Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 97

Ming Voyages
Dulwich College Beijing, Lam, Yoko - 10
Blazing sunshine beat down on the ocean, illuminating the turquoise waves. The ship full of bounty thrust
onwards, navigating the blustery winds, in search of the unknown, desperate to share her wealth of treasure
with deserving souls.
On the deck was a boy, the youngest of the crew, scouring vigorously and watching others hustle about the
captain’s commands. Captain Zheng He, a well-respected man, was currently a trustworthy servant of the
Yongle Emperor, who had specially plotted the voyage and was his benefactor.
Stunning everyone into silence, Zheng He bellowed in rage. Everybody scurried downstairs to observe the
crisis. Intrigued, the boy followed the crowd. The nimble boy managed to squeeze to the front. A
stowaway! Glancing at the slim boy that was no older then himself, he noted the streaks of black hair
peeping through his tall camouflaging hat and the drooping white sleeves of a Chinese.
"Sorry sir," the stowaway stammered in fluent Chinese, "Please, sir, forgive me. I can fight on this ship for
you.” Dumfounded that the boy could speak in their own mother tongue, everyone curiously awaited the
captain’s verdict.
Zheng He paused, “There’s no need of you in this cupboard, better to have more crew. Feng, our cabin
boy, will guide you to his cabin, which you will share, and show you to the weaponry to let you pick out a
sword that suits you. The rest of you, back to work!"
Murmurs arose as everyone filed out, eyeing the stowaway. Holding the boy’s wrist, Feng led him to his
cabin. Again, he couldn’t help staring at the stowaway. As he looked closer, this peculiar person reminded
him of his close friend, Wang Xiu Ying. But he couldn't be.
"What's your name?' Inquired Feng.
“Wen Hou."
Feng, wary of Hou, steered him to the weaponry, departing Hou to single out his preferred fighting tool.
A fortnight later, when the moon was beaming down onto the ship, like lights for a stage, Hou settled on
the edge of his bed. When he was certain only Feng was looking, Hou took off his black hat for the first
time and revealed long black hair, with a bun at the top. The tips glistened in the moonlight as his ink-
coloured hair swayed in a light merry tune. The only person he knew who looked like this was...
"Xiu Ying?"
"Yes, Feng, yes." With that, Xiu Ying slid her hat back on and shut her eyes, ready for bed, quiet as a
mouse. Feng shut his eyes, trying to soothe his astonishment. However, he tossed and turned in bed the
whole night. Could the fatal secret be kept?
The sun was long above their heads when Feng emerged from his dreams. Hang on, thought Feng, there’s
no sunlight! Out of the filthy window, he realised that the sun’s duty had been misplaced by the menacing
clouds, cackling their evil laughs as their sons struck lightning at the ocean; that the ship was being tilted
from side to side, struggling against the strong currents with her might and that the waves were roaring for
all they were worth.
Getting ready for the day, he saw that beds were all vacant except his own. Feng scrambled onto the deck
and vomited violently off the side of the ship. Scanning his familiar surroundings, he glanced at Xiu Ying,
who was slaying tentacles with a shining sword, fresh from the weaponry.
Purple tentacles were all over the place, attempting to drown the ship. Sighting Feng’s green face, Xiu Ying,
who had been fighting until the interruption, hurried to Feng’s side, dropping her sword without meaning
to. The fighter retrieved her sword, examining it for dents. In her distracted moment, the monster squeezed
her so tightly that she could barely fill air into her lungs! Xiu Ying wriggled, resulting in failure of escaping.
Her sword was tossed onto the ship and her disguise tumbled off, unraveling her photogenic hair. The cover
was blown! His new friend, Chong, tossed the fallen weapon at Feng. Too far to be of any help, Feng
clasped the weapon anyways, hoping for a miracle.