Wei Ying got up and stood in front of his husband, facing the aggressors.

"Please put away your weapons. Honestly, there is no need for this."

XiChen also stood up, next to him. "My brother in bond is correct. We do not wish to harm you."

"As if!" The woman exclaimed under her breath.

Jiang Cheng snapped Zidian in response.

"Look, we're not getting anywhere. Everyone, please calm down." Wei Ying looked pointedly at Lan Zhan, who reluctantly sheathed Bichen.

Everyone followed, Jiang Cheng being the last.

"It really is not any of your business, who our guest is." XiChen explained, holding up a hand when he met with protests. "But I wish to put your mind at ease."

"We want to meet him." JunJie Kang replied.

"Anything but that. Cloud Recesses is under lockdown." XiChen explained, firmly.

"Then we will enter by force."

"I doubt it." Wei Ying said, smiling at him. "Cloud Recesses is inaccessible to anyone who is not welcome. You'll just have to take our word for it."

"But I have spent my life protecting Dragons." JunJie Kang said, looking distraught. "I cannot accept that the dragon is staying with you out of choice!"

"Why not?"

"Because! Because, how is that possible?"

Wei Ying did not want to go into details. By giving away too much information, especially about their suspicions regarding the disappearance of Shen Qing, could prove disastrous. But he was further surprised when the leader got down on his knees. The other two followed suit.

"I, JunJie Kang, vow that my intention towards the dragon is heartfelt and sincere. I wish no harm to come to him. Please let me talk to him."

"We have to talk to our elders and Shen Ling." XiChen replied. "We will contact you again."

They bowed again and left, the woman's gaze lingering on Wei Ying.

"You can't be serious!" Jiang Cheng said, looking at XiChen.

"It's a way to buy us time while we decide what to do. Word has spread about our guest, and I'm afraid the longer we wait, the harder it will be to protect him."

"You're right," Wei Ying said. "It might get to the point that we don't have to go looking for the bad guys, they'll come to us."

*****

Uncle Qiren was not happy.

He had a dragon under his care, and possibly hostile guests wanting to visit, added to the original problem of the knife and the missing dragon.

Tea was just not cutting it these days.

They decided to allow the Dragon Guard inside Cloud Recesses, but absolutely no weapons were permitted. They would be escorted to the stables and returned to the gate by guards.

Shen Ling was also not happy. He adamantly made them promise to hide the babies. Wei Ying agreed.

"Don't worry, Shen Ling. I will be here with you. If they try anything funny, we can take them."

*****

The day of the visit came. Wei Ying was walking to the stables when he met the group. Soldiers surrounded them as they walked in a tight formation.

"Good morning!" He greeted them cheerily.

Li Hua threw him a frosty look; the leader ignored him, but Chang Chao waved.

Wei Ying liked him more than the other two, he seemed friendlier and somehow more approachable. He made his way next to him and they walked together.

"How long have you been...doing this?" He gestured up and down the man's body.

"We are born into the Dragon Guard, we do not choose it." JunJie Kang replied haughtily instead.

"Oh, right. So how many Dragons have you saved, then?"

"None." Chang Chao said at the same time as JunJie Kang said, none of your business."

Wei Ying just laughed.

Shen Ling was waiting outside the stables when they arrived. Jiang Cheng was... lurking.

Upon seeing his glorious form, JunJie Kang gasped and prostrated immediately. The other two followed slowly.

"We wish to know, are you being held here against your will?" He said, not daring to look up.

Shen Ling looked at Wei Ying and snorted out a laugh. Wei Ying shrugged.

"Is it true?"

Shen Ling narrowed his eyes at him. "My lord, forgive me. I only want to make sure. My ancestors have lived their lives protecting ones such as yourself. It would be my great honour to do the same."

"No." Shen Ling walked back into the stables with a flick of his tail, annoyed.

"Well done." Wei Ying spluttered out. "You managed to piss him off too."

"How do I know that's what he said?" JunJie Kang was stubbornly clinging on.

"Oh, please!" Wei Ying was losing his patience. "Even if I couldn't talk to him, I think he was quite clear."

"You can talk to him?" JunJie Kang was making cow eyes at Wei Ying.

"You've seen him, now get out." Jiang Cheng showed them Zidian.

"Okay, okay, we're leaving." But the leader kept turning around to look at him.

"You better hope Lan WangJi doesn't find out about that." Jiang Cheng told him.

They were all relieved that the visit had gone on without violence but Wei Ying was convinced they hadn't seen the last of them.