The first to appear was the Roman Emperor Aurelius. He was also the patron of this gladiatorial show. Standing on a carriage, he wore a crown on his head and was dressed in splendid attire. He walked around the arena, and at the same time, his servants and guards threw bread and copper coins to the stands on his behalf. His generous gesture also welcomed the cheers of the people.
Commodus's young face was filled with excitement. At this moment, he could intuitively feel that the people were with him, and they were supporting his rule. Hence, he waved to the audience in the stands frequently.
And his wife, Christina, was sitting in the stands below. When she saw this scene, her eyes were filled with excitement and admiration. No girl did not want her man to be a respected hero, not to mention that her husband was the emperor of the entire Roman Empire.
On the other hand, Lucilla, who was sitting in the private room, had a funny look on her face.
Although she was smiling, the corners of her mouth seemed to be raised with a hint of sarcasm. "He is quite intoxicated, isn't he?"
"Huh?" The noise around them was too loud, and her husband, Pompeo Nuss, did not hear her clearly.
However, Lucilla did not repeat what she said before. Instead, she yawned and said, "Hasn't the show started yet? I've been waiting for a long time."
"Oh, it should be soon. After our emperor's parade is over, the gladiators will enter the arena to show their skills." Pompeo Nuss was very familiar with his wife's temper. Hence, he smiled and said.
Many people envied him for marrying Aurelius's daughter, becoming the son-in-law of the former emperor and the brother-in-law of the current emperor. Lucilla was also a well-known beauty. Although she remarried, she was still young and beautiful. She was the dream wife of every man.
However, Pompeo Nuss knew very well that the union between the two was a political necessity. When they were at home, the two rarely talked to each other. They were very polite to each other, but they were more like guests. Lucilla inherited her mother's flirtatiousness and charm, and Pompeo Nuss also had other women outside of the house.
However, Pompeo Nuss did not resent such a way of getting along. People who were in his position knew very well what they needed. Besides, after marrying Lucilla, his position in the political arena had become more stable. He had nothing to complain about.
"How much money did you bring?" Lucilla asked again.
"Now, I only have some change on me. About forty or fifty Oris." Pompeo Nuss rummaged through his pocket.
Oris was a Roman gold coin, and one Oris was about 100 Sestertius. In other words, Pompeo Nus' change was four or five thousand Sestertius. He paused and then said, "Do you need money? If it's not enough, I can ask the servants to go home and get it."
"There's no need. I'll look for the mortgage dealer." Lucilla waved her hand, and a maid immediately went to look for the mortgage dealer.
Gladiatorial shows were always accompanied by spinach bets. Therefore, the moneylenders were like sharks that smelled blood. They would never be absent.
Soon, a money lender with a mouth full of yellow teeth walked over and bowed respectfully. "Is there anything I can do for you? Honorable Augusta. "
"I need to borrow some money to bet. I can return it to you after the gladiatorial show. How much is the interest?" Lucilla asked.
"How much do you want?"
"Then … I'll give you five thousand gold coins first," Lucilla said faintly.
The money lender's face changed slightly when he heard that. He often visited the major arenas in Rome and had participated in more than a hundred gladiatorial shows. However, he had never done such a big deal before. No, this amount was even more than the total amount of money he lent for a single gladiatorial show.
However, when he thought of the identity of the woman in front of him, he felt relieved. She was Augusta, the emperor's sister. What was considered a huge fortune in the eyes of ordinary people was just a gambling stake to her.
"Since you will return it after the show, the interest will be a hundred gold coins," the money lender said. The lender said, "But I can't lend you that much money alone, but I can find other lenders, and we can invest together."
"Whatever." Lucilla waved her hand. "Hurry up and sign a contract. Don't delay me from watching the show."
"Yes, madam."
The moneylender quickly raised the money and came to Lucilla with the contract. At this time, the gladiators had begun to enter the arena. One by one, they walked out of the arena with their heads held high. Cheers could be heard in the arena.
And from the cheers of the audience, one could tell how famous a gladiator was.
For example, when Sartonilos appeared, the cheers were the loudest, and Habitus also enjoyed the screams of many female spectators. As for Zhang Heng and Bach, their voices were much softer. This was normal. Take Zhang Heng as an example. After all, he had only performed a few gladiatorial shows. No matter how outstanding he was, he could not compare to the veteran gladiators who had accumulated their popularity for several years. Bach, on the other hand, was even worse.
However, when she saw Zhang Heng, Lucilla's eyes lit up. She pointed at Zhang Heng and said to the maid beside her, "Bet on him."
"How much?"
"All of it."
This time, even Pompeo Nuss could not help but look at Lucilla. Even for people like them, five thousand gold coins was not a small amount. He did not expect Lucilla to bet all of it on one person at once. So he asked curiously, "Are you optimistic about him?"
"Didn't you see his performance last night?"
"What performance?" Pompeo Nuss was a little confused when he heard what Zhang Heng said. He was busy talking to several elders about the placement of the army last night. After all, the war between the empire and the Germanic tribe was over. The empire's border was considered peaceful, and they could disband some of the army. However, where to disband the army and where to place these people was a problem. The final solution was also the result of a multi-party game.
Pompeo Nuss had been busy with this matter recently. Last night, most of the empire's power class gathered at the banquet. It was a good time to look for partners to exchange information. Hence, Pompeo Nuss did not watch the battle between Zhang Heng and Sartonilos.
"Boring man, thinking about politics all day," Lucilla said, holding her chin.
Pompeo Nuss did not take it seriously and shrugged slightly. "I'm such a person. I can't change, but I believe in your judgment. Since you think he can win the final championship, then I'll bet on him too. However, I don't have much money. I only have forty-six Oris."
"Don't blame me if you lose it." Lucilla rolled her eyes.
"You don't even care about your five thousand gold coins. My forty plus Oris is a bet. If you win, I will give it to you to repay the interest," Pompeo Nuss grinned.
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