At dusk, in Essos, above the towering Myr Fortress, the four-quartered banner still flew high.
The soldiers' morale was high, not only because the front lines included ordinary soldiers, but also leaders and commanders. Theoretically, the commander-in-chief could command from the rear or lead from the front. The cohesion and morale boost from leading from the front were incomparable to commanding from the rear.
Gendry and others saw the Dothraki troops begin to retreat appropriately, moving away from the catapults' range of attack. Though the Dothraki were not afraid of death, they would not die in vain like this.
The Dothraki left behind a field of sheep men corpses, looking exceptionally messy; the bodies smashed by catapults were very bloody, and the ground appeared blood-red.
"Shoot flaming arrows and burn these bodies," Ser Jorah said, looking at the sheep men corpses below. Flaming arrows fell like rain, piercing the silence of the earth.
"That's a good idea; we must be careful of the blood plague." The Red Viper also agreed with Ser Jorah's approach. If the bodies were to rot, it could easily cause a plague, especially since military camps and cities are densely populated areas. The blood plague has been the bane of armies since the Dawn Age; when it spreads silently through the ranks, it ultimately leads to the annihilation of the entire army.
Gendry felt somewhat relieved that the Free Cities had better hygiene. Myr and Tyrosh were not as foul-smelling as King's Landing. Moreover, Gendry had also popularized the deployment of Medics in the legion. In Westeros, this work was often done by monks and nuns, but they were not as professional as dedicated Medics. Many soldiers died not from war, but from infection and malnutrition.
"Fortunately, the Dothraki have no technical skills," Gendry said, looking at Khal Drogo's Khalasar in the distance. He was very grateful for this. The Dothraki attacks were roughly of the brute-force type; if they had technology like catapults, the Dothraki Khal could easily throw corpses into the city to spread plague.
"The catapult fire is fierce, but the Dothraki only sent sheep men to fill the trenches today. Khal Drogo's formal attack might begin tomorrow..." Ser Jorah said worriedly.
"The Dothraki have no tactics for attacking strongholds. As long as we can hold Myr Fortress for a period, we can seize a strategic opportunity," Anguy said. "It's like archery, finding the most precise moment."
"I don't think so," Ser Jorah shook his head. "From what I understand, the Khals' tactics have always been about courageous fighting. If Khal Drogo were to retreat from the battle and flee back to the Dothraki Sea, he would be considered a coward by the Dothraki upon his return."
"I agree. My only thought now is how to firmly pin Khal Drogo to Myr Fortress. Otherwise, if he escapes to the Dothraki Sea and breaks up his forces, it will be difficult to fight him," The Red Viper said.
"Don't worry, I think Khal Drogo will be stuck here," Gendry said confidently. Khal Drogo's tactics and habits were the same as previous Khals, also representing the courageous fighting and brute-force faction. In the original storyline, Khal Drogo suffered a serious knife wound during a duel with another Khal, and later died in a muddled way.
"Should we burn the Dothraki granaries now?" Anguy suggested. With the Dothraki army camped below the high city, a more aggressive and cunning tactic for the defenders would be to cut off their supply lines.
"I'm afraid that won't work," Ser Jorah replied. "The Khalasar is usually right behind the Dothraki, and they are skilled at using scouts. It's probably not possible to attack their granaries. Besides, in a pinch, the Dothraki can sustain themselves with horse meat."
"Ser Jorah needs to hold Myr Fortress. I will send light cavalry to harass the Dothraki scouts at night."
"I can take on that responsibility," The Red Viper said. "I've dealt with the Dothraki before, though not extensively." The Red Viper had worked as a mercenary for two or three years and was not unfamiliar with the Dothraki.
"Wait a moment, Prince. I will use this special force of yours in the right place," Gendry replied. Dornish horses, though small, are more resilient and should be used more effectively.
"Have the Ghiscari person contacted you?" Gendry asked The Red Viper.
In Westeros, the Ghiscari person had a more resounding title, known as the Sarrabi, derived from the once glorious Kingdom of Sarrabi. The term Ghiscari person came from the Sarrabi's characteristics: slender and long limbs, brown skin like the Ghiscari people, and eyes and hair as dark as night.
"I did contact the envoys from Lys, but the Sarrabi are now like startled birds and cannot provide much support at all," The Red Viper said dismissively, then sighed. "However, I can understand their predicament. In their prime, the Kingdom of Sarrabi ruled the Saarne River basin and the three lakes that were once the Silver Sea, with fifty city-states guarding the capital. But after the Century of Blood, they now have fewer than twenty to thirty thousand descendants, cowering in a small city."
"That's why the Ghiscari people fear the Dothraki. The thirty scythed chariots they sent are their last possessions," Gendry laughed. A phoenix in distress is worse than a chicken, and the Ghiscari person were slaughtered down to twenty to thirty thousand by the Dothraki; it's impossible for them not to be afraid.
The supporters from the Sarrabi, Qohor, Norvos, and Pentos were all the same; while they could offer assistance, they would only confidently join once the battle situation became clear. If the battle worsened, these reinforcements would be unreliable.
"I can understand their cowardice, but even with blooded horses pulling scythed chariots, that's an outdated tactic. I feel it would be better to dismantle the chariots and distribute these blooded horses to the cavalry," The Red Viper complained.
The tactics of the Ghiscari person (Sarrabi) were indeed more rigid compared to the Dothraki. The Sarrabi's characteristic tactic was the chariot formation, with Knights wearing armor made of steel and spider silk, riding coal-black warhorses. Their most elite warriors fought from scythed chariots, pulled by blooded horses, with the drivers typically being the warriors' wives or daughters—a tradition of the Ghiscari person, where women went to battle like men.
Of course, the effect was not good; the last great army of the Ghiscari person was ambushed by the Dothraki on the Great Grass Sea, and over a hundred thousand troops were annihilated.
"If Drogo continues to attack like this, then we will engage in a war of attrition with him. After five days, we will begin to reduce the frequency of catapult and crossbow attacks. I want to see if Drogo is truly unyielding and inflexible," Gendry said to Ser Jorah. "If Drogo truly intends to fight us for several months, then we will have to feign weakness."
Gendry was gauging the Dothraki's will to fight. Such a sturdy fortress could hold out for several months. Gendry wanted Myr Fortress to stand firm, trapping Khal Drogo in a dilemma.
The Battle of Qohor was similar; Khal Temo might have considered that the three thousand Unsullied were unbeatable, but the sunk costs were too high. The Dothraki would not revere cowards. The cost was so high that he had to launch eighteen charges until he died in battle.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Anguy, write this in the letter: First, tell Qyburn, Little Silver Tongue, and The Handsome Man that the battle report must quickly spread throughout the Two Cities, along with the Dothraki's atrocities. The Dothraki treat people as livestock, using slaves and prisoners of war to fill trenches. Second, strengthen the defenses of the Two Cities and the Stepstones. Third, the elite forces of the Wolfpack Army and Free Army. Fourth, Tyrosh's reserve troops are to be on standby at all times," Gendry said to Anguy.
The Red Viper keenly spotted some loopholes; the Stepstones fleet and the Two Cities fleet had made no major moves. Before the war, such a large-scale fleet had not surfaced, indicating there was a more important destination.
"Yes, Your Highness." Anguy nodded. The ravens Qyburn had bred were now proving useful, perfectly suited for the current war.
How the Dothraki truly were didn't matter; the key was to let the people of the Two Cities know they were facing war, facing demons. The Dothraki would destroy cities, plunder slaves, rape women—they were the embodiment of all violence on earth. Only in war could the people's passion and loyalty be truly ignited.
This is also why, among all achievements, war is paramount. Only with more victories comes greater honor.
The Red Viper looked at Gendry; although he was young, he was already proficient in war and politics. It seemed some people were born this way.
"Am I really old?" The Red Viper thought, pitying his graying hair. "My great revenge plan is entrusted to a young man."
Doran had made him wait too long; The Red Viper could not wait any longer. If this war in Myr was won brilliantly, then Doran would understand that he had chosen the correct path... The westerlands, Gold Tooth, the ancestral castle of House Lyfford. It guarded a major road from the Riverlands through the mountains to the westerlands.
Normally, to attack the westerlands, one must first capture Gold Tooth.
Above Gold Tooth, the lion banner of House Lannister flew above all other banners. There were also many banners of other lords of the westerlands, such as House Banefort, House Westerling, House Crakehall, and so on. The numerous banners indicated that the westerlands' preparations and cohesion were far superior to the Riverlands.
"I see the group of Lords sent by the trout below; they are nothing but a bunch of idiots and silly chickens," Kingslayer Jaime Lannister said from the walls of Gold Tooth, looking at the Riverlands garrison.
"The banners of House Tully, House Piper, and House Vance." Jaime saw three types of banners. For Westerosi nobles, identifying sigils was a necessary lesson. Jaime had learned well in this regard.
A pink maiden holding white silk dancing on a blue background represented House Piper, while House Vance's was easier to recognize: a quartered banner with a black dragon on a white field, and a pair of golden eyes in a golden ring on a black field, diagonally symmetrical. As for the trout banner, that was the symbol of House Tully, but Jaime knew that House Tully still deployed Lordly troops loyal to them.
"Yes, my Lord. Ser Edmure sent Lord Clement Piper and Lord Vance to garrison the mountain pass below Gold Tooth, to prevent our army from moving east into the Riverlands."
Geographically, stationing troops there was a terrible idea. But there was no better way, because the Riverlands' geographical position was very awkward, with no natural mountain barriers; all good strategic locations were in the hands of outsiders.
"How many men do they have?" Jaime was gleaming with gold from head to toe. He took off his lion helmet, and at his waist hung the famous gilded sword, the sword that killed the Mad King.
Ever since Jaime escaped King's Landing, he had returned to the westerlands. Tywin quickly made the decision to split his forces; Tywin himself led a large army, while the Kingslayer commanded an vanguard force to garrison Gold Tooth, threatening Riverrun. Tywin's order to raise troops came even before Jaime left King's Landing, and Gold Tooth had already easily gathered an army of fifteen thousand men.
"Around four thousand men," Lord Leo Lefford of Gold Tooth said disdainfully.
"From above, the Riverlands troops are stationed in the mountain pass, which is a death trap," Jaime said confidently. Once the Gold Tooth forces attacked, they would have the advantage of higher ground, and moreover, their numbers would be about four times that of House Tully's.
"It seems the old trout is truly dying soon, and his son is an idiot," the Lord of Gold Tooth added. "While the people of House Vance and House Piper are obedient, they seem somewhat clumsy when it comes to war."
"The old trout has been sickly for years."
"This Edmure is definitely an idiot, and the people he sent are also idiots. The old trout's house is full of fools." The Knights of the westerlands burst into laughter. Riverrun only sent four thousand soldiers, and they were guarding an awkward position; this was not just a piecemeal tactic, but a suicide tactic.
As for the westerlands, not only did they have a numerical advantage in troops, but while Jaime the Kingslayer's infamous reputation was not pleasant, his personal valor was well-ranked in Westeros, whereas the enemy had no strong leadership.
"Wait for my father's command. At the appropriate time, I will order the army to charge down from Gold Tooth. I want to annihilate this force of House Tully, and then besiege Riverrun," Jaime said with great confidence. Jaime was also a representative of the courageous fighting faction, but his valor didn't require much strategic thinking.
"Send out our scouts, and observe more closely."
"Yes, Lord Jaime."
"Pay attention to the messenger ravens, not just from Casterly Rock, but also from King's Landing."
Jaime was waiting for orders from Casterly Rock; he was destined to enter the battlefield and give the Riverlanders an unforgettable lesson.
Besides Casterly Rock, Jaime was also worried about King's Landing. Although he had left King's Landing, Cersei and their children were still there, which still caused some concern.
However, Eddard, though rigid to the point of clumsiness, also showed that he wouldn't be too malicious or cunning, which was a slight relief for Jaime.
"What about my brother's message?" Jaime asked his Attendants.
"Lord Tyrion is returning with his Mercenaries from another direction. He said he has a surprise for you."
"Nonsense," Jaime said uneasily.
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