I served as Li Bai's page.

Li Bai and I walked and talked on the Yellow Crane Tower. When we reached the top, we looked down at the mighty Yangtze River, which was rushing in and flowing away. This made us feel broad-minded and full of vigor.

Just as we stood gazing into the distance, filled with endless sighs, Meng Haoran approached with three friends:

"Master Qinglian, I knew you had arrived when I saw the two horses below. Please forgive my lateness," Meng Haoran said.

"Master Meng, you're too kind. How have you been?" Li Bai said.

Meng Haoran introduced his three friends to Li Bai, and after exchanging greetings, we descended from the Yellow Crane Tower. Upon reaching the spot where Li Bai had inscribed his calligraphy, Meng Haoran said, "The Qinglian Hermit is too modest."

Li Bai replied, "I have to admit it. The immortals have ridden away on their cranes, and Cui Hao has perfected poetry. All we can do now is drink."

Our group arrived at a riverside restaurant near the Yellow Crane Tower. The innkeeper led us to a private room, where waitresses brought wine and filled everyone's cups. After we all drank a toast together, Li Bai said:

"Yuehua, you can't hold your liquor, why don't you play the zither for us?"

"Yes, young master." I stood up, took the zither strings from the maid, and began to play "High Mountains and Flowing Water".

After a few drinks, Li Bai asked, "Master Meng, who was living in seclusion in Mount Lumen, why did you suddenly decide to go to Yangzhou?"

Meng Haoran pointed to his three friends beside him and said, "We've been invited to see the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan in March. Would Taibai (Li Bai) like to come with us?"

"I am burdened by worldly affairs and cannot travel with you. Yangzhou in March is indeed a place that makes one linger. That year, I spent 300,000 taels of silver in Yangzhou, made many friends, and visited all the famous historical sites. I even fell seriously ill there, which I am ashamed to admit. When will you gentlemen set off?"

Meng Haoran said, "We plan to set off tomorrow, but the boat to Yangzhou is still undetermined."

"That's easy. Isn't your pageboy Yuehua here? Back then at Mount Lumen, you wanted to keep him for your use. Now it's the perfect time to send him out," Li Bai said.

"Then I'll have to trouble Yuehua, but the musician has left, which has spoiled everyone's enjoyment," Meng Haoran said.

Li Bai said, "He's gone, can't we drink and sing together?" After saying that, he walked to my side, took the strings of the zither, and began to play.

After finishing the piece, he said to me, "Yuehua, go and book a boat for Mr. Meng and the others to go to Yangzhou. They'll depart tomorrow morning."

"Yes, young master." I turned and walked out of the restaurant, heading towards the Yangtze River docks near the Yellow Crane Tower. It was already dusk, and the wind blowing along the Yangtze River brought a chill. I wrapped my coat tighter and searched the docks. There were no passenger ships, only a few cargo ships, rushing to unload their cargo before nightfall. I saw an old man collecting goods and went up to him to ask:

"Excuse me, sir, where can I find a boat to rent?"

"Young man, you're too late. The passenger ships have all returned to port. Walk straight ahead, and the passenger ships are docked in that bay."

"Thank you, sir."

I walked for about fifteen minutes and saw countless passenger boats moored in a bend formed by the long-term erosion of the Yangtze River.

I chose a nicer-looking boat based on its appearance, went up to it, and asked, "Excuse me, does this boat go to Yangzhou?"

"How many people are on the boat?"

"Four adults, male."

"When are you leaving? Boats don't sail at night."

"Tomorrow morning."

I paid the deposit and arranged to board the ship at the pier the next day, then headed back.

I returned to the tavern, where Li Bai and his companions were enjoying themselves immensely, playing a drinking game called "Flying Flowers." Upon seeing me, they called out, "Yuehua, you join us for entertainment. Each person must play their part in time with your music; when the music stops, the game ends, or you'll be penalized with a cup of wine."

I sat down at the strings and began to accompany Li Bai and the others. We drank until very late, and all five of us were completely drunk. I called over the waiter and asked:

"Waiter, do you have guest rooms?"

"Yes, upstairs, there are three more rooms."

"Okay, I'll take all three rooms. Could you please help me get them to their rooms?"

The waiter helped me escort Meng Haoran and his three friends to their rooms, and I helped Li Bai upstairs with difficulty. As we walked, I said, "I promised the young mistress I wouldn't get drunk, and then I forgot."

"I'm not drunk. I can still drink at least one more jar. Yuehua, go get the wine."

"Young Master, are you drunk or not? If you're not, walk properly. It's hard for me to support you."

"I'm not drunk, I just have no strength in my legs," Li Bai said, sitting down on the ground. Xiao Er and I each grabbed one of him and helped him to the bed.

The five of us got up early the next day as usual, which is probably a habit of scholars. After breakfast, Li Bai and I led the horses and took Meng Haoran and the others to the dock, where the boatman was already waiting.

Meng Haoran and his friends boarded the boat, the boatman raised the sail, and the small boat rowed towards the center of the Yangtze River. Meng Haoran waved goodbye to us.

Li Bai mounted his horse, chasing after the sails of the boat, and shouted loudly to Meng Haoran: "My old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower in the west, heading down to Yangzhou in the misty, flowery third month. His lone sail disappears into the vast blue sky, leaving only the Yangtze River flowing to the horizon."

I took out a pen and paper and wrote down the poem.

I asked, "Young master, have you given this poem a title yet?"

"This is a farewell poem for Meng Haoran, titled 'Farewell to Meng Haoran at Guangling.'"

"Young master, this poem has a lofty artistic conception and a broad mind; it will surely be a masterpiece." I said.

"My works are all classics, no matter how casually they're picked up. How could they not be passed down through the ages? Stop flattering me. Let's go to Dongting Lake," Li Bai said.

"Young Master, what are you going to Dongting Lake for? You promised Miss Pingyang you'd be back in a few days."

"It won't take more than a few days. Let's go see Wu Zhinan."

Before I could say anything more, Li Bai mounted his horse and rode off towards the official road outside Ezhou City, and I had no choice but to follow closely behind.

After two days of fast travel, we finally arrived at Yueyang Tower. Re-climbing the tower filled us with emotion. Li Bai's inscription was still there, but Wu Zhinan had left us forever.

We arrived at Yuelai Inn. The inn's name and the innkeeper were the same, but the waiter was different. We went inside, and the innkeeper hurriedly came over to greet us:

"Would you two like to stay at the inn?" the innkeeper asked, staring at Li Bai for a long time.

"You must be Li Bai, the great poet who stayed at my inn that year."

Li Bai smiled and said, "We'll stay at the inn, and we'll use the same two rooms as last time. What's the waiter, Xiao Lin, still doing here?"

"Young Master Li, Xiao Lin quit two years ago and went home to run his pleasure boat."

The shopkeeper led Li Bai and me to a room on the second floor while talking to us.

"Here are the keys, these are the only two rooms."

Li Bai took the key and first opened the room where he and Wu Zhinan had stayed. Everything had changed, and he was overcome with grief, sobbing as he buried his face in his hands on the table.

"Young Master, don't be sad. Meeting and parting are all predestined. Our fate with Young Master Wu has come to an end."

"Although we can't meet, I still think about him. I really regret asking him to travel the world with me," Li Bai said.