I served as Li Bai's page.

"I'm just spouting nonsense, please forgive my blunder, fellow Daoist," Li Bai said, standing up and bowing to the Daoist.

"Please sit down, Qinglian Jushi. Your poems and essays are recited by everyone from high-ranking officials to ordinary people, which is truly rare. I've heard that you also enjoy drinking. I'm fortunate to meet you today, so I'll have a couple of drinks with you." After the Taoist finished speaking, someone at the table offered him a seat, and the Taoist sat down.

I sat down at a nearby table with my two children. The waiter brought us three bowls of noodles, and we ate while listening to Li Bai and his companions praising each other and engaging in lively discussions.

"Uncle, after we finish eating, shall we wait for Daddy to leave together?" Pingyang asked me.

"No need. Your father is probably too drunk to get up from the table anytime soon. Let's go back to our room and sleep. He'll come back after he finishes eating."

"What if Father gets drunk and can't find his room?" Boqin asked worriedly.

"No, the shop owner is an acquaintance of Father's, which means Father often stays here. There's no need to worry," I reassured Boqin.

After dinner, I took my two children out of the hotel, thinking that this small town under the emperor's nose would be lively at night, and I would take the children for a stroll. However, the streets were deserted. Apart from the teahouses and taverns, all the shops on both sides of the street were closed. There were very few pedestrians on the street, and the few I did encounter were drunk and helping each other home.

"Let's go back and get some rest. Tomorrow I'll take you to Chang'an City for a stroll," I said to the two children.

"Is this how it is at night in Chang'an? There are so few people on the streets," Pingyang asked.

"There is a curfew in Chang'an every night. Without permission, you cannot walk on the streets at night," I said.

"Uncle, what is a curfew?" Boqin asked.

"Simply put, once the drums sound in the city at night, everyone has to stay indoors, lock their doors, and not visit each other or walk on the streets," I explained patiently to Pingyang and Boqin.

"There's no curfew at Rencheng's house, but we won't go out on the streets at night. However, Father can come home if he's had a drink," Pingyang said.

"It won't work in Chang'an. No matter where you drink, you have to get home before curfew, otherwise you won't be able to go home and will have to stay outside."

"Does Father know about this rule?" Boqin asked.

"Of course I know, don't worry," I said.

I took the two children back to the inn, where Li Bai was still surrounded by a group of people drinking. After we went back to our room, washed up, and went to bed, no one knew when Li Bai returned.

The next day, the two children woke up early and clamored to go into Chang'an City.

"Uncle, may we go to Chang'an City for breakfast?" Pingyang asked.

"Would you like to have breakfast in Chang'an? Sure, I'll take you to the city for dumplings." Li Bai, having stopped reading sometime earlier, entered the house and, upon hearing Pingyang's words, immediately replied.

I packed my luggage, went to the stable to bring out the carriage, and Li Bai led the child toward the carriage.

"Brother Taibai, are you leaving?" asked the Taoist priest who recited the poem last night.

"We're leaving now, heading into town. We'll have a drink together another time."

"There will be an opportunity. I'll be going to Xuandu Temple to study in a few days. See you then."

We bid farewell to the people at the inn, drove our carriage across the moat, and headed towards the gates of Chang'an. Soon we joined the endless stream of people entering the city. Pingyang and Boqin, unable to contain their excitement, both wanted to get out of the carriage and sit next to me.

Li Bai said, "Boqin can sit next to his uncle, but Pingyang must stay in the carriage."

"Daddy, why? I want to sit outside too. There are so many people, it's so lively," Pingyang said coquettishly.

"You are a girl, it's not appropriate for you to appear in front of so many people. Listen to your father," Li Bai said.

Pingyang pouted as she sat in the carriage and lowered the curtain.

"Pingyang, don't be angry. Once we get into the city, your uncle will dress you up, and then you can walk with us on the streets," I comforted Pingyang. At the same time, we spurred our horses and, following the flow of people, quickly entered Chang'an City.

After entering the city, I slowed down and stopped in front of a restaurant at the entrance of East Market Alley. Li Bai jumped down from the carriage and reached out to hug Pingyang, but I quickly stopped him.

"Young Master, don't rush, let me dress Pingyang again."

I entered the carriage, found a darker-colored outfit for Pingyang to wear, and then styled his hair. Dressed like this, Pingyang looked every bit the handsome little boy. I got out of the carriage and picked Pingyang up. Li Bai nodded in satisfaction and said:

"That's more like it; that's how you should dress when you go out."

Li Bai led the three of us into a restaurant, bought two plates of dumplings, and the four of us ate them earnestly.

After breakfast, Li Bai led the two children ahead, while I drove the carriage behind, strolling leisurely along Zhuque Street. Since leading the horses and pulling the carriage was extremely inconvenient, I said to Li Bai:

"Young master, let's find an inn to stay at first, put our luggage and carriage away, and then we can explore more easily."

"Alright, let's go see if there's a suitable inn near Xuandu Temple. It'll be more convenient to meet Yuan Danqiu from there."

Li Bai led us toward Xuandu Temple. From afar, we could see a Taoist temple and a Buddhist temple standing on either side of Zhuque Avenue. Xuandu Temple was to the west, and Daxingshan Temple was to the east, facing each other across the street.

We stopped in front of the Taoist temple. Both the temple and the Taoist temple were bustling with people, and the incense was burning brightly. Li Bai led us to a small alley to the right of the Xuandu Temple, where there happened to be a decent-looking inn. As soon as we arrived at the inn's entrance, the innkeeper came out and asked:

"Would you four gentlemen like to stay at the inn?"

"Yes, I need two superior rooms," Li Bai replied.

"Come with me." At this moment, a waiter came over, took the reins from my hand, and led us to the backyard. The waiter tied up the horses, helped us with our luggage, and went upstairs in the backyard.

There were many guests staying upstairs and downstairs in the back courtyard. As we walked, the waiter introduced the various rooms:

"These two superior rooms were only available this morning after the guests left. They are the two best rooms in the entire inn, and they share a balcony from which you can see most of Zhuque Avenue."

We followed the waiter into the room, which was spotless, spacious and bright. In particular, there was a viewing balcony outside the room with several pots of blooming gardenias, their delicate fragrance filling both rooms.

As soon as Pingyang and Boqin entered the room, before they could even sit down, they rushed to the balcony and began admiring the flowers in the pots.

"Father, the gardenias are so beautiful! The gardenias in our Rencheng family should be blooming by now," Pingyang said.

"Gardenias bloom in this season, and Rencheng is no exception," Li Bai replied.

"The gardenias here are potted, while the gardenias at home are free-growing, so they should bloom even more beautifully," I added.