Moonlit Reunion

Wu Zhen noticed her husband's awkward stiffness, his hand frozen yet not daring to pull away, and found him amusing. She deliberately held it a little longer before letting go. The moment she released it, Mei Zhuyu immediately tucked his hand into his sleeve. He wasn’t yet accustomed to intimate physical contact with others—when people got too close, he instinctively felt repelled. But with Wu Zhen, the sensation was slightly different. There was no repulsion, only a frantic pounding in his chest that left him unsettled.

"It’s almost time for your shift to end. So, are you heading home now?" Wu Zhen asked.

Mei Zhuyu shook his head. "No, I need to return to the office first." He regretted the words he had blurted out to her earlier and tried to amend, "If you have urgent matters, go ahead. I’ll head back to the Ministry of Justice first." With that, he went to fetch his horse.

But when he returned, Wu Zhen was still waiting.

"I don’t have anything urgent. I’ll accompany you and see you off at the palace gate." Wu Zhen mounted her horse, stroking its mane with a quiet laugh. "Didn’t you say earlier that it’s been a while since you last saw me?" Her husband was so reserved—even if he missed her, he wouldn’t say it outright.

Mei Zhuyu silently mounted his horse. The two steeds walked side by side, maintaining an arm’s length between them. Neither rider urged their horse to go faster, letting them amble along at a leisurely pace.

Wu Zhen tugged the reins, bringing her horse closer. She tilted her head and asked Mei Zhuyu, "How’s the drinking coming along?"

Mei Zhuyu replied, "I’ve been practicing every day when I return." Which meant he passed out drunk every night.

Wu Zhen could easily imagine the scene and didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. "Husband, drinking should be a pleasure. It’s only enjoyable when you truly savor it. If you force yourself to drink large amounts without finding any enjoyment, there’s no need to keep at it."

"If you don’t like it, you don’t have to practice your alcohol tolerance. I’ll make sure you don’t drink too much at the wedding banquet, and you won’t need to drink at other times either. As for the remaining wine, just keep it at home—I’ll drink it later."

Hearing this, Mei Zhuyu seemed displeased. Panicking, he tightened the reins in his hand, causing his horse to jerk its head up and halt abruptly.

"I... I won’t waste your wine anymore. I’m just not used to the taste yet... You can keep the wine for yourself, and I’ll prepare some more on my own. The more I drink, the more I’ll like it—really."

Wu Zhen stopped her horse and soothed her flustered husband. "I didn’t say you were wasting my wine. I just don’t want you to force yourself. After all, I’m the kind of person who never forces myself to do things I dislike—you shouldn’t either. Wouldn’t it be better to live as you please?"

Mei Zhuyu glanced at her. "I am doing as I please." Once someone occupied his heart, he wanted to follow her in all things.

Wu Zhen had no choice. "Fine, then don’t rush it. Drink less for now. Later, I’ll drink with you—maybe sharing a drink will make it more enjoyable."

"Alright." Mei Zhuyu agreed, already looking forward to it.

Their horses moved slowly, and by the time they reached the palace gate, officials were already leaving for the day. Just as they were about to bid farewell, someone emerged from the palace gates.The middle-aged man stood ramrod straight, his face stern with sharply arched eyebrows tinged with gray at the temples and a downturned mouth that made him appear particularly unapproachable.

Wu Zhen recognized him—he was none other than the father of her good friend Liu Taizhen, also known as Snake Lord: Censor Liu. This Censor Liu was upright, incorruptible, and rigidly principled. In his eyes, the most intolerable people were those like Wu Zhen—wastrels who idled away their lives, shirked responsibilities, and led others astray. Thus, whenever he saw Wu Zhen, Censor Liu would glare and bristle like an old father-in-law displeased with his unsatisfactory son-in-law.

Of course, Wu Zhen suspected that Censor Liu’s dislike for her stemmed from a misunderstanding about her relationship with Liu Taizhen. The minor misunderstandings of their youth had persisted to this day, leaving Wu Zhen both amused and exasperated. If Censor Liu ever discovered that she and his beloved daughter were actually close friends, he might just faint from shock.

Speaking of which, there was an amusing incident. A couple of years earlier, there hadn’t been many women in Chang’an who wore men’s clothing. This “improper trend” had started with Wu Zhen—after she began strutting about the city in men’s attire, more and more women followed suit. Eventually, even imperial consorts and princesses occasionally donned men’s robes. Censor Liu, disapproving of such behavior, vehemently denounced it in court, much to the emperor’s frustration. In truth, the emperor rather enjoyed seeing his consorts dress differently—it was quite entertaining—but he dared not say so aloud, lest Censor Liu never let him hear the end of it.

Once, when Wu Zhen visited the palace to listen to new music, the emperor poured out his grievances to her. With a mischievous streak, Wu Zhen promptly gifted a fine set of men’s robes to her friend Liu Taizhen. Having been close for years, Liu Taizhen immediately saw through her scheme and wore the outfit that very day. When her father returned home, she smiled and asked him, “Everyone says I look good in this. What do you think, Father?”

What could Censor Liu say? Could he possibly criticize his beloved daughter for wearing men’s clothing? Of course not. This man of unshakable principles had one exception—his daughter. In her presence, he had no principles at all.

After seeing his daughter emulate Wu Zhen’s fashion, Censor Liu fell silent. He never again spoke out against women wearing unconventional attire, fearing that his words might inadvertently condemn his own precious jewel. From then on, he simply turned a blind eye to such “outrageous” behavior.

Wu Zhen was accustomed to Censor Liu’s disdain. As always, she greeted him politely and cheerfully. Yet the friendlier she acted, the more he seemed to dislike her—for reasons unknown.

Strangely, however, Censor Liu treated Mei Zhuyu with remarkable warmth. Wu Zhen had never seen him display such amiability toward her. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Mei Zhuyu, Censor Liu left without so much as a glance at Wu Zhen. Watching his retreating figure, Wu Zhen turned to Mei Zhuyu with curiosity.

“So, you’re acquainted with Censor Liu?”

Mei Zhuyu replied, “He once recommended me for a position in the Censorate, but I declined, as I found the Ministry of Justice equally suitable. Still, Censor Liu is erudite and experienced, so I occasionally seek his advice. Over time, we’ve developed a rapport. He has a good temper and is always patient with younger scholars.”Good temper? Patient guidance? The Censor Liu they knew must not be the same person.

Wu Zhen cast an admiring glance at the young man for the first time. To be on friendly terms with Censor Liu was no small feat. But upon further reflection, it made sense that someone with his temperament would win Censor Liu’s favor. Yet this was puzzling—if the two of them got along so well, why did one despise her so much while the other liked her so much?

Wu Zhen pondered this question all the way to the Demon Market, still deep in thought. Liu Taizhen was also at Yan Tower today. Seeing her seated and writing something, Wu Zhen walked over and rapped on the table. "Little Snake, I ran into your father today. He still had that grumpy face. Do you think he still believes I bullied you before? Why don’t you clear up that misunderstanding for me?"

Liu Taizhen didn’t look up. "I already did."

Wu Zhen: "Then why does he still dislike me so much? Oh, and speaking of which, while he dislikes me, he’s quite fond of my fiancé. His amiable attitude toward him was downright shocking."

Liu Taizhen continued writing, her tone indifferent. "My father does admire Mei Jia Dalang. About half a year ago, he quietly asked me if such a husband would be suitable. It seemed he wanted to matchmake us, but I refused. I told him I don’t like that type."

Wu Zhen hadn’t known about this episode. She couldn’t help but picture the stern-faced Censor Liu, the severe and aloof Liu Taizhen, and the expressionless young man standing together. The moment this image formed in her mind, she wiped away a sweat—it was terrifying. This overwhelming aura and presence must be what they called "righteous and awe-inspiring."

Shaking off the mental image, Wu Zhen asked Liu Taizhen curiously, "You just told Censor Liu outright that you don’t like the young man’s type? Did he ask what kind you do like?"

Liu Taizhen still didn’t look up, her tone perfunctory. "He did."

Wu Zhen pressed, "And what did you say?"

Liu Taizhen: "I said, ‘If Wu Zhen were a man, I’d like that type.’"

Wu Zhen: "..." Well, now she knew why Censor Liu had always disliked her.

"What are you writing here? You can’t even spare a moment to talk to me." Wu Zhen leaned over to see what Liu Taizhen was working on, forcibly pulling open the scroll’s beginning.

"Records of Monsters? You’ve got time for this? First, you wrote Records of Demons and Ghosts, and now you’re onto monsters."

Liu Taizhen swatted her away in annoyance. "Don’t interfere with my work."

Mention of Records of Demons and Ghosts reminded Wu Zhen of Mei Si, who adored the book and had even vowed to illustrate an entire album for its author, Bai She Lang. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Mei Si these past few days—probably holed up at home, engrossed in painting.

"Snake Lord." A scholarly, refined man carrying a scroll ascended Yan Tower, followed by a plump woman with a fierce demeanor, holding a basket of groceries with several cuts of pork inside.

"Cat Official is here too. Perfect. Zhu Niang and I caught something interesting. Let’s see if you two can identify it."

The man’s appearance was unremarkable, but his gentle, quiet demeanor made him instantly likable. He placed the scroll before Wu Zhen and Liu Taizhen, gesturing for them to examine it.

The woman accompanying him exuded a fierce aura as she set down the basket. "We caught this a couple of nights ago while patrolling."These two were Liu Taizhen's deputies, a man and a woman who happened to be a married couple. The man, named Lingxiao, was a Chinese trumpet vine demon who ran a bookstore in the East Market. The woman, a pig demon named Zhu Ying, was a butcher. During the day, the couple worked in the East Market—one selling books, the other selling pork. At night, they would voluntarily patrol Chang'an City to prevent Ghost Monsters from causing trouble.

Compared to these two, Wu Zhen's deputies—one a charlatan (Shengun) and the other Huzhu—were truly idle and unprofessional.

Liu Taizhen unfolded the painting delivered by Lingxiao, revealing dozens of ferocious Evil Spirits with twisted expressions. After examining it carefully, she praised, "This painting is quite good—it has a certain spiritual vitality."

Wu Zhen studied it for a while and suddenly remarked in surprise, "The style looks very familiar. Doesn’t it seem like Mei Si’s work?"