The Mad Tycoon of Rome

 Chapter 44: The Confusion of the East 

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The operation of buying up wheat was carried out secretly throughout the Italian peninsula.

It was the result of a meticulous and systematic network that had been built over more than a year.

The person in charge of it all was Tadius.

He used the names of countless freed slaves to purchase wheat sporadically from various regions.

He had already investigated how much wheat each area was consuming.

Thanks to that, he was able to leave just enough for the residents to eat and almost sweep away the rest.

No one noticed that someone was buying wheat on such a large scale.

Even the freed slaves who bought the wheat did not know exactly who owned it.

Tadius himself did not know why he had to buy so much wheat either.

“After all, the price of wheat will go down in a year or two. Why is he taking such a gamble? I heard he was smart, but maybe he’s still young.”

He didn’t care much whether Marcus made a loss or not, since he had already received his advance payment.

Septimus, whom he had met several times for business negotiations, also seemed unconvinced by his master’s decision.

He said he was just trusting his young master’s judgment more than his own.

Tadius thought that even a person who looked rational and good at business could make a wrong decision if he was blinded by loyalty.

Of course, he hoped that Marcus would at least break even.

It was not easy to find a customer who paid him so generously for doing as he was told.

“I hope we can maintain a good relationship in the future… but I wonder how it will turn out. He’s from a strong family, so he won’t go bankrupt just because of this failure.”

Tadius was not the only one who had this view.

Septimus also followed Marcus’s will, but he was preparing an exit strategy in case of failure.

The same was true for other people.

Marcus’s wheat-buying strategy looked unrealistic.

The only countries that threatened Rome’s hegemony in the East were Pontus and Armenia.

Among them, Pontus had already been crushed by Lucullus.

The king of Pontus, Mithridates, had entrusted himself to his son-in-law and king of Armenia, Tigranes II.

And even Tigranes II had been defeated and his capital had been captured this time.

How could the East become chaotic again in such a situation?

Those who followed Marcus also thought that their master, who lacked military experience, had made a mistake this time.

The only ones who trusted him completely were Danae and Spartacus.

However, that was not because of logical reasons, but because of loyalty.

The two believed that Marcus’s words were absolute truth, so they did not care what others said.

In other words, most people who were not as loyal as the two doubted Marcus’s decision.

Marcus knew that fact, but he did not bother to explain in detail.

He thought it was enough to say once that they should trust him. Anyway, this was beyond the realm of explanation by words.

He thought it was better to spend that time on strengthening his foundation.

In fact, Marcus became busy again without a moment’s rest.

Almost all the businesses he had started began to show results.

Cletus finally succeeded in developing a larger furnace.

The process of extracting sugar from the sugarcane he brought back from India was also going smoothly.

Sergius replaced the lead component in the traditional women’s cosmetics with oxidized tin.

Marcus had to review all these matters one by one and suggest new directions.

He also could not neglect his network management now that he had his coming-of-age ceremony.

Pompey had left for Sicily, but the senators of the Senate began to show great interest in Marcus.

It was thanks to Cicero, who had gained a significant presence in the Senate, spreading rumors here and there.

He received invitations from everywhere to show his face once in a while.

He did not refuse them, as he needed to maintain a friendly relationship with the elders of the aristocratic faction from now on.

“If only my father were in Rome, it would have been much less burdensome…”

Just at this time, even Crassus became the governor of Syria, making Marcus’s burden even heavier.

He was at his wit’s end trying to lead his business and act as the head of the family at the same time.

“You shouldn’t overdo it. The backlash can be stronger later. You need to rest a little.”

Julia, who made time to meet him even in his busy schedule, advised him with a worried tone.

“I feel more comfortable finishing what I have to do now and resting later.”

“Then I want to help you at least a little bit. Is there anything I can do?”

Julia actually helped him.

She was not trustworthy enough to discuss important matters with, but she gave useful advice on deciding minor issues.

As another year passed by, a report from the East made Rome ecstatic again.

Lucullus, who was advancing relentlessly, had won another great victory at Artaxata.

Mithridates’s life was now no different from a candle in the wind.

The people who bought wheat according to Marcus’s order were in an uproar.

They advised him to stop this immediately or he would suffer a huge loss.

“If you want to minimize the loss, you have to sell the wheat back before Mithridates dies. Buying wheat at this point is like throwing money into thin air.”

Even Septimus said that.

Danae trusted Marcus’s words, but she looked very anxious.

“Sir, don’t you think we should prepare for the worst case scenario?”

“Do you think the war will end like this?”

“···Everyone who has experienced military life says so···.”

“It’s okay. Just wait a little longer. Something very interesting will happen.”

Contrary to the worries of those around him, Marcus did not change his policy. He even told them to buy more wheat and invested more time in other areas.

And less than a month later, an astonishing news arrived.

This unbelievable story turned Rome upside down.

“Lucullus’s soldiers have gone on a collective strike.”

“What? A strike?”

It was such an absurd news that Septimus widened his eyes and asked his subordinate again.

Lucullus’s situation was so optimistic.

He had already finished off Pontus, and Armenia was on the verge of victory if he pushed a little more.

But the soldiers suddenly started a strike and refused to fight. It made no sense.

“Is it a false rumor?”

“No, it’s not. The Senate is in chaos right now. The assembly is also discussing how to deal with this situation.”

“···How can this happen?”

Just a while ago, the Senate was discussing how big of a triumph they should give to Lucullus.

The war was over and there were several proposals on the post-war arrangements.

All those discussions could become meaningless in an instant.

‘No, the soldiers will stop the strike if the situation gets really urgent.’

It was reasonable to think that the soldiers would not refuse a victory that they could reach out and grab.

It was just that the expected victory was delayed a bit.

But Septimus had a feeling that was close to certainty that this was not the end.

‘Did sir anticipate this development?’

It didn’t make sense logically, but otherwise he couldn’t explain Marcus’s confidence.

And Septimus’s guess was exactly right.

Marcus showed a calm reaction as if he had expected it when he heard Septimus’s report.

“The time is coming. Tell them to reduce the wheat purchase and pay more attention to storage. Secure the warehouse area with armed forces if necessary.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he was about to leave, Septimus stopped and looked back at Marcus. He asked in a cautious tone.

“Sir, did you… know this would happen?”

“Huh? Well, roughly.”

“How did you…?”

“Lucullus is a born nobleman.”

Marcus repeated the explanation he had given to Pompey before.

The fact that he was a genius as a tactician, but his ability to win the hearts of his subordinates was far behind.

And how he had alienated Rome’s equestrian class in the process of stabilizing Syria.

He might have been better than Pompey as a tactician, but he lacked the qualities that a strategist should have.

This was unfortunate for Lucullus as well as for his soldiers under him.

“The Senate still seems to trust Lucullus.”

“He’s a great general who followed Sulla and rivaled Pompey. But the tide has already turned. How can he continue the war when his soldiers have lost their trust in him?”

Septimus decided to fully believe Marcus’s words.

In fact, Lucullus’s army, which had once faltered, fell into an abyss.

The soldiers who were angry at their commander’s monopoly of the artworks attacked the baggage train.

Lucullus advanced to the Caspian Sea for the second time after Alexander in the Hellenic-Latin cultural sphere, but he could not go any further.

His soldiers’ discontent did not subside over time.

Lucullus, who eventually became worried about a rebellion, began to retreat.

This unprecedented situation of retreating after winning the battle and having no problem with the supply line occurred.

Naturally, Lucullus’s control over the East became irrecoverable.

Mithridates, who had been cornered to a dead end, did not miss this opportunity.

He gathered his remaining forces and quickly recovered the Armenian territory, and then began to look beyond his own kingdom of Pontus.

The achievements that had been made over seven years evaporated in an instant.

The Senate and the assembly were at a loss by this shocking outcome.

The price of wheat, which had been plummeting, suddenly started to rise again.

On top of that, Mithridates pressured Rome more cunningly than before.

He used pirates.

At that time, the base of the notorious pirates near the Mediterranean was in Cilicia.

The reason was simple. It was because the power of the Seleucid dynasty of Syria, which ruled this area, had declined.

They also had abundant human resources because they kept recruiting talents from the Eastern kingdoms that had been defeated by Rome.

The pirates, who continued to grow in strength, were so rampant that even Rome was troubled by them.

Mithridates added his enormous financial support to them.

The pirates immediately replaced their pirate ships with faster and more stable ones, and even hired navigators.

They set up dozens of local bases and systematically plundered not only Cilicia, but also other places.

They even attacked Ostia port, which was considered safe.

It was only a matter of time before the logistics in the Mediterranean were paralyzed.

The Senate received reports every day that ships had been looted by pirates.

Among them, the most serious one was the stagnation of grain transportation.

“The transport fleet from Egypt was attacked by pirates!”

“The pirates stole the grain ships that were docked at the port.”

“They are requesting military support to escort the ships from Egypt.”

In just a few months, the entire Mediterranean became a pirate paradise.

Lucullus, who failed to finish off Mithridates, was criticized everywhere.

At the same time, the price of wheat in Rome soared.

The poor people who lived on free distribution protested every day for food.

Marcus, who decided that it was time to sell the wheat he had stored, immediately summoned his managers.

The people who sat in the room used as a meeting room all had expressions as if they were possessed by ghosts.

Of course, there were subtle differences in their reactions even then.

Danae and Spartacus showed undeniable pride and admiration.

Septimus looked like he was reproaching himself for not trusting his master.

Tadius and his subordinates felt a bit of fear.

Marcus’s voice echoed in the quiet room.

“Okay, now that the price of wheat has risen enough, let’s go get our money back. Tadius, have you secured the sales channels?”

“Yes. I did as you ordered.”

“Good. I’ll say it again, but no one should ever hear a rumor that someone is selling wheat in large quantities. That would obviously make the price go down again.”

If supply increases to match excess demand, prices will soon stabilize. This was basic economic common sense.

Marcus emphasized this point countless times.

The essential condition for making a huge profit was to prevent the market from recognizing the increase in supply.

“Leave it to me. I have prepared thoroughly, so we can make more than twice the profit at the minimum. Even including all the costs that went into the preparation.”

“Good. But you have to sell it in small batches, and don’t forget that you have to sell it all within two years.”

Tadius raised an objection with a puzzled expression.

“But why do we have to sell it all within two years? If we store it well, we can preserve wheat for up to three years. If we wait for another year, we can get more income than expected.”

The pacification of the East had failed even after Lucullus spent seven years. No one thought that this situation would calm down in less than two years.

Marcus tapped his finger on the desk without changing his expression.

“Tadius, sell it all within two years.”

His flat voice made Tadius flinch reflexively.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do as you say.”

It was the order of the person who predicted this illogical situation in advance. It was right to follow his order unconditionally, even if he didn’t understand.

What if Marcus’s foresight was accurate again this time?

Tadius could bet his entire fortune that the young man in front of him, who had just become an adult, would become the actual ruler of Rome.

※※※※

The sale of wheat went smoothly. Crassus, who returned after his term as governor, couldn’t close his mouth when he received the report.

“Huh, huh… Is our family’s wealth really this much?”

“This is an estimate based on when we sell all the wheat as planned.”

“Well… It’s such an astronomical amount that I can’t feel it’s real.”

Before the slave revolt, Crassus’s family’s total assets were about 170 million sesterces.

This was already an enormous amount that was close to Rome’s annual budget of 200 million sesterces.

And this huge wealth grew even more in Marcus’s hands.

The productivity increased by division of labor, the stirrups and the horseshoes, and the patent that brought in a huge income.

He added the profits from improving the carriage and harness to buy wheat.

If he sold all the wheat by 67 BC and included all the income that was still being generated, his family’s wealth would increase by almost 2.5 times.

This was an astronomical amount that exceeded twice Rome’s annual budget.

Even Marcus, who reported it, felt a thrill at this dizzying amount.

And the most frightening thing was that not only the Roman citizens, but also the nobles did not know that Crassus’s wealth had increased so much.

If he wanted to, he could manipulate Rome from behind.

“Of course, we have to be more careful at times like this. Father, please continue to maintain a friendly relationship with the senators of the Senate.”

“Of course. You should also stop working too much and rest while expanding your network. That will be all fertilizer for you when you enter the Senate later.”

Crassus answered with a voice full of affection and escorted Marcus out of his office.

Marcus stretched his legs and lay down on his bed in his room.

As he was about to take a break for a long time, Septimus entered his room.

“Is there something wrong?”

“It’s not a problem, but there is a letter. Cicero is holding a meeting and he wants you to attend it.”

“A meeting? Not a banquet?”

“Yes. A meeting. Cicero invites smart young people he likes and discusses various topics with them.”

Cicero, who had successfully performed his duties as a quaestor, was especially popular among the young generation.

A young politician who punished the corrupt and greedy power holders.

Cicero, who had such an image, was expanding his base through constant activities.

He especially attracted young intellectuals who were fascinated by republicanism to his faction.

From his point of view, Marcus was the most desirable talent.

Marcus carefully read the letter he received from Septimus.

He would have refused to attend if it was a simple banquet, but this was different.

His eyes stopped at one point as he read down the names of the confirmed participants.

A smile like a child who had found a new toy appeared on his lips.

“This is a very interesting name.”