After that, the strength of the Korean reinforcements gradually increased to more than 30,000, and the large army was once again divided into three routes, and the left and right roads were successfully cleared for the troops to Pyongyang, an important town in northern Korea. By the beginning of July, Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province, and Hwanghae-do Province in Korea had all fallen under the iron heel of the Japanese army.

And just when the army was invincible, their cabinet axe in their homeland was in trouble.

It is said that Ben, the base camp of Tokyo

"Bastard! - Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito slammed the document in his hand on the desk in front of the Admiralty Shikiri Kayama.

"Minister of Information and Discipline of Kayama!! See for yourself!! -- This is a letter of protest from the Imperial Consulate General in Britain!! ”

While Shikiki Kayama was reading the message, Ito Hirobumi still didn't let him go, cursing the officers and men of the Navy who kept making trouble for him while pacing.

"Are the commanders of the detachment fleets Togo and Kahara blind?! Even the flags of the Qing and the British could not be distinguished!! Actually sank the British cargo ship!! ――”

Just early last month, the Rapid Detachment Fleet attacked the Qing State's "Gao Sheng" troop transport ship on the Yellow Sea. Originally, this was a good thing, and more than 1,000 Qing soldiers were wiped out without much effort. But what is terrible is that this cargo ship turned out to be a ship of the British Jardine Matheson hired by the Qing State, and then I knew that I was in trouble!

At that time, the first to fire the guns was the "Yoshino" ship in the detachment fleet, and the officers and men on the ship also hesitated whether to fight or not after discovering that the ship was flying the British flag, after all, the Gao Sheng was a British ship. In the end, after seeing that this was a troop carrier, Kagawara Yoichi resolutely ordered the sinking of the "Gao Sheng".

After the "Gao Sheng Incident", British public opinion was in an uproar, and the Seris intelligence department added fuel to the fire in the rear, which eventually aroused the anger of the British people, and the military also demanded that the political axe take military revenge on Yuben.

It was said that the political axe was also very panicked at this time, and after Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito got the news, he ran over and scolded Shikinori Kayama of the Admiralty.

"Your Excellency Ito, the admirals have done nothing wrong." After reading the telegram, Minister of the Navy Shikiri Kayama said calmly, "According to the Neutrality Act, in the event of hostile acts of war between the two sides, a third country should not engage in military operations related to either side. ”

Hirobumi Ito roared, "Yes, you're right! Then go to London and talk to their angry people!! ”

"And, don't forget. It was you soldiers who first undeclared the war! The Navy's warships never announced to the outside world that you were at war until they sank the British Soaring!! ”

"Nope! We have already declared war," Shikinori Kayama said, staring at Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, "We have already declared war on the Qing country, haven't we?" ”

Ito Hirobumi was stunned, and understood what he meant.

At this time, he could only shift the responsibility to the Qing side, as long as he strongly stated that he had declared war on the Qing State before, he just did not notify the third country in time. Then the responsibility for the sinking of the British cargo ship "Gao Sheng" can be transferred to the Qing Guozheng axe. It was they who failed to fulfill their obligation to inform Jardine Matheson.

I have to admit that this is the best way for Yu Ben at this time.

Ito Hirobumi was furious and had no choice but to start the emergency public relations of the political axe according to this plan.

Almost at the same time, in the waters of the Shandong Peninsula of the Qing Dynasty, a huge naval fleet had just set sail from Weihai Weijun Port.

This battleship formation is a huge naval fleet composed of 12 main armored warships of the Beiyang Naval Division, including "Dingyuan", "Zhenyuan", "Zhiyuan", "Jingyuan", "Jingyuan", "Pingyuan", and "Jiyuan".

On the surface of the Yellow Sea, the flagship of the Qing Beiyang Fleet "Dingyuan".

"Hey! There will be plenty of shells, and if you meet a Japanese coward, see if I don't kill him! Liu Buyun then asked Admiral Ding Ruchang suspiciously, "Ding Junmen, didn't you say that we should go to sea to find an opportunity to fight, why did you want the fleet to turn the rudder and sail to Lushunkou?" ”

"Hey," Ding Ruchang sighed, "The Beiyang Huai Army is tight on land in Korea, Li Zhongtang called me last night before the fleet departed, asking the sailors to go to Lushun first, and escort a group of reinforcements to the landing in Yiju, North Korea......"

"Uiju!" Liu Buyun was surprised, "Didn't you go to Incheon, the army actually landed from Uiju in the north instead, and the war situation in Korea has actually deteriorated to this point." ”

"Who's to say it's not," Ding Ruchang shook his head.

"Speaking of which, our Beiyang Naval Division is also responsible, some time ago, I landed at Inchon on the west bank of North Korea without any scruples, which directly led to the loss of the Asan front......"

……

On 14 July, the Beiyang Fleet arrived at Arthur at 3 p.m.

After the fleet rested for one night, the whole fleet pulled anchor again in the early morning of the next day and escorted five Beiyang troop transports carrying more than 4,000 troops of Liu Shengxiu's army of the Huai system to the banks of the Yalu River in Korea.

After nearly 19 hours of sailing, the huge convoy finally arrived in Uiju, North Korea, in the early morning of the third day.

In a jungle not far from the port of Uiju, a hidden telescope suddenly poked out.

A man dressed in black was observing the situation in the harbor, and as the Qing warships appeared in the harbor, the lurker seemed to be unable to suppress the excitement in his heart and trembled.

"1, 2 ironclad battleships, 1, 2, 3 armored battleships, 3 ......"

The Qing Beiyang Fleet was completely unaware that its own actions had long been mastered by its opponents......

After resting in the harbor for several hours, and when the sky began to dawn, with the departure order of Admiral Ding Ruchang, the 12 capital ships of the Beiyang Fleet, which had been anchored in the port of Uiju and were on guard, pulled out anchor one after another and set sail for the waters of Incheon in the south of Korea under the order of the flagship "Dingyuan......

It is said that this Tokyo

"The Ministry of Intelligence called, about 4,000 members of the Qing [***] team have taken the sea route to North Korea! The escort fleet has been confirmed to have the main ships of the Qing Beiyang Fleet, 'Dingyuan', 'Zhenyuan', 'Jingyuan', 'Zhiyuan', 'Pingyuan', 'Jingyuan', 'Jiyuan'......"

The secretary held the file bag containing the telegram in his hand, pushed open the door and walked into the office of the Secretary of the Navy Shiki Kayama.

"Good! Immediately send a telegram to Commander Ito of Sasebo. ”

"Yes! Minister! ”

Just when the Beiyang Naval Division fleet was cruising on the west coast of Korea, the navy also learned the news that the Qing navy had left the port through its spy in the Qing country, Aratsu, and immediately gathered all the main warships of its navy and sailed towards the Korean waters with great momentum.

"Got there?" On the Matsushima, the flagship of the Combined Fleet, Commander Ito asked his deputy, Omoto.

"Commander, the sea of Incheon is ahead."

"Yes," Ito muttered to himself, and then asked his deputy next to him casually, "Omoto, are you nervous?" ”

"Yes, as long as I think of the upcoming naval battle with the Qing fleet, my whole body is excited!" Omoto responded with a smile.

"Omoto, if something happens to me as a fleet commander, I'll see later."

Ito turned his head and stared at the adjutant beside him, "It's up to you to take over my command of the fleet!" ”

"No need to say such things! Commander Ito! The Combined Fleet is sure to win a great victory under your command!! Omoto said loudly.

"Hehe~ It's me who lost my temper" Ito Yuhiro waved his hand and gave the order, "Omoto, let the front guerrilla fleet strengthen the search!" ”

"Hay!"

Deputy Omoto called the signal corps next to him, "Send a flag to the 'Naniwa' in Togo to strengthen the search ...... the sea ahead"

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