The rue de la Crosche-Perse in Paris is bustling with activity.

Bustling crowds weave through the narrow streets, dressed in a wide variety of costumes, from sumptuous satin to plain fabrics, from noble satin to commoner fabrics, all of which shine with a distinctive brilliance.

In front of the shops, the hawkers shouted one after another, attracting passers-by.

Among the many shops, the office building at 12 rue Crocher-Perse is less impressive.

On the ground floor of the 21st, two companies are housed, one is the Paris office of an unknown goldsmith bank, and the other is mainly engaged in the business of shipping agency.

Walking up the ladder to the second floor, you can see a bronze signboard hanging on the door, on which the dragon and phoenix dance are engraved with the words "Breok Detective Agency", and on both sides of the signboard, there are two unusually eye-catching portraits.

"I'll eat a few cups if I have them, and I'll pack them and take them home if I can't finish them."

Magnifying glasses and chemical reagents are used to handle cases, while snuff bottles, pipes and gold pocket watches are designed to accentuate professionalism and make customers feel that the price of 5 francs per consultation is definitely worth the price.

Arthur said, "Let's take an analogy. You also know that if the host wants to prepare a hearty French meal at the banquet, then at least 20 dishes are needed. Although the chefs will be busy because of this, there will always be someone to help them. I've heard the Duke of Wellington complain that the French cooks are simply fooling him, because any normal person should know that you don't need six pounds of butter to fry twelve eggs. The butler approached them several times, but each time the cooks would deny it and say, 'This is the authentic way of French cuisine, and if you want to taste the purest French food, you have to pay for the French trick.' ’”

Arthur glanced at Vidocq, he really didn't expect the old man to learn all these words in a single trip to London.

However, customers should not be deterred by the professionalism of the Brearc detective agency because of these arrangements.

To Arthur's surprise, Thiers, who had just been promoted to the presidency of the Senate, had recently announced his engagement, but the bride was neither Talleyrand's niece nor the wife of a real estate developer, but the daughter of the real estate developer and his wife. In addition to this, the bride will bring a huge dowry of 300,000 francs and forgive the previous mortgage.

The one on the left is remarked at the bottom of the note - François Vidocq, former head of the security department of the Grand Paris Police Agency, French detective, and master of crime.

A drunken guest secretly tells Arthur that after the success of the July Revolution of 1830, Thiers, who had always supported and supported the Orleanists, was immediately appointed secretary general of the treasury, but that he wanted to go one step further and become a member of parliament.

Thiers bought the house on October 8, was elected a member of parliament on the 21st, and on November 2nd was appointed as undersecretary of finance by his old acquaintance, the Marquis de Lafayette, who was ordered to organize the cabinet. Naturally, Thiers reciprocated by giving the helpful real estate developer a shortage of money from the Treasury.

The walls of the office are covered with maps of Paris, Lyon, Marseille and all of France, and you can even see a human anatomy map that you can only find in medical school, as well as hand-drawn sketches of some of France's famous crimes.

But don't blame me for not reminding you, don't think of doing anything to them in the office, because the bulldog sleeping at their feet is no joke. On top of that, you have to watch out for the three big French brothers who sit on the sofa near the front desk.

First of all, the real estate developer met Thiers at the salon. And that salon was organized by Thiers's lover, the niece of Talleyrand. Moreover, Thiers was not the first real estate developer to meet, but the developer's wife, and it was with the strong support of his wife that the real estate developer finally decided to invest in Thiers.

As for why this lady would persuade her husband to invest in Thiers, in addition to the fact that she herself is indeed quite discerning, of course, there are also some problems in the relationship between men and women. However, if the story stops at this place, it still does not exceed Arthur's basic expectations.

Pushing open the frosted glass inlaid oak door, the first thing that catches your eye is a huge bronze chandelier suspended from the ceiling, whose intricate carvings cast a blurry shadow in the dim light, creating an atmosphere that is both solemn and mysterious.

What is 'Pan', you ask?

Legend has it that he was half human, half sheep, with a hairy body, long, pointed ears, and horns on his head. In Arthur's words, that's — this kid looks a lot like Agares.

Arthur and Vidocq were here with their heads on their heads, when suddenly, the bell in front of the door shook and jingled, and the door of the detective office was pushed open, and a gentleman in a tuxedo was standing outside the door and curiously surveying all aspects of the office.

Arthur leaned back on the couch, took the coffee cup and cake from the front desk lady's hand, and thanked him softly, and while enjoying this morning's cozy breakfast, he listened to the legendary French detective with blue eyes and silver-gray hair give a daily routine of 'combat mobilization' to the staff.

No matter how high the level of Mr. Vidocq's words is, at least he has taken the lead in implementing the "Regulations" he has made, Vidocq said such a long sentence that Arthur didn't even hear a single dirty word in it.

These rules include, but are not limited to:

1. No matter whose office you enter, you must take off your top hat first.

Because in Britain, jellies, a small dessert made with granulated sugar, fruit, cream and gelatin, are usually only sold in jelly houses, which are sold publicly in transparent custom-made glasses.

He even learned an even more exciting piece of gossip at a dinner hosted by Thiers, president of the French Senate, after the Copley Medal ceremony yesterday.

Arthur was still reminiscing about the path of fortune when the Thiers crow turned into a phoenix, when he suddenly heard footsteps ringing in his ears.

If that's all the story, it's an investment success story. But in reality, things are not as simple as they seem.

For some reason, the Jelly House is also a favorite place for warblers and 'foreign language lovers', which is why eating jelly in 19th-century Britain naturally had another meaning that cannot be explained.

Arthur pulled out the handkerchief on his chest and wiped his mouth: "If you talk about breakfast alone, breakfast in England is reasonable, potato pie and rice pudding, dripping soft cakes, and some peas seasoned with salt and cardamom. But when it comes to lunch and dinner, there is clearly no comparison with the French. Many wealthy families in London would rather be teased by a French chef than hire a skilled English chef. ”

There is no need to elaborate on the appearance and physique of these three French brothers. Like the 'Coconut Tree' who once shared the bed with Mr. Elder Carter, these former aislemen usually have their own nicknames, so their physical appearance is only needed to be known by their nicknames.

For Vidocq, everything else is a gadget that doesn't satisfy his quest for power and excitement. A true hunter is not a civil servant who can retire at the end of his life, and he is more unwilling to be lonely than a priest or a painter.

In the center of the office is a large mahogany desk, neatly stacked with case materials, police reports, unfinished anagrams, and all sorts of essential props for detectives—magnifying glasses, snuffboxes, pipes, gold pocket watches, and miniature chemical bottles.

Vidocq smiled evilly and pouted, "Brother, you have to take it easy." May I take the liberty of asking, you...... How many cups at once? ”

"It is true that he has long had his eye on the wealth of the Dossners, and that Madame Dausner has tried to reconcile him and her daughter, but for our Monsieur Thiers, the dowry that a bride gives to an ordinary councillor is obviously different from the dowry that is given to the dean of counsellors. Which is more cost-effective, 30,000 francs or 300,000 francs? I've heard that you're a natural philosopher, so you're sure to be able to do this kind of arithmetic better than I do. ”

Vidocq cut the cake and asked, "Teasing?" How do they tease those who have money? ”

The three gentlemen are: 'Gao Lao', 'One-Eyed Dragon' and 'Pan Shen'.

Maybe it's for energy, or maybe it's because of bad taste, Arthur replied lightly: "I basically eat every day." ”

"Brother, I didn't say it, you're a bit of a brag."

It can be seen that the detectives under Vidocq are indeed strictly restrained and trained at the highest level.

The one on the right is Sir Arthur Hastings, former Assistant Superintendent of Police of the Royal Greater London Police, Director of the Intelligence Department of the London Police Service, founder of the London Police School and Deputy Chief of Prosecution of the District Prosecution Service of London, and a night watchman in the fog.

Vidocq laughed and said, "Even if that's the case, those rich people don't want to use local cooks? ”

"yes!" Arthur said helplessly: "Although I am an Englishman, I have to say that the main meal in England is simply terrible. In many cases, I prefer to eat dishes that come from India, whether it's chicken curry, braised pork rice, or all sorts of spicy pickles, which are better than the local dishes of England. Of course, I don't mean to offend the local chefs, but at least they do a pretty good job of desserts, with floating island cakes, ice cream, and jelly being my favorites. ”

And when Arthur asked the drunken guest in surprise why he had not been engaged until now if Thiers had been eyeing the real estate developer's daughter all the time, the drunken guest just elbowed Arthur's chest and smiled mysteriously.

Arthur certainly knew what Vidocq meant.

As for the 'Pan God', he is like a sheep, he has a keen sense of smell where the 'grass' is, and can quickly find out the real address of those liars who are full of lies.

As for the 'tall guy', his height is not given for nothing, according to Vidocq: this kid can see everything from the window of the house on the first floor without using a ladder when standing on the ground. His feet were wet and he had a cold, and it would take two weeks for the symptoms to spread from the soles of his feet to his body, and three weeks before he started sneezing.

2. With a lady in front of you, do not deliver non-urgent letterheads.

Of course, there are some lighter ones, such as portraits of high-ranking French police officials, including Fouché, the former French Imperial Minister of Police, and the current director of the Grand Paris Police Agency, Jean-Céquet.

Take the 'One-Eyed Dragon', for example, he is said to have excellent eyesight, before he was blind, both eyes could be called 1.5, and after he was blind, the only remaining eye became 3.0. Anyone who asks him to look at it will be able to see him as long as he appears in front of him, across the street.

Vidocq sat down on the sofa chair across from him with a plate of cream cakes and asked, "Brother, how do you feel about breakfast today?" Is it a stronger point than London? ”

However, according to French electoral law, Thiers, who does not own a property in his name, does not have the right to vote and to be elected, and cannot be elected to parliament. At this time, a real estate developer generously waved his hand and sold a house directly to Thiers with a zero down payment.

4. Last but not least: no spitting, let alone urinating.

"We are fighting to defend social order, in the name of justice, just like soldiers under the banner of the army, fighting for the motherland! Our first plan is to leave those social parasites without a place to bury. We need to dig up the moths, liars and fraudsters who have embezzled money, strip them of their skins, restore them to their criminals for what they are, and give them a head start! ”

Arthur also learned a little about Vidocq's character and temper from these artworks, although the 55-year-old man said that he didn't care about leaving the Grand Paris Police Department. But it can be seen that although he likes fame and money, he is also like the scientists of the French Academy of Sciences, and he actually prefers the pursuit of power to these.

As for you, sage, you are still keeping an eye on the extramarital affair to-day, and Mr. Ellitier wonders if his wife has really been involved with the Count of La Fontaine lately. Yes, that's right, I don't need you to mess with their good deeds, you just need to make sure that they really 'get to the bottom of it'. What? Will they draw the curtains? I don't care so much, it's something you should be able to do! Do you want me to refuse Monsieur Ellitier's offer of 500 francs just because of a curtain?

No, don't go to the road to block Lady Eritil, why would you want to threaten a lady? Mr. Ellitil just wanted to know if there was such a thing, and not to take revenge on his wife and his lady's lover. For if his wife did cheat, it would have been better for Mr. Ellitier, who needed the help of the Count of La Fontaine in his business. ”

"Okay, that's it for today, let's all go back to our jobs! One-eyed Dragon, Pan Shen, you two remember to keep an eye on those liars from other provinces, and get acquainted with them. I suspect they may be 'Duame' people, we have been eyeing these rats who specialize in money laundering in the security department before. If you can get them done, it's a big gain. You're not just trying to get a word out of their mouths, it's better to get a few of their forged bank documents so we can handle it.

None of these three gentlemen are easy to mess with, but they will not take the initiative to mess with others, because in order to better open the door and do business, Vidocq has set rules for them, and everyone must behave as elegantly as possible.

Because he found that Vidocq's office was decorated with heavy themes such as "The Beheading of the Prophet John", "The Crucifix of Ravaillac", and "The Split of the Five Horses of Damien".

3. It is not allowed to chew tobacco in the mouth during working hours, and it is best to spray a little perfume if possible

Arthur might have been surprised if it was the first time he had heard something like this, but now he was no stranger to such a thing.

As soon as you walk through the door of the office, you will find two young and beautiful French girls at the reception, one of whom warms the hearts of every customer who has just suffered a major loss of property with the most warm smile, and the other who is in charge of serving a warm cup of coffee and a sweet and greasy cream pastry on a fine porcelain plate with a silver-plated fork.

However, Arthur was not very interested in these three gentlemen and the French girl in the front desk, he was more interested in Vidocq's cynical artistic taste.

Vidocq whistled when he heard this, and he winked at Arthur and quipped, "Jelly? Dude, look what I've heard! You actually like jelly very much, and I actually like it too, it seems that the two of us have similar interests! How often do you eat jelly on average? ”

But don't look at these three gentlemen who look different from ordinary people, but they are all capable of it.

At last, he raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door: "I see a portrait of Sir Hastings hanging outside the door, is he himself here now?" ”

PS: There are two more to come.

(End of chapter)