A long, angular corridor lay within the courtyard, winding deeper into its grounds. The farther it went, the thicker the vines upon it grew, intertwining and overlapping, with lush green leaves and stems whose every vein stood clear. It had the air of a winding path leading into secluded depths.
At the corridor's end lay a lake, with a pavilion at its center. The corridor crossed the water to connect to the pavilion, where a mat covered the floor and a small table stood. On the table were a pot of chilled wine and a pot of cool tea. Four men sat around it, all of whom anyone who moved among the powerful would surely recognize.
Seated facing south was the Chamberlain for Ceremonials, Wang Mang, Wang Jujun. Opposite him sat the Commandant of Three Rivers, Wang Cheng, his younger clansman. The middle-aged man to his left was the Grand Minister of Agriculture, Liu Qin, his greatest political ally. To his right sat a scholar in Confucian robes, his friend and a greatly renowned Confucian scholar, Meng Lin.
Liu Qin said gravely, "Ju Jun, your return this time was the tide of events.
"But there are always sinister petty men in this world, lurking in the darkness for a chance to harm you. What should we do?"
At this, Wang Cheng said indignantly, "Those wretches are truly a scourge upon the state. If you hadn't said we must win people over through virtue, elder brother, I would certainly make them pay."
Wang Mang did not answer directly, instead turning his gaze to the lake, where beautiful lotus flowers bloomed. He said mildly, "Tell me, what is distinctive about the lotus?"
The three exchanged glances, unsure what Wang Mang meant to say. He paused for a breath, then said, "The lotus