The army marches east through the low foothills, taking the remnant cities of the east and breaking local khans methodically. They skirt around the hills to the north and do the same.

What the expedition proves is that this part of the world is almost exclusively city states and Khanates, the vast nomadic groups failing to entirely break the occasional fortified cities of the area. They sit usually a hundred miles apart, and talk/trade occasionally to each other. The Desert stretches east as expected, but also into a vast wave north and east - but not entirely, beyond lies more dry hills, as do to the north west. There is especially, a line of hills, fertile ones that stretch from the old Fergana to the north-east and into the cooler lands. That is worth an expedition and some claiming, at least.

A little to the east, more Tarim awaits to be claimed by the Alai, but the time to split the army is almost at hand. The Kashgari intend to circle back around and begin to assault the southern Cities in their crusade, and will do so alone. The main force will continue along the expedition pathway as planned.

Map is now and forever out of date. I am however conquering some fucking beautiful areas, look at all this.