Moonlit Reunion

Mei Zhuyu didn't notice her intention. Worried that the small pouch might be accidentally knocked off by the cat again, he securely tied it around his waist with a knot and stood up to move to the writing desk, distancing himself from Wu Zhen.

Wu Zhen, of course, wouldn't give up so easily and followed him to the desk.

Mei Zhuyu sat properly at the desk and began grinding ink, preparing to write something. Seeing the cat approach, he recalled the tabby cat that had dipped its paw in ink last time. Though unsure if it was the same one, he moved the inkstone to the other side, away from the cat.

Noticing he didn't seem inclined to shoo her away, Wu Zhen jumped onto the desk. Her eyes fixed on Mei Zhuyu's slightly slender waist... and the pouch containing the Undying Bone. It took her a moment to realize what Mei Zhuyu was writing.

He was drafting a betrothal letter, the kind that included his own birth details, used for marriage proposals. Wu Zhen felt a complex mix of emotions, glancing between the young man's waist and his face.

Just yesterday, she had received news from her father and elder sister. How was it that today, the young man was already writing this? Shouldn't marriage negotiations proceed slowly? Reflecting on past experiences, Wu Zhen realized things had never moved this quickly. Perhaps her father and sister feared complications and decided to settle the matter swiftly.

But she hadn't made up her mind yet. This young man was four years her junior, alone and without support. As the esteemed Cat Official, she couldn't possibly leverage her family's influence or her sister's position as the empress to force him into marriage.

Wu Zhen was well aware of the rumors circulating about her—reckless, unrestrained, disregarding propriety, unlearned, and so on—none of them flattering. Suitable matches were unwilling to marry her, or more accurately, too afraid to. Judging by Mei Zhuyu's demeanor, he clearly wasn't her type and likely looked down on people like her, probably unwilling to marry her.

That made the whole affair rather unappealing.

Wu Zhen had always cherished her freedom and peace, but for some reason, her father and sister were constantly anxious about her marital status. Occasionally, she considered just marrying someone to get it over with. After all, while ordinary women had to worry about being mistreated, in her case, she was the one who'd do the mistreating. If things turned sour, she could always kick him out and return to Duke Yu's residence.

Her indifference to marriage stemmed mostly from her habitual laziness and reluctance to engage with a stranger. The biggest hesitation was—if she really married, it would be hard to sneak out at night without her spouse noticing.

What a hassle.

Feeling a headache coming on, Wu Zhen decided that since she couldn't retrieve the Undying Bone now, lingering here was pointless. She jumped off the desk, planning to leave for the time being.

Silently slipping out the window, she landed on a stone by the pond outside and noticed several red fish hidden beneath the lotus leaves and water plants—she hadn't seen them earlier. The presence of these red fish suddenly brought the lush green courtyard to life.

Unable to resist, she glanced back at Mei Zhuyu inside the room. He was writing the betrothal letter with solemn focus. She turned away again and vaulted over the wall, disappearing.Wu Zhen remained in her cat form as she made her way to Pingkang Ward. Fortunately, Changle Ward wasn’t too far from Pingkang, and with her speed, she arrived in no time. Pingkang Ward housed many brothels, which were relatively quiet during the day. The person Wu Zhen was looking for, Huzhu, resided in the eastern part of Pingkang Ward, in a small but exquisitely decorated and luxurious courtyard.

The Cat Official had two deputies: one was the eccentric and unrestrained Shengun (The Charlatan), while the other was the ever-flourishing Huzhu. Huzhu was quite the celebrity in Chang’an—the most renowned courtesan in Pingkang Ward. With both talent and beauty, countless literati had composed poems and lyrics for her, and it was common for noble youths to spend fortunes just for a glimpse of her or to share a meal with her.

Given her ability to bewitch hearts, it was hardly surprising that Huzhu’s true form was that of a fox. Since ancient times, in folktales and legends, nine out of ten beautiful demons were fox spirits. Over the years, Wu Zhen had encountered many fox spirits, most of whom were stunningly attractive and naturally flirtatious. Huzhu was among the finest of them—generous with her affections as long as the person caught her fancy.

Huzhu was still catching up on sleep when Wu Zhen leaped through her window and onto the bed. The blankets were wrapped around a sleek, russet-red fox. Wu Zhen stepped right on her, jolting her awake. Huzhu blinked drowsily before transforming into a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

She sat up lazily, the embroidered quilt slipping down to reveal faint rosy marks on her snow-white skin. Glancing at the cat on her bed with her long, glistening eyes, she complained in a husky voice, “Little ancestor, this servant just went to bed not long ago!”

Wu Zhen paid no heed. “Find me some clothes. I need to talk to you about something.”

Huzhu leaned back against a pile of plush pillows, utterly unconcerned about her exposed décolletage, and chuckled as she scooped up the cat. “Things have been peaceful lately. What’s the matter~?”

Wu Zhen lifted a paw, her sharp claws glinting as they emerged from her pads. Huzhu stiffened, instinctively covering her chest before hastily setting the cat down and scrambling out of bed. “Alright, alright, right away! Little ancestor, your patience is truly lacking—I’m terrified of you.”

Huzhu didn’t have any men’s clothing, only an assortment of beautiful dresses. Wu Zhen disliked wearing skirts as they were inconvenient for riding, and she hadn’t worn one in a while. Still, she didn’t complain further, simply donning the dress before turning to the yawning Huzhu with a serious expression. “The Snake Lord told me they’ve detected traces of an Undying Corpse in Chang’an. That thing has scattered who knows how many Undying Bones around. We need to find them as soon as possible.”

Huzhu sighed and folded her arms. “Understood. I’ll keep an ear out for anyone who’s been particularly unlucky lately.”

Those carrying an Undying Bone would suffer extraordinary misfortune. Most people would simply chalk it up to bad luck, unaware that the bone attracted malevolent entities. Huzhu had an extensive network of information, making her the perfect candidate for this investigation.

Once business was concluded, Huzhu studied her and asked, “What happened today? Why are you like this, without even retrieving your clothes?”

Wu Zhen replied, “My clothes are still under Mei Jia Dalang’s bed.”

Huzhu’s eyes lit up. “Oh? That little lordling you mentioned last night—the one who wants to marry you?”

Wu Zhen waved a hand dismissively. “Let’s not talk about that.”Huzhu was burning with curiosity, but seeing Wu Zhen's demeanor, she knew she wouldn't get any answers. She could only sigh inwardly in regret and ask, "Tonight we'll need to search around Chang'an city, right?"

Wu Zhen: "You and Shengun go. I need to visit Mei Jia Dalang's place. He has an Undying Bone, and I must retrieve it."

That young man was carrying an Undying Bone, and she had dropped another one under his bed. If left unattended, he might not survive the night in that room.

Huzhu: "But Mei Jia Dalang..."

Wu Zhen shot her a glance, and Huzhu reluctantly closed her mouth.

"Alright, stay vigilant and find the other Undying Bones as soon as possible. I'm leaving first." Before heading to Mei Dalang's place, she needed to return home to have dinner with her elderly father.

Wu Zhen once again climbed down from the second-floor window. Huzhu heard a curse outside—apparently, the Cat Official, unused to wearing skirts, had accidentally snagged her hem on a branch and nearly fallen.

Upon returning to Duke Yu's residence, Wu Zhen was surprised to find her father sitting in the hall with a beaming smile.

"Why so happy? What good news?"

Duke Yu stroked his beard and beckoned her. "Come, let me show you something."

Following her mysterious father to the back, Wu Zhen saw a large goose in a wooden cage. Duke Yu pointed at it and said, "This goose was brought by the matchmaker for the betrothal ceremony today. Mei Jia Dalang hunted it himself. Rumor has it he took leave specifically to find this goose outside the city just for the proposal. Such sincerity is rare! Since he's so earnest, he'll surely treat you well in the future."

Wu Zhen: "...You work fast, old man."

Duke Yu snorted. "If I didn't, it'd fall through again."

Seeing her father's delighted expression, Wu Zhen's heart softened. She couldn't bear to disappoint him constantly. After all, marriage was just a trivial matter—why not indulge him this once to put his mind at ease? Still, there was one thing she needed to clarify.

Half-jokingly, she asked, "Does Mei Jia Dalang truly want to marry me, or is he being forced by you, Her Majesty the Empress, and Consort Mei?"

Duke Yu: "Didn't I tell you? This marriage was proposed by Mei Jia Dalang to Consort Mei first."

"He initiated it?" Wu Zhen was genuinely taken aback. Even after dinner, as she sneaked out to Mei Jia Dalang's residence, she kept wondering if she had met Mei Zhuyu before.

After much thought, Wu Zhen couldn't recall anything. She temporarily set the matter aside and perched on the wall, concealed by a large tree, watching the lit window. She planned to wait until Mei Zhuyu fell asleep before sneaking in to retrieve the two Undying Bones.

Yet, as the night deepened, the light remained on. For some reason, Mei Zhuyu hadn't gone to bed. The night watchman's drum echoed through the streets. Squatting on the wall, Wu Zhen felt her legs growing numb.

She stood up to stretch when suddenly, she sensed something and turned toward the courtyard. A shadowy figure appeared, twisting until it took the form of a pitifully delicate young woman.

The girl flirtatiously adjusted her hair, then suddenly turned and smiled at Wu Zhen's direction. Her lips moved silently, forming a few words, before she stepped forward and knocked on Mei Zhuyu's door.Wu Zhen could certainly tell that this young girl was Huzhu in disguise. The words she had just uttered were—"Let me help you."

Late at night, someone knocked on the door. Upon opening it, there stood a delicate and pitifully beautiful woman, claiming she was fleeing from villains and begging for shelter. Any ordinary man, even if suspicious, would likely be moved by her beauty and vulnerability, finding it hard to turn her away.

But Mei Jia Dalang, after frowning and listening to the girl's plea, remained utterly unmoved. He directly summoned an elderly servant from the household, and together they escorted the pitiful girl out the gate. He then called over the patrolling guards at the street corner, explicitly stating that this woman had trespassed into private property late at night under dubious circumstances, and instructed them to detain her according to the law.

The two patrolling soldiers recognized Mei Zhuyu. When a murder case had occurred in the district earlier, it was this very Mei Langzhong who had led the investigation to its conclusion. Whether faced with a gruesome corpse or a grieving mother weeping inconsolably for her lost son, he had maintained the same detached and indifferent demeanor throughout, swiftly closing the case without a single unnecessary word, leaving others with the impression of a cold and unfeeling man.

Thus, though they found the girl delicate and pitiful, under Mei Langzhong's stern gaze, they dared not utter a word and obediently took her away.

Watching Huzhu's stunned expression as she was led away by the soldiers, Wu Zhen silently thought, "Hard luck," and seized the opportunity to slip into Mei Jia Dalang's room. She retrieved the clothes she had left there during the day and the Undying Bone. However, one item was nowhere to be found on the bed, likely still on Mei Jia Dalang's person.

Mei Zhuyu returned too quickly. Wu Zhen was still deliberating whether to leave for now or hide in the room and wait for another chance when the door was pushed open. This left her no time to hesitate—she swiftly ducked and rolled under the bed.

She was utterly confident in her ability to conceal her presence undetected. All she needed was for the young master to fall asleep so she could retrieve the Undying Bone from him.

But to her surprise, the moment Mei Jia Dalang approached the bed, he coldly barked, "Who's hiding there?!" In an instant, he reached down, seized her arm, and dragged her out from under the bed.

With one arm pinned, Wu Zhen lay on her back and thought: This is bad—I've capsized in a ditch.