I served as Li Bai's page.

We rested for a while under the banyan tree, then set off again on the official road towards Chang'an. I spurred my horse and galloped at full speed. The carriage was unusually quiet; I guessed all three of them were asleep. It wasn't until we were almost at the next small town that I heard voices coming from inside the carriage.

"Uncle, when will we arrive at the inn? I need to use the restroom," Pingyang asked.

"We're almost there; we can already see the inn," I said.

I drove the carriage to the inn's gate. Li Bai carried Pingyang and Boqin down from the carriage and hurried off to find the restroom with the two children. The innkeeper saw me and came out of his house, saying:

"Sir, would you like to stay at the inn?"

"We need four people for the hotel, and we'll need two rooms," I said.

"Tie up your horse and come with me."

I tied up my horse, took the luggage from the carriage, and followed the innkeeper to the backyard. The yard was deserted; it seemed there were very few people staying at the inn.

"Boss, are there very few people passing by? No one is staying at the inn," I asked.

"Young man, don't you know what season it is? It's the busy farming season now, who has time to wander around? I'll get you two good rooms, and will you mind if I provide you with meals?"

"Thank you, boss. Of course, meals will be provided," I said.

I followed the owner to the room and put down my luggage. The two rooms were spacious, bright, and well-ventilated, perfect for resting during my trip.

"Boss, I only need these two rooms. You can go ahead with your work." Just as I finished speaking, Li Bai led the two children into the backyard. The innkeeper and I walked out of the room, and I called out loudly:

"Young master, over here."

The two children ran towards me. I led them into the room. Li Bai entered the room, looked around, nodded in satisfaction, and said:

"This room is nice, clean and hygienic, with excellent ventilation, but there's only one bed, isn't that enough?"

"There's another room next door. I'll take Boqin to sleep there in a bit."

"That's more like it," Li Bai said.

I tidied up the room a bit, and then I heard the shop owner calling me to eat from outside.

"Gentlemen, dinner is served."

"Coming right away," I replied.

The four of us left the room and went to the restaurant, where the owner had already placed the food on the table. Li Bai looked at the dishes and said to me:

"Yuehua, bring me a pot of wine."

When the shop owner heard that Li Bai wanted to drink, he quickly went to the counter to take out a pot of wine and poured two full cups for Li Bai and himself.

"You have a long journey ahead of you tomorrow, and I didn't think you would drink. But if you'd like to drink, I'll drink with you today." The shopkeeper said, raising his glass to clink with Li Bai's before downing it in one gulp.

Li Bai and the shop owner chatted and drank, showing no signs of leaving the table anytime soon. After Pingyang and Boqin quickly finished their meal, we returned to our room. Pingyang said to me:

"Uncle, I want to take a bath."

"Okay, we'll all go," I said.

I grabbed my clothes and led the child to the bathhouse. After preparing the bathwater for Pingyang, I said to her:

"Go inside and wash up. My brother and I will stay at the door and wash one at a time, okay?"

"Okay, I'll wash first."

"Go ahead," I said.

After the three of us took turns washing up, we felt much more relaxed. Pingyang and Boqin, having traveled all day, fell asleep as soon as they got back to their room. I sat alone by the window, looking at the dark night outside, and thought to myself that I hoped Li Bai's trip to Chang'an would fulfill his wish to serve the court.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Bai's voice suddenly came, startling me.

"Young Master, I just hope you can successfully meet Princess Yuzhen on our trip to Chang'an."

"Whether I see Princess Yuzhen or not doesn't matter. I'll be content just to see Danqiu Sheng. It's been many years since I've seen my old friends, Cen Xun and Yuan Yan. I wonder how they're doing?" Li Bai said thoughtfully, gazing out the window. His years of life in Donglu had diminished his dream of looking west to Chang'an. In addition, the passing of his wife and the young age of his children added countless ties to his life.

"Young Master, have you given up on your dreams? This is a great opportunity; you might meet many more people."

"Of course, I'll seize the opportunity if it comes my way, but I won't force it. Go to sleep, we'll continue our journey tomorrow," Li Bai said, patting my shoulder.

"Good night, young master." I stood up, carried Boqin to the next room, put him on the bed, and fell asleep next to him, fully clothed.

The next morning, we were awakened by the sound of two swords clashing. I hurriedly went out of the room and saw Li Bai practicing his sword in the courtyard. His opponent was the innkeeper. The two of them moved lightly, their swords flying up and down, fighting fiercely and evenly.

"Uncle, is Daddy fighting with the boss?" Pingyang asked softly from behind me.

"No, they're sparring; it looks like they're fighting."

At this moment, Bo Qin also came out, grabbed my hand, and said:

"Uncle, I'm scared."

"Don't be afraid, they're just practicing their swordsmanship, they're not really fighting." I hugged Pingyang and Boqin, watched Li Bai and the others practice their swordsmanship for a while, and then led the two children to the kitchen.

After breakfast, it was time for us to set off again. I drove out of the carriage, loaded all the luggage onto it, paid the bill at the counter, and our group continued our journey to Chang'an. Traveling day and night like this, the two children grew bolder and bolder. From initially being afraid of strangers, they eventually started chatting with strangers traveling the same way, showing considerable progress.

A few days later, we arrived outside Chang'an. It was just as dusk was falling, and the city was under curfew with its gates closed. I stopped the carriage outside the moat, and Li Bai alighted, carrying the two children. Gazing at the brightly lit metropolis, the two children were overjoyed.

"Father, is this Chang'an? It's so beautiful even at night," Pingyang asked.

"Yes, child, this is our capital, a place everyone longs for," Li Bai replied.

"The people living inside must be very rich, to have so many lights on at night," Bo Qin asked with a silly grin.

"Of course, the richest people in our country live there, and there's lots of good food inside. I'll take you there to eat when we get to the city tomorrow," I said.

"Okay, I want to eat now, I'm so hungry," Bo Qin said, clutching his stomach.

"Yuehua, don't stand here. Let's find an inn in the town for the night and go to the city tomorrow." Li Bai said as he carried the two children onto the carriage.

I drove the carriage to a small town outside Chang'an. Led by Li Bai, I found an inn to stay at. The innkeeper was an acquaintance of Li Bai's. After showing us to our room, Li Bai went to drink with him. After unpacking my luggage, I led the child to the dining room, where a table was already filled with people sitting around Li Bai.

"Brother Taibai, you've been doing well in Donglu these past few years, and your poems and essays are widely circulated. Are you now thinking of coming to Chang'an to develop your career?" someone asked.

"How could I dare? I came to Chang'an only at the invitation of an old friend."

"Qinglian Jushi, you must have come to Chang'an at the invitation of Daoist Yuan of Xuandu Temple. I consider Master Yuan, though not of the same surname, as a close relative. We have no formal ties, but are intimately connected by the spirit of nature. I often lament being bound by worldly affairs, my aspirations unfulfilled. Though the pine and cypress endure the cold, they are ashamed to follow the peach and plum blossoms in spring. Wandering in the bustling city, your jade-like face grows increasingly gray. What you have lost is as heavy as mountains, what you have gained is as light as dust. Your spirit is gradually becoming defiled, and old age is your constant companion. I have a secret formula in a brocade pouch that can sustain you. You should consume the golden elixir and become a guest of Ziyang. Nothing can stand together, even a hundred years is like a morning. I bid you farewell to you in the southeast, a journey filled with sorrow and hardship. Your former aspirations are not easily changed, and I hope you will follow them on your long journey. Now, return home, the white clouds fly to Tianjin. Your deep friendship with Daoist Yuan is truly enviable." At this moment, a Daoist entered and recited the following.