The moment they entered the Huamao Hotel, the light changed. Everything grew brighter beneath the sweeping radiance of a huge crystal chandelier, which gleamed against the polished floor.
On either side of the hall, dedicated ensembles played. Violins sang lingering notes, while faint perfume and cigar smoke drifted through the air.
Waiters in tailcoats threaded through the crowd with silver trays. Women laughed over champagne, jewels glittering at their ears and throats. Medals or jeweled pins adorned the men's lapels as they chatted in little groups, their voices mingling in different languages. At least a third were speaking foreign tongues.
Amid the crowd stood a slightly plump, blond-haired old man, surrounded by guests. Beside him were a middle-aged man in uniform, a merchant leaning on a walking stick, a distinguished young man in glasses, and a short Eastern Islander with shrewd eyes—
The old man was Fei Xinzhen, sixty-two years old, an American lawyer and one of the Municipal Council's nine directors.
But he was no ordinary lawyer. He was a partner at a major American law firm and ran a firm of his own in Shenghai. More importantly, his family had deep roots. Rumor in the concessions held that his father's generation had produced a governor and two mayors. Those solid connections had helped him keep his seat on the Municipal Council.
As Huang Tian and Liu Yuanying entered the hall, Fei Xinzhen noticed them at once. "Our guest of honor has arrived!" he said with a hearty laugh to the people beside him.
He headed toward Huang Tian. As the center of the reception, his every move drew attention. All eyes turned to the entrance, and soft cries of admiration rose when the guests saw the pair.
"Dr. Huang!" Fei Xinzhen, who had lived in Shenghai for more