Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 72

The Adventures of Admiral Zheng He
Singapore International School, Wang, Jiamu - 10
“Now you go and find Zheng, I have an assignment for him,” the Ming Emperor, Zhu Di,
demanded of his administrator.
“Yes, my Lord.” the administrator replied while bowing and retreating.
“Now that we have overcome our enemies and gained control of the land surrounding us, we need
to extend our sphere of influence and venture to foreign lands so that they too can know that China is a
powerful but friendly nation. They will then show respect to us and pay tribute. I want you to go to the
four corners of the earth and take with you animals, plants, silk, dye, tea, and other items that we can trade
with them.” the Emperor ordered Zheng He.
“Yes, your highness! That task is well within our compass.”
“As you have obediently prepared the entire fleet, I want you to leave at sunrise on the 3 rd day
from now!”
Two days later, Zheng He set off from the Nanking harbour. Over 1000 vessels and over a
hundred thousand men set sail – a sea of red sails and an array of different-sized vessels proceeded through
to the open seas and sailed south. “What a site it was!” Zheng He thought excitedly.
But not everything went as planned. The responsibility was daunting and the work demanding as
the commander in charge of such an expedition.
“Rise and shine, sailors!” yelled the first shipmate onboard Zheng He’s first flagship. There were
four flagships. It was the second day at sea and it was a new day. The sailors went about their duties
efficiently. Soon the vessels had been at sea for a week.
The weather had been calm for most of the journey during the first week until that horrendous
day. Jia Jing, Zheng He’s best friend, was onboard as one of the officers in charge of the ship. He was
captain. It was about 0300 hours in the morning that day when the some of the watchmen had practically
nodded off, when one of them pulled himself together and muttered,
“What is wrong with me?” Zheng He had been awake and was pacing anxiously back and forth up
and down his quarters before looking worriedly out of his window. He observed that the sky looked blood
red. He then heard a loud Bang! It was from one of the sailors.
“Admiral, you might want to see this…” The watchmen’s voice trailed off as he quailed under
Zheng He’s furious but disturbed look. The sailor directed the Admiral to a large funnel-like cloud that was
approaching.
“Tornado! Go and wake everyone up!” Zheng He contemplated.
Within a few minutes, everyone was yawning and grumbling on deck, facing Admiral Zheng He.
Their faces were concerned.
“Men! Quickly! Fold the sails, and secure all loose items before retreating to their quarters!” Zheng
He commanded. He then thought of his friend Captain Jia Jing.
“Jia Jing is still in his quarters sleeping!” Zheng He bolted along the deck hoping to find his friend
in his cabin. He saw him sleeping soundly. The tornado began to turn the huge 100 metre long flagship
around as the sea began to swirl. Eventually Jia Jing woke up. He glared at Zheng He furiously.
“Admiral! Captain! Get underdeck!” a sailor shouted.
“Now Go!” Zheng He yelled at Jia Jing as he dived underdeck.
After a while, Zheng He did not see even the shadow of his friend, so he poked his head up
casually onto the deck. There, he saw his best friend holding onto the mast. Whoosh! The ship had been
teetering in and out of the tornado’s absorption circle for too long.
Too long.
The tornado came upon the ship like a roaring lion, ripping and tearing everything in its path. The
center mast which Jia Jing was holding onto collapsed and Jia Jing was forced to let go. “I must save him!”
Zheng He thought. But as he was going to climb onto the deck, the wind blew him beneath! All he could
do was watch his best friend get sucked away, and drawn out to sea.
The tornado wreaked havoc on the deck and headed underdeck for more. The ship was ripped
cleanly into halves like a giant had torn it in two, not the wind. Zheng He yelped trying to escape,
scampering wildly but was not successful. The ship fell apart. Everywhere, you could either see sailors
struggling to keep afloat or sailors clinging onto pieces of driftwood to save their lives. Zheng He himself
was flung into the sea.
After two weeks of arduous survival, drinking nothing but seaweed and sleeping on a piece of
wood shorter than two meters, he arrived at a seashore. He leapt joyfully onto the shore. He found a small
village not far from where he was, and got many strange looks and whispers from behind.