Immediately afterwards, a second cloud of white smoke came out of the port side of the USS Mississippi.

Clouds of white smoke, smoke trails after smoke, loud noises one after another.

"Mississippi", "Jefferson", "Maryland", "Vice Admiral", ...... The second roar.

On the sea in the distance, huge water columns fall one after another, forming a strange and tall "water wall", like a giant whale from east to west, making waves all the way, whistling past.

The smoke and flames were filled, getting closer and closer, and the thunder was rolling and getting louder and louder.

Finally, it was the turn of the "Shooting Trumpet".

After the start of the "artillery exercise", it was clear and sunny tomorrow, but Cixi had a vague illusion of changing wind and clouds, and when the "shooting horn" also roared, her body trembled, and this illusion reached its peak: the sky and the sea seemed to have changed color, as if a storm was about to happen!

When the small station "played the gun", the thrilling places did not end there!

The small station "played the cannon", and the distance between Cixi and the cannon was actually closer. However, the stands of the small station shooting range are set up behind the artillery positions, and the muzzles of the guns are all pointed forward, and the shells fly forward, and the artillery fire is not easy to pose a psychological threat to the people in the rear.

However, in this "maritime artillery live-fire exercise," the "artillery" column was "a long snake" with its head west and tail east, and the "Champion" was moored on the west side of the "artillery" column, with the bow south and the stern north, and the hull of the ship was perpendicular to the "artillery exercise" column. As a result, the shells were directly in front of the left end of the bridge in front of the "Champion", whistling across again and again.

In this pattern, the distinguished spectator on the bridge in front of the ship was not immune to the psychological threat caused by artillery fire. The Queen Mother always felt that if the muzzle of the warship in the "artillery" column was accidentally deviated. The cannonballs will fly -- this. Ahem. It's so exciting.

In addition, the power of naval guns is not comparable to the "Napoleonic cannon", and its audio-visual effect is naturally not comparable to the "Napoleonic cannon". The Queen Mother was physically and mentally excited, and it became more and more exciting.

The artillery fire came closer and closer from east to west. The royal sister became more and more nervous, and felt that her feet were loosening more and more—a desire to pull her legs away. It's getting stronger and stronger.

The "Shooting Horn" opened fire, and between the "Champion" and the artillery fire, only a sea surface remained, and there was no longer any shelter.

The loud sound was like thunder, and Cixi shouted in her heart: You can help me!

Miraculously happened: the man seemed to hear her, and a hand reached over and rested lightly on the back of her grip on the railing. Cixi flipped over her hand and grabbed it tightly.

However, it would be wrong to think that the royal sister was really scared.

The guns on the port side closest to the bow of the "Shooting Sound" finally opened fire -- this was the last gun of the "drill gun" column.

At this point, the "artillery exercise" ended. All the procedures for going to sea today have also been completed; Not only that, but all the "official activities" of the Tianjin military parade. It's officially over.

However, before the smoke on the sea dissipated, the Queen Mother quietly said to Guan Zhuofan: Well, that, can you call the "Champion" and fire a shot?

Guan Zhuofan was surprised.

In today's naval parade and live-fire exercises at sea, the role of the "Champion" is to inspect the ship, and it does not take on a specific task for the exercise, let alone for artillery firing -- this is for the safety of the Queen Mother.

No matter how sophisticated the artillery is, there is also a theoretical risk of exploding, and in this era, in the mid-sixties of the nineteenth century, the explosion of artillery is not a particularly small probability event. Of course, the size of the probability depends on the quality of the artillery, and the artillery on the "Champion" should be the artillery with the highest quality and the smallest probability of exploding in this era.

However, since the head of state is on the ship, this minimum probability of risk is not allowed in principle.

However, since the royal sister took the initiative to mention it, Guan Zhuofan planned to make an exception.

After all, risk is only in theory; The income will exceed Guan Zhuofan's original most optimistic calculation.

The bow gun on the upper deck of the "Champion" -- the 110-pound "Armstrong" breech-loading rifled gun, was less than 40 meters away from the forward bridge, and at such a short distance, to feel the live firing of such a large caliber gun, this kind of opportunity, for Cixi, should not have a second time in her life.

Therefore, this kind of opportunity, for Guan Zhuofan, there will be no second time.

So, it's time to catch it.

After discussing with Du Yide, Ding Ruchang, Qiao Bailun, and Da Edward, Guan Zhuofan said, "I will follow Yi's will."

There is a small condition, though.

"Forgive the ministers for trespassing, for the sake of all the strategies, when the cannon is fired, please ask the Queen Mother to stand behind the ministers. Well, also, please support the minister's ...... Belch...... Waist. ”

Cixi was stunned for a moment, and then understood: he ...... This is a meat shield for myself.

A hot and sour breath rushed up, Cixi calmed down, and said in a low voice: "What do you say...... Just do it. ”

Guan Zhuofan untied the big hat, and Cixi stood behind him, her hands gently on his waist.

Guan Zhuofan said in a low voice: "Hold it hard!" ”

Cixi's heart was hot, and she added strength to her hands, and the front chest and back of the two people were closer to each other.

A familiar, strong masculine aura enveloped Cixi, and she was confused for a while, and a very strong impulse arose in her heart, so she wanted to hug this man tightly from behind and put her body close to his body.

The back of his neck was slightly warm, and Guan Zhuofan felt the woman's breathing becoming rapid.

The hull of the ship jolted, and the Queen Mother stumbled slightly, and the two of them really stuck together. Although he was about to leave, Guan Zhuofan still felt it: like breathing, the woman's heartbeat became rapid; Also, her breasts are like that...... Plump and soft.

Phew—I'm going to hold on."

This is really an impressive scene: on the high bridge, Guan Jue Shuai stands proudly, behind him, the Queen Mother of the Virgin Jade Arms around the waist of the ape, and her head is slightly deviated to the right, like a small bird.

Well, in fact, the Queen Mother had already held herself, tilting her head to the right in order to see the situation in the bow gun position.

She saw two strong gunners, who together picked up one cannon and carefully put it into the chamber, and the other gunner, immediately closed the cannon door and locked it tightly.

The royal sister remembered: this cannon is "one hundred and ten pounds" - the same weight as herself.

Also, the shape of this cannon is very peculiar, with a slender body and a pointed head and a round body, not the round iron ball she saw when she was "acting in a cannon" at a small station.

Guan Zhuofan turned his head and said in a low voice: "Please be careful, open your mouth slightly!" ”

This is what has been explained before: when the cannon is fired, the loud sound is like thunder, and you must not close your mouth, otherwise your ears will be very uncomfortable.

That is, the cannon is about to be fired!

Cixi became nervous, took a breath lightly, and added strength to her hands and soles.

She was so focused on "being ready for battle" that she didn't see what the gunner did next—it seemed like pulling a rope or something?

Hearing only a loud noise, Cixi only felt that all the bones trembled, and for a moment she couldn't hear anything in her ears, and vaguely felt that the whole big ship was trembling.

Almost at the same time, the blazing smoke rushed in his face, engulfing his whole being. She opened her mouth to scream, but her breath choked, and she couldn't shout anything.

A thought flashed through me: he is still in front of me!

"Queen Mother! Dowager! ”

When Cixi came to her senses, the first thing she saw was Guan Zhuofan's face full of concern; Then, he found his hands resting on his lower back.

In the moment just now, his body must have softened.

The blood on Cixi's face slowly recovered, she breathed a long sigh of relief, and said softly: "It's amazing! ”

A strange look appeared on Guan Zhuofan's face, and he said in a low voice: "The Queen Mother is not only a female middle school Yao Shun, but also a heroine, and she is obedient!" ”

Cixi smiled reluctantly and said, "Where--I'm still pounding in my heart now!" ”

After a pause, he said softly, "But, I'm fine." ”

Guan Zhuofan smiled slightly, retracted the hand that was holding her waist, and then let the right side take a step, and at the same time, the retracted hand stretched out again.

Cixi knew what he meant, stretched out her right hand, put her arm on him, took a step forward, raised her left hand, and waved it to the gunner standing straight in the bow.

Suddenly, the whole "Champion" boiled.

The gunner saluted the bridge and shouted, "Ulla!" ”

Immediately afterwards, all the officers and men on board shouted at the same time: "Ula-! "Ulla!"

The whistle of the "Champion" sounded, followed by the "Shooting Horn", "Vice Admiral", "Maryland", "Jefferson" ...... One by one.

The iron armor roars, circling the sea and the sky.

*(To be continued......)