I'll Go Myself
The phrase "I'll go myself" left everyone present speechless.
Even Sandor, standing next to Jon, couldn't help but tilt his head slightly, thinking he had misheard.
Keep in mind that they are heading to the Iron Islands mainland! If the war is lost, there is almost no chance of them escaping back.
Such a decision undoubtedly puts their backs completely in the hands of others. If anything goes wrong with the naval fleet, this force deep behind enemy lines will face certain death!
When Jon made this decision, Loras, Martin, Brynden, and others almost immediately expressed their opposition.
Garlan was a little slower to react, but he also disagreed with Jon putting himself in danger.
"Jon, let me go. It would be most fitting for this old man to die on the battlefield," Rickard said, standing up and patting his chest.
In fact, after Jon rescued him from Daven at Golden Tooth last time, he felt that every day he lived was a bonus, and he had been waiting for the opportunity to serve Jon.
"I once fought alongside King Robert and your father, Lord Eddard, in the Iron Islands. I've fought my share of battles, so let me go!" Rickard's voice echoed through the Hall of Heroes, as he glanced around from time to time, as if seeking the support of others.
Seeing Rickard's fearless attitude, everyone admired him greatly. Especially when he presented his qualifications, everyone thought he might be a good candidate.
"Jon, let me go! I want revenge for my mother!" Loras shouted, drawing his sword with a clang and pointing outside.
"Send me too, sir," Martin stepped forward and said.
When Rhaegar Frey saw that everyone was trying to dissuade Jon, he also prepared to stop them. After all, the risks of going deep behind enemy lines were too great, and if Jon were to die, all their previous investments would be wasted.
During this time, the Twins is trying to extend its sphere of influence into the the Green Fork region. To make this operation smoother, they will invoke Jon's name and imply that Jon and Roslin have an unusual relationship.
At this point, families with territorial disputes with the House Frey often choose to concede.
Rhaegar Frey stepped forward and said, "Jon, we have assembled a force of 60,000 men, 300 warships, and many skilled knights and sergeants. As the Lord of Casterly Rock, the responsibility for the Westerlands rests entirely on your shoulders. We cannot take such a risk."
Rhaegar's words were indeed more eloquent than those of the others; they were a combination of emotional appeal and logical reasoning.
Jon knew the House Frey well, and he knew there were more interests at play in what the Freys said, but Jon still thanked him nonetheless.
"Sir Rhaegar, I understand your concerns, but His Majesty has appointed Hand of the King Alester as our commander-in-chief for the invasion of the Iron Islands. With him in command from the rear, that is sufficient."
Upon hearing Jon mention him, Alester sat up straight, but quickly realized that according to Jon's plan, the key to the war did not depend on how he commanded, and he didn't even have any room for command.
"I, as a marshal, am really just a logistics minister."
Seeing that the lords present were all showing their unwavering loyalty to Jon, it was no wonder they wouldn't listen to him.
Then Jon turned to the others. "Ser Loras, Ser Garlan, Martin, Brynden, Earl Redwyne, Walder Ward, Ser Westerling, we fought side by side before, and I trust you can provide me with timely support. Most importantly, as I said, after we enter the Iron Islands, our greatest objective is not to capture castles, but to liberate the enslaved people. Among them are Riverlands, but even more so, Westerlands people. I am the Warden of the West; it is my duty. That's settled then. And if I may boast, I am the most skilled in open battle of all of you here!"
Rhaegar Frey would appeal to emotions and reason, and so would Jon. He waged guerrilla warfare in the Iron Islands, weakening Iron Islands by rescuing slaves, and even turning those enslaved people into his own power.
Seeing Jon's resolute determination, Alester was somewhat moved.
Although the two didn't get along very well, he couldn't say anything for the time being because of this man of his word.
Ultimately, after discussion, they decided to deploy over three hundred warships, plus the three hundred longships captured by Jon, into six squadrons.
One of the fleets had the best quality and strongest combat power, consisting of a total of eighty ships, led by Paxter himself.
With the Casterly Rock Fleet at its core, supplemented by the Redwyne Fleet led by Brynden, and Martin also in charge of a smaller fleet on his own.
In addition, Garlan Loras also lead a fleet.
Black Walder and Aleken were each in charge of a fleet.
The fleet alone has more than 40,000 personnel.
The fleet is merely an auxiliary force; the elite troops around Jon are carefully selected elites.
First, he himself recruited an established army of about 15,000 men in the Westerlands, and with the addition of the Mountain Clans, the total number was less than 20,000.
He selected over a thousand warriors from Mountain Clans and tribes. They were originally from the Moon Mountains and were skilled in mountain warfare. The Iron Islands had a rugged and fragmented terrain, which was perfect for them to utilize their strengths.
Most importantly, they are more loyal; Jon would not hesitate to send them to their deaths.
There were also more than a thousand elites contributed by various families, including a large number of noble illegitimate sons and second sons.
In Westeros, bastards are only inferior to legitimate heirs in the line of succession, but they receive the same education and possess the same armor.
After all, they share the same blood as the main branch and are loyal and reliable, so Jon also has an elite force mixed with a large number of bastards.
These people are crucial; they are all capable of becoming commanders, at least commanders of a combat squad of around 100 men.
Once Jon rescues and absorbs the slaves on the Iron Islands, their existence can be quickly converted into his own fighting force.
In addition to these men, Jon selected two hundred cadets to join his army. He knew all too well how much these literate, analytical, and even basic analytical skills could enhance an army's fighting strength.
In addition, almost all of these people had received medical training and were very skilled at treating external injuries.
Jon believed that, having been tempered by war, they were his former subordinates who had fought alongside him, capable of both warfare and governance, and would become his most valuable asset.
In addition, Jon's Heavy Armor Battalion will naturally be brought along. After this period of expansion, the Heavy Armor Battalion now numbers over two thousand, making it Jon's absolute elite force. However, Jon will only take the veterans with him.
There are many Riverlands in the Heavy Armor Battalion. The Riverlands have suffered greatly from the devastation of the Iron Islands. Harrenhal can be said to be formed from the blood of the Riverlands.
Taking them along will ensure they maintain a high level of fighting spirit and loyalty.
Finally, some monks were selected; their role was to provide the soldiers with a courage buff to maintain morale.
There were about three thousand people in total.
Three thousand men may seem few, but their elite status goes without saying.
Moreover, there is another very important reason: Jon annihilated 8,000 elite Iron Islands in the Battle of the Bay of Severed Heads. Although the Iron Islands army may have expanded to around 40,000 men, their quality is somewhat questionable.
From fourteen or fifteen years old to forty or fifty years old, it can be said that all the men on the Iron Islands who could be called Ironborn were pulled out to fight.
If the battlefield were on land, Jon was confident he could defeat 40,000 to 50,000 men with only 4,000 or 5,000, but if the battlefield were at sea, things would be more complicated.
If Euron uses his remaining elite forces on the fleet, he will be unable to stop Jon's actions on the Iron Islands. If Euron uses a large number of his elite forces on the Iron Islands to besiege Jon, he will be unable to cope with the fleet's attack.
This is a case of being stubborn and blocking both ends.
Jon explained this to Margaery, Margaery naturally understood it, but emotions cannot be suppressed by reason alone.
She has become particularly sensitive, especially since becoming pregnant.
Although Margaery's pregnancy is still not very obvious, her cheeks are noticeably rounder, and when she is with Jon, she looks more like a mature woman.
"Jon, I understand what you're saying, I can understand it, but, but do you really have to go by yourself?" Margaery looked at Jon with her still bright brown eyes, trying to change his mind in this way.
"Have you forgotten how wicked Euron is? How can I trust someone else with my army?"
"But, but, but I—" Margaery stammered for a long time but couldn't come up with a reason to refute it, and could only helplessly accept the fact.
She thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "Leave one of your Raven for me."
"Do what?"
Write a letter to Roslin.
"For whom?" Jon looked at her with a puzzled expression.
On their journey back to Casterly Rock from Highgarden, Jon had already told her about his agreement with the House Frey. Margaery breathed a sigh of relief after learning about Jon and Roslin's relationship.
Upon learning that there was only a promise between them and no real contact, Margaery's last little bit of unease disappeared.
But now she has other plans.
"If you come back safely, how about I bring Roslin to Casterly Rock?" Margaery gave Jon a playful look.
"Are you testing me? If you really bring her over, I won't be so polite."
"Then let me see your strength~" Margaery said with a hint of provocation.
Jon hadn't touched her since she became pregnant, and Margaery had heard that men who frequently went to war had very strong desires.
Needless to say, Robb is a living example.
She planned to make Roslin her double, at least so she wouldn't lose control.
Finally, after much deliberation, Alester realized the feasibility and power of Jon's battle plan.
So he asked his nephew Colin to bring the family's elite troops to Jon Jon's army in order to get some military credit.
Jon did not refuse, as this would ensure that his actions on the Iron Islands would not be hindered or restricted, and could be considered a sign of the House Florent's sincerity.
He'll take a share of the credit, but what Jon wants is the entire Iron Islands, and most importantly, Euron's life. He doesn't care about anything else.