Moonlit Reunion Episode 19 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
Wu Zhen sat beside Mei Zhuyu, observing him as he drank. She noted that unlike others when drunk, he didn't make a scene but simply clutched the wine jar. Wu Zhen teased him, remarking she thought he didn't drink and that his current consumption was a waste of fine Apricot Gold wine, which should be savored slowly due to its strong after-effect. Mei Zhuyu, annoyed, questioned why she bothered with him instead of escorting her cousin.
As night fell, Wu Zhen helped the heavily intoxicated Mei Zhuyu back to his room. Suddenly, he looked up and gazed at her, declaring she was "a fruit that fell from my tree." This unexpected remark stirred Wu Zhen's memories of their first meeting. Still, Mei Zhuyu continued to warn her to stay away from Pei Jiya, calling him "no good." Wu Zhen affectionately agreed that "Our Young Master Mei is the best."
Unable to support himself, he eventually leaned into her arms and fell into a deep sleep, leaving Wu Zhen pondering his unspoken thoughts. Mei Si, worried about Liu Taizhen, journeyed alone to Mountain Luwei to visit her. He found her lying on a couch, pale and urging him to leave.
Instead of retreating, Mei Si noticed a winding snake tail by the couch, recalling a snake demon he had once encountered at the Liu manor, and suspected a demon was possessing her. In a moment of panic, he yanked away the covers, only to discover Liu Taizhen's true form—a snake coiled on the bed. Terrified, he cried out and stumbled backward, then fled in a hurry. Liu Taizhen watched his retreating figure, her eyes reflecting a profound sadness.
Later that night, Liu Taizhen heard a noise outside. Fearing Mei Si had returned with others to capture her, much like a heartless lover from her past, she began to gather her demonic energy, ready for a fight. To her surprise, Mei Si entered alone, carrying a bucket of water and a basket of mulberry leaves.
He explained that he had learned from "Records of Strange Demons" that snake demons are extremely weak during shedding and require aloe, boxwood, and mulberry leaves. Unable to find the first two, he had gathered various fresh mulberry leaves. Liu Taizhen gazed at his sincere, smiling face, her heart stirred, and she remained speechless. The next morning, Wu Zhen and Pei Jiya left the manor together for an outing, sparking rumors in the capital that their engagement was imminent.
Mei Zhuyu's colleague delivered the requested scrolls on dark magic, using the opportunity to prod Mei Zhuyu, suggesting he should be more proactive if he truly cared for Wu Zhen. Mei Zhuyu, appearing calm, responded that he wasn't worried about her affection for another, but rather feared she might choose the wrong person. Inside the carriage, Pei Jiya noticed Wu Zhen seemed disengaged and suggested they visit the countryside.
However, Wu Zhen suddenly proposed they go to the Lin'an River instead. Meanwhile, in the Demon Market, Wu Zishu overheard gossip about Wu Zhen and Pei Jiya's constant companionship, which ignited jealousy within him and allowed a malevolent residual soul within his body to take advantage of his vulnerability. When Wu Zhen later noticed his strange demeanor, Wu Zishu quickly brushed it off as a nightmare and gave her the Zhaoming Mirror.
Wu Zhen, suspecting nothing, simply asked him for another favor. Mei Si kept vigil by Liu Taizhen's bedside throughout the night. Seeing her awaken and realizing the mulberry leaves were almost gone, he set out to gather more. At a village entrance, he witnessed two crude men displaying a "snake demon" in a cage, drawing a crowd of villagers. The caged woman appeared distressed, evoking Mei Si's compassion.
After the crowd dispersed, he discreetly entered the courtyard to investigate and discovered the woman was not a snake demon at all. Liu Taizhen grew concerned when Mei Si did not return, so she went out to find him. Unbeknownst to them, the two evil men were secretly watching. They had kidnapped the innocent woman and forced her to impersonate a snake demon for their scams. Seeing Mei Si attempting to rescue the woman, they rushed out to corner him.
The woman, touched by Mei Si's kindness, had a change of heart and helped him escape. Liu Taizhen, hidden in the shadows, used her magic to subdue the two scoundrels. After they had escaped to safety, the woman confessed her plight to Mei Si, pleading to serve him for the rest of her life. Mei Si gently declined, explaining that his fiancée was waiting for him at home. Liu Taizhen, who had witnessed this exchange, was moved by his loyalty.
Now, Mei Si harbored no fear of Liu Taizhen's snake form; instead, he felt admiration and tenderness, which only strengthened his desire to marry her. Liu Taizhen's expression remained serene, but a hint of softness flickered in her eyes. Together, they returned to Chang'an. Mei Zhuyu saw Pei Jiya's betrothal gifts being delivered to the Duke's manor and heard that Pei Jiya was alone with Wu Zhen.
Concerned for Wu Zhen's safety, he immediately rushed to the Lin'an River, unaware that he was walking straight into Pei Jiya's trap. Wu Zhen sat alone on a pleasure boat, reading a scroll that described someone trading their flesh and blood with evil spirits for power, eventually becoming a demon themselves. Pei Jiya smiled faintly without replying. Sensing Mei Zhuyu's arrival, he lit a secret incense in the censer, activating a containment array.
Mei Zhuyu found his magic suppressed by the incense, making it difficult to fight, so he struggled to hold his ground. Wu Zhen, no longer pretending, tossed the book she was holding to Pei Jiya and leaped into the Lin'an River. Pei Jiya was momentarily flustered, only to see the book transform into Wu Zishu, who swiftly overpowered him. Wu Zhen, after her dive, emerged from the water and rescued Mei Zhuyu. With both of them now caught in the formation, Wu Zishu, seeing Pei Jiya's stubborn defiance, struck him unconscious with a flick of his sleeve.
