I served as Li Bai's page.

"They must have written a letter, but we just returned from Anlu and it hasn't been delivered to us yet. Go out and inquire about it tomorrow," Li Bai said.

"Yes, young master, I'll go tomorrow morning. It's too late today, go and rest," I said.

"Go to sleep, I'll sit for a while longer." After saying this, Li Bai looked up at the sky again. Apart from the boundless darkness, there wasn't a single star in the sky.

I went into the bedroom, closed the door, and lay down on the bed. I couldn't fall asleep for a long time until the light from the kerosene lamp outside the window went out, and then I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the next day, Pingyang and Boqin were standing in front of my bed looking at me.

"My little darlings, when did you come in? Why didn't you call me?" I got out of bed, quickly dressed, and walked out of the bedroom.

"Father is cooking porridge in the kitchen and told us to wake you up for dinner," Pingyang said.

I ran into the kitchen, saying repeatedly, "Young Master, I'm so sorry, I overslept again. If you saw I wasn't up, you could have just called me. How could I let you cook?"

"Can't I cook? I'm a human being too. Go wash up and eat," Li Bai said.

After breakfast, Li Bai locked himself in his study until lunchtime, when Pingyang called him out. I went to the messenger inside the east gate of Rencheng to inquire, but there was no news from Qinglian Town in Western Shu. At lunchtime, I said to Li Bai:

"I went to the postman's stall, but there was no letter from home."

Li Bai gave a soft "hmm" and buried his head in his food.

In the afternoon, my sixth aunt, accompanied by her daughter, came to visit and said to me:

"Yuehua, let's go and invite Sister Lin back. It'll be more lively with another person."

"Madam, I think we should forget about it. I can handle all the household chores. Having another person just adds to the expenses," I said.

"Your wife's passing must have cost a lot of money. If you have any difficulties, tell me," said Aunt Liu.

"Thank you, Madam, not yet. I'd like to ask which private school in Rencheng is the best; I'd like Boqin to attend one."

"That's a great idea. There's a very reputable private school on the right after you leave the alley. It's close to home, and the teacher is good too. Let's send him there. I'll go with you to do this tomorrow," Aunt Liu said happily.

"I haven't discussed it with the young master yet," I said.

"Go and call him out; we need to discuss this immediately."

Pingyang went to the study and summoned Li Bai. Li Bai asked, "Pingyang said you wanted to discuss something with me. What is it that's so urgent?"

Aunt Liu said, "Your son is not young anymore. Yuehua plans to send him to a private school. What do you think?"

"Sure, he's always studied with his mother, but now we'll find him a teacher and choose a good private school. I'll go ask Lu Qian about it tomorrow," Li Bai said.

"Don't bother asking. I just told Yuehua that the private school on the right after you leave the alley is good; that's where your younger brothers received their early education."

"Alright, I'll take him tomorrow," Li Bai said.

"You don't need to go. Your reputation is too great. Yuehua and I will take him," said Aunt Liu.

And so, Boqin became a student at the private school outside the alley. Pingyang and I accompanied him there every day and picked him up in the afternoon. Time flew by, and more than a year had passed since Xu Ziyan's death. During this year, Li Bai rarely went out, but the Six Recluses of Zhuxi often came to our house for drinks. His friends and cousins ​​in Rencheng also frequently visited him and often invited him to drink at the Helan Family Restaurant, where Li Bai always knew when to stop. Although life was uneventful, the two children were very happy, often surrounding Li Bai and asking him strange and unusual questions.

One day, after school, Boqin returned home and saw Li Bai writing in the pavilion. He went over, picked up a brush, and wrote crookedly on a piece of paper: "Serve the country with utmost loyalty."

After Boqin finished writing, he put down his brush and asked Li Bai, "Father, today the teacher taught us four words and told us to always remember them."

Li Bai picked up the words written by Bo Qin and said, "Son, it's easy to remember these words, but it's not easy to put them into practice. Your father has struggled for half his life, and I still haven't been able to do it."

"Father, is it really that difficult? If you can't do it, then forget it. I don't want you to work so hard." Pingyang, who was embroidering flowers nearby, overheard Li Bai and Boqin's conversation and said casually.

"Daughter, it's not that we won't do it even if we haven't done it yet. We must make these words our lifelong pursuit, especially Boqin. A man should have ambitions beyond his hometown, contributing ideas and strategies to the prosperity of the country, and fighting on the battlefield for the peace of the motherland. Although I cannot serve the country now, believe me, one day I will be able to do it." After saying this, Li Bai stood up, his eyes fixed on the distance, looking full of ambition.

Bo Qin asked, "Does serving one's country with utmost loyalty mean going to a faraway place? I don't want to leave my father, uncle, and sister."

Li Bai turned around, stroked Boqin's head, and said, "My child, there are many ways to serve your country, but when it comes to leaving your family, you must do so without hesitation. Only with a country can there be a home. You will understand when you grow up; we men should take pride in serving our country."

Boqin gave an "Oh" that sounded like he understood but didn't quite.

Pingyang said, "Father, I don't want my brother to be like you, never coming home for so long. I just want to stay with my brother."

"Pingyang stayed with her younger brother to take care of him. Now that he's grown up and can take care of himself, Pingyang won't need to stay with him anymore," I interjected.

Boqin heard me speak, ran towards me, grabbed my hands, and asked:

"Uncle, you are also a man. Did you and Father not return home because you also aspired to travel far and wide?"

Bo Qin's question left me speechless. I stared at Li Bai, unsure how to answer.

Li Bai replied, "Of course, I have my own pursuits and aspirations, but my primary task is still to organize Father's manuscripts and take care of you."

Following Li Bai's words, I quickly said, "Yes, I'm going to cook. You all prepare to wash your hands and eat." With that, I headed towards the kitchen. Bo Qin followed, saying as we walked:

"Uncle, I'm watching you cook."

Pingyang put down the flowers she was embroidering and came over. The three of us were kneading dough, picking vegetables, and cooking in the kitchen. Just as we put the food on the table, Li Youcheng walked in from outside and called out:

"Twelfth Brother, have you eaten yet?"

Li Bai was walking towards the restaurant when he saw Li Youcheng arrive. He went out to greet him and, upon hearing Li Youcheng's question, replied:

"We were just about to eat, let's go grab a couple of drinks."

"It's good that we haven't eaten yet. Let's go to Helan's Restaurant for a drink. Li Ning and Li Lie are coming. Let's wait for them at the restaurant. It's been a long time since we brothers have gotten together. Tonight, we won't leave until we're drunk," Li Youcheng said.

"Are these two brothers from Shanxian? It's getting dark and they haven't arrived yet," Li Bai asked.

"A letter brought back this afternoon by Registrar Lu from Yanzhou."

"Wait for me a moment, I'm going to change my clothes," Li Bai said to Li Youcheng.

Li Bai went to his bedroom to change his clothes, then came to the courtyard and said to me:

"Yuehua, you three go eat. I'm going to a restaurant with Young Master Fifteen for drinks. You tidy up Sister Lin's room and change the bedding. My two brothers will be staying at our house later."

"Yes, young master, you may go." I said.