"Report, the British fleet has been spotted in the southwest direction!"

"What kind of battleships are they?"

"Two large ironclad ships, estimated at about 10,000 tons, and three cruisers, about three or four thousand tons!"

After listening to the report, Deng Zhilong and Lin Changlong glanced at each other, and the former said, "According to the intelligence, this should be the detachment led by Ma Lin!" ”

Lin Changlong agreed: "The intelligence also said that the detachment led by Ma Lin was originally going to the waters off the coast of the empire for the so-called 'freedom of navigation', and suddenly appeared off the coast of Manila, which is somewhat suspicious. ”

"Bullshit freedom of navigation, to put it bluntly, is a red fruit threat and war provocation by the navy of a strong country against the navy of a weak country!" Deng Zhilong scolded angrily, now Britain is the strongest country in the world, the navy is rampant and hegemonic in all seas around the world, China wants to rise, and the Chinese navy wants to enter the deep sea, it is inevitable to run into the British navy and fight it out.

Lin Changlong asked, "Then what are you going to do?" Kill them? ”

Deng Zhilong frowned suddenly, he wanted to do this, but if he took the initiative to attack the British Navy, it would be better if he won, if the loss was too great, he could not afford this responsibility.

"Are you sure?"

Lin Changlong thought for a while and said, "Ma Lin has two 10,000-ton ironclad ships in his hands, and we only have three, which is not an absolute advantage. However, the other side has only three conventional cruisers and no frigates to follow, while we have five dome cruisers and sixteen frigates, which has a great advantage. If the ironclads entangled Marin's two ironclads, the other ships concentrated their forces on attacking their cruisers, and they might be able to take advantage. ”

Deng Zhilong said: "I have also thought about this, but Klaus led the LinkedIn Asian fleet to the nest, eighty percent of them are coming for us, I am worried that they are in the shadows." Deliberately leading us to strike a blow and counterattacking at a critical moment, we are in danger of being completely annihilated. ”

Lin Changlong nodded and said, "This is also worth being vigilant against, if you want to be safe, you will defend in Manila Bay." Anyway, we took control of the Xin Cape Mountain Fort. It is only necessary to deploy the army's artillery on the battery, lay water radium in the channel, and then release the fish and radium boats to be carefully guarded. If the British Navy dared to come in, they would not be able to eat and walk around. If they don't come in, then we will consume, anyway, the Imperial Navy has already jointly organized the Pacific Fleet, and the main fleet will arrive soon, and then we will join forces with the outside world and destroy the British Asian Fleet in one fell swoop. ”

Deng Zhilong immediately agreed: "Not bad." Just do as you say. ”

In this era, warships on the sea did not have reconnaissance satellites and radars, and all relied on the naked eye and telescopes to assist in reconnaissance. So when the Chinese Navy's communications ships discovered the British fleet, the British fleet, in turn, discovered the ships of the Chinese Navy.

On the ironclad battleship of the Minotaur, Marin received the report as soon as possible, and hurried to the bridge to look from afar.

"It's just a communications cruiser of the Chinese Navy, and the main force of the Chinese Navy should be in Manila Bay. But—" Adjutant Jim explained beside him. Bite one's tongue.

"But what?" Marin put down his binoculars and turned his head to ask.

"Still. Black smoke rose in the sky over Manila, indicating that the Chinese navy had clashed with the Spaniards, but the gunfire had stopped, and it was suspected that Manila had fallen. ”

"Impossible!" Ma Lin shook his head and said, "We received the report in Annan and came over immediately, and there was only a day before and after. No matter how powerful the Chinese navy is, it is impossible to occupy Manila in one day, not to mention that the Spaniards still have a Philippine colonial fleet, even if they are weak, they can delay for a few days! ”

Jim smiled wryly. didn't say much, just reminded: "This is just my speculation, I have already sent a dinghy ashore to spy on intelligence, and I believe that news will come back soon." ”

Later in the evening, the dinghy returned with news of the fall of Manila and its occupation by the Chinese Shence Army.

"Antonio is a piece of rubbish, a bunch of rubbish under his hands!" Marin was shocked and angry when he heard this, and his face was full of disbelief.

"Intelligence shows that the Chinese Navy's overseas Chinese escort fleet has 24 combat ships, including three 10,000-ton ironclad ships, five cruisers, and 16 frigates. Jim reminded Marin that he knew that Marin was eager for revenge, otherwise he wouldn't have chased Annan all the way after he learned that the Chinese fleet was heading south.

Marin was very unhappy, he always wanted to take revenge, but the enemy was in front of him, but he didn't dare to do it, because the difference in strength was too big.

At the moment, Marin had only five warships in his hands, two ironclads, the Minotaur and the Northumberland, which were built in 1861 and had a displacement of 10,600 tons. At a speed of 11.32 knots, there were three ships of the same class, of which the Agincourt was sunk in the Third Yapian War in 1865, and the remaining two ships were refitted again in 1868 with the addition of two 120-pound guns to counter the 305 mm guns of the new capital ships of the Chinese Navy.

The other three cruisers were the Destroyer (6190ton, 12.5 knots, launched in 1859), the Resistance (6070ton, 11.6 knots, launched in 1863), and the Defence (6070ton, 11.72 knots, launched in 1863).

Even if Marin was eager for revenge, he knew that it was too low to rely on these five warships to defeat the fleet, and he did not dare to take risks easily.

However, with these five warships, it is still possible to harass the Chinese Navy under the pretext of freedom of navigation, after all, Britain and China are still at peace on the surface.

Marin believes that as long as he does not take the initiative to attack the Chinese naval fleet, then there is not much danger.

So, Marin ordered five warships to sail directly to Manila Bay.

With a cannon bang, the fire of the Xinqi Mountain Fort flickered, and a shell fell on the sea and exploded, only a few hundred meters away from the British ship.

This is a shooting warning that Manila Bay is already under the control of the Chinese Shence Army, and foreign warships are not allowed to sail in.

Marin, of course, would not admit it, and sent someone to raise the flag, saying that Manila was a Spanish colony, and the British Navy had the right of freedom of navigation and could enter and exit Manila Bay.

Jim was nervous. With your hands clasped, ready to fight.

After a half-hour standoff, to Marin's surprise, the Chinese soldiers on the hill unfurled a flag to allow the British fleet to enter Manila Bay.

What the hell is this?

Marin and Jim looked at each other, the former excited. The latter looked worried.

"Haha, see no, the Chinese are scared!"

"Commander, let's not go in, I'm afraid the Chinese are playing ghosts!"

"What are you afraid of, do the Chinese dare to attack us first?"

"This-" Jim hesitated, in his impression, the Chinese had not yet taken the initiative to attack the British navy, and every time the British took the initiative to provoke a military conflict between the two countries.

"Be careful. I always have a bad feeling that there are the main forces of the two major fleets of the Chinese Navy! ”

"It's okay, as long as we don't take the initiative to attack them, they won't dare to attack us!"

Marin was sure that the Chinese navy would not take the initiative to attack, so he had no fear.

As a result, five British warships entered Manila Bay in a grand manner.

"What, you said they came in? It's true? ”

Deng Zhilong was stunned at first, and then he was overjoyed. I thought the British would not dare to come in. I never thought that Marin would be so bold as to dare to come in with only five warships.

"Great. If the British dare to come in, they will be wiped out! Lin Changlong suddenly became excited and geared up.

"I'm afraid this - attack the British first, I'm afraid it's not okay?" As the minister of the Imperial Mission, Weng Tongyi did not want to make a big deal about it, even if he knew that the British were not good. Still don't want to fire the first shot first, give someone a handle.

Deng Zhilong and Lin Changlong glanced at each other, both helpless, and the former explained: "Lord Weng, you know that Marin's five warships are obviously preparing to go north in Annan. Why is it suddenly in Manila? ”

"How would this official know?" Weng Tongxiao's eyes rolled.

Deng Zhilong asked again: "Then why did the British Asian fleet go out as soon as we arrived in Manila?" ”

"It's a coincidence!" Weng Tongyi reluctantly replied, a little lacking in confidence.

Deng Zhilong then asked: "Do you think it is better to do it to the British now, or wait until the main force of the British Asian Fleet arrives before doing it?" ”

No matter how stupid Weng Tongyi is, he can understand that there are only five arrogant British warships entering Manila Bay now, and it is easy to deal with, but if the main force of the British Asian Fleet also arrives, the combined strength of the two sides will definitely be even stronger.

"I don't get in the way of your actions, but I reserve my opinion!"

"Thank you!"

Deng Zhilong and Lin Changlong both breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, Weng Tonggong was easy to speak, if they blindly blocked it, they couldn't force their moves, after all, Weng Tonglong was the chief official in name.

The battle order was quickly issued, and the officers and men of the Chinese Navy ships quickly began to change their combat uniforms and then stationed at their respective combat posts.

The officers and men of the Chinese Navy, who were originally wearing army green uniforms, have all changed into snow-white and very clean combat uniforms at this moment.

As the name suggests, this white and clean combat uniform is a military uniform specially worn for officers and soldiers when fighting between us and the enemy.

As for why it is a white and clean combat uniform, on a coal-burning battleship, wearing a white military uniform is the easiest to get dirty. As a result, the navies of other countries wear either red or black uniforms, which are resistant to dirt and absorb sunlight to keep warm, because it is cold at sea most of the time.

The Chinese Navy also only wears military green uniforms in peacetime, whether summer or winter. However, since the formation of the new ironclad fleet was completed, according to the regulations on wartime combat uniforms jointly issued by the Imperial Ministry of War and the Ministry of Food (Ministry of Health), all of them have been replaced with snow-white and clean combat uniforms.

The white combat uniform is not cool, but according to the caliber and power of modern ironclad ship artillery has increased dramatically, the damage index to naval combatants has increased more than ten times compared with the past, in the combat environment, officers and men in most cases they are wounded and bleeding but do not feel it, and the dark uniforms can not see the bleeding spots, so that many soldiers failed to stop the bleeding in time, missed the best rescue time and died.

The advantage of the white combat uniform is that once the body is injured and bleeding, the white color is quickly dyed red, even if the battle is fierce, you will not find it, and the comrades around you will see it, so as to remind "you are injured here", and timely bandage and treatment to prevent unnecessary casualties caused by excessive blood loss.

The silver-gray livery of the battleship, paired with a group of heroes in snow-white combat uniforms, became a distinctive symbol of the Chinese navy, and it was not until many years later that other navies understood these truths. They began to follow suit.

When the ships of the Chinese Navy completed their combat preparations, the five British warships led by Marin also appeared in sight.

On the ironclad ship of the Minotaur, Adjutant Jim once again persuaded Marin: "General, it's too late to retreat, I always feel that the Chinese Navy is going to do something to us!" ”

"Calm down! Calm down! ”

Ma Lin said indifferently, he also saw the movement of the Chinese Navy. But he didn't care. After all, China and Britain are not currently in a state of war, and it is expected that the Chinese Navy will not and will not dare to take the initiative to attack the British Navy.

"Look, the ships of the Chinese Navy have raised their battle flags!" A British sailor shouted pointing at a Chinese battleship in the distance.

Marin immediately reassured: "Don't panic! They thought we were here to fight, so they got into combat mode. Ordered all ships to cover their main guns with their gun jackets, indicating that we were entering harmlessly, and that the Chinese Navy would never dare to take the initiative to attack the British Imperial Navy! ”

The British Imperial Navy has dominated the world for hundreds of years, and every British Navy sailor is very confident, so they all believe Marin's words, and they dare not fire first when they give the Chinese Navy a hundred dares.

If Li Weiguo is here. He must have remembered the Sino-French War in history, when the French fleet broke into the Chinese Mawei military port, and as a result, the Fujian naval division and coastal defense artillery did not dare to take the lead in firing the artillery. You must know that it was just a French fleet, and if it was the British fleet that broke into it at that time, it is estimated that the Fujian Navy Division would have knelt and licked it directly.

But today is different, Ma Lin did not meet the timid Qing Dynasty sailors, but the New China Navy, which has grown an iron backbone. The new Chinese navy, which is no longer bullied by the great powers.

Seeing the British sailors cover the main guns with their gun jackets, Deng Zhilong and Lin Changlong on the ironclad ship Weiyuan couldn't help laughing.

Don't be so stupid!

All right. Since Marin is so stupid, let him be fulfilled!

Deng Zhilong waved his hand, and the ships of the Chinese Navy's overseas Chinese fleet quickly crossed the plane, and the main turret rotated, pointing at the British battleship in front of it together with the muzzles of the sub-gun group on the side side.

"General, their guns are aimed at us!"

Marin was also taken aback. I was so nervous that I thought that the other party wouldn't really take the initiative to attack me, right?

If this Nima miscalculates, he will be ashamed to lose Mars.

At this moment, Marin regretted it a little, but he had a good face. The water that spilled out of the words made him order to turn around and run away now, and how could he lead the troops in the future!

Deng Zhilong was about to give the order to open fire, but Lin Changlong suddenly stopped him.

"Wait, don't attack with artillery!"

"What are you messing with?"

Deng Zhilong was very annoyed, the fighter plane was fleeting!

I only heard Lin Changlong say: "You see Ma Lin thinks that we don't dare to take the initiative to attack them, why don't we just plan and let our torpedo boats approach them, fish radium can be used more than artillery shells, and the effect of the medicine is also fast!" ”

"How did you forget this stubble!"

Deng Zhilong suddenly realized that attacking an enemy ship with artillery may not sink the opponent at the first time, but if it was replaced by a fish and radium boat attack, the British had never seen such a new weapon as a torpedo boat, which was in line with Sun Tzu's art of war.

"Let the Fish Ray Boat go out!"

Deng Zhilong changed his order, and soon the capital ships lowered their torpedo boats and quickly approached the British ships.

At the same time, Lin Changlong had the flag waving and demanding that the British fleet stop advancing.

Taking advantage of the opportunity that Marin's brain is in the water and he is making a stupid mistake, why don't you hurry up and pit him?

Sure enough, when Ma Lin saw that the ships of the Chinese Navy did not fire, but raised flags to ask him to stop advancing, he immediately believed it and really ordered the five warships to stop, and at the same time played flags to explain.

"We are innocent entry, we request shore supplies, we have the right to freedom of navigation, there is no hostility!"

Hearing the British explanation, the officers and men of the Chinese Navy's Fish and Radium boats, which were approaching the British ship, burst into laughter.

"Fuck your freedom of navigation, shoot fish radium at Lao Tzu and kill them!"

Laugh at!

Laugh at!

Laugh at!

As the fish and radium were launched into the water, Marin on the ship was dumbfounded, although he didn't know what it was, but he had seen it.

"Five years ago, during the naval battle at the mouth of the Yangtze River, I clearly saw this ghostly thing!"

"Nima!"

"Get out of the way!"

Marin roared, but it was too late. (To be continued.) )