Violet's travails as the Warlord's concubine continues. New management in the seraglio bodes ill for the English whore. Has the warlord tired of Tatiana, her Russian lover? Will she and Violet soon face separation, never to meet again in this life? The warlord has his problems too. He returns to the fortress from his pilgrimage, dreading his confrontation with the concubine who so bedevils his heart. She must be punished for her unfaithfulness. But, when he has had her whipped, will she then give herself to him, or will she choose death before obedience? The seraglio needs new blood and the beautiful, 20 year old daughter of American missionaries seems to fit the bill. The Nanking government is increasing its pressure for him to submit to its suzerainty. The British Consul has sent a note demanding to know if a Violet Harris is being held by him against her will. And then there are his troops. In a confrontation with the Kuomintang, will they fight? This novel contains scenes of nonconsensual sex and violence.