While the One-Year Plan and the fierce competition among the temples and collegia dominated public discourse, another rumor began to quietly circulate through Rome.
The rumor was that land prices across the Tiber were steadily rising.
"I don't know why, but it seems more and more people are trying to buy land over there lately."
"I heard prices have already gone up since last year."
"Are more patricians looking to build their private villas?"
Patricians primarily used the land west of the Tiber for luxurious villas and sprawling gardens. It was where politicians weary of Rome's noise entertained allies and supporters in peace.
Aside from those scattered villas, the area consisted merely of a few isolated farms supplying food to the city.
"Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for such useless land?"
"Exactly. Only a fool would do that."
However, the indifference of the patricians and publicani did not last long. The land prices continued their relentless climb, and soon, the buyers behind the surge were finally revealed.
Crassus and Caesar, two of the three men the Senate feared most, were buying up land across the Tiber.
***
"Has anyone uncovered why those two are buying up so much land across the Tiber?"
"I have no idea. But for them to purchase land on this scale, there must be an ulterior motive."
The senators fell into their usual heated debate.
Crassus and Caesar. Why on earth were they hoarding so much land?
However, for the majority of the senators, this was not necessarily bad news.
"The price of land has nearly doubled in just a few months. Have you ever seen a more profitable opportunity?"
"Exactly. If I had known this would happen, I would have bought more land over there myself."
Land prices continued their upward trajectory, and as a result, senators and equites who already owned land in the area stood to make enormous profits.
But not everyone welcomed the situation with open arms.
"For them to aggressively purchase land on this scale suggests a clear ulterior motive."
"Are they not simply trying to turn a profit, like anyone else?"
"The question is 'how' they intend to turn that profit. To recoup an investment of that size, they would need quite a scheme."
"Perhaps Crassus is simply planning to expand his inn business. The number of visitors from the allied cities and provinces has surged recently, hasn't it? I also heard Lucius is looking for land to establish new workshops. The cheap land across the Tiber would be an ideal location."
At first glance, the reasons the two men were acquiring land seemed straightforward. Yet the remark soon sparked a fierce controversy in the Senate.
And it was triggered by a single remark from Consul Caesar.
***
"Currently, there are only two bridges connecting Rome to the west bank of the Tiber: the Pons Aemilius and the Pons Sublicius."
Caesar spoke from his sella curulis, the curule chair that symbolized his authority. His co-consul, Luceius, sat beside him as usual.
"However, the Pons Sublicius is narrow and constructed entirely of wood, making it difficult for heavily loaded wagons to cross. For the convenience of the citizens, we must construct a new bridge."
"Building a bridge is all well and good, but are you and your son Lucius not currently purchasing vast tracts of land in that very area? Constructing a bridge with the Republic's funds is tantamount to using public funds to increase your own private wealth, is it not?" One senator demanded.
It was not a serious attack, merely routine political grandstanding. After all, there was no way Caesar would ever falter at such a mild provocation.
However, Caesar's reaction was enough to shock the entire Senate.
"What a foolish accusation! This bridge is needed for the public good of the Republic and its citizens."
"The public good? How exactly does it serve the public good? Is the west bank of the Tiber not nearly empty?"
"Does it necessarily have to remain that way forever?!"
At Caesar's curt response, the senators exchanged bewildered glances.
Caesar was a man who typically deflected such attacks with a witty remark or a dismissive wave of his hand. For him to react with such blunt defensiveness was highly uncharacteristic.
That afternoon, the senators gathered once again to discuss the matter of the west bank of the Tiber.
"We must find out exactly what scheme Caesar is plotting."
"But we cannot condemn a man simply for purchasing land," Cicero said, clearing his throat. "Is the protection of a citizen's property rights not one of the fundamental reasons our Republic exists?"
Private property rights were considered sacred in Rome.
The Republic's foremost duty was to defend those rights.
"We cannot attack him based solely on the fact that he bought land."
The others nodded in agreement. Much like Cicero, quite a few of them owned significant real estate in Rome and the provinces.
If they made an issue of Caesar and Crassus purchasing land across the Tiber, it would be like spitting in their own faces.
"But it is obvious Caesar is plotting something. We must uncover what it is by any means necessary."
"I agree. Many of us possess property in that region. We need information to determine whether we should sell now or hold onto it."
"What if we attack Caesar by accusing him of utilizing his consular power to enrich himself?" an Optimate senator suggested. "Lucius already has a near-monopoly on Rome's engineers. He is using them to carry out countless construction projects. If a new bridge is constructed across the Tiber, who do you suppose will win the contract?"
"That is a very plausible theory." The other senators nodded.
"Even if that was not Caesar's actual intention, it would still make a persuasive accusation. He will be forced to reveal his true plans just to defend himself."
The development of the area across the Tiber was undoubtedly good news for the senators as well.
The value of their landholdings would naturally rise. However, they needed to ascertain exactly what Caesar and Crassus were plotting.
It was a complex, delicate situation where they had to apply just enough pressure to keep them in check without obstructing the development itself.
"Ever since announcing his One-Year Plan, Caesar has been steering state affairs as he pleases. He already controls the vast majority of the newly established committees. If we can seize the initiative this time, we can significantly curtail Caesar's power."
Cicero nodded in agreement.
"If we succeed, the Senate can steer his reforms in the proper direction. To win the citizens over to our side, we must take the lead on these policies ourselves."
But how should they proceed? They needed a way to uncover Caesar's plans while undermining his momentum.
After long deliberation, they devised a cunning stratagem.
"Currently, Lucius is the only man in Rome operating a printing business. Moreover, he has his town criers announce the news in the Forum every day. What if we ask him to publish flyers and reports accusing his own father?"
"But would Lucius ever accept such a proposal?"
"Of course he wouldn't. And that is precisely our objective. I see what you mean." Hortensius smiled, tapping his finger against the desk. "Lucius has always insisted that his reporting is impartial and accurate. If he refuses to publish criticisms of his own father, how do you suppose the citizens will react?"
"Brilliant. That is a very compelling strategy."
"If Lucius rejects our proposal, we move straight to the next phase of the plan. We will keep pressuring Caesar until he is forced to reveal his true intentions."
However, it wasn't long before their expectations were spectacularly proven wrong.
"What did you say?"
"Young Caesar accepted the proposal!"
"That's...impossible."
Lucius accepted their proposal without a moment's hesitation.
[Is Consul Caesar Attempting to Exploit His Power for Personal Gain?]
[Senators, including Cicero, express grave concern over the Consul's silence. Lucius Caesar also refrains from issuing a formal statement...]
When Lucius distributed flyers criticizing himself and his father, the senators were not the only ones left in shock. The citizens reacted with the same bewilderment.
"What in the world is happening right now?"
***
"I would love to hear an explanation of how this is supposed to be a clever idea." Pompeia asked, crossing her arms. "You said you plan to provide affordable housing to the citizens. Then why not simply announce that fact? The citizens would have welcomed it with open arms, and the Senate wouldn't have been able to utter a single word of complaint."
"I didn't do that because that wouldn't have been any fun."
"Fun? Are you saying you made this decision simply for your own amusement?"
"If I had just announced it, the Optimate senators wouldn't have launched this attack. They would have remained in the shadows, waiting for the next opportunity to strike."
I shrugged. The strategy my father had proposed was highly persuasive. And I had added a few new elements of my own.
The first step was to bait the Senate into attacking us.
"I have always said that I would not let personal interests influence my reporting. And through this opportunity, I have proven it."
A news outlet openly criticizing its own owner. That was a rarity even in the 21st century.
The senators were absolutely certain I would reject their request. The rest of the Roman citizens likely thought the same. But I had proven them all wrong.
"If you went to all this trouble simply to prove that fact..."
"Have you ever closely observed acrobats perform, Pompeia?"
Romans were fond of acrobatics. Performers from the provinces entertained crowds every day and appeared at patrician banquets as well.
"A truly masterful acrobat never shows their best trick at the start. Instead, they deliberately make a mistake early on, inviting the audience to laugh and mock them."
It was a tactic meant to lower the audience's expectations. That was exactly what father had proposed.
First, make the people doubt us.
Up until now, I had won the favor of the citizens through countless charitable endeavors, including support for the veterans.
But no matter how much charity one performed, it was impossible to win over everyone. Even among supporters of the Optimate faction, many still harbored deep suspicions or outright hostility toward me.
"They seized this opportunity to attack us publicly. They are publicly accusing my father and me of blatantly seeking to line our own pockets."
"I understand it's a trap designed specifically to draw them out. Are you planning to draw up a proscription list like the one Sulla used?"
"That is certainly an option. But corpses are of no use to anyone." I smiled softly.
There was a far superior method.
"If there are doubters, you win them over one by one."
Pompeia stared at me, her expression blank.
"The more these suspicions spread, the more citizens will begin to doubt my father and me. They will whisper that the two of us were just greedy politicians after all."
That was what politicians did, after all: spend enormous sums to seize power, then use that power to extract even more money.
In Rome, the consulship and provincial governorships were widely seen as paths to immense wealth.
But I was no ordinary politician. My objective was to strengthen Rome and prepare it for the coming storm, not merely to monopolize political power.
Power was nothing more than a tool.
"Meanwhile, my supporters will argue that I must be exceptionally principled and incorruptible to allow criticism of myself to be published. When the conflict between these two factions reaches its peak, the truth will finally be revealed."
Affordable housing for ordinary citizens. Years of stable work for tens of thousands of laborers. An economic boom fueled by the massive injection of silver into the market.
"Even those who doubted us will have no choice but to admit they were wrong and come over to our side. Or, they can shut their mouths and crawl back into the shadows."
Once the result is undeniable, my supporters will become more loyal than ever.
Those who never lost faith will feel vindicated.
A brief silence fell over the room before Pompeia let out a sigh.
"You realize you sound incredibly evil right now, don't you?"
"It's a wonderful opportunity for you as well, Pompeia." I said with a laugh. Pompeia and Brutus were the ones managing the news operation.
"How often does a wife in Rome get the opportunity to publicly excoriate her own husband?" I looked at Pompeia. "Do whatever it takes to stoke public suspicion and criticism of my father and me. Use flyers, notice boards, and criers in the Forum—every method at your disposal."
Just how many husbands in Rome would ever make such a request of their wives?