Explanation of mountains, rivers, and terrain

Lishui originates from Cuishi Ridge, and beyond Cuishi Ridge lies the Baili Qingfeng Long Gorge. It winds southeast through Qingfeng Gorge, and upon exiting Wuling Mountain, it reaches Wuling County in Zhangzhou Prefecture of Southern Fujian.

Wuling County is located adjacent to the southern foothills of Wuling Mountain. The prominent families of southern Fujian have confined the various tribes within Wuling Mountain, leading to numerous disputes between Wuling County and these tribes over the years. Additionally, due to the hilly terrain and scarcity of flat land in Wuling County, the population is sparse, and the influence of the prominent families is not strong.

In southern Fujian, there are only four prefectures: the Ryukyu Islands and the Penghu Islands belong to the Fengzhu Prefecture, the northern region is under Zhangzhou Prefecture, Quanzhou Prefecture is located in the southeast, and Putian Prefecture is situated in the southwest

Longyan County is located to the southeast of Wuling County, near Quanzhou Prefecture. It is a significant stronghold in the northern part of southern Fujian, where the Zongzheng family has stationed a considerable military presence

Qingjiang Prefecture is located in the southwest of Yue County, historically known as Yuetou Jingwei, the gateway of Fujian. To the south lies the Wuling Mountain range, extending for six hundred miles, while to the west, the Huaiyu Mountain range separates it from Jing County. The terrain of Qingjiang Prefecture slopes from south to north. The Qingjiang River originates in the Yunling Mountains, flowing through the valley and hilly areas between the Wuling and Huaiyu Mountains into the territory of Qingjiang. Several rivers, including the Lishui, which originate from the Wuling Mountains, converge into the Qingjiang, resulting in a sudden increase in its flow, facilitating navigation for large vessels. Located in the southwest of Qingjiang Prefecture, Xuancheng is backed by the Wuling and Huaiyu Mountains, with the Lishui River closely bordering the southern city wall of Xuancheng before merging into the Qingjiang.

The Longyou City in the northwest of Yongyang is temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Chen clan, while Xu Ruyu established Guangling County between Longyou and Yongyang

The river flows into the sea at Yanling, with a vast surface that spans over ten miles in width

Lishui and Qianjiang both originate from the central mountains of the Wuling range. Qianjiang flows eastward into the sea, absorbing numerous tributaries along the way, culminating in the sixth largest river system in the world. Lishui, with a significantly smaller water volume, merges into the Qingjiang River, where its mouth is no wider than three hundred paces and no deeper than six or seven fathoms. The low valley of Lishui and Qingjiang spans several dozen miles, making it the largest among over a hundred hilly basins in the southern part of Yue Prefecture. To the west lies the majestic and towering Huaiyu Mountain range, to the south is the miasma-laden Wuling Mountain range, to the east is the Taishan Mountain range, a branch of the Wuling range, and to the north is a continuous stretch of low hills. If one could secure the surrounding high and perilous mountainous areas with sufficient strength, it would yield several million acres of fertile land. Coupled with tea and mulberry gardens on the hills, this valley could sustain hundreds of thousands of people.

The expanse of water between Hudu Island and Yanling County is merely twenty li apart, with five islands connected at their bases rising nearly thirty zhang above the surface. They stand out prominently in the vast plains of the Eastern Sea Prefecture, appearing elegant and towering.

In the northwestern part of Donghai County, within the territory of Wanling Prefecture, there lies a large lake known as Ze Lake, with a circumference of over 800 li, through which the Huai River flows, connecting it to the sea. The five counties and a military town of Wanling Prefecture are all situated between Ze Lake and the waters of the Huai River. To the northwest of Ze Lake is Zedang County, to the southwest is Xinfeng County, to the southeast is Qichuan County, and to the east is Wanling County, the seat of the Wanling Prefecture government. Eastward along the Huai River from Wanling is Yuzai Military Town, and further east, near the sea, is Pingyi, also known as Pingcheng. Pingyi produces fine wine, named "Pingcheng Qiulu," which is strong and ranks first in the world. Additionally, Ze Lake is renowned for its crabs, which are exceptionally fat and delicious, with the finest being those with a creamy yellow belly and dull green claws. There is a saying, "Fine wine and fat crabs bring people together," referring specifically to Pingcheng Qiulu and Ze Lake crabs.

Shangnan Town is a market town without city walls, connecting the Gucheng Prefecture of Jinyang County, the Nanyang Prefecture of Yongning County, and the Yunan Prefecture of Fenyang County. It serves as a point of access for the three counties. The Guanghan Canal of Jinyang County converges with the Dan River in Shangnan Town, making it the northwest entrance to the Nanyang Basin of Yongning. To the north, through the Funiu Mountain Pass, lies the territory of Yunan Prefecture in Fen County. Four hundred years ago, the Yuan clan built Longzhong City here, taking a valley located over fifty miles southeast of Shangnan, which was indeed a miscalculation. At that time, Nanyang was the heartland of the Yuan clan's territory, and the construction of the city was more focused on feng shui, lacking consideration for economic and military purposes. After the Fu family rose to prominence in the Nanyang Prefecture of Yongning County, they contemplated building a city in Shangnan, but were forced to abandon the idea due to pressure from the Huo family of Jinyang and the Xun family of Fen County. Although Shangnan lacks high walls and deep gates, its three horizontal and three vertical streets, each extending six miles in length, give it the imposing presence of a significant town in the former Chu region.

Not far to the east of Yanling County, there are two large sandbars, one named Dongbuzhou and the other Hudouzhu. Both are extensive sandbars spanning nearly one hundred miles, having emerged from the land for several hundred years, originally serving as a refuge for the displaced of the old dynasty. These sandbars were formed by the sedimentation of river waters, resulting in fertile land. Over time, families from the East China Sea gradually migrated to the sandbars, cultivating wasteland and establishing salt fields. With the rise of the Puji Sea bandits during the new dynasty, most of the residents on the two sandbars were captured by the bandits, leading to the abandonment of both sandbars.

( Donghai County, Shangnan Town, Qingjiang Prefecture, and Xuancheng )

At the early stage of the reform of prefectures and counties in Yongyang, Xu Ruyu established Hailing County primarily based on Dongbuzhou and set up Jinghai County on Hudouzhu.

A defense zone will be established in the four counties of Yanling, Qingpu, Jinghai, and Hailing, which will also serve as the future Yanling Prefecture

The distribution of mountains and rivers within the territory of Qingjiang Prefecture is intricate and complex, forming a series of small, pearl-like basins. These basins have relatively enclosed terrains, creating a number of relatively independent small regions, interconnected by a series of rivers such as the Qingjiang and Lishui. This geographical configuration makes it easy to establish military strongholds and important passes, which is also the root cause of the banditry prevalent in the area. Notably, these regions face east and north, facilitating outward movement while hindering incursions. The southeastern and southwestern parts of Qingjiang Prefecture are separated from the outside world by the towering Yunling, Wuling, and Huaiyu Mountains. Importantly, the valleys formed by the rivers such as the Qingjiang, Lishui, and Shouchangjiang, which traverse the Yunling, Wuling, and Huaiyu Mountains, serve as vital transportation corridors through the mountainous terrain, allowing connections to Jingjun, Southern Fujian, and Nanning.

Xu Xing drove the pirates of Pujihai out of the East China Sea, yet two sandbanks remained isolated from the land, and the prominent families were unwilling to take risks in managing them, allowing them to fall into neglect

The Donghai Commandery, located between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, comprises four prefectures. Yongyang Prefecture is situated near the Yangtze River; Tairu Prefecture lies to the northeast of Yongyang Prefecture, adjacent to the sea; Pilin Prefecture is located to the northwest of Yongyang Prefecture, with the Yongning Baishi to its west; and Wanling Prefecture borders the Huai River to the north and Qingzhou. The Donghai region is predominantly flat with lakes and marshes, except for a low hilly area near Baishi on the western side of Pilin.

The Tea-Horse Trade Route, traversing through Qingjiang and entering the Yunling region, continues along Lishui and leads into the Wuling Mountains

In the past, Xu Xing established military strongholds on Wuzuo Peak Island to resist the piracy of the East China Sea, thus naming it Junshan.

To the east of Wuling County lies Zhangtai County, which is situated by the coast. The coastal area of Zhangtai is frequently besieged by pirates from the sea, resulting in a situation where nine out of ten households are deserted, and the livelihood of the people is in decline, not much better than that of the earlier Qingjiang Prefecture