“Last night, I saw his attendants open the trunks—they took out several silver ingots, along with clothes, jade pendants, and pearl crowns. They even took some of his old robes to sell at a tailor’s shop. The garments weren’t even that worn—just things Lord Xiao Wang didn’t like anymore.”
“Our lord has expensive tastes. He already brought a massive wardrobe with him, and he’s been discarding clothes along the way. That alone must have cost a fortune. But still… nothing in the trunks seems to be diminishing, and no one’s been seen purchasing him new garments.”
“You must be new here. You don’t know, do you? Lord Xiao Wang only wears clothes and boots made by certain imperial weaving houses. He never touches common street-market goods.”
Hearing them gossip about Wang Cang Hai, Wu Ma Nan Sheng felt irritated. He cleared his throat and gave a few deliberate coughs. The murmuring behind him ceased immediately.
Just then, one of Wang Cang Hai’s coachmen ran up to deliver a message.
“Qianhu, Lord Xiao Wang has given an order: scout ahead for a suitable resting place. The convoy will stop for an hour.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng accepted the command, spurred his horse forward, and rode straight to the teahouse.
“Shopkeeper!” he called out, but no one answered. Just as he was about to check the back of the shop, the iron-masked man spoke.
“Don’t bother,” he said. “This is a bandit’s den. I’ve already tied up the two crooks running this place.”
The masked man took another sip of tea, then glanced at Wu Ma Nan Sheng. “You’re military, aren’t you? If it’s convenient, could you report this to the authorities? Let the constables take them away.”
Having said that, he drained his bowl of tea, stood up, and moved to untie his donkey.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng swung his dapudao in a sweeping arc. The blade cut through the air with a sharp hum, barring the masked man’s path.
“Stop right there.”
The masked man turned back, clearly displeased. “What now? You don’t believe me? Go inside and check. There’s plenty of evidence—I didn’t wrongly accuse them.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng’s eyes were sharp. His voice was steady.
“This teahouse has brand-new thatching, untouched by sun or rain—it was built recently. And yet, the furniture, though old, is spotlessly clean, not a speck of dust. This is no ordinary roadside teahouse; it was clearly prepared in advance to receive an important guest. The shopkeepers are indeed suspicious… but you, hiding behind a mask, are even more suspicious.”
The masked man laughed heartily.
“You’re sharper than I expected. I had the same suspicions, which is why I caught them in the act. But as for the mask—” he smirked. “I wear it because I’m too handsome. If I showed my face, I’d attract too much attention. That would be far too troublesome.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng frowned. “Too handsome to show your face”? What kind of absurd excuse was that?
His tone hardened. “Enough nonsense. State your full name and origin, and take off your mask immediately.”
“Why should I?” the masked man retorted. “You haven’t even told me who you are or where you’re from. How do I know you’re not the real bandit here?”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng almost lost his temper, but then he remembered that Lord Xiao Wang valued his reputation for fairness. The Silver Armor Battalion was never to harass or oppress the people. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed his frustration.
“I am Wu Ma Nan Sheng, Qianhu of the Silver Armor Battalion. Now take off your mask.”
The masked man’s demeanor suddenly brightened.
“Silver Armor Battalion? You should have said so earlier! I’ve been looking for you!”
He reached up, removed his mask, and grinned.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng instinctively inhaled sharply—he had never seen anyone so strikingly beautiful.
If this man and Lord Xiao Wang stood side by side, who would be more stunning?
The man’s bright eyes twinkled as he smiled.
“My name is Qi Lin. I came specifically to find Wang Cang Hai. Do you know where he is?”
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