If he wanted to wear pants, Huang Jiliang had to open the door and stretch half of his body into the aisle. The doors of the engine room and other doors are also open to this small aisle. There is also a gangway that leads to the upper deck. However, he still liked the pod. The small cabin, made of lacquered wooden panels, with light blue silk curtains hanging from the windows, oilcloth nailed to the floor, and a colorful carpet on top, resembled a delicate women's dressing box.

Despite all the inconveniences, he chose to stay on the torpedo boat.

The exercises soon began.

Torpedo boats were grouped into a merchant fleet and sailed from Hue to a small port in Vietnam. The route was not very far, and because there were few pirates in this area under the control of the Far East Fleet of the French Navy, there would be no encounters in battle. It was a fairly simple voyage. Huang Jiliang's task was mainly to determine the position of the torpedo boat in the sea and pay attention to the safety of navigation.

This merchant fleet was mainly composed of several Qianguo merchant ships, which marched in a single column. Four torpedo boats sailed on the right.

The air is fresh, and you can clearly see the black waves against the white waves under the blue sky. The deck shook and tilted sideways, as if it were about to escape. The torpedo boat slowly climbed up the steep crest, then quickly increased its speed and sank with a roar. Its bow was raised high, and then it disappeared into the rustling white foam. From time to time, transparent waves crossed the deck.

Huang Jiliang hugged the compass holder with his hands and legs, trying to determine his direction against the distant coastal markers. The compass's bearing plate rotates straight under the prism of the locator, like a gramophone record; In front of Huang Jiliang's eyes. Row by line of numbers scroll by. After seeing a number that Huang Jiliang felt was the most correct, Huang Jiliang went down from the command bridge and walked to the deckhouse. In order to determine the position on the chart. Every time Huang Jiliang came back, he always saw the same situation in the deckhouse: the chart hung down from the table, and the paperweights, rulers, protractors, and compasses pressed on the charts were all rolling around, from one side to the other. Huang Jiliang scolded while putting things in their place, and then measured the direction. But. None of the measured locations corresponded to the actual locations.

"In this simple environment, can't I do a good job as a navigator? So what to do after that? Huang Jiliang asked himself, feeling very desperate. In the end, he completely messed up the numbers, couldn't tell them apart, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat.

Huang Jiliang became dizzy due to the strong smell of smoke and the shaking peculiar to torpedo boats that Huang Jiliang was not used to. Wants to vomit. Huang Jiliang wanted to lie down. But shame and stubborn temper prompted Huang Jiliang to decide to persevere.

Huang Jiliang spread his legs apart, leaned on the azimuth meter, and tried his best to maintain his balance. On a torpedo boat that swings violently, it is difficult to stand firm in such a position; However, Huang Jiliang's head no longer swayed, and Huang Jiliang's hands were free to work. Huang Jiliang held the azimuth with his fingers and began to look for marks on the reticle of the azimuth meter. Just now, Huang Jiliang's fingers pressed on the barrel of the compass. Do not allow the compass azimuth to remain horizontal. Huang Jiliang now rested his fingers on the barrel, so that Huang Jiliang's compass was in turmoil with the dinghy. Huang Jiliang looked down at the locator. In this way, you can read the degree at will.

Huang Jiliang spent as much time as possible studying the shape of the coast, and the torpedo boats were moving at a fixed speed, neither lagging behind nor exceeding the merchant fleet.

It was late when the merchant fleet arrived at the mooring ground, and then dropped anchor. Because Huang Jiliang had never been to this harbor, in order not to make mistakes, Huang Jiliang read the records in the "Navigation Guide" on the way, and learned about the situation of the berthing yard on the big chart.

Huang Jiliang knew that this pier could only be navigated from the right, and on the left side of the pier there were many huge reefs that had just been covered by water.

However, the torpedo boat captains apparently intended to direct their torpedo boats to dock from the left, so that Huang Jiliang panicked: he could not decide whether to tell him that he could not be moored on the left, because Huang Jiliang was afraid of saying the wrong thing; But if you don't say it, it's terrible again, because the torpedo boat will be smashed to pieces soon!

Huang Jiliang immediately ordered to signal the other three torpedo boats, and immediately and resolutely pulled the handle of the microphone on the "full speed reverse", because it was only a few meters away from the pier. The torpedo boat trembled and began to retreat. The "Navigation Guide" did not deceive Huang Jiliang. When the captains took a closer look into the water, they immediately saw the shiny surface of the reef hidden by aquatic weeds. The surface of the reef was hidden under the rushing waves, and then it was revealed, illuminated by the moon.

Huang Jiliang was dizzy from the swing of the hull and the smell of smoke, and he wanted to rest for a while; He walked from the dock to the shore. Huang Jiliang staggered from side to side, as if the deck was still swaying under his feet. The legs, accustomed to being balanced by rocking and shaking, continue to try to balance on land due to inertia. In the eyes of others, Huang Jiliang is a bit like a drunk person; Hearing the firm footsteps of Chen Wenbin walking behind, Huang Jiliang felt very uncomfortable.

"What's wrong with you? Uncomfortable? ”

They walked slowly together. The air at night is filled with the smell of rosin and seaweed. The mutilated but bright moon cast a faint shadow on the earth, and a ribbon of mercury on the water.

When the two of them finished their walk, they mentioned the trials they had received during this voyage, and Chen Wenbin suggested to Huang Jiliang: "You can make a voyage calculation of the return journey in advance." It would be much easier to work that way. You have to do it unhurriedly, you have to do it accurately......"

In front of the springboard, he kept Huang Jiliang and said: "Regarding precision, we can easily suffer from too high self-confidence. We always think that our calculations are absolutely accurate. I was like this once, but an old navigator on the same ship found a big mistake in my calculations that could have caused a serious accident. From then on, it was only after a few calculations by different methods that I was willing to consider the position of the ship to be more or less reliable...... Well, let's rest. Otherwise, it won't be finished. ”

He said goodbye to Huang Jiliang and walked into the hatch.

Huang Jiliang understood that Chen Wenbin was hinting at himself euphemistically, because Huang Jiliang confidently said that he had measured the correct position when he told about the voyage. In fact, he used a rather imperfect method to determine it. And it was made in shaking, Huang Jiliang decided to pay more attention to this in the future; He then went to inspect the mooring line at the pier and instructed the watchman about the signal to get up tomorrow morning before going to rest.

Two days later, they returned to Halong Bay without encountering any particularly thrilling incidents. At this time, Zhang Cheng, the commander of the shipmaster and sailor, asked all the ship's management to go to the "Yangwu" for a meeting, and the "Yangwu" was moored at a nearby wharf. Huang Jiliang went to the "Yangwu" and found that many people were already there in the conference room. They are discussing. In the event of a surprise attack by French warships, how should the fleet be counterattacked.

The major ship pipes spoke cautiously, talking about the rate of fire of the guns. The armor of the battleship, the penetration of shells.

Zhang Cheng, who arranged such a meeting, listened to the discussion with a serious expression, as if a real battle was about to happen.

After the big ship pipes finished speaking, Zhang Cheng still didn't say a word. The air in the conference room suddenly became dull.

"Do you have any ideas?" Zhang Cheng suddenly turned to the four torpedo boat captains. He asked in a hoarse voice.

Huang Jiliang and the other four were stunned when they heard this.

"The French flagship 'Baya' is of the same style as our 'Yangwu', and the ships have many cannons, and once a battle starts, we and the other four boats should take advantage of the fact that they have not yet anchored to strike first, quickly approach, and attack them with torpedoes in groups." Xue Youfu replied, "The power of torpedoes is several times more powerful than artillery shells, if it can destroy the enemy's flagship." When we can seize the spirit of the whole army, then our army can succeed. ”

Listened to Xue Youfu's words. Zhang Cheng nodded, "You go back and discuss it well, and if you have a decision, write a note to me." ”

The meeting ended, and the ship's management bands and captains left the "Yangwu". Huang Jiliang, who was sitting in the dinghy, looked at the majestic "Yangwu" and then at the "Baya," the flagship of the French Far East Fleet, which was almost identical to the "Yangwu" in the mooring yard opposite, and felt quite uncomfortable in his heart.

These young children in France have been studying in France for four years, and each of them has a girlfriend in France and still keeps in touch.

They have a special affection for France.

As a navy, of course, they know that it is their responsibility to defend their homeland and country.

This time, they accompanied Zhang Cheng to escort Lin Yiqing to Vietnam, and they all clearly understood their responsibilities.

But for the sake of the "tributary" name of a half-hearted vassal state like Vietnam, they had to fight the country that had helped build a modern navy.

Just a few days ago, at the invitation of Rear Admiral Lisby of the French Navy, they visited the "Baya"!

When they came to Vietnam, they knew that Lin Yiqing's task was not just to reissue a seal to the Vietnamese court, but also to negotiate with the French over the Vietnamese issue. Since it is a negotiation, of course, it must be backed by force, and these people are the backing of Lin Yiqing's negotiations with the French.

It's just that they didn't expect that there would be a possibility of fighting with their teacher, the French Navy.

Huang Jiliang now understands why Zhang Cheng's face was so ugly just now.

Back ashore, the torpedo captains quickly exchanged their ideas on the general course of fighting a strong and well-prepared enemy, as well as discussed ways to improve the organization of the work of their torpedo boats. Later, they also used matches to represent torpedo boats, and teacups to represent enemy warships, and practiced attacking until nightfall, when they returned to their torpedo boats.

At this time, the officers and men of the Qianguo Navy would not have thought that their opponents were also considering similar problems.

"Of course, if the weather is fine to-morrow, we will go," said Mrs. Risby, "but you will have to get up early in the morning." She added.

Her words brought her son great joy, as if once decided, this trip would definitely come true. Little Richby was only six years old, but he belonged to the great race that did not distinguish between different sensations, and who had to make future expectations affect reality with their joys and sorrows, and for such people, even in their infancy, each turn of the wheel of sensations had the power to crystallize and fix a moment of melancholy or euphoria. At this moment he was sitting on the ground, cutting pictures from the catalog of the Navy Store, and his mother's words made him feel excited when he cut a picture of the landscape. There was a lot of joy all around. The little wheelbarrows, the lawn mowers, the rustling poplar trees, the white leaves before the rain, the croaking seagulls, the swaying flowers, the swaying dresses - everything was so vivid and clear in his mind. He already has his own code, his secret language. Outwardly, he has a firm and serious demeanor and a high forehead. Sharp blue eyes with flawless purity and honesty, frowning slightly at the sight of human weakness. Mother watched him move neatly along the edges of the scrap of paper with scissors, imagining him sitting in the judge's seat in a red robe decorated with mink, or directing a serious and momentous undertaking in some kind of crisis in public affairs.

"But," said his father, Rear Admiral Risby, pausing at the drawing-room window, with a melancholy look in his eyes, "the weather will not be good tomorrow." ”

"But tomorrow the weather might be fine — I think it will." Mrs. Risby said. Impatiently, he twisted a reddish-brown sock that was knitting. If she can finish knitting tonight, if they do go down to the lighthouse by the sea to-morrow, they will take the socks to the little boy who cares about the lighthouse. He was seriously ill. Also bring a whole bunch of old magazines and some tobacco. In fact, whatever she could find, which was littered around of little use and would only make the house untidy, she would give it to the poor people, and give them something of amusement: they sat there all day. Except for polishing the lamps, trimming the wicks, and raking around in their little bit of a large garden. Nothing else, it must be boring. She often asks how you would feel if you were confined to a rock the size of a tennis court for a month, and maybe even longer in a storm? No letters or newspapers; No one can be seen; If you are married, you can't see your wife, and you don't know what happens to your children—if you're sick. Have you broken your arms and legs; Week after week watch the monotonous and dreary waves crash into splashing waves, and then the terrible storm comes. So the windows were covered with droplets, and the birds hit the lighthouse, and the whole place was shaken, and they didn't even dare to poke their heads out of the door, for fear of being swept away into the sea. How would you feel if that were the case? She often asks this question, especially with her daughters. She went on in a very different tone, so she should try to bring them a little comfort.

"The wind is due west." Colonel Vieway said, spreading his bony fingers so that the wind could pass through them.

Captain Vieway, captain of the cruiser "Vera", was at this time with Rear Admiral Lisby on an evening walk back and forth on the platform.

"The Qianguo people are still doing exercises there?" Mrs. Lishby seemed to hear the uneasiness in the Colonel's words, and she suppressed her inner nervousness and asked.

"Yes, ma'am." "These days they have been conducting exercises, rain or shine. ”

"Hasn't the rain drenched them yet?" Mrs. Risby laughed.

She herself sometimes couldn't help but laugh. One day she said something like "the waves are as high as the mountains." Yes, that time Colonel Viewe said that it was a bit of a storm. "Aren't you soaking wet?" She asked. "It's wet, but it's not seeping." Colonel Vieway said with a smile as he twisted his sleeves and touched his socks.

This time, Colonel Vieway's reply was: "The wind and rain will not stop them." ”

Hearing the Colonel's answer, Mrs. Lisby's heart somehow became uneasy.

Since Major General Lisby has been stationed in Japan or Vietnam for many years, she could not bear to be absent from her husband for a long time, and took her four children from mainland France to the East to reunite with her husband, and since then she and her children have been with Major General since then, and their family was still living in Japan last year, and now they have moved to Vietnam with her husband.

As soon as the meal was finished, the four children of the Richsby slipped away from the dining table like deer, and hid in their bedrooms. In this house, only the bedroom is their undisturbed world. Here they can argue about anything: the saber of Colonel Vieway, the treaties signed by the French and Vietnamese courts, seabirds and butterflies, all sorts of characters. As they talked, the sun poured into the huts in the attic, and every footstep could be heard clearly because the huts were separated only by a board, and the low sobs of the Vietnamese girl for her father, who was dying of a serious illness in the valley. The sun illuminates rackets, flannel underwear, straw hats, inkwells, paint jars. Beetles, models of warships, skulls of small birds, and long, wrinkled seaweeds nailed to the walls emit the salty smell of aquatic plants, as do the sand-clinged towels used for sea bathing.

Conflict, division, disagreement, and prejudice are intertwined into human existence itself; Ah, they started it all at such a young age, Lady Lesby sighed. They're too picky, her kids. They just talk nonsense. She thought it was all nonsense—God knows, there would have been enough disagreements between people without them. The real disagreement, she stood by the living room window and thought to herself, there were enough, really enough.

That problem, the question of wealth and poverty, has always haunted her. She thinks about everything she sees here or in Paris, every day, every week. When she went to visit the widow or the wife who was struggling with her life with a purse, pencil and notebook, she wrote down her wages and expenses, employment or unemployment, on a carefully drawn notebook, in the hope that she would no longer be an individual who did good deeds half to ease her righteous indignation and half to satisfy her curiosity, but to be an investigator of social problems whom she greatly admired in her inexperienced mind. (To be continued.) )