Moonlit Reunion

Chapter 34

"Secretary Mei?"

Mei Zhuyu snapped out of his reverie and cleared his throat lightly. "What is it?"

The clerk holding several scrolls didn't understand why the usually diligent secretary had been distracted all morning, so he repeated his earlier question.

Mei Zhuyu nodded. "Leave them here." After the clerk left, he prepared to continue his transcription work, but upon looking down, he discovered an ink blot on the paper before him—he didn't even know when it had gotten there, perhaps during his prolonged absentmindedness.

Silently setting aside the spoiled paper, his thoughts involuntarily returned to last night's two overly intimate kisses. Realizing where his mind was wandering, Mei Zhuyu steadied himself again, resolutely dispelling the hazy, ambiguous thoughts.

Clear the mind, focus the spirit.

Just as he was gradually becoming absorbed in his work, a Tabby Cat leaped in through the window—none other than Wu Zhen, who had just resolved Consort Mei's matter for Wu Huanghou. Of course, Mei Zhuyu had no idea this uninvited feline was the very person who had unsettled him all night. Though slightly surprised to see the familiar Tabby Cat, he paid it little mind, merely glancing at it briefly.

That was until he felt something warm and furry settle into his lap. His brush paused as he realized the Tabby Cat had made itself comfortable in his embrace, kneading at his wrinkled robes as if preparing for a nap.

Kneeling in proper seiza posture with a cat in his lap was hardly appropriate, so Mei Zhuyu set down his brush and moved the cat aside. The Tabby Cat merely gave him a lazy look before raising a paw to jump back into his lap. Rising slightly, Mei Zhuyu pulled out his cushion, placed it nearby for the cat, and continued his official business kneeling directly on the smooth wooden floor.

Wu Zhen looked from the cushion to his knees and twitched her whiskers in resignation. Fine—she wouldn't torment him further. That posture looked uncomfortable enough without the added hardship of kneeling on bare flooring. With this thought, she didn't linger, leaping back out the window.

In Wu Huanghou's Qingning Palace, the normally stern and dignified empress nearly wept with joy upon seeing the restored human form of Consort Mei—at last, she wouldn't have to keep holding that white cat anymore! Though she could accept it intellectually knowing the cat was Consort Mei, her body still reacted with instinctive unease, the hairs on her neck rising every time she held it. But because it was Consort Mei, she'd forced herself to endure it. Had this situation lasted a few more days... she might have actually grown accustomed to it.

Consort Mei linked arms with Wu Huanghou. Despite her strange ordeal, she showed no signs of distress, speaking to the empress in her usual gentle tones. "Your Highness has suffered these past days—concealing my disappearance and enduring me in that form."

Wu Huanghou quickly replied, "Your recovery is all that matters. How could it be called suffering? Suhan's form wasn't unpleasant at all."

Consort Mei smiled playfully. "If it wasn't unpleasant, shall we keep a cat? After this experience, I've come to think cats aren't so bad."

Wu Huanghou's face paled. Consort Mei burst into laughter, tapping a delicate finger against the empress's forehead. "I'm teasing."

"But Your Highness gave away the Scripture Treasure Seal from the treasury for my sake. How will you explain this to His Majesty later?"Empress Wu regained her usual composure and said indifferently, "That item may be considered precious, but in His Majesty's eyes, it's not as valuable as a well-played tune. We can cover it up, so don't worry."

As they spoke, they entered the inner palace. Consort Mei suddenly let out a small gasp and pointed at a gilded crane lantern. "Your Highness, look."

Empress Wu looked and saw the Scripture Treasure Seal, which had been taken by the tabby cat demon earlier, now hanging from the crane's beak. Quick-witted, Consort Mei immediately understood. "It seems this Cat Official came specifically to help us. It only took the seal as payment to avoid suspicion. Now that the matter is resolved, it has returned the treasure."

Empress Wu, however, seemed lost in thought, her brows gradually furrowing as if she had realized something. She clenched her sleeve tightly. Could this cat be connected to her sister again?

Meanwhile, Wu Zhen left the palace and headed straight back to Duke Yu's residence without stopping anywhere else. Hearing from the servants that her cousin Pei Ji Ya was admiring flowers in the courtyard, she went to the garden to find him. Holding a shadowy black mass in her hand, Wu Zhen saw Pei Ji Ya standing gracefully among a blooming peony bush and called out loudly, "Cousin Pei."

Pei Ji Ya turned, only to see a dark shadow hurling toward him. His eyes flickered, and he sidestepped just before it could touch him.

His evasion confirmed Wu Zhen's suspicions. "So it was you. This 'Earth Skin' is well-made, but cousin, you shouldn't misuse it."

Pei Ji Ya: "How did Zhen guess it was me?"

Wu Zhen: "Do I look stupid to you?"

Pei Ji Ya chuckled, then changed the subject. "Since you know, you must realize we're a better match, aren't we?"

Wu Zhen had rejected him before and didn't want to repeat herself. "I won't say it again. Leave for Kunzhou today."

Her bluntness surprised Pei Ji Ya, who feigned hurt. "Not even letting me attend your wedding? After all, I am your cousin."

Wu Zhen was direct. "If Cousin Pei were genuinely here for my wedding, I'd welcome you. But with ill intentions, I can't risk you harming those around me—especially my husband. He's just an ordinary man and wouldn't survive your 'special attention.'"

"You should be grateful you haven't acted against him yet. Otherwise, today I wouldn't be asking you to leave—I'd be making sure you couldn't stand and had to be carried back."

Pei Ji Ya: ...Actually, he had already tried and failed. If he could deal with Mei Zhuyu directly, he wouldn’t have resorted to such roundabout methods.

But... Pei Ji Ya noticed Wu Zhen seemed unaware that Mei Zhuyu was a Taoist priest. How interesting.

"Fine, I'll return to Kunzhou." Pei Ji Ya didn’t press further. Though eccentric, he knew when to yield. Seeing Wu Zhen’s seriousness, he understood provoking her would only invite trouble from this Cat Official.It was precisely because he knew this that Pei Ji Ya only stirred up some minor incidents. Otherwise, if he had truly wanted to go all out, Chang'an would have been turned upside down long ago. He didn’t want to fall out with Wu Zhen, and it was clear Wu Zhen felt the same. But Wu Zhen was more domineering, and Pei Ji Ya, weighing his options, realized he couldn’t overpower her, so he had no choice but to retreat.

True to his word, Pei Ji Ya packed his things and left for Kunzhou the next day. Duke Yu likely misunderstood the situation—seeing his nephew, sickly and pale, depart on the eve of his daughter’s wedding, he assumed the young man was still heartbroken over her and couldn’t bear to stay. A pang of guilt struck him. Years ago, his nephew had written to him, asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage, but at the time, she had no interest in marriage, so he had refused. Now, if not for Master Jingyan’s dying prophecy, he wouldn’t have forced his daughter to marry Mei Jia Dalang. It was all just twists of fate, and he felt he had wronged his nephew.

Inside the carriage, Pei Ji Ya gazed at the willow trees lining the distant riverbank. Beneath one of them stood Wu Zhen, holding a horse.

She broke off a willow branch to bid him farewell. Pei Ji Ya didn’t step out of the carriage, merely lifting the curtain as Wu Zhen handed him the branch. Her expression was uncharacteristically solemn as she looked at his pale face and said earnestly, “Cousin, listen to me. You are, after all, just an ordinary man. Even if you have extraordinary talent in this path, you cannot fully control those Non-human entities. If you don’t act with caution and restraint, one day, they will turn against you.”

Rarely did she wear such a serious expression. Pei Ji Ya sighed and took the willow branch from her. “You’re about to marry someone else. Why bother with me now?”

Wu Zhen yanked the curtain shut. “Enough. Get going.”

As the carriage gradually left Chang’an behind, Pei Ji Ya twirled the fresh green willow branch in his hand. Of course, he was resentful for not achieving his goal, but she was still his cousin. So, he had left her an interesting gift—just to vent his frustration over being driven away.

“Zhen, when will you realize it?” Pei Ji Ya murmured, his expression one of amused anticipation.

On her way back, Wu Zhen also swung a willow branch in her hand. A similarly pleased smile played on her lips as she chuckled under her breath, “Cousin Pei, let’s see when you’ll figure it out.”

She knew Pei Ji Ya well—the man was petty. If he left so easily, he must have left some trick behind. So, she had prepared a little surprise in return. By her calculations, by the time her cousin returned to Kunzhou, the “Rat Earth Skin” she had planted would take effect. Then, her ever-resourceful cousin would have no choice but to spend a few days as a rat.

As the saying goes, pay a man back in his own coin.

With Pei Ji Ya gone, Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu’s wedding day was fast approaching.

The first day of the fifth month—an auspicious day for weddings.

Wu Zhen usually woke late, and this day was no exception. She slept until noon, and if Duke Yu hadn’t repeatedly sent servants to rouse her, she might have slept another hour. Yawning, she sauntered into the flower hall, where her father was pacing anxiously, wearing a hat. She laughed carelessly, “Father, I’m the one getting married, not you. Why are you so nervous?”

Duke Yu shot his unruly daughter a glare and immediately began scolding, “Look at you—what kind of state are you in? Spouting nonsense all day, no sense of propriety! Have you even looked at the time? Still sleeping! If you don’t start preparing early, how will you be ready when the auspicious hour arrives? What a mess!” He went on and on, repeating the same complaints.Wu Zhen took a sip of the fermented milk drink brought by a servant, sitting there with perfect composure, not at all like a bride about to be married. "What's the rush? The wedding banquet is still a while away, and there's not much to prepare."

As the saying goes, a wedding is a "hunli" (literally "dusk ceremony"), as it traditionally begins at dusk. In the current customs of Chang'an, if the bride's family is more powerful and wealthy, all wedding ceremonies and banquets are held at her home. Sometimes, the groom is even happy to live with the bride's family after marriage. Wu Zhen had discussed these matters with Mei Zhuyu—the wedding banquet would be held at Duke Yu's residence, and as for where they would live afterward, they could decide as they pleased. After all, Mei Zhuyu's house had only him as its master, while Duke Yu's residence was mostly occupied by Wu Zhen alone. The two had complete freedom.

Not long after noon, Duke Yu's residence finally buzzed with activity. Servants busily set up canopies in the spacious backyard—the venue for the wedding banquet—while others erected the "Hundred Sons Tent," where the newlyweds would sit and rest during the ceremony. Wu Zhen held a plate of crispy, sweet fried dough twists, munching contentedly as she watched the servants assemble the tent, placing auspicious items inside and laying down a pomegranate-patterned mat beneath.

"It's too small. Make it bigger—are you building a cage?" Wu Zhen remarked, legs crossed, just as Mei Si, Cui Jiu, and their group arrived, carrying sticks, their excitement plain on their faces.

"Zhen-jie, we're here!"

"Don't worry, Zhen-jie. We’ve all brought weapons to guard the gates today. Mei Jia Dalang won’t get in so easily!"

These young men intended to act as the bride's family, guarding the gates. Normally, they wouldn’t dare trouble Mei Zhuyu, but today was different—this was their one chance in a lifetime to openly make things difficult for him. After all, no groom could expect to marry his bride without overcoming such obstacles!

Seeing their eager expressions, Wu Zhen didn’t say much, letting them have their fun. It wasn’t like they could cause any real trouble.

"Second Miss! Second Miss!" A maidservant hurried over, lifting her skirts, and was both amused and exasperated to find Wu Zhen still watching the tent setup. She pulled her toward the inner chambers. "Second Miss, you shouldn’t be watching this! Brides aren’t supposed to see the Hundred Sons Tent being set up. You still need to bathe and get ready!"

Two young women who had been mingling with the boys followed, ushering Wu Zhen back to her room. Wu Zhen let them push her along playfully, still holding her plate of fried dough twists. "There’s plenty of time. At least let me finish eating."

The servant sighed in mock despair. "No other bride is as unhurried as you, Second Miss, on her wedding day."

Wu Zhen didn’t understand why they were more excited than she was. After a thorough bath, she sat patiently as servants dried her hair and dressed her in multiple layers of wedding attire. A bride’s robes were blue-green, with layers of gauze wrapped around her, topped with a large-sleeved outer robe embroidered with floral patterns—the same one previously adorned with golden and jade flowers by the others.

Her usually casual hairstyle was now elaborately styled, glittering with gold and jade ornaments.Finally, there was the makeup. Wu Zhen disliked painting her face excessively, at most she would fill in her brows. But many ladies of the time loved applying eye shadow, blush, and large floral decorations. Today, as the bride, she couldn’t avoid this ordeal. Too lazy to argue with the chattering crowd of women, Wu Zhen let them have their way and closed her eyes to rest. When she opened them again after the makeup was done, the blurred reflection in the mirror startled her.

Well, this was even scarier than the ghosts in the Demon Market. She considered wiping it all off, but then imagined the expression on her young husband’s face and held back. It might be fun to scare him a little. Wu Zhen grinned, only to feel something flaking off her face. She couldn’t help but ask, “Did you just dust flour all over my face?”

Sun Niangzi, laughing so hard she could barely stand, leaned on her shoulder and said, “Sister Zhen, this is scented powder! I specially blended it for you. Smell it—isn’t it fragrant?”

Wu Zhen’s nose was already overwhelmed. Ever since they had surrounded her, tying sachets, placing fragrant beads, and perfuming her robes, her nostrils had been flooded with an overpowering aroma, leaving her unable to detect any other scent.

This was truly torture. Now, she just hoped her young husband would arrive soon so she wouldn’t have to stand around like a mannequin draped in cosmetics.

Mei Zhuyu did arrive early, but he was immediately blocked outside the gate by a group of fierce ‘brothers-in-law,’ including his own cousin Mei Si, who was supposed to help him enter.

Cui Jiu, Zhao Langjun, and the others brandished sticks, their eyes gleaming with menace. The moment they saw Mei Zhuyu dismount, they shouted, “Strike!” and charged at him.

Mei Zhuyu had never attended another’s wedding before and was unfamiliar with the customs. His uncle, who should have instructed him, had gotten drunk with him the night before, rambling about the hardships of married life and nearly crying—but forgetting to explain how to handle today’s events.

So, when he saw a crowd of men charging at him with hostile intent, he was briefly startled before calmly and effortlessly catching their wild swings, disarming them one by one, and tossing the sticks aside. Tradition dictated that he should endure the beating obediently, and the men weren’t actually trying to hurt him—it was all for show. But Mei Zhuyu didn’t know that. Seeing everyone frozen in shock, he simply nodded and walked through the gate.

He wanted to see Wu Zhen as soon as possible.

The ‘brothers-in-law’ exchanged bewildered glances. “Did he just—how did he take my stick? Why didn’t I even see it happen?”

“Yeah! How was he so fast?!”

“What are you all standing around for? You’re just letting him walk in like that? Hurry up and guard the door!”

Only Zhao Langjun, who had once witnessed Mei Zhuyu fighting in a dark alley, remained calm, having anticipated this outcome. Having already seen Mei Zhuyu’s terrifying skills, he had brought a sword today—a particularly vicious one—but it was useless. In a single move, it was snatched from his hands and tossed at his feet. Whimper. So ruthless, so humiliating.

Today, Mei Zhuyu was even more formidable than usual. Everyone standing in his way might as well have been made of paper. In no time, he reached the door of Wu Zhen’s chamber. Facing the large window, he knew he was supposed to recite a poem urging the bride to come out. He had already recited several rounds outside, but now, at this final step, he grew nervous. Just the thought of Wu Zhen waiting behind the window made his words catch in his throat.Ever since that rainy day a few days ago, he hadn't seen Wu Zhen again, and now he couldn't help but recall the intimate mingling of their breaths that day.

A group of young men panted as they chased after him, only to see this stern-faced, intimidating gentleman staring blankly at their Zhen-jie's window.

"Uh, is he blushing?" someone suddenly whispered. Then came a chorus of stifled giggles as the boys burst into laughter.

The window was abruptly opened from the inside, startling the group outside. A figure appeared in the window, and when everyone saw who it was, they all froze.

Mei Zhuyu was taken aback, his eyes widening slightly. Standing by the window was Wu Zhen, cradling her head, which felt as heavy as Mount Tai, and laughing. "Scared you, didn't I? Or did you not recognize me?"

Before Mei Zhuyu could respond, someone inside pulled Wu Zhen back, and the window slammed shut again. Sun Niangzi's voice rang out from within, "Zhen-jie, the groom hasn't even recited the 'urging the bride to dress' poem yet! How could you just open the window like that?"

"Exactly! He should wait at least another half hour. It shouldn't be this easy!"

Outside, the group of young men huddled together, whispering, "Was that really Zhen-jie just now?" "I didn't recognize her at all. Why does it feel like she's wearing a completely different face?" "What do you mean 'different face'? Her face is all covered up—you can't even see it properly!" "What do you know? That's how brides are supposed to be made up." "Ugh, if I ever get married, I don't want to see my bride like that. It's terrifying."

Mei Zhuyu turned to them and said, "Not terrifying. Beautiful."

The young men: "..." So he really does love Zhen-jie.

The window opened again. Wu Zhen had clearly heard the commotion outside and called to Mei Zhuyu, "Husband, really not scared?"

Mei Zhuyu: "I was scared. But because it's you, it's still beautiful."

The young men: Who would've thought? With such a stern and cold face, his words are so sweet! Truly, appearances can be deceiving.

Inside, Sun Niangzi and the others tried to close the window again, but Wu Zhen stopped them. She lifted her skirt, stepped onto the windowsill, and jumped out. The servants inside cried out in alarm, "Second Young Miss, this isn't proper! You're supposed to go through the door and walk over the felt mats!"

Wu Zhen grabbed Mei Zhuyu's hand and ran. "Come on, let's go straight to the wedding banquet at the back." She then whistled. "Mei Si, you all follow! I specially reserved the good wine from Cheng Family Tavern today. If you're late, you'll miss out."

The group threw all propriety to the wind and followed her in a boisterous procession, laughter filling the air. The wedding turned into an open-air feast, leaving many thoroughly drunk.