In the central part of the East China Sea, six battleships of the First Battleship Detachment of the Combined Fleet are searching this sea area, looking for traces of the Chinese Navy's broken fleet. On the flagship battleship 'Katori', the commander of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Goro Ijiin, had a gloomy face.

For several days, they did not even touch a single hair of the Chinese Navy's broken fleet, but kept spreading the news that merchant ships and transport ships had been sunk, which made Admiral Goro Ijiin under too much pressure. Originally, he also wanted to use a clean victory to accumulate military merits for him, accumulate more political capital, and prepare for him after he stepped down as commander of the Combined Fleet. However, this time he was overwhelmed by the Chinese Navy, which undoubtedly frustrated his plans.

"Your Excellency, Commander, a telegram from the Admiralty." The captain of the battleship Katori personally sent a telegram to Admiral Goro Ijiin. These days, because of the bad things in the war, General Ijiin Goro is very short-tempered, and some low-ranking officers are inevitably affected by the pond fish, so that the other officers are a little afraid. Therefore, the captain of the battleship "Katori", Mano Sajiro, had to go up in person.

Ijiin Goro nodded, took the telegram and looked at it. Then, his face became even more ugly.

"Yaga, His Majesty the Emperor has paid attention to our actions, what a shame! I swear that I will catch the Chinese people's broken fleet and sink them all. Ijiin Goro roared viciously.

The telegram was sent by the Admiralty, and Minister of the Navy Saito Minoru claimed that Emperor Meiji was very dissatisfied with the performance of the Combined Fleet, and asked the Combined Fleet to find a way to destroy the Chinese Navy's broken fleet as soon as possible, alleviate the crisis at home, and strive for victory for the Japanese Empire.

This telegram made the pressure on Goro Ijiin even greater. Though. The emperor is only a symbol in Japan and does not have much substantive power. However, the current Meiji Emperor has long been deified and has great influence in Japan. If Emperor Meiji was dissatisfied with the performance of the Combined Fleet, then he, as the commander of the Combined Fleet, was he. There is no doubt that the career will be greatly affected.

"Send a telegram to Admiral Shigetaro Yoshimatsu asking if he has any news of the Shina fleet there. In addition, in contact with the British fleet and the French fleet, we need more and more detailed intelligence support. General Goro Ijiin ordered.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Mano Sajiro Osa nodded and hurriedly went to give the order.

In order to avoid being broken by the Chinese Navy's broken fleet, the main forces of the Japanese Navy's combined fleet were concentrated as much as possible. The 1st Battleship Detachment, the 2nd Battleship Detachment and the Armored Cruiser Detachment. They all act separately. But in this case, if you want to search for traces of the Chinese Navy's broken fleet on the vast sea, it will undoubtedly be looking for a needle in a haystack.

An hour later, Mano Sajiro Osa once again reported to Admiral Goro Ijiin: "Commander, we have received the latest news that the broken fleet of the people of China has returned to the port of Arthur one after another. This morning, a cruiser of the British Navy spotted their tracks off the coast of the Liaodong Peninsula. Our destroyers. I also rushed to confirm. ”

"Damn, I said I couldn't find any trace of those people. It turns out that they have all fled back! It must have been all our main forces dispatched, and those people knew that they were invincible, so they fled. Ijiin Goro made up his own brain.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander. Although the speed of the Chinese people's broken fleet is fast, its strength is too weak after all. In the face of the encirclement and suppression of our main forces. They had no place in the East China Sea, so they had to flee. Mano Sajiro Osa hurriedly followed the words of General Goro Ijiin. Although, in his own opinion, the withdrawal of the Chinese Navy's broken fleet is actually due to the need to return to Hong Kong for supplies. But in order to please Goro Ijiin. That's all he can say.

"Well, Mano-kun, you're right. However, did the people of China think that if they escaped back to Lushun, they would be able to escape? It's a joke. The 2nd Battleship Detachment and the Panzer Cruiser Detachment were ordered to rush to Arthur at once. This time, we must block all the warships of the Chinese people in the military port, so that they will not have a chance to leave the port again. General Goro Ijiin said.

In this case, the Chinese Navy's broken fleet would not be able to go to sea, let alone attack Japan's sea transportation lines. And they can finally make a case to the cabinet, to Emperor Meiji, and to all the Japanese people.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Mano Sajiro Osa nodded and immediately went to give the order.

After receiving the order, the six battleships of the Second Battleship Detachment of the Combined Fleet of the Japanese Navy, and the remaining six armored cruisers of the armored cruiser detachment, sailed towards the port of Arthur one after another, intending to block them there before the Chinese Navy's broken fleet left the port again. That way, they would at least have to worry about the Chinese navy threatening Japan's sea lines.

As for how to destroy the Chinese Navy, the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy has not yet thought about it. When the time comes, they will have a lot of ways to deal with the Chinese Navy. After all, it is the most important thing to solve the threat of the Chinese Navy to Japan's sea transport lines now.

"Mano-kun, after we block the navy of the Shina people in the Port of Arthur, how can we force them to go to sea to fight us? After all, if they have been hiding in the military harbor and protected by those new coastal defense guns, we will have nothing to do with them. Ijiin Goro frowned. During the Russo-Japanese War, they were able to take the Lushun Fortress entirely by relying on the army to bypass the front of the Arthur Fortress and attack from the flank. However, the combat strength of the Chinese Army is no worse than that of the Japanese Army, and it is even stronger. If Japan wants to win with its army, I am afraid it will not be so easy.

"Your Excellency, Commander, if the Chinese navy does not come out to fight us, then we can launch an attack on the coastal cities of the Chinese people, so as to force them to come out and fight us. In this case, they have no choice. Once the Shina Navy goes to sea to fight us, then we will win. Mano Mijiro suggested.

"It's a good idea. However, an attack on the coastal cities of China would probably be strongly opposed by the British. Ijiin Goro said. After all, the British were vehemently opposed to the expansion of the war by the Japanese.

"Your Excellency, Commander, we are doing this entirely to force the people of China to fight a decisive battle with us. I'm sure the British will understand. What's more, it can be completely handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to talk to the British, and it has nothing to do with us. Mano said.

Ijiin Goro nodded: "Okay, let's do it." Go to the sea off Lushun first, and if the people of China avoid fighting without fighting, then we will force them to come out for a decisive battle. ”

"Yes, Commanders." Mano Sakujiro Osa nodded.

On the morning of February 2, 4608 (10), the last of the eight formations of the Imperial Navy's broken fleet returned to the port of Arthur. The official formation of the 'Longyao' battlecruiser and the 'Yiyi' destroyer led by Admiral Cheng Biguang returned. Wu Haoxuan, the crown prince of the empire, personally went to the dock to greet Admiral Cheng Biguang's triumph.

"See His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." After Admiral Cheng Biguang and others got off the ship, they saluted Wu Haoxuan.

"General Cheng, you have worked hard." Wu Haoxuan said.

"Your Highness." Admiral Cheng Biguang and others hurriedly said.

Subsequently, several people returned to the naval headquarters and began to discuss the situation of the war.

"Your Highness, this time our battle to break diplomatic relations has hurt the Japanese. The main forces of their combined fleet have all been taken by us to go around in circles in the East China Sea. Although we did not sink many of their warships, we did lose a lot of their merchant ships and transports. Admiral Cheng Biguang said.

"Well, the operation of breaking the fleet did inflict heavy losses on the Japanese. However, in order to truly defeat the Japanese, it is still necessary to defeat the combined fleet of the Japanese. Wu Haoxuan said. Defeating the Combined Fleet is the most fundamental way.

Admiral Cheng Biguang nodded, indeed, attacking merchant ships and transport ships is just a palliative rather than a cure. Without the right to control the sea, don't really want to trap the Japanese.

"Your Highness, this time, the main force of the combined fleet of the Japanese is rushing towards Arthur, isn't it just in time for us to have a decisive battle with them? We have been ready for a long time, and if we fight a decisive battle, the final victory will definitely be ours. Admiral Sa Zhen said confidently.

"Well, that's right. We've been waiting for this day for a long, long time. Wu Haoxuan said. Since the defeat in the Sino-Japanese Naval Battle, the Chinese have been waiting for a day when they can be disgraced. Now, that day is finally coming.

On the afternoon of 3 February, the main forces of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy gathered in the waters off the Port of Arthur. Because the main force of the Imperial Navy was in the harbor, the Combined Fleet had no choice but to wait more than 20 nautical miles away from the Port of Arthur to prevent the Imperial Navy from sending a fleet to the sea to attack Japan's sea transportation lines.

After ascertaining this information, the Imperial Navy immediately prepared for a counterattack according to the predetermined plan.

In the early hours of February 4, the submarine group of the Imperial Navy was the first to leave the military port. Under the cover of night, they will slowly leave the military port, approach the outer defense circle of the combined fleet, and then dive inward, close to the main fleet of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy, and launch an attack from underwater, inflicting heavy losses on the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy in one fell swoop, and making the greatest efforts to change the balance of strength between the two sides. (To be continued.) )

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