Ao Tu visited the official's dream late that night.
Hearing Ao Tu say he was a dragon king, the official plucked up his courage and looked closely at him.
Ao Tu wore a dark divine robe and a crown adorned with crocodile pearls. He had two dragon horns, a somewhat dusky face, and slightly exposed fangs, but at least he had a nose and eyes. On closer inspection, he really did look like a dragon king.
The official bowed. "This humble official pays his respects to the Dragon God."
"Dispense with the formalities," Ao Tu said. "I have come to tell you that a holy monk from the Great Tang will arrive here soon and build a great bridge across the Black Water River. You must welcome him properly and show him no disrespect."
The official exclaimed in delighted surprise, "So it really is true!"
"What, are you unwilling?" Ao Tu asked.
The official said:
"Willing! Of course I am willing! This would be a great achievement in office! Dragon God, you do not know our circumstances. Our kingdom's eastern and western lands are connected, but the river cuts them off. To the west, the Chechi Kingdom has many mountains and little farmland. It lacks grain but produces abundant copper and iron. Our kingdom has few mountains and plentiful farmland, yielding abundant grain, but we lack copper and iron.
"So our King frequently trades with the Chechi Kingdom. Our only grievance is this river blocking the way. Caravans must detour through the Fadi Kingdom upstream, where they are repeatedly fleeced. If this great bridge were built, it would truly benefit a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations!"
"I know nothing of your kingdom's affairs," Ao Tu said. "I only require that once the bridge is built, a river god's temple