I put out his fire

Chapter 64 The grown-up Nero

As Agrippina had promised, Claudius was buried on a scale and splendor never before seen.

He died so suddenly that there was no time to make a will, let alone announce a new crown prince.

Therefore, Nero logically became the next emperor.

Agrippina came to her son's house with the royal tailor.Nero is about to ascend the throne and needs a well-fitting dress and laurel crown, as well as a scepter that symbolizes power.

He was lying on the banyan tree that Rhodes often lay on, wearing the white robe that Rhodes wore the day he jumped off the cliff, his posture was motionless, as if a layer of cocoon had formed, his whole body exuded hardness.

Nero lost a lot of weight, his lower jaw was so thin that it showed a bony shape, and he was very resolute.His wrist was bony, and one hand wore an old black leather glove with a strap crossed around his sturdy forearm.

Agrippina was startled when she saw him.She thought her son, who has always been emotional, would be devastated, but Nero is actually much stronger than imagined.

She looked up at him from under the tree, her nose was sore for some reason, and a cloud of mist appeared in her eyes, and she called out, "Nero...my son."

Nero's eyelashes were lowered, and he glanced at her indifferently.

Agrippina blinked her eyes vigorously, driving away the white mist in her eyes, and regained her usual composure.She looked around the courtyard. Several rows of copper and silver boxes were stacked behind the pillars, bound with silk, and the reliefs on the sides of the boxes were exquisite.

"I have received a lot of gifts these days." Agrippina looked at the box and said, "I heard that you have rejected many requests from nobles and elders to visit."

Nero glanced at the box not far from his feet, his face was indifferent, and he ignored her.

Agrippina sighed and said: "I understand you, Nero. I went through the same experience as you 13 years ago. Your father died in my arms. I cried and passed out. When I woke up, I really wanted to die with him, but his last words insisted that I live an extra 13 years."

She silently looked at Nero and asked, "Did your bodyguard leave any last words? Only by treating your lover's wishes as your own can you have a reason to live..."

"We are different." Nero suddenly said, "Rod is not dead."

Agrippina smiled softly: "I deceived myself that way back then. But the torrential flood, the freezing winter... how long do you think he can last?"

Nero remained silent, his brow hanging upside down and trembling uncontrollably.He forcibly suppressed his grief, his eyes were bloodshot, and he said resolutely:

"Unless I see him lose his heartbeat, lose his breath, I won't give up looking for him. I have been pessimistic about everything in my life; but this is the only thing I have to be optimistic about. Now the whole world is giving up on him , Using death as an excuse to gradually forget him. But I can't do this, because I am his man, not a coward who can only cry!"

"Oh... my poor child..." Agrippina shook her head.

Nero continued: "Rhode said that he will never leave his back to me. I am the same, whether he lives or dies."

"You can't do this." Agrippina had a complicated look on her face, "You have to learn to accept all this, my son..."

"I don't accept it!" Nero interrupted her, "I don't want to accept fate, don't heal myself after great grief, and don't start a new life in the time without Rhodes!"

Agrippina frowned, and reprimanded severely: "Are you going to contend with the power of fate?! You are too overconfident..."

"Yes." Nero suddenly clenched his black-gloved hands, "I want to let the ice warm, let the cruelty breed romance, and let the tragedy burst into laughter."

"Ridiculous..." Agrippina still maintained a serious expression, but her voice became weak.

"You can't do it, Nero. Maybe you should watch less heroic deeds with blood and brains. Even the "I come, I see, I conquer" Caesar ended up being stabbed to death on the steps by a group of elders ..." she said heavily.

Nero squinted at his mother, let go of his clenched fists, and said lightly: "It doesn't matter if you can't do it. How the fate is arranged is his business. I want to strive for the maximum freedom under his suppression."

Agrippina opened her eyes wide.These words hit her like a blacksmith.She instantly thought of her high-spirited husband in the Senate back then.

At that time, the young Domitius gave a speech in Greek, and the elders questioned his diction as disrespectful to the gods.

"Why do you have to sit on an equal footing with the gods?" Domitius in the white robe looked stern, with a natural domineering demeanor, "Look at the myth, Jupiter is full of lust│lust and greed, it's nothing special! "

This is the first time she has seen him.Agrippina, who came to the Senate with her father and brother to listen, fell in love with this domineering and handsome young man at first sight.

Agrippina said to the white-robed son with tears in her eyes, "You have really grown up, Nero..."

At this time, the house slave came from the door and reported to the mother and son: "Master, there is a fuel merchant who wants to visit you, so he stands at the door and keeps ringing the bell."

Agrippina quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said with a stern face: "Businessman? Want to sell yourself in front of the new emperor? Just drive him away..."

Nero lay on the tree and said to himself: "The fuel dealer..."

After thinking for a while, he jumped up from the tree trunk and asked loudly, "What's his name?"

"It seems to be called Virgil." The servant said, "but his surname is not noble."

Nero jumped down from the tree and ordered, "Let him in."

Agrippina wondered, "How can you let a merchant who is not even a knight enter the house?"

"I know this man." Nero said as he passed her. "He's a friend of Rod's."

……

When the fat Virgil saw Nero, he no longer flattered him.He was travel-stained, with a serious expression on his face, and he knelt down to salute Nero peacefully.

"I just returned to Rome yesterday, and I have been buying goods in Gaul before." Virgil said, "As soon as I entered the city of Rome, I heard..."

He quietly glanced at Nero, then lowered his head again, "Almost everyone is discussing this matter."

Nero said with a cold face: "If you are here to mourn Rhodes, then there is no need. He is just missing, not dead."

"No." Virgil said seriously, "Like you, I don't believe he just died. I have lived and ate with him for so many years, and I know how powerful he is. Even if he fell into the snake den, he could A person who walks out leisurely while eating grilled snake meat."

Nero imagined Rhodes in black clothes and black hair, acting neatly, and felt a dull pain in his heart.He swallowed his sore throat, restrained his emotions and said, "For the sake of your friendship with Rhodes, I can buy your fuel and use it in the ceremony."

"Oh no... I'm not here today to sell fuel." Virgil thought for a while and said, "Although it does have something to do with fuel."

Nero looked up, looking at him thoughtfully.

Virgil took out a piece of crumpled parchment from his arms, the writing on it was faintly visible.

"This is a contract to buy fuel. I signed it with the Virgin of Vesta Temple a month ago. She bought three months at a time. At that time, I moved the goods to the warehouse with a few slaves. of."

Nero took the contract and carefully studied the seal of the contract.The material of the seal is cinnabar, and the pattern is a torch.In the whole of Rome, only official temples can be dipped in cinnabar for seals, and the patterns are unique.

Virgil pulled out another contract.This contract is newer and smoother.

"Just last night, the virgin sent me an urgent message, saying that there was a shortage of fuel, and asked me to deliver the goods as soon as possible." Virgil said solemnly, "I don't understand why the fuel in the temple is more expensive than the olives in the baths. Oil is faster, which reminds me of the unknown fire in Latham."

Nero suddenly felt suffocated.

"Rhod was punished by the emperor because of that fire. Oh..." Virgil looked at him timidly, and added, "It should be the last emperor."

Nero squeezed the contract, the veins on his forehead twitched, "Have you ever asked the virgin, why is there a shortage of fuel when there is sufficient stock?"

"I didn't ask." Virgil shrunk his neck, "I dare not ask. I'm just a humble businessman. Sacred matters such as sacrifices and holy fire cannot be interrupted by despised businessmen."

He straightened his paunchy body.With a fat body, he actually looked a bit dignified, "If it was an ordinary fuel dealer, he would supply the fuel honestly, and would secretly be happy to make more money. But I am different. Rhodes is my comrade-in-arms through life and death. The best soldier in Signia ended up being forced to commit suicide. Honestly, I'm not convinced, so I'm going to speak out about anything that might have harmed him."

Nero stacked the two contracts together, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Thank you, Virgil."

"You're welcome. Like you, I care about him too." He glanced at the purple stripes on Nero's sleeve and said with a little inferiority, "It's just that I can't compare with you at all..."

When Nero heard this, his face changed, and he stared at his face silently for a long time.His eyes were fixed on his face, and Virgil felt his skin was burning, and he could hardly bear the pressure, and buried his blushing face deeply.

After a long time, Nero said sullenly, "Thank you anyway, Virgil. I will investigate the fuel anomaly today."

"Leave this to me." Agrippina emerged from behind him.

Nero turned, and only then did he look his mother squarely in the eye.Agrippina was wearing black mourning clothes, made of black silk and satin, which reflected light in the warm winter sun.

"You have not officially ascended the throne. I am the queen, and I have the right to dispose of a virgin." Agrippina said, "I have a hundred ways to make her explain why the fuel is abnormal."