Moonlit Reunion

Upon receiving the failed message from his ghost servant, Pei Ji Ya spat out a mouthful of blood. He was quite accustomed to occasionally spitting blood, so he calmly picked up the tea beside him to rinse his mouth, washing away the metallic taste.

Could it be that the Mei family was inherently at odds with him? Pei Ji Ya couldn’t help but wonder. Why was every failure somehow connected to the Mei family?

First, there was Mei Si. Though things had initially gone smoothly—he had successfully used the specially crafted Demon Spirit brush to summon Evil Spirits—those spirits had barely caused any major disturbances before vanishing without a trace. According to his investigations, Mei Si was supposed to be a naive and foolish man, not particularly bold, yet he had decisively destroyed the Demon Spirit brush. Not only did this derail Pei Ji Ya’s plans, but it also alerted Wu Zhen, nearly exposing him indirectly.

Then there was Mei Zhuyu, who had hidden his true nature so deeply—he turned out to be a formidable Taoist priest. During the incident at the old residence, Pei Ji Ya had intended to eliminate him as an afterthought, but instead, he lost one of his avatars to the man. Even the demon hounds he had raised to sow chaos were slaughtered in a single encounter. As far as Pei Ji Ya knew, accomplished Taoist priests were supposed to be ascetic, never marrying or involving themselves in worldly affairs. Yet this detestable, ugly priest had to go and steal what was his.

And then there was yesterday’s incident with the ‘Cat Earth Skin.’ This creature was a type of Monster, artificially crafted from the skin of an animal using esoteric techniques. The ‘Cat Earth Skin’ could wrap around a person and transform them into a cat. Pei Ji Ya had previously experimented with ‘Dog Earth Skin’ and ‘Wolf Earth Skin,’ but none had satisfied him. This ‘Cat Earth Skin’ was his most successful and favorite creation. He had specifically crafted it for Wu Huanghou, calculating that it would be drawn to her, turning her into a cat and causing chaos—he refused to believe Wu Zhen would remain focused on her wedding if Wu Huanghou were transformed into such a state.

But now, instead of Wu Huanghou, it was Consort Mei who had become a cat.

Mei Si, Mei Zhuyu, Consort Mei—each had thwarted his plans in ways he hadn’t anticipated. Pei Ji Ya felt an indescribable frustration. As he brooded, he spat out another mouthful of blood. His body, already ravaged by his own bizarre experiments, was in a sorry state. Pei Ji Ya didn’t particularly care. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and began contemplating his next move—how to successfully stir chaos, disrupt Wu Zhen’s wedding, and yet avoid exposing himself to her.

Pei Ji Ya dared not be careless. He knew Wu Zhen well—if she discovered his schemes, she would show no mercy. In a way, it was precisely her ruthlessness that he admired.

No sooner had he thought of Wu Zhen than she arrived. She visited him daily, treating this cousin—with whom she had played as a child for two years—with notable kindness.

Pei Ji Ya took out a tea set, preparing to brew tea for her. The weather today wasn’t particularly pleasant—overcast, stiflingly humid, with the promise of rain. The two sat by the wide-open window, the occasional breeze drifting in as the sound of boiling water bubbled softly, creating a rather cozy atmosphere.

The guest garden outside was filled with peonies in full bloom, their large, splendid blossoms a sight to behold. True to Pei Ji Ya’s preference, the garden was planted with white peonies—though all white, they comprised several different varieties: Jade Radiance, Night’s Fragrance, Pure Jade, Snow Pagoda, and Spring Snow Tower.Inside the room, two branches of Yulouchunxue peonies were arranged in a vase. Wu Zhen waited idly for her cousin Pei Ji Ya to brew tea, plucking at the petals of the peonies in the vase to pass the time.

Most people of the era enjoyed adding numerous ingredients to their tea, boiling it into a thick porridge-like concoction. But Pei Ji Ya was different—he simply dried the tea leaves, ground them into powder, and brewed them with boiling water, adding nothing else. After preparing this light and simple tea, he pushed a cup toward Wu Zhen and said, "The nobility in the south now prefer this kind of clear tea. Try it, Zhen, and see if it suits your taste."

Wu Zhen finally stopped tormenting the flowers and took a sip out of courtesy. Then, with complete honesty, she told her cousin, "It's bitter and astringent—I'm not used to this flavor. I prefer sweet tea." When brewing tea, she was accustomed to adding ingredients like sweet dates and longan. As for Pei Ji Ya's refined method, Wu Zhen admitted it looked elegant, but the taste left much to be desired.

She added, "But I think Mei Jia Dalang would like this. His palate is much lighter than mine. Cousin Pei, you’d probably get along with him. Next time, I’ll bring him to try your tea."

Pei Ji Ya smiled amiably, though inwardly he thought it might be better to just poison Mei Jia Dalang next time.

Wu Zhen hadn’t come today just for tea. Over the past few days, she had noticed something off in her interactions with Pei Ji Ya. She regarded him purely as a cousin and family, but he seemed to harbor other intentions—subtly making ambiguous gestures and speaking in suggestive, meaningful ways. Being naturally perceptive, Wu Zhen had picked up on this and wanted to clarify things with him.

Pei Ji Ya preferred to speak in roundabout ways, but that wasn’t Wu Zhen’s style. She liked to be direct.

"Cousin Pei," Wu Zhen set down her teacup and asked, "Your fiancée passed away years ago. Why haven’t you found another wife since then?"

Pei Ji Ya replied, "I’m in no hurry for that."

Wu Zhen pressed, "Is it because you have feelings for me?"

Pei Ji Ya had never met a woman like Wu Zhen—someone who discussed such matters without the slightest shyness or hesitation, her demeanor open and straightforward. Even if her bluntness bordered on aggressive, it was impossible to dislike her for it.

Pei Ji Ya smiled. "You noticed?"

Wu Zhen said, "You didn’t exactly hide it. Of course I noticed."

Pei Ji Ya gazed at her quietly for a moment before sighing. "Truthfully, I’ve long held feelings for you and wished to marry you. Years ago, I even sent a letter to your father, hoping he would grant my request. But he gently refused, saying you had no interest in marriage. I thought you would live a carefree, unattached life forever—until suddenly, news of your engagement arrived. I couldn’t help but feel resentful..."

As she listened, Wu Zhen understood his meaning. Yet, despite Pei Ji Ya’s heartfelt words, as if he had loved her for years, she felt no emotional stir.

"Cousin Pei, since we’re family, I’ll be frank. You don’t actually love me as much as you claim—or rather, your feelings for me aren’t romantic." Wu Zhen spoke with certainty.

Pei Ji Ya looked surprised. "Why would you think that? My feelings for you are sincere. The thought of you belonging to someone else burns like fire in my heart."

Wu Zhen tapped the table and suddenly laughed. "Ah, cousin, the last time you saw me with Mei Jia Dalang, did you notice the way he looked at me?"Pei Ji Ya was puzzled, so Wu Zhen explained, "Next time, cousin, pay attention to the look and expression on my future husband's face when he gazes at me. Then you'll naturally understand. When you look at me, cousin, there's never that kind of heartfelt, uncontrollable affection."

Pei Ji Ya disagreed, even feeling somewhat wronged. "Zhen, aren't you being too hasty? You're not me—how do you know my feelings for you aren't as deep as Mei Jia Dalang's?"

Pei Ji Ya sat upright, his demeanor and grace exuding elegance, while Wu Zhen was much more relaxed, leaning against the armrest with one leg crossed over the other. She studied her composed and smiling cousin, recalling a past incident. "Back when you stayed at my home, I already knew your temperament was different from most. The way you cherish things isn't like others either."

"Cousin, do you remember that fine-bred foal you once had? You adored it, feeding it grass every day. That foal was proud and aloof, ignoring everyone but you. Later, when you fell ill for a few days and couldn't feed it, I took over. The foal grew close to me too. But after you recovered, you had it killed—simply because it accepted my care."

"I know you've always liked things that are one-of-a-kind, and I'm aware of the peculiar treasures you collect," Wu Zhen tapped the armrest lightly, producing a rhythmic sound. "In your heart, the affection for that foal is no different from your love for a book or an antique. Even now, when you speak of me, it's the same. Such obsessive, singular 'affection'—I, your cousin, cannot bear it."

Her voice carried laughter, but her eyes were cold, sharp as thorns, with a hint of suspicion and scrutiny. Even Pei Ji Ya, sitting before her, couldn't help but feel suffocated under the overwhelming pressure she exuded, as if everyone in her presence shrank an inch.

Pei Ji Ya remained silent for a moment before smiling. "Zhen, speaking of me like this truly wounds me."

Wu Zhen cut straight to the point. "Cousin Pei, you say you're wounded, but there's not a trace of sorrow in your eyes—only calculation and deliberation." If it had been her young husband-to-be, hearing such words from her would have devastated him. He wouldn't have been able to remain as unruffled as Cousin Pei, calmly pondering the matter.

"I've made myself clear today. Cousin Pei, you'd do well to think it over. I'll take my leave now."

After Wu Zhen left, Pei Ji Ya brewed himself another cup of tea. He paid no mind to her earlier words. Though he had killed that foal in his youth, he also remembered clearly that Wu Zhen had liked it too. Yet when he decided to kill it, she hadn't stopped him. She had even watched with a smile, merely saying, "What a pity," before going off to pick out a new foal.

If one really thought about it, how was Wu Zhen any better than him? She claimed his affection wasn't genuine or reliable, but was hers any less false? They were very much alike, which was why Pei Ji Ya refused to believe she could truly care for that Mei Jia Dalang.

"What a bother. Might as well just take her away directly." Unfortunately, he couldn't overpower her. Pei Ji Ya frowned slightly in frustration, waving his hand through the air as if searching for something.Wu Zhen had no idea that her frail cousin Pei Ji Ya was also extraordinary and was once again planning something. She hadn't seen the young lord for several days, and after mentioning it to Pei Ji Ya, she suddenly felt the urge to go check on him.

Today, he should have been on duty at the Ministry of Justice, but when Wu Zhen transformed into a Tabby Cat and perched on the paulownia branch, she found the window tightly shut—the young lord wasn't inside working.

Had he gone out on business? Occasionally, when a case came up, he did have to leave. Feeling a bit displeased at having come all this way only to miss him, Wu Zhen was about to leave when she unexpectedly spotted her elder sister.

Seeing Wu Huanghou wasn’t unusual—she sometimes accompanied the emperor to court in the outer palace to assist with affairs and often moved about the outer court. However, if she was holding a cat in her arms, that was truly strange.

Wu Zhen was well aware of her sister’s deep-seated aversion—her dislike of cats hadn’t lessened over the years. Yet now, she was actually holding a white cat? This was anything but normal. Curiosity piqued, Wu Zhen followed her.