Ken Liu

"The chrysanthemum is a noble flower."
"That's true. It's the last flower to bloom in autumn, defiant against winter. Its fragrance is exquisite, and overwhelms all competition. In tea, it awakens the spirit; in bouquets, it dominates the arrangement. But it is not a flower that endears."
"You don't care much about nobility?"
"I think true nobility is shown in far humbler ways."