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truan by birth or marriage … my line and my brother Robb's line not taking precedence； unless by fortitude or qualities over and above all others。 This Inner Court may be advisors to the tai…pan if he so desires； but let it be said again； the vote of the tai…pan shall weight seven against one for each of them。
〃 'Fourth： If the tai…pan be lost at sea； or killed in battle； or vanished for six lunar months； before he hath his successor chosen； then the Inner Court shall elect one of their members to succeed； each having one vote； except the vote of the pradore shall count four。 The tai…pan shall then be sworn in the same manner set forth before his fellows … those who voted against his election in open ballot being expelled at once； without remuneration； from the pany forever。
〃 'Fifth： Election to the Inner Court； or removal therefrom； shall be solely at the tai…pan's pleasure and； on his retirement which shall be at a time when it pleasures him； he shall take no more than ten parts of every hundred of all value for himself； except that all our ships shall always be excluded from any valuation 。 。 。 our ships； their captains and their crews being our lifeblood and our lifeline into future times。
〃 'Sixth： Each tai…pan shall approve the election of the pradore。 The pradore shall acknowledge in writing prior to his election that he may be removed at any time； without need for explanations； that he will step aside should the tai…pan wish it。
〃 'Last： The tai…pan shall swear his successor； whom he alone chooses； in the presence of the pradore using the words set down under my hand in our family Bible； here in Hong Kong； this fifteenth day of July in the year of our Lord 1841。' 〃
Dunross exhaled。 〃It's signed by Dirk Struan and witnessed by … I can't read the chop characters； sir； they're archaic。〃
Alastair glanced at Phillip Chen who said； 〃The first witness is my grandfather's foster father； Chen Sheng Arn； our first pradore。 The second； my great…aunt； T'Chung Jin May…may。〃
〃Then the legend's true！〃 Dunross said。
〃Some of it。 Yes； some of it。〃 Phillip Chen added； 〃Talk to my auntie Sarah。 Now that you're to be tai…pan she'll tell you lots of secrets。 She's eighty…four this year。 She remembers my grandfather； Sir Gordon Chen； very well； and Duncan and Kate T'Chung； May…may's children by Dirk Struan。 Yes。 She remembers many things。 。 。 。〃
Alastair Struan went over to the lacquered bureau and very carefully picked out the heavy threadbare Bible。 He put on his spectacles and Dunross felt the hackles on his neck rise。 〃Repeat after me： I； Ian Struan Dunross； kinsman to the Struans； Christian； sweareth before God in the presence of Alastair McKenzie Duncan Struan； ninth tai…pan； and Phillip T'Chung Sheng Chen； fourth pradore； that I shall obey all the Legacy read out by me in their presence here in Hong Kong； that I shall further bind the pany to Hong Kong and to the China trade； that I shall maintain my main place of business here in Hong Kong while tai…pan； that； before God； I assume the promises； responsibility and the gentleman's word of honor of Dirk Struan to his eternal friend Chen…tse Jin Arn； also known as Jin…qua； or to his successors； further； that I w… 〃
〃What promises？〃
〃You swear before God； blind； like all the tai…pans did before you！ You'll learn soon enough what you inherit。〃
〃And if I won't？〃
〃You know the answer to that！〃
The rain was battering the windows and its violence seemed to Dunross to equal the thumping in his chest as he weighed the insanity of such an open…ended mitment。 But he knew he could not be tai…pan unless he did； and so he said the words and made the mitment before God； and continued to say the words read out to him。
〃。。。 further that I will use all powers； and any means； to keep the pany steadfast as the First House； the Noble House of Asia； that I swear before God to mit any deed necessary to vanquish； destroy and cast out from Asia the pany called Brock and Sons and particularly my enemy； the founder； Tyler Brock； his son Morgan； their heirs or any of their line excepting only Tess Brock and her issue； the wife of my son Culum； from the face of Asia。 。。。〃 Dunross stopped again。
〃When you've finished you can ask any questions you want；〃 Alastair Struan said。 〃Finish it！〃
〃Very well。 Lastly： I swear before God that my successor as tai…pan will also be sworn； before God； to all of this Legacy； so help me God！〃
Now the silence was broken only by the rain slashing the windows。 Dunross could feel the sweat on his back。
Alastair Struan put down the Bible and took off his spectacles。 〃There； it's done。〃 Tautly he put out his hand。 〃I'd like to be the first to wish you well； tai…pan。 Anything I can do to help； you have。〃
〃And I'm honored to be second； tai…pan；〃 Phillip Chen said with a slight bow； equally formally。
〃Thank you。〃 Dunross's tension was great。
〃I think we all need a drink；〃 Alastair Struan said。 〃With your permission； I'll pour；〃 he added to Dunross with untoward formality。 〃Phillip？〃
〃Yes； tai…pan。 I… 〃
〃No。 Ian's tai…pan now。〃 Alastair Struan poured the champagne and gave the first glass to Dunross。
〃Thank you；〃 Dunross said； savoring the pliment； knowing nothing had changed。 〃Here's to the Noble House；〃 he said； raising his glass。
The three men drank； then Alastair Struan took out an envelope。 〃This is my resignation from the sixty…odd chairmanships； managing directorships and directorships that automatically go with the tai…pan position。 Your appointment in my stead is equally automatic。 By custom I bee chairman of our London subsidiary … but you can terminate that anytime you wish。〃
〃It's terminated；〃 Dunross said at once。
〃Whatever you say；〃 the old man muttered； but his neck was purple。
〃I think you'd be more useful to Struan's as deputy chairman of the First Central Bank of Edinburgh。〃
Struan looked up sharply。 〃What？〃
〃That's one of our appointments； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 Alastair Struan said。 〃Why that？〃
〃I'm going to need help。 Struan's goes public next year。〃
Both men stared at him； astounded。 〃What！〃
〃We're going publ… 〃
〃We've been a private pany for 132 years！〃 the old man roared。 〃Jesus bloody Christ I've told you a hundred times that's our strength； with no god…cursed stockholders or outsiders prying into our private affairs！〃 His face was flushed and he fought to control his anger。 〃Don't you ever listen？〃
〃All the time。 Very carefully；〃 Dunross said in an unemotional voice。 〃The only way we can survive is to go public 。。。 that's the only way we can get the capital we need。〃
〃Talk to him； Phillip … get some sense into him。〃
Nervously the pradore said； 〃How will this affect the House of Chen？〃
〃Our formal pradore system is ended from tonight。〃 He saw Phillip Chen's face go white but he continued； 〃I have a plan for you … in writing。 It changes nothing； and everything。 Officially you'll still be pradore； unofficially we'll operate differently。 The major change is that instead of making about a million a year； in ten years your share will bring you 20； in fifteen years about 30。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Alastair Struan burst out。
〃Our net worth today's about 20 million U。S。 In ten years it'll be 200 million and in fifteen； with joss； it'll be 400 million … and our yearly turnover approaching a billion。〃
〃You've gone mad；〃 Struan said。
〃No。 The Noble House is going international … the days of being solely a Hong Kong trading pany are gone forever。〃
〃Remember your oath； by God！ We're Hong Kong based！〃
〃I won't forget。 Next： What responsibility do I inherit from Dirk Struan？〃
〃It's all in the safe。 Written down in a sealed envelope marked 'The Legacy。' Also the Hag's 'Instructions to future tai…pans。' 〃
〃Where's the safe？〃
〃Behind the painting in the Great House。 In the study。〃 Sourly Alastair Struan pointed to an envelope beside the clock on the mantelpiece。 〃That contains the special key … and the present bination。 You will of course change it。 Put the figures into one of the tai…pan's private safety deposit boxes at the bank； in case of accidents。 Give Phillip one of the two keys。〃
Phillip Chen said； 〃By our rules； while you're alive； the bank is obliged to refuse me permission to open it。〃
〃Next： Tyler Brock and his sons … those bastards were obliterated almost a hundred years ago。〃
〃Aye； the legitimate male line was。 But Dirk Struan was vindictive and his vengeance reaches out from his grave。 There's an up…to…date list of Tyler Brock's descendents； also in the safe。 It makes interesting reading； eh Phillip？〃
〃Yes； yes it does。〃
〃The Rothwells and the Tomms； Yadegar and his brood； you know about。 But Tusker's on the list though he doesn't know it； Jason Plumm； Lord Depford…Smyth and； most of all； Quillan Gornt。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃Not only is Gornt tai…pan of Rothwell…Gornt； our main enemy； but he's also a secret； direct male descendent of Morgan Brock … direct though illegitimate。〃
〃But he's always claimed his great…grandfather was Edward Gornt； the American China Trader。〃
〃He es from Edward Gornt all right。 But Sir Morgan Brock was really Edward's father and Kristian Gornt his mother。 She was an American from Virginia。 Of course it w