Leaving the gardens of the Governor's Palace, Wickham found the captain of the Jackal, Major Blair William, already waiting.

Blair William also noticed Wickham, who had walked out side by side with Colonel Brandon, and immediately walked over enthusiastically: "George! You guy, you didn't come to Calcutta to look for us old friends, did you forget me, or were you afraid that I would ask you for wine money? ”

Seeing the captain of the cruiser who had fought side by side with him, Wickham was also very happy, and gave this guy a big hug: "Major William, I just rushed back from Cape Town the day before yesterday, and I have to report to Lord Magalny as soon as possible, do you think it is easy for me?" ”

At this time, Blair William noticed the shiny rank of captain on the Wickham military uniform, and immediately muttered: "You guy has been promoted quietly!" No, you're going to have to treat me to a drink, we all know you're a rich man."

Wickham could only raise his hand in surrender at this, and hurriedly said: "No problem, during the dock of the fleet in Calcutta, whatever you drink, it will be mine!" Wickham was still a little weak when he saw Blair William, and almost all of the whisky collection on the ship was used by him to clean Bert's wounds.

Major William smiled, punched Wickham, and said, "Don't you kid want to run, I haven't settled accounts with you about my bottles of whiskey." I don't care anyway, I have to drink all the losses back. ”

Truth be told, Wickham still hasn't fully adapted to the British wine culture, a country where people are addicted to alcohol, whether it's for work or before bed. In the eighteenth century, the streets of London were full of drunken drunkards, and the law and order situation in the town never improved.

Of course, the rich and aristocracy drank Scotland-made whisky, champagne and wine that had been shipped from France and Italy, while the common people preferred cheap ales and gins. Regardless of whether the alcohol is cheap or expensive, the whole of the United Kingdom, from the upper class to the common people, is addicted to alcohol.

"You came back the day before yesterday? Why didn't I see you at the ball at the Doge's Palace? Blair William asked, a little curiously. As a mid-ranking officer in the Royal Navy, he was also invited to the Governor's Palace ball that day. It's just that he hasn't seen Wickham, so that's why he asked.

Wickham thought back for a moment, and realized that that night, apart from a dance with Miss Cornwallis, had spent the rest of the night in a small and inconspicuous corner, talking to the Marquis of Cornwallis and Lord Margarny.

Wickham had not even met his immediate superior, Fleet Commander Colonel O'Brig, let alone Blair William. In the face of William's question, Wickham had to say vaguely: "Maybe there were too many people attending the ball that day, and I didn't get any young lady to dance, so naturally I didn't meet you." ”

In the face of Wickham's words, Major William naturally didn't believe it, stared at Wickham's handsome face for a while, and then said: "George, with your handsome face, I don't believe that there will be no lovely young lady who accepts your invitation to dance." ”

The two talked for a while, and then Major William said to Colonel Brandon with a little apology: "Mr. Colonel, I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long, you have to understand my joy at meeting my old friend for a long time. ”

Compared with the Marquis of Cornwallis, who had a somewhat fiery temper, Colonel Brandon had an extremely gentle temperament, and he waved his hand to show that he didn't care, and said: "Major Blair William, you don't have to feel sorry for this, I fully understand your feelings, and there is no hurry to interrogate the prisoners. ”

Although Major Brandon said he didn't care, Wickham and Blair William couldn't be so uninteresting, and after a few words, they mounted their horses, which the soldiers had prepared, and rode towards the barracks outside the city.

Since the independence of the thirteen North American colonies, Britain, whose prestige has plummeted, has devoted more energy and strength to the rich Indian subcontinent. In addition to the East India Company's own corporate mercenaries, the Cabinet also sent a number of regular troops from the mainland to the Indian subcontinent, making Calcutta a large military station with a large number of troops from within the country.

The barracks where the three of them went was the home of the British Royal Fifth Grenadier Battalion. The barracks was made entirely of stone and looked very sturdy, and from time to time there were groups of British soldiers in red uniforms, carrying glittering Beth rifles, patrolling by very strongly.

The sentry on duty at the gate of the barracks saw the three officers coming this way, and hurriedly straightened up and said, "Good afternoon, Colonel Brandon." ”

Colonel Brandon nodded to the sentry, and then led Wickham and Major William into the barracks. Wickham observed the soldiers coming and going in the barracks, and found that these soldiers were very tall and burly, and none of them were less than 1.9 meters! Who are the Nima in this barracks!

Thinking of the soldiers in his company who had temporarily captured strong men, Wickham suddenly felt that his troops could not be compared with the Royal Grenadier Battalion: "This is really a first-class elite unit!" ”

Colonel Brandon heard Wickham's admiration, and a rare smile appeared on his face, and he said in a good mood: "That's nature! Such an elite grenadier unit will definitely not exceed three regiments in our entire United Kingdom! These grenadiers were selected from ordinary infantry regiments and subjected to rigorous testing. They are big and powerful, and they can throw heavy grenades and bullets out of nearly sixty yards! In addition to the lethal grenades, they are also equipped with expensive rifled rifles! The cost of forming such a battalion is enough to form three ordinary infantry regiments. ”

The Grenadier was a special type of troops in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and because the early grenades and bullets were not lightweight, the soldiers responsible for throwing grenades and bullets at the enemy required very strong arm strength. So the grenadiers came into being.

The soldiers of the Grenadier Unit are carefully selected to be able to throw bulky grenades and projectiles up to 60 yards away. Because if you get closer, it is easy to cause accidental injury. Although the early grenades and bullets were loaded with black, gunpowder, and therefore limited lethality, the grenadiers, who were armed with both grenades and rifled rifles, were a very formidable assault force in this era, and were favored by European generals.

It's a pity that tall soldiers with strong arms are hard to find, so the number of such troops is very small, a bit like early special forces. I didn't expect Colonel Brandon to be the commander of the Royal Grenadier Unit, and he couldn't sit in such a position without some ability. Thinking of this, Wickham didn't dare to underestimate the middle-aged officer with a gentle face on the other side.

When the three of them came to a small house in the corner of the barracks, Colonel Brandon turned over and dismounted, and said to them, "The captain of the warbler, de Rochefort, is being held here." Wickham and Major William also rolled over and dismounted, handing the reins to the soldiers on the side.

Colonel Brandon spoke to the guards at the door, and led the two into the house. Although this room is small, it is very clean and tidy inside. The afternoon sun shines through the glass-encrusted windows and on the brown-painted floor, making it feel like a home away from home rather than a prison for prisoners.

Baron de Rochefort sat at his desk and read a copy of Homer's epic poems in Greek, with a sense of ease. Wickham hadn't seen the hapless French captain in months, but it seemed that the guy was doing well as a prisoner in Calcutta, at least not being tortured.

Baron de Rochefort, apparently spotting the three uninvited guests at the door, got up with a big grin, and saluted: "Colonel Brandon, I will protest to you!" Although I am only a captive, I am a nobleman of noble blood, and I demand to be treated accordingly, not this cramped stone house. ”

Hearing Baron de Rochefort's protest, Wickham almost stumbled under his feet, how could this guy be the same as he had been a few months ago, without the slightest consciousness as a prisoner, did he think it was on vacation?

Colonel Brandon didn't care at all, but still kept his expression unwavering, and said: "I'm sorry I can't call you a nobleman's title, Monsieur de Rochefort, your king Louis XVI has already announced his abdication under the coercion of the Parisian mob, and theoretically speaking, the nobles of France have automatically lost their titles." ”

In fact, Louis XVI had now been executed by the Girondins, but the Indian subcontinent was far away from Europe, and news had not yet reached here.

De Rochefort's aristocratic demeanor, which had just been stubborn, was immediately deflated, and he muttered: "That mob in Paris is simply lawless, and our esteemed Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans will soon lead the royal army back to Paris and rescue His Majesty the King." ”

Major William on the side couldn't hold back for a long time, and said unceremoniously: "Captain de Rochefort, I've heard this sentence twice before, and I think it's better to wait for your esteemed Duke of Orleans to return to Paris and talk to us about your noble treatment." ”

Baron de Rochefort glared at Major Wilhelm in dismay, and then asked suspiciously, "May I ask Your Excellency?" ”

When Baron de Rochefort was captured, Major William and Wickham's faces were covered with black gunsmoke, and now they are indeed so glamorous that it is not surprising that he did not recognize them.

Major Blair William showed a sarcastic sneer on the corner of his mouth, and he smiled: "A noble person like Lord Baron naturally wouldn't take me a little captain to heart." By the way, the Warbler is a good warship, and it is now on the roster of the Royal Navy's Far East Fleet. ”

The corners of Wickham's mouth twitched, and he thought to himself that Major William's mouth was really poisonous.

Sure enough, Baron de Rochefort's face soon changed, and anyone who heard that the battleship he once commanded had become the enemy's trophy would not be happy: "You are the captain of the Jackal!" Damn, where is your gentlemanly demeanor of the British, to attack one of my ships with two warships. ”

Wickham pouted, does bullshit gentlemanly demeanor work in war? But it seems that this guy attacked the merchant ship first, why didn't you talk about gentlemanly demeanor at that time? Wickham interrupted the nagging Frenchman with a loud voice, and said, "Well, Monsieur de Rochefort, it doesn't matter how you were defeated, it's that matters to you, and you are now a prisoner of our United Kingdom of Great Britain. ”

Colonel Brandon decided not to talk nonsense with this fellow, and said directly: "Monsieur de Rochefort, this is the end of our greetings. I'm sure you already know what we're here for, I just want to know what you and the Warbler are here for? ”

De Rochefort's eyes were panicked, and then he pretended to be a dead pig who was not afraid of boiling water, and said indifferently: "Colonel Brandon, I think I have made it very clear, after the riots in Paris, I did not want to submit to the lowly French men without trousers, so I commanded the Warbler to leave the military port of Brittany, is there anything wrong with this?" ”

Wickham smiled coldly and said, "In order to avoid the mob in Paris, Monsieur de Rochefort not only disguised his warship as a merchant ship, but also ran thousands of miles to India, is it really strange, don't you say?" ”

De Rochefort shuddered at Wickham's playful smile, and his face flashed with an unnatural look.

Colonel Brandon came prepared, and threw the entry documents he had copied from the Calcutta tax office on the table, and shouted: "This merchant ship called the Trident is the Warbler, can you explain why you docked at the port of Calcutta?" ”

Baron de Rochefort only glanced at the papers on the table, and did not take them, but continued: "Mr. Colonel, I am in port to obtain the necessary supplies, and if I command a warship-like ship close to the port of Calcutta, it will not be sent to the bottom of the sea by the batteries on the shore? ”

This guy is also calm, and the explanation is reasonable, but Wickham has a faint instinct that this guy must be lying, and he must be guarding a shocking secret!

"Really? Is it garbage that Monsieur Nade Rochefort's warship, after carrying some supplies onto the ship, also unloaded some kind of cargo onto the docks? Colonel Brandon's eyes instantly shot a cold light, and then a bombshell was dropped.

De Rochefort's expression changed, but he quickly adjusted back: "We did unload some goods, didn't we rob a few merchant ships, the goods on board naturally have to be disposed of quickly, otherwise where will the money for the purchase of supplies go?" ”

By this time the three had ascertained that the unloaded cargo was a secret that Baron de Rochefort was to keep. Colonel Brandon walked over suddenly, and the murderous aura that had been sharpened on the battlefield suddenly emanated, and de Rochefort was startled when he saw this, and screamed: "What are you going to do, Mr. Colonel?" ”

Colonel Brandon smiled wryly, and said, "Monsieur de Rochefort, I sincerely suggest that you tell us what you know, or we will have to make you suffer."

Wickham was taken aback by Colonel Brandon's move, and the guy said he would fight without warning. For the first time, Wickham no longer felt that Brandon's smile was gentle, and there was always a sense of oozing. Also, among the officers who have served in India for many years, who is good at it.

The force of the kick was so great that de Rochefort lay on the floor with his body curled up, and he was speechless in pain. The violent factor of Major William was completely led out by Brandon, and jumping on it without saying a word was a wild beating, which made Wickham dumbfounded, where did these guys still have half the grace of a knight at sea, they were simply a savage bandit.