"Yes, and it's our Qing silver," Pei Jinquan said, "It's all fifty taels of big ingots, but it's not official silver, but private silver." There are 200 pens per box www.biquge.info the Pen Fun Pavilion and a total of 50 silver boxes. ”

"That's 500,000 taels." Lin Yizhe was surprised when he heard the numbers Bei Jinquan said, but he also seemed very happy, "What an unexpected gain." ”

"Yes! That's a windfall! Pei Jinquan also said happily.

"Since it is a private cast, I think it was on our merchant ships in the Qing Dynasty, and they came to rob the Japanese people." Lin Yizhe said, "When you check the stamps on it, if you can find the bitter master, you will return them, and if you can't find it, it will be confiscated." It is possible to give more silver to the brothers, and the families of the victims are also in need of silver. ”

Hearing that Lin Yizhe did not mean to swallow the silver privately, but wanted to send it to his subordinates, Pei Jinquan couldn't help but admire it in his heart.

It's just that Pei Jinquan and Lin Yizhe didn't think about which one was the real owner of this silver at this time. If Lin Yizhe knew who the owner of the silver was, I was afraid that he would not be so generous.

"By the way, has the damage report come up?" Lin Yizhe asked, "How are the injuries of the ships?" ”

"I haven't come up yet, I guess it's going to be soon." Pei Jinquan replied, "Roughly speaking, this ship and 'Jianjing' were the most seriously injured, and then the 'Chaowu' of the leaf pipe belt was penetrated into the water by enemy bullets below the waterline, and now in order to prevent water ingress, it can only move forward at a speed of seven knots." ”

"Slow down, slow down! The preservation of warships is the first priority. Lin Yizhe turned his head to look at the figure of the Japanese ship captured by the Chinese Navy outside the porthole, "Anyway, the Japanese ship can't go fast." ”

"Among the ships, Lao Deng's 'Princess Heshuo' was the least injured, almost unscathed, and only a few ropes were broken on board in the two battles with the Japanese ship." Pei Jinquan remembered Deng Shichang's "Princess Heshuo" cruiser and laughed, "Everyone said that Lao Deng is a lucky general, and the ship is also a lucky ship." After two vicious battles in a row, it was still a new ship. ”

"This proves that old Deng is lucky, hehe, I also like the lucky boat." Lin Yizhe listened to Pei Jinquan's words, and also laughed, and already had a plan in his heart.

"If you are in a hurry to go back to Fuzhou, you might as well take Lao Deng's boat and leave." Pei Jinquan was worried that Lin Yizhe was anxious to return to Fuzhou to reunite with his family, so he suggested.

"Don't worry, let's go back with everyone." Lin Yizhe said, "Besides, you may not get off the boat when you go back to Fuzhou, and the remnants of the Japanese army on the Taiwan side have to be cleaned up." ”

"Lord Zhou and Lord Tang's soldiers and horses, together with more than 10,000 troops, and there are gunboats to help, and there are only more than 1,000 remnants of the Japanese army, and your lord is still worried that he can't beat them?" Hearing Lin Yizhe's words, there seemed to be hidden worries, and he couldn't help but be a little surprised.

"Jungle warfare is not better than attacking the city, there are too many troubles, if I don't go in person, I am afraid that the soldiers will increase casualties, and I can't help but feel sorry for Li Zhengtai." Lin Yizhe said.

Hearing Lin Yizhe's answer, Pei Jinquan suddenly felt in his heart, he didn't know that the reason why Lin Yizhe wanted to personally go to Taiwan to command the army battle had another purpose.

After Pei Jinquan talked with Lin Yizhe for a while, he got up and said goodbye. Lin Yizhe sent Pei Jinquan away, returned to the table, took out a pen and paper, and began to write a report to the imperial court:

"Today in the eastern corner of the East China Sea, a battle with the Japanese warships began at 10 o'clock, and after two o'clock the war was armistically held, the Japanese were defeated and surrendered, not a single ship of our army sank, and many of them suffered wounds. The main ship of the Japanese warship 'Longxiang' ironclad ship, the gunboats of 'Tsukuba' and 'Mt. Fuji' were all captured by our troops, and the three captured Japanese ships were temporarily "Fujing", "Jianjing", "Princess Heshuo", "Chaowu", "Chengqing", "Weiyuan", "Henghai", "Kangji", and three reconnaissance ships "Feiting", "Feiying", "Feipeng" and three captured Japanese ships returned to Fuzhou. In the wartime, our army first used three reconnaissance ships to entangle the Japanese ships to prevent them from escaping, and then all the steam division ships arrived and fought with their strength. There are a total of four ships in the Japanese army, and its main ship is a large ironclad ship, that is, 'Longxiang', the ship has many cannons, the ironclad is strong, and the arrogance is the most fierce. During the battle, they were either flanked or surrounded, and most of the Japanese soldiers were killed, and most of the enemy artillery was destroyed by our artillery. After the Japanese ship ran out of ammunition, its members knew that they would die if they fought again, so they put up a white flag and fell. …… The casualties of our ships and the severity of the injuries of each ship will be quickly investigated and then detailed and detailed. ”

At this time, in the yamen of the governor of Tianjin Zhili, Li Hongzhang had just discussed with his subordinates about entrusting the order of gunboats at the Jiangnan Shipyard, and now he was reviewing a draft of a letter that was about to be sent to the premier's yamen, "Zhou Shengchuan sent it by ship the day before yesterday: take a ship, arrive at Langqiao in Tainan at three o'clock in the morning, take a small steamer to wait for the tide, go ashore first to inquire about the government, know that there are more than 100 wooden boats, and plan to still get on the civilian boat, go to the shore from the Shawai Trail, and go ashore to Pingtung County, I am afraid that the baggage can be cleared within 10 days. Tomorrow I will still return to the big wheel of cooking clouds. Hong. ”

Under the same blue sky, in a magnificent mansion in Dongdan Ertiao Hutong in Beijing, Emperor Weng Tonggong was routinely writing today's diary: "Go up to the study and look at three o'clock yesterday." When a letter came, he told him that the Japanese army in Taiwan had not yet been completely destroyed, and that the enemy was attacking with artillery on the high mountains, and that the men and horses could not enter, and that the Harbour Administration was mobilizing new artillery to bombard them. The order was sent to Zhou Shengchuan, ordering Tang Dingkui to attack back and forth, strictly guard against the back road, and be sure to annihilate them all, so that no one escapes. …… Today, Shangyi likes military affairs, and when he hears the good news from the front, he is very worried......"

At about the same time, in the prison of the Criminal Department, Mao Changxi and Dong Sui, who had taken off their official uniforms and changed into white prison uniforms, were crying opposite each other through the wooden fence doors of their respective cells.

"I can't imagine that I am dedicated to the country, but because of a mistake, I will suffer such a catastrophe!" Dong Sui banged on the cell door with his hand and cried loudly.

"Chen Fu should not be anxious, the Queen Mother will not be responsible for my previous achievements. That day, the Empress Dowager said that after the matter calmed down, she would do something again, which was intended to protect you and me. Although he was in the same turmoil as Dong Sui, Mao Changxi still forced himself to calmly accept his tears and comforted Dong Sui, "It's just that I don't know how the battle will be won or lost now, alas!" ”

"Why does Xu Chu care about the war situation?" Dong Sui collected tears and asked, "What does this battle have to do with you and me?" ”

"Chen Fu doesn't know, you and I are now in prison, if this battle is defeated, you and I can not only have life, but even reuse, if this battle is won, you and I will have no future!" Mao Changxi sighed.

"What did Xu Chu say?" After listening to Mao Changxi's analysis, Dong Sui, who was already out of order, was even more flustered and hurriedly asked.

"If this battle is lost, the court recalls the preface of you and me, and will definitely accuse the Lin surnamed Zhuzi to provoke lightly, and the Japanese people have been exposed as soon as they say that they have formed troops through your words, and if the court wants to negotiate with the Japanese peace, it must reactivate you and me. A few days ago, there was news that you and I were in prison, and the people were very unhappy, and there were words asking the court to release us, which is proof. Mao Changxi said, "And if this battle is won, the court will investigate you and me for building troops in a light way......"

"Then Yi Xu's first look, can this battle be won or lost?" Without waiting for Mao Changxi to finish speaking, Dong Sui couldn't wait to ask.

At this moment, his mind was only thinking about his own safety. The words of "serving the country wholeheartedly" just now have been left behind.

"It's unpredictable! However, a few days ago, I heard that the imperial court transferred a section of the Huai Army, and suffered a lot of losses from the Japanese people......" Mao Changxi looked around and replied in a low voice.

Dong Sui listened to Mao Changxi's answer, and his heart was mixed with joy and sorrow for a while.

At this time, Mao Dong and the others would not know that far away in the jungle of the mainland of Taiwan, there is still a group of people who are suffering from the same gains and losses as the two of them.

Tainan, jungle.

In the moonlight, there was only a heavy breath in the marching procession. Saigo walked and walked from the road, and gradually returned to that contemplative state of mind, but now it was not himself who occupied the center of consciousness, but the soldiers in front of him and behind him.

"Why are they so excited? …… They just listened to me and said that reinforcements would be coming soon. …… Don't they know that I am lying to them? They shouldn't be unaware of this. …… So what exactly are they excited about? They are excited because they feel like they have heard good news. But why do they think that's good news? He thought to the bottom of it, realizing that there was no ray of hope in his heavy and dark heart. …… The reason why they think it's good news is because they want to think it's good news, and the fundamental reason is that they're on the battlefield just like me. ”

Saigo was suddenly surprised by his discovery, as if it had just happened, "Since they have gone to the battlefield like me, they have a matter of life and death to consider just like me." …… The secret of the truth is that although they go to war, they do not want to fight, they want to get wealth, status and honor, like a true samurai......"

It was this last sentence that broadened the horizons of his closed heart, and he could now see not only a cloud and a black cloud in the sky, but also the trees in the distance.

“…… How come I haven't noticed this simple fact in the past? Saigo asked himself, excited by the discovery, "I didn't notice because I only noticed myself and didn't notice others, and I didn't notice that I was facing the same fate with them. …… That black cloud means death, and the other white cloud represents life, and they each loom over the lives of all of us. …… After the war, will any of them be court-martialed? ”

Such a thought jumped out of his mind coldly, across his mind. "No, that thing was also disgraceful, terrible, unimaginable for them; Compared to me, they are real warriors and soldiers. Since they think about life and death as I do, they will certainly look at the duties of a soldier and the dignity and honor of a samurai as I do. They, like me, have no choice but to fight valiantly to win......"

The cliffs in the distance are getting closer and closer to protrude into the depths of the sea of clouds in the southwest.

The moonlight was now brighter and brighter, as if it were going to turn night into day. The clear water stream that the people of the Lion's Head Society said is about to arrive. The black cloud of death was still floating gloomily in the sky of Saigo's soul, but because of Fang Cai's contemplation, that mass of white clouds was also much stronger for the first time, and it had the strength to compete with the black cloud. "Why am I so scared? …… Is it because I have a deep fear of death? ”

At this time, Saigo Congdao suddenly remembered his brother Saigo Takamori who was far away in Japan.

"As long as you don't admit that death exists, it doesn't exist!" The sonorous voice of the elder brother echoed in his ears.

“…… But death exists, and I know it, and the despair I have had in my heart shows that I know it......"

"But why am I so desperate? …… Because I only have myself in my heart, and I understand that my power is small? In the face of the wheels of war, my life is not even as tough as a small grass? ……”

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out in the distance.

Saigo's musings from the road were interrupted. He knew that many of the problems in his mind had not been solved, but because of the above contemplation, his mind became a little more open and relaxed, and the courage that had been lost was quietly returned. After all, for the first time since he stepped into this war, tonight he no longer feared the terrible battles that he was destined to face tomorrow.

If my brother Saigo Takamori is here, I'm afraid that he may not be able to do better than himself, right?

At this time, it was already twelve o'clock in the evening, and the Japanese troops immediately dispersed in the forests on both sides of the stream and turned into a hidden and standby situation. Saigo and his guards were in a pine forest on the east side of Jianxi. In accordance with the general requirements of the battle regulations, Saigo ordered all of them to immediately start building a hidden place. He first supervised and inspected it himself for a while, and then returned to a site he had chosen that was sparsely wooded, and dug up like the soldiers.

After a while, Yasumun Oji, who hastily settled down in the forest not far to the south, said to his subordinates: "Hurry up and rest!" Check your combat readiness again before going to bed. If you want to look at it one gun at a time, all bullets are not allowed to be loaded, and it is absolutely forbidden to go fire! Which squad has a problem and exposes our army's intentions, whoever is responsible! ”

After inspecting the silk, he was most worried about the safety of Saigo's congdao, so he went to the place where Saigo was located first. Seeing that Saigo Congdao led his subordinates to dig a ditch with all his might, he couldn't help but be angry and funny, and it was inconvenient for him to reprimand the chief, so he blamed the captain of the guard: "What are you doing so seriously when you break a ditch!" And I won't let you garrison here! …… Don't hurry up and go to bed yet! There are only a few hours left until dawn, so why don't you take a good rest, how will you fight tomorrow! ”

He felt that they should not dig the trenches seriously because he vaguely remembered a clause that had been somewhat forgotten in imitation of the Prussian army's battle doctrine: the task of the troops in the first phase of the battle was to be concealed and to preserve their strength, mainly to guard against enemy artillery attacks. And tomorrow at dawn, after the battle begins, the enemy's support artillery fire will first be used to hit the Japanese attacking troops and stop the follow-up troops, and then the shells may fall here.

"Go back! I'll do the rest myself! Although this was not the first time that Saigo had said such blunt words in front of him, Oji Yasujun couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, and looked at this supreme commander seriously, he always felt that during this period of time, he seemed to have become a different person.

After Oji Yasumi left, Saigo carefully checked his weapon again, and gathered his subordinates to carefully inspect it, and after finding no more problems, he disbanded the team. He checked the sentry and curled up in the dug pit. It was two o'clock in the morning, and the battle was going on in a few hours, and he thought he wouldn't sleep tonight anyway. He still has some extremely important things to think about in his heart, if he doesn't think about it now, he won't have a chance in these few hours.

Although he was still alive, he clearly knew in his heart that this time, his military adventure was a real failure.

That's right, these days, his troops are still insisting on fighting against the Qing army, which is several times their strength, and has dealt a severe blow to the Qing army, but the casualties of the Japanese army themselves are not small.

The number of Japanese troops capable of fighting has become smaller and smaller, while the Qing army, although it has suffered a heavy blow, is increasing in number.

Moreover, the artillery fire of the Qing army has become more and more powerful.

He went to the artillery positions of the Qing army that were attacked and destroyed by the Japanese army, and the Qing army used the most advanced Krupp breech gun in the world at present, this kind of 75 mm caliber camp gun has advanced design, easy operation, suitable for mountain combat, and the Qing army used them, causing huge casualties to the Japanese army.

Although the Japanese army did its best to counterattack, destroyed many Qing artillery positions, and captured two such cannons and many shells, the Qing army's artillery firepower did not weaken.

They seem to have more artillery, and good gunners.

In the first encounter with the Qing army, he found that the artillery fire of the Qing army was very inaccurate, and sometimes it was purely indiscriminate, and these shelling did not cause any casualties to the Japanese army, but the Qing gunners seemed to be tired of it, as if they were running out of shells (in fact, they were firing artillery to embolden themselves).

It was based on this situation that the Japanese army had the courage to launch a counterattack and successfully destroyed the artillery positions of the Qing army.

But what happened next surprised Saigo Congdao.

The Qing army brought more cannons from the ships, and the Qing gunners who operated these cannons were much more powerful than the ones they eliminated.

This time, the Qing army no longer fired artillery indiscriminately.

The new Qing gunners seemed to have changed their appearance, and the shells they fired were not only extremely violent, but also very accurate, even to the point of incredible.

As soon as the Japanese artillery rang out, the Qing artillery shells would soon fly in and shatter the Japanese artillery positions. And the Japanese army was often shelled by the Qing army during the march.

Saigo couldn't understand why this was the case.

And those Qing soldiers in red......

Those red demons!