The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 316: War (Subscription requested)

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*

Tyrion returned to his tent and shouted for wine. Shae brought him wine, bread, ham, sausage, and some cheese.

When Tyrion saw the fresh cheese, he remembered the method of disinfecting milk. It was researched by the Mountain's wife, Janei Westerling, and the scholars of Casterly Rock: high-temperature disinfection, and the invention of a closed mercury thermometer. In a short period of time, the Westerlands had changed a lot, and many of the changes seemed to be related to the Mountain's family.

When the Seven Kingdoms had to dump their milk, the Westerlands solved the problem of milk-borne diseases because of Tywin's ward, Janei.

Tyrion knew that this was a great scientific event that could be recorded in the history of the Citadel.

Tyrion picked up the cheese: "Shae, go find Bronn."

"Yes, my lord."

Bronn arrived quickly, wearing a long sword and a suit of armor, looking more energetic than before.

"We are one day away from the Northmen. Maybe we will meet and fight tomorrow afternoon. Protect me from being killed, and I will give you whatever reward you want after this battle."

"Who will kill you? You're just an insignificant imp."

"My old man is one of them. He sent me to be the vanguard."

"Oh, good idea. You just need to hold up a large shield, and all their archers will die of headaches."

"No, I'm going to ride a pony and sway to the front and laugh them to death."

"Did your old man really send you to be the vanguard?"

"Really."

"Then you must not be his biological son," Bronn mocked.

Tyrion threw the knife and fork in his hand at Bronn, who caught it.

He put the knife and fork in front of Tyrion's plate with a good temper: "Don't throw things around. Be careful the Duke orders you to eat with chopsticks, then you're in trouble."

"I'd rather grab it with my hands."

"Good idea!"

"So am I the adjutant of the vanguard now?"

"The Mountain persuaded my father. He's the vanguard. We are all under the Mountain's command. All actions are arranged by the Mountain. By the way, go and tell Tymah and Shagga to get three hundred sets of armor, helmets, and weapons from the Mountain's armory. We're going to arm three thousand people to the teeth."

"Arm to the teeth? Is your lord preparing to personally teach us how to bite the enemy to death?"

"Smart, go quickly."

"Yes, my lord." Bronn walked out of the tent to find Tymah, Gunthor, and Shagga. Five tribes, three thousand people, three hundred sets of armor, it was obviously too easy to divide. Bronn remembered that Tyrion was arranged by the Duke to be the vanguard, and he was very fortunate that he didn't have a Duke for a father. Tyrion being the vanguard was no different from sending him to his death.

*

The center army. The Mountain's tent. The Mountain and his men were all present.

They were: cavalry captain Rafford "Sweetmouth" Clegane, vice-captain Dinson Clegane, vice-captain Polliver Clegane; horse archer centurion Anguy "the Archer", horse archer centurion Julie Clegane; infantry commander Chiswyck Clegane, infantry vice-commander Tobolt (the deep scar on Chiswyck's forehead was cut by Tobolt), infantry vice-commander Dothraki Fat Zorro (Brave Companions), infantry vice-commander Jack Locke (after Amory Lorch died, his legion was taken over by the Mountain); guard captain Alyn (former Prime Minister Eddard Stark's guard captain), guard vice-captain Ser Gladden.

The chief administrator of the Legion, Mark, stayed behind at Harrenhal, although he very much wanted to participate in the war and make contributions, and then be promoted to knight and get the Clegane surname.

The Mountain said in a deep voice: "Generals, knights, centurions, tonight we will not dismount our saddles, we will not remove our armor, our swords will be with us, the lancers' horses will all be covered in heavy armor, and all heavy infantry and light infantry will be ready for battle."

"My lord, aren't the enemies still a day's journey away from us?" Rafford said with a smile on his face.

"Yes. Adam Marbrand's scouts reported that they are still a day's journey away, but what if they speed up their march and attack our camp tonight?"

Alyn said: "Our army is the sharpest point on the tip of the entire legion's blade. If the enemy comes to attack, we will be caught off guard."

Anguy raised his hand: "General, shouldn't we inform the Imp on the left flank?"

"But what if the enemy doesn't attack and the Imp laughs at us?" Rafford "Sweetmouth" laughed.

"Regardless of whether it's true or false, go and inform the Imp," the Mountain said.

"General, the Imp is close to the Green Fork. Except for the mountain people, the legions behind him are all militia. There is not a single well-trained regular army. I am worried that the left flank will be penetrated by the enemy and then outflanked," said guard vice-captain Ser Gladden.

The Mountain knew very well that Duke Tywin wanted to lure the enemy to attack the weak left flank, and then the center army and right wing of the Westerlands army would take advantage of the situation to rush and kill, driving the enemy and the mountain people on the left flank and the militia all down the Green Fork River.

If the left flank collapsed and retreated, Duke Tywin would not allow the left flank to retreat, but would personally lead the cavalry and infantry of Casterly Rock to snipe them. He would force the defeated soldiers on the left flank to only be able to advance or jump into the water, and must not retreat, to ensure that the left flank would not be penetrated by the enemy.

Outside the center army, Duke Tywin placed the heavy cavalry, horse archers, lancers, and three-quarters of the Westerlands knights on the right wing.

The right wing was Duke Tywin's heaviest iron fist, a sure kill with one blow. The most elite cavalry in the 20,000-strong legion, 4,000 men, were all on the right wing. The right wing would penetrate the enemy's left wing, and then outflank, circle around, and press the enemy towards the Green Fork River, and finally drive them into the river together with their own left wing.

The left wing, although it was the Duke's plan to lure the enemy in deep, the Duke once again misjudged. He once again underestimated the mountain people's combat capabilities, just as he underestimated the young wolf Robb Stark's abilities.

Robb's young age and the mountain tribes' primitive lowliness would make Duke Tywin extremely contemptuous of them from the bottom of his heart, thus leading to repeated misjudgments.

*

Tyrion slept soundly.

After eating and drinking his fill for dinner, Shae did her best to toss him around, performing some infinitely wonderful techniques, and shouting him 'Lannister Giant' during the passion, the trembling joy and heart-stirring aroma of moans made Tyrion believe Shae's praise. So, the Lannister Giant smiled and fell asleep after exhaustion... until... in the darkness...

Woo! Woo woo! Woo woo woo!

The deafening horns sounded in the night sky, and the sounds of countless armor, swords, horses' hooves, and iron whistles exploded, Tyrion woke up in the sound, Shae was lying next to him, her voice trembling: "My lord, what happened, I'm so scared."

"It's the sound of an emergency assembly, an enemy attack." Tyrion jumped up, "Isn't there still a day's journey? Damn it, the Mountain sent someone to warn me, telling me to be prepared. Guards... guards..."

Bronn rushed in, fully armed, extremely sturdy: "My lord, emergency assembly, the enemy is attacking at night."

"My armor, damn it." Tyrion cursed, and hurriedly put on his combat boots first.

Two red-cloaked guards ran in, bringing him armor, a short sword, a small round shield, and a dagger.

"Bronn, remember, don't let me be killed, and you'll be rich."

"Stick close to me, my lord."

"Don't charge, only fools charge."

"Long live the Imp!" Outside the tent, Shagga's voice rang out, along with the sound of his two axes clashing.

"Imp, Imp!" One-Eyed Tymah's voice was also shouting wildly, followed by the roar of hundreds of Burning Men: "Imp, Imp!"

"My lord, are they waiting for you to come out and give orders?" Bronn said.

Tyrion hurriedly fastened the buckles of his armor, the horns on the top of the hill rang out, where Duke Tywin's tent was.

"Are those savages not sleeping?"

"The Mountain reminded them last night, telling them to be ready for battle," Bronn said, "My lord, you were the only one who stripped naked last night and desperately only cared about sharpening your little sword, the brothers are all fully armed."

Shae had already gotten up in the bed, put on a thin white dress, and was shivering with her arms around herself.

"Shae, don't be afraid. Guards, you two stay in the tent to protect Shae. If we are defeated, protect her back to her hometown."

"Yes, my lord!" The two guards, sweating profusely, quickly agreed.

Being able to avoid the battlefield was really great!

Outside the tent, the shouts of Imp resounded through the night sky.

Woo woo woo, woo woo woo, woo woo woo!

In the distance, the sound of the horns was like a giant beast mooing in the prehistoric times, that was the horn of the Northmen, heavy and depressing: Woooooooooooooooo—

"Clegane soldiers!" The Mountain's shout resounded in the night, his voice was like thunder, overwhelming all the assembly whistles of the centurions nearby, and disrupting the horns of the entire army, "Follow me to charge, penetrate the enemy's formation, those who dare to retreat—die!"

"Ho!" The two thousand vanguard troops launched a deafening roar.

Tyrion suddenly felt his blood boiling, and he said: "Quick, quick, quick, tie my sword belt, damn it!"

"Long live the Imp! Long live the Imp! Long live the Imp!" Outside the tent, three thousand wild men roared.

The Mountain's voice sounded again: "Brothers, wedge formation, kill!"

With a bang, more than two thousand horses' hooves violently struck the ground, like muffled thunder vibrating under the turf on the ground, transmitting like water waves to Tyrion's feet.

Tyrion and Bronn came out, straddled the pony, Bronn closely followed Tyrion, Tyrion drew his short sword, and was about to shout brothers, guard the shallow beach of the river, but before he could shout a word, the dark mass suddenly surged forward like a collapse, three thousand mountain people had no formation, no command, the five leaders saw the Mountain's center army launched the attack, and immediately rushed forward in a chaotic swarm, leaving their officers behind.

What guarding the left flank, what preventing the enemy from penetrating the left flank to outflank, what unless the enemy passes from the water, otherwise we must guard the left flank and other strategic speeches, Tyrion had no chance to say a word.

The Mountain won him the opportunity to just guard the left flank without having to charge, but his mountain people had already rushed out with a rumble.

Bronn said with a grin: "Long live the Imp, let's charge too."

Tyrion knew that Bronn was mocking him, but he acted as if he hadn't heard it, he turned his head and saw that the teams gathered behind him were all militia.

Tyrion was dumbfounded!

Although the militia's weapons level had greatly improved compared to before, the militia and the regular army of the nobles were incomparable in combat power. These guys were all temporarily gathered to fight, and they usually farmed.

"Damn it, there's no regular army on the left flank, it's all militia, how is it possible to defend the left flank."

Woo woo woo!

Woo woo woo!

Woo woo woo!

The horns on the top of the hill blew more violently, the centurions of the militia ran over on horseback and reported to Tyrion.

The situation was tense, in front, the enemy's dark shadows rolled over the hills, shouting slogans, pressing over step by step.

"Brothers, follow me, guard this beach, let us get as close to the river as possible, and not give the enemy any gaps to detour around the side!" Tyrion ordered loudly.

So, teams of militia rumbled into formation, getting as close to the river as possible, and then advancing step by step.

*

The east showed a fish-belly white.

In front, the Mountain's huge figure began to appear, his legion was like a giant cone-shaped beast that split the water, the Mountain was the beast's sharp teeth.

Directly in front, a group of enemy spearmen formed a half-moon formation, like a steel hedgehog with thorns on both sides, hiding behind tall oak shields emblazoned with the Karstark family's sunburst emblem, waiting in formation.

The dense spear formation was the bane of cavalry!

Gregor Clegane's tall warhorse was covered in heavy armor, he ignored the daunting dense spears, with two swooshing sounds, two javelins were thrown by the Mountain, penetrating the shields and driving the shield bearers backwards violently. A gap appeared in the enemy's defense, but was instantly filled by the second row of warriors.

The Mountain roared, drew his greatsword, and drove his warhorse madly into the enemy formation, spears stabbed at him from all directions. The Mountain slashed wildly with his greatsword, and the spears shattered.

Boom!

The Mountain's warhorse and man crashed into the shield wall together!

Under the impact of the armored warhorse and the Mountain's huge weight, the shield wall collapsed, and the Northmen behind the shields staggered to avoid it.

Several spears pierced into the warhorse's belly from below, and the Mountain's flying warhorse crashed down, spitting blood and dying. The Mountain got up unscathed, raised his two-handed greatsword high, and launched a frenzied attack. He swept his greatsword, and the spearmen were cut in half at the waist. Blood and internal organs were scattered, and the bloody smell suddenly rushed out.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

The Clegane cavalry's well-trained javelin rain shot into the enemy formation like raindrops, and the enemy infantry fell down one after another. The first line of defense collapsed like snowflakes and quickly tore apart on both sides.

Boom! The heavy armored cavalry behind the Mountain crashed into the layers of shield walls. The shield walls disintegrated, and the replacement spearmen stabbed wildly with their spears, and the warhorses fell screaming.

Boom!

Boom!

Two more teams of heavy armored cavalry crashed into the gap. Behind the heavy cavalry were the horse archers. Anguy and Julie, one on the left and one on the right, two hundred horse archers fired long arrows in unison, supporting the three hundred heavy cavalry in front. The sound of bowstrings rang out, and the enemy infantry fell one after another. The enemy's first line of defense completely collapsed.

The Mountain simply dismounted and charged straight towards the second line of defense, his greatsword hacking left and right. Shieldbearers and spearmen rushed to intercept him, but none could withstand the might of his blade. Shields, armor, and men, one sword strike was all it took to cleave them in two, and the breach was forced open once more. Three hundred heavy cavalry slammed into the gap, shattering the North's second line. Drennan, Polliver, and Sweetmouth Ralph all suffered wounds.

Following the mounted archers came the even more frenzied Clegane infantry: Chiswyck the Big Head roared as he charged in front, engaging the North's disorganized infantry in close combat. The infantry swept aside the collapsing and fleeing enemy soldiers like autumn leaves before the wind.

From his high vantage point, the Clegane army advanced like a sharp blade slicing through leather, the edge aimed directly at the center, pushing forward with swift brutality.

Trailing behind this terrifying blade, to its left and rear, was a rabble of native hillmen, loudly cursing each other. Their ponies seemed like beggars compared to the Mountain's cavalry.

The Mountain had breached the Northmen's central lines twice, and the third line looked unlikely to hold him back, but the two flanks were tightly sealed and remained in good order, still advancing steadily. Suddenly, the chaotic hill tribes swarmed like ants towards the enemy's right flank. Shagga's heavy axe cleaved a shield in two with his first blow, and with the second, he split the head of the soldier who tried to fill the gap.

A spear thrust fiercely at Shagga's chest, but the man merely twisted aside, the enemy's spear sliding off his torso. His axe then slashed diagonally, cutting through the soldier's neck armor and nearly severing his head.

Shagga bellowed and showed off his battle glory to the other chieftains and tribesmen, when he caught sight of the one-eyed Timeon, wielding two spiked maces, already cutting a path towards him. The line in front of Timeon faltered. He only barely avoided the most vital spear thrusts, and barely even blocked the others, instead smashing, sweeping, hammering, and stabbing with his maces like a madman. He was struck by several spears, but instantly opened a small breach. And every warrior of the Burned Men around him fought in the same way, as if their bodies were not flesh and blood, but stone.

They were a gang of thugs from hell!

Timeon's lead shamed the other chieftains and warriors, and they hacked and slashed desperately, preferring to die in battle than be mocked as cowards by the Burned Men after the fighting was done.

As for their commander, Halfman, they had completely forgotten him.

Moments later, under the relentless assault of three thousand ants, the North's right flank was forced to retreat.

Meanwhile, the Mountain's vanguard had broken through the enemy's third line of defense. The North's most prominent noble generals joined forces to try and stop him, but were picked off from afar by Anguy and Jory with unerring accuracy. One by one, the generals fell from their horses, and the Mountain seized several of them alive.

The Mountain remounted and launched an attack on the fourth line of defense. There was yet another line beyond that, and the Mountain would soon break through the North's entire battle line.

At the same time, Tywin had finally assembled the core of his right flank, the strongest force, consisting of four thousand cavalry and three-quarters of the knights of the Westerlands. Adam Marbrand led his own troops to hold back the enemy's left flank, but was steadily retreating, and the situation looked grim.

The eastern sun revealed half its face above the sea, and the land was instantly illuminated.

Standing on the hilltop, Tywin saw that the enemy's center was about to collapse, and that the right flank was being driven back by the beggar-like mountain tribesmen and could not resist. Tyrion was also leading the militia into the fray. He immediately ordered his officers to sound the charge...

Wooooooo——

The horns of the general offensive sounded, and Duke Tywin mounted his horse, drew his sword, and shouted, "The Westerlands forever, Casterly Rock forever!" He rode down the hill, followed and flanked by his five hundred heavily armored household guards and the earls of the various great houses of the Westerlands.

"Casterly Rock forever, Lannister forever!"

The shouts were earth-shattering, like a roaring flood, drowning out the clash of swords and the cries of agony on the battlefield!

Tywin personally led the charge, and the morale of the Westerland army soared. The lagging right-wing iron cavalry charged forth with renewed courage, and shattered the first line of the advancing North's left wing upon impact.

Doo——doo——doo——doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo——From the rear of the North's army, Commander Roose Bolton stood on a hilltop and personally sounded the retreat.

Thank you [Chau534] for the generous support, thank you, handshake!