At this moment, the two saw countless slave soldiers wielding weapons but with incomplete armor pouring into the area. After a cacophony of shouts, curses, and shoving, the open space in front of the residential area used for temporarily placing and transporting goods was crowded with the residents of the port area.
Yesterday, these robbers forcibly gathered the port’s people just like today, inciting them to join their ranks. As a result, quite a few port slaves and freedmen were swayed and became part of this group of bandits. Are they here to recruit again today?... With suspicion and unease, the two paused on the corridor, listening intently.
Their building was very close to the crowd, and the voices of the slave leaders shouting faintly reached their ears...
"These bandits are actually going to drive all the residents of Pompeii out of the city!" Daltemas showed a look of shock on his face.
"No, they said it’s not driving out, but inviting, and each household that voluntarily leaves the city can receive a silver coin as compensation—"
"The whole house is taken away, what can a silver coin compensate for!" Daltemas said somewhat angrily.
"At least they made this gesture and are also allowing the Pompeians to take their belongings with them when they leave. When have you ever heard of bandits or pirates performing such merciful acts?" Tegechamos said with a playful look.
"It’s nothing but the cat crying over the dead mouse; in the end, they still have to use force to threaten!" Daltemas said bitterly, and the continuous cries and begging voices from the front made him suddenly feel a sense of solidarity in calamity: "I wonder what the Romans are doing, not continuing to send troops to eliminate these bandits, but instead allowing them to continue to ravage Campania!"
"The Romans have been defeated twice, so now they probably don’t dare to send troops at will, right? Besides, it’s almost time for the election of next year’s governors; surely family affairs are more important than the matters of allies." Tegechamos spoke with a tone of sarcasm.
"What family, whose family, now we are all Roman citizens." Daltemas reminded.
"You are wrong; you are a Roman citizen, while I am just a Sicilian." Tegechamos said coldly.
Daltemas only then suddenly remembered: Although Regium and Messina are only separated by a narrow strait, their political status in Rome is now vastly different. The Roman civil war decades ago ultimately made all Italians Roman citizens, while Sicily is still a province of Rome, and the Sicilians do not enjoy the rights of Roman citizens.
Daltemas, for a moment, did not know how to speak, so he remained silent.
Tegechamos turned to go back inside the room, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man in a luxurious robe leading a team of slave soldiers walk into the building: "Someone is coming, could it be they’re looking for us?"
Tegechamos’s premonition was right; soon, the man in a luxurious robe appeared before the two of them. Though the man wore fine clothing, his skin was dark and rough, and he walked with a limp, giving a ludicrous impression of a dressed-up monkey, but he felt no shame, instead, smiling as he asked, "May I ask which of you is the Messina merchant Tegechamos?"
Tegechamos suppressed his inner unease and said nervously, "I... I am."
The man smiled and nodded at him, then looked at Daltemas: "Then are you the Hibernian merchant Kroxi Bas? Or the Regium merchant Daltemas?"
"I... I am Daltemas..." Daltemas glanced furtively at the fierce-looking slave soldiers behind the man, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"Where is Kroxi Bas?" the man asked.
Tegechamos pointed to the tightly closed wooden door beside them: "In there, he hasn’t come out since yesterday, seems to be sick."
The man gestured to the soldiers behind him, then walked into Tegechamos’s room, saying, "This time I’m here to discuss something with you."
In the cramped room, there was nothing but a board on the floor for a bed, and the air was filled with an unpleasant sour odor.
The man showed no disgust and sat down directly on the bed board, allowing his robe to drape over the dusty floor: "Please sit down, let’s discuss slowly."
As soon as the man finished speaking, Tegechamos immediately sat on the other side of the bed board, while Daltemas hesitated for a moment, swept the floor with his hand, and sat opposite the man.
"Let me introduce myself first." The man said loudly, "My name is Pigeris, and I am the Commerce Officer of the Maximus unit of the Free Italy army."
The man’s statement contained a wealth of information, prompting Tegechamos to cautiously ask, "May I ask what is this Free Italy army?"
Pigeris was about to answer when he saw his subordinate soldiers pushing a person inside. This person had a thin build, kept his head lowered, and was mumbling something continuously.
"Is this Kroxi Bas?" Pigeris pointed at him and asked.
"It’s him." Tegechamos replied.
"Let him sit there." After Pigeris spoke, the soldiers pressed down on Kroxi Bas’s shoulders, forcing him to sit by the door.
The room was nearly full with just 4 people sitting inside.
"Free Italy is the name of our entire group. We initiated this rebellion and resisted Rome to free all City States and races in Italy from Roman oppression, and to restore freedom," Pigeris said proudly, echoing words newly learned from Maximus Four, while Tegechamos and Daltemas listened as if hearing a strange discourse, their expressions somewhat dazed.
"Maximus is one of the leaders of the Free Italy army and also my leader. This city was captured by him leading his army alone..." Pigeris said proudly, and the expressions of the other two people began to show an impression.
"Our intention is simply to strike at the Campagnians who are willing to serve Rome. We have no intent to offend you, who come from far south. The reason we took you under our watch is also to ensure your safety," Pigeris said earnestly, looking out for them: "Now that the situation within the city is stable, Leader Maximus sent me to prepare to let you go—"
"You... you really want to let us go?!" Daltemas asked excitedly.
"Of course." Pigeris nodded heavily: "Not only will we let you go, but we will also return the ships, goods, and sailors you brought with you."
"I am speaking to you on behalf of Leader Maximus, so it’s true!"
Tegechamos and Daltemas finally showed a look of joy, eagerly saying in unison, "That’s wonderful! When can we leave?!"
"You can leave at any time." Pigeris looked at the three with a somewhat enigmatic smile, suddenly leaning forward and saying in a low voice: "But after all the effort and fear you have endured coming from the south and having suffered losses, gaining nothing and going back empty-handed, are you willing?"
"May I ask... what do you mean by this?" Tegechamos asked tentatively, a thought stirring in his mind.
"You come to Pompeii for trade, naturally for Campania’s wine, olive oil, or wheat..." Pigeris emphasized: "Not only do we have these things, but in enormous amounts and of excellent quality—" Pigeris halted his words, gazing meaningfully at the two in front of him.
Even before Tegechamos and Daltemas could react, Kroxi Bas, who had kept his head down, suddenly lunged forward, shouting, "Do you have Falernian wine? I want fifty jars!
Pigeris was startled but seeing the excitement on the other’s face, he immediately wore a slight smile: "Don’t just mention Falernian wine, we also have Statania wine and Calania wine (at the time, Campania produced three kinds of high-quality wines). Not to mention 50 jars, even if you want 1000 jars, I can provide them for sale to you!"