Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 162

What an Adventure Means
Victoria Shanghai Academy, Bolchover, Isadora - 9
The Ming Fleet set off on their mission to India with one of their finest captains and one of their greatest
fighters in the land: Zheng He and Ying Yen. But something was suspicious about the captain, Ying Yen,
and Zheng He knew it, even though he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. As they set off, the crowd on
the docks cheered them on, shouting encouragement and comforting words. The ship finally sailed out into
the dark blue ocean on its way to India with no idea what adventures were in store.
Ying Yen rushed into the only bathroom they had on the ship and pulled her helmet off. Thank
goodness! She thought. Maybe Zheng He would have found out she was in disguise as a man! Hopefully he
didn't suspect her! She had successfully cut her hair off and snuck onto the ship, but she was sure that her
perfect features would be a bit too much, so that the men would become suspicious. Wait a minute. Was
that shouting she heard? She quickly pulled her helmet back on and hurried up to the deck.
As she reached the deck, she looked into her telescope and saw the dreaded white flag with a dragon’s
dripping fangs staring back at her. She told her crew: “Weapons ready! We’ve got an evil pirate trying to kill
us!!” Alas, her words were true. A pirate named Chen Zuyi was on their tail right now and he was one of
the most feared pirates with one of the most gruesome crews in all history. Just to list a few of his most evil
deeds, he had: killed loads of people, stolen a ships’ goods and sold children to slavery. This was bad -
VERY bad. Ying Yen caught Chen Zuyi looking at her with his one eye (he has an eye patch.). He
sneered, and she rolled her eyes.
Ying Yen shouted: “Attack!” Both crews roared. Over the noise of killing, shouting and massacre,
Ying Yen shouted: “I’m going for gold!”, which meant, “I’m going to fight Chen Zuyi myself! No one try
to help me!”
Ying Yen ran towards Chen Zuyi dodging every obstacle in her path. Finally, she made it to Chen
Zuyi. As she ran and swung her sword, the blowing wind made her helmet slip off and her short, but
beautiful black locks were revealed to the world! (well actually just the Ming dynasty and the bad guys not
the whole world) As the Ming dynasty and the pirates gasped in amazement, frustrated whispers went
around the crowd: “a woman?” “Who let HER in?”
Ying Yen shouted back “What is SO wrong with a woman being on the ship? Can we just get on
with the battle already?” The men grumbled but they kept on slashing each other and yelling insults so Ying
Yen figured everything was fine.
As Ying Yen swung her sword at Chen Zuyi, he blocked her easily and said: “Not so fast little girl!
No one is going past me!”
“Okay,“ Ying Yen growled, “One, no one calls me little girl, and two: I am getting past you.”
Again, she ran and swung her sword, and Chen Zuyi closed his eye and expected the blow, but nothing
came. He opened his eye and looked around him. As he looked behind him, he caught Ying Yen grinning
at him. “I thought you said NOTHING was going to get past you.” she said, and then everything went
black for Chen Zuyi.
Chen Zuyi woke up. His head throbbed.Hhe looked down and saw that he was tied to the mast
along with many of his crew. Ying Yen said “I told you I was going to get past you! Women can do great
things, Chen Zuyi. It’s just that some people don’t believe it. When Zheng He takes you and your wicked
crew to my father’s dungeon, I hope you’ll understand that you’re a horrid person and that you should try
and do something good for a change.” She walked away, her dagger swinging at her hip.
That night, Zheng He called a meeting with all the crew except Ying Yen. He banged the
hammer on the table. “We are here to discuss the matter of a woman on the ship and what we should do
with her. Any suggestions?”
“Toss her over board! It's a disgrace having her on this ship!” That was one idea. Here comes another one!
“Keep her! We can use her as our captain and finest warrior!” “Use her as a slave!” Then came the cries of
“KEEP HER!” or “TOSS HER”. Over and over until Zheng He was sure he couldn't stand it anymore.
“Silence! I have decided that we should keep her! She has proved herself! And to this day, woman
will be allowed to fight and with everyone else!” Everyone cheered.