Yan Province was a border region, so horses were relatively cheap. However, he didn't buy a nag for pulling carts, but rather a retired post horse skilled at running, which cost two to three times as much.
Ying Province lay southwest of Yan Province. Zhao Lin rode hard the entire way. Whenever a horse became too tired to run, he would find a place to sell it for a low price and buy a new one to continue his journey.
He couldn't worry about money when he was racing against time.
A person's lingering scent typically lasted for three to five days. Under special circumstances, it could persist for more than ten days, or even longer.
Zhao Lin was unsure of his master's cause of death. If he had to track down the killer, he might need to use his sense of smell, so the sooner he reached the scene, the better.
In mid-March, outside the walls of Qinghe County, the grass grew long and orioles took flight.
