Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 109

The Stolen Treasure
German Swiss International School, Chen, Josephine - 10
I sweated nervously as the customs official went through my suitcase. I hoped he didn’t open up the false
bottom of the suitcase where I had stashed various valuable necklaces from The Ming Voyage
Commemorative Museum in India. My ingenious plan was to smuggle them back to Malacca where I could
sell them to my black market dealer. When that happened, things would seriously get interesting. I tried not
to show how relieved I was when he closed the suitcase and asked for my passport. He studied my passport
carefully and asked me: “Is your name Ming Shee Kuk?”.
I replied cheerfully: “Yup, that’s me,”. He slapped my passport in my hand and let me through.
As you know now, I am Ming Shee Kuk. On my passport, it says my job is an ‘art dealer’, but how I really
collect my money is by smuggling treasures from country to country, which then goes to the hands of my
black market dealer. RRRIIINNGGG!! Now that’s probably my evil dealer, Ted Lees calling me. I picked
up the phone. “Hey Mr. Evil, I got your treasures alright. Ones from India that got shipped from China.
You’d better be happy,”
“Right’o pipsqueak, you better be here in a flash, I’m a busy man,”.
“Sure. I am in a rush too,” I said, “and we better be careful because I think a detective is after us.”
When I arrived in Malacca, I handed the stolen artifacts to Ted. I could see by the greedy glow in his eye
that he knew how valuable these stolen goods were. He spent a long time studying one golden necklace
especially. I was relieved that he didn’t make me go back to India again to get a replacement. Now, let me
explain some of the history of the necklace. A long time ago, a pirate called Chen Zuyi was planning an
attack on the Ming General known as Zheng He. Chen Zuyi had told one of his other pirates about this
plan - to wait until Zheng thought he was surrendering and then to attack. However, one of the other
pirates was a greedy lad called Shi Jingqing. Shi was very clever and told Zheng He to look out and be ready
for the fake ‘surrender’. So on the day Chen Zuyi tried to attack Zheng He, Chen was caught and the smart
Shi Jingqing abandoned his crew for a job in Malacca. As soon as Zheng He won the battle (thanks to Shi
Jingqing), he took all of the valuable pirate treasure and used it as gifts on the voyages. He took all of the
treasure, that is, except one necklace - this was the necklace Ted was so interested in. This necklace was
given as a reward to Shi Jingqing to thank him for betraying Chen. Anyway, all of this precious treasure had
eventually ended up in The Ming Voyage Commemorative Museum in India. And yes, they are now in the
hands of Ted.
Ted had finished examining the valuables. He told me that he could probably get me two or three million
dollars for the loot, more if I did not mind to wait. I shook my head. Ted is a bit weak and not too brave, so
I knew I could push him to pay me more. “You can get me at least 2.5, Ted, and in a hurry. The jewels in
there, on their own, should be worth at least 3.”
Ted eyed me slyly. “Maybe,” he said, “I do know someone who is very interested in Shi Jingqing’s
necklace. I think he even claims to be a descendent of the tricky ex-pirate! However, he wants to meet you
first. I could probably get you a few hundred thousand more if you are willing to meet up with him.”
“Great!” I exclaimed, “Just get me the cash.”
Ted arranged the time and the place for me to meet the buyer. We had to meet in Malacca Bird Park, near
the parrot aviary.
I was waiting patiently at the Malacca Bird Park. There were a row of parrots on the trees above my head.
They were screeching like they were on fire. I was impatient and muttered to myself “Hurry up,” when a
high-pitched voice echoed back what I had just said: “Hurry up. Hurry up.” Soon dozens of parrots were
all shouting the same instructions back at me.
Finally, I spotted Ted. He came towards me a bit hesitantly, like there was something wrong. He had a
suitcase, which I assumed contained the stolen jewellery. He told me that the buyer would be there at any
moment. Ted had just received a text from him.