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〃Sir？〃
〃This is China。 Lots of curious things happen in China。 You think I'm a fool to be bamboozled by an ancient legend？〃
The young man shook his head； his throat tight。 〃No。 You're absolutely no fool； tai…pan。 But if I present the coin； you will grant the favor。〃
〃What's your favor？〃
〃First I guess I'd like to know if you're 。。。 if you're satisfied it's one of the four。 I'm satisfied。〃
〃Are you now？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃You know this coin was stolen from Phillip Chen？〃 Paul Choy stared at him； then recovered quickly。 〃This coin's from Four Finger Wu。 I know of no theft。 It came from my father； that's all I know。 It was my father's。〃
〃You should give it back to Phillip Chen。〃
〃Did you ever see it； this particular one； in his possession； sir？〃
Dunross had already talked to Phillip Chen about the coin。 〃Is there no way to prove it's yours； Phillip？〃 he had asked him。
〃None； tai…pan。 None；〃 the old man had said； wringing his hands。
Dunross kept his eyes boring into the youth。 〃It's Phillip Chen's。〃
Paul Choy shifted uneasily。 〃There were four coins； tai…pan。 Mr。 Chen's coin must be one of the others。 This one belongs； belonged to my father。 You remember what he said at Aberdeen？〃
Dunross stared at him silently； trying to shake him； dealing with him Western style。 Paul Choy wavered but held his gaze steady。 Interesting； Dunross thought。 You're a tough little bastard and good。 Now； are you an emissary of Goldtooth Wu； the eldest son； or a thief and here on your own account？ He left the silence hanging； using it to undermine his opponent while he rethought his position。 The moment Paul Choy had called yesterday to ask for an appointment he had known the reason。 But how to handle it？ Four Fingers barely dead and now I've a new enemy； he thought； strong； well trained with lots of balls。 Even so； he's got weak links like anyone。 Like you have。 Gornt's one of them。 Riko could be another。 Ah； Riko！ What is it about her that moves you so much？
Forget that！ How do you recover the half…coin before the favor？
〃I presume you have your half with you。 Let's go to the assayist right now。〃 He got up； testing Paul Choy。
〃No sir； sorry but no。〃 Paul Choy felt his heart about to burst； the thong around his neck suddenly a noose； the half…coin burning into his flesh。 〃Sorry； but I don't think that's a good idea。〃
〃I think it's a very good idea；〃 Dunross continued brusquely； pressuring him。 〃We'll go and fetch it。 e along！〃
〃No。 No thanks； tai…pan。〃 Paul Choy said it with a polite firmness Dunross recognized。 〃Could we please do it next week？ Say a week Friday？ There's no hurry now。〃
〃I won't be in Hong Kong on Friday。〃
〃Yes sir。 You'll be in Japan。 Could you put aside an hour during your stay there？ Anytime to suit you。 To go visit an assayist？〃
Dunross's eyes narrowed。 〃You seem to know a lot； Mr。 Choy。〃
〃It's easy to find out anything here； sir。 Japan would be better for both of us。 Less chance of a； a foul…up and in Japan we're both equal。〃
〃You're suggesting you won't be here？〃
〃No； no； tai…pan。 But as you said； this is China； strange things happen in China。 Four Fingers and his group're well connected too。 The coin's a one shot … person to person … and should be handled that way。 That's the way I figure it。〃
Paul Choy was sweating now； thanking God that part of the 〃favor〃 was that everything was to be secret。 Ever since he had brought back the body of Four Fingers he had been maneuvering for power in the family。 At length he had achieved exactly what he wanted； the very special position … in Mafia terms … of consigliere； chief advisor to Goldtooth Wu； the eldest son； now titular head of the Seaborne Wu。 That's what we are； he thought； his fear rising again。 We're Chinese mafioso。 Isn't there blood on me too？ I was aboard with the opium。 What does Goldtooth know that I don't？
〃You can trust me implicitly； Goldtooth；〃 he had said to his brother； fighting for his future。
〃I'm afraid I have little choice。 I'm in uncharted waters。 I need all the help I can get。 Your expertise will be very valuable；〃 Goldtooth had said in his clipped English English when they were in the final stages of negotiation。
〃I figure we can work together。〃
〃Let's be blunt； Brother。 We're both university trained； the rest aren't。 We need each other and the Seaborne Wu must be modernized。 I can't do it。 I need serious help … my years running his Pleasure Boats hardly fit me for mand。 I kept asking but； well； you know our father。 Good God； I couldn't even change a girl's hourly rate without getting his approval。 His four fingers were on every ship； in every transaction in the fleet。〃
〃Sure； but now if his captains'll go along with change； in a year you'll have the best…run Chinese operation in Asia。〃
〃That's exactly what I want。 Exactly。〃
〃What about opium？〃
〃The Seaborne Wu have always carried that cargo。〃
〃What about guns？〃
〃What guns？〃
〃I heard whispers Four Fingers was going into gun…running。〃
〃I know nothing about guns。〃
〃Let's get rid of the opium…heroin racket。 Let's stay to hell out of narcotics。 Isn't it true he was joining up with those two jokers； Smuggler Yuen and White Powder Lee？〃
〃Rumors。 I'll consider what you suggest。 But let me say I'm captain of the fleets and head of the Seaborne Wu now。 My decision is final。 We'll consult。 You'll be consigliere with all that means； but if I make a decision it's final。 For instance； I heard about the coup； the stock market coup； that you pulled off without his permission。 It was brilliant； yes； but there's to be no more of that … I must be consulted and must know in advance。〃
〃Agreed。 But from here on in； I'm also in business on my own account。 I've resigned from Gornt's。 Next； any private dealings I began with Four Fingers are mine to continue。〃
〃What are they？〃
〃Friday he advanced me 2 million to play the market。 My deal was 17。5 percent of the profits。 I want all the profits。〃
〃50 percent。〃
〃90。 As of right now； there's nothing to keep me in Hong Kong。 Even at 50 percent； if I sell the present holdings … and only I know what they are by the way … I'm worth around 3 million U。S。〃
They had haggled and settled at 70 percent； Goldtooth's 30 percent to be deposited in a Swiss bank； a numbered account。
〃I figure the market'll be on the e for two more days； then I off…load。 My decision； okay？〃
〃Yes。 Profitable suits you； Younger Brother； better than Paul。 I'd like to stay with Profitable。 What else were you doing with Four Fingers？〃
〃There was one last scam。 He swore me to secrecy； forever。 Forever； with blood oaths。 I have to honor his wish。〃
Reluctantly Goldtooth Wu had agreed and now； waiting for the tai…pan to answer him about Japan； the young man's confidence was brimming。 I'm rich。 I've all Goldtooth's power if I need it； and I've a U。S。 passport and I'm going to Hawaii。 In Japan there's a chance I can outsmart Dunross … no； not outsmart him； he's far too good for that； but maybe there I can get a safe； fair shake to prove； once and for all； my coin's real。
〃Would Japan suit you； tai…pan？〃 he repeated。
〃I hear you made a killing on the market？〃
The youth beamed； not expecting the non sequitur。 〃Yes sir。 I'm about 5。5 million U。S。 ahead。〃
Dunross whistled。 〃That's not bad for a couple of weeks work； Profitable Choy。 At 15 percent tax；〃 he added innocently。
The youth winced and fell into the trap。 〃Hell； I'm a U。S。 citizen； so subject to U。S。 taxes every which way。〃 He hesitated。 〃I've a couple of ideas that'd 。。。 say； tai…pan； we might make a deal that'd be good for you and good for me。〃
Dunross saw Paul Choy's eyes flatten and his caution increase。
〃My Old Man trusted you；〃 the youth said。 〃You and he were Old Friends。 Maybe I could inherit that … be worth that； one day。〃
〃Return the coin freely and I'll grant all sorts of favors。〃
〃First things first； tai…pan。 First we find out if my coin's real。 Japan； okay？〃
〃No。 Here； or not at all！〃 Dunross snapped； deciding to gamble。
Paul Choy's eyes slitted even more。 Abruptly he decided too and reached under his shirt and took out the coin and laid it on the desk。 〃I ask a favor in Jin…qua's name from the tai…pan of the Noble House。〃
In the silence Dunross stared at the coin。 〃Well？〃
〃First； I want Old Friend status； equal to Four Fingers with all that that implies。 Second： I want to be appointed a director of Struan's for a four…year period at a salary equal to other directors … for face I'll buy a block of shares at market bringing my holdings to 100；000 shares。〃 He felt a bead of sweat drop off his chin in the silence。 〃Next： I want to joint venture； 50…50 partners； a pharmaceutical plant with Struan's； capitalized at 6 million U。S。 … I put up half within 30 days。〃
Dunross stared at him； perplexed。 〃To do what？〃
〃The market for pharmaceuticals throughout Asia is vast。 We could make a bundle； given your expertise in manufacturing； mine in marketing。 Agreed？〃
〃Is that all？ All the favor？〃
〃Three more things。 Th… 〃
〃Only three？〃 Dunross asked witheringly。
〃Three。 First； next year I'm going to start another stock exchange。 I'll… 〃
〃You'll what？〃 Dunross gaped at him； thrown。 Profitable Choy