On June 23, off the coast of Osaka Port, the warships of the Anglo-Dutch Combined Fleet were leisurely parked in the Seto Inland Sea. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 The sailors on the Info battleship were a little bored, one by one lazily lying on the hammocks on the decks and on the ground to cool off - the weather was very hot at this time, which made the Europeans who were afraid of the heat a little unbearable.

Some of the old sailors boasted to the new sailors about their stories around the world, especially with Spanish widows in the Caribbean islands and ecstasy with Indian women. The story has been told many times, but the new sailors who surround the old sailors never get tired of hearing it.

Some sailors were biting with various kinds of sushi, and others took turns drinking a bottle of sake, one taking a sip - the shogunate was grateful for the help of the Anglo-Dutch fleet and sent abundant supplies to the sailors. A good thing like eel sushi, which is not eaten by ordinary Japanese people, is very common in the fleet.

The atmosphere of the whole fleet was very relaxed, in fact, since the defeat of the ironclad ships that came to challenge it three months ago, the state of the Anglo-Dutch combined fleet has been so lazy. The Dutch and the British were now waiting for the 25,000 men trapped in Osaka Castle to come out and surrender, and then the Japanese could cross the sea and attack Korea.

Gascoigne, commander of the British fleet, traveled aboard the Dutch flagship Swordfish in a lifeboat. Adalbert, commander of the Dutch fleet, went to the deck side to welcome the ally.

Also a Protestant parliamentary country, this time the British and Dutch worked together pleasantly.

Gascoigne climbed onto the Dutchman's flagship, looked left and right, and said in Dutch: "Dear Commander Adelbert, our fleet has been in the Seto Inland Sea for three months. ”

Adalbert nodded and said, "You're right, Lord Gascoigne. The defenders of Osaka Castle are running out of food and grass, and in three months, we will be able to take Osaka Castle. It is said that the Japanese shogun hated Li Zhi's soldiers and horses very much, and was ready to kill all 25,000 people. ”

Gascoigne patted the guardrail on the side of the ship with his hand and found that the guardrail was made of hard oak. Gascoigne secretly said that the Dutch were really willing to spend money on making battleships, and that the Swordfish was very solidly made. He was silent for two seconds and said, "Commander Adalbert, I think things are a little strange, don't you think Li Zhi is too quiet?" ”

The Dutchman Adalbert laughed and said, "Your Excellency, your worries are unfounded. Li Zhi is indeed very quiet, but he can only be so quiet. ”

"Based on our experience in fighting Li Zhi over the years, as long as Li Zhi has a chance to defeat us, he will never be silent. He was a warmonger. Now he is so silent, there is only one reason, he does not have enough naval forces to fight us, and can only watch Osaka be taken by us. ”

"We have investigated that Li Zhi has six shipbuilding sites in Tianjin and Shandong. But even if all these shipbuilding sites are started, only six ironclad ships will be produced in five months. Even if Li Zhi gathered eighteen ironclad ships to challenge us, he would not be our opponent at all. ”

"Your Excellency Gascoigne, the situation is now clear that Li Zhi has completely lost hope of victory. The next question was how his 80,000 soldiers would meet the siege of the 110,000 Shogunate Army and the 160,000 Jiangbei Army. ”

"This time, we will definitely be able to hit Tianjin."

When Gascoigne heard Adalbert's words, he thought for a moment and said, "Do we have an ambush spy in Tianjin?" ”

Adalbert said with some displeasure: "Captain, we don't need spies. Li Zhi caught the spies in Tianjin very strictly, and we couldn't sneak in. But we don't need to worry about Li Zhi's navy at all, no one can produce thirty battleships in six months or a year, the Netherlands can't, Britain can't, France can't, Spain can't either. ”

"We don't need to worry that Li Zhi will conjure up a battleship to defeat us. Your Excellency the Captain of the British Fleet, you are worried about an impossible. ”

Hearing Adalbert's words, Gascoigne fell silent.

After a long time, he smiled a little self-deprecatingly and said, "It's really impossible, unless Li Zhi is not a mortal but a god." Probably because of the heat that made me a little suspicious. ”

Adalbert smiled and said, "You are indeed suspicious, Your Excellency Captain. After a pause, he said: "Captain of the fleet, in fact, the Jiangbei Army has promised us that after the occupation of Tianjin, all the machines and craftsmen owned by Li Zhi will be given to our combined fleet. Li Zhi's various techniques will be enjoyed by us Dutch and British people in the future. ”

When Gascoigne heard this, his eyes lit up, Li Zhi's technology was very advanced, even exceeding the European level. If you can get Li Zhi's craftsmen, you can even improve the overall national strength of Britain. It is not known what technologies the Dutch will cede to the British.

However, the premise is that Li Zhi will not suddenly become strong and come to Japan.

Gascoigne didn't know why, but today he was a little uneasy, and he was always a little uneasy. He pondered his concerns and fell silent.

Seeing Gascoigne's concern, Adalbert smiled and said, "Your Excellency Gascoigne, don't worry about Li Zhi. As you said, unless Li Zhi is a god and not a man, it is impossible for him to build thirty ironclad ships against us. Walk! Go to the captain's room and try my gin and..."

However, before Adalbert could finish his sentence, he suddenly heard a panicked roar from the mast: "There is a large fleet ahead!" ”

Hearing the watchman's shout, Gascoigne turned white as if he had heard bad news. He looked at Adalbert, whose face was full of surprise, and strode up the tail tower of the Swordfish, using his telescope to observe the western shore.

Ships were not visible on the western horizon, but Gascoigne saw a cloud of black smoke rising from beneath sea level. Gascoigne knew it was the steamship's chimney smoking. He counted the black smoke carefully, ten, twenty, thirty, and at last he was surprised to find that there were forty ships in the fleet.

The Dutchman's star officer shouted: "Enemy attack! All in place! ”

Dutch sailors rushed up from the lower deck, grabbed Formosa rifles and prepared for battle. The gunners rushed to the gun position, opened the gun window and pushed the cannon to the firing position.

Adalbert also ran up to the tail tower, he held a telescope to observe the black smoke in the distance, and said loudly: "Impossible! It is impossible for Li Zhi to build forty ironclad ships in three months! Li Zhi must have been desperate to pull the steamer up and fight us! ”

But Adalbert's roar was interrupted by the ship's lookout: "The number of enemy ships! Forty ships! Class! Ironclad! ”

Adelbert was stunned for a moment, clutching his binoculars and speechless.

I don't know if it's the heat or the panic inside, but a fine sweat breaks out on Gascoigne's head. He gritted his teeth and said, "Your Excellency Adalbert, Li Zhi is the most terrifying enemy I have ever seen!" I think we're in trouble! ”

Gascoigne finally saw the forty menacing ironclads in his binoculars. The new steel armor painted with gray tree paint made Gascoigne's heart beat wildly.

"We're in big trouble!"