Episode Summary
Mei Zhuyu grows suspicious of the newly returned Pei Jiya, believing he is connected to a dark blood magic. He returns to the capital only to find Pei Jiya has already manipulated Wu Zhen and created a misunderstanding between them. To investigate, Mei Zhuyu moves into the Duke's Mansion. The episode culminates at an incense competition where Pei Jiya's entry mesmerizes the judges, while a hidden bloody scent in another incense hints at a deeper conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
"Moonlit Reunion" Episode 15: A Scent of Deception
Episode 15 of Moonlit Reunion begins with Mei Zhuyu and Shuang Jiang returning to their inn room, only to find a "Probing Talisman" glowing with a sinister red light. It's a clear sign that a powerful and evil cultivator has been there. Mei Zhuyu recognizes the aura as a forbidden and gruesome blood magic from the Western Regions, a practice that uses the life force of living people. This immediately makes him suspicious of Pei Jiya, who seems to know way too much about the situation in Chang'an. Figuring this encounter was no coincidence, Mei Zhuyu sends Shuang Jiang to Changxi Palace for backup while he heads back to the capital to figure out what's really going on.
Meanwhile, at the Ruyi Lounge, a tipsy Wu Zhen is drinking alone, her mind filled with images of Mei Zhuyu. In her drunken haze, she imagines him walking towards her. She gets up, touches his shoulder, and they share a deeply romantic gaze, so intense that other patrons can't help but stare. Just as they are about to kiss, a commotion from a dancer falling downstairs snaps Wu Zhen back to reality. The man in front of her is no longer Mei Zhuyu; his face ripples and transforms into the smiling face of Pei Jiya. Her drunkenness vanishes instantly.
Back in the capital, Mei Zhuyu hears people on the street gossiping about Wu Zhen. He goes to the Mei Manor to find his cousin, Mei Si, hoping he can dig up some dirt on Pei Jiya. As it turns out, Mei Si knows Pei Jiya and tells Mei Zhuyu that Wu Zhen has a new companion. He mentions the rumor about her being seen in an intimate embrace with a man on the city tower—that man being Pei Jiya, her childhood friend and the adopted son of her uncle's family. Hearing this, Mei Zhuyu becomes even more convinced that Pei Jiya's return is a calculated plot.
Furious, Mei Zhuyu storms into the Duke's Mansion and finds Pei Jiya and Wu Zhen having tea. Wu Zhen acts cold and distant towards him. It's clear Pei Jiya has already twisted the story of the inn incident, painting himself as a hero and even inventing a story about his maid falling for Mei Zhuyu at first sight. This successfully drives a wedge between Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu.
Since Pei Jiya is staying at the mansion for the upcoming incense competition, Mei Zhuyu uses a recurring old injury as an excuse to stay as well. Pei Jiya tries to block him, calling him an outsider, but Mei Zhuyu coolly counters that he has lived there before and shares a life-and-death bond with Wu Zhen, so there's no need for such formalities. Pei Jiya, unable to stop him, then tries to undermine him by talking about how a woman's happiness lies in marrying a good man, which only annoys Wu Zhen.
Over at the Demon Market, the Wordless Book has a flashback to when he first met a young Wu Zhen, then known as the Cat Duke, at his bookshop. He recalls how she loved sugar cakes but often got toothaches from eating too many, so he had to cut off her supply. To make it up to her now, he finds the old man who used to make the cakes and has a box of them sent to her. Just as Wu Zhen is enjoying a cake, Liu Taizhen arrives. She explains that she is about to molt and can't judge the incense competition, asking Wu Zhen to take her place. Wu Zhen agrees, and at that moment, the Wordless Book appears to apologize, and the two finally patch things up.
On the day of the incense competition, Wu Zhen takes her seat on the judge's panel alongside An Biluo, a master of incense whom Ling Xiao greatly admires. Mei Zhuyu also attends, using Mei Si as his excuse to be there. The competition begins, and the first contestant presents a woodsy incense. As it burns, both Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu detect a faint, hidden scent of blood. When it's time for judging, most give it high praise, but Wu Zhen and An Biluo declare it mediocre, pointing out the hidden bloody smell. As she does, Wu Zhen catches a flash of red light in An Biluo's eyes. Finally, it's Pei Jiya's turn. He presents his "Old Times Incense," and its captivating aroma sends the judges into a trance, lost in memories of the past.
