A New Commission

When Tancred returned to the camp, the first thing he saw was the unfamiliar chestnut mare tied to the stake.

The glossy coat, the exquisite saddle, and the gilded emblems all indicate that the visitor is of extraordinary status.

Sure enough, in the mercenaries' camp, old John was standing outside his tent, talking to a man wearing a long linen coat and a leather satchel at his waist.

The man was about forty years old, with a sharp face. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the brass clasp on the bag, but his eyes keenly scanned the camp.

Seeing Tankred approach, old John visibly relaxed and quickly introduced him:

"Little Tank Red, this is Lord Marcus, the scribe under Earl Richard."

Marcus smiled and nodded slightly across from him, while old John leaned close to Tancredi's ear and whispered, "You'd better go deal with him. These clerks are so roundabout and a real headache."

It seems that old John is really not good at dealing with people other than mercenaries.

"Oh, this must be Captain Tanker, what a promising young man! I've come here without asking for a small favor, perhaps we can cooperate."

Tancred looked up and saw Marcus's smile was just right, neither overly warm nor cold. He took a roll of parchment tied with string from his satchel, holding it in his hands but not in a hurry to unfold it.

"What are your orders, Your Excellency? I am delighted to serve you!"

"My lord has some goods that need to be transported back from Benevento in the north. The journey isn't particularly long, but it seems rather unsettled along the way lately. We would like to request an additional reliable mercenary force to strengthen the protection of the goods."

Tancred took the parchment and scanned the standard-format mandate terms, but his fingertips paused slightly when he saw the amount of compensation.

50 gold coins!

This reward is nearly 50% higher than that of escort missions of the same scale on the market.

Moreover, as one of the twelve great lords of the Normans, Count Richard must have had many mercenary groups serving him, so why did he choose me alone?

"I am honored by Your Excellency's high regard," Tancred said cautiously, though he was puzzled. "There are quite a few mercenary groups registered in Aversa, many of whom are experienced veterans. We are just a newly registered mercenary group. Why have we earned Your Excellency's favor?"

"Precisely because you are 'new faces'," Marcus seemed to have anticipated this question.

He paused, cautiously glancing around. Once he was sure no one was around, he leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice to answer:

"This shipment is somewhat special, and the Earl doesn't want it to attract too much attention. If His Excellency were to send his own soldiers or those mercenary groups that frequently deal with the castle, it would inevitably arouse unnecessary speculation. A newly registered team with a clean record is the most suitable option."

Special cargo? Tanker became alert again.

Wasn't the Jewish merchant Isaac transporting "special goods" before?

Moreover, his inquiry about the commissioned task with the city's notice officer had left a deep impression on him regarding the shady dealings of these Norman nobles.

We must ask clearly first!

He didn't want to make enemies unknowingly again.

"Could you tell me what exactly the goods are, Lord Marcus? After all, the difficulty of escorting them depends on the value and risk of the goods."

"It mainly consists of high-quality Flemish wool and some spices from the East, which is considered a private trade between the Count and a friend in Benevento."

His voice was initially unusually loud, then he leaned closer and whispered to Tancred and old John:

"There were indeed several reinforced wooden crates containing thirty crossbows produced in the north."

This count's official is certainly cautious.

Tancred listened, his fingers unconsciously twirling his beard, his brow furrowed.

Thirty crossbows would be worth at least three hundred gold coins!

Tankred remained silent for a moment.

The reward for this commission was indeed tempting, and most importantly, he had heard of Marcus, the official in town, as a confidant of the Earl. This was a crucial factor in his connection with the Earl.

only……

"Captain Tanker can consider this carefully. There's no need for an immediate answer."

Marcus noticed his hesitation but did not urge him. Instead, he calmly put away the parchment.

"The gates of the Earl's castle will always be open for you. If you still wish to keep this commission, please come to the official's gallery at the west gate of the castle within three days."

Marcus stood up, dusted off non-existent dust, and then said earnestly, "Young man, I'd like to add one more thing: opportunities like this don't come around all the time. His Excellency the Earl appreciates those who are capable, but his patience has its limits. Remember, the world has no shortage of energetic young people!"

These PUA (Pick-Up Artist) tactics sound so familiar!

Tancred had heard similar phrases so many times he was practically numb to them before he even crossed over.

After seeing Marcus off, old John approached, his voice tinged with anxiety: "Little Tankred, why didn't you agree immediately? That's Earl Richard! Getting on his good side will make things much easier in Aversa! Besides, the mercenary group is going to be short of money, such a large reward..."

“It’s just because it’s so ‘good,’ Uncle John,” Tancred interrupted him, frowning as he watched Marcus ride away. “Our mercenary group is short of money, and with only a dozen or so people, we can’t possibly take on those complicated commissions. So, caravan escorts, the most suitable missions, have come knocking on our door.”

"That's not all. Because of the potential dangers posed by my father and Isaac, we urgently need to get in touch with the Earl. The person who proposed the commission was an officer close to the Earl."

"Uncle John, don't you think this is a bit too much of a coincidence? It's like it was tailor-made for us!"

Old John's expression changed: "You suspect this is a trap? Someone wants to exploit our feelings to lure us in? But Lord Marcus is trusted by the Earl, so why would the Earl need to target us mere mercenaries?"

"That's why I hesitated; otherwise, I would have refused long ago." Tancred walked back to the table and pressed his finger heavily on the mercenary roster bearing the count's insignia.

"In that case, let's cancel it, Little Tank Red," Old John said worriedly. "It involves so many important people, it's too dangerous. I really don't want your father's tragedy to happen again."

The original owner's father, Old Tank Red?

Tankred suddenly jolted awake.

Is the Earl transporting so much weaponry also for a "great war"?

He suddenly stopped hesitating, his voice carrying a hint of resolve:

"No, Uncle John, I've made up my mind, we're going to accept it!"

"But didn't you just say..."

"First of all, this commission is indeed too high a reward and the opportunity is too good to miss. But more importantly, if those lords are really brewing some kind of 'great war,' and if Earl Richard is also making preparations in secret, then contacting this batch of crossbows is our only clue to figure out the wind direction and understand the game!"

"Yes, this commission is indeed risky, but if we only take on small, trivial commissions, we'll always remain dust on the sidelines. Sometimes, to know when the storm is coming, you have to stand under the clouds first!"

Tancred put the roster away, stuffed it into his inner pocket, and clenched his fist, saying:

"Uncle John, have the mercenaries check their weapons and prepare for the march. This escort mission is unlikely to be easy."

"Oh, and Bashir too, his money-making plans need to be accelerated!"