I served as Li Bai's page.

Li Bai rode ahead on horseback, and I followed behind. We arrived at Xu Ziyan's grave on Da'an Mountain. I took Pingyang and Boqin out of the carriage and led them to kneel before Xu Ziyan's grave. I said to the two children:

"Say goodbye to your mother. We're going to Donglu, and we don't know when we'll return to Anlu."

Boqin asked me, "Uncle, what does 'saying goodbye' mean? Can Mother hear us when we talk?"

Before I could speak, Li Bai explained, "Saying goodbye means we are parting from your mother. If there's anything you want to say to her, say it to her now."

"Oh." Boqin seemed to suddenly understand, and said towards the grave, "Mother, we're going home. Come home with us."

Pingyang was old enough to understand that his mother could never return. He cried and said, "Mother, we're going back to Donglu. You must take good care of yourself here. We'll come back to see you later."

We bid farewell to Ziyan one by one, and Li Bai, looking back every few steps, mounted his horse and led us away. Leaving Da'an Mountain, we galloped along the official road of Anlu. Li Bai rode ahead, and I drove the carriage behind. As we rode, I realized we were going the wrong way and called out to Li Bai:

"Young Master, have we gone the wrong way?"

"No, just follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to Suizhou to visit the Master Ziyang."

We arrived at the streets of Suizhou. Driven by curiosity, Pingyang and Boqin insisted on strolling around. Li Bai dismounted, took the two children from the carriage, and led them forward, one by each hand, looking around as they went. I drove the carriage, leading the horse slowly behind. We came to a spring roll stall, and I said to Li Bai:

"The spring rolls here are pretty good, let's have lunch here."

Li Bai asked the two children, "Do you like spring rolls?"

Boqin asked, "Father, what are spring rolls?"

"It's the kind of food that Aunt Lin makes at home, with egg crepes wrapped around something to eat together, except the spring rolls here are even tastier than Aunt Lin's," Li Bai replied.

Pingyang said, "I like it, so let's eat this."

Li Bai sat down at a small table by the street with his child. I parked the carriage and went to the stall owner, saying:

"Give me ten spring rolls, and four bowls of congee."

After we finished our meal, we packed ten spring rolls to go. We strolled around the streets for a while before heading towards Xiancheng Mountain outside Suizhou City. When we arrived at Xiangguo Temple, a chorus of Buddhist chants was being recited. I parked the carriage and horses in the backyard of Xiangguo Temple, and together with Li Bai, Pingyang, and Boqin, we walked towards the main hall.

"I heard that the Prefect of Handong and his wife came to burn incense today, and all the monks in the temple have come to the Great Buddha Hall to pray for their blessings." As we passed by a worshipper, we overheard his words, and I said to Li Bai:

"Young master, you and the Prefect of Handong are truly destined for each other. Do you remember last time you slept on his lap all night?"

"In that case, I really should go and say hello to the prefect," Li Bai said.

When we arrived outside the Daxiong Baodian, we saw the Prefect of Handong and his wife leading a group of people kneeling and worshipping inside the Baodian. The monks in the temple sat on both sides with their hands clasped together, chanting Buddhist hymns to the sound of the abbot's wooden fish.

We waited by the Great Hero's Treasure Shop until the Prefect finished burning incense and led a group of people out of the shop. Li Bai stepped forward and greeted him:

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prefect."

The Prefect of Handong took a closer look, and with delight, grabbed Li Bai's hand and said:

"Master Taibai, how have you been? I heard you went to Donglu. Your development these past few years has been remarkable, and many ambitious people look up to you as a role model."

"You flatter me, Prefect."

Upon hearing that it was Li Bai, the people around gathered around, and the prefect's attendants and servants urged him on incessantly:

"Sir, let's go. There are too many people; it's not safe for the lady and young lady."

Seeing this spectacle, I held Pingyang and Boqin tightly and said to Li Bai:

"Young master, let's get this over with the prefect quickly. We should leave as soon as possible."

The prefect said, "Taibai, let's go, let's meet at Canxia Tower."

The prefect instructed his family to leave first, and then, with Li Bai in tow, led him towards the Bitter Bamboo Courtyard under the guidance of the abbot of Xiangguo Temple.

I followed behind them, holding my two children's hands. Pingyang said to me:

"Uncle, we haven't burned incense yet."

I glanced at the two children and said to Li Bai, "Young Master, you and the Prefect go to the Bitter Bamboo Courtyard first. We'll come back to find you later."

"Okay, be careful," Li Bai said.

I led my two children from the back courtyard of Xiangguo Temple back to the front courtyard, where people were still coming and going to burn incense in an endless stream. I led the children into the main hall, and under the guidance of the monks, we knelt on the prayer cushions to burn incense and kowtow. The monks struck the wooden fish and chanted Buddhist hymns. After the ceremony, as we stood up to leave, Pingyang took my hand and said:

"Uncle, I like this sound. Let's listen to it a little longer."

"Okay, let's listen outside the shop. Let's not disturb other people burning incense here."

I brought my two children to the outside of the Daxiongbao store and sat on a bench. Pingyang listened intently. As the abbot passed by, he patted Pingyang's head and said:

"This child has a connection with Buddhism, so I'll give you a string of Buddhist prayer beads." After saying this, the abbot took out a string of exquisite Buddhist prayer beads from his pocket and handed it to Pingyang.

I quickly pulled the two children to their feet and bowed to the abbot, saying:

"Thank you for the gift, Abbot. Pingyang, please accept it."

Pingyang accepted the gift with both hands, bowed to the abbot, and stroked the prayer beads with great joy.

We sat outside the temple for a long time. As it got dark and fewer and fewer people were burning incense inside, I said to Pingyang:

"Let's go, it's getting dark soon."

Pingyang reluctantly followed me and Boqin toward the Bitter Bamboo Courtyard.

We arrived at the Bitter Bamboo Courtyard and happened to run into Xuanzhen coming out of it.

"Xuanzhen!" I called out.

"Yuehua, I just said I was going to pick you up. Master asked you to take Miss Li and Young Master Li to the Canxia Restaurant for a meal."

"Let's go together," I said to Xuanzhen.

Xuanzhen led us toward the Canxia Tower. Upon reaching the tower, Pingyang said:

"Just like Uncle Xuanmeng's building, it's filled with flowers and plants; it's so beautiful."

"Uncle Xuanmeng's building was modeled after this one, so of course it's the same."

We followed Xuanzhen to the restaurant, where Master Ziyang, the Prefect of Handong, and Li Bai were already sitting at the table drinking.

Upon seeing Master Ziyang, I immediately knelt down and said:

"Yuehua pays respects to the Immortal Ziyang, wishing you longevity and eternal youth."

Master Ziyang stood up, walked up to me, and said:

"Yuehua, get up. Let the old Taoist priest take a look. How has your training been going these past few years?"

I stood up, pulled Pingyang and Boqin in front of me, and said:

"Miss and Young Master, please pay your respects to Grandpa Ziyang."

The two children immediately knelt down, kowtowed three times to Master Ziyang, and said:

"Li Pingyang (Li Shaoqin) pays his respects to Grandpa Ziyang."

Master Ziyang happily pulled the two children up and said:

"Li Bai finally has a successor. Give me the Moonlight Blade; let me hone his skills."