Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 143

New Tales of the Ming Treasure Voyages
Heep Yunn Primary School, Chan, Antonia - 11
As Zheng Le walked up the gangplank onto the ship, the Jadeflower , he felt a rush of excitement to be on
this voyage. Though he was just twelve, everyone on the ship respected him as his father was Zheng Wu,
brother of Admiral Zheng He, chief of the voyage to East Africa. Named after Emperor Yong Le, Zheng Le
knew he was a privileged boy of his time.
For the first few weeks, the merest suggestion of breeze carried the ship along. Zheng Le enjoyed the
sunshine. He also had different jobs on the ship such as helping the navigator to locate stars and looking after
the ship’s sails. He saw, did, and learnt much.
Suddenly, strong gales rocked the ship, tossing everyone and everything on board this way and that. The
wind morphed the sea into mountains of ferocious waves. When Zheng Le and the others heard and saw
how frightened the sailors were, they panicked.
“I miss home and Mum. I will never make it back home…” Zheng Le whimpered.
Zheng Le and other passengers stared forlornly at the horizon. No land was in sight. After sixty days, a
brown strip of hope appeared on the horizon. That day, there was great jubilation on board.
“Good job, men! We have finally reached land!” the captain, Zheng Wu boomed with excitement, “Let’s
go and explore! My brother will be proud and the Emperor will be pleased.”
Zheng Le followed his father to explore the land, exhilaration coursing through his veins. Suddenly, a
towering creature with a long neck, long legs and dark patches on its body stumbled past Le. He spurted
back to his father as fast as he could and blabbered, “This is a monster land. I’ve just seen one…”
Before Le could say another word, a native man with skin as dark as midnight appeared before them. Le and
the man looked at each other in curiosity. Then with hand signals, the young man motioned for Le and his
father to follow him back to the village. They found themselves surrounded by a crowd of inquisitive
natives. After establishing that they were people of peace, Le’s father took out ten dark green pieces of jade
flower pendants from a silk pouch and gave them to the natives. The villagers seemed ecstatic with the gifts
and brought out an assortment of local delicacies.
At last, the villagers indicated that Zheng Le and his dad could take back any animal they wanted from their
land. Le’s dad bowed low in gratitude.
They then scooted quickly back to the Jadeflower to gather soldiers to catch an animal. “Let’s round up the
long-necked creature that I’d seen!” Zheng Le blurted as he showed the ship’s soldiers where he saw the
creature.
“ATTACK!” Zheng Wu clamoured as the soldiers blitzed in on the creatures. The wild animals all galloped
away like waves of thunder, except for a young, feeble one. The soldiers rapidly threw a rope over the
smallest creature’s neck and started to haul it back towards the ship.
“We got a long-necked deer for the Emperor!” the soldiers cheered.
However, as they boarded the ship, a larger long-necked deer dashed out from the trees to thrust the
soldiers away. The soldiers fought back by shooting arrows. Blood flowed down its legs as it was clear this
was a mother desperate to have her child back.
Suddenly, a wave of sadness washed through Zheng Le as he remembered his own mother waiting anxiously
for him to return home.
“Dad, set him free, please! Let it roam in the wild again!” Zheng Le begged Dad.
“No! I need to take it back to the Emperor!” refused Dad. “Your Uncle, Zheng He, demands it.”
They pulled the pitiable creature up onto the ship where it gazed despondently at Le.
Late that night, while the rest of the crew were sleeping soundly, Le stealthily took a key from his father’s
pouch. Sneaking and slinking, he slithered to the cage below the deck and unlocked it. Wordlessly, he led
the creature down the gangplank.
Le was surprised to see its mother sitting wistfully near the dock, her wound already slowly healing. As he
cut the rope with a knife, the creature bent down, and nuzzled him tenderly.
“Go back to your mum. I’ll never forget you, my long-necked friend!” Le wept as he bade good-bye.
The long-necked deer’s mother limped away with her baby joyfully by her side in the moonlight.