The blue dragon took the gold coins.
His face immediately lit up with delight.
He nodded his enormous head and said slowly:
"Mm! You've provided proof that you're envoys of the kingdom. I acknowledge it.
You may pass now."
With that, he beat his wings and shot into the sky.
He soon disappeared from sight.
Only the aggrieved knights remained.
"Lord Envoy! Why did you give that wretched dragon gold coins? We came representing the king! That fellow had no right to take our gold coins!"
One knight growled angrily.
"Hmph!
Of course I know that.
But there's nothing to gain from tangling with that dragon!
Once I meet Xiluo Utrasis, I'll report that dragon's outrageous behavior to him!
Then I'll have Xiluo Utrasis punish that fellow severely!
That damned bastard! How dare he treat His Majesty's envoys so rudely!"
The envoy was equally displeased, his expression cold and stern.
His words did much to console the other knights.
Many of them settled down.
They echoed him:
"Exactly! We must report this to Xiluo Utrasis and have that dragon severely punished!"
"Hmph! With a dragon like that under him, I doubt Xiluo Utrasis is much of a leader himself!"
They continued on their way.
All the while, they kept cursing.
Soon, they reached the residential district of the Outer City.
The outermost residential district had always been intended to provide emergency housing.
The houses were extremely crude, low buildings made of mud bricks.
Groups of subjects went in and out of the houses.
Quite a few others gathered to chat in twos and threes, or reclaimed farmland and planted fruits and vegetables.
The atmosphere looked excellent, with smiles on everyone's faces.
These subjects paid little attention to the envoy's party, merely glancing at them before looking away.
There were truly