Cumberland Bay, Northwest Canada.

In the inaccessible bay, a few Arctic seals lazily hid in the sun on the offshore ice sheet, and from time to time they looked up at the gray ships that had been stationed in the distance for five or six days, and wondered what these big creatures were.

The Sea, the third of the original Royal Navy's Caroline-class light cruisers, handed over at the beginning of 17, was a cutting-edge battleship with two 152mm guns, eight 100mm rapid-fire guns and four 533mm torpedo tubes, and used the name in honor of the ship of the same name, which was accidentally sunk that year. Together with 3 other cruisers and 26 destroyers, it forms the Chinese Navy's escort fleet.

Although almost everyone's attention to the war was attracted by land warfare, the escort fleet actually performed very well, sinking a total of 11 German submarines, 2 Austro-Hungarian destroyers and 2 submarines at the cost of sinking 3 destroyers and destroying 2 destroyers, completing 1,330 escort and rescue missions, including escorting the U.S. Army to land in Europe, and 67 officers and 277 sailors were awarded the Order of Oak by the British Royal Navy. What's more! The escort fleet has become the cornerstone of the Chinese Navy's restart. Not only because most of the officers in the fleet are cutting-edge young people like Chen Shaokuan and Shen Honglie, but also because the sailors are all outstanding people with a high level of knowledge who have been trained in China or selected from overseas Chinese children after the Xinhai period, and a total of more than 5,000 people, including (counting rotations), have been tested by the Atlantic Ocean and even the dangerous North Sea storms in the past two years. What an invaluable experience! It can't be compared with the Battle of Tsushima, but it still shortens the distance between the Chinese and Japanese navies.

But the supreme commander of this fleet, Vice Admiral Qiu Baoren of the Chinese Navy, looked anxious all this time, and spent the whole day pacing back and forth on the deck with a straight face. Or climb the mast and raise the Zeiss telescope to look into the distance, even if the cold wind is bone-chilling, you won't want to put it down. In fact, everyone knew what he was waiting for, and the four destroyers, three naval coal carriers, and two large naval survey ships ordered from the United States in 1916, delivered only two months ago, and had been testing in the escort fleet, were all waiting, waiting for the fleet that was supposed to meet five days earlier.

Seeing that he was restless, the officers were worried about his health, so they invited Chen Entao, who had been locked up on the survey ship all day, to come out and make ideas together. Chen Entao is also an old Beiyang native, and after the Republic of China, under the persuasion of Sa Zhenbing, he returned to the mountain to serve as the director of the Naval Surveying and Mapping Bureau. Although the Republic of China Navy was established for a short time. However, under Yang Qiu's combing, it gradually became formalized, and at the beginning of its establishment, it purchased a second-hand survey ship from the United Kingdom, and at the end of 1916, Yang Qiu also ordered two large maritime survey ships when he visited the United States. Seeing that the navy has finally been in line with the developed countries of Europe and the United States and has begun to take the road of regularization and army building, these old Beiyang people who have the experience of staying abroad are very happy. In fact, Chen Entao was also very anxious, so he locked himself in the cabin and couldn't see it, and at this moment, when he saw that the old man began to blow the cold wind on the deck again, he took a piece of clothing and put it on for him, and said with concern: "Brother Qiu." It's not an option to wait like this, so it's better to send a telegram and try it. ”

"You think I can't." Qiu Baoren stretched his neck and his mouth was cracked with cold, rubbing his hands and said: "I send a telegram every morning, but there is no news back so far, I think either the big storm a few days ago broke the antenna, or hey." ”

Chen Entao is also worried. In fact, he was shocked when he saw this route. Who of them, who had studied in the UK and interned in the Royal Navy, did not know that the North Atlantic environment was sinister? Even if you haven't been there, you only have to look at the moody North Sea to know it. What's more, in order to avoid the UK this time, you also need to choose the coldest season of the year to break through the blockade and come back via the Greenland Glacier, what a treacherous road! Even many in the British Navy were so upset when they heard about the Arctic Ocean route that a group of young people wanted to challenge the world's most difficult route. It's really bottomless.

"Otherwise," Chen Entao didn't want to wait any longer, and said: "These two mapping ships are the most advanced in the United States, and they are fully equipped with icebreaking, endurance, and radio, so it's better for me to take one away to meet and see it, it's better than staying here and waiting." ”

Qiu Baoren opened his mouth and endured it again, because these two naval survey and mapping ships were not only the most advanced models in the world, but it took a lot of effort to persuade the United States to build them by joining some treaties. Looking at the world's naval powers, all of them are equipped with a large number of such auxiliary ships, so there is no place to cry when it is damaged due to the search mission. But if they don't go, they can only let the Haitian search. As for the destroyers of several hundred tons, it is usually dangerous in the North Sea when the wind and waves are strong, let alone to break into the dangerous iceberg storm zone.

Just when he couldn't decide whether to set off to search or continue to wait, there was a sudden burst of excited shouts outside, which made the two old Beiyang stand up suddenly, look at each other and run frantically towards the deck. When I got on the deck, I saw that there was a faint trace of smoke on the sea in the distance. Without even giving an order, a destroyer was already rushing forward. The wait is hard. Especially when they could already feel the moment when the other party was about to appear, when a dozen black dots slowly jumped out of the waterline, the two couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"One, two, three."

Report. Only 16 ships were seen. ”

The telegram before departure was 19 ships, but now there are only 16 ships, which makes the two feel distressed for a long time.

As Bingwen led the remaining 16 large ships to the bay, the cheers suddenly resounded in the sky! This fleet, which carried the hope of a strong nation, finally joined the fleet safely. Although there is still an arduous voyage equivalent to circumnavigating the globe that awaits everyone, when Britain, France, and the United States are all focused on the Paris Peace Conference, no one will pay attention to these "neutral" ships as long as they do not make mistakes.

*******

The small conference room of the Palace of Versailles fell silent instantly, and even Yang Qiu couldn't find the words to describe the faces of Tanaka Yoshiichi and the Japanese delegation at this moment. Except for Yang Qiu, no one knows why Secretary of State Lan Sing suddenly said this, although that sentence was very ordinary, like accusing Konoe Fumiro of interjecting at will to disrupt the order of the talks, and his voice was not loud, but now he said it on this occasion. Everybody knows what that means. Nagata Tieshan's heart sank suddenly, and the situation was obviously worse than he expected! First, China suddenly offered to buy 5 capital ships, then demanded that all countries completely abolish the unequal treaties, and finally simply targeted Taiwan and Sakhalin Island, which are controlled by Japan! He also used the "famous words" of Kaiser Wilhelm II to provoke Britain and France, trying to make them think that Japan was the same as Germany. What a sinister intention! It is clear that they want to take this opportunity to continue to suppress Japan's living space!

This kind of provocation and naked hostility made him very uncomfortable, and he could have tolerated it, after all, Japan and China had long turned against each other, but the ambiguous attitude suddenly shown by the United States made the situation delicate. Lansing's words were merely an accusation against Fumiro Konoe. Or is it something else? If it is the latter, then how much benefit did Yang Qiu give to the United States to get their support? More importantly, why is Yang Qiu so inexplicably hostile to Japan, and does not hesitate to use it as a long-term national policy? This is what Tanaka Yoshiichi can't figure out the most, and he doesn't know how many times he has read Yang Qiu's personal resume, and even General Fukushima Yasumasa, who is known as the father of Japanese intelligence, has participated in the study, but he has not found out why he is hostile to Japan.

It's not the time to think about this now, although Tanaka Yoshiichi secretly scolded Fumiro Konoe for being stupid. But as the prime minister of Japan, he still got up and bowed to Yang Qiu, and then bowed to Lansing, Lloyd George and others present and said: "Your Excellency Fumiro Konoe is too young, I hope you will forgive him for his recklessness." But I think there is some truth in what he said, because Japan is a small country and we can't even secure food, so I would like to ask you to think about it for our country. We, the Yamato nation, are peace-loving, and we will not follow the example of Germany in waging war, but only hope that the food and basic needs of the people can be quietly solved, so in order to show our sincerity, we in Japan are willing to return the jurisdiction of the island of Taiwan on time in accordance with the "Eight-Article Agreement." ”

"What!"

"Nope. This will not work! ”

"The island of Taiwan was bought by tens of thousands of soldiers in exchange for their lives, and if the people of China want to take it back, they must first defeat the naval warriors of the empire!" As soon as he finished speaking, the Japanese delegation behind him suddenly exploded. Even Yang Qiu and Song Ziqing suddenly shrank their pupils, and two cold stars were projected to stare at the short and thin new prime minister of Japan. Lloyd George was also surprised, he thought that Japan would struggle for a while, but he did not expect to so simply agree to return Taiwan. But no one spoke, knowing that he must have something to say, so they all pricked up their ears and waited. Tanaka cleared his throat, blinked a few times with his mouse eyes, and then lowered his eyebrows and put on a good baby's appearance: "We, Japan, have expressed enough goodwill and desire for peace, but Birch Island belonged to Russia before. The future status will need to wait for the formation of a new Russian government! Of course, we also want some compensation and hope that the island of German New Guinea will be placed under our jurisdiction. ”

Before he finished his words, Yang Qiu sighed in his heart that Japan was still reluctant to give up its colonies after all. The problem was that German New Guinea was located at the throat of the south-west Pacific, and Britain did not know how long it was tempted to take the German half. Now that he has finally killed Wilhelm II and the Ocean Fleet, how can he be willing to take it out? Although it is hindered by the Anglo-Japanese alliance agreement and the need for Japan to contain the power of China and the United States in the Pacific, it will not directly refuse. But there's an Australian shield in front of them.

Sure enough, Lloyd George's face suddenly became gloomy, and he didn't answer Tanaka Yoshiichi's request and said to Yang Qiu: "Your Excellency." Since the Government of Japan has promised to abide by the agreement reached by you last time, and His Excellency Lekmenceau, His Excellency Lansing, and Prime Minister Orlando have all promised to suspend the previous treaties, we in the British Government must also consider this matter carefully. However, on the question of the North, it will be up to you, Japan, and Russia to decide together after the new Russian government is formed. ”

"I am sure that 40,000,000 of my compatriots will cheer your decision."

Yang Qiu bowed to a few people and slowly sat down, his basic goal of the Paris Peace Conference had been achieved, as long as the announcement of the complete abolition of the unequal treaties of the Manchu Qing Dynasty was issued, even if it would take several years or even one or two decades before the final evacuation, the semi-colonial hat that had hung over China's head for half a century could finally be taken off! As for the rest of the Treaty of Versailles and Operation Rainbow, it was a complete affair for him.

When the announcement is transmitted back to China, the morale of the people will surely be greatly shaken, and if the fleet can also go back smoothly, the fate of the country will be truly in the hands of the Chinese themselves for the first time in a century! (To be continued)