Episode Summary
The mystery of Princess Yuanzhen's blooming tea tree is revealed to be the work of a gentle spirit, whom Wu Zhen saves from a parasitic moth. This event deepens the connection between Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu, who starts to confront his budding feelings for her. Meanwhile, a new danger brews as Elder Hui and the powerful demon Xuanhui plot a prison escape, just as the Emperor decides to test Mei Zhuyu's capabilities against the city's demonic forces.
Spoiler Alert
Moonlit Reunion Recap: The Tea Spirit and the Stirring Heart
Episode 9 of Moonlit Reunion begins with a strange occurrence in the palace gardens. A white tea tree, beloved by Princess Yuanzhen, has suddenly bloomed after years of being barren. To make things weirder, a ghostly female figure has been seen wandering near it at night. Empress Wu has ordered everyone to keep it quiet, but Wuzhen, after a quick look, seems to have it all figured out, though she keeps Mei Zhuyu in the suspense.
Meanwhile, when Huzhu pays Shuangjiang for a demon-slaying job, she gets curious about the seven-colored fox tail charm on his belt and asks for it. He casually tells her it's just a rabbit's tail dyed to look like a fox's, which surprisingly makes her a bit less hostile toward him. During their chat, Shuangjiang insists there's no way anything is going on between Mei Zhuyu and Wuzhen. He claims his master is as solid as a rock and has no time for romance.
Later that night, Wuzhen and Mei Zhuyu hide out to see who the "ghost" is. It turns out to be none other than Princess Yuanzhen herself, carefully pouring medicine onto the tree's roots. Wuzhen uses a quick spell to make the princess pass out, tells Mei Zhuyu to carry her back to her palace, and stays behind to get to the bottom of things.
Once alone, Wuzhen calls out to the tree, and a faint, pale spirit appears. He tells her his story: Princess Yuanzhen saved him long ago when he was just a young spirit, and he became the lonely princess's confidant. He tried to bloom for her as a thank you, but got infested by poison moths that are now draining his life away. Feeling sorry for them both, Wuzhen uses a special honey wine to lure the moths out of the tree, saving the spirit's life.
When Princess Yuanzhen wakes up, she's desperate to check on the tree, which she calls her greatest treasure. She asks Mei Zhuyu if he has anyone he feels that strongly about, and an image of Wuzhen flashes in his mind. When he returns to the garden, he finds the moths gone and realizes Wuzhen cleverly handled it. He's clearly impressed, but when she steps toward him, he instinctively steps back. Not pushing it, she offers him a ride home. Looking back at the tree, Mei Zhuyu decides not to capture the kind-hearted spirit.
On the way home, Wuzhen points out that the muddy path to his house has been newly paved. He tries to play it cool, saying it was long overdue, but he can't miss the little smile on her face. Back in his room, he's a mess of confusing feelings, and Shuangjiang has a sudden realization: his "stone-hearted" master has probably caught feelings for someone.
In a side plot, Wuzhen and the Wordless Book convince Liu Taizhen to let the tea spirit be. The book then informs Liu Taizhen that someone is searching for "Notes on Monsters and Ghouls," a book she wrote 200 years ago under a pen name. That someone is Mei Si. He finds her and won't leave her alone, begging her to explain the book's contents. Liu Taizhen coldly refuses and has Lingxiao kick him out, with Wuzhen watching from afar, feeling a bit sorry for the guy.
The episode ends on a dark note. As a thunderstorm brews, Elder Hui breaks out of his chains in the demon prison. He finds a powerful demon, Xuanhui, who convinces him to team up and escape during the storm when the prison's magical barrier will be weakest. At the same time, Empress Wu recommends Mei Zhuyu for a big case, leading the Emperor to decide it's time to test him and see what he can do about the demon problem in Chang'an.
