Yao Tianning knew very well how risky it was to march at night in a war zone, and that doing so would sap the hard-won energy of the soldiers who'd just managed to rest for a day. But he had no choice.
Just that afternoon, as soon as Yao Tianning entered the Jianchuan war zone, he received an order from Jianchuan's main combat officer, instructing him to quicken his pace and hurry to intercept at the northeast "Fish Stone Military Station." Soon after, another urgent order arrived, demanding he reach "Fish Stone" before dawn.
One followed the other: first "as soon as possible," then "must."
With normal marching, even a forced march would take two days to reach the Fish Stone Military Station, and there was still the "Lianghe Military Station"—the closest after Yao Tianning entered Jianchuan—between them.
So Yao Tianning could only let the soldiers rest in place half an hour ahead of time, then march through the night.
