his military power."

Rhodes' spine was straightened, and the hand holding the sword moved faintly.

……

It was early in the morning before the sun rose when we arrived in Rome.

Claudius opened the curtain of the car in fear, pea-like round eyes peeped out through the crack of the curtain.

The city of Rome is covered with dark blue clothes, and the newborn sun is very pale, embedded abruptly into the night, like a plaster bottom exposed because the blue paint is peeling off.

The emperor's shriveled facial features suddenly gathered into a ball.

Thousands of soldiers in uniform have been deployed outside the city walls.In the dark world like a solar eclipse, it is like a coiled iron snake.

Claudius pulled himself together, straightened the crown above his head with trembling fingers, stepped on the back of the slave and got off the carriage.He put on a rather majestic expression, only the trembling chin and cheeks revealed the tension in his heart.Hunchbacked and timid, he was like a sinner awaiting judgment.

Nero opened the door curtain, and there was some alertness in his sallow eyes.He is ready to fight.

In the dark and net-like cavalry, a milky white figure flashed faintly, approaching slowly, like a piece of white pus slowly bulging out.

That was Anthony who was besieging the city.

Anthony walked slowly to the emperor's eyes, and stood there peacefully, as smooth as a stream of sweet honey.He lowered his head and aimed his sleek blond hair at Claudius.

Husband and lover meet face to face in this situation.

The corners of Claudius's pointed mouth twitched a few times.His eyelids had grown old dark spots, and he stroked the purple robe trimmed with gold thread very unnaturally, his loose and slightly pale cheeks quivered, looking old in front of the greasy-haired and pink-faced Anthony.

His bruised lips twitched, "You are here to snatch my wife and crown..."

Anthony, with his head drooping, slowly raised his face, revealing his powdery facial features like a tortoise whose shell had been removed.His back is low, his blue eyes are squeezed into a curved slit, and the corners of his mouth are curled up like a thread.

Just like that, he showed a mask-like absurd smile as if by magic.His whole being is like living in a rigid puppet.

He moved his bright red lips, and his round voice flowed out like oil: "No. I'm here to make amends..."

Claudius was shocked, and his stiff face trembled as if it had been stirred.

Anthony leisurely raised his hand high, and slapped his powder-stained palm, and the troops behind him lined up on both sides.

The orderly walking of the soldiers caused a cracking vibration, and the line as tight as iron shields lined up to the side, revealing the pale yellow ground of Rome, marble statues of different heights, and the arena in the distance.

The faint morning light fell over Rome like a gossamer, and the red light surged in the dark blue sky.

Nero in the carriage saw everything through the crack of the curtain, and a ray of orange morning light slipped in, illuminating his surprised face.

……

Anthony's temporary change of mind played a role in turning things around in the stalemate coup between the two sides.

Messalina trusted him so much that she even entrusted him with the Herald Festival.She was bewitched by his sweet words and became more dependent on Anthony after Quentin's death.

Claudius' army entered the city without bloodshed, and finally approached the palace.

Unknowingly, Messalina was wearing a red ocher wedding dress, lying on a rocking chair and letting her pedicure slave pinch her feet.

On her head was a crown of golden laurel, and between her white fingers were radiant gems.She wore makeup that was so delicate that it was fake, and the red gauze that was close to her skin wrapped around her plump breasts, like a thin layer of blood.

An ornament that looked like white jade was stuck on her dry red hair.

—Messalina favored her dead son, knocked off his front teeth and collected them, trimmed them with gold, and wore them in her hair all the time.It was a way for Roman mothers to remember their dead sons and daughters.

The pedicure slave tremblingly pinches the feet of Messalina, who is similar to the queen.He scraped off the dead skin on the soles of her feet with a file, mixed mulberry juice with saffron, and applied it to her unclean toenails.

"Hmm..." She sighed with satisfaction in a sexy tone, "It's so comfortable..."

At this time, the marching sound of iron hoofs hammering the ground sounded outside the gate of the temple.

Messalina showed joy, "Your new king is back." She said happily.

She kicked the pedicure slave away, bent her bare legs, and her unabashed posture was like a prostitute waiting for customers to taste.

The door of the palace was slammed open, and the dazzling sunlight pierced into her eyes like scorpion pincers.Messalina narrowed her eyes in discomfort.

The dazzling halo gradually faded, Claudius's serious face immediately jumped in like a sticky fish, his hunchback was bent like a crochet needle, he was her husband; then, Nero stepped in with his personal guards, His face was full of indifference and contempt.He is the son of her old enemy.

These familiar faces swayed in Messalina's still blurred vision like fragments.She was in a trance for a moment.

The blond and blue-eyed Anthony hid behind the crowd like a ghost.A thin slit stuck in his pointed chin.

Messalina was stunned for a moment, then blinked suspiciously, her bright red lips parted slightly.Her rigid mechanical gaze moved back and forth between Claudius and Anthony, without any response.

When she realized it, her facial features collapsed as if a thread had been broken, and her face turned pale instantly, as if a white mold spot was rapidly expanding on her face.

Claudius turned purple with anger.His closed chest became more and more heaving, his breathing became more and more rapid, and the sound of heavy panting echoed in the palace, as if he was going to catch his breath in the next moment.

"You are already crazy...Messalina..." He said angrily, "You put your father and my niece under house arrest. Your heart, which was originally not bright, has now reached the point of stupidity because of the death of your son. point!"

Messalina stared at Anthony without blinking.

Claudius sighed: "The Senate has already sent someone to tell me everything... You are performing a farce for the whole Romans to make fun of!"

His condemnation lingered in Messalina's ears like a breeze.She couldn't listen to a word, but stared at her lover with bewildered eyes every night.

Anthony hid behind people and gave her a weird and quiet smile.

Messalina felt as cold as if her back was being caressed by a ghost.

Claudius, cautious and indecisive by nature, ordered her to be executed without prompting.He ordered the guards to take care of the queen, stomped his legs and feet shaped like bullfrog legs angrily, and left with his entourage and subordinates.

Anthony stood on the ground like a heavy stump.After everyone withdrew, he stopped alone in the center of the hall.

A sharp silence stretched in the air.

Messalina stared at him blankly, and suddenly screamed.Her finely sculpted face was distorted as if torn apart, and the skin that already had fine lines showed anger.

She shook her head in disbelief and muttered in a distorted voice.She was already half-mad and half-awake because of the loss of her son, but at this moment she fell into a chaotic and disordered thinking.

She repeated in a daze: "You betrayed me...you betrayed me..."

"Anyone with a discerning eye can see that what you are organizing is a coup d'état that must be lost..." Anthony smiled darkly, "You are the only one who is insane and immersed in it."

Messalina shook her head frantically, and her bright red lips swayed accordingly.Her consciousness is nothing but a puddle of rags.

Anthony lowered his head, and the darkness covered his lips.His blue eyes gleamed like scales and were utterly mean.

He took a deep breath and said in a vindictive, triumphant tone:

"You are finally going to die... All these years, you have been wriggling in front of my eyes like a dung maggot... You reek of the sewer! Your skin is rougher than asphalt, and your breasts are not as good as The oldest whore in the brothel is tight! Your stupid head is full of feces, and the air of Rome is polluted even by your breath, you bitch who is so cheap that pigs and dogs are willing to fuck... ..."

Messalina seemed to be in a daze, and the strong shock made her forget to refute.

After Anthony finished cursing, a ghostly figure was embedded in the dazzling white light of the door frame, and finally disappeared in a flash.

……

Claudius ordered that the queen who intends to rebel be put under house arrest and all her slaves be removed.

He freed Julius and Agrippina from captivity.And took this opportunity to cut his father-in-law's military power by half on charges of improper custody.Julius' power was greatly reduced.

As a result, the Roman regime changed drastically.

Agrippina was wearing a clean white dress and a silky white gauze scarf, her whole face was concealed in it.Behind her were two guards guarding her.

She hurriedly walked among the marble pillars, her brown eyes were like pools, always filled with bitter water vapor, there was no doubt that there was some kind of deep meaning surging there.

She just received a secret order.That was specially ordered by her uncle Claudius.

After three full days of deliberation, Claudius decided to execute his long-suffering cheating wife.

Agrippina's hasty footsteps stopped at the door of the palace, and a trace of complexity appeared on her usually indifferent face.

She lightly stroked the wooden door with her hand, paused for a moment, and then pushed the door open as if making up her mind.

The moment she opened the door, she heard Messalina humming.

The former queen sang while lying on the rocking chair, shaking it leisurely, making a creaking sound.In the huge palace, the sound was as piercing as a saw cutting back and forth.

Agrippina walked towards her slowly, the sandals made a crisp sound when they collided with the smooth ground.

Messalina's singing stopped suddenly.

"I didn't expect you to send me off, Agrippina... my insidious and cunning friend." She said hoarsely, "I must be very happy to witness that I lost to you..."

Agrippina paused, and said, "You have been so narrow-minded until your death, Messalina. I really pity your childish heart..."

Messalina laughed.She laughed very hard and trembled all over, as if she wanted to laugh out all the pleasure of her life.This look is very crazy, as if her stomach is full of countless jokes.

She was out of breath from laughing, and her voice was intermittent: "...the one I hate is actually the one who takes pity on me...the one I love wants to kill me! He once brought me so much the joy of..."

"You are spoiled by your doting father, Messalina..." Agrippina said flatly: "You must know that all the joys in life are but a short break between long tragedies." rest!"

The candles are burning like twins in the shadows, and the extinguished smoker emits a light lavender fragrance.

Messalina chuckled with her back turned to her, and the tragic turn of events softened her tone: "Although I hate you with all my heart and soul, I have to admit that sometimes I really envy you..."

"What do you envy me for?"

"I envy your smart mind, envy your courage to marry, envy your son..." Messalina said in detail, "I envy the blood you were born with..."

Agrippina stared solemnly at her slightly curved back.

Messalina tapped her toes to the ground, turned the swaying rocking chair, and turned her unpainted face towards Agrippina.

Her eye sockets were bruised, and her face was as old as an old woman without cream and eyeshadow.Her blush had faded long ago, crow's feet appeared at the corners of her sagging eyes, and her dull red hair was as dark as dried blood.She has a withered breath.

"See?" She pointed to her face, and laughed at herself, "My ending is just as ridiculous as my current face without makeup!"

Agrippina was silent for a while, with a slight trace of sadness on her indifferent face, "I will not torture you, Messalina. You will die in the most enjoyable way."

Messalina tilted her mouth and smiled strangely.She folded her arms, as arrogant as ever.

At this time, the dilapidated candles in the corner had been extinguished, and the hall was suddenly dimmed.Messalina's sickly figure was blurred, as if one dark cloud was being swallowed by another dark cloud.

Agrippina came closer, straightened the white veil on her head, and asked solemnly, "Do you have any last words?"

Messalina thought for a while, and said in her usual vicious tone: "May Anthony die in pain with a more miserable face than mine!"

Her hoarse voice, born from the darkness, flew invisibly in all directions like a curse made by a devil.

Agrippina nodded and winked at the Guards.

The Guards stepped forward with a short dagger, covered Messalina's eyes, and plunged the dagger into her neck...