Original subtitles

=Moonlit Reunion=

(Adapted from Fu Hua's novel "Madam Mei's Husband Spoiling")

=Episode 17=

(Mei Residence)

Little Loach.

I'm not a loach.

Anyway, I bought you fried loach.

White Snake said before

that little demons

need to eat similar-looking food when they're hurt.

It's as big as you.

How can you eat it?

I don't care.

Find a way yourself.

How many times must I say it?

I'm a black serpent.

A black serpent!

Fine, don't eat it then.

I'll eat it if you won't.

This is fine ink.

Luckily, it's not ruined.

Such fine ink is the best for painting.

I plan to paint a demon album

and gift it to Young Lady Liu

as a present.

The demons you know

all come

from Notes on Demons and Oddities.

The ancients recorded them.

Why paint them again?

It's just copying and adding what is not needed.

You don't get it.

It's the most complete book

on demons and oddities.

You mistook me for a loach demon.

I can see that it's not worth reading.

You...

Demons

are born of heaven and earth

and are ever-changing.

Mortals never heard of them.

Those you've seen are just a few.

Unlike a great demon like me.

You're a great demon?

Then you must be knowledgeable

and all-knowing.

To prevent you from annoying me

with your questions,

I'll tell you some stories

to repay your care.

Alright, take your time.

I'll paint while you talk.

(Tonight's Moon Shine the Most)

Tigers are king of mountains.

Today I'll tell you first

about a tiger demon, formed after 1,000 years of practice.

This tiger has sharp fangs and bright eyes.

From fire cultivation,

it has a flame mark between its brows.

It stands 1 meter tall.

At full power, it grows into a 2.67-meter great demon.

When does its power surge?

When its weak point,

which is its brow mark, is struck.

I see.

How is your painting coming along?

You painted

a powerful tiger demon

that rules a mountain like this?

Overall, it's not bad.

It's unique.

Well?

It's truly well-painted.

Lifelike.

(No wonder that ink felt odd.)

(It contains dark magic.)

(It might bring trouble to Demon Market.)

(Bad news.)

No demon core.

(Duke Wu Residence)

Mei.

I haven't seen you at Mystic Appraisal Bureau these days.

I've heard many rumors.

Even I can't tell

which is true.

What have you heard?

I hear the whole city saying

you were

cast out of Chang'an by Qinghe County Princess.

Then, she found a new lover.

Then again,

two men moved into Duke Wu Residence.

Like melons in summer,

one after another.

One after another.

I haven't digested the last tale,

and

I heard of the Incense Assembly.

I heard the skilled Young Master Mei

saved County Princess.

I figured

someone this outstanding

surely can't be Young Master Mei Si.

Enough talking.

Why seek me so early?

Something

urgent.

(United Hearts Jerky)

(Ma Sanlang's Home) Mei.

This case is indeed tricky.

This...

This...

Little Loach!

Why is it so noisy?

The room is full of blood.

Why is it ink now?

What blood?

You most likely slept poorly last night and saw it wrong.

Little Loach, look at my painting.

Why is the tiger demon fading?

Maybe you ground the ink poorly.

Impossible! I've ground ink since I was a child.

There's nothing wrong with the ink.

You doubt me?

I...

I don't.

Do you still want other demon tales?

Yes.

Today, I'll first tell you

the rumored pomegranate demon, Pining.

Its head was once a pomegranate,

but it posed as a beautiful woman

with long hair, hiding its oddness.

During battle, it shakes its head madly,

casting hair aside.

Its seeds fly endlessly

like darts.

It's the finest hidden weapon.

During battle, it shakes its head madly?

Little Loach, are you fooling me?

Why would I fool you?

It's like that mortal thing.

What's it called again?

Rattle drum.

I once fought a deer demon.

Its eyes grew on its back,

rolling and scanning all.

It could see in six directions.

It had four sharp antlers.

I heard it often

ground them on poisoned bark.

Over time,

they grew deadly toxic.

Hard to cure.

In this world,

not only plants and beasts become demons.

Objects that see blood

grow bloodthirsty.

One demon

was born from a casino dice.

One day,

a man lost everything and raged.

He swung his blade.

Blood splashed on the dice,

giving it evil life.

Though small in size,

it's ruthless.

Its six faces bore 21 eyes.

Each bloodshot.

The more blood it saw, the more excited it became.

I still recall a temple

abandoned for years.

It had a broken urn in front.

It could not hold water,

yet it rode the wind through the cracks

and spat gales as attacks.

When stars fill the sky and the moon is dim,

strange things stir on earth.

Just last night,

a vile demon appeared in Chang'an.

It shaped like ink and smoke.

Ever-changing.

It seems Chang'an will panic soon.

Heard the news?

A demon is in Chang'an.

The liquor seller said it's a pig demon.

Nonsense, it's a fox demon.

Gentlemen, where did you hear

of this demon?

It's spread across the city.

Let's go.

Who are you calling a pig?

You're the sow.

Your whole family are pigs!

Mei, what were you discussing?

I hear many in Chang'an

are discussing demons.

Impossible.

We told nearby folk

not to spread it around

for fear of unrest.

Yet it spread this much in less than a day.

This is more than rumors.

Are you saying

someone is fanning the flames?

It's possible.

Mei.

You want me to check

the ink shop's registration records?

I think the key lies in the ink.

Yet its power isn't demonic.

It seemed more like dark magic.

Dark magic?

What's that?

Have you heard of suppression technique?

No.

Simply put, it's forbidden arts.

Instead of years of cultivation,

the caster traded it with their body.

Mei.

How do you know this case

is suppression technique?

Yes.

When demons die, they return to their original form.

None vanish without a trace.

All demons have a body.

That's suppression technique.

One puts part of their mind

into an object,

thus gaining control over it.

The tiger's death traces

were a manifestation of suppression technique.

I see.

Can you give it to me now?

Here.

So how do we find the caster?

Start with the ink shops?

We can only use this clumsy method for now.

(Ink Scholars' Studio)

Mystic Appraisal Bureau is working on a case.

Show us your records.

The records are my shop's secrets.

Even your bureau can't take them.

Fine, come with me then.

Mystic Appraisal Bureau? I won't go.

I'll go get it. Wait here.

Please have a look.

(Inventory)

(Gengxu year, Young Master Mei Si bought consigned premium ink.)

(Renyin year, Young Master Chen bought three black-thread green brush rests.)

Take care.

Shopkeeper.

Show me the records that person just saw.

Which bureau are you with?

My records aren't some big radish

for every passerby to glance at.

Go away.

Please have a look.

Please have a look. Take your time.

This. It's this.

(Mei Residence)

Si.

Si.

Si.

Si!

Si.

Si.

(Turns out the ink demon came from these paintings.)

Si!

Get up.

Enough, get up.

Si!

Come.

Go away!

Stop!

If you want to save him, stay back.

- Young Master Si! - Young Master Si!

How are you?

Zhuyu?

You're sober?

Why am I here?

What happened to me?

Why kick the table for no reason?

No.

I didn't kick it.

Didn't you see something pass by?

What thing?

Are you seeing things?

I'm talking to you.

What are you looking at?

I'm not in the sky.

Why look up there?

What did you say?

I'm asking you,

between Young Master Pei and Young Master Mei,

who do you like?

You summoned me to the palace

just for this?

Young Master Mei

risked everything to save you.

He's a good man,

and only his background is lacking.

Pei Jiya's status matches yours.

He's also your childhood friend.

But if you marry him,

you'll have to move to Kunzhou.

Sister, don't rush.

Choosing a husband is important.

It needs careful thought.

There's no time to be picky.

Zhen.

You're older now, and it's time to wed.

If you delay further,

no one will want you.

If I never meet

the one I truly wish to be with,

I'll live free and happy alone.

Where are you going?

This talk isn't over yet.

You keep saying the same things.

My ears are sore already.

If I can't find

a true match I like,

I won't marry.

You...

Sister, don't be angry.

I truly have matters to attend to.

I'll head back first.

Look at her.

Just look.

She never behaves properly.

Sister, don't be upset.

Come see these trinkets.

Can I try it?

Sure.

I'll try next time.

Aunt Wu.

Slowly.

I was telling him

Aunt Wu came to the palace today.

And what did he say?

He thanked Aunt Wu

for curing him last time.

Really?

It's just the wind shaking the trees.

I didn't hear a thing.

Aunt Wu!

Little Loach, I'll protect you.

Hide in my arms.

It's just an ink demon.

I don't need your protection.

(My demonic power hasn't recovered.)

(This is just cruel.)

Aunt Wu!

Hua, is it you?

Don't be afraid.

I'm here.

No!

Hua!

Hua!

Hua!

Hua.

Hua.

Hua.

Hua.

Hua...

Hua...

Hua...

Your Highness.

White tea...

What happened to you?

Thank you, Your Highness.

You gave me a name.

I'm Yuanzhen. What about you?

I have no name.

How can that be?

Everyone

should have a name.

But I'm not human.

A camellia...

Hua.

Your name shall be Hua.

Alright?

Hua?

♪Joys and sorrows of the past tangle within dreams♪

♪Yet nothing cuts deeper than that moment of parting♪

♪All my years, I'd trade just to grow old with you♪

I was but a withered tree,

yet I bloomed

because I met you.

Hua...

Hua...

Hua...

Hua!

♪Moonlight dries the air, breath turns cold♪

Hua.

Hua...

Hua...

♪Watch as petals fall one by one♪

♪If I fall in love, how is that wrong?♪

♪Eyes flicker, memories overflow♪

♪How could I say goodbye when you turn back to look?♪

(These ink demons have spread across the city.)

(I must lure them out of Chang'an first.)

That was quick.

Young Master...

The ink demon was defeated...

- Impossible! - Impossible!

If Benefactor learns

I failed the task he gave me...

- Young Master! - Young Master!

Where did it go wrong?

Master, the ink demon appeared again in the city today.

Did you encounter it in the day?

I did,

but no need to worry.

I sent you to West Market to investigate.

Did you find any clues?

I think

I know where the ink demon came from.

Si.

Si?

- Why are you here? - Why are you here?

I came to see Si.

I came to see Si.

I heard you beat up Si.

Si wasn't in his right mind.

I only helped him sober up.

Not in his right mind?

What caused it?

Suppression technique.

Suppression technique?

What are you two doing?

Why are you here?

Where did you go?

To hear my father scold me.

He said I'm always slacking off,

and I got possessed from reading strange tales.

How did Young Master Mei know

that Si was possessed?

I happened to visit Si

and saw him acting weird.

Speaking of, Si,

do you still have the ink you used for painting?

I'll go check.

Seems it's used up.

Since you're alright,

I'll be leaving.

Take care.

What is it?

Would you come with me, Young Lady Wu?

Si, I'm leaving too.

Alright, Zhen.

♪Sighing at the fleeting lights of the human world♪

♪Flowers bloom in splendor, then wither away♪

♪Old dreams linger in my heart♪

♪The past gets engraved, yet leaving no trace♪

♪Flickering candle shadows stir the sorrow of parting♪

♪The seasons turn, time slips away♪

♪The night rain falls sparse♪

♪Even tears remain silent♪

♪They drift away with the stars♪

♪One glance back, and the years are worn with age♪

♪You are my one desire, lasting till the end of time♪

♪If the story could be rewritten and all things changed♪

♪I'd spend a lifetime waiting for you♪

♪Watching fate break through the gloom, love returning again♪

♪How could I ever forget♪

♪When vows turn into seas and span a thousand years♪

♪Memories remain, never leaving my side♪

♪An unwavering devotion♪

♪Buried beneath the sands of time♪

♪If the story could be rewritten and all things changed♪

♪I'd spend a lifetime waiting for you♪

♪Watching fate break through the gloom, love returning again♪

♪How could I ever forget♪

♪When vows turn into seas and span a thousand years♪

♪Memories remain, never leaving my side♪

♪An unwavering devotion♪

♪Buried beneath the sands of time♪