My XX deal with Sister Nero

"Perhaps many people are wondering, I spread the word yesterday that I would reveal a big secret today, what exactly is this secret? Could it be the previously rumored mystery of His Highness's life experience?" The quartermaster stood on the high platform and said slowly, "Now, here, I tell you responsibly, no, what I want to tell you is another secret."

Another secret? Any other secrets?

Hearing these words, everyone present was subconsciously stunned.

Another secret? What else?

"Everyone present here should know that I have released a lot of news, and the authenticity of these news was also confirmed by the Senate. The Senate also released a lot of news that echoed the news I released... Can everyone understand what I said?" The quartermaster smiled, looked meaningfully at the elders standing behind him, and said slowly.

Ok?

Looking at this inexplicable look, Vanore's heart moved, and a sense of danger instantly arose.

"The elders have confirmed the authenticity of my news, or in other words, they believe that the news I announced is true. But if I were to tell you today that this news is actually false, what would you think?"

When the quartermaster's words were heard, the scene exploded with a buzzing sound.

Fake? The news released by this person is fake?

So, all the negative information about His Highness basically does not exist?

"You...!" As the quartermaster's voice fell, Vanore's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

I didn’t expect this guy to backstab the Senate!

It would have been fine if Vanore didn't say anything, but as soon as he opened his mouth, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

Since this person said that the news he spread was fake, why did the Senate say that the news was true? What... were their intentions?

"Surprised, right?" The quartermaster took two steps to the side and looked at the elders standing behind him. He said with a teasing smile, "Elders... have you forgotten what you did before? Oh, yes, I will give you a hint. I am a subordinate of His Royal Highness the Prince."

Tony's subordinates?

At this moment, even if these elders could not think of it, they now understood that they were being lured. As for the reason for the luring... was it about the Iceni Kingdom?

"I think everyone present here must be wondering, right? Why am I, His Highness' subordinate, publishing news that discredits His Highness? Isn't this strange? In fact, it's not strange, because His Highness asked me to do this, and the purpose of His Highness asking me to do this... Elders, do you think I need to tell you what happened in the Iceni Kingdom?"

“……” The elders looked at the quartermaster with grim expressions and said nothing.

Now that things have come to this, if the elders try to stop them, I'm afraid these citizens will try every possible means to find out what happened in the Iceni Kingdom, right?

"Since you are silent, does that mean you agree?" The quartermaster smiled and glanced casually at the citizens below the stage who had different expressions.

"More than a month ago, Your Highness went to the British Province. In the British Province, Your Highness learned that some nobles in the Kingdom of Iceni were trying to rebel and usurp the throne that belonged to Queen Boudica. I'm sure you all know that Princess Ryan is engaged to Your Highness, which means that Your Highness's child will be the future heir to the Kingdom of Iceni. In other words, the Kingdom of Iceni will belong to Your Highness. These nobles are trying to usurp not only Queen Boudica's title, but also Your Highness's Kingdom of Iceni."

Everyone present nodded, this was indeed true.

"Your Highness certainly would not allow such a thing to happen. After learning about the situation in the Iceni Kingdom, Your Highness cooperated with Queen Boudica to capture a noble who was attempting to rebel, and obtained certain information from this noble, such as... the person behind this noble."

At this point, the quartermaster smiled at the elders and said, "My dear elders, may I ask why you want to usurp the Iceni Kingdom that belongs to Your Highness?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the citizens were shocked.

The Senate... actually wants to usurp the Iceni Kingdom that belongs to Your Highness? What's going on?!

"Or... let's change the question. Everyone, why did you form an alliance with the Holy Church and assassinate His Highness?!"

If usurping the Iceni Kingdom could only cause an uproar among the citizens, then colluding with the Templar Church to assassinate His Highness was enough to make everyone angry.

The Templar Church belongs to Christianity, and this news was later announced and confirmed by the imperial government. As everyone knows, the assassination that took place at the engagement ceremony of His Highness and His Majesty was caused by the Templar Church's desire to retaliate against His Highness for his massacre of Christians.

So why did His Highness massacre the Christians? It's simple, because they set fire to the city of Rome.

Therefore, the citizens of the entire city of Rome generally have no good feelings towards the Cathedral Church, and even towards Christianity. Now, they really did not expect that these senators would actually join forces with the Christians who burned down the city of Rome to assassinate His Highness!

"You're talking nonsense!" One of the elders subconsciously took two steps forward and shouted, "How could we possibly join forces with the Holy Church to assassinate His Highness?"

"Really?" The quartermaster sneered and said, "During the engagement ceremony, in addition to the Royal Guards, the guards of His Majesty and the Senate were responsible for protecting His Highness. The Senate guards are responsible for the largest area, and at the same time... they also happened to be responsible for the road where His Highness was assassinated."

At this point, the quartermaster's expression suddenly became serious: "Everyone, I have a question. When His Highness was assassinated, where did the guards around him go?"

"..."

The elders were silent.

They had no way of answering this question, and they couldn't answer it.

Such an obvious flaw had not been discovered before because the situation was chaotic at the time and no one thought of the Senate, but when someone noticed this... what could they say?

Looking at the silent elders, these citizens were able to react to some extent. They... actually colluded with the Holy Church to assassinate His Highness!

PS: Woohoo, my Qinglu is back, and the Thousand Year Blood War animation has been confirmed

Chapter 697: Senate (Part 2)

The elders of the Senate actually colluded with the Holy Church to assassinate His Highness? !

When the news was announced, almost all the citizens present were angry.

For the common people, the news currently circulating about Tony can only be regarded as gossip at best. The actual situation on the front line and whether Tony is really a member of the Claudius family are harmless to ordinary Roman citizens. After all, these have nothing to do with them.

But there is one thing that Tony did that concerns almost all Roman citizens.

The fire of Rome!

Christians set fire to the city of Rome. The fire was quickly put out under the command of Nero. Then Tony also bloodily massacred a group of Christians as revenge for the Roman citizens who died in the fire. Because of this, the whole city of Rome respected His Royal Highness the Prince very much.

But now, the Senate not only wants to usurp the power that belongs to His Highness, but also joins hands with the Holy Church to assassinate His Highness? What is this? Collaboration with the enemy? !

"You...you are talking nonsense!" One of the elders retorted subconsciously, but the elder's rebuttal seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.

"Nonsense? Tell everyone, how did I talk nonsense?" The quartermaster raised the corner of his mouth slightly, looked at the elders present, and said with a smile.

"I..." The elder opened his mouth but said nothing.

It is an indisputable fact that Tony was assassinated, and it is also well known that the Senate, the Praetorian Guards and Nero's Royal Guards jointly took charge of the security of the engagement ceremony at that time, but... why was His Highness assassinated on the road you were in charge of? Why didn't you send someone to rescue him immediately?

These are questions that the Senate cannot answer, and precisely because they cannot answer them, one thing is confirmed, that is... the Senate and the Cathedral Church have joined forces to assassinate His Highness!

"You want to overthrow His Majesty's rule, and you also don't want His Highness to take power, so you tried to restrict His Highness and even usurped the Iceni Kingdom that should have belonged to His Highness. But after His Highness saw through your trick, what did you do? You chose to spread rumors and defame His Highness, so His Highness chose to lure you out and let the citizens take a closer look at the faces of you elders!"

"You..." The elder gritted his teeth, not knowing what to say for a while.

"I didn't expect that the elders of the Senate... are actually such people." Looking at the elders on the stage with sullen expressions, similar discussions were heard from the crowd.

Looking at the citizens discussing below the stage, Vanore had a gloomy face. He knew that this time was different from the previous times. This time, the senators of the Senate, at least those standing on the podium including him, had completely lost their reputation.

"Yeah, I didn't expect that the elders who are the backbone of the empire actually wanted to assassinate me." At this moment, Tony's voice suddenly came from the main entrance of Augustus Square.

"Long time no see, Elder Vanore." Surrounded by a group of guards, Tony came to the square with a teasing smile on his face, looked at the elders standing on the platform, and said with a smile.

"Hmph, was everything part of your plan, Your Highness Prince Odney?!" He took two steps forward, passing the quartermaster and asked with a gloomy face.

"Of course, everything is in my plan." Tony nodded with a smile and said, "Elder Vanore, I know what you want to say. It was destined when you planned to support me to step on my sister's corpse to ascend to the throne. You and I are not the same kind of people. You are a qualified politician who can do whatever it takes to achieve your goals, but I can't. I... am just your majesty's younger brother. In my heart, there is still something called family affection."

...I have one too!

Hearing Tony's words, Vanore was angry and couldn't help but want to complain in his heart. Who doesn't have the feeling of family affection? Isn't Vanore doing this just to make his descendants live a better life?

But... the citizens just love it!

The senators are indeed the backbone of the empire, but at the same time, they are also politicians, and for citizens, politicians... are not good things, at least compared to civilians, they are not good things.

So Tony's words really touched everyone's heart.

You elders, in order to gain more power, actually instigated His Highness to kill his own sister? What is this? Are you beasts?!

Looking at the increasingly angry crowd, Vanore knew that he had completely lost in terms of public opinion, and he... lost because of his carelessness.

Of course he had investigated this quartermaster. This man was indeed a member of the Sixth Legion and had indeed fought on the battlefield with His Highness. Even the wife of the general who died in the battle said that this quartermaster was her husband's friend.

He believed the information, and he never thought that all this was a trap set by Tony against the Senate. After all... who would think of using a trick like fishing in this era!

People who play tactics have dirty hearts!

"Your Highness." After taking a deep breath, knowing that he had no chance to refute or resist, Vanore said bluntly, "Just tell me, Your Highness. How do you want to deal with us?"

"Me?" Tony snapped his fingers lightly and said to his guards, "Send an order, first... detain these elders~"

……

When the people in the Senate learned that more than a dozen senators headed by Vanore had been captured and imprisoned, they subconsciously touched their necks. His Highness... finally took action against the Senate!

The arrest of the second senator Vanore marked that Tony had bared his fangs once again. He wanted to purge the Senate before purging the Guards!

After Vanore and other senators were imprisoned, Tony dispatched Nero's royal guards and his own guards at lightning speed that afternoon. With the support of the intelligence organizations lurking in Rome and the support of the Underworld, they launched a large-scale hunt for the senators of Vanore's faction. For a time, the entire Roman Empire was in a panic, and at least one third of the 600 senators were captured.

"Brother, these elders...how are you going to deal with them?" Faced with Tony's somewhat crazy behavior, even Nero couldn't help but be shocked. His brother is only thirteen years old. This iron-blooded method...isn't it a bit too scary?

In short, if his brother said that he wanted to hang all the two hundred arrested senators, Nero would never agree.

Because by doing this, my brother will offend too many people.

"Arresting so many senators is just a means to scare and intimidate other nobles." Tony shrugged. He knew that he seemed to have gone too far, but fortunately he did not have a strong desire to kill and did not think of hanging them all. "Vanole is the second senator, he is in a high position and has great power. The Scipio family behind him is a behemoth comparable to the Claudius family, so... I can only choose to compromise and dismiss him from his position as a senator. Among the remaining senators, those who participated in the assassination of me and similar incidents against me will have their surnames removed and exiled to the frontiers if they are of civilian origin, and the punishment for senators of noble origin will depend on the situation. The lighter ones will be dismissed from their positions as senators like Vanole, and the heavier ones will have their noble status abolished. As for those who have not participated in these incidents, they will just be imprisoned for two days as a minor punishment."

PS: Sorry for the late update, as for the reason... yes, my daily life, my dad got drunk today and called me five times in a row to scold me [funny]

Chapter 698: Cleansing the Senate

Tony's methods were generally of the nature of much ado about nothing. It seemed that he was swift and resolute in arresting people on a large scale, but in fact, those who were actually executed were all insignificant little characters. After all, Tony was just talking. There were more than two hundred senators, and there were dozens of Roman noble families behind them. If these nobles were really in a desperate situation, they might lead the Senate province to rebel completely, and no matter how strong the Roman Empire was... it would be seriously damaged in a civil war of this scale.

Therefore, Tony's attitude was to give these elders a light hand and exile them. As for the ordinary people under these elders who participated in the assassination of him, he would deal with them according to the severity of their involvement.

After all, the wedding is coming soon, and he doesn't want his wedding to be stained with blood.

Next, Tony and Nero had two very important things to deal with. The first was the preparations for the wedding, and the second was to fill the vacancy in the Senate.

The Senate was originally founded by Romulus. In the Roman monarchy era, it was a meeting of elders composed of wealthy aristocratic elders. In the Republican era, the Senate was composed of former state governors and other representatives of large slave owners. They held the ruling power and had the power to approve and recognize laws, approve the election of the highest officials, manage finances, diplomacy, and military affairs, and implement major religious measures. It can be said that the Roman Senate was the absolute ruler in the Republican era.

Even after Augustus established the principal system, although the power of the Senate was weakened, at least the Senate still had a pivotal position in the imperial political arena. They were still a national political institution and still nominally governed the Roman Empire together with the principal.

Tony wanted to take back the power of the Senate and establish a huge empire with a centralized system as the main body and a feudal system as the auxiliary system.

To establish centralized power, the first and most important thing is to weaken the Senate.

Under Tony's promotion, a lot of fresh blood was injected into the Senate. Among these 200 new senators, at least three-quarters were nobles loyal to the Claudius family who were planted by Tony and Nero. The remaining quarter were from the common people class, who intended to make a big move and were passionate common people senators.

After the establishment of the new Senate, Nero, as the chief senator, made a rare appearance in the Senate. This time, she came to the Senate for two purposes. The first purpose was to establish a new second senator, and the second purpose was to require the Senate to pass two proposals.

"Teacher Seneca, from now on, you are the second senator in the Senate." Standing in front of Seneca, Nero lowered his head respectfully and spoke softly like a good student.

"I..." Seneca smiled bitterly, glanced at the senators in the Senate Hall, and shook his head.

The nominal highest decision-maker in the Senate is the chief senator, that is, the emperor himself, but the person who actually holds power is the second senator. Although Seneca is a famous scholar in the empire and has made great achievements in the imperial political arena, his family foundation is not prominent. If he rashly sits on the position of the second senator... I'm afraid many senators will not accept it, right?

Although... no one dared to show it.

Seneca's student was Nero. Rather than saying that Nero was his student, it would be better to say that Nero was his ancestor. Nero had been emperor for two years, and with his temper he had not yet brought down the empire. The reason was nothing more than the assistance of capable ministers like Seneca.

Seneca felt bitter and wronged.

Seneca was already over sixty years old, which was considered advanced age in both the East and the West. Yet, for such an old man, he had to clock in at the Senate in the morning, assist Nero in handling government affairs in the afternoon, and write speeches for Nero in the evening. Every week, he also had to take out a certain amount of time to write his own drama scripts. In short, both Tony and Nero, at least until now, still had a certain respect for this old man.

Nero still respects her teacher very much, so she gave her teacher considerable honor. In this way... she can be more free in government affairs.

In addition to establishing Seneca as the second senator, Nero also brought two proposals this time, hoping that the Senate would pass them. The first proposal was to grant Tony the status of senator, and the second proposal was that Nero would build a public school in Rome in the name of the imperial government.

This school does not teach philosophy or debate or other high-sounding stuff. These schools only teach the basics, such as addition and subtraction in mathematics and Latin learning.

That’s right, this is a large-scale literacy class for ordinary people.

Tony has only one request, which is to eliminate illiteracy. At least in this way, the Rome City Street Office... should be able to recruit street office aunties, right?

These two proposals were quickly passed by the Senate.

Tony becoming a elder does not mean that he will sit in the Senate and chat like everyone else. To put it bluntly, he just wants an empty title of elder. This title is harmless to everyone, so just give it to him casually. As for school... it's just literacy, what does it have to do with us?

After these two proposals were passed, Tony decided to proceed to the next step and establish the Roman Empire as a centralized empire, supplemented by feudal governance.

Whether a country can be governed well or not, in addition to whether the policies issued by the central agency are correct, there is another issue worth noting, that is, whether the empire's decrees can be effectively transmitted to the provinces below. In pan-human history, it was precisely because of the issue of decrees that Diocletian finally established the system of four emperors ruling together, intending to use this system to better manage the Roman Empire. The final result of this system... of course, was that the empire was split into two.

So Tony's idea is very simple, that is, when the imperial rule reaches its limit, let's take the imperial territory of the Trajan era as the upper limit, a centralized system will be implemented in this part of the empire, and other than that, it will be divided up, nominally maintaining the Roman Empire and forming a new feudal system.

Perhaps for the future Roman Empire, this... is a way out.

As for how to achieve centralization, of course it is to establish clear institutions and build an existence similar to the "imperial court".

But this... is not something that can be done in a short period of time, and what I must accomplish in a short period of time is naturally my wedding.

The wedding of His Royal Highness Tony, Prince of Odeni of the Roman Empire, and His Majesty Emperor Nero, the fifth head of the Roman Empire!

PS: I will speed up the progress later. I have said several times that I want to finish it. Well, according to the progress, even according to my current writing progress, it will basically be finished within April.