I served as Li Bai's page.

After discussing Li Bai's wedding with Master Xu in the study, Master Ziyang and Meng Haoran rose to take their leave. Xuanmeng, holding my hand, said, "Yuehua, aren't you coming with us?"

"Young Master and I will stay for now. I will return to see you when I have time."

"You have to keep your word, don't forget me," Xuanmeng said, her eyes full of envy.

"No, go back and focus on your cultivation. You can come to the young master's wedding banquet."

After Master Ziyang and the others left, Li Bai and I stayed at the Xu residence. Master Xu chatted with Li Bai in the study, but before long, Madam Xu called us away.

I walked up to Li Bai and whispered:

"Young Master, the Xu family is quite complicated."

"Tell me how complicated it is," Li Bai said.

I told Li Bai everything Xiaoqian had told me.

"It's quite complicated. No wonder Madam Xu didn't want Miss Xu to marry so far away. By marrying her to someone on Baizhao Mountain, she can take care of Madam Xu at any time. It's truly the best of both worlds."

At this moment, Xiaoqian accompanied Xu Ziyan in.

"Greetings, Madam. I would like to ask Xiaoqian to show me and the young master our lodgings for the night, is that alright?"

"Sure, there are two rooms next to this study. Taibai can stay in the larger one, and you can stay in the smaller one. Everything in it is fully equipped; Mother just had Wu Ma replace everything with new ones."

"Thank you, Madam. I'll go take a look first. You and the young master can talk." I used this excuse to leave the study with Xiaoqian.

Xiaoqian and I went to the next room. The large house and the small house were connected, and there was a door in the back wall of the small house leading to a small garden. Roses and morning glories were in full bloom in the garden, and a hibiscus tree stood on the wall, half beautifying the garden and half fragrance the passersby. Between two thick trees, there was a swing, and I seemed to see Miss Xu sitting on it.

I think the environment is pretty good. The only thing I don't like is that I have to enter the main room through the door to rest. Fortunately, there is a screen in the middle of the main room, which divides the room into two parts: the outside is for resting and the inside is for sleeping.

"Xiaoqian, where do you live? Do you also live in such a nice house?" I asked.

"Pretty much. I live next door to you, Miss, right next door. My room connects to the small garden."

I entered the garden through the small gate. This garden is the garden of these houses, and no one can enter without permission. It's clear that Miss Xu had put a lot of thought into the arrangement.

Xiaoqian followed behind me and said, "Yuehua, what do you think the young master and young lady are doing? He wouldn't be bullying our young lady, would he?"

"Why do you care what they do? If anyone's going to bully someone, it's Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—one is willing to hit and the other is willing to be hit," I said.

Xiaoqian and I were talking in the garden when Wu Ma came over with the lady.

"Where are the two masters?" Madam Xu asked.

"Madam, they are in the study. Shall we go and call them?" Xiaoqian replied.

"No need. You help Yuehua get familiar with the surroundings; she might feel uncomfortable at first. Yuehua, you are completely free in this courtyard; no one else can easily come in."

"Yes, madam," I replied.

Just then, Xu Ziyan and Li Bai walked in, chatting and laughing. They both called out in unison, "Mother!"

Mrs. Xu beamed with joy, holding one in each hand, unable to get enough of looking at them.

"Sweetie, are you satisfied now? But don't you dare bully Li Bai, okay?" Madam Xu pinched Miss Xu's cheek, causing her face to flush crimson. It was unclear whether she was shy or had pinched too hard. Li Bai also lowered his head in embarrassment.

Xu Ziyan walked around the room, looked everything over, and asked, "Yuehua, are you satisfied?"

I replied, "I'm very satisfied. I wonder if my young master is satisfied? Won't you ask him?"

Xu Ziyan's face immediately turned red again.

Madam Xu looked at her daughter and said, "Yuehua, don't be naughty."

Xiaoqian added, "Our young lady originally wanted to ask about the son-in-law."

"Young Master, please answer quickly whether you are satisfied or not. The Young Madam is waiting."

"Xiaoqian and Yuehua are getting more and more mischievous. I'm getting old, I can't keep bothering you. Aunt Wu, let's go. We'll call you when it's time to eat."

"Madam, please take care." Xiaoqian and I said in unison.

With Madam Xu gone, Li Bai felt much more at ease. He walked around the room and said, "It would be great if there were a door in this room leading to the garden. That way, when I want to go out for some fresh air, the moonlight won't be disturbed."

Xu Ziyan said, "Execute immediately, open the door. Xiaoqian, go and call Wu Chao."

"Wait a minute," I quickly called to Xiaoqian.

"Young Madam, there's no rush. We have a long life ahead of us. The young master and I have just arrived; it's not appropriate to make a scene."

Li Bai also said, "I was just saying it casually. Let's talk about it later." He looked at Xu Ziyan as he spoke.

"Okay, I'll listen to you. We'll talk about it later."

At this moment, Wu Ma accompanied Madam Xu over.

"You four, come on, let's go eat," Madam Xu said.

The four of us were about to leave the courtyard with Madam Xu when Master Xu came to greet us: "I was just about to call you." Li Bai and Xu Ziyan called out, "Father!"

Master Xu took Li Bai's hand and led us toward the back restaurant.

When we entered the restaurant, the second wife and her son Xu Zijun, and the third wife and her daughter Xu Zixia were already sitting inside.

"Please sit down, everyone. Let me introduce you," said Master Xu, taking Li Bai's hand. "This is Li Bai, the young lady's fiancé. Their wedding will be held on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the fifteenth of August. It's just around the corner, so I hope everyone will help with the preparations."

Then, he brought Li Bai to the second concubine and said, "This is the second concubine, call her Second Aunt. This is Ziyan's younger brother, Second Aunt's son, Zijun. You already met him in the front hall. This is the third concubine, call her Third Aunt. And this is the third concubine's daughter, Ziyan's younger sister, Zixia."

After Master Xu finished introducing them, Li Bai addressed them in turn as: Second Aunt, Third Aunt, Younger Brother, Younger Sister.

Li Bai thus became acquainted with the owners of the Xu family, appearing both humble and polite.

Master Xu invited everyone to sit down and eat. Several servants brought the food to the table and stood by. I, like Xiaoqian, stood behind Li Bai. Li Bai turned around and looked at me, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"Zhang Ma, go and get a pot of wine. Let's have a couple of drinks as a family," said Master Xu.

Aunt Zhang took a jar of wine from the wine cabinet, set out the wine set, and I took the jar and poured wine for everyone.

After the first cup, Li Bai stood up and toasted everyone. I stood behind him and whispered a reminder, "Young master, don't get drunk."

Master Xu said, "It doesn't matter if you're drunk. Just go to sleep."

Li Bai became more and more excited as he drank, and with his second concubine's cunning probing, he was able to get all the details about his ancestors for three generations.

"Because we share the same lineage as the royal family, we cannot participate in the imperial examinations; otherwise, I would have passed the examinations long ago. Back in my hometown, I served as a minor official for a time, but I always felt there was no future in it, so I left my hometown to travel and study, hoping for a better future," Li Bai said.

"Does my brother-in-law aspire to become an official in the imperial court? Many members of our Xu family hold official positions, so we can help each other out in the future," Xu Zijun said.

"It would be best if we could look after each other. An official should also be an honest and upright one." Li Bai spoke so frankly.