A 10-member intelligence team, including Michael Benson and Giron Borg, returned one after another.

By the time they set off, nearly four weeks had passed. All the information, useful or useless, is in Sean's hands.

After sorting out and analyzing, he briefed Lieutenant Colonel Horns.

"Benjamin Tang has been at large in the Black Forest for more than a decade, and there are sure to be clues. First of all, the gold coins he robbed need to be spent, otherwise his robbery is meaningless, and the money spent is the real wealth.

Based on the sale of several high-brand cigars and wines in the Black Forest during the decade between 1820 and 1830, I have listed ten towns. The sales of tobacco and alcohol in these towns increased steadily during the decade, while the tax revenues of these ten towns did not increase, after deducting taxes on tobacco and alcohol, and remained the same in 1830 and 1820. ”

"You mean to say that these ten towns are under the protection of Benjamin Don and at least maintain friendly relations. If he didn't have these towns, he wouldn't have anywhere to spend?" Horns nodded.

"It's just a suspicion, and I checked the local second-hand jewelry purchases in recent years. By the way, Michael visited many places in the Black Forest in the guise of a jeweler, and he was generous, spending real money, and when he came back, he found that he had actually made money. Well, that's his hard work.

This earned him a lot of goodwill, with several towns saying they welcomed Jewel Michael back next time. There were no big nobles, big merchants, big landowners, and no other prosperous economic resources, which means that these towns were most likely the places where the Tang sold the stolen goods, otherwise the origin of the jewelry would not be explained, and this is almost the same list of ten towns I just mentioned. If we succeed in encircling and suppressing the bandits, I believe that all his eyes and accomplices will be doxxed. Sean continued.

"What about the weapon, where did Don's weapon come from. Horns asked, and Sean's meticulous analysis made him very emotional.

"One thing in particular was mentioned to me by Geelong-Borg was that there was a small town called Eyad, with a population of no more than 200 households, and although it was a transportation station, it had a small shotgun shop. ”

"It's not surprising, the people there are good hunters, and besides, it's not peaceful, and passing travelers need to buy a gun just in case. Is there anything special?" Horns said.

"That store has been robbed three times, and coincidentally, the owner of that gun shop has been robbed every time after a large number of purchases. ”

"Then he hasn't gone bankrupt yet? Are you saying that he is Tang and his gang at all, and the robbery is just an illusion, but in fact, he is secretly losing arms. Horns said.

"So we can start with this store. Sean said.

"What's your plan? If we arrest and torture everyone in that shop, I'm sure we'll get useful information, but that's going to be a big deal. Horns said.

"Except for the gun shop, the Black Forest region has not been plagued by Don, he only targets the merchants, and probably knows the truth that rabbits don't eat the grass next to the nest, and the people there are, to some extent, his accomplices. So we couldn't find a guide, and we couldn't send someone deep into the Black Forest to find him.

But we can lure the snake out of the hole. We disguised ourselves as a caravan and took the luxuries they needed, luring Don to rob through the eyeliner owner of Don's gun shop, and of course we had set the route. In other words, if all goes well, Don will ambush us on our preset battlefield. ”

"It's a good plan to have the enemy move on a designated battlefield. Sean, I thought you'd do it hard, but your performance was beyond my surprise, and we're going to do a great job this time. Horns nodded approvingly, expressing approval, "The specific plan, how to respond, how to contact, how to carry out the counter-ambush, and how to engage the enemy, we will discuss and discuss, and we must be foolproof." ”

"Yes!"

Three days later, a small caravan entered the town of Eyad.

Located in the middle of the Black Forest, the town is dominated by hunting, fur and timber trade, with food and other necessities imported from outside.

Fortunately, it is one of several major thoroughfares through the Black Forest, and there is no shortage of commercial atmosphere.

As soon as the caravan arrived, the town was lively. Residents curiously inquired about what the caravan was selling and if it could be traded.

"Get out of the way and take your dirty hands. ”

Quinn Enik jumped off the horse, he was wearing a half-shirt, a full beard, and a dusty look. In fact, he was Sean's subordinate, pretending to be a fellow of the caravan.

The resident who was scolded by him asked wryly, "Sir, don't you trade?"

"These are the high-end goods that have been shipped to Als, can you poor men afford them?" said Enik, squirming, "as poor as our boss, and wishing for a shilling for a gold coin." I love face again, and I am fat when I hit my swollen face. ”

"Quinn, shut up. I didn't hire you to make you complain, if you don't do it, get out of here now. Boss Sean quietly appeared behind him, "As for the salary, didn't we say yes?"

"But, Master Bill, before you came, you said it went well. Ever since I entered the Black Forest, I have not once heard from the locals that it is not so peaceful, that we are taking risks, and you have to pay more!" Quinn-Enik argued, "and you will at least give us a good gun, in case it comes in handy? Your goods are worth at least five thousand louis, and they are transported to the city of Als, where there is a shortage of goods, and the officers and their women do not rob them? You can make at least a thousand louis of pure profit on this trip, so although a good gun is a little more expensive, it is more important for you to keep your goods. ”

Onlookers listened intently.

"Well, there's a gun shop in town. I'm going to take a look, but I'm okay, I'm not allowed to make any more conditions. Sean said.

He kicked another guy who was in heat and was having a hot conversation with a girl.

"Fool, hurry up and find good horse feed, you have already cost me two pack horses. ”

"Young master, don't blame me. The wagons are too heavy, and I have suggested that you hire two more wagons, and you are reluctant to feed them with concentrate. The guy grumbled.

"Get out!"

Sean wandered around the town for a while, pretending to buy some supplies, and then Shi Shiran walked into the only gun shop in town.

"Welcome, dear guest!" said the owner with a smile.

Sean looked around the store, surrounded by a variety of weapons, including straight swords and sabers. The cheapest thing is the arquebus, which is simply a toy and very impractical.

Let the boss claim to be named Roma, and he sells his weapons very hard.

"I don't know what kind of weapons the guests need to buy, although the probability of a vicious incident in the Black Forest is not very high, but buying a weapon is to buy peace of mind, especially for your Excellency. ”

"Recently an improved rifled gun has become popular in Quds, which is produced by the Bess company. I wonder if you have anything here?" asked Sean.

Sean was gorgeously dressed, a fashionable style in the Holy City, with a glamorous perfume sprinkled on his body, and he raised his chin and looked down at people, the kind of contemptuous look that a member of high society from a big city looks at a countryman.

The real aristocratic family, such people are rare, not that the aristocracy does not have a gentleman and a loser, but because the aristocracy mostly depends on the land for livelihood, and directly engages in unseemly activities such as commodity retailing, which hinders the status of the nobility, and they will only let their agents come forward.

Except, of course, wine, tobacco, perfumes, etc., as the operation and sale of these goods was the prerogative of the nobility. Discussing the nuances of the taste of different varieties of wine is a manifestation of aristocratic taste and cultivation, and in the north, if there is no winery, it is incompatible with the status of nobility.

If you can travel thousands of miles from the holy city to sell valuables to northern Xinjiang, especially after the war, when the population of northern Xinjiang has plummeted sharply and the people are generally poor, you are either a doer and do have sales channels to ensure that you can get rid of the goods, or you are an adventurer who wants to make a fortune by surprise, and there is also a loser who does not predict the possible risks.

Rohm immediately had a judgment. This is clearly the kind of young man who was born in a merchant family, but is a fledgling and thinks of himself very highly.

"Oh, with all due respect, I haven't heard of any improved bass types. Bass 1825 style, I have it here, if it is used for hunting, it is good, it is very accurate, but it is too expensive. Self-defense is not very good. ”

"Isn't it good to hit accurately?" asked Sean knowingly.

"Because the reload was too slow, you fired two shots, and I've already fired the third shot, which is terrible in a match. Rohm said with a smile.

"I see. Boss, this gun seems to be very good. Sean asked.

Sean was referring to a small, graceful gun with a delicately engraved stock on the buttle. This is actually a women's self-defense pistol with an extremely short range.

"If the price is right, give me four, one for each of my four fellows, at the disposal of 40 rounds of projectiles and the same amount of gunpowder. ”

Röhm was a little distracted for a while, and it took him a long time to react:

"20 louis each. A total of 80 gold louis, you take care of the business of the shop so much, I will give you the ammunition for nothing. What do you think, sir?"

"So be it. Sean said.

"Thank you, sir, for your generosity!" said Rom, looking excited.

While the guy was preparing the guns and ammunition, Rom asked, intentionally or unintentionally, "Sir, this is the first time you've come to our town of Eyad, right?"

"Yes, the first time. One of my relatives served in the Ars Military District, and it was with him that I bought a lot of goods from the Holy City to sell there. If it weren't for the money, I wouldn't have come to this remote country, and there is not even an inn that provides free bathing water. ”

"In the summer, our people, men, women and children, go to the river to bathe, which is our custom here. Rohm shrugged.

Sean's eyes lit up. Rohm laughed:

"Not what you think, young sir. Of course, a handsome man like you will be left behind by a passionate girl and then become a son-in-law, and your property will also become her property, and your children will take her surname. ”

"The countryside is terrible!"