▁while ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁see ks ▁to ▁prevent ▁their ▁actions . ▁Anyone ▁seeking ▁to ▁stop ▁them ▁cannot ▁do ▁so ▁without ▁en list ing ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ' s ▁criminal ▁under world . ▁Other ▁obst acles ▁include ▁water ▁short ages , ▁land sl ides , ▁bank ▁runs ▁and ▁stock ▁market ▁crashes . ▁ ▁In ▁No ble ▁House , ▁Dun ross ▁finds ▁his ▁company ▁the ▁target ▁of ▁a ▁host ile ▁take over ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁Str uan ' s ▁is ▁des per ately ▁over ext ended . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁em bro iled ▁in ▁international ▁esp ion age ▁when ▁he ▁finds ▁himself ▁in ▁possession ▁of ▁secret ▁documents ▁des per ately ▁desired ▁by ▁both ▁the ▁K GB ▁and ▁M I 6 . ▁The ▁novel ▁follows ▁Dun ross ' ▁attempts ▁to ▁extr icate ▁himself ▁from ▁all ▁this ▁and ▁to ▁save ▁Str uan ' s , ▁the ▁No ble ▁House . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Str uan ▁and ▁Company ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁J ard ine ▁Math es on ▁& ▁Company , ▁which ▁continues ▁to ▁exist ▁as ▁an ▁Asian ▁trad ing ▁company . ▁The ▁chief ▁character , ▁Ian ▁Dun ross , ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁composite ▁character ▁of ▁two ▁real ▁life ▁J ard ine ▁Math es on ▁t ai - p ans , ▁Sir ▁Hugh ▁Bart on ▁and ▁Sir ▁Michael ▁Her ries . ▁ ▁Roth well - G or nt ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁But ter field ▁and ▁Sw ire , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁Sw ire ▁Pacific . ▁Qu ill an ▁Gor nt ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁two