I served as Li Bai's page.

The next morning, after getting up and having breakfast, Wu Zhinan urged me to find a cruise ship.

I arrived at the inn's lobby just as Xiao Lin walked in from outside. I went up to him and greeted him, "Brother Lin, we'd like to go boating on Dongting Lake, but we don't know where we can rent a boat."

"My father just returned from Nanjing yesterday. Let's rent his boat; he's a very good rower."

"Sure, is your home far from here?"

"It's not far, just in the fishing village outside the West Gate. I just came from home. Shall I take you to see it?"

Xiaolin and I walked towards his house while talking.

Leaving the west gate of Yueyang Ancient City, Xiaolin and I followed the shady path along Dongting Lake to a small island not far from the city gate. A few scattered houses dotted the island, each with a small courtyard in front, where fishing nets were drying. The island was connected to the mainland on one side, while the other three sides were surrounded by Dongting Lake, with several fishing boats and a tourist boat moored along the shore.

Xiaolin led me into a courtyard near Dongting Lake, where a man and a woman were mending a fishing net.

"Dad, Mom, I've brought our guests back. This is Yuehua, who's staying at our inn. They want to go boating on Dongting Lake and need to rent one," Xiaolin said.

I stepped forward and politely greeted, "Hello, Uncle/Auntie."

"Young man, when do you need a boat?" Uncle Lin asked.

"We'd like to go boating on Dongting Lake tomorrow, is that possible?" I said.

Uncle Lin stood in the courtyard and looked up at the sky. The sun had just risen, and the temperature wasn't too high yet. He said, "Looks like tomorrow will be another sunny day. Okay, let's go tomorrow then. Which places would you like to visit?"

"The main destination is Junshan Island; you can enjoy the other sights from the boat," I said.

"Come tomorrow morning, and you can board the ship from here."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Lin. I'll go back and prepare."

Xiao Lin and I returned to Yueyang City. Remembering that Li Bai and Wu Zhinan had mentioned how delicious the bean curd sheets were yesterday, I told Xiao Lin to go back to the inn first, while I went to the street corner and bought a few servings of bean curd sheets.

I strolled around the streets and, thinking that it would be very hot on the boat on Dongting Lake the next day, I bought three sun hats and took them back to the inn.

"Have you booked the cruise ship yet?" Wu Zhinan asked as soon as he saw me.

"We've booked it. It's with Kobayashi's family. We'll go to their house to board the ship tomorrow morning," I said.

Li Bai asked, "Is it far from here?"

"It's not far, just on a small island outside the West Gate. Look what I bought for you!" I said, placing the bean curd sheets and sun hats on the table.

Wu Zhinan picked up a hat, put it on, and said, "Yuehua is so thoughtful; I'll wear this one."

Li Bai lifted his hat, picked up a piece of bean curd skin, and said, "Yuehua, bring me the wine."

After lunch, Wu Zhinan went to bed under our insistence. Li Bai and I returned to our room, and Li Bai taught me to write.

The next day, the three of us got up early, ate breakfast, tidied up a bit, each of us took a hat, and headed towards the west gate.

Once outside the city gates, walking along the path by Dongting Lake, Wu Zhinan was very excited, sometimes clinging to willow branches, sometimes gently brushing the lake water, like a child who had been confined to his home for a long time. Li Bai and I kept reminding him to be careful.

When we arrived at Xiaolin's house, Xiaolin's parents were carrying things onto a boat on the lake. Xiaolin was standing in the yard and came out to greet us when he saw us.

"Yuehua, my father is all ready, and the boat can set sail anytime," Xiaolin said.

"Brother Lin, are you coming with us?" I asked.

"I'm not going. I'm going to work at the inn. I wish you all the best and a safe return," Xiaolin said.

After Xiaolin finished speaking, he led the three of us to the side of the cruise ship and introduced Li Bai and Wu Zhinan to his parents.

"Young masters, please board the ship," Uncle Lin said.

The three of us boarded the cruise ship. Xiao Lin's mother instructed us, "His father, be careful and steer the ship steadily so the guests don't get seasick. Gentlemen, if you get seasick, I've put some candy on the table in the cabin."

"Thank you, Aunt Lin," the three of us said at the same time.

After saying goodbye to Xiaolin and his mother, Uncle Lin rowed the boat into the depths of Dongting Lake. The three of us stood on the deck, letting the cool morning breeze of Dongting Lake blow on us.

The sun had just risen from the boundless lake, its warmth shimmering on the water. Oars propelled the boats, creating waves that shattered countless rays of sunlight.

Li Bai and Wu Zhinan held hands, marveling at the vastness of Dongting Lake.

I walked over to Uncle Lin and said, "Uncle Lin, let me help you row the boat for a while."

Li Bai interjected, "Yuehua, do you know how? This concerns our safety."

"Young master, don't worry, I'm a swimming champion," I said.

"Swimming and rowing are unrelated, aren't they?" Wu Zhinan said.

"How could it be nothing? You fell into the water, I can save you."

Uncle Lin said, "It's okay if it's not worth it. At most, the boat will just spin around on the lake. Come on, I'll teach you."

I gripped the oars with both hands, my body swaying back and forth with them, but the boat just kept spinning in place.

Uncle Lin helped me hold the oar and said, "You need to put force when you row down, and just hold on when you come back. The movements need to be quick and smooth for the boat to move forward."

I memorized what Uncle Lin said and imitated him, and actually managed to row the boat forward.

"There's one more thing to remember: when the boat turns, paddle with the left oar to turn right and with the right oar to turn left," Uncle Lin said.

I told Uncle Lin to let go and let me row the boat by myself, and I actually learned how.

The boat circled a bay, glided across a wide expanse of water, and headed toward a small island covered in green trees.

"Uncle Lin, is that Junshan Island?" I asked.

"Yes, row straight ahead to reach the shore," Uncle Lin replied.

Uncle Lin took the oar from my hand, adjusted the direction, and slowly moved towards the shore.

After the boat docked, we disembarked.

"Go and have fun on the island. I'll wait for you on this boat. Be sure to come back before sunset, or you won't be able to get home tonight," Uncle Lin said.

"Alright, Uncle Lin, let's go then." After I finished speaking, I followed Li Bai and Wu Zhinan toward Junshan Island.

We first arrived at Junshan Longkou along the tree-lined path on Junshan Island, where we viewed the seal of Qin Shi Huang and the shooting platform of Emperor Wu of Han. Then we walked along the foot of the mountain to the tomb of the two consorts.

"Young master, were Ehuang and Nüying buried together?" I asked.

"Yes, when the two women heard that Emperor Shun had died in the wilderness of Cangwu during his southern tour, they climbed Mount Jun, stroked the bamboo and wept until their tears ran dry, and then they died. People buried them together here." Before Li Bai could finish speaking, Wu Zhinan had already knelt down, touched the tombstone, and paid his respects to the two consorts.

"Brother Taibai, these two women are people of deep affection and true character, but I have failed Yueyuan." After Wu Zhinan finished speaking, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and I quickly squatted down to support him.

"Young Master, Young Master Wu has vomited blood!" I cried out in alarm.

At this moment, Li Bai was also terrified. He helped Wu Zhinan up with both hands and said to me, "Quick, help him onto my back. We'll go back to Yueyang Ancient City to find a doctor."