Far from the building sites of modern Shangai, is one of the beautiful mansions once owned by the smartest families in 1930s China, lives an old painter.
Each day he teaches his sutdents, all beautiful young girls. Each night he holds a glittering party for his former neighbours, who dance, remember old times and forget for an evening the terrors that followed. But how can he afford this lifestyle? Blackmail? A Triad connection? Prsotitution?
Inspector Chen is asked to investigate discreetly. But before he can discover anything, one girl is found murdered in the garden and another, the granddaughter of Chairman Mao's close friend, is terrified she will be next.
Chen's quest for answers will take him to a strange businessman, Triads, Chairman Mao himself and a terrible secret the Party will go to ant length to conceal.