When the charming but ethically dubious Chinese headman Wei Shing stumbles across a valuable new gold seam on the frontier, he sets to figuring out how to enrich himself as much as he can. But when the body of a murdered European woman turns up on the Chinese walking trail, he finds himself implicated and speeding towards disaster, both for himself and his people.

Shing finds himself facing sudden dangers on two fronts, from both Europeans and Chinese factions.

Haunted by the possibility his brother Sun is involved in Annie's death, Shing hides his suspicions while urgently trying to find the truth.

Lei strikes a deal with Shing to keep the secret gold-seam operation running. Meanwhile, Tom is dragged into prison and pinned for Annie's murder, but Belle and Hattie realize that the clues point to the Chinese.