As war closes in on the Dragon empire, cities fall one by one under the weight of foreign invasion, yet Shanghai remains suspended between chaos and control. Protected by its unique status as an international settlement, it becomes an uneasy refuge, bustling with diplomats, spies and merchants, all navigating the shifting lines of power.

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By 1939, the once-glorious Four Great Families that shaped the city's political and economic landscape have all but crumbled. The Wong family has withdrawn to Suzhou and Hangzhou, the Du family fled south to Hong Kong, and the Ning family, after losing its ancestral household, struggles to maintain relevance. Only the Meng family continues to command influence, led by Master Meng, a renowned physician whose name is known in every corner of the city. His mastery of medicine, especially his ability to extract and stabilise sulfadiazine, has not only earned him the respect of the public but also placed him under the quiet scrutiny of military and political forces. Even the powerful Ume Agency, operating from the shadows of the international zone, refers to him with reverence.

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As Master Meng’s fiftieth birthday approaches, tensions rise. His fourth son, long absent, is rumoured to be negotiating with various factions behind closed doors, yet all eyes remain fixed on the upcoming banquet. The Meng family steward has announced that Master Meng will publicly offer a vial of sulfonamides as a gift during the celebration and declare his retirement from medical practice.