I served as Li Bai's page.

Without the music, Li Bai's performance ceased. Ru Hua suddenly realized what was happening and quickly bowed to everyone in apology. She said:

"I'm so sorry, this young master's sword dance just now stunned me so much that I forgot to play my music. Consider this a free performance for everyone."

Lord Yuan said, "How can that be? We will still give you what is due. Please continue playing for us."

"Thank you, sir," Ru Hua said, and then began to play a tune again.

After the welcoming banquet, I was the only one still sober. I asked the restaurant owner to call a carriage for me, and he helped me get them into the carriage so we could go home.

When Li Bai woke up the next day, Lord Yuan had already gone to the yamen. Li Bai and Yuan Yan were sitting in the living room, planning where to go for fun.

I rubbed my eyes and came into the living room, saying, "Isn't there a Jinci Temple in Bingzhou? Let's go visit Jinci Temple."

Li Bai and Yuan Yan both looked at me and said, "You're so clear-headed; you hit the nail on the head right away. Let's go to Jinci Temple after lunch."

After lunch, Yuan Yan, familiar with the area, led Li Bai and me to Jinci, a place that can be described as a mini-Jiangnan in the Northwest.

Jinci Temple is located at the source of the Jin River, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, a place of scenic beauty. Yuan Yan led Li Bai and me to visit several temples in Jinci. Li Bai stopped in front of the "Inscription and Preface of Jinci Temple" stele, which was written and inscribed by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, in the 20th year of the Zhenguan era, in running script. Li Bai read the inscription and lingered there for a long time.

Yuan Yan kept urging, "What's so interesting about these things, Brother Taibai? Let's go to the painting studio on the Jin River for a drink."

Yuan Yan led Li Bai and me towards the Jin River. It was afternoon, and the river was bustling with tourists. Various decorated art galleries dotted the water, and tourists, listening to music and drinking wine, searched along the banks for their favorite boats. Just as the three of us reached the riverbank, a large, ornately decorated art gallery stopped before us. A young man dressed in brocade stepped out of the boat and greeted Yuan Yan:

"Brother Yuan, come aboard and have a couple of drinks."

Upon seeing this, Yuan Yan replied, "Brother Zhou, then we won't stand on ceremony." With that, he led Li Bai and me into the painting studio.

Several young gentlemen sat in the painting studio, while several courtesans danced gracefully. Young Master Zhou introduced Yuan Yan to everyone, and Yuan Yan then introduced Li Bai. One of the young gentlemen stood up and said:

"Are you Li Bai, the poet from Western Shu who wrote so well?" He stared at Li Bai for a long time, then said, "You are my idol. I love your poems so much. Your poems are as free and unrestrained as you are. It's truly better to see them in person than to have heard so much about them. We must have a couple of drinks."

He took the wine cup from the courtesan beside him and handed it to Li Bai. Just as Li Bai was about to reach out to take it, I snatched it away and returned it to the courtesan.

He said, "Young master, how can you take what belongs to someone else? I'll get you a cup." I handed a cup of wine to Li Bai.

The young master said, "We all love it, it's no problem." After saying that, he drank two cups with Li Bai.

Upon hearing that it was Li Bai, the other young men also stood up and crowded around him, expressing that Li Bai was their idol. Some even recited Li Bai's poems in their drunken state.

Yuan Yan, Young Master Zhou, and I were pushed to the side. The courtesans' dancing also stopped.

At this moment, a young woman dressed in red and white, carrying a zither in her right hand, walked in from outside the boat.

He said, "Why did you stop jumping?"

When she saw Li Bai surrounded in the center, she paused for a moment, then said, "Welcome, Young Master Yuan and his friends. Gentlemen, please be seated; ladies, let's jump!"

When the young men saw her arrive, they dispersed and returned to their seats, leaving Li Bai in the middle.

When I saw it, I realized it was Miss Ruhua! I quickly went up to her and said, "Miss Ruhua, it's a pleasure to meet you again." I then pulled Li Bai to Yuan Yan's side.

The girls shouted, "Master!" and started dancing again.

Ru Hua personally carried the wine jug and poured fine wine for each young gentleman, saying:

"I'm late, so I'll punish myself with three drinks."

After saying that, he picked up the wine and drank three cups in a row.

The young men egged her on, saying, "Given the young lady's drinking capacity, three more cups wouldn't be too much."

Ru Hua picked up her wine cup and drank three more cups, then said, "Are you gentlemen satisfied?"

The young men whistled and applauded. Ru Hua put down her wine cup and joined the girls in dancing, performing a Mongolian dance accompanied by musicians.

I whispered to Li Bai and Yuan Yan, "This girl's alcohol tolerance is top-notch; I'm afraid neither of you can outdrink her."

Li Bai turned to look at me and said, "Why don't we give it a try?"

At this moment, Ru Hua danced over to Li Bai's side and pulled him into the dance floor. Li Bai, holding a wine cup in one hand, began to dance like Ru Hua. After the dance, Ru Hua and Li Bai had drunk countless cups, and when Li Bai returned to his seat, he was already somewhat drunk. Ru Hua, however, continued to lead the girls in a wild dance on the dance floor.

Li Bai said, "I admit defeat; I really can't outdrink her."

Yuan Yan said, "How about I give it a try?"

After Yuan Yan finished speaking, he came to Ru Hua, raised his wine glass in a gesture, and Ru Hua immediately understood what Yuan Yan meant.

He said, "Sisters, let's stop dancing for now. I want to have a drinking contest with the Prefect's son to see who can hold their liquor better."

Upon hearing this, the young men became immediately interested and surrounded Yuan Yan and Ru Hua with the singing girls in the center. Ru Hua, seeing Li Bai sitting behind them, said to him, "Qinglian Jushi, you come too. I challenge you two brothers."

Li Bai, already somewhat drunk, stood up and said, "Do you think we brothers are afraid of you?" He then took his wine cup and went to Yuan Yan's side. Ru Hua drank two cups, and Yuan Yan and Li Bai each drank one; several jars of wine were quickly finished. Li Bai and Yuan Yan were so drunk they could barely stand, while Ru Hua, though her face was flushed, showed no signs of intoxication.

"Help these two young masters to their reclining chairs to rest," Ru Hua instructed the two courtesans beside her. Then she said to the others:

"Sisters, we can't spoil the fun for the gentlemen. Let's sing, dance, and drink!" With that, she led the dance.

I stayed by Li Bai and Yuan Yan's side, and the two of them kept reaching out to me for wine. A waiter from the painting studio brought me two cups of tea and said:

"The shopkeeper instructed that they should drink it, and they'd be fine in a bit."

I picked up the teacup and examined it closely. Wasn't this the same teacup that Ru Hua used to drink tea while drinking alcohol? I seemed to understand why Ru Hua could never get drunk. I sighed inwardly: The world of martial arts is truly treacherous.

Li Bai and Yuan Yan drank tea and slept for about half an hour before waking up. They stood up and repeatedly praised Ru Hua's excellent drinking capacity, willingly admitting defeat.

"You need to be more self-aware in the future and stop trying to be brave. If you meet a kind person, they might give you a cup of tea to help you sober up; if you meet a bad person, they'll take all your money," I said.

Li Bai and Yuan Yan looked at me simultaneously, seemingly understanding the underlying meaning. They repeatedly assured me, "We won't drink like that again."