Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 82

the Emperor will reward you greatly, Admiral.” “Thank you Captain. We have also brought great gifts for the foreign countries, haven’t we?” “Of course! The highest goods from China! The softest silk, the finest potteries…” I smiled slyly. “And what do you think is the greatest gift we brought along ?” The Captain hesitated, “I would think…” “It is you, Captain – you and your army of young men. We journeyed to them in peace. And we have shown these foreigners not only the things we made, but the people that we are. We have shown them our strengths, but more importantly, we have shown them we are a fair and peaceful people. We have shown them we are friends.” “Ah…yes…” enlightened, the Captain was deep in thought. I asked him, “And what do you think is the greatest thing we brought back here to China from the foreign lands?” “The tall-necked Qilin, of course,” he answered confidently, but I shook my head. He was dumbfounded to say the least. “Then it must be the Yin Yang Steed.” “No, Captain. It is you, again—you and your 30 thousand men. We have been to places others couldn’t even dream of, met people that are so different from us. Each man will have his stories to tell, of different cultures, different languages and different people. Yet they aren’t people to be feared, and they aren’t people to be conquered. They are to be friends.”