Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 222

against the wall. Then, I gently called her with a smile. Of course, I talked in Chinese but anyway it seemed
like she understood. She slowly came by my side and whispered something, which I obviously didn’t
understand. I signaled her with my eyes to first help me loosen the ropes on my wrists and legs. She
hesitated a moment and loosened the rope binding my hands. Only then, I could use body movements and
gestures to communicate with her. I asked her why I was here. Without talking, she started to draw on the
ground. To wrap it up, when we reached the town, the natives who misunderstood that I was trying to
kidnap her knocked me out and brought me here. She told her parents that I rescued her life from the
danger but they regarded me as an invader. Not just an invader, but a strange boy with a totally different
look. Anyway, I could lose no more time here. It was already dark outside. I asked for her help. While she
drew people’s attention, I sneaked out and hurriedly ran back the way I came. It was so close. Right after I
got back on the fleet, we had a final bed roll-call.
Aside from Champa and the island of Java, our fleet visited many more islands including Malacca,
Semudera, Andaman, Nicobar Islands, Ceylon and Calcutta, although not every country welcomed our
visit. The time stole by like an arrow, and we were already heading back to our homeland. Everyone was
excited to return home and unite with their families, whereas I was growing more and more anxious as our
fleets draw closer to our homeland. I wasn’t even sure whether I can still live there. Two years had already
passed by, but I was still afraid that I would meet somebody who knows me and my dreadful past. Most
times, my thoughts were all in a muddle. Even worse, our Treasure Fleet confronted the fleets of pirate
Chen Zuyi. Unlike the first encounter, the tensions were definitely intense. Combats were about to take
place.
It was Chen Zuyi who announced the start of the combat. Hundreds of flaming arrows whistled
through the air and flew into our fleets. As soon as they stuck in fleets’ hulls, the raging fire spread itself
throughout entire fleets. It only took an instant for few fleet to sink into the placid, callous sea. Our fleets
counterattacked with cannon fire, of whose power was far beyond imagination. Hundreds of flaming arrows
were nothing compared to one cannon fire. The battle ended at a single cast on account of Chen Zuyi who
quickly surrendered right after we fired cannons, which I somehow felt uncomfortable with. Soon, my
misgiving turned out to be true.
Chen Zuyi and all his subordinates were imprisoned in the fleets’ very bottom. We still got a long
way to our homeland and I was overwhelmed with nervousness. After several days had passed, we were run
out of food, an unexpected situation. There was no choice but to stop by the nearest island and replenish
provisions. The incident occurred in the dead of night. Oppressed by nightmare, I slipped out of the room
and stared at the abnormally peaceful, quiet night sea, standing on the deck. When I turned back, I spotted
one other man moving around the ship. Acting suspiciously, he went down the stairs to the fleet’s very
bottom. I stealthily followed him down the stairs. It was a heavy thud of someone collapsing to the ground
that immediately stopped my footsteps. I nimbly hid in the barrel beside me. After they went up the stairs, I
quietly got out of the cabin and followed them up the stairs. On the deck, pirates were all around, pouring
something over the fleets each with a barrel in hands. By its pungent smell, I noticed it was an alcohol. My
body was trembling with fear but I tried to remain nonchalant and think of what I can do. Then, a great
idea rushed upon my mind.
I hurried my steps to the garret where I gathered all the grotesque things I found on the fleet and
from the voyage. From the garret, I took the heavy wooden box with firecrackers and brought it outside
where might not be seen by anybody. I kept the wire connected to the box far away from the it, and lighted
a fire at its end. Then, I went down to the beach and hid myself behind the fleet. Now, the only thing I had
to do was projecting a light onto the clean wall of fleet and putting the elephant wood-carving in front of
the light. At the image of mammoth beast appeared on the wall, dull pirates were agitated. They were
running here and there, bumping into each other, screaming and shouting desperately. There was no need
of any actor on this stage. Terrified pirates themselves were the superb actors. The chaos they created
themselves were directly shown on the wall, which looked just like the beast attacking people. It horrified
them even more. At the perfect time, firecrackers went off. Its astonishing sound woke everyone up. Soon,
all pirates were defeated by Admiral Zhang He and his brave soldiers. Meanwhile, for the first time, I saw his
face properly. He was the one who saved me, the one who allowed me to stay on the board, the one we all
recognized as a boatswain. His image under the moonlight looked more valiant and splendid than anybody
else in the world.
Our long, adventurous, troubled voyage was over then. And this is end of my story. The young
prostitute girl, who couldn’t do anything, indeed thought she couldn’t do anything wasn’t there anymore.
All uncertainties engulfing her was gone. Hereafter, it was heard that one beautiful merchant appeared from
nowhere became the best merchant ever in Ming Empire history.