Augustus Road

Chapter 10: Changes in White City (Part 2)

Tegranis was naked and sitting in front of the bathroom of the palace. Several young eunuchs held up the long-handled silver mirrors of the gods and placed them on his front, back, left and right. The remaining few palace barbers were calming down and quickly using Pliers and tweezers were used to remove the aging hair or miscellaneous hair on the temples, forehead and neck of the aging King of Kings. After finishing the work, the barber gently applied the essential oil extracted from tiger, lion and hippopotamus oil to Tegranis's braid. After twisting it up carefully, the barbers let out a long sigh and walked away one by one.

At this moment, the King of Kings walked into the floating steam bath. The aroma of essential oil penetrated into his nostrils. It was a kind of stimulation of spring love for him. He now needs this medicine more and more. I couldn't keep up with my body, energy, and ambition. I felt like an aging lion whose melon seeds were gradually fading away. I watched the many young stray lions around me wandering around maliciously, trying to keep my wife, children, and children. territory. At this time, in the smoke, he saw the plaster head placed in the niche opposite the bath. It was the statue of his favorite Misara. If he was still alive, he should be the prime minister of this kingdom by now? Misaro was so young and beautiful, so loyal, and so proficient in government affairs. Thinking of this, Tegrenis could only sigh, and stood up alone, leaning on the edge of the bath. No matter what, he was not willing to give up this power. , now that Eubotia has escorted his son back, he must publicly execute little Tegre at the noble meeting during the Holy Mountain Ceremony, and declare the fact that he has fallen to Parthia.

According to a strange custom of Armenia, or to be more precise, it was introduced from the distant ancient Assyrian Empire. It is within three days before the Holy Mountain Festival. As a king. You must cleanse yourself in the bathroom of the deep palace, and find someone from the common people who looks similar to yourself, whether he is a farmer, slave, or a trafficker, and capture him into the palace and put on a crown, for the sake of a short period of time. The "false king", although the courtiers, nobles and eunuchs all knew that he was a fake. But he still has to be treated as a real king, and he must be well-dressed and well-fed. The fake king likes the maid, and he can "visit" her at any time like the real king, but the queen and concubines are naturally not allowed to touch her. . On the day of the Holy Mountain Ceremony, the false king will be taken off his crown, dressed up beautifully, and sent to Mount Ararat to be executed as a sacrifice to heaven, to appease the gods’ dissatisfaction with the kingdom, and to be accepted as a substitute for the true king. die.

At this time. In the corridor outside the bathroom, the head of the guard, Gaspar, walked over with a solemn expression. After whispering to the sword-wielding officers and soldiers in front of the bathroom door for a while, the group of imperial guards quietly left under the leadership of Gaspar. Then, stepping on the floor, spurs jingling, another group of armored soldiers wearing Macedonian nose helmets came along the corridor. When they walked to the door, they dispersed all the eunuchs standing there, and then a few soldiers pulled the door handle. Holding on tightly, the leader raised an iron hook and suddenly hung it under the huge wrought iron hook on the porch, across the door on both sides.

Tegranis in the bathhouse was instinctively alert when he heard the noise outside. He hurriedly rushed up with all his strength. The water-stained floor was so slippery that he rolled and crawled with his hands to avoid being hit or pulled. Facing the heavy bronze door, accompanied by the screams of several slaves who had just taken a nap, Tegranis sat slumped in front of the door, with horror and fear coming from all directions - the Praetorian Guard composed of his carefully selected noble children, Why did you suddenly rebel against him? Why!

At this time, in the huge courtyard behind the palace, all the guards were holding flags and standing there solemnly. The mill workers, bakers, meal cooks and washing slave girls who were working here were all driven away. When they arrived at the corner of the wall, they huddled together in a helpless way until the invisible Queen Otpelei, escorted by a tall indigo warrior, walked in murderously on a carriage. She saw All the officers were looking up to him, and he promised directly and openly, "Back then, I also hoped to be an enemy of Rome, but now in the face of the situation, all ideas are so fragile. The other party's envoy is in Atak." In the military camp of Seta, all the nobles and generals are unwilling to surrender to Parthia, and the neighboring Eubotia and Galaxia have the same attitude. There is no need for Armenia to become a victim. I will be responsible for telling the king Xiang, but the king must not come into contact with any traitors or concubines during this period. As for the loyal and brave soldiers, the Roman envoy promised that once a wonderful peace is reached between the two countries, each of you will have five hundred drachms. The reward of horses and quite a bit of land.”

Then the queen glanced around her and saw that no soldiers raised any objections with their swords. She pointed at Gaspar, who immediately stepped forward and half-knelt in front of the carriage, "Immediately, all the king's favorite concubines, accompanying eunuchs, including others Deal with the heirs and move quickly. Also, welcome General Lepidus into the palace."

At nightfall, a team with pine trees came out from the military camp, winding its way up the city wall and the mountain stairway. There were densely packed ballistae and stick throwers waiting between the walls. In front of the team, Lepidus rode a white horse, his forehead There were beads of sweat on his face. In the cold autumn night, bursts of white breath began to exhale from the soldier's mouth. He looked at the palace and the fortress reflecting the white light faintly in the night. He knew that if this was a trap, he would He and all his men could not escape. From the moment he stepped into Ataxeta, this either-or choice between life and death was doomed.

The gate rumbled open, and at the end of the fire, there was nothing inside that could be identified. Lepidus gurgled his throat, then led the way, holding the reins, his legs lifted on the back of the owl, and Matthias and Alp followed on the left and right, rushing in quickly.

Next, he saw rows of men, women, and children kneeling by the wall, blindfolded and gagged with ropes and cloth strips, being beheaded one by one by the Armenian guards, and the bodies were carried to the drainage ditch in all directions. Lepidus led the guards through silently, and in the parade ground a little further away, he saw many people digging, which seemed to be a big pit to bury the bodies. At this time, Biduita and a guard officer came forward and nodded at him, and Lepidus understood that the matter had been successful, and a stone in his heart quickly fell to the ground, and he whipped his horse and passed through the slaughterhouse.

The fake king, played by a potter, was still sitting stupidly on the throne in the main hall. In front of him were warriors with swords swaying everywhere, and there were also men and women in gorgeous clothes. Some were hiding everywhere, and some were killed on the spot. No one cared about him, and he could only stay where he was, not daring to move at all. Suddenly, the queen, accompanied by a group of maids, gently sat on the small throne beside him. This was the real queen, still charming, and suddenly smiled at him.

The fake king shuddered. (To be continued...)

Chapter 519/1140
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Augustus RoadCh.519/1140 [45.53%]