On the afternoon of 22 April, after the four battered battleships of the 3rd Task Force were almost able to begin sailing, the two task forces began to return south at a speed of 12 knots.

Tan Renhao did not forget to raise vigilance, the British and French expeditionary forces had not yet withdrawn from Cape Town, and there were also a lot of shore-based combat planes deployed here, so in the afternoon of the same day, he asked Zheng Guanhua to arrange the air defense mission of the fleet, and let the fleet continue to maintain a combat state, but let the officers and men take turns to start resting, so as to recover their physical strength and energy as soon as possible.

Before dark that night, all the seriously wounded were transferred to two large anti-aircraft cruisers of the Rui Beast class, one of the most medically well-equipped warships. In addition, more than thirty medical officers in the fleet were also assigned to the two battleships, and then the two cruisers, under the cover of six destroyers, broke away from the fleet at a maximum cruising speed of 24 knots, and returned to Moroni first, sending the wounded back in advance.

In the evening, Tan Renhao was not in a hurry to go to bed, and after dinner time, he went up to the aircraft carrier for a turn, although there was no way to inspect the situation on other warships, but it could be seen from the mental state of the officers and men on the flagship that the pressure on the officers and men of the fleet was not great, and the morale of the officers and men who should go to rest was so excited that they could not sleep. Compared to more than ten days ago, when the fleet was still resting in Moroni, it was simply different.

It was late at night, and the fleet gradually calmed down. Both the 1st Task Force and the 3rd Task Force are the real main fleets of the Imperial Navy, and they are one of the most powerful fleets in the Imperial Navy. He was the best fleet officer and soldier of the Imperial Navy. The battle is over, but the new land battle is coming, at this time. All the veterans know that they have not yet achieved the final victory. Then they have to prepare for the next battle, and now is the time to recuperate and regain their strength, so that when the battle resumes, they can show their most powerful combat strength. There is more hope for a new victory.

After patrolling the battleship, Tan Renhao returned to the command cabin. Zheng Guanhua returned to his post at about 4 p.m. and is now discussing the voyage of the fleet with the navigation staff. Just like when Hao Dongjue was the chief of staff of the First Task Force, because he knew the most about the fleet's navigation operations, Hao Dongjue would discuss navigation matters with the navigation staff when he had nothing to do, and the navigation staff officer became the most influential person in the fleet except for the commander and chief of staff. And now, too, Zheng Guanhua is not very clear about the navigation affairs of the fleet, so he often discusses some issues with the navigation staff that he is not familiar with, or he is learning some basic navigation knowledge from the navigation staff.

"Talk about the general. I'll be on duty at night, so you can go and rest early. ”

Tan Renhao nodded at Zheng Guanhua, who greeted him, but he didn't feel too tired.

He had slept for more than ten hours last night, and now he couldn't sleep at all. In the command cabin, the staff officers were doing their essential work, after Tan Renhao came back. The staff officers who were still chatting quietly before were quiet.

Originally, Tan Renhao wanted to stay here for a while, but he soon felt that staying in the command cabin was simply hindering the chatting of those staff officers on duty at night. Originally, the night shift was very hard, and if there was no major event, the staff officer would talk about something light at this time. Just like when Tan Renhao served as a fleet staff officer under General Ji Xiaobin, he often chatted with Hao Dongjue, Chang Jianxin and others when he was on night duty to pass the boring time.

After thinking about it, Tan Renhao still decided to go back to his cabin, he didn't want to be an "unpopular" fleet commander, I heard that when Yan Shiqi was in the Third Task Force, he was rated as the most unpopular fleet commander in the Navy by the staff of the Third Task Force!

"General, telegram!"

As soon as Tan Renhao walked to the door before the communications staff officer arrived, he first heard the ticking sound of the radio station receiving the telegram, and at the same time stopped.

"Sent by General Weng Yiming, the Marine Corps has captured Durban, and now they are trying to repair the airport in Durban, if everything goes well, a batch of shore-based aircraft can be deployed to Durban within about three days." The communications staff officer sent the message directly to Tan Renhao, "General Weng Yiming told us to rush to Durban as soon as possible, he will arrive in Durban tomorrow, and then discuss with us the operation to recover Cape Town." ”

Tan Renhao frowned slightly. At this time, Zheng Guanhua also came over, and after reading the telegram, Tan Renhao gave the telegram to Zheng Guanhua, and at the same time asked the communications staff officer to return to his post.

"Let's go back to Durban?" Zheng Guanhua was also a little surprised, "But now the fleet needs to replenish combat aircraft, and if we don't return to Colombo, it will be difficult to get new combat aircraft." ”

Tan Renhao didn't rush to speak, he quickly returned to the chart table, and then quickly measured a few distances on the chart. Zheng Guanhua also followed, he didn't rush to say his thoughts anymore, and when he saw Tan Renhao calculate the distance of those points on the chart, he probably knew it in his heart.

"Cape Town is about 1,900 nautical miles from Moroni, and our planes can't fly at all, and without a ground reference, it's difficult for an airplane to fly thousands of nautical miles without guidance without major deviations." Tan Renhao put down his pencil, "According to our previous plan, the fleet must at least return to the waters near the island of Madagascar, and then let the additional fighters fly to the fleet after Moroni. However, if General Weng Yiming's Marine Corps occupies Durban, then the fleet will be able to obtain supplementary fighters in the waters near Durban, which is less than 1,000 nautical miles away from Moroni, and with the guidance of the Marine Corps' mid-way navigation station on the island of Madagascar, the fleet can sail north appropriately, and the problem should not be very big. ”

Zheng Guanhua nodded slightly, these are all logistics support work, and it should have belonged to the scope of the work of the chief of staff of the fleet, but now it is Tan Renhao who will help the chief of staff of the fleet complete this work.

"Prepare to adjust the course and contact Task Force 3." Tan Renhao said. On the other hand, the navigation staff and the communications staff officer came over. "The fleet is heading to Durban, and Task Force 3 is keeping up with it and redesigning the course. And calculated the time, and then sent the estimated time of the fleet's arrival in the waters near Durban to General Weng Yiming. Tomorrow morning, I'll be in direct contact with the new Chang Zhuangxin. ”

After arranging the relevant work, Tan Renhao left the command cabin. He was very clear to Weng Yiming's purpose in sending the fleet to Durban, and it was only an excuse to assist the Marines in capturing Capton. Now the Anglo-French joint expeditionary fleet has been annihilated, without the support of the fleet. The Anglo-French expeditionary force in an isolated port like Cape Town simply could not hold out for long, and even if the Tang Empire Marines did not attack, the Anglo-French expeditionary force would take the initiative to retreat. Now that Weng Yiming's Marine Corps has reached Durban, and there are not many warships covering the supply fleet and landing fleet before, Weng Yiming has enough ability to attack Cape Town alone, and let the First Task Force and the Third Task Force stay, which is just an excuse.

Tan Renhao knew it in his heart, but he didn't say it in front of Zheng Guanhua and the other staff officers, and he didn't feel that there was any need for it. The next morning, after Tan Renhao returned to his post. First of all, he got in touch with Weng Yiming and decided to make arrangements for the fleet to return to Durban, and then he sent a new telegram to Chang Jian. In the afternoon of the same day. Chang Jianxin rushed over.

Tan Renhao did not take Chang Jianxin to the command cabin, but took Chang Jianxin directly to his own cabin. When Tan Renhao received Weng Yiming's telegram, Chang Jianxin also received Weng Yiming's telegram, but Chang Jiexin did not contact Weng Yiming directly. Instead, Tan Renhao directly contacted Weng Yiming on behalf of the two task forces.

"Lao Chang, how is the situation of those four warships now?" Tan Renhao didn't ask directly.

"The water ingress has been controlled, and after trying it in the morning, it should be possible to increase it to 16 knots, but for the sake of insurance, it is better to sail at 12 knots." Chang Jianxin said as he took out a cigarette, "I also received a message from Weng Yiming, when the fleet arrives in Durban, it will first dock for maintenance, and then let it return to Moroni alone, after passing through Durban, the threat of submarines is not very big, and there is no need to arrange escort warships." ”

Tan Renhao brought over two cups of tea. "What do you think of Weng Yiming's arrangement?"

Chang Jianxin's gaze stayed on Tan Renhao for half a minute, and suddenly he laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" Tan Renhao looked at Chang Jianxin in a little surprise.

"I know what you're thinking now, you must be in a hurry to get back to the Pacific, right?" Chang Jianxin shook his head and stopped laughing, "Me too, I also want to go back to the Pacific Ocean as soon as possible, but someone has to do this thing, do you think someone wants to let you stay on purpose?" ”

Tan Renhao sighed secretly, and then sat down.

"Don't think about it so much, I knew you were going to be cranky when I received the telegram from General Weng Yiming." Chang Jianxin patted Tan Renhao on the shoulder, "In your opinion, it is very unfair to you to let Jiang Zhongmin go back now, but this may not be the case." In the morning, I carefully read the information I had received earlier. Now that the British and French expeditionary fleets have been annihilated by us, and Cape Town is an isolated stronghold, but also an open port, we have not been able to hold Cape Town, and the British and French expeditionary forces without the support and cover of the team cannot hold Cape Town. Perhaps, now the British and French expeditionary forces are trying to retreat from Cape Town. According to my meaning, the fleet should go to Cape Town now, directly block the port of Cape Town, and come to close the door and fight the dogs. However, our two fleets did not have much ammunition left, and the first task force had lost a lot of air strike capabilities, so we had to return to the rear and get enough supplies before we attacked Cape Town. ”

"I know this, if I have enough ammunition, I'll turn the fleet right now, but ......"

"But you're thinking too much. General Weng Yiming has close to two Marine Divisions in his hands, they have successfully captured Durban, the logistics supply line has been greatly shortened, plus the support of our two fleets, and the support of the residents of Cape Town, how much time do you think it will take to take Cape Town? ”

Tan Renhao frowned slightly. "If you count the fire support before the landing operation, you can take Cape Town in ten days!"

"So, how much of an impact does it have to return to the Pacific ten days late?" Chang Jianxin stood up as he spoke, "After we take Cape Town, the First Task Force and even the Third Task Force will return to the Pacific Theater. So, you're thinking too much about it now, if I were you, we should think about how to attack Cape Town, and if we go to Cape Town a day earlier, then we can return to the Pacific theater a day earlier, right? ”

Tan Renhao looked at Chang Jianxin, he suddenly understood the truth that Chang Jianxin said around the bend, and then he laughed.

"Okay, I'll rush back to the fleet now, I won't delay you much, after you have a decision, notify me immediately, if it's okay, don't call me, it's not a comfortable thing to go back and forth!"

"I'll give it to you!" Tan Renhao walked out first, "Lao Chang, it seems that if I really become the commander of the navy in the future, then I have to let you be the principal!" ”

Chang Jianxin smiled and shook his head, he didn't want to be a principal.

That evening, after completing the report on the specific battle losses of the fleet, Tan Renhao immediately began to study the operation to capture Capton. Originally, this task should have been completed by Weng Yiming, after all, Weng Yiming was the commander of the South Pacific Theater, and Cape Town was the location of his previous headquarters, and now to recover Cape Town, Weng Yiming's responsibility lies with Tan Renhao and Chang Jianxin. But Weng Yiming himself was also a naval fleet commander, not an orthodox Marine Corps general. When he commanded the Cape Town defensive operation, he was not responsible for specific ground combat operations. Tan Renhao had commanded landing operations in the Pacific Ocean and had cooperated with Yan Guozhong several times, so he still had a little understanding of landing operations. Therefore, without specifying who would command the attack on Cape Town, Tan Renhao had to make a few more preparations.

Before the fleet arrived in the waters near Durban, Tan Renhao spent a lot of time to understand the situation in Cape Town, and he did not have a formal idea of how to fight the landing operation, but he felt that Cape Town was not a strong stronghold.