When people engage in morally questionable acts, they instinctively look around, wary of being observed, and seek to evade scrutiny. This tendency reveals itself in the environment where conspirators plot their sinister schemes, indicating how justified—or not—they feel about their actions.

Most conspiracies unfold in sealed, dimly lit rooms, their darkness a testament to the Middle Kingdom's lighting limitations.

But here? A fine suite in a high-end inn.
Every window serving as a wall is wide open.
The conspirators lounge, seated or reclined, nonchalantly voicing statements like, "When will we kill him?" or "Let’s just finish this quickly …