Chapter 543
Chapter 543 Top-Secret Information
As far as the eye could see, the vast expanse of the Alxa Plain swayed with wildflowers and boundless greenery. The azure sky looked as if it had been washed clean. A gentle breeze caressed the face, carrying the fragrance of the grassland. Five thousand remnant soldiers of the Great Hua Empire moved swiftly across the open plains, eventually vanishing into the depths of the tall grass.
Human presence was scarce on the Alxa Plain. After the establishment of the Turkic Khanate, they had united several small tribes, dividing territories based on population, with no interference between these regions. During the dry season and winter, each tribe would graze within its own territory. When spring blossomed and grass was abundant, the whole tribe would move out to graze, their awe-inspiring momentum resembling flowing clouds across the plains.
This system of community living was mostly borrowed from the Great Hua Empire, with certain adaptations for the prairie, creating a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Guided by this policy, a variety of Turkic settlements had formed on the Alxa Plain—some small, housing only a few thousand people, while larger ones had tens of thousands.
To ensure that each tribe had enough grazing lands, Turkic settlements were spaced at least several hundred miles apart. This distancing gave the Great Hua cavalry ample room to maneuver. At the moment, around 300,000 of the finest Turkic cavalrymen were gathered around Helan Mountain Gorge, and all the robust men from the tribes had been summoned, giving Lin Wanrong's solitary army more confidence as they ventured deep into the plains.
The map of the Alxa Plain that Xu Zhiqing had gifted before their departure was marked simply, but its routes were crystal clear. It had been a great help to this isolated force. Additionally, with the experienced assistance from Hu Bugui, the five thousand men would not lose their way on the prairie.
After capturing Bayanhot, the army had already replenished supplies for six or seven days. Even if they couldn’t find a single grain of food after venturing deeper into the plains, they could last for at least another week.
Despite this, Lin Wanrong was still not at ease. He rode back and forth, inspecting every soldier. Seeing that each of their Turkic horses was laden with dried meat and provisions, he finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Brother Lin, good news, good news!" Gao Qiu shouted excitedly, galloping forward with Hu Bugui from the rear of the formation.