When we arrive back at the inner citadel of the School of Jaodan, we’re led into the highest level of the central tower. There, we find the combination of a bedroom with a tearoom. The olive-colored carpet, patterned with green tracings, runs from the outer waiting area to the hardwood floors of a small alcove where a king-sized bed juts halfway out. The mahogany table between the three of us and Shubao is long enough to accommodate several drinkers. Above the table, a flatscreen television monitor is attached to the yellow wall.
Fang has four cups and two bottles of honjozo sake brought to us by his followers, then we’re provided with fresh tea and treated with a seasoned breadbasket. Fang is the first to eat and seems to sway from side to side as if he’s already been drinking. He holds
