The story opens on the terrace of Royabay, an ancient English mansion burdened by financial ruin and a monastic curse. Rupert Ainsleigh, the last of his line, struggles against overwhelming mortgages held by the cold and vengeful Miss Wharf, who harbors an old grudge against Rupert's late father. Meanwhile, a mysterious jade fan belonging to a powerful Chinese mandarin circulates through England, drawing greedy adventurers, secret societies, and ruthless assassins into the quiet seaside town of Marport. Major Tidman, a retired soldier with a troubled past in Canton, and Clarence Burgh, a dangerous buccaneer, become entangled in the web of the fan.
When Miss Wharf is brutally murdered at a local hotel ball, suspicion immediately falls on Rupert due to a misplaced red and yellow silk tie found around her neck. The narrative deepens as detectives and mysterious oriental figures search for the missing fan, which holds the key to a hidden fortune and political ruin in China. Secrets of the past gradually emerge, revealing that Rupert's father may not have died of natural causes as his guardian, Dr.
Forge, had always claimed. The investigation uncovers layers of deceit involving secret societies, alternate-day assassinations, and hidden documents. As the net tightens around the guilty parties, the true nature of the fan's secret is gradually brought to light. The novel concludes with a resolution of the immediate threats, leaving the survivors to reckon with the heavy cost of their avarice.
