Chapter 293: Mei, the Wolf Girl Moving Slowly

"Your Highness, will Jon Flint surrender?" Earl Alysane Mormont asked in a gruff voice.

In the great battle before the Dreadfort, this countess had followed her into the army of the wraiths almost without hesitation. Under those circumstances, Mei could not provide her with protection, yet this sturdy woman had actually persisted to the end unscathed. Mei felt it was a miracle.

Sometimes, Mei had to wonder if it was because of the Valyrian steel. Valyrian steel swords did indeed have extra damage against strange magical creatures.

Unfortunately, not all officers had Valyrian steel swords.

Her mid-to-high-ranking noble officers had suffered heavy losses in the final treacherous attack by the Boltons and the Red Priest, which was very heartbreaking.

"If he surrenders, the war in the North will end. Wouldn't that be a pity?" Mei joked to her officers. "In the battle to destroy the Boltons, there are forty-three people who have made outstanding contributions and can be promoted to viscounts. Even if the Bolton territory is divided, it can only accommodate a portion. Moreover, I have a bunch of young people under my command waiting for opportunities. Not only that, Earl, you have so many daughters and sisters; you must consider them, right?"

"My daughters are still young. However, I have three sisters who are still unmarried. If any of the lords present, especially those who are young and already noble viscounts, are interested in the women of Bear Island, don't hesitate to speak up." Earl Mormont grinned and laughed loudly. "You are leading new territories; you can't do it without enough manpower. I, Mormont, never treat my sisters poorly."

"I have an older sister," young Earl Cregan Cerwyn stood up immediately, grinning as he laughed in front of the high-ranking officials. "Although my sister Jonquil is a bit old, but... anyway, if any viscount marries my sister, I will certainly, heh, definitely send enough gold and soldiers to ensure your new territory is governed properly."

The great tent erupted in laughter.

Jonquil was a well-known 'old' maid in the North. She was over thirty and unmarried. It was said that Earl Medger Cerwyn had always kept his daughter's marriage waiting for Robb, the eldest son of Eddard Stark, to grow up...

It was truly a pity.

"The war is not yet over; you need not make rash decisions." It was truly strange; the discussion had suddenly turned to marriage. "Although there are many empty castles and manors in the territory now, there are even more meritorious youths, knights, and landed lords. My brother Jon is already clearing out the Bolton territory, but judging from the current situation, it is simply not enough to arrange for so many meritorious warriors..." Mei stood up, leaning on her sword. "Therefore, if Jon Flint is sensible, I can preserve his title and let my meritorious warriors suffer a little, squeezing into the dense White Knife. But if he is not sensible, I will not be stingy in seeking larger territories for you all, occupying the superior lands of Barrowton and Flint's Finger."

"Fight!" "Fight!" "Fight!" The young officers shouted loudly, their voices almost lifting the tent.

"Your Highness, since that is the case, what are we waiting for?" Earl Kongqi Kongdun asked loudly after the voices gradually died down. "Let us launch an attack on them immediately."

This was truly a lucky officer. In the many dangerous battles she had fought in the North, he had suffered serious injuries, yet he could still live to the end, his vitality extremely tenacious.

Without a doubt, Mei had promoted him to Earl for his outstanding service. As for where his final territory would be, it had not been fully determined.

"Earl Cerwyn and Earl Tallhart defended Winterfell well against Jon Flint's attack. As their offensive is blocked, I think those who can persist to the end for his reckless cause will be in the minority." Mei explained earnestly why she hadn't launched an attack yet. "I need to wait for the wavering viscounts to surrender to me. However, anxious officers need not worry. We have just defeated the Boltons, and the captured military grain can still support us for a period of time. Moreover, the supplies allocated by Earl Manderly seem to be even more."

The officers in the tent cheered again.

In fact, those who had secretly surrendered to her already included the Stark family of White Harbor and the Rofuer family of Red Fox Hall. It was precisely because of the news they sent that Mei decided to wait a little longer.

And the infantry drillmaster Aelian Puleide, who had already defected to Mei, had secretly returned to Warrior's Tun, trying to win the defection of the Puleide family for her. Now she just needed some time to wait for the results.

"In my opinion, waiting for the viscount to surrender is not as good as waiting for Earl Flint to strip to the waist and carry thorns on his back to surrender to you!" Henry Norrey laughed at her. "The warm winter has arrived, and many officers can't wait to return to their own territories to replant grain!"

Mei frowned slightly, feeling that everyone seemed to have relaxed too much. However, this relaxed atmosphere was something she had teased out herself. She felt it was inappropriate.

"I have to ask them to wait a little longer. Anyway, the weather doesn't feel too cold yet, just as you said, warm." She paused, organizing her thoughts. "Although Barbrey Ryswell ruled Barrowton for a long time, she is, after all, an outsider to the Dustin family, and Jon Flint is not the undisputed heir to Barrowton... This is the reason I can expect someone to surrender." Mei began to pace back and forth beside her high seat. "But passive waiting is definitely not the way to do things." Mei stopped pacing and faced the crowd. "Earl Mormont, I order you to lead one thousand infantry of the vanguard to turn toward Howling Castle, and subsequently press from the north toward the First Men's Gate. The road there is rugged and not suitable for cavalry, but it is suitable for warriors who fight hand-to-hand. This task is for none other than you. In addition, within ten days, whenever you encounter the enemy, you need not be merciful; decisively crush them and march toward the target, waiting for my main army."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Alysane Mormont shouted her promise.

She had led Stark's army across the White Knife at White Wolf Crossing, then marched north through the Kingsroad. First, she lifted the siege of Cerwyn, and then launched an attack on Flint's army, forcing them to retreat to Torrhen's Square. Now the two sides were confronting each other on the wasteland north of Torrhen's Square.

Torrhen's Square was a town that must be passed through on the road from Barrowton to the west side of Cerwyn and Winterfell. When she led the cavalry to withdraw from the Riverlands, she had passed through this place to return to Winterfell, and had also received a portion of the soldiers who had defected here, and met up with the crannogmen and Halder.

"Sir Henry Norrey, Viscount Theon Snow, you will lead the rear infantry and the left-wing cavalry squad respectively through Torrhen's Square, cross Torrhen's Lake and the Honeywine River, and launch an attack from the west on the army loyal to Jon Flint. Likewise, within ten days, whenever you encounter the enemy, you need not be merciful; just march toward the target."

"Your Highness, are they marching deep into the heart of Barrowton alone?" Lawrence Snow questioned.

"I will wait here for Jon Flint for three days. If he still hasn't decided to get rid of that vicious wife, I will take Torrhen's Square within the remaining seven days." By then, they would not be an isolated army, but a blocking force left on his flank. ===== CHAPTER 294 =====