su's army marched through the central asian steppes from ordos, inner mongolia to the altai mountains region. his troops left ordos in march and arrived in kyrgyzstan in november, a journey spanning 3,000 miles across steppes and desert. su avoided stopping at the resource rich oasis states, and historian jonathan karam skaff speculates that the chinese troops may have relied on livestock for food instead of a supply train, a tactic used by the steppe nomads. the campaign continued through the winter, when the steppes were covered in snow. describing the journey's ordeal, su dingfang is reported to have said: "the fog shed darkness everywhere. the wind is icy. the barbarians do not believe that we can campaign at this season. let us hasten to surprise them!"