Moonlit Reunion

To ordinary people, the Dragon Boat Festival is a joyous occasion. From the nobility to commoners, everyone cleans their homes, wears mugwort, or goes out to bask in the sunlight on this day—the chill of the year completely dissipates. But in the eyes of some special individuals, the festival holds a different kind of liveliness.

In kitchens where windows are opened to fumigate with mugwort, some of the black soot drifting from chimneys is unlike ordinary soot. It twists and coalesces, and upon closer inspection, each particle is the size of a sesame seed, squeaking and crackling as it turns into clumps of ash in the mugwort smoke before fluttering to the ground.

Then there are the furry, grayish-black creatures driven out from corners. Ordinary people might mistake them for rats, but a closer look would reveal they have neither heads nor faces—clearly Monsters born from dark corners, fond of devouring mold.

On some door lintels, rust-like patches cling. If the household hangs calamus and mugwort, these patches slowly peel off and sink into the soil. But for those too lazy to hang them, the doors become covered in these ‘rust’ patches, and nearby patches slowly crawl over. Ordinary people can’t see them, but if a household frequently touches these patches while opening and closing their door, they might fall ill a few times that year.

Aside from these easily spawned, relatively harmless little Monsters, there are also more troublesome ones. For instance, beneath the Qujiang Pool, dark currents surge. Observers might assume they’re schools of fish or aquatic plants, but Wu Zhen knows better—they’re drowned puppets, awakened by the Dragon Boat Festival’s sunlight after lying dormant through winter and spring. These creatures grow from the bones of people and animals drowned in the river, appearing transparent in water but casting shadows from a distance. Many children drown in summer, mostly due to these things. Once caught in their waters, it’s nearly impossible to struggle free.

Wu Zhen dislikes these creatures. Every summer, she and her little snake companions have to fish them out like unwanted catches from various water bodies in Chang’an, leaving them on the shore to be scorched by sunlight. But they multiply too quickly, making the task endless.

Apart from drowned puppets, another Monster appears during the festival—one Wu Zhen actually likes, called ‘Yangming.’ Also dwelling in water, Yangming are harmless and even beneficial. On this day, they emerge from the water and take flight, their chirps crisp and pleasant. Their lives last only this single day, and they choose people they like to land upon. Those selected won’t be cured of all ailments, but they’ll feel invigorated, their fatigue vanishing.

Wu Zhen noticed a gust of wind skimming the river, stirring ripples. A smile touched her lips as she tugged Mei Zhuyu’s horse, chasing the wind downstream to a spot near Qujiang Pool. When the breeze stilled, they stopped.

“What is it?” Mei Zhuyu asked.

Wu Zhen replied casually, “Nothing. I’m looking for Mei Si and the others—they might be around here.” She glanced subtly at Mei Zhuyu’s head and saw two Yangming had indeed landed there, riding the wind. Satisfied, she felt at ease.Mei Zhuyu paid no attention to these little things. Though he could see the Yangming birds flying over his head, the slow-moving shadows by the roadside, the white banners fluttering atop the willow branches, and the demons mingling among the crowds with their Demonic Qi, he had Wu Zhen by his side. Thus, he behaved just like an ordinary person, showing no signs of abnormality.

Noticing Wu Zhen looking around, he asked, "Is your cousin coming?"

Wu Zhen nodded. "Yes, they participate in the dragon boat race every year."

Just then, someone on the opposite bank shouted, "Zhen-jie!" Both of them had sharp eyes and immediately recognized the group of young men in purple robes—Mei Si, Cui Jiu, and the others.

Wu Zhen waited where she was, and sure enough, Mei Si and the others, well-versed in her temperament, took the initiative to row a boat over. As soon as they docked, Cui Jiu jumped off and ran over, saying, "Zhen-jie, didn’t we agree to meet at the platform? Why did you come here instead? We’ve been searching for ages!"

Wu Zhen replied, "I forgot. My bad. Let’s go."

"Wait a minute!" Mei Si also rushed over. "Zhen-jie, why aren’t you wearing the same clothes as us? It won’t look good later."

Wu Zhen said, "I didn’t plan to join this year’s dragon boat race."

Her words sent the other young men into a panic. "What?! Zhen-jie joined last year—why not this year?" "Yeah, we saved the drummer’s spot at the front for you. If you’re not doing it, where are we supposed to find someone to fill in at the last minute?" Someone even wailed, "Zhen-jie, my dear sister! You’re going to be the death of us! We all agreed we’d definitely win a ranking this year!"

After letting them vent, Wu Zhen finally pointed at Mei Zhuyu beside her. "I said I’m not joining. He’ll join instead."

For a moment, everyone fell silent, eyeing Mei Zhuyu’s tall, slender frame. Finally, one young man timidly asked, "Does he... know how to beat the drum?"

Though that was the question, everyone understood what he really meant: whether Mei Zhuyu had the strength for it. After all, the drum at the front wasn’t an ordinary one—it took some muscle to make it resonate loudly. Mei Zhuyu looked every bit the frail scholar; what good was his height?

Wu Zhen saw right through their doubts and smirked. "What, don’t trust Zhen-jie’s recommendation?"

Zhao Songyan, Zhao Langjun, was different from the others. While they hesitated, he nodded sincerely. "I believe it." He had personally witnessed Mei Zhuyu’s ferocious side.

The others: "...This bootlicker actually had the nerve to jump ahead and suck up first!"

Not wanting to fall behind, the rest chimed in regardless of their true thoughts. "I believe it too!" "Me too!"

Wu Zhen glanced at Mei Zhuyu and reassured her little brothers, "Don’t worry. I’ve experienced your brother-in-law’s strength firsthand."

At her words, the young men burst into exaggerated "Oooohs," laughing so hard they nearly toppled over. One short, skinny youth kept giggling long after the others had stopped, earning him a light flick from Wu Zhen’s whip. "Enough. Laugh any more, and I’ll make you cry."

Once they all looked up at the sky obediently, Wu Zhen leaned closer to Mei Zhuyu. "I was planning to do it myself, but my back hurts. So, husband, how about you take my place this time?"When they came earlier, Wu Zhen hadn’t mentioned this, but just by looking at his own purple round-collar robe and then at the youths’ purple garments, Mei Zhuyu understood that she had planned this all along.

“Do me this favor, alright?” Wu Zhen coaxed in a sweet tone. The group of young men nearly stumbled backward—their Zhen-jie, coaxing someone?! Wait, did getting married make someone this gentle? They couldn’t believe it!

Since Wu Zhen had brought it up, Mei Zhuyu naturally had no objections, except…

“I’ve never participated in this kind of event before. I’ll do my best, but I can’t guarantee good results.”

Wu Zhen brushed aside a strand of hair near his cheek and whispered, “It’s fine. I’m not expecting anything from you. I just think you’re too reserved, so I want you to go have some fun with these rascals.”

The young men: …But Zhen-jie, we’re not here just for fun—we really want to win this time!

Once again, they wouldn’t be able to redeem themselves. Except for Zhao Songyan, the rest of the young men, including Mei Si, thought gloomily.

The annual dragon boat race was a grand event, with over sixty boats participating, each carrying thirty-six people. Cui Jiu and his friends didn’t have enough people, so they had to call on their brothers and cousins to make up the full thirty-six. However, among these thirty-six, there were burly men capable of shooting eagles with a bow, as well as weaker ones like Mei Si, whose strength was lacking. With such uneven skill levels, how could they compete against teams that had been meticulously selected and prepared long in advance?

Many well-known shops in the city would purchase a dragon boat and hire strong young men to race, just for the sake of fame and glory. Besides these shops, students from government-run academies also prepared a boat to compete on this day, eager to show off their prowess. Additionally, the households of imperial relatives and nobles would send their guards and soldiers to join the excitement. In short, every trade and profession was represented.

As for the dragon boats, though similar in size and shape, their decorations varied—some were as ornate as flower boats, some had flying dragons painted on their sides, and others were adorned with red silk, each unique in its own way.

The boats would set off from the middle section of Qujiang Pond and race downstream to a city tower spanning the water, where the emperor, empress, and high-ranking officials watched. The first boat to pass beneath the tower’s arch would be declared the winner. Since the emperor was watching, the top team would also receive a reward, making the competitors even more determined to win. From the very start, the race was fiercely contested.

Wu Zhen, riding on horseback, could only hear the rhythmic pounding of drums rising and falling. The riverbanks were packed with cheering spectators, waving their belongings enthusiastically—some overly excited women even threw their handkerchiefs into the river, and a few even fell in themselves, only to be hastily pulled back up by those onshore.

The dragon boats sped forward swiftly. At each section of the river, the crowds lining the banks erupted in excitement. Some climbed trees for a better view, while others chased after the boats on foot.

Wu Zhen was also following the race, though she was on horseback and not along the riverbank but on a nearby path. Through the willow trees and the sea of bobbing heads, she could just make out the dragon boats darting like arrows across the water.She couldn't see very clearly, but she could hear the drumbeats. All the drums were pounding fervently, yet one stood out—the loudest and most rhythmic, as if the drummer remained completely unaffected by the surrounding excitement, calmly striking the drumhead at his own steady pace.

In truth, the lead drummer in a dragon boat race was crucial. They set the rhythm for the entire boat. Some crews exhausted themselves by going too hard in the first half, falling behind later, while those easily swayed by other boats would inevitably slow down one after another.

Listening to that consistently strong and steady drumbeat, Wu Zhen felt a surge of delight. Finally, the city gate marking the finish line came into faint view. Many drummers, having pounded their drums all this way, began to tire, their beats growing softer. But then—that one thunderous drumbeat suddenly quickened, erupting like a storm, growing faster and more urgent.

Through gaps in the crowd, Wu Zhen caught sight of a familiar dragon boat gradually pulling ahead of the others.

"Ah! We won!"

"Woohoo!"

Cheers erupted from the city gate as the results were announced. Wu Zhen waited to the side, holding her horse's reins. Before long, a boisterous group of young men came running over, all flushed and exhilarated. Mei Zhuyu, who had walked alone on the way there, was now at the center of the group, clearly having grown much closer to them.

"Who knew the eldest brother had such strength! Did you see that drummer on the boat to our left? All that muscle was useless—he couldn't hold a candle to our eldest brother. His beats were so weak, and by the end, his face was practically purple, but his drum still wasn't as loud as ours!"

"Finally, we won for once. No more being mocked."

"Cousin, I'm impressed, truly. How did you drum so well? You completely drowned out everyone else—just hearing it gave me energy... Ouch, my hands hurt from gripping too hard earlier."

Mei Zhuyu lifted his gaze and spotted Wu Zhen beneath the tree, holding her horse. Seeing her raise an eyebrow at him with a knowing smile, he realized she had expected this all along.