Chapter 205 The best opportunity

The scouts who went south finally brought the news back, but it was not good news.

Four of the ten scouts came back, and the rest died in the scout battle with the Valemen and Lannister during the journey south. Don't think that scouts are a good job. Under normal circumstances, their mortality rate is higher than that of the first. A row of soldiers is even taller.

They failed to reach Harrenhal. In fact, they were driven back halfway through, but the scouts still succeeded in finding the battlefield where the heavy cavalry in the valley attacked the northern army.

They did not have time to bury the bones of almost 20,000 people. After determining the basic situation of the battlefield, they immediately continued their mission.

When they returned to Twins City, they told Clay everything they saw.

The location of the battlefield is south of the town of Earl Harroway, almost close to Harrenhal.

It seems that Robb Stark did not wait for the armies from the Riverlands to come and join him. He planned to directly lead the army to Harrenhal and place his troops on the edge of King's Landing.

This tactic cannot be said to be wrong. If you don't consider the variable of Vale, it makes perfect sense. But the problem is exactly this. Vale stabbed Robb Stark hard when he was unprepared. .

"There's no way to calculate how many people were killed on our side. There are corpses all over the ground, including ours and those of the Valley people. It's really..."

The faces of the scouts who reported back were filled with pain. Anyone who saw so many of his troops lying dead in the wilderness would feel uncomfortable.

"We saw the flags of various major families inside. In addition to ours in the north, we also found several broken eagle flags. We can be sure that they were the bastards from the Erin Valley who attacked us."

Clay nodded, and after asking some more details about the battlefield, he let them go down. Every time these scouts went on a mission, they were dancing on the tip of the knife, and they would lose their heads if they were not careful.

They should also take a good rest. After all, they may not have much time to rest next time.

"Now it is confirmed that Arryn Valley did participate in the war, and the contents of Robb Stark's letter are still credible."

The old man touched his gray and curled beard, frowned and expressed his conclusion.

"Well, then, we can only prepare for Robb Stark to send us more than 10,000 people in a battle. Although I know this is unlikely, we must be lenient to the enemy."

To be honest, Clay still doesn't believe that the cavalry in Erin Valley can be strong enough to eat up the northern army in one battle. If he is given another 20,000 people, they will not be able to do so.

Although there was no intelligence from the south, Clay guessed that the Erin Valley cavalry group that disappeared after the battle might have continued to pursue the defeated northern army.

They want to weaken the war potential of the North as much as possible so that the North can no longer interfere with the political changes in the South.

Tsk, this balancing policy works very well and deserves to be taken seriously.

"Clay, I have an idea, why don't you listen to it?"

"Grandpa, tell me."

"Well... you see, we still have two thousand people stationed in Twin River City, and the new force from White Harbor can go south at any time. No matter how you look at it, we are a tough opponent, compared to the rest of the entire front."

Clay followed the old man's fingers and looked at the location of the confrontation between the two sides and the location where the attack might occur. After thinking for a moment, he agreed with the old man's statement.

"Yes, I think as long as the people in the valley are in good minds, there is no need to mess with us. If they dare to attack us, we can definitely hold on with the help of Twin River City."

The old man continued what Clay said:

"If the news spreads back to the North, the major families will probably risk their lives to squeeze out the last bit of their family wealth in order to save their heads."

"At that time, the army from the north will pass through the Neck and move south. As long as Edmure Tully is not stupid and leads the army from Riverrun to block the Blood Gate, these eagle cubs will be in a dilemma."

"So, I judge that they will not come to attack us. How many golden dragons are we worth here? The most important thing now is to find out how big the appetite of these valley people is."

This sentence is actually the core of the problem. Littlefinger planned all of this, but Clay understands that he definitely does not want to completely kill the North, and he cannot do it.

Now Roose Bolton and Meech Severn are trapped in the Eyrie. Not to mention the unlucky Earl Severn, let's talk about Roose Bolton. This guy plus Arya, who was arrested very early. · Stark.

Does it look familiar? Isn't this just a fully-organized Winterfell Homecoming Group?

As long as Robb Stark is killed, Roose Bolton can take his people to send Arya Stark back to Winterfell, and then find an opportunity to let Bran... Stark died, and Sansa Stark married a noble he wanted to win over.

Or even simpler, just rely on military power to control the weakened Winterfell, and then marry Sansa Stark. As long as you are cruel, let Rickon Stark disappear, and then find a powerful king to endorse it. It's done.

In fact, this is how Roose Bolton played in his memory, but in the end he got out of the game and was killed by his illegitimate son, Little Skin, which can be regarded as his own fault.

Clay was not sure whether Roose Bolton had rebelled, but with the current precarious situation in the North and Robb Stark, it would be strange for Littlefinger to still be by that guy's side and not think about it.

After understanding this, Clay could only complain about Robb Stark's envoy configuration this time. This was not a pillow sent by Doze. If you had been someone else, this might not have happened.

Among the three major forces in the north, Stark is the leader. The Boltons used to be second, but now, their own Mandalay family has secured the second position. However, their background is not good, and the Boltons are still red in history. Where is the king?

Littlefinger can't do anything to him, so he can only start from Roose Bolton.

"Grandpa, what do you mean, these eagle cubs might attack the almost undefended princes of the Three Rivers Basin?"

"Is it impossible? If I were the commander of the Eyrie, I would keep burning, killing, and looting your fiefdom. Anyway, most of my troops are cavalry. I only need to trick the main force of the Riverlands out of Riverrun and leave. That turtle shell is full of holes that can be exploited."

To be honest, Clay felt that his old man's analysis was correct. It was really possible for Littlefinger to do this. Edmure Tully did not have enough prestige, and his vassals would definitely become anxious if they saw that their lair was being taken away.

At that time, Edmure Tully, who could not withstand the pressure, hurriedly sent out troops. After giving up, if Clay commanded the army in the valley, he only needed to send out elite troops to cut off the logistics of the Riverlands army, and then crush them with a thunder blow.

"Well, it is indeed very possible. In this case, we will first send the raven to Edmure Tully and ask him to try not to move. His 20,000 men are squatting in Riverrun, and the cavalry in the valley will never be able to relax. "

"If they are defeated by another battle, they will really be doomed."

The two men stared at the map, feeling a little worried.

In fact, Clay has already said the way to break the situation before. If you don't break the pot, go directly to Dorne, ride on the dragon, fly up to the Eagle's Nest and do the damn thing! Let you know what Mandalay's Wrath is.

But it is the most pleasant method and the least cost-effective for the future. Clay does not want to use it unless it is absolutely necessary.

"Clay, I can ask you now, how do you plan to... deal with the Stark family?"

Clay, who was frowning and thinking, was stopped by the old man's abrupt question. He raised his head and looked at his old man's somewhat troubled face, and he probably understood what was going on.

Seeing that Clay didn't speak, Earl Wyman thought he didn't understand, so he said again:

"Let me put it another way, do you really want to save Robb Stark? He is still in Harrenhal, the tomb where Black-Hearted Harren is buried. At least the city wall is intact."

"According to my estimation, Tywin Lannister slipped out of King's Landing with the help of that city wall. He definitely didn't have any siege equipment. It wouldn't be easy to tear him down, so... he can still be saved."

"Finally, I actually have another consideration. Robb Stark brought the North into the ditch in the first battle. I have to say this. All the nobles who followed Robb Stark have Responsibility, but only to you, only to me, the Mandalay family.”

"There is no responsibility. He asked you to lead troops to the Great Wall. This has nothing to do with you."

The old man looked into his grandson's eyes and said slowly:

"If you want the North to kneel to you smoothly in the future, there is no better opportunity than now."

"It's your choice how to do it. You have the final say in your current family!"