The day the messenger arrived at the camp, he found Wu Ma Nan Sheng in the stables, absentmindedly twirling a piece of straw in his fingers while brushing the mane of a white horse. As he worked, he muttered to himself:
“Wang Cang Hai, you think you’re all that, huh? Get off your high horse! Lower your head and look at the mighty Qianhu Wu Ma Nan Sheng standing before you! Hahaha…”
The messenger coughed loudly. “Wu Ma Nan Sheng!”
The “mighty Qianhu” nearly jumped out of his skin. Recognizing the messenger as an envoy from the Ministry of War, he immediately rushed over and bowed deeply, his earlier bravado evaporating in an instant.
The messenger struggled to keep a straight face as he delivered his message. “Lord Xiao Wang has personally appointed you to lead six hundred Silver Armor cavalrymen as his escort to Wu County.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng stood frozen in disbelief. After a long pause, he blurted out, “Why did Lord Xiao Wang choose me?”
The messenger handed him a command token, smirking. “How would I know? Maybe because you’re handsome.”
After the messenger left, Wu Ma Nan Sheng remained dazed for a while. Then he glanced down at his dusty, sweat-stained uniform and the straw in his hand—reeking of horse manure. Suddenly, he let out a sharp cry:
“Oh no! Lord Xiao Wang is a neat freak!”
Like a gust of wind, he bolted straight for the bathhouse to wash up and change.
The next morning, Wu Ma Nan Sheng hurriedly put together a brand-new set of gear. He polished his dapudao [a massive two-handed saber taller than a person] until it gleamed like silver. The excitement kept him awake all night, and before dawn even broke, he was already up, washing his face and combing his hair.
By the time the third crow of the rooster echoed through the camp, Wu Ma Nan Sheng had already roused all six hundred cavalrymen, assembling them in perfect formation. He personally inspected their uniforms, weapons, and horses before leading them to Wang Cang Hai’s residence to await their lord’s departure.
In his imagination, the scene would unfold like this:
He and his Silver Armor Battalion would stand solemnly at the gates of the eastern courtyard of Wang Cang Hai’s residence, waiting in complete silence. The morning sun would cast its golden light through the mist, gently rousing Lord Xiao Wang from his slumber. The man, whose legendary beauty was said to captivate the world, would rise languidly from his bed, rubbing his drowsy eyes and asking his attendants, “Has Wu Ma Nan Sheng arrived?”
The attendants would reply, “Qianhu Wu Ma has been waiting outside since early morning. His troops are disciplined, their formation impeccable, and they have not disturbed the peace of the city in the slightest.”
Then, Lord Xiao Wang would smile in satisfaction and say, “Call Wu Ma Nan Sheng in. I have a few things to instruct him on.”
However, reality turned out to be completely different.
As Wu Ma Nan Sheng rode towards Wang Cang Hai’s residence, the streets were still shrouded in the quiet of dawn—not even the breakfast stalls had opened yet. But before he could even reach the gates, Wang Cang Hai’s red-canopied carriage had already pulled out and was on its way.
Behind Wang Cang Hai’s red-canopied carriage followed nine more carriages, carrying his servants and luggage.
Because of this, Wu Ma Nan Sheng and his grand procession of Silver Armor cavalry never had the chance to approach Lord Xiao Wang’s carriage directly. Instead, one of the coachmen from the last carriage came over to greet him with a bow.
“Blessings, Qianhu,” the coachman said. “Lord Xiao Wang has given orders: the journey is long and urgent, and there is much to do. It is better to set out early than to delay. Once Wu Ma Nan Sheng arrives, have him follow along.”
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