Game of Thrones: Viserys the Three-Headed Dragon

After practicing swordplay with the silent Ser Ilyn, Jaime's shoulders and chest were burning with pain. A blunt sword has no edge, but Ser Ilyn is the kind of guy who knows that the harder he fights on the practice field, the less likely he is to get hurt on the battlefield. He didn't care about Jaime's broken hand at all and only hit the right half of his body. Jaime was stabbed and chopped three or four times before he could counterattack once.

This made Jaime feel frustrated. The illusion he had brought to him by leading cavalry raids and charging with lances on the battlefield was dissipating day by day.

After practicing, he washed himself with the help of his squire Josmin Pike, put on armor, and began his habitual patrol.

His camp was stationed on the west side of Tengshi Town, occupying the ferry and hills, with deep trenches and stakes properly placed. Tengshi Town was guarded by the gold cloaks brought by King's Landing - Jaime never expected these people to help him in the field, so he only arranged them to guard around the town to protect his retreat and supply lines.

Although the military camp has become more and more solid, Jaime still retains the habit of patrolling the camp. These days, everyone has gradually become accustomed to the harassment from Lord Randyll's scouts and occasional cavalry probing.

Every day, someone asks when the general attack will be launched.

Jaime knows that they are all nervous about the situation in the south, fearing that one day they will hear the news of the appearance of reinforcements from the southern border from the scouts sent to the south.

The raid turned into a siege, and the siege without attacking for many days caused some bad emotions in the army. Although military experience tells them that it is right to siege without attacking at this time, as time goes by, there is no news of the expected war in the southern border, which makes people feel uneasy in the south, as if the army will come at any time. Jaime sends scouts to survey the main roads in the south and the Mander River every day. Having suffered losses from scouts in the Whispering Forest before, Jaime specially arranged two scout armies to cover and guarantee each other.

There was no movement in the south.

When Kevan arrived, Jaime had just finished patrolling the camp.

"You'd better bring an order to launch an attack, Ser Kevan." In the military camp, Jaime didn't call Kevan uncle, "I think Lord Tywin should know that the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for us." He didn't care that Tywin called him father.

In Jaime's opinion, when the Tyrell army was caught up with more than ten days ago, they should have fought a quick battle without hesitation. But the experienced Lord Tywin wanted to wait until the situation in the south became clear, and he was reluctant to give up his troops, so he chose to siege. The two evenly matched sides finally turned into a confrontation between the camps. Neither army had the intention of a decisive battle, and they set up camps five leagues apart. It just seemed that the Lannister army occupied the key land and blocked the Tyrell army in an area.

Kevan nodded at him: "As you wish, Jaime, I am here to bring you the news that Lord Tywin invited you to the central army to discuss launching a general attack."

"Now?" Jaime was confused when he heard that a general attack was going to be launched, "What happened?"

"Jaime, the craftsmen have prepared the equipment for breaking camp." Kevan responded, "Even if the Tyrell army is unwilling to leave the camp to fight, we can still attack them. Aren't we waiting for this?"

Jaime frowned, and a golden light flashed in his eyes: "Really, we are waiting for the craftsmen to build the equipment for breaking camp?" More than ten days ago, the Tyrell army's camp was not surrounded by sharpened wooden fences, nor were there strong tall camps, let alone three low hills standing side by side in a horn-shaped posture. Attacking a city is much more difficult than fighting in the field, not to mention that their troops are already on par with the Tyrell army, and they don't have a particularly big advantage.

"Of course." Sir Kevan answered seriously, "Then follow me to the central army to discuss specific tactical matters."

Jaime stared at Sir Kevan hesitantly for a moment. Finally he agreed, and took several lieutenants and knights with him to the camp where Tywin was.

Jaime's garrison was more than a league away from Tywin. When his men arrived in the night, Lord Tywin's spacious and ventilated tent was already full of summoned lords and generals. Jaime saw Ser Adam Marbrand.

Looking at this situation, Lord Tywin seemed to be planning to launch a general attack.

"My lords," Ser Kevan stood in front of the leather map unfolded in front of Tywin, "our scouts have now figured out the strength of the Tyrell army. The enemy has three camps in the hills upstream of the Mander River. Earl Rowan is stationed in the west, Earl Randyll is stationed in the south, and Lord Mace is stationed in the center. They are thinking of defense and avoiding battle. Our army has recently collected enough food and forage and built enough equipment to capture the camp. So it is planned to launch a general attack on the enemy at dawn tomorrow."

Collecting food and forage?

Jaime knew clearly that the Lannister army was not short of food. He couldn't help but look at the battlefield map drawn by the scouts. There were several villages and towns near this war zone. The so-called food collection was undoubtedly looting. This means that Tywin did not intend to control this land.

Sir Kevan was still issuing orders: "Sir Gregor will be the vanguard, and you will lead your troops to attack the Rowan camp. Sir Jaime, your troops will be responsible for containing the Tully camp." The Tyrell army's plan is to use the central army as a reserve, so that no matter which Lannister attacks, it can respond quickly. So the general attack must be two-pronged, one false and one real.

Looking at the arrangement, Jaime's route is a feint attack, the purpose is to contain Randyll Tully, so that Gregor's main attack direction can reduce pressure.

Kevan continued: "Sir Adam, send out as many scouts as you have, four people in a team, and make sure to eliminate the enemy's scouts tonight before dawn. Cover our whereabouts before the general attack and catch the enemy off guard."

"Did you hear everything clearly?" At this time, Lord Tywin Lannister stood up suddenly, his voice as calm as a sword, "Go back and prepare!"

"Yes!" The lords immediately stood up and answered solemnly. Jaime was used to obeying orders in the army, so he also stood up and prepared to leave with the others.

But Lord Tywin looked at him and said, "Jaime, you stay, and Kevan, you too."

Jaime sat back on the bench. Ser Kevan walked through the tent and went to the wine barrel. Jaime narrowed his eyes.

Lord Tywin pushed the unmoved glass of wine in front of him over: "Jaime, I have another task for you." Lord Tywin sat down, "When the battle starts tomorrow, you don't want all the cavalry to go out."

Jaime finally couldn't help asking, "Are you really planning to withdraw your troops?"

Jaime knew very well that sometimes it was the time to attack the most fiercely in order to retreat.

"You can see it, and I believe that the veteran general Randyll Tarly in the army can see it too." Lord Tywin was serious and sharp-eyed, "Jaime, if the attack tomorrow fails, I plan to retreat westward."

Jaime asked, "Are you going back to Casterly Rock?" Jaime thought of their "collection" of food and grass.

Tywin did not give a direct answer, but asked: "Do you think the Tyrell army will choose to pursue?"

Jaime has already reacted to Tywin's plan: "But once we retreat, there are many new soldiers and some soldiers who have lost their fighting spirit in our army. If we fail to attack the enemy tomorrow and the enemy is coming fiercely, I am afraid that we will retreat." Tywin plans to pretend to retreat and lure the enemy to attack. This is a risky move, because this large-scale retreat to lure the enemy is very likely to turn a false retreat into a real retreat, and it is easy to get out of control.

Tywin's eyes flashed: "So I will give you the most important link, Jaime. Combine your cavalry with Sir Adam's cavalry, and the number of cavalry can reach 6,000. I will be the bait for you. Even if Randyll Tarly chases in person, I believe you can defeat him!"

Jaime was solemn for a moment.

Tywin himself is the bait, which may be able to hold the ground when being pursued during the retreat, but it is also a great risk.

But in fact, this kind of strategy often requires the cooperation of the enemy. Jaime couldn't help asking: "What if the enemy doesn't pursue?"

"No." Tywin answered. But this answer actually avoided Jaime's question.

Jaime sipped his wine: "What happened in the south?"

"The current situation is worse than you know," Tywin continued, "The Targaryen army went north along the coastal road, and the Redwyne fleet also set off."

Jaime was shocked: "What? When was the news?" Normally, the news from the south at this time will be delayed by at least one to two weeks, so it is very likely that when the news is received, the enemy's march has been one to two weeks. The West is in danger.

Tywin paused: "Don't panic, it's the news four days ago, and the news came as soon as it arrived in King's Landing."

"How is it possible?" Jaime reacted, "Is it the news that the other party deliberately released?"

The march has always focused on concealment. Even if a spy sees the army gathering and marching, it will take at least a while to find out the enemy's destination. But the news from the south came so quickly and so accurately, which can only mean that it was deliberately spread by the enemy.

This is equivalent to the enemy telling Tywin clearly that it was a trap.

This move is undoubtedly very ostentatious and arrogant, but the Westerly is now very empty. Maybe when the news reaches the Westerly, all the castles will raise their flags and surrender.

Tywin must take advantage of his first-hand information now to send troops back to help, otherwise once the news spreads, the Westerly army will fall apart in an instant. Even if it is a trap, Tywin must step into it. Tywin can still control the Westerly army, all thanks to his personal prestige over the years, and once the Westerly is lost, whether this prestige is still useful is another matter.

"Anyway, I don't plan to stay here." Tywin said, "We have to get rid of Lord Mace before the Targaryens arrive in the Westerly. Even if we can't, we must at least leave the battle. If they don't chase me, then I don't have to worry about them, and I can go back to the Westerly with all my strength."

Jaime couldn't help asking: "What about King's Landing?"

Lord Tywin glanced at Jaime and pursed his lips: "You choose, Jaime, I won't force you this time. Casterly Rock or King's Landing, make your choice?"

Jaime's heart was falling. To be honest, he wanted to die on the battlefield. This time when he came out of King's Landing, he thought of many endings, either dying on the battlefield charging Tyrell, or dying on the battlefield charging the dragon.

But the sky did not go as planned. King Targaryen was a guy who had absolute strength but was so steady that he could be called cunning, powerful but still used tricks frequently on the battlefield. The enemy had all the advantages and was leading them by the nose. Jaime's intelligence was far less than Tywin's, but from the intelligence he got, there was no hope of victory. King Targaryen was advancing cautiously, and Jaime felt as if a mountain was pressing down from the sky, leaving him no chance to breathe and no hope of counterattack.

Jaime asked, "We retreat to King's Landing and attack Storm's End with our combined forces? His queen is there! He..."

"King's Landing," Tywin said abruptly.

Jaime's eyes widened in shock.

"My lord," Ser Kevan suddenly stood up, "I have something else to do, I'll go out first." He bowed and left.

When the father and son were left alone, Lord Tywin continued, "Jaime, after you've settled the matter here, go to King's Landing and take Tommen away, to Essos. Don't worry about Westeros anymore."

Jaime couldn't believe that these were words from Lord Tywin, he sighed and said, "Father."

"That's it." Tywin didn't raise his voice, but Jaime could sense his different emotions from his calm expression and his golden eyes.

Jaime realized that the omnipotent Lord Tywin in his heart also felt that all options were exhausted in this situation.

"Okay." Tywin narrowed his eyes, "That's it."

James stood up and walked out of the tent. When he left the camp, he saw a gallows set up near the camp gate. The night wind blew, and the bodies of the captured deserters were dangling on the rope. There were only a few stars in the night sky and a waning moon. Jaime felt inexplicably sad. He felt that this scene was as thin and incomplete as the hope of the Lannister family.

However, today's affairs were not over yet. When James returned to his camp, there was a messenger from King's Landing who had been waiting for a long time.

"This is what Varys asked me to deliver to you before he died, my lord." The messenger's voice was dull due to fatigue. He was one of the people Jaime left in King's Landing to monitor Varys.

James took the rolled paper letter from the messenger and asked strangely: "While alive? Is Varys dead?"

"Yes, sir." The messenger replied, "The Red Keep was on fire, just near Varys's residence. He could not escape the flames. When the flames burned out, people could only find a piece of withered bones and charred corpses. Some people said that he did not escape. Dead, but the maester found a body that fit the profile of a fat eunuch. I mean, the lack of a dick and the greasy body fit the profile.”

James opened the paper letter. It was a map of Junlin City, with red circles densely drawn on it: "What else did he say when he gave you this thing?"

The messenger replied tiredly: "He said he would live up to your trust and hoped that you would keep your promise."

"But he's dead. Why did the Red Keep catch fire?" Jaime frowned. He was still in King's Landing and paid Varys a huge sum of money to help him find out who the pyromancers of King's Landing were and where they were sending wildfire. In fact, the purpose was to find out where Cersei secretly buried the wildfire in King's Landing. But then the military situation became urgent and Jaime led the troops from King's Landing, so he put that matter behind him. How did he know that Varys...

The messenger replied: "My lord, the Queen Mother ordered the guards of the Red Fort to carry wildfire into the Red Fort to prepare for emergencies. Unexpectedly, the guard was not good enough and the fire broke out at night. A big hole was burned in the entire city wall. When I left the city, the Queen Mother I’m still looking for a craftsman to repair it.”

"You came here at a fast pace, go down and rest, and remember to collect the reward." James frowned and dismissed the messenger casually.

After the messenger left, James solemnly spread out the drawing and looked at it carefully. When he saw the dense red circles, James couldn't help but gasp.

This shocking drawing shows that Cersei has buried jars of wildfire in every corner of King's Landing, ready to burn the entire city to ashes at any time. He began to suspect that Varys was looking too deeply, so he was silenced by Cersei.

"I also have fire." Jaime thought of the cruel look on Cersei's face when she said this to him, and was in a daze for a moment.