Chapter 132 Fight or talk, that is the question

After waiting for such a long time, I originally thought that by joining forces with Robb Stark, and relying on the regicides and noble prisoners of the West, I could at least force Tywin back and let him leave the Riverlands.

Clay has already made a plan for him. As long as he returns to the Western Territory to put out the Ironborn attack in the Western Territory, he will let him go.

After getting Ed Stark back, Clay no longer plans to follow the Northern Army to conquer the world.

Eddard Stark insisted on Stannis's claim that Clay didn't care and he couldn't control it.

He knew Ed Stark's stubborn attitude on this matter, so he had no intention of dissuading him.

But this is an absolute fool's errand. There are now three kings in the Seven Kingdoms, and you support the one with the weakest power. Renly has an army of 100,000, and Emperor Qiao has King's Landing and the full support of Lord Tywin. .

As for Stannis, according to the information Clay has now received, he is still staying on Dragonstone. In other words, he did not run to Storm's End and let Melisandre kill Renly with her shadow.

This is interesting. Clay doesn't know what stopped Stannis from doing this. It must not be some bullshit family relationship. That thing is a proper negative equity in this bet.

So, to be precise, Stannis should now be called Dragonstone and a quarter of the Narrow Sea, no more, because there is only so much place he can control.

Well now, the plan didn't change quickly. Before he could take any action, Eddard Stark actually fell in the last step of breaking through the Lannister blockade.

They all ran out and were captured. Clay didn't know how to evaluate this matter.

Besides being unlucky, it’s still unlucky…

As soon as this happened, Jaime Lannister and a group of captives from the Westlands immediately became unsavory. Previously, I had planned to use this bunch of big treasures to kill Lord Tywin, and he wanted land and gold. That was not the case. Basic operation?

Well, in the current situation, in order to exchange for Ed Stark, these prisoners must be given out. These are all delicious little coins. When he thinks of this, Clay's heart is bleeding.

"Mother!"

Robb Stark was too busy checking on his fainted mother that he had no time to pay attention to the stunned Northern Dukes.

So, the remaining people turned their attention to the second largest military leader in this tent besides Rob Stark, Clay Mandler.

"Lord Clay, what do you think we should do? Should we launch an attack immediately and take back Lord Ed? Our army is ready!"

Jon Amber's familiar loud voice rang out again, and he also knew very well the consequences of Eddard Stark falling into the enemy's hands, because Tywin could theoretically insist on not giving up his precious son, but Robb could Don't you want his father?

"Lord Karstark, where is the location of your battle? Give me a specific location. My cavalry is further south. Maybe I can catch up."

Clay looked at the map of the battlefield, frowned and asked Count Karstark, whose armor was covered in blood.

Looking at the location pointed by Count Karstark, Clay sighed. It was too far and too late.

"How about it, Lord Clay, can you send troops to catch up with them?"

Everyone looked at Clay, but they all had their own plans and thoughts in their eyes.

Clay shook his head, knocked on the table lightly, and said helplessly:

"It's too late, that position has to be run back to the Lannister camp, but for most of the day, it takes me the same time to run back to the cavalry camp from here. In other words, before I have time to send troops, they have already returned to the camp. "

"What should I do? I can't leave my father alone. I raised an army and went south just to save my father."

After ordering someone to take the unconscious Lady Catelyn down, Robb Stark roared at his father's vassals with red eyes. Fortunately, the young man's basic IQ was still there and he did not recklessly ask the entire army to attack directly.

"First of all, we have to decide whether to talk or fight. These are two different operational arrangements."

Roose Bolton's soft and soft tone once again attracted everyone's attention. After Clay left, in the meeting here, in addition to Robb Stark who made the final decision, Roose Bolton's opinions also changed. becomes more and more important.

The Marquis of the Dreadfort, at this point in time, because of Clay's series of glorious victories against the Lannister in the Western Riverlands, Roose Bolton is now unspeakably loyal to Stark.

His mind is relatively clear, and the question he raised is also the key to the current situation. His meaning is very clear. If he wants to fight, there is nothing to say. Clay is now returning to the army overnight to prepare for an attack tomorrow morning.

If we want to talk, we have to bring the army there, just to put pressure. After that, it depends on the two sides to negotiate. The bargaining chips in the hands of both sides are about the same, so there is room for negotiation.

But Roose Bolton could only ask this question. It was not his father, and it was Robb Stark who made the final decision.

"Can we, using the regicides and noble captives from the West, get my father back?"

Robb Stark's body was trembling. No matter how mature he looked, after all, he was just a teenager. Faced with the situation where his father was in the hands of the enemy and his life or death was unclear, he was obviously still unprepared. of.

"My lord, we have something to ask of Tywin, and Tywin also wants something from us. To put it bluntly, without your father in the north, the Stark family still has you to carry on the inheritance. If Tywin loses the regicide, Who did Casterly Rock pass to? The little devil?"

Roose Bolton answered Robb's question, which reassured Robb a little, but for him, he still couldn't accept the situation where his father was captured and he did nothing to save him.

"Okay, that's it. Let's talk first. If we can't reach an agreement, we will fight. But there is a problem. If my cavalry unit appears near the Lannister Hall, it will lose the surprise of the attack. The Lannister will have Prepared.”

Clay must make this stake clear. It is impossible for his cavalry not to show up tomorrow. Originally, Robb Stark only had 10,000 men in his hands. After the previous battle, he had always adopted a defensive strategy.

Now, let him lead 10,000 people to the gate of Duke Tywin's 20,000 army. If Clay were Tywin, he would eat all of your 10,000 people and why would he bother to talk to you? go?

Clay's cavalry must appear on the flanks of Tywin's camp at the right time, giving him enough of a threat to make him stop being petty.

However, this way there is no longer the suddenness of the cavalry. If a battle really breaks out, it will be a real charge into battle. Needless to say, the casualties will be very heavy.

But there's nothing you can do about it. When things get to this point, it's impossible for you to show no sign from the North. Moreover, you hold my son and I hold your father, but the two sides don't talk to each other. That's what they've seen. Ghost.

After seeing Robb Stark hesitate for a moment, he still nodded. Clay didn't waste any time and led people straight to the stables. He would immediately return to the cavalry camp overnight to prepare for tomorrow's action.

Although there is talk, it must be based on fighting, because if it is not based on fighting, the preparations will not be sufficient. In that case, Lord Tywin's lion's jaws will bite off the necks of the northern princes.

…

Clay worked hard and led his men on a starry night journey, returning to his cavalry group before dawn. Earl Glover, who had stayed behind, rushed over with a look of surprise on his face.

If his calculations were correct, Clay was going to meet Master Robert and immediately returned. Didn't he agree to meet and discuss the next attack plan in detail?

Even if something happened, he wouldn't be in such a hurry. Clay spent almost all his time on horseback this day. What happened?

"Sir, what are you doing?"

Earl Glover asked. He was sleeping when he was suddenly woken up by the guards and told him that Clay had come back overnight. He didn't know why.

"Lord Glover, please go down and prepare. Tomorrow morning, the whole army will be prepared. Early tomorrow morning, we will march to the Lannister Camp."

What? Is this going to start a war? Master Clay went back to discuss the next plan, but it won't be so soon, right? Can you make it clear at this time?

Seeing the confusion on his face, Clay understood what he was thinking and could only explain in a low voice:

"Lord Eddard Stark has fallen into the hands of the Lannister. We must prepare for war. War is for better negotiations. My lord, do you understand?"

…

In the Western Camp, Tywin Lannister felt that he really needed to go to the cathedral in King's Landing to pray sincerely.

Otherwise, it is not enough to explain this incredible luck. He was in the middle of an attack by two armies in the north, and his son and a lot of vassals were all prisoners of others.

The news that Lannisport was burned by the Ironborn also reached here. It can be said that the West is only one step away from surrendering in an undignified manner.

However, as Tywin Lannister saw the face of the unconscious prisoner, he realized that the unfavorable situation between himself and the West had now turned around.

"Ed Stark's life must be saved, at least until we negotiate the terms with his wolf cubs and hand him over to the Northerners, he must not die!"

Duke Tywin gave his Half Bucket of Water army doctor a death order. Whether Eddard Stark died or not had nothing to do with them, but he must not die in the military camp in the West.

If during the negotiation, he brought the body of Ed Stark, then the people of the North would truly fight to the death with him.

From the current stage, the Western Territory urgently needs to stop the war and lick its wounds to regain its strength.

First, his son was attacked by a northern boy named Clay Mandler in a surprise attack on the battlefield of Riverrun. He lost more than 10,000 elite troops and became the enemy's prisoner.

After that, the brothers Stannis and Renly each put on a heavy crown. It can be said that no one in the Seven Kingdoms except the Iron Throne and the Westerland recognized Joffrey's throne. of legality.

In this unfavorable situation, how could the experienced Tywin think of fighting these direwolves in the north?

In fact, in Duke Tywin's heart, the North is the party that should least be his enemy, because as long as other interfering factors are eliminated and broken apart, there is no irreconcilable conflict between the North and the West. .

As long as Eddard Stark gives up his stubborn support for Stannis Baratheon's claim to the throne, the West and the North can immediately put down their swords and make peace.

There is no crown on any Stark's head in the North. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so they don't care about things in the south. Moreover, after the pirates of the Iron Islands chose to plunder Lannisport, they had no worries. .

Even if Lord Tywin manages to defeat the northern army through a series of means, so what? The Northerners retreated to the north of the Neck and closed the gate to Moat Cailin. The Lannister army could only look at the city and sigh.

The Andals had done something that had not been done for thousands of years, and Tywin Lannister was not so arrogant that he thought he could attack Moat Cailin head-on.

As long as the North is not king, they can advance, retreat or defend. As long as Eddard Stark returns and stops causing trouble for Joffrey and the spiked iron chair under his butt, Lord Tywin decides not to care. them.

Because if you continue to be enemies with the North and the Riverlands, you will be surprised to find that the form of the Lannister family is really too "good" when you open the map.

Their enemies are in the north, their enemies are in the east, their enemies are in the south, their enemies are in the west, they are everywhere.

As long as you are not seeking death, you must divide and disintegrate these enemies. Of course, necessary corruption and co-optation are also an indispensable method.

Therefore, Duke Tywin is very much looking forward to this meeting that has not yet been revealed, but will definitely take place.

He pinched the little wolf cub's father, and the little wolf cub was holding his disgraced son under his paws. If he continued to beat him as if he couldn't see him, wouldn't it be nonsense?

Tywin was sure that the army from the north would come with dignity, ready to fight him and take back their lord. But in fact, after the last battle, they also knew that their strength was not weaker than theirs.

Fight as few wars as possible. This is common sense for the northern border, which is sparsely populated and has extremely important human resources. Therefore, they will definitely choose to negotiate with themselves.

By the way, if possible, Tywin would also like to meet Clay Manderly, whom he had never heard of before. His grandfather, Earl Wyman, had met him himself, and he was just a somewhat resourceful Lord of White Harbor.

But his grandson's offensive ability on the battlefield impressed Tywin deeply.

Tywin knew his son's ability in commanding an army, otherwise he wouldn't have given more than 10,000 people to him and given him the task of defeating the main force of the Riverlands and besieging Riverrun?

But now, more than 10,000 people no longer exist, almost all of them died at the hands of the cavalry commanded by Clay Mandler.

According to the news, this cavalry commander in the north, in a battle in which more than 10,000 people were annihilated, his losses could be said to be minimal, which had to interest Tywin.

Regardless of the positions of both parties, from a military perspective, this Clay Manderly boy's commanding ability on the battlefield and his ability to command troops to attack are all admired by him.

He had reviewed the battlefield in Riverrun. Although he didn't know exactly what Clay Mandler did, judging from the results, he himself couldn't do better than this kid.

Thinking of this, he looked forward to the next meeting even more.

"We must let Eddard Stark hold on until we finish talking to the Northerners, do you understand?"

After explaining again, Duke Tywin left here, but he did not hear the doctor's sigh:

"I will try my best, Your Majesty the Duke, but I am so seriously injured. If I can survive tonight, it is because of the protection of the Seven Gods..."

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