Control of all triads rests on ownership of the ancient unicorn. Priests decree the true owner is recorded in memoirs of an American Andrew Goodwest. Lily Shan unravels the true owner by reading the memoirs. She finds much more and understands China better by reading about Andrew's finding of Hong Kong and Shanghai. His son Ben's dealing with Sun Yat San and a Shanghai mobster Boss Hwang. Ben's granddaughter Mai Lin tells about 1920's Shanghai, Warlords, Japanese invasion, Long March and Civil wars. Lily finds a Tibetan to fight against Dragon Wu and wins.