Cixi woke up to the sound of a military trumpet.

The sound of the trumpet was low, tragic and desolate, very different from the melodious and light tone she heard during the military parade at the small station.

Cixi listened to this, a strange feeling floated from the bottom of her heart, she lightly stirred, and a thin layer of micro-chestnut appeared on her skin.

Fortunately, a similar military horn sound was heard once yesterday evening when Guan Zhuofan accompanied her on the upper deck of the "Champion" for a "ride".

Cixi remembered what Guan Zhuofan explained to her at the time: "The wind and waves at sea are loud, and the 'bass' is penetrating and easy to listen to. ”

There are more important ones.

"Naval warfare is different from land warfare, the sea is vast, once the ship sinks, the whole ship will be buried at the bottom of the sea, and it is difficult to find life. Even if an ordinary soldier can escape with his life, the captain will not be with the ship, and he must not steal his life - well, this is the same as our feudal officials who have the responsibility to defend the land, the city is in the people, and the city is dead. Therefore, the ...... 'tradition' of the navy of the Western powers for hundreds of years has been to emphasize 'generosity to death', and the tone of this military horn is therefore tragic and desolate. ”

The wind is sluggish and the water is cold, and the strong man will never return.

Cixi came to her senses completely. She took her pocket watch, and by the dim glow of the kerosene lamp on the bulkhead, she saw the hour clearly: the first hour of the month.

Approaching the porthole, the surrounding color is like night, but the junction of sea and sky is already dawning.

Cixi soon discovered that she was not the first person to rise on this big ship.

The whole "Champion", no, it should be said that the entire Dagukou wharf began to be agitated.

Cixi rang the bell. Not much. Yu'er, who got up early and was already preparing to serve. Push the door in.

Yu'er turned on the kerosene lamp on the bulkhead, and the room was suddenly full of brilliance.

Cixi noticed that Yu'er's eyes were dark, obviously because she hadn't slept well last night. However, the little girl's big eyes were shining, and there was an irrepressible strange look of excitement floating on her smooth and delicate face.

Cixi couldn't help but smile slightly.

The smile of the Queen Mother. Yu'er saw it, her hands and feet didn't stop, but for no reason, her little face quietly turned red.

However, her excitement came not only from what happened last night, but also because today would be the first time in her life that she would "go to sea", and moreover, on the largest ship in the world.

This excitement. The dignity of the Empress Dowager is actually the same.

While staying in the cabin. But both the master and the servant can clearly feel that the whole "activity" of this big ship.

The boilers began to fire and pressurize, and smoke began to come out of two huge chimneys. Like a giant beast, the Champion awoke from its slumber, its strong atria functioning, and its endless blood began to pump to its limbs.

Every nerve began to throb slightly, and every muscle began to slowly bulge.

The "Champion", which has been filled with coal and water, has a lower waterline than usual—in fact, the mission that is about to go to sea does not last long, leaving early and returning late, and it will take no more than ten hours. However, today's mission, in addition to holding a "ship parade" and a "sea parade," also includes a "live military exercise" -- that is, a live-fire exercise at sea.

For this reason, all inconsequential objects on the upper deck were put into the cabin – including the wooden railings – which were also removed and stowed away. This is done to avoid too many fragments after being hit by enemy shells in battle; At the same time, it is also to minimize combustibles and obstacles after a fire on the upper deck, so as to facilitate the rapid control of the fire.

In a combat state, sail cables and rigging that are temporarily useless should also be removed and put away.

Front, aft, upper and lower decks, check and prepare fire hoses.

The bridge and gun emplacements, which could not be completely hidden behind the iron armor, were neatly stacked and bundled with heavy sandbags.

Bulletproof nets one by one.

This "bulletproof net" is not the kind of stainless steel wire bulletproof net in later generations, and there is no such technology in this era - it is a specially reinforced and toughened rope net to absorb part of the kinetic energy of the shell. The speed of the shells of this era is not too large, and it must have served as a buffer that is better than nothing.

Guan Zhuofan believes that for ships in the second half of the 19th century, bulletproof nets no longer have any substantial protective value. Installing this thing is basically the emperor's move to wear new clothes. But the strong tradition of the British Royal Navy has made the "Champion" still retain this antique - there is no way, since your navy worships others as teachers and is "fully anglometric", you have to follow the same set as others.

The sun had risen, and the entire pier was bathed in morning light.

Sampans and motorboats, shuttling back and forth between warships and docks. The sound of oars, motors, and human voices, combined with the creaking of pulleys and ropes, forms a "dock symphony" full of 19th-century style.

Some of the sails on the ship are still retracted, some are slowly opening, and as the sun rises, the sails change color, from dark blue at the beginning, to white, and then quickly dyed red.

On the upper deck of the "Champion", people came and went, footsteps were fluctuating, slogans and orders were answered, one after another.

Cixi had finished washing and dressing, Li Lianying came in to comb her hair, but she still tied it into a black and bright "ponytail", firmly buttoned it with a jade hairpin, and hung it behind her head.

Yu'er turned off the kerosene lamp, and the porthole of the cabin immediately lit up.

After breakfast, Yu'er served Cixi to rinse her mouth and wipe her hands, and Li Lianying came in to report: "Guan Beile, please see you." ”

After Guan Zhuofan came in, his chest was high, his heels touched, and with a "snap", he raised his hand to increase his forehead, and performed a beautiful Xuanjun military salute.

"Please Queen Mother!"

Sitting in front of the dresser, Cixi turned her head slightly towards the visitor. Between the shaking of his head, unconsciously, his eyes were already fluttering, and the corners of his mouth were smiling: Alas, this man, look at it, why is he more and more handsome?

When Guan Zhuofan's hand was put down, his face had changed to a grinning expression, and he said, "How did the Queen Mother rest last night?" ”

The speaker didn't know whether he intended it or not, but the listener couldn't help but have a heart, Cixi and Yu'er, their faces were red at the same time.

"Well, it's okay, I'm a person, but I don't know much about beds."

"That's good! The Queen Mother rests well, that is the blessing of my subjects and soldiers! ”

Belch...... It's a sycophant.

"Thanks to the blessing of the Queen Mother, the wind is beautiful today, and the sea conditions are wonderful! The Queen Mother rested well last night, and when she went to sea for the first time today, she was guaranteed not to get seasick - the minister was relieved! ”

Oh, it wasn't all sycophants - if the Queen Mother hadn't rested well last night, she would have been out of energy now, and she would have shown that she was not very adapted to living on the water, then when she went to sea for the first time, she would naturally be prone to seasickness in the wind and waves.

Cixi was slightly moved in her heart and said, "I have always been strong and strong, so I don't get in the way. ”

Guan Zhuofan said with a smile: "The Queen Mother doesn't know, whether this is seasick or not, and whether he is strong or not, has nothing to do with it." The Queen Mother knew that the minister's body and bones were not bad, but the first time she took a long-distance sea ship - that is, the time she went to the United States, the first few days, the world was spinning, and she vomited so much that she was 'crying without tears'. ”

What does it mean that "the queen mother knows, and the minister's body and bones are not bad"? How do I know that your "body is not bad"? Is it because every time you and I do something, it's over and over again, endlessly......

On the face of the Queen Mother, two red clouds that had just faded quietly appeared again.

This time, it is really "the speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional".

Cixi settled down, didn't answer Guan Zhuofan's words, but turned to Yu'er, and said with a smile: "In this way, you have to be careful!" ”

Yu'er was slightly stunned, and then understood what the Queen Mother meant: You didn't have a "good rest" last night, and when you go to sea today, you "have to be careful" of seasickness.

She didn't have a "good rest" last night, not because she wasn't used to living on the water. But in his heart, he was the same as the Queen Mother, "being a thief with a weak heart", and his face was also red like the Queen Mother. A small goose egg face, which looks like a morning glow, is really moving.

Yu'er snorted twice and said in a low voice: "The slave is rough and not afraid of tossing." ”

Cixi smiled, turned her head, and said nothing.

Guan Zhuofan said with a smile: "Back to the Queen Mother, on the sea today, the waves are only a few feet high, and a ship as big as the 'Champion', as long as the speed is not too fast, there are almost no bumps in walking, and people who have never been out of sea are not likely to get seasick - even if they are seasick, it will be good after the strength at the beginning." ”

"Under normal circumstances, seasickness is terrible, and they are all going to the ocean, but the ministers joked in private, this seasickness, uh, 'it's good to vomit and vomit'."

Cixi "fluttered" and laughed.

After a moment of silence, she sighed softly, glanced at Guan Zhuofan, and looked extremely gentle: "Thousands of miles of sea, it's really hard for you." ”

"Ten Thousand Miles by Sea" - of course, it refers to him leading the Xuan army across the ocean to the United States.

Guan Zhuofan was slightly moved and said, "Thank you for the Empress Dowager's reward!" The minister really doesn't dare to be a minister-this is all a matter of the minister's duty! ”

took out his pocket watch, opened the lid, glanced at it, and said: "Go back to the Queen Mother, the hour is almost up, so please ask the Queen Mother to move the 'bridge'." ”

Cixi nodded and stood up.

Yu'er tidied up the neckline for Cixi, Li Lianying took the big hat and put it on for Cixi, and Yu'er carefully buttoned the buttons of the big one.

Guan Zhuofan waited on the side holding the "wide-brimmed military hat"—that is, a cowboy hat—and when Yu'er retreated, he stepped forward to put it on for Cixi, and then fastened the hat belt.

His fingers ran over the royal sister's smooth and delicate face, and carefully tucked the hair of the woman's sideburns.

The four eyes intersected, and the woman's clear and fiery eyes were sparkling, and it seemed that there was no impurity to be found.

Guan Zhuofan suppressed the impulse in his heart and gently lowered the bright yellow veil.

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