What the! Cannon!

The blood color of Colonel Kurt's face faded suddenly, and the already white face became more and more pale, and the whole was a malnourished vampire.

Boom -

Another shell hit the gunboat's left flank not far away, again splashing high columns of water.

This time, Colonel Cotter did not shout and fire back, but regardless of the embarrassment on his body, he immediately rushed to Captain Green's side, grabbed the binoculars, and watched the situation of the Turtle Hill Fort with great anxiety.

"Oh,! Cannon, really cannon! Colonel Kurt cried out in horror, "One, two, three...... Ten, a full ten cannons of at least 120mm caliber. Oh my God, how can the Chinese have so many, such a large-caliber cannon? Hell, it can't be! ”

"Your Excellency, the 'Blue Eagle' raised the flag and asked, did you fire back?" Captain Green reported to the stunned Colonel Cotter.

"Shoot back? Hell, Captain Green, didn't you see that? That's a cannon, a full ten cannons of at least 120mm caliber, and one salvo from them is enough to tear the fragile armor of our river gunboats to shreds! Colonel Kurt roared loudly, as if increasing the number of decibels of his words could suppress the horror in his heart.

Of course, Captain Green understood this, and the British Navy soldiers had a good level of cultural knowledge, especially the officers who could serve as captains, and they had received a higher military education. He knew very well what the 120mm cannon meant, and the seemingly incomparably thick armor of their two river gunboats was no different from a piece of paper for a 120mm cannon.

"Since the Chinese have such a powerful artillery group, then Your Excellency the commander, order a retreat, the gunboats of the British Empire must not be sunk by the Chinese on the Yangtze River!" Captain Green suggested.

That's right, if a British gunboat were sunk by a Chinese battery on the Yangtze River channel today, it would definitely be a big event that shocked China and the rest of the world. If not handled properly, the British will be challenged for many years of hegemony in the Yangtze River valley, and their interests here will soon be coveted by various forces.

As the commander of the river squadron of the Far East Fleet of the British Empire, Colonel Cotter did not understand this. However, he said with a miserable face: "I can't retreat, I have been given the authority to fight back to the greatest extent, and even start a war, but I have not given up the right to retreat from the mission." ”

Colonel Cotter can't really be blamed for this. No one could have predicted what was going on. His Excellency Ambassador Zhu Erdian was full of thought that the warships of the British Empire, even if they were only two river gunboats, carried an invincible aura on the Yangtze River, and how could a local warlord in a remote province of China possibly pose a threat to the gunboats.

Colonel Cotter was well aware if he now ordered the river flotilla to retreat. When I return to Shanghai, I will definitely be court-martialed immediately.

At this time, Captain Green suddenly shouted in horror: "Your Excellency, the Chinese have given us an ultimatum with the flag, demanding that we immediately lift the blockade of the shipping lane, and then evacuate the waters of the Yangtze River in Wuhan, otherwise we will be sunk by artillery!" ”

"Oh, no! Immediately raise the flag and tell the Chinese that we are willing to negotiate with them and resolve the conflict peacefully! Colonel Cotter ordered anxiously, no longer caring for the inoffensive majesty of the British Empire.

Colonel Cotter's meaning was quickly transmitted to Wang Mo and others in Turtle Mountain and Fort Mountain through the flag.

The English knight finally put away his arrogant stance. Bow your head high, but it's too late! Wang Mo smiled coldly and ordered, "Raise the flag and tell the British that the Yangtze River belongs to China's domestic river basin, and my country has all indisputable sovereignty, and there is no room for negotiation." The British gunboats are limited to withdraw from the waters of the Yangtze River in Wuhan after half an hour, otherwise it will be regarded as an act of war against us, and our side will launch a full-scale artillery bombardment! ”

Even later generations of junior high school students know it. In the 19th century, the empire on which the sun never sets in Britain is twilight, and the glory of the rice flag will be gone forever. Not to mention that Wang Mo has the strength and confidence, even if he doesn't have a powerful Sichuan Army in hand. Nor will he take the declining Britain into account.

However, Li Xudong and others are different, they are still afraid of foreigners when they grow up in this era. In this era, foreigners enjoy supra-national treatment in China, and foreigners are the representatives of hegemony.

"Young marshal, isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to start a war with foreigners like this......" Meng Qiuyuan, the commander of the first battalion of the artillery regiment, reminded Wang Mo a little apprehensively. He didn't want the young marshal to provoke the powerful English foreigners on the spur of the moment.

Even Li Xudong, who had been full of anger and wanted to fight the British gunboats before, calmed down at this time and did not immediately stand up to oppose what Meng Qiuyuan said.

"Bad bird!" Wang Mo suddenly straightened his face and shouted loudly, "What's wrong with the war with foreigners? Fucking Lao Tzu straightened his waist, the old soldiers were bent by the foreigners with naval guns, Lao Tzu didn't want to see you see the foreigners one by one, just like a mouse seeing a cat! What kind of fucking English, French, and Oriental dwarfs, as long as they dare to provoke us, they will all beat Lao Tzu to death, don't you understand? ”

With the rapid expansion of the power of the Sichuan Army, Wang Mo's prestige in the Sichuan Army is also increasing day by day.

Being reprimanded so fiercely by Wang Mo, Li Xudong and the others all stood in awe, and responded in unison: "Understood!" ”

"Foreigners? Hmph, from today onwards, as long as Lao Tzu is in Hubei, the rice-shaped flag that runs rampant in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River can be thrown into the river to feed the fish! Wang Mo smiled coldly, and then ordered Li Xudong and the others, "The artillery of each artillery position will immediately complete the preparation for shelling, and I will personally command the ten 120mm cannons." Li Xudong, you command the rest of the artillery, lock on the naval gunboats, and wait for orders! ”

Wang Mo's ultimatum was quickly conveyed to the British through the flag, and Colonel Cotter immediately became anxious.

Colonel Kurt rushed into the gunboat's command cabin like a burning butt, and shouted at the signal soldier in charge of the wireless telegraph: "Quick, immediately send a telegram to report the situation here to His Excellency the Commander, and ask for instructions!" ”

As the flagship of the river fleet, the command module of the White Goose is equipped with the most advanced and expensive wireless telegraph in the world today. Soon the emergency situation in Wuhan was reported to Vice Admiral Wall, commander of the British Far East Fleet, in Shanghai.

Vice Admiral Wartel soon telegraphed Ambassador Zhu Erdian in Beijing of the situation, after all, the blockade of the Yangtze River in Wuhan was carried out by Zhu Erdian with the assistance of the Far East Fleet of the Chinese Navy.

After receiving an urgent telegram from the Far Eastern Fleet, the adjutant of the embassy in Beijing immediately rushed to the presidential palace in Tieshi Hutong to report to Zhu Erdian.

When the adjutant of the British Embassy arrived at the presidential palace, Zhu Erdian was still enjoying tea with Yuan Shikai, chatting casually about some inconsequential topics.

After receiving permission from the presidential guards, the adjutant of the British embassy walked briskly over. leaned into Zhu Erdian's ear and whispered a report on the sudden change in Wuhan where the Far Eastern Fleet had turned.

"What? How dare they, how dare they? Zhu Erdian stood up at once, his face full of anger, as if he had been greatly insulted.

Seeing Zhu Erdian's angry appearance. Yuan Shikai chuckled, the ominous premonition in his heart became stronger and stronger, and he couldn't help asking: "Mr. Ambassador, I don't know what happened, is it ...... from Wuhan?"

Out of the almost obsessive arrogance of the British. Zhu Erdian didn't want to tell Yuan Shikai the truth about the setback of the inland river detachment of the Far East Fleet in person now, but he just said angrily: "Your Excellency, the embassy has urgent affairs that I need to deal with, so I will leave first." After speaking, ignoring Yuan Shikai's retention, he left the presidential palace with the embassy adjutant.

As soon as he walked out of the presidential palace and got into the carriage of the embassy, Zhu Erdian threw his gentlemanly demeanor into the Pacific Ocean, and scolded through gritted teeth: "Damn yellow-skinned monkey, you dare to offend the majesty of the British Empire!" Don't think that a few cannons can show off their might, the Far Eastern Fleet has powerful warships that will beat a few cannons into scrap metal. The Yangtze River will always be the world where the rice flag is flying! ”

Although the angry Zhu Erdian wanted to mobilize the powerful warships of the Far East Fleet and ruthlessly teach the Sichuan army an unforgettable lesson, the transfer and operation of large warships required not only the consent of the commander of the Far East Fleet, but also the approval of the British cabinet.

Half an hour later, Zhu Erdian was still discussing with the commander of the Far East Fleet, Hua Tuoer, through a telegram, and Wang Mo began to act in Wuhan.

"Finally, a warning shot was fired, and the flag was raised to tell the British to withdraw from the Yangtze River basin in Wuhan immediately, otherwise we will immediately launch an artillery bombardment! Li Xudong. You are in charge of shelling the four gunboats of the navy, you can sink the gunboats, but try not to kill and damage the navy soldiers! Wang Mo issued a series of orders.

If he had a choice, Wang Mo didn't actually want to go to war with the naval gunboats. It's not that I'm afraid of these small gunboats, but it's a pity for those naval officers and men. The navy is precious, especially for China, where the navy is declining now, there are only a few remaining naval talents who are hundreds, thousands, and ten thousand times more precious than those four gunboats in Wang Mo's eyes!

Boom -

Another cannon warning, the officers and men on the British gunboat were extremely panicked, but Tang Qianming on the Chinese Navy gunboat saw this scene. just sneered and said disdainfully to the admiral next to him: "I fired the cannon and warned again and again, and Lao Tzu knew that the Sichuan army didn't have the courage and strength to start a war with the English." ”

After the last gun warning, the British gunboat still did not retreat, and Wang Mo immediately ordered: "Target the British gunboat 'White Goose', nine cannons immediately fire!" ”

The cannon that Wang Mo personally controlled did not fire immediately, because at the critical moment when the British gunboat fired back, only he was sure that one shot hit the engine room of the British gunboat and sank it.

As Wang Mo's order was issued, the flag soldiers waved down the red flag violently.

"Fire—"

Boom-boom-boom-

The long barrels of the nine 120mm cannons shook suddenly, and the huge recoil shook the entire heavy gun body back dozens of centimeters.

There is no doubt that the artillery of the Sichuan Army was originally a non-professional rapid artillery, and it was the first time to hit this kind of direct-fire cannon, and there was no accuracy at all.

Eight of the nine shells hit the river, and only one shit carrier pierced the bilge armor on the front right side of the White Goose.

"Report to the captain, the bilge armor has been penetrated, and the bilge has begun to flood!" Immediately a soldier reported to Captain Green about the damage to the gunboat.

Although the Sichuan cannon was not accurate at all, the easy penetration of the bilge armor still frightened all the British naval officers and men.

Colonel Cotter gave a panicked and loud order: "Withdraw, withdraw, immediately evacuate the waters of the Yangtze River in Wuhan!" ”

The cannons rang out one after another, and Li Yuanhong, who was paying attention to the situation on the other side of the river, held a telescope and stared at the river tightly, looking a little excited and excited, and whispered to himself: "Okay, good, fight, finally fight!" ”

Jin Yongyan laughed contemptuously, and said disdainfully: "Wang Mo, that little cub is really young and vigorous, I don't know that the sky is high and the earth is thick, and he actually really started a war with the English foreigners, this is his own death......"

However, before Jin Yongyan's words were finished, he saw a scene that he would never forget.

Under the situation of successive shelling by the Sichuan army, the two British gunboats not only did not launch a fierce counterattack, but turned around and fled the waters of the Yangtze River in Wuhan in a panic. (To be continued.) )

PS: In order to catch up with the manuscript, it was eight o'clock in the evening, and the wolf had not eaten dinner yet. Although it's a little later, don't blame everyone, be on time as soon as possible in the future, thank you!