Moonlit Reunion

Ever since her husband was abducted, Wu Zhen had imagined countless scenarios of his possible plight—trapped in some pitch-black cave by that rotten evil demon with no food to eat, not even a straw mat to sit on; or tied to a pillar, left to endure wind and rain while waiting for her to bring the demanded items for exchange. She had envisioned every miserable situation possible, each thought making her heart ache more, convinced her husband must be suffering terribly.

But she never expected that her husband seemed to be... doing quite well?

Wu Zhen's gaze drifted from the light, gauzy green bed curtains to the thick, embroidered cushion beneath her feet, then to the small black agarwood table exuding a faint fragrance nearby, and finally to the other exquisite and lavish furnishings in the room. Her eyes lingered on the steaming, aromatic dishes laid out on the table not far away before returning to the group of women surrounding her.

Living in such luxury, eating well, and even being attended by several demon maids—this seemed far more comfortable than the days she had spent searching for him.

Wu Zhen stroked her chin silently, her smile odd. The maids, transformed from field mice, exchanged uneasy glances before pleading earnestly, "Madam, you're with child. Even if you don’t think of yourself, you must consider the baby."

"Yes, yes! Since the master has brought you here, please settle down. He controls everything here—there’s no escaping. Please don’t try to run away again."

Another woman, eyes full of pity, tentatively took her hand and coaxed gently, "Don’t be afraid, madam. The master brought you back and ordered us to care for you well. It seems he does care for you. Though we servants don’t know what grievances lie between you, since you’re here, it’s best to accept it. Please don’t defy him—perhaps your days will be easier."

If not for the fact that this was unmistakably her own body, Wu Zhen might have suspected she’d somehow possessed someone else. Why did these demons’ words sound so... off?

Wu Zhen mused to herself—while she had been exhausting herself trying to rescue her husband these past few days, he seemed to have been living the life of a chaste, unwilling wife forcibly kept in a gilded cage by some villain...

She licked her lips, her ambiguous gaze slowly sweeping over the women before her, silencing them abruptly under its weight.

The field mouse demons didn’t understand what was happening. This madam, who had been cold and aloof since being confined here—refusing to speak to them and repeatedly attempting escape—now sat quietly, smiling beautifully yet unnervingly. Strangely, when she had glared at them icily before, they hadn’t felt particularly afraid. But now, under her smiling scrutiny, cold sweat dripped down their backs as if they were prey facing a predator, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Releasing a hint of her aura to thoroughly intimidate the cowering women, Wu Zhen finally felt somewhat satisfied. Her own body was undeniably more effective.

"Where is your master now?" she asked, testing the waters. She assumed the "master" these lesser demons spoke of was the same rotten fiend who had snatched her husband away.The woman said, "After the master brought you back, he returned there and hasn't come out since. Even if you wish to see him, we can't help you. No one dares disturb the master."

Wu Zhen: "Oh." She made a noncommittal sound, not inclined to trouble these clearly obedient little demons further, and stood up to leave.

The attendants wanted to stop her but didn't dare, trailing behind Wu Zhen like a string of oversized potatoes. Once outside, Wu Zhen found herself in a small mountain villa surrounded by lush green peaks. The servants outside were all transformed demons.

Were it not for these inhuman attendants, this place would be indistinguishable from the summer retreats built by Chang'an's nobility in the mountains. Moreover, it had been night at Changxi Temple, yet here it was still daytime—clearly, this was likely another realm altogether.

Wu Zhen glanced around. Behind her, the woman timidly added, "Madam, you mustn't disturb the master. Please return to your room." They all assumed she intended to seek out their master and were hastily trying to dissuade her.

Wu Zhen chuckled. "The room is stifling. The outdoors are better." As she spoke, she noticed a small lake not far away, its banks covered in pale pink lotuses, their delicate fragrance drifting toward her.

The scenery here was quite pleasant. After admiring it for a moment, Wu Zhen suddenly pointed to a platform beside the lotus pond and said to the women behind her, "Prepare a couch for me over there."

The women were taken aback. Unhurried, Wu Zhen continued, "Find me a soft couch—I dislike the scent of pearwood, it's unpleasant. Also, light some incense for me. Do you have Yuehe incense here?"

The woman stammered, "Yue... Yuehe incense?"

Wu Zhen waved her hand dismissively, appearing accommodating. "No? Then anything light will do. And bring me some food—I'm hungry. Oh, nothing spicy or fried, too greasy. Steamed crystal dumplings, three-flower buns, golden milk cakes, silver snow balls, and some dried venison or fish will suffice. Finally, bring me three jars of good wine."

At this point, Wu Zhen glanced at her belly, remembering she was likely carrying a child, and reluctantly amended, "Actually... one jar of wine will do."

Her orders left the women dumbfounded. Seeing their expressions, Wu Zhen remained unfazed and added after a moment's thought, "Do you have any entertainers here? Singers, dancers, musicians? Call a few to amuse me."

"What are you waiting for? Go on." She raised an eyebrow and snapped her fingers.

Before long, Wu Zhen was comfortably seated on the white stone platform by the lotus pond. The servants had swiftly laid out soft cushions and rugs, arranged a couch and small tables, and set out an array of food and drinks. A strikingly alluring woman knelt at her feet to pour wine, while several slender, graceful figures danced in the distance to the music. Their sheer robes fluttered like celestial beings in the mountain breeze, complementing the melody and the lotus-filled pond—a truly picturesque scene.Wu Zhen took a sip of the fine wine and realized it was something she had never tasted before. Instantly more delighted, she leaned back on the soft cushions, enjoying the music and dance while savoring the wine. With a contented sigh, she picked up a chopstick and tapped it rhythmically to the music. The performances by these yao spirits were quite different from what she usually saw in Chang'an, possessing unique merits. She thought she could share some pointers with her lady friends back home.

"Madam, would you like me to massage your legs?" A little yao exuding the fragrance of lotus flowers approached with a grin.

Wu Zhen gave an affirmative hum and accepted the kind gesture. The lotus yao sat beside her and began massaging her legs. Meanwhile, the yao serving wine quickly raised the jug and said softly, "Madam, allow me to refill your cup."

Wu Zhen took another sip, humming a few notes, then suddenly praised the pipa player, "That pipa sounds wonderful."

The yao stood up and bowed respectfully. "You flatter me, Madam. I am a pipa spirit."

Ah, no wonder she played so well. Wu Zhen studied her with interest, tempted to bring her back to Chang'an. With just a little refinement, she could become a master musician.

The dancers were also exceptional, no less skilled than the performers from Chang'an's Haichun and Wuyu dance troupes.

"Madam, I can sing too. Would you like me to perform a song for you?"

"Sure, let's hear it."

"Madam, I can also—"

Wu Zhen waved her hand. "One at a time."

——

Mei Zhuyu's vision darkened, followed by a wave of dizziness. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them, he found himself in a strangely familiar place. After a moment of surprise, he realized it was his old quarters at Changxi Temple.

Then he noticed his hands were tied behind his back. Mei Zhuyu sat up and exerted a little force, easily snapping the thick ropes. Ignoring the broken bindings, he frowned and strode toward the door. It was locked, so he pushed hard—the door creaked loudly as half of it was torn off its hinges. Setting the broken door aside, he stepped out calmly.

Outside, the night was deep and still. It was indeed Changxi Temple. But how had his wife ended up here, and why had she been tied up? Worried that something might have happened and fearing she might have suffered, his expression darkened as he walked forward.

He knew this place well. Even in the dim light, he effortlessly avoided the uneven ground and the protruding, crumbling stones along the walls.

Two young Taoist priests approached him. Seeing him emerge, they hurried forward but shrank back instinctively when they noticed his grim expression.

"L-Little Uncle?"

Mei Zhuyu nodded curtly and walked past them without stopping.

The two young priests watched his tall, lean figure disappear into the distance. One asked dumbly, "The Grandmaster said we should tie Little Uncle up, but now he's broken free. Should we still try?"

The other grimaced. "I don't dare. The senior brothers said Little Uncle hits harder than the Grandmaster."

Thus, the "Little Uncle" known for his painful strikes made his way unimpeded—relying solely on his icy gaze and stern demeanor—straight to the door of his master, Siqing Daozhang.At this moment, Siqing Daozhang and a few white-bearded disciples were discussing Mei Zhuyu's matter. Siqing Daozhang's loud voice could be heard inside the room saying, "That person's nonsense can't be trusted. Let's lock her up for a couple of days first."

One senior brother worriedly said, "What if what she said is true and Junior Brother Guyu is really in danger? Shouldn't we go check on him ourselves?"

Siqing Daozhang laughed heartily and replied, "What's there to fear? My disciple Guyu is so capable, he won't die easily. It's good to let him suffer a bit for a couple of days. When we appear at his most critical moment, won't it highlight this master's heroism even more? At that time..."

Just then, the door creaked open, revealing Mei Zhuyu's face outside. The spittle-flying Siqing Daozhang suddenly met his junior disciple's expressionless face. That all-too-familiar look instantly choked Siqing Daozhang's smug words in his throat.