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knew they must all have been taken out and read … and copied or memorized。 Some of the information in his son's safety deposit box could only have e from here。
All the jewel boxes； big and small； were there。 Nervously he reached out for the one he sought and opened it。 The half…coin had vanished and the document explaining about the coin had vanished。
Tears of rage seeped down his cheeks。 He felt his heart pounding and smelled the damp earth and knew if his son was there he would happily have strangled him with his own hands。
〃Oh my son my son 。。。 all gods curse you to hell！〃
His knees were weak。 Shakily he sat on a rock and tried to collect his wits。 He could hear his father on his deathbed cautioning him：
〃Never lose the coin my son … it's our key to ultimate survival and power over the Noble House。〃
That was in 1937 and the first time he had learned the innermost secrets of the House of Chen： that he who became pradore became the ranking leader in Hong Kong of the Hung Mun … the great secret triad society of China that； under Sun Yat…sen； had bee the 14K； originally formed to spearhead China's revolt against their hated Manchu overlords； that the pradore was the main； legitimate link between the Chinese hierarchy on the Island and the inheritors of the 14K on the Mainland； that because of Chen…tse Jin Arn； known as Jin…qua； the legendary chief merchant of the co…hong that had possessed the Emperor's monopoly on all foreign trade； the House of Chen was perpetually interlinked with the Noble House by ownership and by blood。
〃Listen carefully； my son；〃 the dying man had whispered。 〃The tai…pan； Great…Grandfather Dirk Struan； was Jin…qua's creation； as was the Noble House。 Jin…qua nurtured it； formed it and Dirk Struan。 The tai…pan had two concubines。 The first was Kai…sung； one of Jin…qua's daughters by a fifth wife。 Their son was Gordon Chen； my father； your grandfather。 The tai…pan's second concubine was T'Chung Jin May…may； his mistress for six years whom he married in secret just before the great typhoon that killed them both。 She was twenty…one then； a brilliant； favored granddaughter of Jin…qua； sold to the tai…pan when she was seventeen to teach him civilized ways without his knowing he was being taught。 From them came Duncan and Kate who took the surname T'Chung and were brought up in my father's house。 Father married off Kate to a Shanghai China Trader called Peter Gavallan … Andrew Gavallan is also a cousin though he doesn't know it。 。。。 So many stories to tell and now so little time to tell them。 Never mind； all the family trees are in the safe。 There are so many。 We're all related； the Wu； Kwang； Sung； Kau； Kwok； Ng … all the old families。 Use the knowledge carefully。 Here's the key to the safe。
〃Another secret； Phillip； my son。 Our line es from my father's second wife。 Father married her when he was fifty…three and she sixteen。 She was the daughter of John Yuan； the illegitimate son of the great American Trader Jeff Cooper； and a Eurasian lady； Isobel Yau。 Isobel Yau was the oh…so…secret Eurasian daughter of Robb Struan； the tai…pan's half…brother and cofounder of the Noble House； so we have blood from both sides of the Struans。 Alastair Struan is a cousin and Colin Dunross is a cousin … the MacStruans are not； their history's in Grandfather's diaries。 My son； the English and Scots barbarians came to China and they never married those whom they adored and most times abandoned when they returned to the gray island of mist and rain and overcast。 My God how I hate the English weather and loathe the past！
〃Yes； Phillip； we're Eurasian； not of one side or the other。 I've never been able to e to terms with it。 It is our curse and our cross but it is up to all of us to make it a blessing。 I pass our House on to you rich and strong like Jin…qua wished … do so to your son and make sure he does it to his。 Jin…qua birthed us； in a way； gave us wealth； secret knowledge； continuity and power … and he gave us one of the coins。 Here； Phillip； read about the coin。〃
The calligraphy of the ancient scroll was exquisite： 〃On this nineteenth day of the second month of the year 1841 by barbarian count； I； Chen…tse Jin Arn of Canton； Chief Merchant of the co…hong； have this day loaned to Green…Eyed Devil the tai…pan of the Noble House； chief pirate of all foreign devils who have made war on the Heavenly Kingdom and have stolen our island Hong Kong； forty lacs of silver 。。。 one million sterling in their specie 。。。 and have； with this bullion； saved him from being swallowed by One…Eye； his arch…enemy and rival。 In return； the tai…pan grants us special trade advantages for the next twenty years； promises that one of the House of Chen will forever be pradore to the Noble House； and swears that he or his descendents will honor all debts and the debt of the coins。 There are four of them。 The coins are broken into halves。 I have given the tai…pan four halves。 Whenever one of the other halves is presented to him； or to a following tai…pan； he has sworn whatever favor is asked will be granted 。。。 whether within their law； or ours； or outside it。
〃One coin I keep； one I give to the warlord Wu Fang Choi； my cousin； one will be given to my grandson Gordon Chen； and the last recipient I keep secret。 Remember； he who reads this in the future； do not use the coin lightly； for the tai…pan of the Noble House must grant anything … but only once。 And remember that though the Green…Eyed Devil himself will honor his promise and so will his descendents； he is still a mad…dog barbarian； cunning as a filthy Manchu because of our training； and as dangerous always as a nest of vipers。〃
Phillip Chen shuddered involuntarily； remembering the violence that was always ready to explode in Ian Dunross。 He's a descendent of Green…Eyed Devil all right； he thought。 Yes； him and his father。
Goddamn John！ What possessed him？ What devilment has he planned with Linc Bartlett？ Has Bartlett got the coin now？ Or does John still have it with him and now perhaps the kidnappers have it。
While his tired brain swept over the possibilities； his fingers checked the jewel boxes； one by one。 Nothing was missing。 The big one he left till last。 There was a tightness in his throat as he opened it but the necklace was still there。 A great sigh of relief went through him。 The beauty of the emeralds in the flashlight gave him enormous pleasure and took away some of his anxiety。 How stupid of Hag Struan to order them to be burned with her body。 What an arrogant； awful； unholy waste that would have been！ How wise of Father to intercept the coffin before the fire and remove them。
Reluctantly he put the necklace away and began to close up the safe。 What to do about the coin？ I almost used it the time the tai…pan took away our bank stock … and most of our power。 Yes。 But I decided to give him time to prove himself and this is the third year and nothing is yet proved； and though the American deal seems grand it is not yet signed。 And now the coin is gone。
He groaned aloud； distraught； his back aching like his head。 Below was all the city； ships tied up at Glessing's Point and others in the roads。 Kowloon was equally brilliant and he could see a jetliner t