Lin Qingyuan took out a parchment scroll, found a pentagram among the scattered symbols, and pointed it out to Song Liyun: "East of the Mida River Valley is a highland hilly area, and there are also forests. The Wuda headquarters is located there."
There are no grasslands there, making grazing impossible, and most people are unaware of the forest conditions. Even if the Qu tribe, a vassal state of Dongyue, were to go, it would take them considerable time to find it.
The map in his hand not only showed rivers and swamps, but also included the population of the tribes along the way and the winter and summer pastures. It was the culmination of the Qi family's decades of hard work on the grasslands.
Lin Qingyuan had been operating on the grasslands for many years. With the Qi family's map as a reference, coupled with the convenience of his status as a merchant caravan, he was very familiar with the migrations of the tribes on the Dilu grasslands due to his professional sensitivity. He even knew the area where the Wuda headquarters was located.
At this moment, he spoke eloquently to Song Liyun.
"Those Qu tribes of Dongyue also underestimated Lady Wuya and Ashileduo. Before the young master Ashileduo went on his campaigns, his tribe had already hidden itself away, making it difficult for ordinary people to find them."
"How far is it from here?" Song Liyun asked without looking at the map.
A painting without a compass rose, a scale, or a legend is difficult for anyone other than the person who created it to understand.
Lin Qingyuan didn't even look at it; it seemed he had already memorized the map. He replied directly, "It will take nine days of horseback riding, and we will need to stop at the most densely populated grasslands of several tribes to replenish our food supplies."
However, some tribes are now on the battlefield, and without food, they cannot travel these two thousand miles.
In the past, when he traveled with caravans, he would replenish his food and water at each village he visited. Especially now in winter, when travel is slower, he needs more food.
But now those tribes are all of unclear stance, the grasslands are filled with tension and fear, and everyone is wary of strangers. If you go in rashly, you could very well be killed with a single blow.
Therefore, even if he says he's willing to lead the way, it doesn't necessarily mean they'll get through smoothly, so he gives a more generous timeframe.
Spending the night in Baixing, a journey of at least two thousand li in nine days.
Song Dekui gasped.
He quickly picked up Lin Qingyuan's map, which looked like a bunch of scribbles, and looked at it from left to right, but he couldn't even tell which direction was which. He just felt that the symbols were making his eyes dizzy.
Song Liyun wasn't worried about lacking supplies along the way. She waved her hand and said, "We don't need to go into the tribe to find water and food. How long would it take to bypass the tribe?"
Lin Qingyuan studied the map for a long time and gestured for quite a while before finally saying, "Six days!"
Song Liyun was somewhat dissatisfied that she could only save three days.
However, they managed to find some room for maneuver, and the vassal tribes of Dongyue set off only three days earlier.
Soon, when Wu Dong and the others learned that Song Liyun was going to the Wuda tribe at dawn, they could hardly believe their ears and immediately objected: "No, Miss Song, Commander Xiao said that you cannot go far away from the border garrison."
Commander Xiao had given them orders that Song Liyun could travel among the nearby tribes, but she was absolutely forbidden from entering dangerous areas.
The battle in the Mida River Valley is currently intense, and once Song Liyun's existence is discovered, she will definitely become a target of attack.
Song Liyun had made up her mind. She said to Wu Dong, "Please have Wu Xiaoqi send a letter back to the garrison tomorrow. I will explain the situation. The Wuda tribe is in danger. If we don't go... you know the consequences neither of us can bear."
Wu Dong was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks. If what Song Liyun said was true, how could he explain it to the Zhenbei Prefecture if he let it go?
But he only had four soldiers, and it would be extremely dangerous for them to travel thousands of miles into the grasslands.
Balin and the others were extremely excited. The Uda tribe was their idol, and they were willing to work hard to help the Uda tribe resolve the crisis.
Song Liyun did not force Wu Dong to go to the grassland with her.
Wu Dong and his three companions were soldiers, bound by military discipline. If they were to clash with the Di tribe along the way, it would entangle the two countries in a dispute.
Song Liyun and the others were not afraid. With the name of the caravan, as long as they were not afraid of death, they could travel freely.
As for the four from Balin, they were originally Di people, so they had no scruples.
The personnel count was completed quickly, and the four soldiers of Wudong returned to the Balin tribe at dawn and relayed the message to the garrison.
Lin Qingyuan and his six guards, along with the four from Balin, followed Song Liyun.
There was some trouble in arranging things for Song Dekui.
"Xiaoyun, don't even think about sending me away. The wedding in Daping is important, but your safety is more important. With Commander Luo presiding over the wedding, he won't be neglected. We can give him a proper gift after we get back." Song Dekui absolutely refused to let him leave.
Lin Qingyuan chuckled as he straightened his clothes, "Boss Song can't draw a bow with his hands or control a horse with his feet, so following along would be a burden for Miss Song."
Song Dekui's eyelids drooped: "So what if it's a burden? As long as I can beat you, that's all that matters!"
"You..." Lin Qingyuan was so angry that his nose almost crooked. He was resourceful, but he was too weak to even kill a chicken.
In a battle of wits, this fake scoundrel couldn't outwit the castrator who spent his days mingling in the marketplace.
In terms of fists and kicks, he was no match for Song Dekui, who looked lean but actually had considerable strength from wrestling with oxen, horses, and mules every day.
Moreover, Song Dekui, relying on his seniority over Song Liyun, always tried to put Lin Qingyuan down in his words, which made Lin Qingyuan so angry that his heart ached.
Song Liyun only sent her uncle back for safety reasons.
In fact, Song Dekui helped her a lot without her even realizing it. For example, he was the one who fed and cared for the three horses.
For example, tonight's accommodation.
Because of the large number of people, even though Lin Qingyuan and his group lived in the stables covered with tarpaulins, it was still packed full.
Instead of going to sleep, Song Dekui took a blanket from Song Liyun and wrapped it around his body. He then leaned against Song Liyun's door and closed his eyes to rest.
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