On September 28, at four o'clock in the afternoon, in the Yellow Sea north of Weihaiwei, a large group of warships from various countries gathered, and the loose formation was rushing to the port.

Led by the British Far East Navy's flagship "St. John", ran at the forefront. The old hull looked like an old man in his last years, except for the military flag on the top of the mast, which proclaimed a strong self-confidence from the British Empire.

The commander, Major General Perletman, stood at the top of the bridge with his chest straight, letting the wet sea breeze blow his cheeks hard, but he refused to let his waist bend in the slightest. The curly sideburns are meticulously trimmed, which is completely in line with the old-fashioned image of the English gentleman.

He had reason to maintain such a posture, on the flanks and in the rear, but there were many Far Eastern ships from other countries moving together. As the number one leader in the world, he must maintain the dignity of the empire at all times. Especially in this enterprising action, it is necessary to give full play to it, so as to ensure that in the next carving-up carnival banquet, firmly occupy the position of the host.

On the deck of the battleship, which was bumpy and choppy, the waves smashed and swooped up, and fine droplets of water splashed on his face from time to time, pouring a salty smell into his nostrils.

Not long after he came out, the military uniform on his body was already wet, and it seemed that he had to be washed and ironed again at night.

Pelitman frowned, and made up his mind that next time he went to Tianjin, he would have to make a few more sets of this crisp material to replace. Although the Chinese hated it very much, I have to admit that the quality of the products they made is really good.

It's just that the price is a bit too expensive. Damn the Chinese guys, their business minds don't look like uncivilized barbarians at all. If it weren't for the high enough salary of the rear admiral, it would be really difficult to guarantee consumption.

It probably won't take long to think about it. Britain could swallow up the entire American concession. At that time, prices will inevitably become more "affordable". Pelitman was genuinely delighted. These days, his savings for many years are about to be emptied by his crazy family, and the tinkling gold coins continue to flow into the pockets of Chinese, which is simply robbery!

This must change, starting today!

The striking bow of the "St. John" smashes the waves and strikes forward at a speed of about ten knots. Looking at the shadowy Weihai Weijun Harbor Hill at the end of the sea level, Pelitman's hands holding the railing clenched involuntarily.

"About fifteen miles from the target! No anomalies found! ”

A loud and clear shout came from the mast, and Pelletman perked up. Raised his hand to take the telescope from the side, opened it and carefully scanned it for a full minute. Then, he raised his right hand and shouted: "Send a signal to all the warships, keep course and continue to advance." In addition, transport boats were sent to order the Chinese to disarm and prepare for the arrival of the British Imperial Navy. ”

He seemed to be announcing a command that no one should disobey, resolute and confident.

The counselor who accompanied the ship, Margery, was shocked when he heard this, and immediately took a step forward and said, "Rear Admiral, I had better be vigilant when I build a fleet. Always ready for sudden battles. From what we know, those Chinese don't seem to be tame. ”

Pelletman didn't look back at him with some unreasonableness. Proudly raised his chin and said, "I know that Mr. Counselor has followed that Prime Minister Li for a long time. But believe me, I'm not ignorant of the Chinese. That greedy rebel group has occupied an area the size of a province at once, and their army is not strong enough to defend thousands of miles of coastline! Also, remember that we represent the British Empire! ”

"That said, but I still think you have to be careful!"

Margery insisted on his own judgment. This was not only due to the fact that he had been a secretary with Li Hongzhang for a long time and knew the Chinese bureaucracy very well, but more importantly, he took the opportunity to build a huge network of social connections. Although Li Hongzhang retired and returned to his hometown to retire, there are still many foreigners who serve him. It was some words these people got from Li Hongzhang that made Margery deeply realize that Yang Hao was different from the Chinese they met!

Margery looked around, and there was not a single fishing boat in sight on the vast sea, especially the number of fishing boats that had been increasing for more than a year. He couldn't help but feel full of worry, and an ominous premonition crept into his heart.

In the face of Perletman's arrogance, Counselor Margery had to accentuate his tone: "Major General, the enemy we are facing is not afraid of the British Empire, on the contrary, he is very hateful. And the strength of their armed forces has been confirmed in battle, and I am not sure that the military fortress ahead will be defenseless. Our treaty with the Qing government, they will not recognize. ”

Pelitman curled his lips and said coldly, "That would be even more ideal." Guys who don't even abide by international conventions must be severely punished! He won't listen to your diplomats, and I'm sure the Royal Navy's artillery will teach them a full understanding of what the rules are! ”

Speaking of which, Margery knew that these proud navies would not listen to persuasion. Damn, if I knew they would be so reckless, I shouldn't have gotten on their battleship!

He looked back into the distance and saw three German warships following far behind. Relative to the ships of other countries, the position is the furthest.

Weihaiwei's fort defense system was designed and built with the help of the Germans, and the Germans knew how powerful the artillery deployed there was. They don't rush forward and learn the power of their own 280mm cannon.

As he spoke, a torpedo boat rolled up a thin white spray past the flagship and galloped away.

On Liugong Island, Ding Ruchang, who had rebuilt after his injuries had healed, climbed to the fort of Qidingshan and saw the advancing fleet clearly through the guò magnification telescope, and his heart seemed to be clenched by an invisible big hand, making him feel powerless for a while.

"It's still going to be called! How can this be good? ”

His body trembled slightly, the corners of his mouth turned white, and he looked like a master of six gods.

Ding Ruchang did not take the opportunity to leave the Beiyang Navy Division to recuperate, but it can be said that in order to repay Li Hongzhang's kindness, he stayed to see the family. It also means to help Li Jingfang.

However, as the admirals went to Yang Haiwei for rotation training, they went to Yang Haiwei in batches. The one who came back was unrecognizable. After all ships are upgraded. The composition of the crew has also been completely changed. It can be said that the entire Beiyang Naval Division was completely out of control in the first half of the year.

But at that time, Li Hongzhang was already preparing for a rapid retreat, ignoring the various warnings provided by Ding Ruchang, and letting Yang Haoye continue to encroach, and finally annexed the fleet at all.

Ding Ruchang became completely alone. If it were someone else, he would probably have quit a long time ago, anyway, there are few people in Beiyang who really admire him.

He gritted his teeth and persevered. As long as Li Hongzhang doesn't speak, even if he rots here, he will repay Li Zhongtang's kindness.

But I never expected that the situation in the Great Qing Kingdom would change abruptly! Yang Hao unexpectedly cleaned up the only little military strength of the imperial court with lightning speed. Not only did it openly raise a big banner to rebel, but the military force deployed in Shandong was even more aggressive and sharp. The front foot occupied the capital city of Jinan and forced the governor Li Bingheng to death, and the back foot counterattacked north with thousands of troops, forced Xia Xinyou to lead the people to submit, and disarmed those who were unwilling to cooperate and sent them out of the country.

Up to now, more than 10,000 soldiers and horses who once guarded the coast of Denglai have scattered. There is only one regiment of the Revolutionary Army, plus more than 2,000 people of the original Beiyang Protector Army. For a huge Weihai defense area. It's a drop in the bucket.

Yang Hao did not dismiss Ding Ruchang, but still let him serve as the commander of Weihaiwei and lead the defense work. But there is no fleet in the bay, how can they hold it with their few men?

Ding Ruchang was also a ruthless man who could fight back then, but now that he is old and has changed to the navy, the ability of half a bucket of water is not enough. In those days when he was recuperating from his illness in Tianjin, he also read a lot of advanced military books, and the more he read, the more he felt that he could no longer keep up with the form.

In the face of the surging navies of the great powers, he didn't know how to deal with it in his heart, and subconsciously turned his head to look at others.

Zhang Wenxuan, the chief soldier of the Beiyang Protector Army stationed here with him, was the brother-in-law of the Li family in Hefei. When Li Hongzhang's brothers were studying, marrying a daughter-in-law and even becoming officials, they were all sponsored by the Zhang family. Therefore, the people of the Zhang family later received special care from Li Hongzhang.

Zhang Wenxuan, as the garrison force of Weihaiwei, can be said to be Li Hongzhang's most trustworthy person. He did not take on the heavy responsibility of building the surrounding forts, and he was also a key land force subordinate to Beiyang, so he could be preserved.

Seeing Ding Ruchang's eyes, he knew that Admiral Ding had made the same old mistake in officialdom. Now that Li Zhongtang is in the wilderness, the officials of the Huai and Beiyang departments at the beginning naturally want to take Li Jingfang as their allegiance target.

When Yang Hao decided to raise the banner against the Qing Dynasty, Li Jingfang actually did not draw a clear line with the revolutionary army that the New Army had changed, which contained intriguing meanings. Zhang Wenxuan steadily stabilized the 2,000 soldiers and horses under his command, and held it strictly until the new army came to change the guard.

The imperial court decree or something, he, like Ding Ruchang, pretended not to hear it. However, in terms of decision-making on specific affairs, whoever is closer to Li Jingfang naturally has more weight.

Zhang Wenxuan grinned and said, "Lord Ding doesn't need to worry, let's just follow President Li's instructions and watch the door." It doesn't matter which country he is from, if he dares to break into Weihaiwei, he will shoot him back! ”

"Do you really want to fight?! That's the British, in case ....... ”

Ding Ruchang is still hesitating, and he has no confidence. He, the admiral of the navy, was rather aggrieved, and he had no will to fight against the strength of the British in his bones. He had the determination to die in battle with the fleet, and it was not so difficult to die in the line of duty. But can you win the hard fight against the drum with the British face to face? Even if they win, will the British be able to stop it if they retaliate?

Zhang Wenxuan was much more arrogant than him, and shouted with tiger eyes: "There is nothing in case of nothing." It's a big deal! The British have been fighting for 50 years, and Lao Tzu has been a soldier for a lifetime, and he has to fight for them to be worthy of his ancestors! ”

Ding Ruchang told him that a fire sparked in his heart, luckily, and stomped his foot heavily: "Let's go!" As soon as Zuo dies, how can I, a dignified Chinese soldier, be humiliated by the great powers again and again? Fight with them! ”

Zhang Wenxuan laughed: "That's right!" Needless to say, dead or alive, I don't believe that foreign devil is really not afraid of our cannons, and he is forced to break in! Besides, didn't the Navy say that it would rush over to clean them up? ”

The two supreme commanders did not waver, and Qi Shutang, who was in charge of communicating the news here, nodded secretly with satisfaction, after all, there were still some decent officers in the Qing army. It doesn't matter if they're greedy or not. At least in foreign warfare. It can ensure that the festival is not lost. This is a hundred times better than the clear stream in the court that can brag about anti-aircraft artillery.

At that moment, he said to the two: "Please rest assured, Commander Yang of the Navy will do what he says, and they will definitely appear on the surface of the sea when needed!" ”

It seems that there will be no surprises when the "prison army" speaks. The two adults shook their spirits, sounded the defense alarm of Weihaiwei, and all the soldiers were thrown into the forts and fortifications, ready for battle!

The British speedboats were running at great speed. After more than half an hour, they arrived at the approach area north of Liugong Island. Zhang Wenxuan immediately ordered a warning shot and sent a small boat to intercept it.

The sudden roar, and the solid shells that smashed into the distance, startled the British speedboat, but it was only a startle. Facing the sailor's dinghy that greeted him, the Chinese interpreter with a Cantonese accent pouted his lips and proudly conveyed the British ultimatum.

The people on the dinghy were descendants from Yang Haiwei's subordinates, and they had already been trained to have no fear of the real and fake foreign devils, so they took the ultimatum and glanced at it. Immediately threw it back, and shouted solemnly: "Go back and sue the British." This is where the military port of the Chinese Navy is located, and anyone who dares to approach within ten kilometers of the defense line without permission will be shelled! ”

The interpreter has been a foreign slave for a long time, and unconsciously regards himself as a superior store, and when he sees that people don't give him the slightest face, he immediately jumps like thunder, pointing at his nose and scolding: "Rammer shovel!" Are you impatient?! I warn you that you dare to threaten the emissary of the British Empire, oh ......! ”

Before he could finish speaking, the officer on the dinghy pulled out his pistol and "banged" it, knocked off half of its ear, and shouted: "Count the dick stuff that forgets the sect, get out of the way!" If you dare to force it again, you will be killed with one shot! ”

The interpreter was frightened, and he lay on the deck with a scream and did not dare to show his head, and complained to the British with a muttering mouth.

The British captain was beaten in front of him, and of course his face was not good-looking, and asked in stiff Chinese: "Are you doing this with the intention of causing a head-on conflict between the two countries?" ”

The officer replied coldly, "Aren't you here to attack us?" There is no need for mother-in-law and mother-in-law, our chief has no time to grind his teeth with you. There is a kind, just let the horse come! ”

"You're going to regret your decision!"

The British had never been treated so rudely, and they could not even see the face of the highest governor of Weihaiwei. Seeing that the naval gun on the opponent's boat, which was obviously much more powerful than his own speedboat, he drove back with a belly of anger.

It takes a lot of time to go back and forth. But when they turned back, they first raised the signal flag to the top of the mast.

Peritman really saw it from the binoculars, and he was furious: "The Chinese really don't know how to lift!" It seems that they are too satisfied with their military might! The British Empire must teach them how to be civil! ”

At the sound of an order, all the British battleships hung up their battle flags, their guns loaded with ammunition, and lined up in a horizontal formation towards Weihaiwei's menacing approach!

Margery anxiously dissuaded: "Major General, this is very inappropriate!" Once the Chinese open fire, we will suffer a big loss! ”

Pelitman shouted arrogantly, "They don't dare! No one can withstand the wrath of the Royal Navy of the British Empire! Onward, keep going! If the Chinese dare to resist, then open fire and attack! ”

Margery shook his head and sighed, "You're crazy! I will definitely report your reckless decision to the country. ”

He refused to stay in this dangerous place anymore and quickly hid in the armored command tower. At least there is a thick layer of steel plate to cover it, as long as it is not directly hit by large-caliber shells, it is much safer and more reliable.

The "St. John's" cleaved the waves and soon pushed to the 10-kilometer boundary line!

Zhang Wenxuan's round eyes stared at the other party, and seeing that the British ships had no intention of slowing down or turning, he resolutely ordered: "Fire the gun warning!" ”

"Boom!"

A 240mm flat-firing gun on the Qidingshan Fort was fired, and the whistling shells soared across the sea and fell into the water seven or eight hundred meters away from the "St. John." The splashed water column is exceptionally bright, so that all the foreign devils on the ship can see it clearly!

The smoke from the firing of such large-caliber guns is so thick that it is too conspicuous! Pelitman was taken aback, and more full of anger: "Arrogant Chinese! It's unreasonable to really dare to fire! Order the ships and fire back! ”

Several large-caliber rifled guns mounted on the front of the battleship opened fire! Dozens of shells of 150, 280 and other calibers were fired out in a mess and rushed towards Liugong Island!

The British are really coming hard!

This time, even Ding Ruchang was angry, and the previous fears in his heart disappeared without a trace, and he continued to play his usual style, sticking to the nearest command in the underground bunker of the fort.

Four 240mm guns on Flag Hill were the first to fire!

It didn't take long for the 240 and 210mm cannons on the North and South Gang batteries to join the roaring ranks!

The construction of Weihaiwei Fort cost a huge amount of money, and 58 cannons were erected, of which there were more than a dozen 240 cannons alone. These advanced steel cannons produced by Krupp have a long range and fast rate of fire, and the guns have an open firing range against the sea, and their concealment and defense are also extremely high. Unless you attack from the north by land, you will rush head-on from the sea, and you will simply be looking for death!

The billowing smoke and dust on the distant battery cooled down a lot when Pelitman was full of arrogance, and then waited until one by one the black dots smashed down to the sea, and the constantly vacating water column began to force into the ship, he was stunned when he boarded, and shouted in disbelief: "The Chinese are crazy?!" How dare they shoot! (To be continued......)