Moonlit Reunion Episode 4 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
At the Liu residence, servants shrieked about a ghost, drawing Minister Liu Gongshen and his guests to the side hall. There, they discovered Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu alone. Their initial fright over the supposed haunting quickly turned into whispers and gossip about the pair’s private meeting, with some speculating that Mei Zhuyu had once again won the County Princess’s favor. Liu Gongshen tried to dismiss the incident, reassuring everyone that such strange occurrences were impossible in the capital.
Meanwhile, Liu Taizhen, carrying a Glazed Lantern, went to a pavilion. She had learned from Wu Zhen that the shadow demon she sought was connected to the lantern and had brought Xie Loubo to meet it. Xie Loubo arrived, expecting a pleasant encounter with Liu Taizhen, but as the lantern light flickered, the figure of Yun Yi, the shadow demon, gradually materialized.
Liu Taizhen, setting the stage, praised a poetry collection Xie Loubo had sent her, then pointedly remarked that she heard it wasn't actually written by him. When Xie Loubo denied it, Yun Yi stepped forward, revealing herself and crying out, "It was me!" Xie Loubo was terrified, mistaking her for a ghost, but Liu Taizhen clarified that Xie Loubo himself had brought Yun Yi there. Yun Yi recounted her tragic story.
Years ago, she was a renowned poet at a Chang'an music house, born from a century-old lantern’s shadow, though with weak demonic powers. She cherished human culture and poetry, believing herself to be human. She met Xie Loubo, a talented scholar, and was captivated by him. She entrusted him with her life’s poems and savings, hoping he would help publish them.
However, Xie Loubo plagiarized her work, publishing it under his own name to gain fame while dismissing her original poems as “immature and mediocre” when she inquired. When Yun Yi confronted him, he cruelly humiliated her, even spreading lies that she had tried to force him into marriage and then committed suicide out of spite. Despairing, Yun Yi's soul merged with the Glazed Lantern, her physical form fading.
She had re-emerged only because the lantern was re-lit, to seek justice for his deceit. Upon the truth’s revelation, Xie Loubo, horrified, began screaming, "I won't plagiarize anymore!" as he stumbled away, oblivious to Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu approaching. Liu Taizhen restrained Yun Yi from pursuing him, explaining that taking his life would only validate his false claims of being harmed by evil spirits.
Just as Wu Zhen believed, true retribution lay in exposing his misdeeds to the world, letting him suffer public disgrace and witness the collapse of his stolen reputation. Yun Yi conceded, accepting this outcome. Knowing her time was short, as she had only lingered due to the Immortal Bone, Yun Yi wept, lamenting that despite her yearning for human warmth, she found only "hearts as cold as frost."
She expressed that her life experience was enough, and with that, she faded away, leaving only the dim Glazed Lantern. Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu arrived just as her last essence vanished. News of Xie Loubo's plagiarism and his role in Yun Yi's demise spread like wildfire throughout Chang'an, embellished by storytellers. Outraged citizens pelted his residence with rotten eggs and vegetables. Unable to bear the public's scorn, Xie Loubo descended into madness, becoming a public laughingstock.
Empress Wu, impressed by Mei Zhuyu's impartial and compassionate conduct in the Yun Yi affair, summoned Wu Zhen to the palace. Before the Emperor, the Empress lavishly praised Mei Zhuyu, noting his extraordinary character and suggesting Wu Zhen deepen her relationship with him.
The Emperor, who typically indulged his wife, privately advised Wu Zhen to consider marriage carefully, citing his own experiences and warning that despite initial affection, married life involved mundane trivialities that could wear down even the strongest feelings. Still, Wu Zhen was troubled by the unknown whereabouts of the Immortal Bone. The Four Elders of the Beast Market, led by Elder Grey, confronted Wu Zhen, angrily questioning her negligence and reminding her of past incidents.
Wu Zhen calmly accepted a five-day deadline to retrieve the Immortal Bone, placating them for the moment. Wu Zishu, displeased with Elder Grey's overbearing attitude toward Wu Zhen, privately warned the elder. Liu Taizhen, while searching for the Immortal Bone, found no traces of it anywhere except, she suspected, with Mei Zhuyu. Using this as an excuse, Wu Zhen began to frequently visit Mei Zhuyu's residence.
His young attendant, Wenhua, diligently prepared food and wine for her visits, which Mei Zhuyu initially found inappropriate, fearing for Wu Zhen's reputation. Wu Zhen, however, simply stated her own reputation was already "not good" and couldn't get worse. She even climbed over his wall to get in. Mei Si, hearing of Wu Zhen’s frequent visits, came to gossip. Wu Zhen openly confessed her admiration for Mei Zhuyu’s character, praising his integrity.
She noted that he never pandered to the powerful, flattered superiors, or tried to please her because of her status as County Princess, nor was he easily swayed by her challenges. Wu Zhen confided that she saw Mei Zhuyu as a solitary creature, bravely upholding his beliefs in "punishing evil and bringing peace to the good" in a world that didn't quite fit him. She found such an upright and noble gentleman captivating.
Mei Si was stunned, realizing Wu Zhen was as deeply smitten as he was, unaware that Mei Zhuyu, standing just outside the door, had overheard their entire conversation. The next morning, Mei Si, armed with demon-dispelling charms, burst into the Liu residence, declaring he was there to protect Liu Taizhen from demons. Her servants tried to stop him, and in the ensuing struggle, he accidentally threw his demon-dispelling bell, striking Liu Taizhen's hair.
Her eyes immediately turned cold, and she ordered her fierce dogs released, sending Mei Si fleeing in panic. Meanwhile, Wu Zhen confirmed with Wu Zishu and Hu Zhu that the Immortal Bone was indeed on Mei Zhuyu. Hu Zhu suggested knocking Mei Zhuyu unconscious to retrieve it, but Wu Zhen objected, citing his affiliation with the Mystical Judgment Bureau and his cautious nature. Wu Zishu assured her that he would handle any repercussions from the Four Elders.
Observing Wu Zishu preparing a medicinal bath gave Wu Zhen an idea. She planned to retrieve the Immortal Bone by sneaking into Mei Zhuyu's chambers while he was bathing, but as she attempted to do so, she accidentally made a noise, alerting him.
