The terrain of Yunnan is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, featuring a complex and diverse variety of landscapes. Not only are there plateaus and mountainous plateaus, but also high, medium, and low-altitude mountainous terrain, alongside hills, basins, and river valleys.
Yunnan Prefecture City, where Mu Tianbo was stationed; Yuanmou, where Wu Bikui was located; and the Mengzi area controlled by Sha Dingzhou all belonged to the central Yunnan region. Apart from a small portion of river valleys and basins, most of this area consisted of gently rolling low mountains and hills. Constrained by the terrain, the roads here wound and twisted with undulating rises and falls. Although this did not obstruct passage, it inevitably slowed the marching speed of a large army.
After the main force of the Ming Army took their oaths of departure outside Yunnan Prefecture City, they set out to suppress the rebellion under the centralized coordination of the strategist Zhou Ding. Mu Tianbo remained in the city with eight thousand garrison troops. His tasks were twofold: first, to prepare the weapons and grain required for the campaign; and second, to guard against a treasonous revolt by Sha Dingzhou.
Chapter 526