Augustus Road

Kaimes coughed very cautiously, formally accepted the ring, then looked around again, approached the candle in the center of the table, and said: "Listen, my friend Calabis, this time the public works , don’t have extravagant hopes. You don’t have the assets, nor the qualifications. I have already heard that two aristocratic city officials gave the qualifications for the construction of the amphitheater to Neruda the Savage, and the large theater was contracted to Crassus the 'Oxhorn Hat' - you know, they don't expect to make any money at all, they are spending money to build momentum for themselves - Neruda wants to run for the next consul, and the censor Crassus wants to obtain the right to form a legion for the expedition to Egypt. The cost of each building will not be less than 300 to 500 talents. Your assets are only five talents. Save it! "Listening to Camex's advice, Karabis thought about it leisurely, took a bite of roast mutton, and said: "I don't have the extravagant expectation to take over the Colosseum or the Coliseum. In fact, I plan to buy this from your Municipal Department. For sale together, in the Varin communal apartment complex in Avendine Hill.”

"Oh, damn it, Calabis, is it the Siren who has deceived your mind? Go and buy that wretched place! You have lived in Rome for a year and you still can't see it? Eveningene and Suburra The district is the most notorious area in the city. Not even Cicero would have bought a house there - well, I heard that two of his apartments collapsed together yesterday and rats were running all over the streets in the ruins. "Listen to me, I'll use my contacts right away to find a trust company in other provinces. Use your money to lend money to tax collectors, and you'll be able to make twice as much money in three years." Si's tone was obviously raised in excitement.

"Your suggestion is very good, but I still feel that three years is too long." Karabis clicked his tongue, "Listen, my dear friend Camis, I have my own plans, but now I have the biggest difficulty, which is My assets were not qualified enough to bid.”

Kaimax lowered his head and thought for a while, then clapped his hands and said, "You don't have to worry about that. Although the qualification for bidding for that place requires one hundred thousand drachmas, I estimate that I can get it for twenty thousand. That’s right, I will handle the qualifications documents for you, but I still advise you..."

His words were interrupted by Calabis's "shh" action, "I accept your kindness. In the forest, lions and tigers have their own hunting methods, but so do foxes. Besides, after I finish this deal, I will donate a considerable amount of money to pave the way for the political future of His Excellency Julius Caesar, and of course I will not forget yours, Kaimes. The ring just now is only a small part of it."

Hearing Calabis's promise, Cames's entire face turned red with excitement. He sat up straight and held the wine glass, "I will support you with all my strength, with all my strength!"

In front of a dilapidated Valin apartment complex, Karabis folded his hands and walked back and forth on the dirt road in front of it. The dust on this road was very dusty, and there were low-class residents in shabby clothes coming and going, as well as carts drawn by mules. In front of the block is a silted river bend. It is close to the Tiber River and about a thousand Roman feet further along the river bend. It is the simple pier where the residents of Mount Avondine receive relief bread. Every day, the Municipal Secretary The small ships commissioned would arrive here carrying coarse wheat flour and bread and distribute them to the half-starved residents of Rome.

Looking further over, the Valin Apartments and the Grand Circuit on the main road are barren and empty land. The slums on the mountain have not yet been paved there.

After a while, Milu, Tagus and Pop came over. Like Calabis, they looked at the apartment with their hands folded. Then Pop, who was proficient in civil engineering, made a definition: there is no market day. , this place will collapse. The bidding day is still ten days away. By then, maybe you can win this place with fifteen thousand drachmas.

"The asset certification of one hundred thousand drachmas is a big problem." Milu added.

Karabis nodded in agreement and said that someone from the Municipal Division would help me get the certification, and then said with a smile: "Let's go, forget about this, let's go to the bathroom to relax first."

What they went to was a newly built Laconia-style steam room. On the street in front of the Temple of Flowers, the stove was placed under the arched floor, with mosaic tiles hung on the top by skeletons and iron hooks. On the ceiling, this group of people put towels on each other and sat on the benches of the recessed sweat room, sweating profusely. Milu and his group also became prosperous after taking over the Prema Villa in Luculas. Everyone has thick gold chains around their necks and arms, and everyone has legion tattoos on their bodies. Among them, the piercing in Calabis’s left ear is particularly conspicuous. This is a sign of being a slave, which led to this bench. , no one else dared to come and sit with them.

"You mean, you need help from our veteran gang?" Milu asked after listening to Calabis's roundabout statement.

"Yes, plus your relatives and children, I need one hundred and fifty to two hundred people to carry out the project of Valin Apartments." Karabis said bluntly, and then he paused and said, "I must add Yes, there are no wages or allowances before the work is completed and money is earned.”

A group of people in Milu looked at each other, and two of them lowered their heads: they were willing to follow Karabis before because they could earn generous wages, but now they are actually required to work, or they are voluntary labor, and no one knows the future. Whether he can get his hard-earned money, at least there is no guarantee in Calabis' tone, this is too childish!

After glancing around, the leader Milu continued to ask: "Calabis, our strong relationship is based on trust, so for what reason do you want us to help you build the Valin Apartment for free? project, you must explain it clearly.”

"Because all my assets have been invested, excluding the bidding price and the cost of materials, I have no ability to pay the labor. Now I am not even sure that the project can be completed, at least not for the time being." Karabi said frankly.

"Okay, let's do it!" Milu patted his thigh, and then said, "But based on the same faith, you must guarantee that you must pay us the full amount of wages after the completion."

"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm going to do with the homestead of this apartment?"

"The fewer people who know about this kind of thing, the better. You can discuss the details with Pop in two days." Milu then shushed, stood up, waved his hands, and said to the others, "Who wants to Go to the brothel next to the Flower Temple and have a good time. I'll pay the bill. I heard that the girls there will dress up as virgins for pleasure. Of course, Calabis doesn't need to go. Everyone knows that he is a famous wife-loving house. ." Everyone put aside their worries, burst into laughter, and followed Milu one by one.

This was Milu's intention to leave Karabis with space to think, but just after Milu and the others left, a message came from the bath next to him: "Calabis, I just heard that someone is worried about a lack of money. Is that so?" words.

Calabis turned his head and saw that the guy who was talking in the bathhouse was enveloped in a cloud of steam, and his face could not be seen clearly.

"Who are you?"

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