Early the next morning, the combined troops of Winterfell began to organize military supplies and prepare to withdraw.
The troops from Winterfell and Karstark were the first to evacuate, followed by the remaining and reorganized Rural Infantry troops.
Due to the large amount of loot and wounded soldiers, the logistics troops spent the most time, so they were the last to set off.
But it turned out that Roose Bolton was just as Robb expected. Even if the logistics troops full of loot and wounded soldiers were dangling in front of their eyes, he had no idea of leaving the city for a sneak attack.
This disappointed the cavalry unit led by Count Rickard, who had ambushed behind the hills in advance.
After marching for half a day, the mighty Winterfell combined army came to the fork in the road between the direction of Stone Iron Town and the direction of Winterfell.
Robb asked Theon and Owen to lead more than 3,000 archer infantry troops and escort 2,000 prisoners to Stone Iron Town.
Although the logistics team brought a lot of food and supplies this time, they still couldn't support so many mouths to eat.
The tasks he gave to Xion were: first, to occupy Stone Iron Town to supply the army, and second, to collect two thousand prisoners.
Those who are willing to join the Winterfell army will be broken up and organized into the country warrior infantry. Those who are not willing can just be used as miners in Stone Iron Town to dig out mineral resources for Winterfell.
On the grounds that Winterfell's defense strength was insufficient and he was worried about something unexpected happening, Robb led Earl Rickard, Little Jon, Eddard and others and led most of the cavalry back first.
After Robb formally issued the order, Winterfell's army split into two at this fork in the road.
…
On the third night after the siege of the Dreadfort, the smell of blood outside the city walls was still strong. Coupled with some unprocessed rotting corpses, it added to the dark night a strange feeling that was extremely uncomfortable for the senses.
Da da da!
A faint sound of horse hoofbeats woke up the sleepy Bolton defenders on the city wall.
After the Winterfell troops withdrew, the nerves that had relaxed a little became tense again.
A group of three to four hundred cavalrymen, holding torches and bearing the crest of the Bolton family, slowly approached. A closer look revealed that there were three slow-moving transport carriages in this group of cavalry.
Although he knew that the cavalry in this quantity and speed could not have any impact on the high walls of the Dreadfort.
However, the officer responsible for guarding the city gate still sent someone to notify Lord Luce. After all, the military law of the Dreadfort is strict, and anyone who is negligent will be severely punished.
"Open the door quickly, I'm back!"
When the cavalrymen came to the castle gate while avoiding various piles of corpses and body parts under the city wall, a cavalryman raised his head and shouted upwards.
The officer guarding the city gate could tell at a glance through the light of the torch he held that this was Lord Roose's illegitimate son, Ramsay.
"Lord Ramsay, the Dreadfort is currently in a state of war and martial law. We are not allowed to open the city gate without permission from Lord Roose.
I have sent someone to notify you and he will be here soon, please wait a moment."
This officer did not dare to offend this cruel and petty bastard, so he shouted at him in a more polite tone.
Ramsay did not get angry when he heard this, but nodded with a smile and waited patiently.
After a while, Luce came to the city wall, observed carefully for a while, and then ordered the guarding officer: "Assemble three hundred archers to guard the inner city wall. If they do anything wrong, they will be shot immediately.
Then open the city gate to a size that can allow carriages to pass. Except for Ramsay, all soldiers entering the city must disarm at the city gate and be temporarily detained."
Watching the guard officers go to make arrangements after receiving the order, Luce did not feel that he was too cautious. He had seen too many lies and betrayals.
When Ramsay waited outside the city gate, the smile on his face disappeared, and the gate of the Dreadfort was finally opened slightly.
Of course, Ramsay had no objections to Luce's arrangement. After being disarmed by the soldiers defending the city, he was the first to enter the Dreadfort.
"Father!"
As soon as Ramsay passed the city gate on horseback, he saw Luce waiting, and he immediately dismounted and saluted.
"Well, you didn't encounter Winterfell's army on your way back?"
Luce nodded in agreement and immediately asked about Ramsay.
"Encountered them. The reconnaissance cavalry I sent discovered them in advance at the fork in the road to Shitie Town. About seven or eight thousand people had already lined up in a long queue to go to Shitie Town.
After they all passed the fork in the road and headed to Shitie Town, we made a special trip to hide for one more day before we dared to come back."
Ramsay nodded and directly told what happened on the road.
"Hey, Stone Iron Town can't be saved. However, as long as we guard the Dreadfort, the Stark family will pay back double the amount in the future."
When Luce heard this, he sighed lightly, his face remained as usual, but there was a hint of sinisterness in his eyes.
"Father, I received a letter from Raven before. Isn't it that the war situation is great? How come the war situation is suddenly reversed?"
"I underestimated that wolf cub. He didn't know when he hid thousands of infantrymen in the military tent. At the same time, he also concealed the truth from Locke's reconnaissance cavalry and ambushed nearly 2,000 cavalrymen behind them."
After hearing Ramsay's inquiry, Luce briefly recounted the previous battle.
Just as he was talking, his face, which had always been expressionless, actually had a slightly sad look on his face.
As a well-known battlefield veteran in the north, he was still very bitter in his heart when he was tricked by a young man who had never officially led an army in a war.
"Father, as you said, as long as we hold the Dreadfort, we will have the opportunity to seek revenge from the Stark family in the future."
Seeing Luce's rare sad expression, Ramsay immediately comforted him with concern on his face.
"Well, what's in those carriages?"
Luce, who quickly got out of his emotions, looked at the carriage passing through the city gate, and asked Ramsay softly.
"Father, that was a caravan I plundered when I came back, and it was all filled with fine Qingting Island red wine.
These wines are extraordinary. The price in the north is much higher than in the south. They can be said to be flowing golden dragons."
"Oh? There are actually caravans transporting wine from Qingting Island to the north? Then I have to taste it."
Upon hearing Ramsay's answer, Luce's eyes flashed and he spoke softly.
"Father is right, you need to taste it. I'll go pour some wine for him."
Ramsay replied with a smile, immediately turned around and called to stop the transport carriage that was passing through the gate, and asked someone to open a wine barrel on the carriage.
As soon as the wine barrel was opened, a fragrant aroma of wine filled the air.
Luce sniffed it with his nose first, and then glanced at the barrel. He saw that the pinkish-red liquid in the barrel was rippling slightly due to the vibration of opening the lid.
"This barrel of wine seems to have some impurities. Someone, please open this barrel for me."
Luce looked at the wine barrel and shook his head, not very satisfied, and asked the soldiers to open the other wine barrel he pointed at.
After opening three barrels in succession, it seemed that he finally found the wine that satisfied him. Upon seeing this, Ramsay took out the wine glass from the carriage cargo box and filled the wine for him with his own hands.
"Father, please!"
Ramsay bowed his head respectfully, held the wine glass, and offered it to Luce with both hands.