Perhaps for outsiders, the situation in Tampa and the background of the smugglers indeed appear extremely secretive.
But in the eyes of the locals, these are merely information barriers.
Especially those bitter porters and sailors, they have no obligation to keep secrets for their employers.
As long as someone is willing to pay for them to have a drink, those employers who don't need them to swear allegiance are just bosses to be betrayed.
So, when confronted with a double dose of strong liquor and Silver Stags, these people told Gendry everything they knew, including the connections between suppliers.
Among them, the group that controlled the largest smuggling business in Tampa was called the Squirrel Gang, and most of its members were thugs and ruffians from King's Landing.
Only their leader had never been seen by anyone.
The sailors only knew that the Squirrel Gang had always acted ruthlessly and generously, and had never been "disturbed" by any official forces.
Including the Dragonstone outpost guard stationed here to inspect smuggling.
Regarding this, even the most ordinary person in Tampa could guess that behind the Squirrel Gang, there was obviously protection provided by a great noble from King's Landing.
And these people, besides engaging in smuggling trade, also manipulated Tampa's smuggling quota and pricing power, and collected protection fees by taking a cut.
Hearing this, Jon almost wanted to label these people with Petyr's tag.
But Gendry's next words added some doubt to Jon's inference.
In the Bull's narration, besides this Squirrel Gang, there was more than one group sitting at the table sharing the benefits of Tampa's smuggling.
Excluding the strongest Squirrel Gang, Tampa also had many large and small smuggling groups.
Although most were small groups of twos and threes, these people were by no means a loose sand.
Among them, the most eye-catching were two groups that disliked each other.
One group was a trade alliance formed by destitute nobles rooted here—Golden Button. It not only owned several merchant ships but also operated several surely profitable shipping routes.
Hearing "surely profitable," even Jon couldn't help being curious. But through the Bull's explanation, the Baron understood the key.
It turned out that Golden Button used private salons and past relationships rooted in King's Landing to strictly implement order-based trade.
Unless employers placed orders, they wouldn't cross the Narrow Sea to help purchase the various luxury goods needed.
So after deducting commissions for the captain and sailors, the remaining profits belonged entirely to the alliance.
The other group also originated from King's Landing, but in terms of identity, they were diametrically opposed to Golden Button.
Most of its members were bankrupt craftsmen and unemployed veterans. And providing shelter for these people who had no identity and could only seek refuge was the Hermit Monastery in Tampa.
It is said that even the Squirrel Gang and Golden Button had to give the monastery some face to avoid unnecessary trouble.
When Jon heard this conclusion, his brows couldn't help frowning slightly.
Up to now, this was the second time he had heard the name Hermit Monastery, and he could also guess that the reliance behind this group was very likely the High Sparrow.
And while thinking of this name, the new Baron could also understand why the local evil forces and nobles were unwilling to provoke the Hermit Monastery.
Jon did not intend to change the current situation. But where to cut in made the Lord Baron feel a bit tangled.
But soon, another annoying thing was added.
Before the transmigrator could come up with a solution, Gendry added a piece of bad news with a smile on his face.
"My Lord, according to your instructions, I have found a nice deep-water pier..."
Hearing this news, Jon's brows finally relaxed a little.
However, Jon, deep in thought, didn't notice that there seemed to be a hint of mischief hidden in the smile on the Bull's face.
Sure enough, before Jon could raise his head and continue asking, Gendry took a deep breath and made a shocking reversal.
"But unfortunately, the deep-water pier is on the cliff outside the town. Unless you can drive away that Miss Anya and occupy her ancestral home, you can only run back and forth on the shoal with flat-bottomed boats like the Squirrel Gang."
After teasing his master, Gendry didn't continue to test Jon's patience. Instead, he sped up his speech and relayed the last piece of intelligence he had gathered to the Baron.
Just as Jon saw when he followed Miss Anya that night. The reason why that group of people forced Anya Taylor-Joy was ostensibly to drive the Joy family away, but in reality, they just coveted the only deep-water pier.
After all, looking at the entire Tampa, the Joy family's ancestral home was at the end of a long and narrow cliff. And inside this natural barrier extending all the way to the sea surface was a natural good harbor for shelter from the wind, where the largest sea-going ships could dock directly.
Perhaps at the beginning of the site selection, Old Joy also had foresight and wisdom, so he occupied such a natural good harbor.
But unfortunately, their family business declined all the way, so much so that the sea-going ships they originally owned were also sold, and the pier in front of the manor had been abandoned for a long time.
However, the world never lacks smart people.
After discovering this natural good harbor, the Squirrel Gang approached Anya immediately, hoping to buy their residence for smuggling.
However, this despicable business practice was despised by Anya, who operated with integrity, making this stubborn girl choose to refuse cooperation.
This also explained why the girl was ambushed by them on her way home.
So after hearing this news, a look of worry appeared on Jon's face.
If it was just one thing, he might be able to figure out a way.
But now with troubles piling up, and he didn't want to directly conflict with the nobles behind these people, the best way was to proceed step by step and choose to solve these problems in a civilized way.
Just when Gendry thought his Lord Baron was helpless, Arya on the side, after hearing this complaint, didn't frown like her Brother Jon, but rolled her eyes instead.
Immediately after, the quirky girl dragged the Bull over and asked something in the big guy's ear.
Following Gendry bending down and whispering a reply in Arya's ear, the girl's already bright eyes instantly burst with dazzling light, obviously having thought of some bad idea.
Jon naturally didn't have time to pay attention to these small movements of the people around him, still thinking hard about how to break the deadlock.
Then, Arya didn't wait for Jon to continue worrying, and suddenly said something shocking.
"Brother Jon, where are there so many problems? Since the other party is a capable and beautiful girl, you might as well just marry her, and won't all problems be solved easily?"
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