Qingting Island Red Wine

The next morning, the joint army of Winterfell began packing up their tents and supplies, preparing to withdraw.

The forces from Winterfell and Karstark were the first to withdraw, followed by the surviving and reorganized peasant infantry units.

Due to the large amount of spoils of war and wounded soldiers, the logistics units took the longest, so they departed last.

But as it turned out, Lord Roose was just as Robb had predicted; even with the entire logistics unit laden with spoils and wounded soldiers parading before his eyes, he had no intention of sneaking out of the city to attack.

This left the cavalry, led by Count Rickard, who had been lying in ambush behind the hills, somewhat disappointed.

After marching for half a day, the grand joint army of Winterfell arrived at the fork in the road leading to Ironstone Town and the direction of Winterfell.

Robb ordered Theon and Owen to take over three thousand archer infantry and escort two thousand prisoners to Ironstone Town.

Although the logistics team had brought a considerable amount of grain and supplies this time, it wouldn't be enough to feed so many mouths.

His mission for Theon and Owen was twofold: first, to occupy Ironstone Town and resupply the army, and second, to incorporate the two thousand prisoners.

Those willing to join the Winterfell army would be dispersed and integrated into the peasant infantry. Those unwilling would be used to fill the ranks of the Ironstone Town miners, digging mineral resources for Winterfell.

Robb, citing insufficient defensive forces in Winterfell and concerns about potential unrest, led Count Rickard, Little Jon, Eddard, and others, along with the majority of the cavalry, to return ahead of schedule.

After Robb formally issued his orders, the Winterfell army split into two at this fork.

On the third night after the fall of Dreadfort, the smell of blood still lingered heavily outside the city walls. Combined with the unaddressed decaying corpses, it added an extremely unpleasant sensory experience to the dark night.

Tap, tap, tap!

A faint sound of horse hooves startled the drowsy Bolton guards on the city wall.

The nerves, which had slightly relaxed after the Winterfell army's withdrawal, tensed up once more.

A group of three to four hundred cavalry, holding torches and bearing the Flayed Men sigil of House Bolton, approached slowly. Upon closer inspection, there were also three slow-moving transport carts within the cavalry formation.

Although they knew that cavalry of this size and speed could not pose any threat to the high walls and strong ramparts of Dreadfort, the officer in charge of guarding the city gate still sent someone to notify Lord Roose. After all, the military law in Dreadfort was strict, and any negligence would result in severe punishment.

"Open the gate quickly, it's me!"

As the cavalry maneuvered around the corpses and scattered limbs at the foot of the city wall and reached the castle gate, a rider shouted upwards.

The officer guarding the gate recognized the rider by the torchlight as Lord Roose's bastard son, Ramsay.

"Lord Ramsay, Dreadfort is currently under wartime curfew. Without Lord Roose's orders, we cannot open the city gates privately. I have already sent someone to inform him, and he will be here shortly. Please wait."

The officer, not daring to offend the cruel and petty bastard, shouted back in a somewhat polite tone.

Ramsay did not get angry upon hearing this. Instead, he smiled and nodded, waiting patiently.

Shortly thereafter, Roose arrived on the city wall. After observing for a moment, he instructed the guard officer, "Mobilize three hundred archers to guard the inner city wall. If they show any signs of disloyalty, shoot them immediately. Then, open the city gate just enough for the carriages to pass. Except for Ramsay, all soldiers entering the city must surrender their weapons at the gate and be temporarily detained."

Watching the guard officer acknowledge the order and begin making arrangements, Roose did not consider himself overly cautious. He had witnessed too much deceit and betrayal.

Ramsay, who had been waiting outside the city gate until his smile faded, finally saw the gate of Dreadfort open slightly.

Ramsay had no objections to Roose's arrangements. After being disarmed by the guards, he was the first to enter Dreadfort.

"Father!"

As soon as he rode past the city gate, Ramsay saw Roose waiting. He immediately dismounted and bowed.

"Hmm, did you encounter any of the Winterfell army on your way back?"

Roose nodded and immediately asked Ramsay.

"Yes, my scout cavalry discovered them at the fork leading to Ironstone Town. There were about seven to eight thousand of them, moving in a long line towards Ironstone Town. We waited an extra day after they had all passed the fork and headed for Ironstone Town before daring to return."

Ramsay nodded and directly recounted the situation he had encountered on the road.

"Alas, Ironstone Town is lost. However, as long as we hold Dreadfort, we will make the House Stark pay double in the future."

Roose sighed softly upon hearing this. His expression remained calm, but a hint of malice flickered in his eyes.

"Father, I received a raven letter earlier saying the war situation was going very well. How did it suddenly reverse?"

"I underestimated that wolf cub. I don't know when he managed to hide thousands of infantry in his camp, and at the same time, he deceived Locke's scout cavalry and ambushed nearly two thousand cavalry behind them."

Hearing Ramsay's question, Roose briefly recounted the previous battle. However, as he spoke, a hint of sadness appeared on his usually expressionless face. As a renowned veteran general of the North, he felt a deep bitterness at being outmaneuvered by a young man who had never formally led an army into battle.

"Father, as you said, as long as we hold Dreadfort, we will have the opportunity to seek revenge against House Stark in the future."

Seeing Roose's rare display of sadness, Ramsay immediately comforted him with concern.

"Hmm, what are those carriages carrying?"

Roose, quickly recovering from his emotions, looked at the transport carriages passing through the city gate and asked Ramsay softly.

"Father, that's a merchant caravan I happened to raid on my way back. It's full of top-quality Qingting Island Red Wine.

This wine isn't ordinary. Its price in the North is much higher than in the South. You could say it's liquid Gold dragons."

"Oh? There are actually merchant caravans transporting Qingting Island wine to the North? Then I must have a taste."

Hearing Ramsay's answer, Roose's eyes flickered, and he spoke softly.

"Father is right, we must taste it. I'll pour you some, Father."

Ramsay replied with a smile and immediately turned to halt the transport wagons passing through the gate, ordering someone to open a wine barrel on one of the wagons.

As soon as the barrel was opened, a fragrant aroma of wine spread out.

Roose first sniffed, then peered into the wine barrel.