"Are you sure no one escaped?"
When Jon returned to the army, which had already marched south, with the heads of the Westerlands soldiers, this was the first question Roose Bolton asked.
And when others learned that Jon, as a scout, chose to kill the enemy, they all expressed that it was indeed unwise.
Jon glanced at them out of the corner of his eye and said firmly:
"If this attack fails because of my poor reconnaissance, then please cut off my head."
"Cut off your head? At most, you'd be hanged."
Jon didn't turn to see who said that. From the voice, he could tell it was still Lord Severn.
Although Jon was a noble's bastard, he was not a noble, nor did he have a title, so he naturally wouldn't 'enjoy' the treatment of beheading.
These nobles always liked to emphasize their status at all times, and Jon had long been used to it.
After all, Theon was the same arrogant way at first.
Just then, Lelan Horode spoke:
"My Lords, I can vouch for Jon. We didn't let any Westerlander escape! The decision to annihilate the enemy was made by all of us."
Seeing his determination, and with Lelan Horode, who had once defeated Arthur Dayne with Eddard, also speaking, the others felt a little relieved.
Roose Bolton, as before, placed his direct troops in the safest center of the army.
With House Umber and House Karstark, two staunch Stark vassals, as the main attacking force.
Supplemented by House Blackwood and House Severn, they immediately rushed to the designated battlefield to prepare for the attack.
As the commander, Roose Bolton knew that a true sneak attack was not about the army swarming the enemy while they were sleeping and routing them.
The cavalry unit Jon eliminated was only to prevent the army from being discovered prematurely.
The Westerlands, in their camp, would at least have some watchtowers prepared.
They would still be discovered when they approached within one or two kilometers of the enemy.
Successful reconnaissance was equivalent to reducing the Westerlands army's preparation time.
They would certainly discover the Northern Army soldiers before the battle, but by then, they might not have time to deploy or for soldiers to put on their armor.
But in any case, they would not lose their basic combat effectiveness, especially since Tywin's army at this time was better equipped and had more cavalry.
Therefore, before the real fight began, Roose Bolton still sent people to scout the enemy's troop distribution.
When he learned that the left flank of the Westerlands army was a group of poorly equipped mountain clan barbarians, he immediately decided to use this as a breakthrough point for the attack.
But Jon knew that Tywin had hidden Gregor Clegane, also known as the Mountain, and his heavily armored elites there.
The so-called flaw was actually a bait.
Even the left flank's troops were very far forward.
So, before Roose Bolton decided to launch the attack, he again advised:
"Lord Bolton, although the enemy's left flank is just a group of poorly equipped barbarians, there must be a reason for them to be so prominent.
Why would they show such an obvious flaw to us? Perhaps they've hidden their elites among these barbarians?
I suggest that against this enemy, we focus on defense and put the main attacking force on the enemy's right flank, which is our left flank!"
In the original Battle of the Green Fork, the Westerlands army relied on this simple trick of hiding elites among irregulars, causing heavy losses to the Northern Army.
An army of eighteen thousand men was reduced to just over ten thousand by the end.
Although he did not get along well with these people, Jon could not watch Roose Bolton squander lives.
Especially since this would indirectly expand his influence in the army.
Who knew Roose Bolton scoffed at Jon's suggestion:
"Jon, I ask you two things: First, have you ever been on a battlefield before this?
Second, who is the commander of the army?"
Because of the military power issue, Roose Bolton was already dissatisfied with Jon. He continued, "If you continue to obstruct the army's movements, I will deal with you according to military law!"
Jon hadn't said anything yet when Lord Severn's familiar voice rang out again:
"Yes, we can't be afraid of the enemy just because they wear good boots, can we?"
Jon looked at the people behind him, only to see mocking, sarcastic, and disgusted expressions on their faces.
It's truly hard to advise a doomed soul.
Although Jon had a cheat now, the command of the army was not in his hands.
He could only act when the battle went awry.
On a chaotic battlefield, soldiers mostly attacked with a 'momentum'.
And Jon was confident that with the map cheat, combined with the flood, he could absolutely turn the tide!
At least, he could greatly reduce the losses.
Seeing Jon's proposal rejected, Lelan Horode also said nothing.
In his opinion, this was a common problem for young people who had never been on a battlefield.
Either they thought too much, or they thought too little.
Jon clearly belonged to the former.
What they didn't know was that Jon's mind was already elsewhere, not on the upcoming battle.
He retreated to a corner, using Warging to send his raven to check Old York's 'project progress'.
It must be said, he was indeed a noble near the White Knife River.
He was very familiar with the habits of rivers. He chose a river valley as a reservoir.
The original dam had been removed, and he was reinforcing a new dam in the river valley.
He had tied ropes to key points of the dam; with just a pull of the ropes, the entire dam would collapse.
The two had already agreed to use ravens to transmit messages, so he didn't need to return to the camp, only to guard the river valley here.
On the other side, the Westerlands army.
Since Tywin led them out of the Westerlands and into the Riverlands, this army had been invincible in conquering cities and territories.
None of the Riverlands armies or castles could delay their advance.
This inevitably made the army somewhat lax.
The meat broth in the iron pot solidified into grease.
Armor was discarded everywhere like shed snakeskin.
Some even managed to wear chainmail with the lazy elegance of silk.
An ugly dwarf noticed several poorly equipped but defiant individuals looking at something from a distance.
They had disheveled braids, lean bodies, but fierce eyes.
Their armor was not uniform; some had no armor at all or wore simple leather armor.
Following their gaze, the dwarf saw a man built like a small mountain.
This warrior, over eight feet (2.3-2.4 meters) tall, was drinking with his subordinates.
Not only his body, but even his head was a size larger than a normal person's.
His two eyes glared, as cruel as a beast's.
Just a twitch of his lips made people feel fear.
This man was none other than Tywin's most capable and fierce general—the Mountain, Ser Clegane!
Because Catelyn had privately arrested Tyrion, an enraged Tywin ordered the Mountain to raid the Riverlands.
He alone caused the Riverlands lords to cry out in misery.
As for the Riverlands commoners, there's no need to mention them; his greatsword, almost as tall as a man, still reeked of blood.
The dwarf was Tyrion, and these wild, uncivilized warriors around him were the 'mountain clansmen' he had recruited.
He exchanged weapons and food for their participation in the war.
Although these wildlings had varying combat effectiveness, they were cheap and resilient; if they died, they died.
Moreover, the real killing blow was the Mountain hidden among them.
Tyrion said to the mountain clansmen beside him: "Alright, if you want to challenge him, be prepared to lose your lives. And it won't be long before the Northern Army attacks, so be careful."
"Hmph! We're not afraid of any Northern Army," a woman with a dog's head painted on her forehead said. "We've even killed kings!"
This woman came from the 'Painted Dogs Tribe'.
The king she spoke of was an Andal king before Aegon the Conqueror's landing.
Additionally, this tribe also had a 'Fire Witch' worship; they seemed to be very good with fire.
Tyrion smiled and said nothing.
Let alone that Vale king, everyone could have a setback.
Just like Eddard.
More than a month ago, he heard news of the Northern Army's mobilization.
Tyrion estimated that Robb would lead his army south soon.
Coupled with some coincidences, he temporarily recruited these mountain clan wildlings for his own use.
In his opinion, the Northern Army and the Westerlands army might confront each other in the Riverlands at that time.
He would then try to persuade Eddard.
Although Eddard was captured, he couldn't actually be sentenced. The key was to find a way to make some deals.
'Sansa still has to marry Joffrey… As for Eddard's younger daughter…'
Just as Tyrion was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a horn blast nearby.
Enemy attack!!!
Tyrion casually threw his wine cup onto the table and then jumped off his chair.
Unfortunately, with his height, he could only see a bunch of butts.
"What's happening?!"
Tyrion was greatly alarmed, looking around and asking, his tone somewhat panicked.
At this moment, a mercenary-looking attendant came to Tyrion's side:
"Enemy attack! Damn enemy attack! The Northmen are attacking!"
"Ah?!!!"
The one shouting at Tyrion was the mercenary Bronn.
His stubble was messy, like a recently harvested wheat field.
But his eyes were fierce.
Thanks to this guy, Tyrion was able to escape the Vale unharmed.
Tyrion quickly climbed to a high point, pulled out a bronze telescope, and carefully looked through it.
The Northern Army had already formed ranks; the banners of Karstark, Severn, and Glover slowly advanced.
"Frey!"
Tyrion's pupils contracted, realizing that the Frey Family had formed an alliance with the Northern Army.
He looked back at his own army, which was scrambling to prepare.
The Mountain was even frantically putting on his armor.
Tyrion hardened his heart, turned to the mountain clan warriors, and said:
"Everyone, listen to my command! Aren't you unafraid of death? Haven't you killed kings! Follow me! The entire army advances one grid!"
Tyrion wanted to use these mountain clan wildlings to draw the Northern Army's attack.
This was also a strategy he had planned with Tywin beforehand.
At this point, there was no time to ask for permission.
Tyrion knew that he, a dwarf, was not liked by his father.
But in crucial moments, he was still willing to trust him.