Augustus Road

Chapter 30: The Gladiator School of Capua (Part 1)

“While Greece as a whole has little rainfall or even drought, there is one particular area that has endless rain. "——Aristotle's "Meteorology"

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Bojanis stuck out his tongue. The scene that just happened suddenly made him a little breathless, but then Lepidus raised a stack of wills and said loudly, "Even at the critical moment of life and death in the East, this archon was still thinking about everyone's career. If I don't read these contents carefully in front of the goddess of justice today, how can I cross the threshold and test of God? But before I read it, I must remind everyone again that the wills here are all the real and legal words of Mr. Crassus, and they are the clear echoes he left in this world. "

After that, in the noise that rose again, Sipinzer sternly maintained the order on the spot and asked to read it for Lepidus. At this time, the Boyanis who had recovered from the shocking incident of the head began to make a fierce noise again, but most people were suppressed by Lepidus and Sipinzer together. This small group of people was buzzing like flies.

"I don't believe this nonsense. Haha, I came to Rome more than 30 years ago and have seen many tricks of stealing and changing the family." Boyannis shouted in a very arrogant manner.

As a result, despite the doubts, Spinzel took out the first will and read, "My dear heir, I grant you full power to transfer the property rights of the double-story apartment worth 50,000 drachmas next to the Flower Square at the foot of the Palatine Hill, as well as the retail shops under the arcade, to my good friend, the knight Boyannis. Thank you for helping me manage ships in the shipping business of Masseria and for assisting me in the tax farmer dispatch in the robe Gaul. Complete the debt collection work."

After reading, the whole banquet froze, especially Boyannis, who almost fell to the floor. But Spinzel then spread out the papyrus. There was clearly Crassus's ring seal on it, and everyone was shocked. Whispering among themselves, Lepidus looked at Boyannis with contempt, and seeing him cut off his own life, he couldn't help but smile.

Then. Separate wills were read out one by one, and most of the knight representatives were gifted by Crassus. Some received a considerable amount of money, some received excellent real estate, some were exempted from their original debts, and some had their engineering contracts reasonably extended. In short, within a limited scope. Almost every knight representative benefited equally. They were stunned at first, and then slowly cheered and applauded collectively, and then they began to have fun again next to the teasing prostitutes. No one questioned Lepidus's qualification to inherit the throne anymore, and they had no need to question it. Who would be as stupid as Boyannis? Some people even laughed at this stupid old guy on the spot.

But soon, they were too lazy to laugh at him, and started hanging out with prostitutes and male dancers. Some knights even jumped onto the dining table and started to spin and dance. The smell of alcohol quickly spread. Zeno covered his mouth and rushed out. Lepidus handed the box to Matthias for safekeeping, and did not go out to retain the virgin. Maybe she still needs time to adapt! At this moment, on the steps, Boyannis hunched over, approaching Lepidus with an awkward and flattering smile, but before he could say anything, Lepidus smiled and pushed the will into his arms, "This is still yours. I have no doubt about the will of the Archon. I think you are the same now, right?"

"Yes, yes." Boyannis was overjoyed, and his body straightened up, took the legally binding will with both hands, and expressed it hurriedly.

At this moment, the fork bell at the gate rang rapidly again. Several slaves kicked the door with their feet in the dim doorway. Then several escorts with sticks arrived and stood on both sides of the door. Then Caesar's father-in-law, Bisso, walked in with a smile on his face. His presence made the atmosphere of the whole banquet reach its climax. Bisso deliberately asked loudly in the crowd, "Has anyone questioned the reading of your will?"

"No." Lepidar smiled calmly and said.

"I don't think so, but if anyone really questions it, you can come to me." Bisso's joke attracted the good-natured laughter of everyone around him. This joke was exchanged by Lepidar for a full three hundred talents.

With the escort of Licilia, Bisso and Spinzel, Lepidus escaped danger. He distributed the flexible parts of Crassus's legacy, especially the hot potato - real estate in Rome and money, to the knights. He won the trust and support of the knights. Of course, he also inherited the iron mines left by Crassus in Etruria, the shipbuilding sites and docks in Brindisi, the veterans' resettlement area in Campania and many large farms. The property rights were undoubtedly inherited by him.

At the subsequent ceremony of taking office as the Minister of Finance, Lepidus set out from the Temple of Virtue to the Temple of Concord, surrounded and protected by more than 3,000 street thugs hired by Claudius. The elders, under the pressure of the tyranny, stood in front of the sculptures and colonnades of the synagogue with dissatisfaction, reluctantly approving the resolution of the People's Assembly. Not only did Lepidus have the most notorious "Claudius Party" standing around him, but also thousands of former soldiers who escaped from the Syrian battlefield, all gratefully flocked from the suburbs and the countryside to show their support. Of course, the name of the new Minister of Finance was clearly written on the Senate roster with the approval of the censor, and was as scary as the Spanish swordsman guards with terrible beards behind him.

Soon, the new governor of finance was involved in a fight in Rome. Several gladiators attacked him when he went to the Subura district to inquire about Caesar's mother. Two of his groomsmen were killed, but the governor quickly drew his sword from his sleeve and killed three gladiators, protecting the frightened little Jewish attendant beside him.

After the gladiators ran away, Lepidus changed his bloody robe and entered Caesar's mansion. Caesar's mother Ottolia was half lying in the courtyard. When she saw Lepidus coming, she smiled and said, "I believe the sun will be good for me. I don't expect myself to get better, but I hope my life can quickly and happily melt in this warmth."

Lepidus half-knelt down and kissed the back of her bony hand, "You eat too much seafood, it will ruin your throat."

"I can die when my son is successful. "I feel lucky to be gone. I don't want to see what he will be like later. It will be a huge burden for everyone." Ottolia turned her face away, "He has always been a very opinionated person, just like me when I was young." Then she suddenly seemed to remember something and pointed to the two women who came to accompany him who had always stood under the grape trellis. One of them was recognized by Lepidus, Atia, the widowed mother of Turinus, and the other one was also recognized by him, Antony's mother, and the other one was Julia (Antony's mother was from the family of Julius).

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