Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 103

New Tales of the Ming Treasure Voayages
Holy Family Canossian College, Soon, Sonja - 16
“Chang! Chang!” I jolted awake. As I roused from my heavy slumber, the familiar scent of briny sea air filled my lungs.
My body was sore from resting on a bed made out of planks. I’ve been on this very pirate fleet for around five years and
counting, you would think I’m used to these harsh living conditions. Except that I’m not. “Chang, get up! We’re
tasked to raid the nearby fishing village once night falls, remember? You’d better get ready before we reach land, unless
you want to face Chen Zuyi himself,” hollered my friend Xiang. Chen controls the seas of Southeast Asia with his
notorious pirate fleets, and is one of the most feared pirates ever to exist. Shrugging nonchalantly, I fought off my
sleepiness and started to ready myself for the upcoming raid. Although I’m definitely not one to hesitate when ending
an enemy’s life, I doubt I can ever massacre innocent villagers and destroy families without feeling an ounce of guilt. In
fact, I myself am a victim of these pirates’ relentless attacks years ago. Both my parents were murdered in cold blood and
I was held hostage by pirates, forced to join them in order to survive. Escaping is never an option. Every single pirate
who has betrayed Chen faced brutal consequences if caught.
Standing on the crow’s nest, I stared unwaveringly as the sun fall behind the horizon. Above me, shades of orange and
pink spreaded through the sky, only broken apart by long trails of tranquil clouds. At the far west, a spectacular shade of
scarlet illuminated the reflection of every wave. Instead of being fascinated by the swirls of colours surrounding me, I
only felt intense fear. In my eyes, the scarlet glow reminded me of the bloodshed of the innocent. As if on cue, a flock
of black crows soared through the sky, as though foreshadowing inevitable deaths.
“Chang! It’s time.” Clutching tightly to our spears, Xiang and I crept silently down the pirate vessel and headed straight
for the fishing village. As the soft glow of the brightly-lit huts faded in the distance, we made way to the town hall,
where the village’s gold is kept. I was planning to knock the guard out cold by dealing a blow to the back of his head
when a couple of unfamiliar faces emerged from the dark. Immediately blending into the shadows, I watched intently as
the well-dressed men handed the guard bags full of gold coins and rolls of silk. This fishing village is relatively poverty-
stricken. Who would be giving away gold to aid them? The Chinese officials? “Who’s there?” A voice unexpectedly
called out. The soft crunch of footsteps slowly made way to our hiding spot. A fire torch was shined to our faces.
“Filthy pirates,” the solemnly dressed man muttered under his breath. “Call our captain, he’ll decide how to deal with
these incurable, good-for-nothing thieves.” Not long after, we found ourselves facing a man dressed like a Chinese
military. “The name’s Zheng He, captain of Ming treasure voyages. What do you all have to say for yourselves?” Zheng
fixed me with a piercing stare and I began stuttering uncontrollably how I was forced to become a pirate, along with the
other young people. Once I was finished, Zheng let out an exasperated sigh and motioned us to follow. He led us to his
massive vessel, where I saw the most glamorous ship before my eyes. Its’ hull was delicately carved with magnificent
dragons and its’ sails painted wine red, unlike the bloodstained ones I usually encounter. I was still staring in awe when
Zheng’s voice snapped me back to reality. “I’m taking you lot under my wing. You two are part of my treasure fleet
now. You’ll be in charge of cleaning the decks. This is your chance to prove you’re better than that barbarian you call
captain. Don’t blow it.” Xiang eyed our supposedly “new captain” suspiciously. Once we were out of earshot, he
whispered “What if he’s planning to turn us in? We’d probably be executed!” “Do you prefer making a living out of
killing? At least we’ll be put out of our misery. Besides, Zheng’s tone seemed sincere,” I replied reassuringly.
We were kept busy over the course of the next few weeks. Every day, we got up at dawn and scrubbed the decks. For
the rest of the day, we helped preparing meals and mended sails. If we were lucky, we could even assist in the
navigations. Life was definitely hectic, but I had never been happier. However, happiness never lasts.
I have always feared that the pirate fleet led by Chen Zuyi would be after us, no matter how many days, months, or
even years has passed. After all, we left the entire crew behind and disappeared without a trace. Eventually, my worst
nightmare came true. It was a midsummer’s day, and the air was heavy with the dampness of a coming storm. Nearly
everyone were hiding out from the rain in the cabin, except Xiang, who was on duty to check out for incoming
obstacles or enemies. All of the sudden, she rushed into the cabin and stammered in a panicked tone. “P...Pirates!! It’s
Chen. I could recognize that ghastly flag from a mile away!” Before her sentence was even finished, Zheng started
barking out orders. Soon, all 68 ships under his control had their cannons ready and were in formation. Through the
mist, we could barely make out the enormous pirate fleet, all hanging black flags which were fluttering in the wind.
Gradually advancing towards us. Although I strived to keep calm while retrieving barrels of gunpowder from the cargo
hold, I could still feel my heart thumping against my chest. The trepidation of fighting against my former crewmates
was too great. I had gone into battles with them too many times to underestimate them. And what if Xiang and I get