The camp maester quickly treated the white-haired woman's wounds.
Jon stood by, watching closely.
He noticed several flame tattoos on the woman's body. One of them looked suspiciously like wings.
He filed that image away in his mind for later and turned to the woman named Kuno, asking what exactly this "treasure" she spoke of was.
"It... it's warriors. Uh, I mean an army. An army, my... my Lord," Kuno stammered, clearly not a practiced liar.
Jon distinctly remembered her using phrases like "something the whole world has lost."
But he didn't press her on the contradiction. Instead, he played along and asked about this supposed army.
Kuno, thinking she had successfully "fooled" him, relaxed her tense posture slightly.
It turned out that the warriors Tyrion had taken with him represented only about half of the clans in the Mountains of the Moon.
Nearly half the tribes had not allied with him.
Kuno explained that if Jon needed an army, she and her tribe could act as intermediaries to recruit more men for him.
Of course, Jon would need to provide the appropriate compensation to win them over.
Jon knew she wasn't telling the whole truth.
But with many battles ahead, raising another army wouldn't be a bad thing.
The Mountains of the Moon weren't far from their current location; a trip there wouldn't be too much trouble.
He ordered guards to watch over the white-haired woman and Kuno. If time permitted, he might indeed visit the mountains.
As for the so-called treasure, Jon was confident that with his [God's Eye View], if it existed, he would find it.
Early the next morning, Jon received news from Roose Bolton—Tywin had agreed to meet.
When they met to discuss it, Roose said calmly:
"Jon, Tywin has agreed to the meeting. You can go represent us."
"You jest, my Lord," Jon scoffed internally but replied smoothly. "You are the commander of this entire army. I am but a bastard. Sending a bastard to meet a Great Lord like Tywin would only make the North a laughingstock."
Leaving his back exposed to the Lord Leech? Jon wasn't that stupid.
Roose didn't argue and agreed to go with him.
Roose suggested taking only his Dreadfort men as escorts, but Harrion Karstark insisted on bringing his own men as well.
To be safe, they brought everyone.
Roose said nothing, but it was clear that being distrusted wasn't a pleasant feeling.
And so, in the open ground between the Northern and Western armies, two groups of about a hundred men slowly approached each other.
The difference was in the banners: the North flew the Flayed Man of the Dreadfort, the Sunburst of Karstark, and Jon's White Wolf.
The West flew only one banner: the Golden Lion on Crimson.
Jon spotted Tyrion among the group almost immediately.
Perhaps because he was on horseback, his shortness wasn't as conspicuous as usual.
Next to Tyrion was Tywin Lannister.
The robust, bald Lord of Casterly Rock rode with an imposing air of authority.
Behind Tywin loomed The Mountain, whose massive shadow seemed to engulf even the formidable Tywin.
As the distance closed, Tyrion spotted Jon too.
He couldn't resist raising his telescope to confirm that the man who had turned the tide of battle was indeed the bastard he had "educated" at Winterfell.
But the change in Jon was so drastic that Tyrion almost couldn't believe his eyes.
If the old Jon was filled with insecurity and alienation, this new Jon radiated confidence from every pore.
Is that... really him? Tyrion murmured.
Both sides left their escorts behind, and Tywin rode forward with Tyrion to negotiate.
Despite his earlier politeness with Roose Bolton, Jon didn't bother with false modesty now.
He took the initiative and spoke first.
"Lord Tywin, I am Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark. I am here to discuss terms."
Tywin studied Jon with his piercing green eyes before speaking.
"I thought Roose Bolton was the true commander here. Did Robb actually send you to lead the army? Lord Bolton, do you accept such humiliation so calmly?"
With years of experience, Tywin could see the friction between Jon and Bolton. He immediately tried to drive a wedge between them.
Heh, the old fox is still an old fox, Jon chuckled inwardly, not angered by being ignored.
In business negotiations, trying to provoke your opponent was a standard tactic.
So Jon retorted sharply, "Better that than Lord Tywin, whose wife was played with by another man, yet he didn't dare let out a peep."
"Jon!"
Tyrion couldn't hold back. Jon was talking about Tywin's wife—Tyrion's mother.
Tywin's face turned a cold, pale shade. Joanna was a sanctuary in his heart, inviolable. No one had dared speak ill of her in his presence for years.
"Did Ned not teach you how to speak to nobles?" Tywin said icily.
"I'm just an ill-mannered bastard. If I've offended you, please forgive me," Jon said with a shrug of indifference.
Tyrion suddenly remembered a piece of advice he had once given Jon: Wear your weakness like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.
He hadn't expected Jon to master it so quickly.
After a long silence, Tyrion broke the tension.
"I believe we are here to resolve matters. Lady Catelyn arrested me without evidence. If not for Ser Bronn, I would have died at the Eyrie. My father is merely seeking justice for me."
"Seeking justice with the blood of innocent Riverlands smallfolk?" Jon countered. "Is that not just bullying the weak? When Robert was whoring around, why didn't your father march on the Stormlands or King's Landing to seek justice for Cersei?"
"Enough, Jon!" Tyrion interjected again.
This was one of the few times he found himself losing a battle of words.
Fortunately, both sides finally started stating their terms.
Tywin spoke first: "I can release your father. We will say he was manipulated by others, but he must join the Night's Watch. His mistakes have already been made!"
Tywin knew that for Joffrey to sit securely on the throne, Ned Stark had to be removed from the board.
Sending him to the Wall was a good compromise; it would prevent a blood feud between Lannister and Stark.
"Hmph. Then here are my terms," Jon replied. "Release my father, restore his honor, and he remains Hand of the King. Furthermore, the City Watch of King's Landing must be replaced by Northern troops. The Master of Laws, Master of Coin, and Grand Maester must all be appointed by Winterfell. The next King must have Stark blood—meaning Sansa must become Queen, and her son must be King! If she dies in childbirth, chokes on a lemon cake, falls ill, or gets struck by lightning, I will hold House Lannister responsible!"