I put out his fire

There was a temporary shortage of olive oil in Rome, and the olives purchased by Nero played a role in turning the tide.

He gained a good reputation, and earlier rumors that he was corrupt have died down.

As emperor, Claudius summoned Nero to the palace and offered him a symbolic reward.

The shutters are wide open, and the fragmented light flows like water among the leaves of the banyan trees.This square window looks like a bright green gemstone embedded in the sandstone wall.

Nero sat in front of the bronze mirror in his bedroom, surrounded by slaves like bees, helping him pack.

The slave girl lit Arabian frankincense, which dyed his clothes.The manicure slave trimmed his nails with a file, and the house slave stood behind him, shaking a colorful feather fan to drive him away from the heat.

Nero scratched his disheveled silver hair, leaned closer to the mirror, and stroked the soft stubble on his chin with his fingertips.

"Where's my barber slave?" he asked disapprovingly. "It's not elegant to wear a beard."

The house slave shook his lupine and replied respectfully: "Unfortunately, he suffered from malaria a few days ago and asked for leave yesterday to go home."

"Malaria?" Nero said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.Immediately, his eyes froze like ink, with a sense of urgency.

"Give him [-] sesterces to recuperate." He waved away the female slaves and manicure slaves, "Let all slaves be careful not to contract this troublesome disease."

"The family has bought wormwood that can repel mosquitoes." The slave said, "As long as mosquitoes are driven away, malaria can be avoided."

Nero took out the razor from the silver box, turned his hand, and the light of the blade rolled over his face like white waves.There was a star-like gleam in the corner of his immature eyes, and the slender fingertips were lined up on the handle of the knife like suet.

He pulled back his slightly long sideburns, "Who else in the family knows how to get a haircut?"

Before the servant opened his mouth to answer, a crisp voice shot in like an arrow from outside the window: "Me!"

Nero's heart moved slightly like a flower bud breaking through the ground.

He raised his head, and the disheveled forehead hair immediately drooped to his eyes.His silver hair is curly and fluffy, and the thin bangs half cover his eyes, making him look very weak and shy.

Rhodes jumped directly from the banyan tree into the window, stepped on the desk, and finally fell to Nero like a fallen leaf returning to its roots.

He pressed down on Nero's stiff shoulders forcefully, grabbed the razor at once, and twirled it skillfully in his palm, causing gusts of blade wind.

"I know this." Rhodes said with a smile.He and Nero looked at each other in the mirror, and the rotating knife light swayed rapidly on the faces of the two of them like water waves.

His very good-looking eyebrows are close to Nero, almost an indistinguishable beauty.

The sensitive Nero quickly lowered his head, blushing gradually flooded his neck and cheeks like a tide.

Rhodes dug out a lump of grease from the box, his sharp hooked hands forcefully lifted his face, and wiped it heavily on his chin.

"Oh..." Nero seemed to be bullied by him, his soft lips trembled, and he clenched the corner of his clothes instinctively.

The sharp edge of the razor rubbed against Nero's jaw, and Rhode's hot breath burrowed into Nero's earhole like a worm.The soap locust smell in his clothes is extremely strong, it seems that the blood vessels from the nasal cavity to the lungs will be cut by this smell just by smelling it lightly.His temperament is too strong, almost destroying the fragile Nero.

Nero's heart beat faster.He narrowed his eyes furtively, just in time to take a peek at Rhodes' deep collarbone and fair skin.

He suddenly felt hot.

The innocent boy didn't know what this strange reaction represented.

After Rhodes finished shaving, he lifted his forehead hair again, like shearing sheep, and cut his bangs short with a few clicks.

He put away the blade, stared at Nero's face that was almost purple, and said self-consciously: "Don't be nervous, I am very skilled in handling swords, and I can't hurt you."

"...I didn't mean that..." Nero muttered in a low voice.His soft tone sounded weak.

Rhodes glanced at him lightly.He grabbed the wet wipes on the table and threw them to the servants beside him, "The next cleaning is up to you."

The house slave nodded respectfully, put down his feather fan, and wiped his master's bearded chin with a wet towel.

Rhodes patted off a few strands of silver hair stuck to his clothes, and was about to turn around and go out.

"Rod..." Nero called him lightly, with a shy expression on his face.

Rhodes turned his face sideways, revealing his profile as if carved by a knife and axe.

Nero pinched the hem of his clothes shyly, and asked cautiously: "I'm going out for a while, can you accompany me..."

Rhodes frowned, and said sharply: "You don't have to be so humble. I am your personal guard, and you have the right to order me to do anything!"

Nero felt a sense of relief over success.

……

When meeting Claudius, Messalina sat beside the emperor.

Nero has silver hair and red robes, followed by Rhodes with black hair and black clothes.He saluted the emperor on the throne.

"In view of your outstanding performance, I decided to give you some rewards, Nero..." Claudius hooked his back, like an old sparrow squatting on a golden throne.

His voice became softer, and he secretly glanced at Messalina next to him from the corner of his eye, with a cowardly look.

Messalina glared at him, her smeared blood red lips moved twice, her complexion was unfriendly, and then he said: "We will give you 5 Eugrams of land, and two female slaves who are proficient in cooking and clothing making You have to know that the price of these two female slaves is more expensive than the ever-victorious gladiators!"

"I am grateful for all this with my body, mind and honor." Nero said flatly.

Messalina's face was gloomy.She stood up, stepped on a pair of red sandals inlaid with gemstones, and walked in front of Nero.

"You must remember the favor we bestowed on you!" She said in a sarcastic tone, pinching Nero's cheek with her red nails.

Quentin's failure and dissatisfaction made her more jealous, and she hated Nero, who was victorious for a while.

"When you go back, don't forget to convey my regards to your mother..." Messalina said viciously.Viciousness oozes from her forehead and between her eyebrows like sweat, "I haven't seen her for a long time... I'm planning to visit her these days."

"I will." Nero frowned, avoiding her increasingly forceful hand in disgust.

Messalina's eyelids smeared with gold powder lifted, and her upturned eyeliner trembled, nailing Rhodes' face like a sticky toad.

Naturally lustful|slutty, she is as if she has dug up a treasure, and her eyes with heavy make-up emit a greedy red light.

"You have a good eye..." Messalina eagerly stretched out her hand to touch Rhode's face, "He is so handsome!"

Her cunning hand, like a slippery fish, stroked Rhodes' lips all the way to his Adam's apple, and then fondled his chest greedily.

Rhodes' spine was straight, and his icy eyes were motionless.

Nero suddenly grabbed her restless hand and pressed hard on her unhealed palm.

Messalina screamed in pain and wanted to withdraw her hand, but Nero pinched the wound tightly.

"He's mine." He said blankly, with sinister emotions crawling across his face like withered vines.Under his brow bone is a black cloud, like the river of Styx submerging his green eyes.

Messalina was startled.She struggled to pull twice before she withdrew her hand and rubbed her swollen and painful palm.The ruby ​​bracelet tied on the forearm rattled.

She glared at Nero resentfully, and the atmosphere fell into a stalemate for a while.

Claudius on the throne coughed twice, and his hoarse old voice came over tiredly: "Okay... Nero, you have received the reward, you can retreat now..."

Nero bowed to the emperor and left with indifferent eyes, together with his personal guards.

Messalina stared at his back, her lips bounced a few times like worms, and cursed in a low voice.

Claudius sighed.He leaned crookedly on the overly wide throne, his wrinkled nose shrank, and he looked very uncomfortable.

"You should save me some face..." He said unhappy, "I know you like handsome men, but Nero is my junior after all..."

"Shut up!" Messalina's fiery figure turned around, aggressively, "When you become the emperor, do you know how to save face?!"

"It's not a matter of face..." Claudius was stunned by her stare, "But neither of us likes to listen to those gossips, don't we..."

Messalina folded her arms, a bit of sarcasm burst out from the corner of her mouth, and she looked like a shrew, "You have a mouth that is always drool, instead of teaching me, it is better to persuade those olive oil merchants to ask them less A little compensation!"

Claudius looked sad.His thin body was paralyzed on the seat, with his back bent, and he always had an obscene aura.

"Those traders who only pretend to be money are not so easy to deal with." He said sadly, "This incident has caused a lot of trouble in the city, and they will take this opportunity to make a lot of money..."

Messalina looked stern, and said domineeringly: "Then sell the marble mansion you secretly bought behind my back! Pay off the debt for our only son!"

Claudius sniffed and made a loud noise.He was extremely wronged, and his anger was like weeds, quickly climbing over his shrunken face.

"Why?" He trembled with a resentful expression.With enthusiasm, he said what he wanted to say a long time ago, "Quentin and I don't look alike at all, who knows if he is my own son..."

Messalina froze for a moment, then smiled mockingly.She crossed her arms and walked back to the high seat, looking arrogant.

"Why do you care so much?!" She said with a heavy anger, "It is enough to be your son in name!"

Claudius' lips were purple with anger.He pursed his lips desperately, his face flushed, and every muscle in his face was spasming violently.As a result, his bulky hunchback became even more bent, and a whistling sound came out of his nasal cavity.

"Hmph! Look at how you dare not speak out, like a mouse cornered by a wall!" Messalina attacked him not to be outdone, her voice sharp as if implying a stab.

She crossed her legs, and her snow-white thighs were exposed from under the red gauze skirt, in a very dissolute posture.

"Don't forget...whose dowry and resources are you relying on to sit on the throne under your ass!"

Claudius stiffened as if awakened.He gasped a few times, trying to suppress his anger abruptly.

He squeezed out a flattering smile, leaned towards her feet, took her hand and kissed, "Don't worry...I will vouch for Quentin and say something nice for him. This will happen soon past……"

Messalina snorted coldly, and let him kiss humblely, without any intention of withdrawing her hand.

Claudius felt sad, but also secretly pleased with her positive reaction.

He quickly knelt down at her feet, picked up her red sandals and kissed her a few times, like a slave trying to curry favor with his mistress.