Moonlit Reunion

A new music house had opened in Pingkang Ward. As someone who frequented such establishments, Wu Zhen naturally went to show her support at the first opportunity—not only going herself but also dragging her husband along.

Mei Zhuyu had assumed it was just an ordinary music house. However, the moment he stepped inside, he sensed Demonic Qi. Looking around at the servants greeting guests, the graceful dancers, and the entertainers leaning against the upstairs railing, enthusiastically waving their hands, he paused and asked Wu Zhen, "Are they all demons?"

Wu Zhen grinned, tugging at his arm to make him bend slightly as she whispered in his ear, "You definitely don’t know where I brought them back from."

Mei Zhuyu truly didn’t. He had assumed they were demons from the Demon Market. He was well aware that his limited imagination could never match Wu Zhen’s unrestrained thinking, so he didn’t bother guessing and simply waited for her to explain.

Wu Zhen didn’t keep him in suspense. With a laugh, she revealed their origins—these were the demons who had been trapped in the Barrier when she was captured by the monster Ying. After Ying’s death, they were freed, and Wu Zhen seized the chance to invite the ones she liked to tidy up and come to Chang’an under her patronage. In fact, they had arrived in the capital just a few days after their own group.

Even though Mei Zhuyu understood Wu Zhen’s temperament well, he was still taken aback by her audacious poaching. But seeing her utterly unapologetic expression, he felt he might be overreacting.

Mei Zhuyu quickly composed himself. Spotting a few familiar-looking maidservants in new clothes carrying trays of fruit, he recognized them as the field mouse demon women who had cared for "Wu Zhen" in the Barrier.

So it was true—Wu Zhen really had brought back Ying’s former Demon Servants.

Wu Zhen subtly observed the subtle shifts in her husband’s expression, watching him cycle through astonishment, hesitation, disbelief, speechlessness, and finally calm indifference. To someone unfamiliar with him, it might seem like he hadn’t reacted at all, but Wu Zhen was growing more attuned to him—even the slightest twitch of his brow told her exactly what he was feeling.

She found it endlessly amusing. She loved seeing him display these little emotions. Suppressing a chuckle, she cleared her throat and continued, "I picked this residence for them. Originally, I planned to settle them in the Demon Market, but they wanted to sing and dance, so I helped them open a music house. It’s a way for them to earn a living."

The property had been abandoned for some time. It had once been a music house, but the owner had forced the entertainers and dancers into other unsavory businesses, driving several to their deaths. Afterward, the place became haunted, and over time, the music house shut down. No one wanted to buy it—which worked out perfectly for Wu Zhen.

There were indeed a few wandering spirits in the house, all pitiful women in life who had never harmed anyone. Wu Zhen left them be. Ordinary people might fear living here, but for these demons, it made no difference. They could even keep each other company.

Due to the residence’s sinister reputation, the music house had few customers at first. Wu Zhen, dragging Mei Zhuyu along as the first patrons, received an enthusiastic welcome. Within moments, a crowd of beautiful women swarmed over, eager to escort Wu Zhen upstairs.However, no one dared to approach Mei Zhuyu. In fact, none of the demons even dared to look directly at him—and it wasn’t their fault. The moment Mei Zhuyu entered the music house, sensing the Demonic Qi, he had instinctively released a trace of his spiritual energy. This made all the demons realize he was a formidable Taoist priest. If not for Wu Zhen bringing him in, these demons, accustomed to freedom outside, would have scrambled to hide. Like rabbits spotting an eagle or chickens seeing a weasel, it was instinctive. Even as they tried to suppress it, their expressions remained stiff.

Seeing them avoid Mei Zhuyu as if he were the plague, Wu Zhen suppressed a laugh and said sternly, "If you come to Chang’an, you must follow the rules. Since you enjoy song and dance, then run this music house properly. If you break the rules here, this Taoist priest will be the first to deal with you. Understood?"

"Understood, understood! We understand!" The demons nodded vigorously, stealing glances at Mei Zhuyu.

Unfazed at being used as a deterrent, Mei Zhuyu remained silent throughout as he and Wu Zhen spent the morning watching the performances. The flirtatious and alluring dances held no appeal for him, so his mind began to wander. Unable to resist, Wu Zhen tried to share the beauty of the performances with him. Left with no choice, Mei Zhuyu forced himself to focus, staring intently at the singers and dancers in an attempt to appreciate what Wu Zhen found so captivating.

Instead of finding any enjoyment, however, his intense gaze only made the demons stiffen in fear. One young sable demon was so terrified it reverted to its original form, trembling as it hid beneath a cushion. Seeing her husband’s helpless expression, Wu Zhen burst into laughter, slapping the table in amusement.

After this incident, Wu Zhen stopped dragging Mei Zhuyu to the music house for performances. She herself visited the place for three days before ceasing to go. News of her patronage had spread, attracting many followers. Within days, the music house’s business flourished, and having served her purpose as the catalyst, Wu Zhen gracefully stepped back.

As autumn deepened, Wu Zhen had servants bring in numerous chrysanthemums—deep red ink chrysanthemums, delicate white jade chrysanthemums, coldly elegant green chrysanthemums, yellow and pink blooms—arranging them in clusters throughout the house. Dozens of pots lined the corridors, filling the air with their fragrance wherever one passed. Unlike the overpowering sweetness of osmanthus, the chrysanthemum scent was subtle and lingering, carrying the crisp essence of autumn.

Having just indulged in osmanthus cakes, osmanthus tea, and osmanthus-scented dumplings, the blooming chrysanthemums soon inspired the kitchen to create a variety of chrysanthemum-based delicacies. Mornings began with chrysanthemum porridge, lunch featured chrysanthemum soup, and evenings concluded with chrysanthemum tea. Within two days, Wu Zhen grew tired of the monotony and sought out new flavors, soon procuring a large basket of crabs.

"Autumn crabs are the most delicious!"

At the peak of their richness, the crabs Wu Zhen brought back were exceptionally large. Steamed and cracked open, their shells revealed generous golden globs of roe, mouthwatering in appearance and exquisitely flavorful in taste.

In previous years, Wu Zhen would have the servants procure the finest crabs at this time. But this year, due to her pregnancy, she couldn’t indulge much. Thus, the entire basket went to Mei Zhuyu, leaving Wu Zhen to watch longingly—without even a sip of wine to console her. Truly pitiable.She couldn't eat together, so no matter how delicious the food was, Mei Zhuyu found it tasteless and didn't care much for it. Seeing him so unappreciative, Wu Zhen wouldn't have it. With deliberate mischief, she said, "Even though I can't eat it, if you do, I can still get a taste."

Mei Zhuyu didn't quite understand how he eating it would let her taste it. Wu Zhen answered with action—after he finished, she pounced on him and kissed him thoroughly. Caught off guard, Mei Zhuyu turned red to the tips of his ears, the flush on his neck impossible to hide. When Wu Zhen playfully leaned in for another kiss, he hastily retreated.

In previous years, Wu Zhen had eaten plenty of crabs, so her friends had grown accustomed to sending her several baskets during this season. This year, once crab season began, the Mei household received deliveries daily. With Wu Zhen's numerous friends sending baskets from all over, the kitchen was nearly overflowing. It fell to Mei Zhuyu and the household servants to eat them all. Within just a few days, Mei Zhuyu felt he had gained weight, prompting him to extend his morning sword practice sessions.

Wu Zhen was delighted by this. Lying sprawled on the bed at night, she ran her hands over her husband's waist and said with a grin, "A little extra weight is good. The first time I saw you, I thought you were too thin." Too thin, too sharp—it had made her heart ache. He had looked like an unhappy child.

Mei Zhuyu cautiously touched her slightly rounded belly and pulled the blanket up higher. Wu Zhen burst out laughing and deliberately grabbed his large hand, slapping it against her stomach with a crisp sound. Mei Zhuyu instantly withdrew his hand, frowning disapprovingly. "Don't slap like that..."

Wu Zhen teased him, "What, are you afraid of waking him up?"

Mei Zhuyu held her hand under the blanket and said, "You haven't been eating well lately."

Wu Zhen's appetite had been poor recently—a common occurrence in early pregnancy. She didn't mind; there wasn't a delicacy she hadn't tasted, and skipping a few meals wouldn't hurt. Instead, she found more joy in finding tasty treats for her husband. Wasn't autumn the perfect season to fatten up? It would be a shame to let the season's bounty go to waste.

For Mei Zhuyu, Wu Zhen's poor appetite was a serious concern. He worried daily, but unlike her, he wasn't familiar with all the delicious foods in Chang'an. He didn't know where to find fresh, tasty dishes for her. The bigger problem was that he didn't even know what she wanted to eat—a question Wu Zhen herself couldn't answer. Such was the unpredictable cravings of pregnancy.

Preoccupied with this dilemma, Mei Zhuyu often wore a troubled expression even while working at the Ministry of Justice. His already stern demeanor became even more unapproachable.

"My wife is pregnant, and her tastes have changed completely. She insists on eating Wang Er's pickles every day, and the whole family has to eat them with her. My teeth have been aching nonstop..." A minor official from the Ministry of Justice was venting to his colleague when a voice suddenly spoke up behind him.

"Excuse me—did you say pregnant women all like Wang Er's pickles?"The clerk turned his head and was startled to see that the speaker was none other than the famous Mei Langzhong from the Ministry of Justice, whose strong work ethic was as well-known as his reclusive personality. This man usually never initiated conversations outside of work, so his sudden approach left the clerk both flattered and flustered, stammering for a long while before finally recalling the question asked. Clutching the black gauze hat on his head, he hesitated, "Ah, ah? Right, right, pickles. My wife likes them, but whether all pregnant women do, I wouldn't know."

Mei Zhuyu decided to give it a try. Under his questioning, the clerk, still dazed, told him where to buy the pickles. That evening, Mei Zhuyu returned home carrying a large jar of Wang Er's pickles.

"This tastes pretty good, really appetizing," Wu Zhen remarked during dinner, indeed eating more than usual. Seeing this, Mei Zhuyu silently breathed a sigh of relief.

After Mei Zhuyu went to bathe, Wu Zhen grimaced and gulped down a large pot of chrysanthemum tea to wash away the salty taste. Honestly, those pickles were way too salty. If it weren't for wanting to cheer up her husband, who had been looking troubled lately, she wouldn't have touched the stuff. She wondered who had given him such a terrible idea.