Moonlit Reunion

Wu Zhen announced her intention to move the wedding date forward, and with just one word, the originally scheduled post-Dragon Boat Festival wedding was pushed up to before the festival. Wu Er Niangzi had always been willful, and no one could control her, so the craftsmen in various shops working on her wedding utensils and garments had to rush their work. Fortunately, many of the valuable items had been prepared long ago, and the remaining tasks weren’t too difficult.

On Mei Zhuyu’s side, there were also many things to prepare. Having lost both parents, his only close relatives in Chang’an were from Mei Si’s father’s branch—the Mei Minister—and the imperial consort in the palace. Many matters required the assistance of elders to avoid chaos, so Mei Zhuyu had been visiting frequently these days, and his interactions with Mei Si had also increased significantly.

Mei Si, loving the crow for the sake of the rook, treated this future brother-in-law—no, this cousin who was marrying his "big sister boss"—with growing warmth, always eager to chat with him whenever they met.

When Mei Zhuyu visited again, Mei Si happened to be at home. Excitedly, he approached him and said, "Cousin, I’ve finally decided what wedding gift to give you two!"

Their group of friends had been in an uproar for a long time over what gifts to give. Cui Jiu had suggested a golden screen embroidered with peonies in gold thread, only to be mocked by everyone for being too tacky and unoriginal. Zhao Langjun had initially proposed gifting two rare, fine horses, then changed his mind a few days later, saying he wanted to give a tiger. Just yesterday, when they all gathered, he switched again, now suggesting a massive fox pelt to cover the entire bed—never settling on anything. Sun Niangzi planned to personally prepare a box of fine incense, while others proposed gifting exotic dancers or strong servants. It seemed everyone already had their own ideas.

Only Mei Si had agonized for ages, utterly clueless about what to give. After all, as a close friend and relative to both parties, his gift had to be better and more thoughtful than everyone else’s, right?

After much deliberation, inspiration finally struck him that morning—he knew exactly what to give.

"Cousin, guess what it is!"

"Never mind, you’d never guess. I won’t tell! I’m going to surprise you both when the time comes!"

"Alright, I won’t say any more. While there’s still time, I need to go buy the finest paper and brushes!"

Mei Si rambled on excitedly, completely disregarding Mei Zhuyu’s reaction. The more he thought about it, the more thrilled he became, practically dancing out the door.

Mei Zhuyu: "…" If he put it that way, the gift was probably a hand-painted artwork. Given his cousin’s usual preferences, it was almost certainly some kind of Ghost Monster warding illustration.

Mei Si strode cheerfully down the street, hands on his hips, thinking, My gift will definitely be the most thoughtful and unique! He had decided on a Thousand Ghosts Warding Scroll , painted entirely by his own hand! Once it was hung in Zhen-jie and his cousin’s home, it would surely repel all evil and ensure peace and safety!

For this, Mei Si was even willing to temporarily set aside the various Ghost Monster illustrations he had been working on for Bai She Lang’s Records of Demons and Ghosts , focusing entirely on preparing this Thousand Ghosts Warding Scroll . To make it worthy of Zhen-jie’s grand wedding, he wanted to buy the finest paper and brushes. Though he frequented these stationery shops as a skilled painter, this time, no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find anything satisfactory. Reluctantly, he left to try his luck elsewhere.After searching all day without finding paper and brushes to his liking, Mei Si was utterly disheartened. Just as he was about to return home to ask his friends the next day if they knew of better options, he was suddenly knocked over by a hurried passerby.

The man wore a veil hat that concealed his face and figure, revealing only that he was male. Staggering backward from the collision, the wooden box in his hand fell to the ground and flipped open, exposing a roll of pristine paper and a deep purple brush inside.

The moment Mei Si laid eyes on the paper and brush, he was transfixed. He knew at once they were no ordinary items—they were exactly what he desired, as if his wishes had materialized. Forgetting he had been knocked down, Mei Si lunged for the box and eagerly asked, "This—this paper and brush, are they for sale? Please sell them to me!"

The veiled man's voice was hoarse as he replied, "I was just taking these to be consigned. If you wish to buy them, all the better—saves me the trip."

He named a price, and Mei Si agreed without hesitation, immediately paying and thanking the man profusely before happily scurrying home with the wooden box. With such fine paper and brush, he was certain he could paint better than ever before!

The veiled man, still standing where he was, watched Mei Si depart and let out a soft chuckle before stepping into a nearby alley and vanishing into a wisp of smoke.

Upon arriving home, Mei Si rushed straight to his study without a second thought. Carefully unrolling the paper, he lightly ran his fingers over its surface, his face instantly lighting up with delight. After grinding ink he usually saved for special occasions, he took a deep breath, picked up the brush—its weight perfect in his hand—and began to paint the Thousand Ghost Painting he had envisioned in his mind.

Though he had never seen real Ghost Monsters, he adored them, and his imagination was vivid enough to create an entire world—one that was about to come to life under his brush!

Mei Si painted excitedly until the lamp in his room burned out, only then realizing how exhausted he was. Forcing himself to tidy up the paper and brush, he stumbled to his bed and collapsed into a deep sleep.

In the quiet of the night, the painting Mei Si had left spread out on his desk trembled faintly. The dozens of ink-drenched, ferocious Evil Spirits on the paper seemed to stir, their eyes rolling on the page before thick, dark masses peeled away from the paper, rising into the air and coalescing into living, breathing Evil Spirits.

Silently, they passed through doors and walls, disappearing into the darkness.

The next day, Mei Si slept until noon. The first thing he did upon waking was to check the painting he had worked on the day before. But when he reached his desk, he froze in shock, letting out a horrified scream moments later that drew the attention of his servants outside.

"Young master, what's wrong? What happened?"

Mei Si slumped in disbelief before the desk, repeatedly stroking the pristine surface of the paper—now completely blank, without a trace of ink.

"How—how is this possible? Where are the Evil Spirits I painted yesterday? I painted dozens of them! They were so well done—I wanted to admire them again this morning. How could they be gone?"

After hearing his words, the servants exchanged glances. "Young master, perhaps you didn't paint anything yesterday? Could it have been a dream?"

"Indeed. Otherwise, how could the paper be completely untouched?"Mei Si hugged his still groggy head and stared blankly at the empty paper. "Am I dreaming now, or was I dreaming when I painted last night?" After rubbing his eyes several times, he had to admit that he must have painted in his dream last night, which was why there was nothing on the paper when he woke up.

"Ugh... I already painted it once, and now I have to do it all over again!" Mei Si nearly burst into tears from frustration. The servant beside him advised, "Young master, you really mustn't neglect rest like this. Painting day and night without sleep is not sustainable. You must have been so exhausted that you had such a dream."

"Alright, I understand." Mei Si stroked his paper and rallied himself. "If I have to paint it again, then so be it! This time, it will definitely turn out even better!"

While Mei Si was holed up painting, Wu Zhen was buying wine at a tavern. She was an expert in this field—just by looking at the color, she could tell where the amber-hued wine came from. With a single sip, she could distinguish whether it was Yuzhou Winter or Yuzhou West's Jade-Burn Spring. A mere sniff told her the variety and vintage of each wine.

Sword Forest, Spring Wine, Xunyang Rice Wine, Windgaze Brew, Bamboo Clear... Wu Zhen combed through the East and West Markets and thirty other wards known for their fine wines, selecting the best-tasting varieties from each. In the end, she gathered a whole cartload and had Duke Yu's servants deliver it to Mei Zhuyu's residence.

The wedding date was approaching—it was time to practice drinking.

When Mei Zhuyu returned home, he saw the massive cart of wine. Along with it came a note from Wu Zhen, explaining that the jars sealed with red were the strongest, while those with yellow seals were milder in taste. She also briefly shared her thoughts and preferences for each wine and recommended an order for him to try them.

Mei Zhuyu carefully read the note several times, then followed its instructions by taking a small yellow-sealed jar from the top of the cart—a wine called Apricot Gold, supposedly brewed from apricots.

After finishing his official duties, Mei Zhuyu brought the wine back to his room, unsealed it, and poured out the liquid.

The wine was faintly yellow, clear and bright like apricots, with a refreshing aroma.

The cloudier the wine, the cheaper it was, while clarity signified higher quality. Though Mei Zhuyu didn't drink often, he knew such a transparent liquor must be expensive.

A small cup of Apricot Gold entered his mouth, and just as the note described, it was bursting with sweetness, with a slightly sour aftertaste and very little sharpness. Unlike the Amber Light he had hastily drunk before, this Apricot Gold was mellow and sweet on the throat. Mei Zhuyu drank nearly half the jar without feeling any effects, so he simply finished the rest.

Perched on a branch outside the window was a Tabby Cat. Watching Mei Zhuyu down cup after cup as if it were water, she shook her head and sighed inwardly. This young master's drinking style was truly a waste—Apricot Gold was meant to be savored slowly to appreciate its nuances. Though not strong, its lingering aftertaste was profound. Downing an entire jar in one go was still too much for someone who rarely drank.

Sure enough, the Tabby Cat saw the young master's gaze slowly grow vacant, his hand still holding a mostly full cup of Apricot Gold.

Well, he was drunk now.

The Tabby Cat flicked her tail and leaped gracefully into the room, striding boldly up to the young master.Already in a daze, it took Mei Zhuyu a while to focus his gaze on the Tabby Cat before him. After staring blankly for a moment, he suddenly straightened up and knelt formally in front of the cat, performing a deep bow. Then he offered the cup of wine in his hand, saying solemnly, "Father, it has been too long. I must inform you that I will soon be married and cannot return to Quzhou to offer incense for you and Mother. My heart is filled with regret. Please accept this humble cup of wine and forgive your son's shortcomings."

Wu Zhen: "..."

After acknowledging his "father," Mei Zhuyu collapsed on the ground and quietly fell asleep. Wu Zhen twirled her cat whiskers as she finished the apricot-hued wine that had been presented to her, then wandered over to the young man's cheek. She lifted her paw pad, pressing and patting his face lightly.

Roused by her patting, Mei Zhuyu woke groggily. He swayed as he got up from the ground, rubbed his eyes, and sat down on the nearby couch before tilting his head and drifting off to sleep once more.