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art of the reward； agreed of course in advance； and passed on the info to the Indian consulate。〃
〃What？〃
Brian Kwok beamed。 〃Yes。 The reward was split twenty…eighty between the Indian and the Cantonese crew of the Eastern Cloud that should have been … Cantonese face was regained and the despised Shanghainese northern trash put into a stinking Indian pokey and their face lost instead。〃
〃Oh Christ！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You have proof？〃
〃Oh yes！ But let's just say that our Indian friend is helping us with future inquiries； in return for； er； services rendered； so we'd prefer not to name him。 Your 'union shop steward'？ Ah； one of his names was Big Mouth Tuk and he was a stoker on Eastern Cloud for three odd years。 Was because； alas； we won't see him again。 We caught him in full 14K regalia last week … in very senior Red Rod regalia … courtesy of a friendly Shanghainese informer； the brother of one of your crew that languished in said stinky Indian pokey。〃
〃He's been deported？〃
〃Oh yes； quick as a wink。 We really don't approve of triads。 They are criminal gangs nowadays and into all sorts of vile occupations。 He was off to Taiwan where I believe he won't be wele at all … seeing as how the northern Shanghainese Green Pang triad society and the southern Cantonese 14K triad society are still fighting for control of Hong Kong。 Big Mouth Tuk was a 426 all right… 〃
〃What's a 426？〃
〃Oh； thought you might know。 All officials of triads are known by numbers as well as symbolic titles … the numbers always divisible by the mystical number three。 A leader's a 489； which also adds up to twenty…one； which adds up to three； and twenty…one's also a multiple of three； representing creation； times seven； death； signifying rebirth。 A second rank's a White Fan； 438； a Red Rod's a 426。 The lowest's a 49。〃
〃That's not divisible by three； for God's sake！〃
〃Yes。 But four times nine is thirty…six； the number of the secret blood oaths。〃 Brian Kwok shrugged。 〃You know how potty we Chinese are over numbers and numerology。 He was a Red Rod； a 426； Ian。 We caught him。 So triads exist； or existed； on one of your ships at least。 Didn't they？〃
〃So it seems。〃 Dunross was cursing himself for not prethinking that of course Shanghainese and Cantonese face would be involved so of course there'd be trouble。 And now he knew he was in another trap。 Now he had seven ships with Shanghainese crews against fifty…odd Cantonese。
〃Christ； I can't fire the Shanghainese crews I've already hired and if I don't there'll be more of the same and loss of face on both sides。 What's the solution to that one？〃 he asked。
〃Assign certain routes exclusively to the Shanghainese； but only after consulting with their 426 Red Rod 。。。 sorry； with their shop stewards； and of course their Cantonese counterparts … only after consulting with a well…known soothsayer who suggested to you it would be fantastic joss to both sides to do this。 How about Old Blind Tung？〃
〃Old Blind Tung？〃 Dunross laughed。 〃Perfect！ Brian you're a genius！ One good turn deserves another。 For your ears only？〃
〃All right。〃
〃Guaranteed？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Buy Struan's first thing tomorrow morning。〃
〃How many shares？〃
〃As many as you can afford。〃
〃How long do I hold them？〃
〃How are your cojones？〃
Brian whistled tonelessly。 〃Thanks。〃 He thought a moment； then forced his mind once more onto the matters in hand。 〃Back to Eastern Cloud。 Now we e to one of the interesting bits； Ian。 36；000 taels of gold is legally worth 1；514；520 U。S。 But melted down into the smugglers' five…tael bars and secretly delivered on shore in Calcutta； that shipment'd be worth two； perhaps three times that amount to private buyers … say 4。5 million U。S。； right？〃
〃I don't know。 Exactly。〃
〃Oh； but I do。 The lost profit's over 3 million … the lost investment about one and a half。〃
〃So？〃
〃So we all know Shanghainese are as secretive and cliquey as Cantonese； or Chu Chow or Fukenese or any other tiny groupings of Chinese。 So of course the Shanghainese crew were the smugglers … have to be； Ian； though we can't prove it； yet。 So you can bet your bottom dollar that Shanghainese also smuggled the gold out of Macao to Hong Kong and onto Eastern Cloud； that Shanghainese money bought the gold originally in Macao； and that therefore certainly part of that money was Green Pang funds。〃
〃That doesn't follow。〃
〃Have you heard from Tsu…yan yet？〃
Dunross watched him。 〃No。 Have you？〃
〃Not yet but we're making inquiries。〃 Brian watched him back。 〃My first point is that the Green Pang has been mauled and criminals loathe losing their hard…earned money； so Struan's can expect lots of trouble unless you nip the trouble in the bud as I've suggested。〃
〃Not all Green Pang are criminals。〃
〃That's a matter of opinion； Ian。 Second point； for your ears only： We're sure Tsu…yan's in the gold…smuggling racket。 My third and last point is that if a certain pany doesn't want its ships impounded for smuggling gold； it could easily lessen the risk by reducing its gold imports into Macao。〃
〃e again？〃 Dunross said； pleasantly surprised to hear that he had managed to keep his voice sounding calm； wondering how much Special Intelligence knew and how much they were guessing。
Brian Kwok sighed and continued to lay out the information that Roger Crosse had given him。 〃Nelson Trading。〃
With a great effort； Dunross kept his face impassive。 〃Nelson Trading？〃
〃Yes。 Nelson Trading pany Limited of London。 As you know； Nelson Trading has the Hong Kong Government's exclusive license for the purchase of gold bullion on the international market for Hong Kong's jewelers； and； vastly more important； the equally exclusive monopoly for transshipment of gold bullion in bond； through Hong Kong to Macao … along with a minor second pany； Saul Feinheimer Bullion pany； also of London。 Nelson Trading and Feinheimer's have several things in mon。 Several directors for example； the same solicitors for example。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 I believe you're also on the board。〃
〃I'm on the board of almost seventy panies；〃 Dunross said。
〃True and not all of those are wholly or even partially owned by Struan's。 Of course； some could be wholly owned through nominees； secretly； couldn't they？〃
〃Yes； of course。〃
〃It's fortunate in Hong Kong we don't have to list directors … or holdings； isn't it？〃
〃What's your point； Brian？〃
〃Another coincidence： Nelson Trading's registered head offices in the city of London are in the same building as your British subsidiary； Struan London Limited。〃
〃That's a big building； Brian； one of the best locations in the city。 There must be a hundred panies there。〃
〃Many thousands if you include all the panies registered with solicitors there … all the holding panies that hold other panies with nominee directors that hide all sorts of skeletons。〃
〃So？〃 Dunross was thinking quite clearly now； pondering where Brian had got all this information； wondering too where in the hell all this was leading。 Nelson Trading had been a secret； wholly owned subsidiary through nominees ever since it was formed in 1953 specifically for the Macao gold trade … Macao being the only country in Asia where gold importation wa