Moonlit Reunion [子夜归]

Chapter 27

Wu Zhen couldn't find Mei Si at his house. The household assumed he had gone off with her group for some fun. Left with no choice, Wu Zhen went to look for him at Cui Jiu's place, but he wasn't there either. Cui Jiu, surprised, said, "I haven't seen him for days. Isn't he staying in to prepare a gift? He even told us specifically not to disturb him."

She checked familiar music halls and even a few calligraphy and painting shops but found no trace of him. An unsettling feeling grew in Wu Zhen's heart. Having scoured the area with no luck, she returned to the demon market, intending to try other methods to locate Mei Si. To her surprise, when she arrived back at Yan Tower, she found the person she'd been searching for lying on the main hall floor.

Mei Si was sprawled out, fast asleep, his clothes half-wet. Although he looked disheveled, he was unharmed. Wu Zhen hoisted the slumbering little brother up with one hand, carried him upstairs, and tossed him onto a couch where Huzhu usually slept.

Liu Taizhen was still writing her new book. Wu Zhen pointed at Mei Si. "Little snake, what happened?"

Liu Taizhen tapped her pen on a glass container on the desk. Inside, a demon spirit, surrounded by a purple haze, was huddled. The spirit, having suffered considerable punishment—including once being swallowed by Liu Taizhen—had shrunken in size and now stayed motionless within the glass container, barely daring to move.

Liu Taizhen, having questioned the spirit earlier, had already learned the details. She gave Wu Zhen a summary. Wu Zhen listened quietly, but unexpectedly burst into a smile. "Interesting! A painting that comes to life. Little snake, give me that demon spirit. I'll forge a brush with it and let Mei Si draw me something fun."

Hearing this, the spirit trembled, pleading, "Spare me, please! If you let me go, I'll leave for Yangzhou right away and never return!"

Wu Zhen clinked her fingers against the glass container. "A demon from Yangzhou? Now that you're in Chang'an, all demons here are under our jurisdiction. You caused trouble in our domain. How I deal with you is up to me."

The spirit, cornered and desperate, suddenly grew fierce and lashed out of the container, its voice turning menacing. "If you refuse to release me, then even if I perish, I won't let you have it easy!"

Seeing the spirit's aggression, Wu Zhen was unsurprised. She knew that, even if it was a bit foolish, this type of spirit was never harmless. Just as she'd said, wherever it came from, it wouldn't be allowed to run wild in Chang'an.

In an instant, a massive black cat's silhouette appeared behind Wu Zhen. Towering from floor to ceiling, the cat's dark form loomed with red eyes peering coldly at the spirit, making it seem minuscule by comparison.

The cat's paw pinned the spirit down, leaving it unable to escape and crying out in fear. Wu Zhen crossed her arms, looking down on it. "Not let me have it easy? A mere demon spirit—you think you can do that? Little snake, this thing needs to be taught some manners. I'll tame it and return it to you when I'm done."

Liu Taizhen waved a hand. "Alright, take it. I don't need it back." She glanced at the couch where Mei Si lay, adding, "And replace the water in the pool downstairs. It's all dirty now."

Wu Zhen contained the spirit and first took Mei Si back home. When he woke up, as expected, he remembered nothing. He only recalled his intention to create a 'Thousand Demons Ward' painting as a gift for Sister Zhen and older cousin, but he hadn't found the right paper and brushes. After that... well, he seemed to recall drinking with someone, and now he had a headache.

Wu Zhen, seeing his endearing cluelessness, patted his head. "Alright, get some rest. When you're free, visit a temple to offer some prayers."

Mei Si asked, "Huh, why?"

Wu Zhen replied, "Nothing. You were looking for good paper and brushes, right? I have some. I'll bring them over in a couple of days." After all, he had been through quite an ordeal; he deserved some comfort.

Mei Si's attention was quickly diverted, and he smiled happily. "Really? Great! If Sister Zhen says it's good, then it must be great. I'll be waiting!"

Keeping her word, Wu Zhen divided the spirit, sealed half of its power within a well-made brush, and gave it to Mei Si. This way, the spirit's presence would add a touch of life to his drawings, though it could no longer escape from the paintings. At most, the images could shift a little within the artwork. Handing him the brush, she said, "Thousand Demons Ward, make it a good one."

Mei Si was surprised. "How did Sister Zhen know I was going to paint that?!"

Wu Zhen answered, "Anyone could have guessed."

From that day, Mei Si diligently stayed home, working on his painting without any mishaps. Yet, he occasionally felt as if the ghosts he drew would blink. Once, he thought he even saw an evil spirit scratch its head. After yet another time where he seemed to see one of his drawn ghosts scratching its feet, he thought, Maybe I really should go visit that temple.

After a day of deliberation, Mei Si finally decided to go pray for peace of mind. Jinchang District had a bustling temple called Linjing Temple, where his mother went to burn incense on the first and fifteenth of each month. Mei Si was familiar with the place; he enjoyed visiting the temple's theater to watch their variety acts when he was bored.

When Mei Si arrived, he was surprised by the large crowd. While it wasn't a major festival like the Ullambana or Buddha Bathing Festival, the temple's front hall was packed. Curious, he asked a gentleman nearby and learned that a renowned monk would be giving a sermon today. During these sermons, monks would share Buddhist stories in simple language to encourage goodness, often adding performances to make them more engaging. It was a rare form of entertainment for locals, and people had arrived early with their families.

Since the sermon hadn't started, Mei Si planned to go burn incense, but when he turned, he spotted two familiar figures in the distance—his sister Zhen and his older cousin. Watching them slip away toward the back, he decided to follow them stealthily.

Keeping a cautious distance, Mei Si observed them walking side by side until they stopped near a wall with cherry branches hanging over it. The cherry trees, brought by a renowned monk, bore large, bright-red fruit that was forbidden for picking. Mei Si saw Wu Zhen glance up at the cherries, looking tempted, while his older cousin hesitated and shook his head. Mei Si, knowing Wu Zhen's mischievous nature, wasn't surprised when she attempted to climb up the wall.

Just as he expected, Mei Zhuyu intervened, though instead of reprimanding her, he surprised Mei Si by lifting her up so she could reach the fruit. His typically serious cousin was doing something completely out of character! Wu Zhen picked only a few cherries, even slipping one into Mei Zhuyu's mouth. He was visibly flustered, almost dropping her before catching her securely, looking quite uneasy. Wu Zhen pressed another cherry to his lips, and, reluctantly, he ate it, listening to her whisper something in his ear. Mei Si squinted, sure that Mei Zhuyu's face was flushed.

Watching this unusual exchange, Mei Si felt like the sun was blinding him. Was that really his sister Zhen, who usually did whatever she pleased? And was that truly his stern cousin Mei Zhuyu, looking helpless and out of his depth? It didn't feel real. For a moment, he wondered if he should give them a 'Mandarin Ducks at Play' painting rather than the fierce 'Thousand Demons Ward' piece he was planning.

After watching the two interact sweetly for a while, Mei Si felt suddenly lonely and turned away to go burn incense. He had come to rid himself of bad luck after seeing something unclean, yet, struck by the scene he'd just witnessed, he impulsively prayed for a marriage.

A nearby monk heard him, tapping his wooden fish drum with a smile, and said, "That prayer isn't addressed here. Try the Bodhisattva in the back hall; she's very effective for such matters."

On a whim, Mei Si went to the back courtyard, only to be intimidated by a gathering of young women praying for good marriages. Startled, he quickly retreated.

"Never mind," he thought, "marriage is no match for my painting. I still have plenty of artwork to finish."