Tat-tat-tat.
Across the grassland, where the grass appeared sparse from a distance but thick underfoot, a force of cavalry advanced at a steady pace.
This cavalry was divided into three sections: vanguard, center, and rearguard. The vanguard and rearguard each comprised two thousand riders. The central army was the largest, numbering twenty-one thousand men. Everyone had at least two horses, with some soldiers managing three. They wore battle-hardened armor, well-equipped with bows, arrows, and sabers. In addition, hanging from their saddles were various light firearms, including matchlock bird guns and Three-Eyed Guns. They were the elite of the Great Ming border forces, warriors sworn to defend their homes, and the very foundation of this expedition.
Chapter 676