Soon after the sinking of the Gao Qianhui, the Beiyang Naval Division Yangwei, which had already extinguished the fire, was hit hard again, and was hit by the only 320 mm main gun of the Japanese ship Itsukushima hit the gun position of the main gun, not only blowing up a 254 mm main gun, but also detonating several spare 254 mm shells, after a fierce explosion, the Yangwei exploded in two, the cruiser purchased by the Qing government in 1881, like its sister ship Chaoyong, sank to the bottom of the sea.

The Yangwei was sunk into the sea with Lin Luzhong, and most of the more than 100 officers and men of the Beiyang Naval Division on board were also killed. Yangwei became the fourth warship sunk by the Beiyang Naval Division and the third warship sunk by the Beiyang Naval Division's main team.

When the two fleets were at a distance of 2,000 meters, the accuracy of the shelling was much improved, especially the small-caliber rapid-fire guns on the warships, which continuously sent shells to the ships of the enemy ships, and the cannon sound on the entire sea surface was continuous, and countless shells were intertwined on the heads of the two fleets.

The 305 mm shells of the two main guns of the ironclad ship Weihai continuously hit the old Japanese ironclad ship Chuxue, and one of the shells hit the old 460 mm torpedo launcher of the Chuxue, detonating the torpedo and blowing the bow of the ship to pieces, and the old ironclad ship of more than 4,000 tons did not struggle for long before sinking into the sea.

It became the seventh warship sunk by the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the two old ironclads that Japan had just purchased from Britain and originally built for Turkey were all sunk to the bottom of the sea.

At present, the ratio of 7:4 between the Japanese ships sunk by the Beiyang Naval Division and the First Fleet of the Beiyang Naval Division and the Japanese Combined Fleet sinking the warships of the Beiyang Naval Division, and the Beiyang Naval Division and the First Fleet of the Naval Academy have a clear advantage.

Even on the battlefield of the battle, it was also the Beiyang Naval Division and the First Fleet of the Naval Academy that had the advantage, if there were no 4 Italian ironclad battleships that accidentally disrupted the situation. With the warships of the Beiyang Naval Division and the First Fleet of the Naval Academy, the Japanese Combined Fleet can be defeated.

On the bridge of the flagship Matsushima, the commander of the Combined Fleet, Ito Yohei, anxiously asked his subordinates: "How about sending flags to 4 Italian warships?" How did they answer? Why not come and join the combined fleet? ”

A Japanese naval major reported to Ito: "Commander, we have sent flags to four Italian warships many times in a row, and asked four Italian warships to converge on us, but none of the four Italian warships has sent us a flag back!" ”

"Whoa-" With a bang, Ito Yuhyung pushed the lunch prepared for him by his subordinates on the table in front of him with his arm and pushed it to the ground, and then shouted angrily: "Yaga! What are the Italians doing! What is Kameda Hongwei doing! ”

Ito Yuhyung didn't know that Kameda Hongwei had been hit in the heart by shrapnel and was dying!

An angry Ito picked up the binoculars and looked through the bridge window in the direction of the four Italian warships, which were closely chasing the nine warships of the Second Fleet of the Naval Academy.

Ito threw the telescope on the ground angrily, "These stupid Italians, the most important thing now is to converge!" "The Japanese Combined Fleet has sunk 7 warships, these warships are all accumulated by Japan from the emperor to the civilians, and now in just over two hours, one-third of the warships of the combined fleet have been sunk, and Ito Yuhei is very distressed!

Therefore, Ito hoped that 4 Italian warships would come over and join up as soon as possible, defeat the Beiyang Naval Division, and reduce the losses of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy.

Just when Ito Youheng was angry, there was another earth-shattering explosion, and when Ito Yuxiang looked out of the window of the bridge, his heart suddenly felt cold! The protective armored ship Itsukushima, one of the three Kei ships of the Japanese Combined Fleet, exploded and caught fire, raising smoke dozens of meters high.

It turned out that a 260-mm main gun shell from the Naval Academy Zhenhai hit the shells piled up on the deck of Itsukushima, detonating dozens of 120-mm shells and almost blowing Itsukushima in two.

Although the Itsukushima was not blown in two, it was not far from sinking, and the fire caused by the explosion ignited almost the entire ship's hold, and the Japanese crew on the Itsukushima had no way to control the fire by various methods of extinguishing the fire, and after a while, the fire burned to the ammunition compartment, detonating the remaining more than 30 rounds of 320-mm main gun shells and a large number of 120-mm shells in the ammunition compartment.

An explosion sounded louder than just now, and the entire hull of the Itsukushima flew 1 meter above the sea, broke up several pieces in the air, and then quickly smashed into the sea.

The captain of the Itsukushima, Michiyu Yokoo, and the 350 Japanese Navy on board did not survive.

This was already the 8th warship sunk by the Combined Fleet, and it was the same Sankei ship as the flagship, and Ito felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

Ito Yuhiro loudly ordered the naval commander next to him: "Continue to send flags to the four Italian warships, and let them immediately move closer to the combined fleet!" Sue the Italians, they are hired by our Imperial Japan! The orders of the Combined Fleet must be followed! ”

Now Ito Yuhiro can't help but regret that he shouldn't have acted with 4 powerful ironclad battleships in Italy in order to hide his killer weapon. Originally, Ito Yuhiro considered using the Japanese combined fleet to entangle the Beiyang Naval Division, and then 4 Italian ironclad battleships suddenly entered the battlefield, which had a decisive effect, defeated the Beiyang Naval Division, and sank as many Beiyang Naval Division warships as possible, but now it has become like this!

The sailors on the battleship Ironclad Italia reported to Captain Ram of the Italia that the Japanese Combined Fleet had sent another flag, saying that the Italian warships were hired by Japan, and ordering the four Italian warships to converge on the Japanese Combined Fleet at once.

As the nephew of the fallen commander Pirlo, Ram, who is now the temporary commander of the four Italian ironclad battleships, waved his hand and said: "The warships of the Italian Navy will only obey the command of the Italian naval officers, and let the hateful Japanese go to hell!" Listen to my orders and continue to fire at 9 enemy warships! Be sure to avenge Admiral Pirlo! ”

Ignoring the repeated flags of the Japanese Combined Fleet, the 4 Italian warships continued to chase the 9 warships of the Second Fleet and open fire!

Observers from various countries watching the battle from a distance were enthusiastically discussing the naval battle in front of them in the British cruiser, and such a large-scale and tragic naval battle made these observers adrenaline soar, and everyone felt that the trip was worthwhile.

Observers from several countries looked at the Italian observers in surprise and asked, "Your Italian warships should immediately join up with the Japanese Combined Fleet now, otherwise when the Qing Beiyang Naval Division destroys the Japanese Combined Fleet, they will besiege your four warships!" Even if your 4 warships are very powerful, they will be very troublesome! I don't know why your commander didn't go to join the Japanese Combined Fleet, but clung to the detachment of the Beiyang Naval Division! ”

Although the Italian observer was also very surprised why the four Italian ironclad battleships did not go to join the Japanese Combined Fleet, he still arrogantly explained: "No matter how many sheep there are, they are still sheep, and no matter how few lions there are, our Italian warships are lions, and the warships of the Beiyang Naval Division are sheep, and our lions will eat all the sheep!" ”

At this moment, a violent explosion was heard, and the Italian observer looked at it with a telescope, turned his head to the observers of other countries and said excitedly: "Look! Our lion has eaten a sheep! ”

In the distance, the coastal armored cruiser Changhai of the Second Fleet of the Naval Academy was hit by a 450-mm main gun shell of the ironclad battleship Dulio, which instantly blew the Changhai of more than 2,000 tons in two and sank to the bottom of the sea. None of the 230 naval cadets of the Naval Academy on board the Changhai escaped, and all sank into the sea with the Changhai.