I served as Li Bai's page.

After we settled into the hotel, Li Bai was very excited and eager to see Yuan Danqiu, so he said to me:

"Yuehua, take Pingyang and Boqin for a stroll in the streets, but don't go too far. I'm going to Xuandu Temple to see Danqiu Sheng. If you're not back by noon, you'll have to eat by yourselves."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Be careful when you go out with the two children, and keep your money and sword with you."

"Okay, don't worry."

After giving his instructions, Li Bai strode towards the door. Pingyang and Boqin saw him to the door, watching him walk briskly downstairs, then turned and closed the door, saying to me:

"Uncle, we're free now. Let's go shopping."

I pulled Pingyang aside and carefully dressed her up, then closed the door and led the two children downstairs. Just as we reached the courtyard, the waiter came in from outside and, seeing us, said:

"Are you going shopping? There's a temple fair at Daxingshan Temple today, it's very lively, come on over!"

"Really? Then let's go." I replied to the waiter as I led the two children outside.

We left the hotel, walked out of the alley, crossed Zhuque Street, and arrived at the gate of Daxingshan Temple. The square of Daxingshan Temple was packed with people, some burning incense and praying to Buddha, others traveling and doing business, all crowded together.

"Pingyang, Boqin, let's hold hands. There are too many people, don't get separated," I said.

"Don't worry, Uncle, even if we get separated, I can find a hotel," Pingyang said.

Because of his young age, Boqin was a little scared when he saw a lot of people. He clung tightly to my clothes and stayed close to me.

As we squeezed through the gates of Daxingshan Temple, we were greeted by the sound of chanting. Pingyang was thrilled and took off the Buddhist prayer beads bracelet she was wearing, gently chanting along with the chanting.

Led by a monk, we each held three incense sticks and entered the main hall to kneel and worship. After we finished worshipping Buddha, Pingyang stood in the hall, unwilling to leave.

I took her hand and said:

"Let's go, Pingyang, we still need to wait for Father."

"Uncle, I love listening to the sound of the wooden fish. Let's stay a little longer."

"Then let's listen outside the shop, so as not to disturb other people worshipping Buddha."

Pingyang followed Boqin and me to the outside of the Daxiongbao shop. We sat on a bench outside and listened quietly to the chanting and the sound of the wooden fish coming from inside. Pingyang held her prayer beads, her lips slightly parted, and she silently chanted along.

I embraced Boqin and looked at Pingyang, truly afraid that Boqin would be influenced by Pingyang and become devoted to Buddhism. We sat in Daxingshan Temple until nearly noon. I tried several times to invite Pingyang to go for a visit to the temple, but Pingyang refused, preferring to sit there alone rather than go with us. For safety's sake, Boqin and I had no choice but to accompany him to the end.

"Young benefactor, since you are so devout, why don't you have a vegetarian meal at the temple today?" Just when I was at my wit's end, a monk came over and said to us.

"Thank you, Master. I'm sorry to have troubled you." I stood up, put my hands together in front of my chest, and bowed deeply to the monk.

"Come with me."

Pingyang put away the prayer beads, and the three of us followed the monk to the dining hall behind the temple, where many devout men and women were already eating.

We went into the restaurant and sat down. The monk in charge of distributing the vegetarian meals came over, served the three of us porridge, put his hands together in prayer, and said, "Please enjoy your meal, benefactors."

I returned the greeting and invited Pingyang and Boqin to eat the vegetarian meal.

After lunch, I took Pingyang and Boqin for a stroll around Daxingshan Temple. Daxingshan Temple truly lived up to its reputation as the foremost of the eight major Buddhist holy sites of the Tang Dynasty, with its numerous Zen monasteries, antique charm, and mysterious and solemn atmosphere everywhere.

As the sunset began to appear in the west, I said to my two children:

"Let's go back, Father will be looking for us soon."

I led my two children out of the temple gate, and just as we reached the entrance, we saw Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu walking towards us. Boqin hurried a few steps and waved to Li Bai, saying, "Father, we're here."

I brought Pingyang to Li Bai and the others. Pingyang smiled shyly at Yuan Danqiu, bowed, and said, "Hello, Uncle."

Yuan Danqiu reached out and took Boqin's hand, then turned to Pingyang and said, "You must be Pingyang. The one I'm holding should be Mingyue Nu. I already knew about you two from your father's letter. I didn't expect you to have grown so tall."

"Uncle, I know you too. Father often tells us about you drinking together, reciting scriptures, and Uncle Cen Xun," Boqin said.

"Do you like reading?" Yuan Danqiu asked Boqin.

"I love it. I attended a private school at home. Our teacher was wonderful; he could recite all the books and even read my father's poems."

"This shows your father writes good poetry. Be proud, you have such a talented poet as your father."

Pingyang walked to Li Bai's side, took his hand, and said, "My brother and I must learn from our father."

I stood to the side and reminded them, "Let's go back to the inn and talk. It's getting dark, and curfew is coming."

At this moment, a lively scene unfolded on Zhuque Street. A large group of people surrounded a fat, Central Asian man wearing a turban, carrying a long sword on his back, and a knife in his right hand, as he walked towards the imperial city. As they passed in front of us, the fat Central Asian man glanced at us.

I was startled and thought to myself: Isn't this An Lushan? Li Bai hadn't even entered the Hanlin Academy yet, how did he get to Chang'an?

After the group had passed, Pingyang said, "That man was so fat, and why were his clothes different from ours?"

Just as I was about to answer, Yuan Danqiu said, "That man is An Lushan, the governor of Yingzhou. He is a Hu (non-Han Chinese), skilled in riding and archery, and fluent in six languages. He is quite formidable."

Li Bai said, "That's truly a talented person."

The five of us walked toward the inn while discussing An Lushan.

Back at the inn, Pingyang and Boqin went off to admire the flowers, while Li Bai sat with Yuan Danqiu at the table, chatting about their longing for each other after parting, and about Cen Xun and Yuan Yan. I found the innkeeper and started preparing dinner for everyone.

By the time they ate dinner, it was completely dark, and a curfew had been imposed in the city. Yuan Danqiu couldn't return to Xuandu Temple, so he and Li Bai drank to their hearts' content, determined to drink until they were completely drunk. I sat beside them, refilling their cups and occasionally asking questions. When I asked when Princess Yuzhen could see Li Bai, Yuan Danqiu replied:

"Princess Yuzhen is still at the Zhongnan Villa and hasn't returned to the palace. Once she returns, I'll take Brother Taibai to see her."

"Thank you for your trouble, brother. Here, let me toast you." Li Bai raised his wine cup and clinked it with Yuan Danqiu's, then drank it all in one gulp. Turning to me, he said, "Yuehua, you take the two children to sleep. Don't worry about us; I can take care of them myself." As he spoke, Li Bai took the wine pot and poured a full cup for Yuan Danqiu, then filled his own cup as well.

"Alright, young master, you and Master Yuan can enjoy yourselves. I'll take care of the children and get some rest." After I finished speaking, I called Pingyang and Boqin to go to the next room to sleep.

When I didn't hear Li Bai reading the next morning, I pushed open Li Bai's door and found him and Yuan Danqiu fast asleep in bed, fully clothed.