Chapter 858: New Task

Clint was unsurprised by such a situation. He did not even look at other places after bringing Zhang Heng into the study room. All he did was step aside automatically.

“I have read the assessment report provided by Fabino. You did an excellent job in the southeast city. Although there are more foreigners in that place, they are also the people of the empire. They deserve the protection it offers. When my father was still in reign, I suggested that we do something about the southeast city, but at that time, the nobles at the Senate strongly opposed this idea. They said that this place has always been like this, and no one can change it. But now, you’ve proven them wrong. Very well. The empire has been following the rules for too long. We need some fresh blood to do the impossible.”

Commodus spoke about it passionately. The anger and depression caused by the betrayal of the Senate seemed to have blown away. He did not know why whenever he saw Zhang Heng, he would feel better. This was probably because the two had met several times when Commodus was in a bad mood.

“Given your outstanding performance, I want to appoint you as my adviser. Your job is to offer advice and suggestions to me. I wonder if you are willing to accept this job?” Commodus asked while staring at Zhang Heng with his piercing eyes.

And Zhang Heng did not disappoint him. He bowed and said, “If you need me, of course, I shall contribute my modest strength in any way possible. However, I am just an outsider. More than a month ago, I was just a gladiator in the arena, without a noble background.”

“I don’t care about a person’s background.” Commodus came over and patted Zhang Heng on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about this kind of thing. Look around you. Clint and Altrus are not from famous families either. They do have some royal blood flowing in them, but they are my distant cousins.”

Clint, on the other side, started to talk, “Yes, my family has fallen for a long time. By the time it reached our generation, we were no different from the ordinary. We all grew up in the city, and we eat like ordinary people. And we also wore what ordinary children would wear. If I didn’t get the chance to meet your majesty, I think I would be breaking my back in exchange for a meager income. At the same time, our ordinary background allows us to have a clearer picture of the bottom part of the world. That part of the world is something that the stubborn senators can’t see.”

“You heard what he said, right? I am not the kind of emperor who discriminates against anyone. And I don’t care what others think of you. Hence, you don’t have to worry about such a thing.” Commodus said, “Besides, I kept hearing the people in the town saying that you were a noble from the empire you came from, right?”

“That’s just a rumor, your majesty,” Zhang Heng said.

“One can say anything they want. However, it is hard for a person to fake his character, manners, and behavior. After getting to know you better, I believe those rumors about you are true.” Commodus returned to the table and signed his name on a piece of papyrus that was drafted a long time ago. After that, he tossed the papyrus to Zhang Heng. “This is your appointment letter. I welcome you to join us. From this moment on, you will be my consultant. You will be responsible for assisting me in handling various government affairs and offering advice and suggestions. I believe you are capable of handling this job.”

“Congratulations, brother. You just got the most tiring job in the world. Believe me, when you get really busy, you will miss the leisure time that you once had.” Clint, on the other side, smiled and congratulated Zhang Heng. At the same time, he clenched his fist secretly behind his back.

At this moment, Commodus’s temperament still remained unchanged. That was before he experienced the assassination that his sister planned. Not long after Aurelius’s death, Commodus did what he was supposed to do as an emperor under the influence and motivation of the responsibilities on his shoulder.

After appointing Zhang Heng as his consultant, he quickly changed topics and began to discuss his next task with Clint. At the same time, he did not ask Zhang Heng to leave the room. Clearly, he had already regarded the latter as his trusted consultant.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. We were fooled by the Senate recently. When an emperor inherits the throne, he should give the soldiers gifts to gain their support. I just led them to fight a war that lasted for a few years, and I have just returned to Rome. And I can’t afford to disappoint them. However, the Senate told me that I shouldn’t worry about this matter. After all, I just inherited the throne, and there is much on my plate. The Senate said that they are willing to help me to choose the best gifts for them. In a way, they are trying to lessen my burden.”

“Yes, I also saw those notices on the road just now. It is saying that those gifts came from the Senate, but they did not mention your name, your majesty,” Clint said.

“Damn it! The senators tricked me! Now all my soldiers will think that their emperor doesn’t care about them. And the Senate is the only one that cares about them!” Commodus looked a little flustered.

“Did senior Dior do it?” Fortunately, Clint managed to keep his calm.

“I will go to the Senate and question him in person in the afternoon,” Commodus said, “anyway, it has already impacted us. And we need to fight back.”

“This is a battle of public opinion,” Clint said. “We need to let the people and the soldiers know who the ruler of this country is.”

“Altrus said the same.” Commodus nodded. “The matter of dealing with the Senate can be postponed, but the fight for public opinion cannot be delayed. Holding a gladiatorial show is just the beginning, and it is far from enough. How does it go with the new copper coin casting?”

“It’s going well. The first batch should be ready for use next month, with your avatar printed on them.”

“Very well, this matter will be your top priority. You are responsible for it. Make sure everything goes well. You’d better live nearby and keep an eye on those craftsmen.” Commodus paused and looked at Zhang Heng on the other side, “As for you, my friend from the East, I have another job for you. I have asked someone to cast a batch of bronze statues to send to the different parts of the city, but I heard that its progress is far from desirable. Can you go there to help me solve this problem?”

“Of course, I will make sure those bronze statues are delivered as scheduled,” Zhang Heng nodded.

“Great!” Commodus said, “After you join us, I should host a banquet to welcome you. However, we are now facing a critical situation. It seems that I can only make up for you after this matter is over. By that time, I will summon all the consultants and introduce you to them. From now on, you are all colleagues. If you have any questions, you can communicate and help each other,” Commodus said.