I served as Li Bai's page.

After his wedding, Li Bai no longer drank heavily. He and Xu Ziyan were deeply in love and treated each other with utmost respect. Besides reading and practicing calligraphy in his study, he spent his days by Xu Ziyan's side. Seeing this, Xu's parents were content and doted on their daughter even more, and respected Li Bai even more.

A month has passed in the blink of an eye, and early winter is approaching. When I delivered Li Bai's winter clothes to their room, Li Bai was taking a walk in the garden with Xu Ziyan.

"Young master, I've brought your winter clothes. Where should I put them?"

"Put it on the bed," Li Bai said as he walked in.

"Yuehua, didn't you say that we would go back to Longxi Courtyard after my wedding?" Li Bai asked me in a low voice.

"You have to whisper sweet nothings in the young mistress's ear before we'll have a chance to go back," I said.

"I'm hesitant to bring it up myself, so you bring it up with her, and I'll agree with you."

As we were talking, Wu Chao called out from the inner courtyard gate: "Yuehua, Daoist Xuanmeng is looking for you."

Li Bai and I walked out of the room, and Xuan Meng was walking towards us with Wu Chao.

"Young Master Li, Yuehua, my master asked me to invite you to the Taoist temple for a chat. They are leaving soon," Xuanmeng said.

Li Bai asked, "Are Daoist Ziyang, Meng Haoran, Yuan Danqiu, and Cen Xun all leaving?"

"Yes, they're leaving tomorrow," Xuanmeng said.

Li Bai turned and went inside, then said to Xu Ziyan in the garden, "I need to go to Bai Zhaoshan Taoist Temple. Master Ziyang and the others are leaving tomorrow."

Xu Ziyan returned inside, put on an extra layer of clothing and a cloak, then draped another garment over Li Bai's shoulders and said, "I want to go with you."

"We're all men, it's inconvenient for you, a woman, to go."

"I'll bring Xiaoqian along. We'll do our own thing; it won't bother you."

Afraid that their conversation might go awry if they continued, I interjected, "Young Madam, if you want to go, then go. The air is fresh at Bai Zhao Mountain; you can relax and clear your head."

"Well, he's grown a tail now that he's married," Li Bai muttered.

Seeing that Li Bai had agreed, Xu Ziyan excitedly asked, "Yuehua, how are we getting there? By carriage or by horse?"

Li Bai immediately replied, "I'll ride a horse, and you'll ride in a carriage."

"No, we'll all ride in carriages. Besides, Master Xuanmeng doesn't have a horse." Xu Ziyan insisted without backing down.

I said, "Stop arguing, let's ride in the carriage. I'll drive, and Xuanmeng will sit next to me. No one will be left out."

"As you wish, madam, you are the eldest brother," Li Bai said helplessly.

I told Madam Xu that we were going to Baizhao Mountain, so I went to the stable to get a horse, hitched it to the carriage, and just as we were all ready, Li Bai came out holding Xu Ziyan's hand, with Xiaoqian and Xuanmeng following behind them.

Li Bai and the other two boarded the carriage. I sat in the driver's seat and asked Xuan Meng to sit next to me. We headed towards Bai Zhaoshan.

After parking the carriage at the foot of the mountain, we walked along the stone path towards the summit. Miss Xu, with her small feet, walked very slowly. Li Bai, watching with growing anxiety, said, "I told you not to come, but you insisted. And you're walking so slowly! Come, I'll carry you."

I helped Xu Ziyan onto Li Bai's back, and Li Bai strode towards the mountaintop. When they reached the halfway point, Xu Ziyan said to Li Bai, "Husband, shall we go see how the construction of our new house is going?"

"Can't we go another day? Master Ziyang and the others are waiting for me," Li Bai said.

"Aren't the old Taoist priest and the others supposed to leave tomorrow? If you don't go now, you'll be too drunk to go later. Go now."

"I really can't do anything with you." After saying that, Li Bai carried Xu Ziyan on his back and walked towards the new house.

The newly built houses are taking shape, with several stone steps leading to a tall mountain gate. Inside is a spacious courtyard, with two side rooms on each side. Further in is the main hall, behind which are two adjacent inner courtyards, and behind those courtyards is a garden with the mountain as a backdrop. Stone steps lead directly to Baizhao Peak, the main peak of Baizhao Mountain.

Upon seeing this, Xu Ziyan excitedly jumped off Li Bai's back and walked to the mountain gate.

Wu Chao saw us and came out from inside.

"Young master and young lady, you have time to come and visit today."

"We were just passing by and came to take a look. Is it almost finished? When will it be completed?" Xu Ziyan asked.

"The main structure is complete, and we're currently making some minor adjustments and adding some decorations. It will probably be completely finished next spring," Wu Chao said.

"Please hurry up and fix it, I can't wait any longer. This new house is so beautiful, thank you so much." Xu Ziyan said, taking a silver note from her clothes and stuffing it into Wu Chao's hand: "This is your reward."

Wu Chao put away the silver notes and said repeatedly, "Thank you, Miss and Young Master."

After viewing the new house, we continued walking towards the Taoist temple. Li Bai carried Xu Ziyan on his back again.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, Yuan Danqiu and Cen Xun were moving their dining table to the platform in front of the Taoist temple. Seeing Li Bai carrying his wife up the mountain, they teased, "Brother Taibai, you'd better keep your feet on the ground! You're carrying your whole family on your shoulders!"

Li Bai stepped onto the platform and set Xu Ziyan down. Xu Ziyan, blushing shyly, bowed to Yuan Danqiu and Cen Xun, saying, "I apologize for making you both laugh; it was my incompetence."

"What are you saying, sister-in-law? You should have Brother Taibai recite them more often so he knows he needs to be more diligent and ambitious," Yuan Danqiu said.

At this moment, Master Ziyang and Meng Haoran each came out carrying a jar of wine.

Meng Haoran said, "Li Bai carried his wife on his back; he must be tired. Have a couple more drinks later."

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

After paying her respects to Master Ziyang and Meng Haoran, Xu Ziyan went into the Taoist temple, lit incense and candles, and then sat down on a prayer mat to meditate.

Master Ziyang said to Li Bai, "It seems your wife is also a devout Taoist; you two should have something in common."

Li Bai smiled and looked at Xu Ziyan, saying, "I will need your guidance and instruction, Senior Daoist."

I placed two plates of peanuts on the table and said, "Young Master, please sit down and eat while you talk, instead of standing here."

Master Ziyang said, "Wait a little longer. Serve all the dishes before you eat. Wait for your young mistress."

Xu Ziyan sat cross-legged on the futon for a quarter of an hour, then stood up and walked out of the Taoist temple. She asked:

"Why haven't you eaten yet?"

"Everyone is waiting for you," Li Bai said.

"Don't wait for me. You guys drink, it's not appropriate for me to sit at the table. Don't spoil your enjoyment. Xiaoqian, Yuehua, and I will just have something to eat later."

"My sister-in-law is so understanding, I admire her greatly," Meng Haoran said.

Li Bai gestured for everyone to sit down. I picked up the wine jar and filled it for them. Li Bai stood up first, holding his wine cup, and said, "I heard you're leaving, and I'm incredibly reluctant to part with you. But I have no reason to keep you here. My journey has come to a halt at Baizhao Mountain, and I'm also uncertain about the future. Come, let's drink this cup together." With that, he raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Yuan Danqiu said, "Brother Taibai, you are mistaken. You should not be confused about the future. You should have a clear goal and firm faith, just as I have been seeking the Dao, moving forward without ever regretting it."

Cen Xun said, "Brother Taibai, you are asking about matters of family and country. It is difficult, but I believe in you. Brother Taibai, come, let's have a drink."

Cen Xun and Li Bai clinked their wine cups together and drank it all in one gulp.

Master Ziyang said, "I am no longer an outsider to worldly affairs; I neither speak of them nor ask about them, and at least I will not participate. Seeking immortality and pursuing the Dao is my lifelong pursuit."

"Old Taoist Master, I want to follow your example in everything. I'll find solace in nature, write some poems, drink some wine, and live a carefree life," Meng Haoran said with emotion.