I put out his fire

Julius fell into the slave's arms while talking drunkenly, muttering under his breath, and soon began to snore.

His snoring was loud enough to shatter a slave's breastbone.

Rhodes asked his slave some details of the fire.This will serve as the disaster material he submitted to the Senate.

The fire in the villa was extinguished by the fire alarm, and the gray-red lingering smoke billowed and breathed into the air towards the villa.The eunuchs of Julius gathered in front of the villa in a panic, all of them were handsome, with their family seals burned on the back of their heads.

Rhodes caught a glimpse of the group of young eunuchs, picked up the metal engraving pen and asked, "Are those all your master's property?"

The slave lifted the heavy Julius with difficulty, and replied humbly: "Yes. When the oil barrel was lit, they were waiting for the master to take a bath."

Rhodes wrote on the wax board, brushing off the wax debris that was carved out.

"How long have they been bought?" he asked as he wrote.

"This is not necessarily true. Some have served their masters for five or six years, and some have been less than a year." The slave said, "The master dotes on these eunuchs very much, giving them silk and jewelry, and allowing them to lie down to eat and drink. Wine with honey water."

Rhodes couldn't help being surprised.Julius' favor for the eunuchs was by no means ordinary.

Fortunately, the fire, which was started for fun, did not result in fatalities.

The fire brigade retrieved ladders and water pumps and collected some charred remains of oil drums and cloth.

Rhodes asked a few eunuchs who had been in the fire to take dictation, and pricked their thumbs to press blood marks on the parchment.He assembled the fire alarms that were dispatched and distributed their bonuses.

Rhodes was so busy until midnight, and returned home in a night light.

Fireplaces burned in every room of the hall, and the flames swelled against the marble walls.From the gaps in the shutters, there was an orange light like bird down, and the dome seemed to be unable to suppress the fire, and was almost toppled by the fierce fire.

Rhodes, who had just returned from the night and fatigue, stopped in the courtyard, his slightly tired eyebrows gradually stretched.

The shutters on the second floor were pushed open at this moment, as if by the firelight in the bedroom.Inside the arched window frame stood a tall, thin silhouette with fluffy curly hair.

Rhodes' mouth raised a gentle smile.

Nero leaned on the window and waved at him, even his hair was trembling.

"I've been waiting for you." He said excitedly, "Hurry up and eat!"

Rhodes took off his long sword and military boots, and walked into the warm hall with a smile.

On the dining table was a bowl of porridge stewed with milk, topped with steamed grated pumpkin.The squid slices are fried and rolled up, the pink and white tender meat is poured with black pepper sauce, and the tall fruit plate holds a few bunches of purple grapes and sliced ​​​​pears.

Nero pulled out a chair for Rhodes, and placed a clean white tablecloth under the porridge bowl.

The two sat opposite each other.

Nero cut open the fish with a knife and put it on Rhode's plate.

"I heard from the house slave that Julius's villa was almost turned into a ball of fire," he said. "He needs to pay reparations for this disturbing fire."

Rhodes ate his porridge quickly and quietly, recalling: "He was drinking too much, and his face was swollen as if he had been soaked in water."

Nero's expression turned dark, "He's gone. If it wasn't for the thousands of deterrent elite soldiers under his command, he would have been impeached by his political opponents in the Senate to the province."

Rhodes quickly ate up the porridge, and the slave serving the meal quickly brought another bowl, this time with pickled mussels sprinkled on top of the porridge.

Rhodes kept his head down, stirring up the mussels.His eyes froze slightly due to thinking, and his stirring movements became slower and slower.

"I heard something from him," his deep voice came out from under his long hair, a little dark, "it's about my life experience."

Nero stopped cutting the fish, his relaxed expression suddenly subsided, and he asked solemnly, "What's the matter?"

Rhodes let go of the long-handled spoon, pressed his lips tightly and remained silent for a long time.His lips were all in the shadow of the sideburns, so even the words seemed to be born from the shadow: "My father and Caligula have a relationship beyond master and servant, and may even..."

He paused, and said tensely: "...may have been in his confinement for a long time."

Nero gripped the knife tightly in surprise.

Rhodes Vermilion's lips were pressed together for a long time before they opened: "It is said that Caligula also executed my father's parents and sister..."

Nero asked in surprise, "Does your father have a sister?"

"Yes." Rhode nodded slightly, "If that Julius speaks the truth after drinking..."

Nero thought for a while, and his slender eyebrows trembled together.

"So...your whole family died at the hands of my uncle, including your grandparents." He said in a daze.

Rhodes looked up at him calmly.

Thinking of this, Nero became more and more terrified, and his face turned pale in an instant.A panic that would almost drown his consciousness swept over him, his face flushed as if stained with blood, and the dangling table knife and silver plate made a series of crisp sounds when they collided.

Rhodes walked up to him, held his trembling shoulders, and comforted him, "Maybe it's just a drunken man talking nonsense."

Nero subconsciously grabbed his hand on his shoulder and reacted violently.His pain burst out from instinct, it was irrepressible and subverted everything.

"If it's true..." He seemed to be moaning, "Will you be separated from me because of this... Rhodes..."

Rhodes leaned over and hugged him from behind, wrapping his arms around his neck.Nero's curls covered his chin.

"You forgot..." He said in a soft tone, "We are all prisoners of blood."

Nero felt as painful as a scar being uncovered.

Rhodes said calmly:

"Because of my unchosen bloodline, so far I can only live in anonymity. I have suffered in the military camp since I was a child, keeping my sinful family name secret, and I can only swallow it when I hear other people's abuse. I didn’t want to live at all, but I was forced into this world by my irresponsible parents and was forced to face all of this. My birth was like a kidnapping under the guise of life. It’s ridiculous that even as a The kidnapper's parents, I don't even know who they are..."

Nero stopped trembling, his face was as dark as sinking.He stood up and hugged Rhodes, but remained silent.

Rhodes let him hold him, with a relaxed expression, and said with a light smile in Nero's ear: "Until now, most of my life has been almost ruined by this bloodline. Do you want to let it ruin the love of someone I love?" Power?"

"Oh..." Nero turned around and embraced him with emotion.His lips and chin were buried in Rhodes' shoulders, "Thank you... Rhodes... thank you for saying that..."

Rhodes felt the slight vibration from his shoulder, closed his eyes with a smile, and hugged his back tightly.

……

The sacrifice to pray for the cessation of the flood was over, and Nero began to invest in the plan to renovate the theater.

The architects submitted many plans drawn on parchment, and the theater conceived was very beautiful in appearance.

But these proposals were rejected by Nero.

With Nero's strong will, Rhodes agreed to move the bedroom next door to his.Nero in love is very dependent on Rhodes, trying his best not to let him out of his sight.

The slaves worked together to carry the wooden bed and quilt to the second floor, cleaned the vacated room, and installed curtains and carpets.They made the bed, set the new dining table and candlesticks, and anointed the feet of the bed with nourishing oil.Rhodes' dining table is the same as Nero's. The fruit in the tall fruit plate is changed regularly and is always fresh.

Rhodes looked at the expensive furniture with a cold expression, "These things seem to be too heavy for a civilian guard."

Nero clasped his arm, fixed his eyes on his, his expression was as serious and solemn as if he was taking an oath.

"It's not heavy at all, Rod," he said slowly, "it's not heavy at all."

Rhodes looked back at him, melting heat appeared on his cold face.

Nero glanced around, moved closer, suppressed his voice and said, "I have sent someone to check your family history, and your parents..."

Rhode's eyes slowly moved across his serious face.

"Actually, you don't have to be so concerned about those dead people." He smiled. "The plan to renovate the theater has not yet been determined. You should focus on that."

Nelu paused, then sighed: "But none of the blueprints given to me by the architect can satisfy me."

"Isn't it pretty enough?" Rhodes asked.

"No, it's not new enough." Nero shook his head and said, "The current theater can only perform sports, beast fighting, horse racing and drama performances. After the renovation, these are still the same. It can be said that there are no bright spots or new ideas except for changing the shell..."

He was thinking, eyes still, "If you want to win the support of the people, you must create an unprecedented theater that will refresh everyone. They want to change their ways to entertain, and as an administrator close to the people, I have to go to Satisfy them."

Rhodes looked at him deeply.

At this time, the house slave came in from the door, holding a delicately carved wooden box, and knelt down in front of Nero's leather boots.

He handed the wooden box to Nero and said, "Your customized lock and two key rings have been made by craftsmen, master."

Nero opened the wooden box with a crack, and peeped through the crack to see the two gold rings inside.

The corners of his eyes are curled up with a smile, and the silkworms that have been hidden for a long time because of melancholy are filled as if awakened, and even the freckles on the bridge of his nose look particularly childish.His always gloomy face was covered by this pure smile, and at this moment Nero showed a childlike innocent smile as if he had returned to his original nature.

He closed the lid of the box with an excited expression on his face. He held Rhode's hand and said, "Let's try that special lock."

The house slave stepped back to prepare the carriage with discernment.

……

The two took a carriage to the foot of the flooded mountain and climbed up the stone steps.They passed the temple worshiped by floods halfway up the mountain, and after a short walk they reached the manor on the top of the mountain.

The lawn in front of the manor was well groomed by slaves.They used sandpaper to polish the marble stone carvings on both sides of the stone road, and put blue and purple garlands on the heads of the gods.The turquoise creepers cover the walls like green paint, and there are thick grape vines between the pillars.

"The manor is more humane than the last time I saw it." Rhodes said standing on the stone road in front of the temple gate.Ripe purple grapes hang down in front of his face.

"I bought some slaves to take care of it." Nero picked a grape and said, "A noble cannot have only one residence."

Rhodes picked off many grapes and ate them all, followed Nero into the winding underground passage to the cellar where the treasures were stored.

The cellar and passages were newly dug, and the soil that had not been cleaned at the corners was very sticky and wet, and the whole cellar had a strong smell of marl.Nero held up the torch and lit the candlesticks one by one. The pale yellow candlelight floated like a firefly in the cellar like an ancient tomb.

The two stopped in front of the stone door of the cellar.

Nero touched the wet stone door, turned to Rhodes and said, "The statues and jewels hidden in this door account for almost half of my property."

His naturally hoarse voice swayed in the empty tunnel, and bounced back with a thicker echo like a resurging tide.

Rhodes picked up the lock hanging on the stone door and observed it carefully.

This special iron lock is plated with gold leaf and has two key holes on the side.

Nero took the two rings out of the box.

The key is made of gold, and the head of the key is set in a ring of the same gold.The robes worn by the Romans had no pockets, and they would put their seals and keys on rings for easy carrying.

Rhodes inserted two keys into the lock hole, and the two turned them simultaneously, and the iron lock was opened with a snap.

"Not bad, this is a useful and flexible lock." Rhode relocked the iron lock, and pulled out two keys that could be called golden rings.

He froze for a moment, placed the gold ring in his palm, and examined them repeatedly with an anatomical gaze.

Holding the torch, Nero saw that he hadn't moved for a long time, and asked in surprise, "Rod?"

Rhodes didn't make a sound, and kept staring down at the ring, his long hair slid down to his shoulders.

His thoughts flicked forward quickly, and the picture flashed before his eyes like colorful paint, and finally everything faded away, and it was fixed on the old image of Nero, who was down and down and gave him a golden ring.

Rhodes' eyes were sluggish, and he foresaw that this was a picture that he would chew on repeatedly when he looked back on his life in his twilight years, and it would even pop up when he was dying.

Nero inserted his hands into his temples, stroked his side face and said worriedly, "What's wrong with you, Rhodes?"

Rhodes looked up, and Nero stood opposite him with an extremely young face, and the red light from the torch lit up half of his immature face.Rhode's expression was confused for a moment, and he felt as if he had traveled across thousands of mountains and rivers.

He stared intently at Nero's eyes, and slightly moved his lips twice, "Let me wear it for you this time." His expression suddenly became unclear.

Nero couldn't understand the meaning behind his words, but he obediently stretched out his hand.

Rhodes pinched his slender fingers and slowly put the ring on.After putting it on, he lowered his head and dropped a kiss on the ring.

Nero shuddered and stood stiffly, motionless, from his toes to his hair as still as if turned into marble.

After Rhodes kissed, he looked at Nero who was in a daze, and said seriously: "Actually, I owe you a word all the time."

Nero asked in a daze, "What are you talking about?"

"Thank you, Nero." Rhodes said with an extremely rare expression of seriousness, actively hugging his stiff back.

Nero's hands were hanging in the air as if he didn't know how to place them.Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rhodes' soft and shiny black hair, which made him unable to move his eyes away like a suction.A rebellious person like Rhodes shows gentleness, just like the blatant sun is occasionally eroded by shadows, giving people a disguised beauty that can only be admired secretly.

Rhodes whispered in his ear, "Thank you for everything you've done for me, and everything you've made me feel. You said I made you whole, but you also made me live like a real people."

It sounded like an explosion in Nero's ears.He felt a bone stuck in his throat, and a black and white mist appeared in front of his eyes.

He said out of breath, "I want to put a ring on you too..."

Rhode stood up with a smile and handed him the remaining ring.Nero took his hand and put the ring on.

At this moment Nero entered a pure feeling.He stared at Rhodes' fingers, feeling that threads grew from the soul, penetrating the skin and wrapping around the golden ring, like the umbilical cord between the mother and the womb.There are always such moments in life that make people have sensibility that is isolated from material and rational thinking; and only in these irrational moments, people have absolute freedom.

Nero couldn't stand upright as if he was top-heavy, and his face gradually turned crimson.He lowered his head, kissing Rhode's gold ring repeatedly like a young bird pecking at food, making small kissing sounds.

Rhodes suddenly felt distressed and stopped this neurotic behavior.He took Nero into his arms, rubbed his curly hair and said, "Don't be so humble... Nero..."

Nero hugged him tremblingly, unable to say anything.

At this time, the house slave stood at the other end of the passage and coughed twice, then knocked on the wall sullenly.

Nero tightened his grip on Rhode's waist, opened his red eyes from under the broken hair, and his voice was inevitably unstable because of the excitement: "...what's the matter?"

The servant's face was troubled, and his lowered voice came through the dark passage, "I just received a message...it came from Lord Qinwei's adoptive father's house..."

Rhode's heart twitched, and Mars's pair of green eyes that had been tortured by the illness and became dim suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Unfortunately...your adoptive father is critically ill," the house slave said heavily, "he hopes you can go and visit him..."