The Mad Tycoon of Rome

Chapter 47: Marriage, and Departure 

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There was no need to ask for permission from Crassus, who trusted his son’s judgment absolutely.

“Marriage with Caesar’s daughter? I have no complaints. She is said to be smart and beautiful. And if you think that’s what you should do, then it must be right.”

His mother, Theutoria, did not express any disagreement either.

Julia was already a well-known lady among the upper-class women of the nobility.

Besides, her family was not very wealthy, but it was a prestigious one that traced back to the early days of the Roman monarchy.

There was no reason to refuse.

Crassus was also satisfied with the arrangement of the marriage.

The eldest son of Crassus, the leader of the Optimates, married the daughter of Caesar, the vanguard of the Populares.

Anyone could see that the balance of power was tilted in favor of Crassus.

In fact, when they heard the news of the wedding, the senators of the old faction praised Crassus for his decision.

To them, it seemed like an attempt by Crassus, a nobleman, to control Caesar, a populist.

The citizens also felt a significant meaning in the union of the nobility and the populism.

It raised their hopes for peace in the Roman politics, which was always full of conflicts and fights.

Everyone around Marcus gave him their generous blessings.

His younger brother, Publius, personally arranged for the best artists to play music when he brought his bride home.

“I’m overwhelmed with emotion to think that you’re finally getting married.”

Septimus, who had watched over Marcus since he was born, had moist eyes.

Seline expressed her congratulations with her exquisite cooking, more than ever before.

Spartacus not only congratulated him, but also gave him some practical advice.

“Sir, I can’t give you any advice on other matters, but I’ll tell you one thing. Just be faithful to your husband’s duty. Then your family atmosphere will naturally be harmonious.”

“I’m not so bad that I’ll embarrass myself anywhere.”

Danae, who had been listening to their conversation from behind, smiled brightly and nodded her head.

She was the first one to give Marcus her sincere blessing.

Spartacus was stubborn, but he was not insensitive.

He looked at their faces alternately and smiled softly as he whispered in a low voice.

“But you still need to work on your lower body more. After all, all strength comes from your lower body.”

Marcus engraved Spartacus’ words in his heart. He decided to devote himself to lower body training with Spartacus advice from now on.

The wedding ceremony was as grand as everyone expected.

It was not inferior to any of the noble families in Rome in terms of scale.

Crassus, who was a doting father, seemed determined to make Marcus’ wedding a national event.

Caesar also brought a hefty dowry with him.

Of course, the source of the dowry was Marcus’ pocket, which was very typical of Caesar.

The Palatine Hill was bustling even before the ceremony began.

Many clients of the Crassus family flocked to hear the news of Marcus’ wedding.

Of course, they did not come empty-handed.

The spacious mansion was filled with people and gifts.

Crassus even rented out an entire insula for those who came up to Rome to congratulate him.

A huge feast was held.

Crassus did not skimp on money.

He spent generously so that anyone who was a Roman could eat and drink.

The citizens were drooling at the fragrant wine and luxurious food.

They were already troubled by the pirates lately.

They praised Crassus’ name and wished the bride and groom all the best.

The atmosphere of the city was as lively as the day of the triumph, thanks to the feast that lasted for several days without interruption.

And finally, the day of the ceremony arrived.

The Roman wedding began with the bride being escorted to the groom’s house.

“There she is!”

Someone shouted in a loud voice as they spotted the carriage carrying the bride.

The spectators were already ready to cheer enthusiastically.

The carriage with Julia inside moved very slowly along the wide road, surrounded by a procession.

At the front, there were people holding torches to guide the way, and behind them, there were musicians playing cheerful tunes to celebrate the occasion.

The citizens threw nuts into the air, wishing them fertility and happiness, as they enjoyed the lively and upbeat music.

When Julia’s carriage reached the top of the Palatine Hill, the groom’s entourage came out to greet her.

They carefully led her to Crassus’ mansion.

Finally, Julia arrived at the mansion and was able to face her groom, Marcus.

He could not see her expression because she was wearing a palla that covered her face, but Julia could see Marcus’ face clearly.

This man in front of her was the one she would spend her life with.

Divorce was quite common among the upper-class Romans, but Caesar had assured her.

Marcus said he would cherish and love her for life.

It was obvious that Caesar had pushed the situation, but Marcus was not a man who would say one thing and do another.

No matter how smart and mature she was, she was nervous about something she had never experienced before.

While Julia’s heart was pounding with tension and excitement, the ceremony proceeded to its final stage.

When the last procedure was over, they were officially a married couple.

After the banquet was over and most of the guests had left, the sun had already set in the west.

The bride’s entourage, who stayed for the last procedure, escorted her to the bridal chamber.

This moment had finally come.

Marcus approached Julia with a slightly nervous step.

He lifted her palla and revealed her face, which was more tense than his own.

The bride’s entourage also left the room, leaving only the two of them inside.

Marcus looked into Julia’s eyes. She was a bit shaky, but she did not avoid his gaze.

“Now that we spend this night together, we will be a couple for life. So if you have anything you want from me as your husband, please tell me now.”

Julia was glad to have a chance to catch her breath.

She hesitated for a moment before answering.

“First of all, I’d like you to speak more casually. And well… To be honest, I don’t want to be seen as a jealous woman. So I don’t mind your personal life. But there’s one thing I’d like you to keep. Please don’t be like my father.”

“I don’t think I have that much ability anyway… But anyway, I promise.”

“And if you spend time with other women or slaves in your house, please spend at least as much time with me again. I want you to promise me this for sure.”

Marcus understood who Julia had in mind when she said that.

He had never talked to Danae directly, but she was indeed a sharp person.

In fact, in Rome, it was more common for the upper class to have relations with someone other than their spouse.

Many of the noble families even had separate women for physical relationships only, apart from their wives.

No. Rather than many, it was normal.

This was also true for women. There were many noblewomen who openly cheated on their husbands.

This social background made it possible for Caesar to play around with so many married women.

Otherwise, Caesar would have been stabbed by someone who thought he had stolen his wife.

Of course, Marcus had no intention of living such a reckless life.

Except for his wife, Danae was the only exception.

He could not refuse Julia’s wish.

“I promise. But I also have one thing I want from you.”

“Yes, I am your wife now, so I will gladly listen to you.”

“You are now a part of our family. You are Julius Caesar’s daughter, but at the same time, you are Marcus Crassus’ wife. I want you to remember that clearly in your heart. I’m not asking you to make choices that go against your father. But please align your priorities with me. I will do my best for you, so that I won’t be ashamed of this request.”

“I think that’s only natural. I swear to Juno that I will do my duty as a wife.”

They agreed to respect each other and the atmosphere between the young couple became even warmer.

Marcus put his hand on Julia’s body. She was no longer shaking with nervousness.

Marcus’ lips slowly approached.

Julia closed her eyes slightly.

As a soft touch touched her lips, her heart, which had calmed down, started to beat wildly again.

Starting with a deep kiss, they spent an unforgettable first night of their marriage.

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The honeymoon atmosphere was more than perfect.

Julia was a flawless wife.

She was wise and understanding, and having her by his side made him more efficient in various matters.

He didn’t have to bother with annoying guests, as she took care of everything.

From Julia’s point of view, Marcus was a great husband.

He kept his promise faithfully.

He paid careful attention to make sure she was not uncomfortable, and he did not neglect the mental as well as the physical interaction.

But they had to take a short break from their happy married life anyway.

The preparation for the pirate suppression operation was finally over and the time to depart had come.

Marcus, who was going to join the campaign as Pompey’s lieutenant, only took Spartacus with him.

He was not worried about the pirate suppression war, which would be a stage to show off Pompey’s glory anyway.

What mattered more was the situation after that.

Before leaving, Marcus called Septimus and gave him a secret order.

“Send Tadius to set up a base in the east. Start from Bithynia for now.”

“Are you planning to trade in the east?”

“On the surface. But the important thing is to use it as a bridgehead to influence the east. I don’t care how much money it takes, just secure the market and recruit local merchants. Especially those who trade with Parthia. That’s the top priority.”

Septimus narrowed his eyes slightly, not fully understanding Marcus’ intention.

“Parthia? It’s quite hard to expand your influence there. Unlike other eastern countries, Parthia still has a strong power.”

“That’s why we have to pay attention from now on. Merchants who trade frequently with Parthia, especially Parthian local merchants, are the best. Capturing them and making connections with Parthian nobles is the most urgent task. I don’t care how much money it takes, just shower them with gifts. I’ll probably go to Bithynia myself in a few months, so I’ll tell you more details then.”

“Really? I thought you were going to join Pompey in the pirate suppression. Why are you going to Bithynia… Do you think the pirates will be wiped out so soon?”

Their voices naturally became quieter. Marcus nodded slightly.

“It’s likely. So tell Tadius to move as fast as possible. At least by the time I get to Bithynia, the basic preparations should be done.”

“Yes. I’ll pass it on right away.”

“Oh, and take good care of Julia. I’ve told everyone in the house, but I’ll feel more relieved if you check on her again.”

“I understand. You’re so concerned about your wife that Julia must be happy.”

Marcus accepted Septimus’ praise with an ambiguous smile.

The reason he was so attentive to Julia was because she might be pregnant.

In the original history, Julia died of childbirth.

Her death caused Caesar and Pompey’s relationship to deteriorate rapidly and eventually led to a civil war.

If she had not died, history would have gone in a completely different direction.

The timing was different now, and the condition of the mother was different from history, so he didn’t think anything would go wrong.

But there was always a possibility, so he thought it would be better to be careful.

He was not satisfied with just telling Septimus, so he asked Danae as well.

She was busy with her business targeting noblewomen, which was making a lot of profit.

It was thanks to the cosmetics that replaced lead. There was a rumor spreading fast in Rome that lead was harmful to the human body, and she benefited from it.

And surprisingly, she and Julia got along quite well.

Danae behaved very well, and Julia liked her as a conversation partner because she had received higher education.

“Danae, I think you can take better care of Julia than those dull men. You get along well with Julia, so please pay more attention to her.”

“Yes. I’m getting a lot of help from her anyway. I have a lot of contact with noblewomen, and she always assists me greatly. We’ll be together a lot, so I’ll take good care of her.”

“Thanks for that.”

Marcus finally said goodbye to Julia several times before leaving.

She kissed his cheek and smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry and come back safely. I should be the one telling you to take care of yourself. You’re too worried about me that I feel a bit sorry.”

Julia also greeted Spartacus, who was firmly by Marcus’ side.

“Take care and protect Marcus well.”

“Of course. As before, nothing will happen to him.”

Marcus and Spartacus left the mansion with their family’s farewell.

The army camp was naturally located near the sea because of the large-scale naval operation.

Pompey’s camp was larger than any camp Marcus had ever seen.

The sight of hundreds of warships lined up in a row was awe-inspiring.

When Marcus entered the commander’s tent, Pompey welcomed him warmly.

“Oh. You’re here? I heard you were enjoying your happy married life. I hope you’re not pushing yourself too hard to go to war.”

“I’m honored to gain experience under your command. And besides, it’s a fight for Rome’s stability, so my wife gladly understood.”

“That’s right, I saw her last time and she was a very good woman. You did well in getting married.”

It felt strange to hear the praise from the person who would have been Julia’s husband in the original history.

Of course, Pompey had no idea of Marcus’ thoughts and laughed heartily as he summoned the officers.

The tent was filled with legion commanders and centurions, as there were as many as 20 legions.

The curtain of the pirate suppression campaign, which would go down in history, was finally lifted.

A confident voice came from Pompey’s mouth as he spread a huge map on the table.

“Before I explain the plan, let me make one thing clear.”

Everyone in the tent naturally waited for Pompey’s next words.

Pompey took a deliberate breath and slowly looked around the legion commanders with a confident smile.

“I have no intention of spending more than a year to sweep these bastards away. Keep that in mind and listen carefully to the plan.”

“What, what do you mean!”

A legion commander who shouted without realizing it quickly covered his mouth. But no one blamed him.

That’s how shocking Pompey’s declaration was.

The pirates spread all over the Mediterranean were at least tens of thousands, and the pirate ships easily exceeded a thousand.

This was a declaration that he would not spend even a year to wipe out all these huge pirates from the Mediterranean.

From the beginning, the bombshell statement made the legion commanders and centurions widen their eyes without exception.