"We will search each of these mountain tops one by one."
"We may not find them; they should have a leader!!"
He pointed to a corner of the map and whispered.
"Uncle, please look!"
"This small place is called Licheng, located on the border of Western Xia and Great Chu!"
"If we want to transport the wealth out, this place is convenient for transportation, close by, and unlikely to draw attention. It’s an excellent spot for smuggling!"
Xia Tingfeng looked over in the direction Zhao Qichen was pointing.
He analyzed the surrounding mountain terrain, the distribution of states, prefectures, county towns, and official pathways.
Indeed, this place was very inconspicuous.
"Surrounded by mountains, the terrain is perilous!"
"There are several small paths through the mountains that lead directly outside the city. Whether it’s winter or summer, these mountains are filled with steep ridges and bizarre rocks!"
"A convoy or horse team passing by wouldn’t attract any attention at all!"
Even though he hadn’t read much.
His practical experience was rich, and he was exceptionally gifted, quickly adapting to various terrain environments.
He could swiftly identify the advantages and disadvantages of each route and provide a comprehensive evaluation!
"So... what does Uncle think?"
Zhao Qichen asked.
Xia Tingfeng nodded.
"There’s a fifty percent chance it could be here!"
Zhao Qichen was skeptical.
"What about the remaining fifty percent?"
He continued to search the map for another possibility.
But search as he might, he couldn’t find a location that matched the conditions.
"The rest are either too perilous for transport or too far from the border to get anything out!"
The small border towns are few, and only Licheng fits; where else could there be?
Xia Tingfeng smiled and pointed to another small town just one city away from the border.
"Yinshan City?" Zhao Qichen was surprised.
Xia Tingfeng nodded again and continued.
"Next to Yinshan City, there’s an inconspicuous water route that only thaws at the end of spring, in summer, and early autumn!"
"The snowmelt flows down, forming a torrential river!"
"Just follow this river upstream, and you can exit directly from deep within the mountains, without ever needing to pass through the border gate!"
Zhao Qichen looked in the direction Xia Tingfeng pointed.
Sure enough, he saw a very thin line.
The map was full of such indistinct lines, and he never would have thought there could be a river here.
Shocked, he asked again.
"It’s right at the end of spring and start of summer; wouldn’t they..."
Xia Tingfeng nodded.
"Exactly, that’s why we need to act quickly!"
We need to quickly lure the mouse to the bait and catch them all in one go!
Zhao Qichen was in awe, practically worshipping him.
"Uncle, you’re amazing; your nephew has learned a lot!"
Xia Tingfeng smiled.
"It’s nothing. If you observe, think, and experience more, you will understand it yourself!"
"Thank you for your encouragement, Uncle!" Zhao Qichen said respectfully.
Although born into the Imperial family, Zhao Qichen didn’t have any airs.
Xia Tingfeng didn’t like pretension either.
He disliked restrictions and anything pretentious.
Since Zhao Qichen was willing to call him Uncle, he truly treated him like a nephew.
If Zhao Qichen didn’t want to, he was content to handle his tasks as well.
After all, both were loyal to the Emperor, and there was no right or wrong in it!
The fact proved true.
Zhao Qichen did not disappoint him.
The uncle and nephew became increasingly close along the way, closer than blood relatives.
The convoy rested at the inn for a night and continued the journey the next day.
A group of about a hundred people escorting several horse-drawn carriages wound its way through desolate landscapes.
Eye-catching or not, depending on how you look at it.
In short, if someone is observant enough, they are bound to notice!
...
Yinshan City.
The city captain Liu Qin was an old man nearing fifty.
Due to his unremarkable achievements, he hadn’t been promoted for years.
He’d been circling around as a captain in the barren lands of the Northwest for most of his life, without any military honors, and it seemed that he would continue in this post for the rest of his life.
At this moment.
He was engaged in intimate activities with his recently taken eighteenth concubine in his room.
Although... he was getting on in age, and some parts might not be working so well.
However, his spirit was commendable!
Just last year, he had fathered his sixth son.
Praised by locals as ’Golden Spear, true man,’ he was very proud of it.
While engaging in certain primal activities, he was vigorously grabbing two soft, white things beside him.
"Is it big? Feels good? Do you want to reach the heavens?"
The concubine was quite frustrated.
’Master, what are you shaking for, did you go in?’
Upon hearing such a question from him, she realized she had to start acting quickly.