Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 228

New Tales of Ming Treasure Voyage
St. Paul's Convent School, Tan, Kai Shuang - 16
“Load up! They leave soon!”
Cries echoed, as men carried chests of treasure onto the ship. The proud sails were red, for good luck.
The weather was bright, yet windy enough for a good course.
The wind tugged on Yi Ping’s hair, as he stared at the horizon. He will grow sick of it in the next few
years. Hua Ping cooed, fluffing her feathers.
“Take care, old friend.”
Yi Ping plastered on his best grin. “You won’t even know I’m gone.”
“That is a lie.”
“You’ll hear from me swiftly, and will be annoyed at me as if I were with you.”
“I trust you to write the most annoying letters.”
“Don’t worry, really. That friend I told you about, he’ll be with me. I met him during my first few
voyages. He is a good friend. We’ve been together ever since then, and never separated. It will be great,
with him.”
“Yi Ping! Everyone is almost ready now. Hurry!” Someone bellowed.
Yi Ping laughed. “That’s my cue.”
Zi Yan didn’t hide a smile. “You better get going. Time and tide wait for no man.” Zi Yan clasped Yi
Ping’s shoulder.
Yi Ping gripped Yan’s arm. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Please don’t, this course will last for a few years.”
“Then please contain your longing for my brilliant personality.”
Zi Yan flashed him a sad smile.
With one more wave, Yi Ping hailed two crewmen to carry his chests up, then took Hua Ping’s cage
himself.
“See you soon, Sire !” Yi Ping yelled again.
Zi Yan gave one last wave before turning around. Yi Ping finally boarded the Ming Yan .
No one noticed a figure that darted onto the ship, quickly and swiftly.
*
Rui Qing was nobody.
Her aunt was keen on reminding her.
“Eat that up quickly, Jia Qing! I’ll feed that to the dogs if you don’t hurry, you brat!” Her aunt shouted.
“That’s not my name.” Rui Qing replied gloomily, eying the bowl of stale leftovers.
“Well you’re lucky to have me, you cursed child. I’ll call you whatever I want,” Her aunt replied,
snarky. “Your parents couldn’t even name you properly.”
Something sharp pierced her; and in her, something bled. She gritted her teeth, slammed the bowl against
the table and stormed out.
“So rude! Ungrateful even!” Her aunt admonished. “You are no lady!”
“That doesn’t bother me!” Rui Qing screamed back, slamming the out door.
“Don’t go out in your rags!”
Rui Qing was already gone. She was on the streets, ignoring the whisperings and stares of the passer-by.
The sound of a commotion reached her ears, she followed the noise. She inched closer to the crowd, trying
to work out the cacophony. She looked around, and saw it.
The magnificent beast of a ship floated proudly near port. Shouting men ran around, carrying goods and
loading them on. Mesmerized, she joined the crowd, admiring the ship.
What would it feel like..
To leave?
To be… free?
The thought seized her. She thought of her aunt who never liked her; the room that never felt like her
room, the home that never felt like home; her parents, whose faces are blurry in her mind, who never came
back, who loved her enough to leave her…
She forced and wove her way through the crowd, undoing her hair and making it manlier. She looked at
herself: ratty, enough to pass off as a male. She got to the first line of the crowd and mimicked the men at
work –hurried footsteps, busy.