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perfumed mist that filtered from jets in the ceiling。 Women； to protect their hairstyles； sat under artistically dyed silk umbrellas。 After cocktails； they gathered in the great hall of the temple that served as a dining room and sat in massive chairs exotically carved with dragon legs and armrests。 Flatware was optional…chopsticks for Oriental guests； gold…plated utensils for those used to Western tastes。 Instead of the traditional long rectangular table with the host seated at its head； Qin Shang preferred a huge circular table with the guests fortably spaced around the outer circumference。 A narrow aisle was cut in one section of the table so gorgeous； svelte Chinese women in beautiful； form…fitting silk dresses with thigh…high slits in the skirts could serve a multitude of national dishes conveniently from the inside。 To Qin Shang's creative mind； this was far more practical than the time…honored method of serving over a guest's shoulder。
After everyone was seated； Qin Shang made his appearance in an elevator that came up through the floor。 He usually wore the expensive silk robes of a mandarin lord and sat on an ancient throne elevated two inches above the chairs of his guests。 Irrespective of status or nationality； Qin Shang acted as if every meal was a ceremonial occasion and he was the emperor。
Not surprisingly； ranking guests loved every minute of a stylishly staged dinner that was actually more of a feast。 After dinner； Qin Shang led them to a lavish theater where they were shown the latest feature films flown in from around the world。 They sat in soft； velvet chairs and wore earphones that translated the dialogue into their native language。 By the end of the program it was close to midnight。 A light buffet was laid out； and the guests mingled among themselves while Qin Shang would disappear into a private sitting room with a selected guest or two to discuss world markets or negotiate business deals。
This evening Qin Shang requested the presence of Zhu Kwan； the seventy…year…old scholar who was China's most respected historian。 Kwan was a little man with a smiling face and small； heavily lidded brown eyes。 He was invited to sit in a thickly cushioned wooden chair carved with lions and offered a small Ming…dynasty china cup of peach brandy。
Qin Shang smiled。 〃I wish to thank you for ing； Zhu Kwan。〃
〃I am grateful for your invitation；〃 Zhu Kwan replied graciously。 〃It is a great honor to be a guest in your magnificent home。〃
〃You are our country's greatest authority on ancient Chinese history and culture。 I requested your presence because I wanted to meet you and discuss a possible venture between us。〃 〃I must assume you want me to do research。〃 Qin Shang nodded。 〃I do。〃 〃How can I be of service？〃
〃Have you taken a close look at some of my treasures？〃 〃Yes indeed；〃 answered Zhu Kwan。 〃It is a rare treat for a historian to study our country's greatest artworks firsthand。 I had no idea so many pieces of our past still existed。 It is thought many of them were lost。 The magnificent bronze incense burners inlaid with gold and gemstones from the Chou dynasty； the bronze chariot with life…size driver and four horses from the Han dynasty…〃
〃Fakes； replicas！〃 Qin Shang snapped in a sudden display of torment。 〃What you consider masterworks of our ancestors were re…created from photographs of the originals。〃
Zhu Kwan was astonished and disillusioned at the same time。 〃They look so perfect； I was pletely fooled。〃
〃Not if you had time to study them under laboratory conditions。〃
〃Your artisans are extraordinary。 As skilled as those a thousand years ago。 On today's market your missioned works must be worth a fortune。〃
Qin Shang sat heavily in a chair opposite Zhu Kwan。 〃True； but reproductions are not priceless like the genuine objects。 That is why I'm delighted you accepted my invitation。 What I'd like you to do is pile an inventory of the art treasures that were known to exist prior to nineteen forty…eight； but have since disappeared。〃
Zhu Kwan eyed him steadily。 〃Are you prepared to pay a great sum of money for such a list？〃 〃I am。〃 〃Then you shall have a plete inventory itemizing every known art treasure that has been missing in the last fifty to sixty years by the end of the week。 You wish it delivered here or at your office in Hong Kong？〃
Qin Shang looked at him quizzically。 〃That is quite an exceptional mitment。 Are you sure you can fulfill my request in so short a time？〃
〃I have already accumulated a detailed description of the treasures over a period of thirty years；〃 explained Zhu Kwan。 〃It was a labor of love for my own personal satisfaction。 I only require a few days to put it in readable order。 Then you may have it free of charge。〃
〃That is most gracious of you； but I am not a man who asks for favors without pensation。〃
〃I will accept no money； but there is one provision。〃
〃You have but to name it。〃
〃I humbly ask that you use your enormous resources in an attempt to locate the lost treasures so they can be returned to the people of China。〃
Qin Shang nodded solemnly。 〃I promise to use every source at my mand。 Though I have only spent fifteen years to your thirty on the search； I regret to say I have made little progress。 The mystery is as deep as the disappearance of the bones of the Peking man。〃
〃You have found no leads either？〃 inquired Zhu Kwan。
〃The only key to a possible solution my own agents have turned up is a ship called the Princess Dou Wan。〃
〃I remember her well。 I sailed on her with my mother and father to Singapore when I was a young boy。 She was a fine ship。 As I recall； she was owned by Canton Lines。 I searched for clues to her disappearance myself some years ago。 What is her connection with the lost art treasures？〃
〃Shortly after Chiang Kai…shek looted the national museums and plundered the private collections of our ancestors' art treasures； the Princess Dou Wan sailed for an unknown destination。 She never reached it。 My agents have failed to trace any eyewitnesses。 It seems many of them also disappeared under mysterious circumstances。 No doubt lying in unmarked graves； courtesy of Chiang Kai…shek； who wanted no secrets about the ship to leak to the munists。〃
〃You think Chiang Kai…shek tried to smuggle the treasures away on the Princess Dou Wan？〃
〃The coincidence and odd events lead me to believe so。〃
〃That would answer many questions。 The only records I could find on the Princess Dou Wan suggested that she was lost on the way to the scrappers at Singapore。〃
〃Actually； her trail ends somewhere in the sea west of Chile； where a distress signal was reported received from a ship calling herself the Princess Dou Wan before she sank with all hands in a violent storm。〃
〃You have done well； Qin Shang；〃 said Zhu Kwan。 〃Perhaps now you can solve the puzzle？〃
Qin Shang shook his head dejectedly。 〃Easier said than done。 She could have gone down anywhere within a four…hundred…square…mile area。 An American would pare it to looking for a needle in a field of haystacks。〃
〃This is not a quest to cast aside as too difficult。 A search must be conducted。 Our most priceless national treasures must be recovered。〃