The tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Ming Year 426.
As he emerged from the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace, wind and snow struck his face.
The sun set early in winter. It was only the hour of the Rooster, but the sky had already darkened.
Cheng Xinzhan rubbed his face, wiping away his fatigue. Today was his last day on duty at Yingyuan Prefecture this year, so he had had a great deal to handle.
But his leave began tomorrow! Fifty whole days in a row!
Yingyuan Prefecture held no office hours during the first lunar month. That had always been the rule.
He glanced back at the magnificent Nine Heavens Responding Origin Palace and smiled. From spring to winter, nine months on duty had brought him so much. If nothing else, he had walked up and down the palace dozens of times. He did not recognize everyone inside, and there were many rooms he had never entered, but he was already very familiar with the structure of this towering building-familiar enough that it had helped him construct three thunder palaces of different designs in his mind.
He said goodbye to Jianxian and returned to Bright Governance Mountain.
He had barely landed in Watergreen Grove when, without a sound, a mottled shadow raced across the snow, then sprang up into his arms.
"Meow~"
The calico cat, just beginning to grow plump, pressed her head against Cheng Xinzhan's neck and rubbed.
He stroked the cat, her fur soft and warm, and said with a smile, "Third Younger Sister came to meet me again. What a good girl!"
Third Younger Sister lay in her master's arms, gesturing in the air with her front paws. He watched carefully and understood what she meant.
"You mean Dengge'er hid somewhere, and you can't