Raphael Ryan

Traps for Troubadours Raphael Ryan

In 1792 the most important embassy to date set sail from England in an attempt to open up trade with the vast Chinese empire of Qianlong. But how will the emperor, in his splendid isolation, receive this mission from the other side of the world? What threat does it pose to the long-established hegemony of the Qing Dynasty? There are also those who don't want the embassy to succeed, especially the East India Company that stands to lose if the government secures the lucrative Chinese market. But the voyage to the orient is also an education and a rite of passage for young George Thomas Staunton, the 12 year old son of the ambassador's deputy. His discoveries are ours, and his thirst for knowledge produces unusual dividends when the embassy finally reaches Peking.