Moonlit Reunion Episode 3 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
Wu Zhen stared coldly at Xie Loubo, accusing him of being a vulgar lowlife who bullied the weak. Xie Loubo responded by asking what she was doing. Wu Zhen claimed she had missed him and invited him to try incense, but then clarified she simply wanted to humiliate him. She further exposed his hypocrisy, stating he flaunted his family name and only cared for trivial matters, unlike a true scholar or gentleman who teaches, helps society, or acts chivalrously.
Wu Zhen, who accepted her own reputation as spoiled and unruly, asserted that Xie Loubo, despite his outward appearance, was worthless. When Manager Lingxiao was told to put Xie Loubo’s incense mist on Wu Zhen's tab, she agreed, implying that Xie Loubo's family had cut off his allowance and he couldn't pay his own bill. Xie Loubo, angered, stated he didn't need her to pay, prompting Wu Zhen to insist he pay himself. Shamed, Xie Loubo left.
After Xie Loubo's departure, Mei Si confided in Mei Zhuyu about Wu Zhen's unusual personality, which he believed stemmed from a tragedy eighteen years prior. He recounted the Great Fire of Chang'an, during which Wu Zhen got lost and was found unconscious, remaining comatose for three months, with her family even preparing for her funeral. Upon waking, her personality changed dramatically, becoming audacious and unruly.
The Wu family, overjoyed at her survival, spoiled her excessively, with only her elder sister daring to reprimand her. Mei Si advised Mei Zhuyu to be careful with Wu Zhen, warning he might not be able to handle her. Mei Si then mentioned that Minister Liu, Lady Liu's father, was hosting a Shao Wei Banquet soon and suggested Mei Zhuyu attend as the Mei family's representative.
Mei Zhuyu declined, stating he had more important matters, specifically the search for the Wu Hua Gu, a strange object that had caused a bat demon disturbance, with Wu Zishu assisting in the search. Noticing the late hour, Mei Zhuyu announced he needed to leave as the sun had set, having agreed to help a shop manager investigate a case. That night, Mei Zhuyu arrived at the jewelry workshop, introducing himself as Mei Zhuyu from the Xuanjian Bureau.
The nervous manager, who had reported a strange incident, explained that he had heard a voice while sleeping and that the "monster" only appeared after sunset. Unbeknownst to Mei Zhuyu, Wu Zhen was already inside, having secretly entered earlier to investigate the floating jewels and the Wu Hua Gu. She managed to evade Mei Zhuyu's notice by hiding multiple times in the shadows. As Mei Zhuyu approached, the manager suddenly screamed, claiming a monster had attacked him.
Mei Zhuyu saw a tabby cat leap out and disappear into the night. When the manager asked if the "monster" had escaped, he expressed relief upon hearing it was gone. He then became anxious about his valuable possessions, particularly a lamp meant as a gift for Minister Liu’s Shao Wei Banquet, fearing Mei Zhuyu might have damaged them and couldn't afford the compensation. Wu Zhen was still frustrated about not having found the Wu Hua Gu.
Wu Zishu, however, reassured her, stating that the Wu Hua Gu, despite its inert appearance, was cunning and would inevitably resurface to cause mischief, making its eventual discovery certain. Wu Zishu then presented Wu Zhen with a new medicine, an ancient, lost recipe designed to help her transform fully into a demon. After Wu Zhen took it, cat ears sprouted from her head, causing her concern about being discovered, though Wu Zishu found them rather appealing.
Fortunately, the ears eventually receded, and Wu Zhen was relieved to return to her normal appearance. Later that night, returning home, Wu Zhen found her father, Wu Chundao, playing the role of a celestial master. Wu Chundao, asserting himself as an outer disciple of Changxi Palace—a claim Wu Zhen scoffed at, reminding him the palace had closed long ago—insisted on his mystical pursuits.
Wu Zhen also voiced her frustration about her elder sister's strictness, lamenting that as an unwed woman, her mere presence at home seemed to offend her sister daily. Wu Chundao acknowledged his elder daughter's severity but assured Wu Zhen of her sister's underlying affection. He then revealed that Liu Gongshen had been promoted to Minister of Personnel and requested Wu Zhen attend the upcoming Shao Wei Banquet on his behalf, as he had retired from public office.
Wu Chundao also presented Wu Zhen with a "mosquito-repelling charm pot" he had acquired, which Wu Zhen, dismayed by his habit of collecting seemingly useless items, dismissed as "junk" turning their home into a "junkyard," though her father insisted it was a "rare treasure." After much pleading from Wu Chundao, Wu Zhen reluctantly agreed to attend the banquet.
The next morning, at the jewelry workshop, Xie Loubo arrived to collect a specially crafted glazed lantern intended for Liu Gongshen's Shao Wei Banquet. Noticing a missing gem, he instructed a craftsman to inlay the Wu Hua Gu in its place. As the lamp was lit, its beautiful design was illuminated, projecting the figure of a woman onto the wall. The craftsmen marveled at the lifelike quality of the painted figure.
Suddenly, one craftsman cried out that the shadow had turned its head, but the other dismissed it as foolish talk, urging him to quickly wrap the lantern. On the day of the Shao Wei Banquet, Mei Zhuyu accompanied Mei Si to the Liu residence. Mei Si somberly recounted his last visit five years prior, when he had proposed to Lady Liu.
He remembered her looking at him with the same smile she had when their families arranged their childhood betrothal, saying "good," only to follow it with a harsh "Get out." She had since returned all his gifts and forbade him from coming within thirty feet of the residence, threatening to set dogs on him.
Upon their arrival, they were immediately subjected to ridicule from various nobles who mocked Mei Zhuyu’s humble donkey cart and maliciously alluded to rumors of Wu Zhen’s "favor" towards him. As their laughter filled the air, the clear ringing of imperial bells heralded the arrival of Wu Zhen's magnificent carriage. Wu Zhen emerged, her eyes briefly meeting Mei Zhuyu's.
She offered a sarcastic apology to the crowd for startling them with her grand carriage, dryly remarking that she preferred Mei Zhuyu’s "delicate and charming" little donkey cart. She then subtly assured Mei Zhuyu, "Don’t worry. With me here, I won’t let anyone else’s dog bite you," effectively silencing his tormentors. During the banquet, Wu Zhen's servants presented gifts from her father. Among them, a painting was unrolled to reveal a portrait of Liu Taizhen.
Wu Zhen immediately recognized it as Mei Si's work but said nothing publicly, while Liu Taizhen accepted the portrait with composure. Mei Zhuyu then presented his own gift, a simple, ancient inkstone. Minister Liu accepted it graciously, praising its durable quality and comparing Mei Zhuyu to it. Xie Loubo, however, scoffed at the offering.
Mei Zhuyu then confronted Xie Loubo, echoing Wu Zhen's earlier words by warning him and others to refrain from commenting on her possessions, and by extension, him. Prompted to present his own gift, Xie Loubo unveiled the intricately crafted glazed lantern, which he claimed to have made especially for Lady Liu. Guests admired its exquisite detail, noting the embedded Wu Hua Gu was glowing with a strange light, which Wu Zhen, Liu Taizhen, and Mei Zhuyu all noticed.
Xie Loubo proudly pointed out that the woman depicted on the lamp was Lady Liu herself, and recited a poem he had inscribed. The attendees praised his poetic talent. Mei Zhuyu then subtly asked Wu Zhen if she was looking for the mysterious object. Acknowledging this, Wu Zhen attributed her unusual calm regarding supernatural phenomena to her "family traditions" and her father's long-standing obsession with celestial master arts.
Mei Zhuyu explained that he had read about shadow demons and believed one might be present. Wu Zhen then produced the "demon-repelling charm pot" from her father. Mei Zhuyu proposed a strategy: extinguish all the candles to force the shadow demon out, then reignite them to pinpoint its location. Wu Zhen agreed to assist him. Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu, having tacitly acknowledged each other's ability to perceive evil spirits, discreetly left the main hall.
Realizing the shadow demon was cleverly hidden among the candle shadows, they implemented Mei Zhuyu's plan and split up. They moved swiftly through the corridors, extinguishing the candles and plunging the main hall into darkness. As predicted, a ghostly shadow darted from the lantern, racing towards a side room where gifts were piled. Guests reacted with panic as the lights went out.
In the side room, Mei Si was engrossed in drawing a portrait of Liu Taizhen when the shadow demon attacked, wrapping itself around his neck. At the critical moment, Liu Taizhen revealed her true form, enveloped in a radiant white light, to fend off the demon. Before losing consciousness, Mei Si vaguely perceived her as a mystical, almost demonic, figure. Liu Taizhen then entrusted the unconscious Mei Si to Wu Zhen.
Meanwhile, Mei Zhuyu entered the side room alone and successfully subdued the shadow demon, trapping it within the glazed lantern. As he did so, he noticed the glowing Wu Hua Gu embedded in the lantern's casing and discreetly took it. Wu Zhen quickly followed, and Mei Zhuyu, appearing calm, simply handed her the now-normal glazed lantern, stating he had only found Xie Loubo's lamp.
Taking the lantern, Wu Zhen examined the inscribed poem and noticed that its style was vastly different from Xie Loubo's usual work, leading her to conclude that the poem was not written by him.
