In comparison, Septimus's wedding with the Scipio family was simpler.
Sulla's wedding became a public event with complex religious rituals.
Once the temple portion was over, Sulla climbed into a luxuriously decorated carriage.
A small and adorable child carrying a torch led the way, followed by a band playing cheerful music as they marched toward the Palatine Hill.
In addition to the wedding guests, people joined them along the way.
They sang ancient folk songs, as in a procession.
Septimus, together with a group of nobles, also followed the carriage in their respective personal carriages.
"Hail, Sulla!"
"Congratulations on your marriage, Sulla!"
Pompey and a group of people also joined them at some point.
Septimus nodded when his eyes met Pompey's; he had not expected him to arrive at this hour.
Sulla had a grudge against Pompey, but he was not petty.
Pompey and even Lepidus received invitations to the wedding.
Soon, the procession arrived at Sulla's house.
The wedding formalities and traditions finally came to an end, and Septimus withdrew.
The trial between The Newspaper of Rome and Lepidus was approaching.
Lepidus, the old fox, knew about Septimus's reckless past, and during the last few days, he remained locked inside his house.
Septimus had no intention of murdering Lepidus, but giving him a little scare and letting him live in fear was part of Septimus's intentions.
Five clones would take care of the assassination attempt against Lepidus.
On the other hand, Septimus, sitting at a desk, directed his gaze toward the two men in front of him.
One of the men standing in front of Septimus was the famous Cicero, the father of lawyers.
Cicero was acclaimed as the father of lawyers for his exceptional skills in litigation.
He was not born into the nobility; like Marius, he was a vassal of someone else.
However, he rose through the hierarchy until he became Roman consul, and he was unmatched in legal matters.
He was also an expert in literature and philosophy, the only philosopher in Rome.
Apart from his poor judgment, somewhat weak character, and tendency to flatter the nobility, he had few major flaws.
Septimus was genuinely interested in meeting such an important figure in history.
Cicero was confused at suddenly being escorted by a group of black legionaries to the residence of the famous General Seprimus.
An hour ago, Cicero had been at his residence when suddenly a group of black legionaries knocked on his door.
The black legionaries and their distinctive emblem were quite well known throughout Rome for representing Sulla's best general.
Terentia, Cicero's wife, was also noticeably nervous about the sudden interruption by a group of legionaries.
The summons from a famous general and the subsequent trial with Lepidus clearly meant that they were seeking Cicero as a lawyer.
Cicero was nervous about the sudden interruption by a group of black legionaries, but his wife quickly understood the intentions of the group of legionaries and the famous General Septimus.
Terentia hesitated, thinking that her husband might offend the consul of Rome, but wisely decided not to persuade him in front of the legionaries with serious expressions.
Cicero and a fragile-looking man were escorted to Septimus's residence.
The other man's name was Quintus, Cicero's brother.
Both men were somewhat nervous throughout the entire journey.
Cicero had already been forced into exile in Greece for having offended Sulla.
Previously, Cicero had had conflicts with a freed slave trusted by Sulla who was attempting to take possession of the property of a purged noble family.
Finally, Cicero's litigation skills managed to win the case, causing him to become an enemy of Sulla's faction.
"I know that you have a conflict with one of Sulla's freed slaves, but don't worry, I can help you resolve it." After saying this, Septimus looked at him in silence. Although Septimus liked Cicero, he had a conflict with Sulla.
Throughout Cicero's life, he had always been a firm defender of the aristocracy and insisted on the leadership of the Senate, which was completely in line with Sulla's position.
"I want you to be my lawyer in the upcoming trial," Septimus said with a calm expression.
"This..." Cicero hesitated for a moment, finally understanding Septimus's intentions.
"If Lepidus dares to retaliate against you because of this, you can come to me whenever you want," Septimus promised.
"Brother, I think you should accept. You are lucky to have the favor of General Septimus," another young man said at that moment.
Septimus looked at the young man with slight interest; the young man was intelligent.
"Are you Quintus, Cicero's brother?" Septimus asked.
"That's right. I didn't expect you to know my name as well," Quintus Cicero said enthusiastically.
"To hire your brother as my lawyer, of course I have to find out who he is," Septimus said calmly.
Septimus noticed Cicero's hesitation and did not continue insisting.
Regardless of the outcome of the trial, few in Rome had forgotten the incredible mobilization capacity that Septimus had demonstrated during the war.
Unlike other generals, Septimus's legions were completely financed by Septimus himself.
The cost of maintaining more than 10 legions was calculated in millions of denarii.
Lepidus had no intention of completely offending Septimus, and suing him was intended to show a tough attitude before the people of Rome.
Many senators and nobles knew that the trial between Lepidus and Septimus was nothing more than a simple spectacle for the people of Rome.
However, Cicero continued to hesitate and did not agree, which left Septimus somewhat dissatisfied.
"I hope you will think about it," Septimus said, and with a gesture of his hand, he dismissed the guests.
Quintus, Cicero's brother, appeared uneasy as he watched the guards escort them to the exit.
At Cicero's house.
Terentia, with an annoyed expression, looked at her husband with frustration.
Many nobles in Rome were trying by every means to obtain Septimus's support, but her hesitant husband simply did not know how to take advantage of the opportunities.
Quintus, Cicero's brother, was also frustrated by his brother's hesitation and his inability to take advantage of such a perfect opportunity.
Septimus himself was inviting Cicero to represent him in a trial against Consul Lepidus.
The simple fame of participating in the trial would be very important, and Cicero showed hesitation, almost annoying Septimus.
On the other hand, Terentia set out to persuade her indecisive husband.
Serving Septimus and gaining his recognition would be of great help for Cicero to enter politics.
Terentia constantly encouraged Cicero to dedicate himself to politics, convinced that only politics was a worthy profession for a man, and that earning money through business was completely inferior.
After a day of persuasion from his wife and brother.
Cicero finally decided to completely follow Septimus.
Before 24 hours had passed, Cicero, with a humble attitude, visited Septimus's residence.
Cicero also regretted having hesitated. Since he was young, he had aspired to restore the glory of his family, which historically led him to a political career.
Clinging to Septimus meant the rise of his family.
Septimus did not show much interest in the previous meeting with Cicero and simply accepted that he would represent him in the trial.
Finally, the time for the trial arrived. The weather had become cold, but that could not extinguish the enthusiasm of the crowd.
The court was located near the Piazza della Signoria, and the trial was held outdoors.
The place was packed with people; they already knew about Lepidus's lawsuit against Septimus's newspaper and had come to watch the spectacle.
The Great Judge, Cassius Longinus, dressed in an ornate toga, was giving instructions to his staff to prepare the place.