I served as Li Bai's page.

After finishing his meal, Li Bai went to his wife's room to pay his respects before being summoned to the master's study.

"Twelve, how have you been doing these past few years studying outside?"

"Not bad. I've gained new insights into swordsmanship and the philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought."

"Was your master Zhao Rui also always on Mount Qingcheng?"

"Yes, I have been studying the art of rulership and strategy under his tutelage, and I have learned a great deal from it." Li Bai was somewhat reserved in front of his master, answering only what his master asked and remaining silent unless asked.

"Come on, Twelve, I'll take you to see something." After saying this, the master led Li Bai out of the study and headed towards the front door.

They arrived at the blue stone statue of a shepherd boy riding an ox in front of the gate. The old man pointed to the statue and said, "Look at what's carved on it?"

Li Bai looked closely and saw it was his poem "Ode to the Stone Ox": "This stone stands tall and looks just like an ox, buried in the earth for thousands of years. The wind blows and its hair does not move, the rain beats and it sweats. The fragrant grass is too high for it to eat, and the shepherd boy pulls at its horns and it does not turn its head. It has never had a rope on its nose, and the heaven and earth are its enclosure, which it does not close at night."

"The villagers say that since you wrote this poem, the stone ox has become well-behaved and no longer comes out to harm the crops. Therefore, they made this statue of you and placed it at the entrance of our Longxi Courtyard to express their gratitude. The villagers' feelings are so simple and pure; as long as you do something for them, they will remember you and thank you. Therefore, Twelve, you must strive to contribute more to the villagers."

Li Bai was already thrilled when he saw the statue, but after hearing his father's words, he felt extremely ashamed.

"Father, I have wandered far and wide all these years, without obtaining any official position or the ability to speak for the people, and I feel very guilty. Just because I wrote a poem, the people attribute the credit to me; I truly owe them a debt. I must work even harder. My master and I have already planned to go to Chengdu this spring to pay our respects to Prefect Su of Yizhou."

"Very good. It's not a good way for you to keep wandering around like this. You should put more effort into your career so that you can live up to the expectations of your hometown folks."

"Your son will heed your teachings, Father."

"After the Spring Festival, and after your sister's wedding, I will also be going to Rencheng, Shandong. Let's go together then," Li Bai's father said.

"When I returned, I met Wu Zhinan in Changlong. We talked about my trip to Chengdu, and he also expressed his intention to pay a visit to Lord Su," Li Bai said.

"A man should strive for success, and you can take him along. However, since they are newly married, it would be best to get your sister's consent."

"Of course. I'll have Wu Zhinan explain it to my sister."

The two walked inside while talking. Just then, they ran into Yueyuan, who was looking for them.

"Letters from Father, Brother, and Uncle." He then handed over the letters.

After reading the letter, Li Bai's father handed it to Li Bai.

"Your uncle said he hasn't seen you for several years and will be coming to Qinglian for the Mid-Autumn Festival. This is a great opportunity for you to learn from him. His seal carving skills far surpass those of the ancients."

"I'll definitely seek my uncle's advice then."

As they talked, they arrived at the main hall of the inner courtyard where their ancestors were enshrined. Li Bai's father lit three incense sticks, bowed to the ancestral tablets, and placed them in front of them. Li Bai followed his father's example and paid his respects to the ancestors.

"Twelve, never forget that we are from Chengji in Longxi, and are of the same lineage as the Li Tang imperial family. When you were four years old, I led a large family back to the Central Plains in secret, and settling in Qinglian was a last resort. Do you know why I called our residence 'Longxi Courtyard'? It's because Chengji in Longxi is our true home. Even now, I often dream of our prosperous border town of Suyab. Although I have made considerable profits in business over the past ten years, and am satisfied with the position of Commandant of Rencheng in Donglu that I donated, I have no face to comfort our ancestors. You must strive to make a name for yourself in the court, so as not to disgrace the name of our descendants, the Martial King of Xiliang."

"Father is right. However, we cannot take the imperial examinations. To enter officialdom, one needs strong connections and skills, as well as the right opportunity. In the past few years, I have traveled around and met many people. I will seize every opportunity. Father, please rest assured."

The father and son chatted idly in the main hall for a while longer when Aunt Lu came in: "Young Master, Madam wants you to go to her room and keep her company."

"Go, go keep your mother company. She's been missing you so much these past few years that she's become ill."

"Yes, Father, I'll be right there."

Li Bai arrived at his wife's room and sat down in front of her bed.

The lady took Li Bai's hand and said, "Son, I want to ask you, doesn't your master have a daughter? She's been very good to you. You're not getting any younger, so I'll have your father prepare the betrothal gifts and propose marriage on your behalf, okay?"

"Mother, let's hold off for now. My master and I are going to Chengdu to visit Lord Su after the Spring Festival. Let's talk about it after we return from Chengdu. I still want to make some progress in my official career before considering marriage."

"Young Master, marriage is a major event in your life, so don't take it lightly. I heard from Ziyi that Miss Zhao is also studying martial arts at Qingcheng Mountain. She's very beautiful, and you two often meet. Miss Zhao treats you very well too. Girls like that are hard to find, so you should hurry up and make your move," Aunt Lu interjected.

Aunt Lu's words made Li Bai blush: "That woman in purple is such a chatterbox."

"Brother, you should marry your sister-in-law soon, so that Mother will have someone to take care of her," Yueyuan said.

"Moonlight, you must take good care of Father and Mother for your brother. I am away from home all year round and cannot be able to fulfill my filial duties to them. I feel very sorry for them. Please take good care of them for your brother. I will build you an embroidered pavilion north of Longxi Courtyard," Li Bai said.

"Brother, you have to keep your word! I'm looking forward to living in your newly built boudoir."

"Of course I keep my word. I'll tell Uncle Lu. You can design the format yourself, okay?"

"That's wonderful! I'm going to build my house the way I want, and I'm going to plant a whole patch of bamboo in front of it." Yueyuan thought to herself, lost in thought.

The brother and sister chatted back and forth, making the lady and Aunt Lu laugh heartily.

Just then, the master walked in: "What are you laughing about, all smiles?"

"Father, my brother is going to build me a boudoir, I'm waiting to live there!"

"That depends on your brother's abilities."

Li Bai stood up and called out, "Yuehua, take notes: Li Bai will build an embroidered pavilion for Li Yueyuan on the north side of Longxi Courtyard."

"It's finished, young master," I replied.