Moonlit Reunion Episode 16 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
Pei Jiya, having suffered from asthma since childhood, was often bullied by other children due to his frail health. Wu Zhen always came to his defense, and the two became close playmates who shared a passion for blending incense. Young Wu Zhen once suggested they blend incense together, listing ingredients like plum blossom buds, azalea, La tea powder, wild turmeric, patchouli, licorice, and white honey, showcasing their shared interest.
Years later, at an incense assembly, Pei Jiya presented his creation, the "Jiushi Incense." Wu Zhen found it deeply moving, stirring memories of a garden in full bloom from their childhood, and rated it as "Exquisite." An Biluo, a master perfumer, questioned why Pei Jiya, having traveled so far, chose such common ingredients.
Pei Jiya openly confessed his feelings for Wu Zhen, stating that his incense burned only for one person and that he did not seek to please everyone, but only her. Following the other presentations, An Biluo took the stage as the final contestant. He unveiled his "Qiling Incense," accompanied by a rare censer carved from the Sky-piercing Horn of Linyi, a treasure he claimed was less valuable than the ingredients within.
He announced the main ingredients were "phoenix feathers" and "dragon scales," ground into powder and blended with hundreds of other spices, then sealed for a thousand days. However, when he publicly lit the incense, an unbearable stench filled the hall. While An Biluo appeared entranced, others whispered about the foul odor, some even calling it "rancid." Despite this, the judges, wary of An Biluo's status, hesitantly offered high praise.
Wu Zhen, however, was unequivocal, declaring the scent sinister and reminiscent of a fowl pen. Mei Zhuyu, seated beside her, nodded in agreement. Enraged by Wu Zhen’s honesty, An Biluo changed drastically, revealing that his "dragon scales" were pangolin scales and his "phoenix feathers" came from white geese. He chillingly described the brutal method of extraction, where the most terrified goslings yielded the richest scent from their neck feathers.
As he finished speaking with a maniacal laugh, a dark wind swept through the hall, and a deluge of goose feathers, like an avalanche, cascaded in from outside, plunging everyone into chaos. Mei Zhuyu's eyes turned cold as he swiftly formed a hand seal, his robes fluttering in the gale, ready to act. He chanted an incantation to purify the mind, sharpen focus, and dispel dark fiends and evil.
Wu Zhen and Ling Xiao, sensing something amiss with An Biluo, used their magic to transport him across a river. Ling Xiao, revealing himself as the Cat Master of the Beast Market, attempted to coax the demon goose possessing An Biluo out, appealing to its suffering and offering a new body and justice in the Beast Market.
However, the powerful demon goose, skeptical of Ling Xiao's lack of demon power and accusing him of stalling, retaliated by injuring Ling Xiao and then seizing Wu Zhen by the throat. While the others searched frantically for the missing Wu Zhen and An Biluo, Mei Zhuyu used his abilities to observe them from afar. Seeing Wu Zhen in peril, he leaped across the river, striking the demon with a forceful punch that expelled it from An Biluo’s body.
The freed demon immediately fled, vanishing like a shadow. As everyone else arrived, Pei Jiya rushed to Wu Zhen's side, asking if she was alright. Wu Zhen’s gaze, however, remained fixed on Pei Jiya alone. Seeing this, Mei Zhuyu silently turned and left. Mei Si, excited by Mei Zhuyu's display of power, asked why he had kept it secret, while others from the Jinwu Guards tried to recruit Mei Zhuyu to their ranks.
Meanwhile, during the chaos, Pei Jiya had secretly obtained the Qijiao resin and delivered it to his benefactor. A flashback revealed that years ago, Pei Jiya was attacked by bandits on his journey from the capital and saved by a mysterious black-clad figure who taught him dark magic. Reflecting on Mei Zhuyu's recent use of magic, which bore a striking resemblance to his benefactor’s, Pei Jiya began to suspect that Mei Zhuyu might also be connected to the Changxi Palace.
Mei Zhuyu tracked the escaped demon goose to a dilapidated house. There, he spoke to the resentful spirit, acknowledging its suffering and its intention to warn against cruelty rather than harm innocents. He reassured it that An Biluo would face justice and constant fear. Mei Zhuyu then performed a ritual to resolve the demon’s resentment, helping it to reincarnate. Soon after, Wu Zhen arrived, having followed clues from An Biluo’s possessed words.
Inside the house, she was horrified by the sight of numerous animal carcasses, realizing the true extent of An Biluo's cruel practices to create incense and why a tormented spirit had possessed him. Mei Zhuyu explained that while many bodies remained, there was still a living creature. They discovered a small, live duckling, which Wu Zhen immediately decided to take home.
Upon returning to her manor with the duckling, Wu Zhen was surprised to find her father, Duke Wu, had returned from his travels. He had heard the rumors about two young men living in his house and jokingly called the duckling his "grandson." Seeing Mei Zhuyu, Mei Si, and Pei Jiya, Duke Wu playfully inquired which of the three young men was to be his future son-in-law.
Pei Jiya promptly declared his purpose in coming to Chang'an was to seek Wu Zhen's hand in marriage and sought the Duke’s permission. Duke Wu did not give a direct answer, instead handing the duckling to Mei Zhuyu. Mei Si, still smitten with Liu Taizhen, anxiously asked Wu Zhen about her. Wu Zhen explained that Liu Taizhen was ill but not seriously, and was currently not in Chang'an but would return in about three days.
Mei Si fretted over the news, expressing his desire to show Liu Taizhen his reproductions of "Notes on Demons and Oddities." He then wondered if her illness was related to a giant white serpent he had seen at her residence, but Xuan Hui said he would need to see it to know. Meanwhile, Liu Taizhen, alone in the mountains preparing to shed her skin, witnessed a black-clad figure mercilessly draining the spiritual essence from a rabbit demon.
Though she wished to intervene, her weakened state prevented her from engaging in a fight, forcing her to flee quickly as the figure's subordinate advised to finish the task quickly. In the Beast Market, a dispute arose between the Zhuan fish demon of Tangquan Baths and the little demons of the massage parlor over business. Wu Zishu invited Wu Zhen to mediate, as he found the situation strangely familiar, like an old case repeating itself.
Wu Zhen, despite her aversion to looking at ledgers, agreed to review the accounts with Wu Zishu to uncover the problem. The next day, Mei Si and Xuan Hui waited impatiently outside Liu Taizhen's residence. As she didn't appear, Xuan Hui, bored, urged Mei Si to take him sightseeing and buy food. Mei Si indulged him, describing the diverse food in Chang'an, including water basin mutton, beef tripe, thousand-layer pastry, and drunken chicken roll.
They stopped at a food stall, where Xuan Hui, in his true form, jumped into a bucket of eels, prompting Mei Si to purchase one for him. Xuan Hui later complained about being hit by the vendor, though Mei Si reminded him the vendor had a knife. They then proceeded to an ink shop. Mei Si explained that it was for painting, not eating, as Xuan Hui initially thought.
Mei Si wished to buy some fine styrax ink, but the shopkeeper informed him that a wealthy customer had recently bought all the good ink. However, he then produced a consigned inkstone, praising its "smooth texture and lustrous as lacquer," claiming it was even better than styrax ink. Mei Si was delighted with the quality and bought it. As Mei Si and Xuan Hui left, the shopkeeper watched them go, a strange smile playing on his lips.
Later, as Wu Zhen peacefully slept in the Beast Market, Wu Zishu watched over her with deep affection. A residual soul appeared, addressing Wu Zishu by his true name, "Lord Qiangyi." Angered by the interruption to his time alone with Wu Zhen, Wu Zishu furiously drove the residual soul away, stating that he would not allow anyone, not even the Heavenly Emperor, to disturb them. Once the residual soul departed, Wu Zishu turned back to Wu Zhen’s sleeping face, his gaze softening once more.
