Chapter 02
Summary
- Struan is angry after receiving a message from his banker
- The banker has announced that they will only pay 6 pence per pound, instead of the usual rate, due to a sudden withdrawal of funds
- Struan and his son, Culum, travel by boat to the China Cloud
- Struan plans to send Culum to Macao
- Struan is worried about a possible storm and the safety of his ships
- Struan is also concerned about the loss of 10,200 pounds of opium on the Scarlet Cloud, which was lost in a storm or possibly taken by pirates
- Struan and Culum board the China Cloud and Struan gives orders for the ship to sail to Macao
- Robb is visiting the captain of a ship and discussing the state of business with him
- Culum arrives with important dispatches and mentions seeing the Cinq flag
- Robb and the captain discuss the possibility of a war between China and England
- Robb goes to see Struan, who is discussing a possible war with the captain of another ship
- Struan mentions that the company will not trade with the Russians
- Struan's mistress, May-May, arrives and tells him about a woman named Shevaun who is trying to seduce him
- Struan and May-May argue about the matter
- Struan and Longstaff discuss their business in China
- Struan is angry with Longstaff for making agreements with the Chinese that he believes are disadvantageous to their company, the Noble House
- Struan believes that Longstaff's actions will lead to the loss of Hong Kong to the Chinese and will weaken the company's position in China
- Longstaff believes that the agreements he made will benefit the company and that Struan's concerns are unfounded
- Struan is also concerned about a man named Ramsey, who is a deserter from the Royal Navy and may be on board one of their ships
- Glessing, a captain in the Royal Navy, has offered to help them find Ramsey
- Struan and Longstaff discuss the complexity of dealing with various factions in China, including Chinese officials, merchants, missionaries, the Royal Navy, the army, and different Chinese groups such as mandarins and Manchus
- Struan and Longstaff argue about the trade of opium and the role of the East India Company in the opium trade
- Struan accuses Longstaff of betraying their company and making secret deals with the Chinese
- Longstaff denies the accusations and suggests that Struan is paranoid and obsessed with the opium trade
- Struan threatens to expose Longstaff's actions to the Parliament and the East India Company
- Struan and Longstaff agree to disagree and end the conversation on a tense note