Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 227

I died on this voyage. I had a dream, lying on my deathbed, my dreams wandering the desolate moors
of Africa. I saw myself on the second voyage, the third voyage, the fourth voyage…then I thought about the
further fortifying of my dearest country, China. I thought about the magical times when I became Zheng
He and a doctor. I thought about my lover, my dead wife. We had brought back goods and tributes and
envoys and whatever you could name. Zheng revered me as a leader and I knew it was time to return
home.