Given his current status, Li Xiang's participation in global aid and reconstruction efforts was not a solo affair. He didn't fly there himself but traveled by private jet, with a team in tow.
The team consisted of over thirty people, all of them the cream of the crop. Every single one had bested countless candidates in the grueling civil service examinations and was a person of exceptional ability, handpicked after being tempered within the system.
Although Li Xiang was down-to-earth and approachable, these elites—each capable of holding their own at work—couldn't help but feel a little reserved and pressured in his presence.
Everywhere Li Xiang went, local embassy staff, ethnic Chinese, and overseas compatriots would line the streets to welcome him, waving small flags and shouting their greetings.
Plenty of locals turned out as well. Sometimes, the crowds were immense.
