Page 57 of Air Force One (Miranda Chase #16)

Kali raised a hand to her mouth and whispered into her wrist microphone.

“What was that?” Sarah turned to look at the head of her protection detail.

Kali turned to Wang Daiyu. “The outer guards monitoring your phone say that you have received a message, The ruler regards his ministers.”

Daiyu spoke so softly that Sarah had to lean in to hear.

“When the ruler regards his ministers as his hands and feet, the ministers regard their ruler as their belly and heart.” Then her eyes focused back inside the room.

“It is an ancient quote from Mencius about reciprocal loyalty—that which exists between servant and master. General Liú has completely believed the message I sent and believes he is thanking me.” She pointed at the clocks.

“It is now precisely six a.m. in Beijing. He likes to start his meetings punctually on the hour. It has begun.”

“What has?”

“A hard lesson in precisely that—reciprocal loyalty. Especially when it is not earned but taken for granted.”