The Leopard Quarter

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If Nie Cheng wanted to see Lu Zhiyao, his only option was to sneak into the Leopard House. Although risky, the Zhang brothers, seeing Nie Cheng confident and determined, volunteered to help without hesitation. Zhang Chu’s plan was for Nie Cheng to disguise himself as a Jinyiwei. After all, the Leopard House was not the Forbidden City; its defenses were not so strict. Moreover, the emperor had not been residing there recently. If Nie Cheng changed his clothes and carried their identification token, he should not be discovered.

However, when discussing who would go, a disagreement arose. Zhang Ao said, “Brother Nie, you don’t want us to accompany you? Are you planning to go in alone?”

Nie Cheng said nothing but looked toward the girl opposite him.

Shi Nian’s heart skipped a beat; she grew nervous. Ever since hearing about Lu Zhiyao’s capture, a thought had crossed her mind—she could approach Zhu Houzhao. Given her connections with Canglong Village, it would be easier for her to get close to the emperor. She had expected Nie Cheng to suggest this quickly, but he hadn’t mentioned it at all.

Yet now, was he actually planning to send her in?

Nie Cheng’s gaze swept over her casually. “Yes, I’m going in alone.”

It was not until late at night that the Zhang brothers finally left. Nie Cheng saw them out, closed the courtyard gate, and turned around to see Shi Nian standing before him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Shi Nian bit her lip, then after a long moment said, “Why won’t you let me go?”

Clearly, she had such an advantage, yet Nie Cheng said nothing, leaving her questioning herself. Had she performed so poorly before that she was no longer trusted with tasks?

“You don’t want to go, do you?”

“Huh?”

“I can tell you’re reluctant to see Zhu Houzhao again.”

Shi Nian was caught off guard that he had seen right through her feelings, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Nie Cheng continued, “I originally planned to take you. Although we must infiltrate the Leopard House, having me by your side would keep you safe. Overall, it wouldn’t be too dangerous—perfect for a newcomer like you to gain experience. But considering how hard you worked at Canglong Village, I wanted to give you a rest. Since you brought it up, I have to ask—why don’t you want to see Zhu Houzhao again?”

His gaze was sharp. Shi Nian mumbled, “I told you—I don’t like using my looks to get by…”

Nie Cheng raised an eyebrow. Shi Nian knew she couldn’t get away with that, so after a pause, she whispered, “I’m just… confused…”

“Confused about what?”

“Like us, constantly traveling through eras that aren’t ours. No matter how close or fond you become of those you meet, eventually, you part ways. Then, you end up in different times, never to see each other again… Don’t you feel sad? Reluctant to say goodbye?”

That night on Canglong Mountain, after parting from Zhu Houzhao, the moment she turned around, she suddenly thought of Cangchi Palace in Weiyang Palace. That person—she would never see him again either. She never liked goodbyes; as a child, she would cry for three days after transferring schools. So once she said farewell to Zhu Houzhao, she decided not to meet him again to avoid more sadness.

Nie Cheng remained silent for a long time after hearing this. Shi Nian suddenly felt foolish. Someone with such a steely heart—how could he be sentimental? He must just treat them as mission targets.

“Actually, I do feel reluctant.”

Shi Nian looked up in surprise.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved Nie Cheng’s lips, as if recalling a distant memory. “Once, on a mission, I made a close friend. He was a celebrated hero, a prodigy unmatched in history. We hit it off immediately, becoming confidants. We spent twenty-eight days together. During that time, he taught me to brew wine, and I taught him swordsmanship. We fenced, sang, laughed, and drank, sleeping side by side until dawn. In over twenty years in the modern era, I’ve never had such a kindred friend.”

Shi Nian listened, captivated. Nie Cheng was so different from the man she usually saw—it was hard to imagine. “And then?”

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“Then, the mission ended, and I left.”

“...That’s so abrupt! You were that close, and you just left?”

Shi Nian looked at him as if he were a heartless scoundrel. Nie Cheng admitted, “I did consider staying for him.”

“But…”

“But there was something more important for me.”

Nie Cheng looked at Shi Nian, his dark eyes unusually gentle. “Shi Nian, feeling lost is normal. Feeling reluctant is normal. We all go through it. But it’s like sailing through a foggy sea—you must be resolute and know what truly matters. Only then will you avoid losing your way.”

Shi Nian stared at him in a daze. She never imagined he would comfort her with such patience. His eyes were so dark, reminding her of the vast starry sky or the deep night sea…

Bang.

Her heart suddenly thumped fiercely, then again. Shi Nian reached out to press that spot, her eyes wide with confusion.

What was happening? That feeling…

“What’s wrong?”

Shi Nian’s face turned pale. “It’s that feeling again… That night when the dragon vein shifted, my heart was racing like this…”

That was why they had come here. Shi Nian had thought the disturbance was due to Lu Zhiyao’s failed mission, but why was her heart jumping again?

Nie Cheng frowned tightly. Shi Nian turned her head toward a direction.

“What’s over there this time?”

“It’s the Leopard House.” Su Geng, who had appeared at the door unnoticed, repeated what she overheard. She had learned about Shi Nian’s dragon vein sensitivity and quickly understood the situation.

“That direction—the only special building there is the Leopard House.”

“Is that so? So the thing making her uneasy is inside the Leopard House?”

The courtyard fell into a long silence. Then Nie Cheng suddenly smiled. He sighed softly, reaching out to ruffle the girl’s beautifully styled hair with his long fingers. “I wanted to spare you, but it seems I can’t. Miss Shi, obediently come with me to work.”

When the Zhang brothers heard Shi Nian would accompany them, they were surprised at first, not understanding why such an important matter needed a woman involved. But just as they agreed to help Nie Cheng infiltrate the Leopard House, they eventually consented to bring Shi Nian along. Since time was tight, they quickly finalized their plans and arrived early the next day with a complete strategy.

“Miss Shi will pose as a veterinarian. Brother Nie will be the Jinyiwei escorting her in. There have been outside doctors visiting the Leopard House to treat the beasts before, so it’s not unusual. You’ll enter at the third quarter of the midday hour—that’s when the guards change shifts, making security lax. You’ll go through the south gate; I’ve arranged everything there. Just show your token. But remember, whether you meet Brother Lu or not, you must be out before the third quarter of the evening hour. No delays!”

That noon, after bidding farewell to the worried Zhang brothers and Su Geng, the two boarded a carriage heading for the Leopard House. Shi Nian sat inside, lifting the curtain to watch the street outside, then took a deep breath.

“Nervous?” Nie Cheng asked.

Dressed in the Flying Fish robe, a pair of embroidered spring knives at his waist, mounted on a tall horse, he was as upright as a pine, bright as the sun and moon. Shi Nian had to admit, no wonder directors liked filming the Jinyiwei—the uniform was truly striking!

She was distracted, then cleared her throat and said, “Why would I be nervous? I’ve even been inside Weiyang Palace; a mere Leopard House can’t scare me. We’ve seen the world!”

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Nie Cheng thought for a moment. “True, the people we most need to avoid aren’t here, so there’s nothing to be nervous about.”

That was also one reason Shi Nian dared to go in. Zhu Houzhao was still in the Forbidden City, so she didn’t have to worry about unexpectedly running into the emperor and causing a scene.

Shi Nian rested her chin on her hand, trying to hold back, but couldn’t help asking, “Do you think we’ll find the cause this time?”

She hadn’t slept well the past couple of days. Although her heart no longer raced uncontrollably, she couldn’t forget that unsettling feeling.

Nie Cheng said, “We’ll know once we’re inside.”

Startled, Shi Nian turned her head and saw the carriage had already turned a corner. At the end of the broad street stood an imposing, magnificent building.

The vermilion gate, the endless connected buildings, guarded by thousands of imperial soldiers. Though just a palace retreat, in over a decade, it had drawn the entire Ming dynasty’s attention.

That was their destination—the world-famous Leopard House.

From another direction in Beijing, the resplendent imperial carriage emerged from the Duanmen Gate. The entire street was sealed off urgently, banners fluttered, imperial guards led the way, and the emperor’s carriage, drawn by twelve fine steeds, was surrounded by a grand escort.

Liu Jin rode alongside, quietly asking, “Your Majesty, why the sudden urge to return to the Leopard House?”

Behind the bright yellow curtain, the emperor’s voice was tinged with laziness. “I’m tired of living in the palace, can’t stand it for a moment longer, so I want to go back.”

“I’ve told you before, the Forbidden City is dull. The Leopard House is better. Still don’t know why Commander Qian insisted on urging you to go back…”

Before he finished, the emperor interrupted, “Not his urging—it was my own wish. Recently, someone told me they don’t want to be a bandit’s wife; they want to be the emperor’s wife to live in the Forbidden City. I never thought that place was good, but this time I want to try again, see what it’s like.”

Liu Jin was momentarily stunned. The person the emperor mentioned—was it the matriarch of Canglong Mountain? Catching a glance of Qian Ning’s smug expression, he felt resentment. The emperor had taken Qian Ning but not him on the last palace departure, which made him uneasy. Now, with that experience, Qian Ning seemed to know the emperor better than he did!

A voice came again from inside the carriage, “If we ever meet again, I must tell her that living in that big house is truly dull. If she likes being a consort, she should live with me in the Leopard House. There are many interesting things there; she will surely like it.”

Liu Jin hurriedly agreed, “Yes, madam will definitely like it.”

The carriage fell silent for a long while before a sigh came, tinged with laughter yet filled with infinite melancholy.

“Alas, we will never meet again.”

Author’s Note: See you in the next chapter! These chapters should have been written faster. For example, this ending was supposed to be the end of the previous chapter in my plan, but being sick delayed me, and I wrote so slowly that I even got frustrated! However, after two consecutive days of IV treatments at the hospital yesterday and today, I’m feeling much better. Time to revive the spirit and reclaim the old lands! Starting tomorrow, expect explosive plot developments! Boom boom boom!

To thank everyone, tonight I’ll randomly select 100 readers to receive 20 points worth of ** coins as a red envelope. According to Jinjiang’s rules, if you only want the red envelope, you don’t have to leave a rating~ [I saw some girls confused—the no-rating doesn’t mean you can’t rate; you can or not, but I have to remind everyone, so the author won’t be accused of soliciting comments just to give out red envelopes, which would count as cheating.]

Mini Skit:

Zhaozhao: “Weren’t you dead? How did you come back? You lied to me!”

Shi Nian: “No, I’m undead. Honestly undead, absolutely no fraud.”