With his last breath, Chinas First Emperor, Qin She Huang, entrusts his followers with a sacred task. Scenes intricately carved into a narwhal tusk show the future of a city at the Bend in the River, and The Emperors chosen threehis favourite concubine, head Confucian, and personal bodyguard must bring these prophecies to life by passing their traditions on for generations. Centuries later, the descendents of the Emperors chosen confidantes observe as Shanghai is invaded by opium traders and missionaries from Europe, America, and the Middle East. Of them all, two familieslocked in a rivalry that will last for generationswill be central to the evolution of the city. As history marches on, locals and foreign interlopers clash and intertwine; their combined fates shaping what will become the centrepiece of the new ChinaShanghai.
