Soon, Jackson, the captain of the "Pike", came to the "Raiden Maru" training ship, and Uemura Hikonosei welcomed his arrival. The two of them exchanged pleasantries www.biquge.info pen "Fun", and without waiting for Hikoyuki Uemura to ask, Jackson said his intention straight to the point.

"Hehe, Captain Uemura, I want to ask, China and Japan, are they at war again?" Jackson asked in English as he handed Uemura a cigarette.

Listening to Jackson's questioning, Uemura Hikoyuki trembled violently, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead.

He took the cigarette, shook his head calmly, and replied simply in Satsuma accent, "I haven't heard anything about it." ”

"Oh, you're slow enough to deliver messages." Jackson took out a lighter and lit a cigarette for Hikonoki Uemura, then lit one for himself, "You may not know, Captain Uemura, I just came from the port of Naha, where a terrible battle took place, and a powerful Chinese fleet appeared there, just finished taking that city. ”

It was like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, and Uemura's eyes suddenly widened with excessive shock, and his breathing stopped, and the cigarette he inhaled forgot to swallow and slipped out of his mouth.

Jackson noticed Uemura's stunned expression and smiled, as if mocking the Japanese for their timidity, "The Chinese army then issued a proclamation declaring the Ryukyu Kingdom to be a protectorate of China. ”

"You've seen it all, haven't you? Captain Jackson? Hikonojo Uemura coughed and asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Oh, of course." Jackson nodded, "I witnessed the destruction of the two poor old batteries in Naha Port, you know, the Chinese warships are equipped with 190mm cannons!" And the shelling of the Chinese is incredibly accurate! The first shot fired by the Chinese warship hit the ammunition depot of the battery, causing a violent explosion! At that time, the entire fort was shrouded in black smoke! ”

"It was a hellish sight! Those large-caliber shells fell on the turret like meteors! A huge explosion threw dirt into the air, along with mutilated corpses! Jackson recounted as he waved his arms exaggeratedly and gesticulated, and there was a sense of admiration in his narration, "By the time the first round of firing was over, the valiant defenders of the battery were probably all killed, because after the shelling was over, the Chinese Army units landed on the battery and met almost no resistance......"

"How many warships did they come?" Hikonoki Uemura interrupted Pike's words with some eagerness and asked.

"There were five of them, all cruisers, armed with powerful 190-mm and 140-mm cannons." "As far as I know, they're the newest capital ships of the Chinese Navy. ”

Hearing Pike's answer, Uemura's heart sank.

"The Chinese have now occupied Shuri Castle, and the Ryukyu King has already expressed his submission to the Chinese." Pike looked at Hikonojo Uemura, smiled, and said, "Now, all the foreign consuls in Naha Port have probably received the news, except for your country. ”

"Thank you for telling me such important news, Captain Pike." Hikonojo Uemura thanked Pike for telling him the terrible news. After a few more small talk, Pike took his leave.

After sending off the Americans, Hikonojo Uemura immediately ordered to send a flag signal to the training ship "Chiyodagatata" and immediately return home. He's going to report the news back immediately.

As a naval officer, he certainly understood what the appearance of five major Chinese cruisers in the port of Naha meant to the Satsuma Domain.

Ever since the Satsuma Domain occupied the Amami Five Islands in northern Ryukyu during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the entrepot trade of the Ryukyus has accounted for a large share of Satsuma's revenue, reaching up to one-third of Satsuma's total revenue, and Ryukyu is not only a major source of wealth for Satsuma, but also an important barrier. Now the appearance of Chinese warships indicates that the Sino-Japanese Ryukyu dispute, which has lasted for many years, will finally be resolved in a military way.

Since the two Opium Wars and the Taiping War, the Qing Empire, whose national strength has been declining day by day, originally did not have the desire and ability to recover the Ryukyus, but the failure of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan caused the military strength of both sides to decline and lose the strength of the two sides, which directly led to the vicious consequences of the seizure of the Ryukyus today.

Soon, the "Chiyodagata" received the signal, hurriedly ended the sea drills, formed a team with the "Raiden Maru", and returned at full speed.

As soon as the morning sun rises, Kagoshima resounds with the sound of uniformly lined military boots. The sound of neat military boots awakened the sweet dreams of the villagers in the village. When the villagers opened their hazy eyes, they saw young soldiers in black uniforms and rifles on their shoulders exuding a majestic momentum, turning and walking in unison, accompanied by the sound of neat boots, and the songs of the soldiers echoed in the air.

"We are all cherry blossoms at the same time, blooming together on the campus of the Marine Academy. We have already had the consciousness of thanking as soon as we open it, let us calmly wither and scatter for the sake of the motherland! We are all cherry blossoms at the same time, blooming together on the campus of the Marine Academy. Blood is inseparable, and nothing can separate us! We are all cherry blossoms at the same time, blooming together on the campus of the Marine Academy. Looking up at the ocean dyed red by the setting sun, only the brave survived! We are all cherry blossoms at the same time, blooming together on the campus of the Marine Academy. We promised to die together, and no one would leave our comrades alone! We are all cherry blossoms at the same time, and our days are always intense and fulfilling. We will calmly run to the ocean of blood and fire, and maybe one day, in that alpine shrine, we will welcome spring together on the blossoming branches of flowers! ”

The melodic lyrics echo in the Kagoshima morning with the sound of the Kagoshima Naval Academy cadets' military boots, and as they pass by the village, most of the early children look at the majestic cadets with admiration and envy.

Toshiaki Kirino, who was riding on a horse, gave a military salute on his horse when the morning exercise students passed by. He knew that this school song was written by Takamori Saigo. Somehow, when he heard this song, he remembered China's "Book of Songs? The poems in "Qin Feng" come:

"Do you say you have no clothes? with the Son. Wang Yuxingshi, repair my spear. Enmity with the Son. How can you say that you have no clothes? With the Son. Wang Yuxingshi, repair my spear halberd. Work with the child. How can you say that you have no clothes? with the Son. Wang Yuxingshi, repair my armor soldiers. Walk with the child......"

Kirino Toshiaki's education level was not high, and Saigo Takamori once issued more than once, "If Toshiaki reads more, I can't compare to him!" Exclamation. After Kirino Toshiaki learned about it, he began to study hard, and the reason why his beloved daughter Chiho Kirino was brilliant was actually because he didn't read much and pinned his hopes on his daughter.

This song of the Navy School is about the feelings of comrades-in-arms, the Navy is different from the Army, in the highly hierarchical Navy, "the Navy School at the same time" means a layer of intimacy beyond the relationship between comrades-in-arms. It represents a kind of comradeship who "does not seek to live on the same day, but seeks to die on the same day".

"The Japanese army must meet the enemy on the battlefield with the courage to die!"

Sacrifice your life for death!

Perhaps this is exactly what Saigo Takamori, the founder of the Kagoshima Naval Academy, is pursuing, whether it is the navy or the army, he must give up hope of life and face the battle with a certain heart of death.

What are the duties of a military man? It is to defend the motherland and win victory! Here in the Navy, however, the purpose of war became death. Withered like cherry blossoms is the most gorgeous way to die, however, can such a death really win the war?

Kirino Toshiaki thought in his heart, a spur at the root of his double-legged boots stabbed the horse's belly, and the black war horse ran towards the Navy School, today is the day when the first batch of cadets of the Navy School ended their military training and officially became the cadets of the Navy School, and Saigo Takamori, as the principal, was going to preside over the opening ceremony.

When the Kagoshima Naval Academy was established this year, it was originally a merchant marine school run by the Japan Shipping Company, an educational institution for the training of merchant sailors for the company's senior sailors and captains, but two years ago, with the approval of the Kagoshima Prefectural Government, construction of the school began on land acquisition in Kagoshima.

From the very beginning, this school was different from ordinary merchant marine schools, his school building was completely imitated in the United Kingdom, the school building was also planned and designed by British designers, and from the teaching building to the dormitory, it was not comparable to ordinary schools. Even in order to ensure the learning environment of the school, the school signed an agreement with the surrounding landlords and farmers at the time of land acquisition, and the land around the school must not be used for the construction of taverns, brothels and any other places that may corrupt people.

In fact, from the very beginning, it was designed according to the plan of the Naval Academy, and it was Saigo Takamori, a veteran who knew better than anyone what the weakest link in Japan's defense after the Meiji Restoration was.

"There are many things that are needed to build a navy, such as at least having warships, having the people who operate the warships and how these people are structured. Generally speaking, the most striking of these three elements is the warship, but in fact, the warship problem is the best and simplest. As long as you can get the money, you can buy anything. The shipbuilding companies of Britain, France, Germany, and the United States are all fighting openly and secretly all over the world, and as long as they have money, they can buy any of the latest warships, but the difficulty is actually personnel training, reorganization, and organization. ”

"Warships have spirit because of officers, and without officers, sailors will do nothing. If the sailors do nothing, the ships become useless waste. It is by no means easy to acquire the esoteric academic skills that naval officers must master, so it is a matter of urgency to establish schools as soon as possible. ”

"Training an army officer, after half a year of short training, they can grow in the army and on the battlefield, but the navy is different, the navy is a technical army, and it is impossible to train qualified naval officers without a few years."

This was after the failure of the "conquest of Taiwan" and the news that Saigo Congdo was beheaded, Saigo Takamori learned from the pain and said that the Kagoshima County Government funded the transformation of the merchant marine school into a naval academy.

In fact, after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, under the guidance of the policy of "enriching the country and strengthening the army," Japan tried its best to build a modern navy following the example of the British navy, which was the most powerful navy in the world at that time. On May 4, 1870, on the basis of inheriting the shogunate's warships and naval facilities, the Japanese Ministry of War put forward a proposal to "run a navy in a big way", specifically listing the education of naval officers as a separate item, pointing out: "The soul of a warship is an officer, without which the sailors will not be able to give full play to their strengths, and the ship will become a pile of scrap metal." Moreover, the knowledge that naval officers should master is profound, and it is by no means easy to attain proficiency, so the establishment of schools as soon as possible, the selection of good teachers, and the education of naval officers are the most important things in building the navy. As a result, the former Shogunate Naval Training Center in Tsukiji, Tokyo, was restored, and the first cadet opening ceremony was held on January 11, 1870. The trainees include young volunteers and civilian day students selected from all over the country. On November 4 of the same year, the school was renamed the Naval Military Academy, the day school was abolished, and more civilian children were selected to enroll.

Unlike the Army Academy, the Kagoshima Naval Academy is dominated by samurai children, with few civilians. Because whether it is in Europe, America or Japan, the navy has always been an aristocratic service, and naval officers are all nobles, and what is important is the obligation of the nobility. It means that the country is yours, and you usually eat and drink well, but when the time comes, you have to go out to serve the country. Words such as "you must become a samurai first, then an officer" and so on were circulated in the naval academy. Because it is an aristocratic school, the dormitory building of the Kagoshima Naval Academy is very luxurious compared to Tokyo's, and the teaching building is equally luxurious, which is by no means comparable to the humble Tokyo Naval Academy.

Toshiaki Kirino was riding forward when he saw several Japanese officers in blue naval uniforms running towards him from a distance.

"Ensign Uemura?" Toshiaki Kirino recognized the officer in charge as Hikonojo Uemura, and immediately stepped forward.

"General! I just got news from a U.S. warship that the Qing warship captured the port of Naha and forced the Ryukyu Domain to become a protectorate of the Qing Kingdom! Uemura rushed to Kirino Toshiaki's horse and reported to him in some panic.

Kirino Toshiaki was taken aback, immediately jumped off the horse, and asked about the situation in detail.

Uemura Hikonojo told Kirino Toshiaki everything he knew, and Kirino Toshiaki realized the seriousness of the situation, immediately turned on his horse, rushed into the campus, and rushed towards the building where Saigo Takamori was.

Toshiaki Kirino galloped to a building under the astonished gaze of everyone, turned over and dismounted, and rushed up the stairs briskly to the principal's office where Saigo Takamori was.

"What's going on?" Saigo Takamori couldn't help but be surprised to see that it was Kirino Toshiaki who rushed through the door like a gust of wind, and in his impression, Kirino Toshiaki rarely had such a time.

Kirino Toshiaki told Saigo Takamori what he had just learned from Uemura Hikonojo, and after Saigo Takamori heard this, his brows tightened, and his face was cloudy for a while.

"That is to say, the Qing army occupied the Ryukyus and is likely to use the Ryukyus as a springboard to attack the Japanese mainland." Saigo Takamori said in a deep voice, "It seems that Okubo-kun's negotiations in Beijing have not gone well, and may even have broken down. ”

"The next target of the Qing warship is likely to be the Amami Islands." Toshiaki Kirino said.

"Without the navy, it really won't work!" Saigo Takamori came to the window, looked at the marine cadets who were gathering on the playground outside the window, and sighed.

"Qing warships may soon attack. Full combat readiness should be carried out immediately. "We need to hurry up and support the defenders of the Amami Islands." ”

"It's useless." Saigo Takamori shook his head, "Even if you immediately organize a fleet to increase the number of troops to the Amami Islands, I'm afraid it's too late, and you need to risk the danger that the transport ship will be discovered and sunk by the Qing warship, how long has the tragedy of the 'Hitachi Maru' happened, have you forgotten?" ”

"What then? You can't sit back and wait, can you? Kirino Toshiaki said a little anxiously.

"Of course you can't sit still." Saigo Takamori showed a rare composure at this time, "What we should do now is to strengthen the defense of the homeland as much as possible. ”

"How?" Kirino Toshiaki asked, seeing Saigo Takamori's calm appearance, his mood gradually stabilized.

"Now the only thing Japan can rely on is the army." Saigo Takamori said, "Our fort, I am afraid that we will not be able to resist the attack of Qing warships, and the best way to defeat the enemy is to lure the enemy out of the cover of the warship's artillery fire after the enemy lands, and then concentrate superior forces to destroy it." ”

"But Japan is an island country, so there are so many places you can land! How can you defend everywhere? Kirino Toshiaki understood that Saigo Takamori's method was reasonable and feasible, but he was still worried.

"Let's prepare for Kagoshima first!" Saigo Takamori sighed and said, "Immediately report the news to Kumamoto Towndai, let them turn to the place where they said goodbye, and strengthen their defenses!" ”

Soon, the news of the "attack of the Qing ships" spread, and the whole of Kagoshima was immediately enveloped in an atmosphere of tension and panic, and the local troops entered battle positions one after another, set up observation posts in various places along the coast, and set up temporary artillery positions, and the local residents began to stock up on food.

But what the Japanese did not expect was that after more than ten days, there was no news of the appearance of Qing warships.

In the past few days, the news of the reconquest of the Ryukyus has spread to the city of Beijing.

The first to get the news were Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Ever since foreigners in Shanghai and Hong Kong opened telegraph lines, China has been included in the world telegraph system. Seeing the convenience of the telegraph, some far-sighted people in China put forward the idea of erecting China's own telegraph line, but they were resolutely opposed by the conservative forces in China, because until now, only Shanghai and Hong Kong have telegraph lines in China. And the telegraph from these two places was connected to the port of Naha. After the recovery of the Ryukyus, the news immediately spread to Shanghai.