This story is based on a true historical event. It tells the story of Zheng He, a eunuch from the Ming Dynasty in China, who led a fleet on a voyage to Kenya in Africa, brought with him rare and precious animals such as giraffes and lions, overcame various dangers at sea, and successfully returned to his homeland.

This novel is divided into two parts, A and B, each narrated by two giraffes. In Part A, the male giraffe "Qi" tells the story of Zheng He's maritime adventures, while in Part B, the female giraffe "Lin" tells the story of Emperor Zhu Di and his court struggles in the Forbidden City. This synopsis mainly introduces Part A.

Qi was hunted by the Maasai on the prairie and then sent to Zheng He's ship, where it started a long and dangerous sea adventure with lions, zebras, wildebeests and ostriches. It met the leader of the fleet, Zheng He, the translator Ma Huan, and many African envoys, kabuki and sailors going to China. Zheng He was obsessed with Qi's appearance and would come to visit it every day and feed it personally.

But then the voyage ran into trouble. First, a storm suddenly hit, causing chaos among the animals on board. Then there was a plague, many sailors fell ill and died, and Zheng He lost his beloved adopted son Xiaobao. To make matters worse, "Qi" refused to eat because he didn't like wet hay. Fortunately, Ma Huan fed it with bean cakes and solved the crisis.

The voyage returned to normal, and the ship began to stop at various ports, exchanging porcelain, silk and tea for gems, spices and precious wood. The translator Ma Huan fell in love with the singing girl Fengli, but Fengli did not respond. The Persian woman on the ship flirted with Zheng He, but Zheng He, as a eunuch, could only laugh it off. Qi knew that he only liked Ma Huan in his heart.

Then, a new disaster suddenly struck, and many animals died strangely. The usually ferocious lion Abi also lost his majesty. The police on the ship found the sailors who poisoned and executed the criminals. Then, the envoys were jealous of Fengli and split into different factions, and a fierce fight broke out. Zheng He reprimanded Fengli on the spot and wanted to drive her off the ship. Fortunately, Ma Huan pleaded for her and she was pardoned.

Qi had basically adapted to life at sea. The great voyage began to reach its climax as the fleet approached the South Asian islands. In Sumatra, the fleet encountered an unexpected rebellion. The rebels surrounded the royal city, but with the help of Zheng He's sailors, the king's army turned the tide. In the revelry, Ma Huan met Fengli in her gorgeous dress and could not help but praise her beauty. Zheng He was very annoyed and ordered the execution of this woman who "disturbed the morale of the army." Fengli jumped off the boat and disappeared into the depths of the sea. An irreparable rift appeared between Ma Huan and Zheng He.

After the fleet returned to China, Emperor Zhu Di held a grand ceremony to welcome the giraffe, which was regarded as the "Qilin". They symbolized the country's good fortune. Along with the Qilin, there were also diplomatic envoys from all over the world who came to pay homage. The appearance of the tall giraffe in the capital caused a strong shock, and tens of thousands of people came to watch, just like a festival.

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Ma Huan and Zheng He also reached a reconciliation. Ma Huan soon found the woman he loved, while Zheng He left the bustling capital alone and disappeared in the misty drizzle.

After a long separation, Qi and Lin were finally reunited. They gave birth to three baby giraffes, lived in the palace garden for decades, escaped a poisoning, and finally died peacefully. They were secretly buried in the emperor's tomb.

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