The succession record had been entered into Sarai's administrative registry before departure. Khulgen's counter-seal sat beside the wolf's track, and Toqoqan's name appeared in the notation the city used for every permanent administrative fact.
A transition recorded properly became harder to challenge later.
The supply train formed on the western road before dawn, before enough light had reached the sky. The cannon moved first on its sled frame. Batu noticed the Kashgar engineer's winter modification immediately, paired runner channels cut into birch planks beneath the chassis.
He watched the horse team pull.
No strain. No uneven drag. The balance issue had been solved.
The runners sliced clean grooves through packed snow and the horses pulled without fighting the weight behind them. On frozen ground, the sled traveled with less resistance than the original wheeled frame had managed on dry summer roads.
That was more than a successful adjustment. It was a better principle.
