December 18, 1895, morning, Dagukou, Tianjin.

Early in the morning, large crowds began to gather near the port. The largest port in the north, which had been deserted due to the blockade of the great powers, suddenly became lively again. I couldn't figure out what national affairs and diplomatic disputes were, thinking that the big deal was coming again, maybe it was the last carnival before the winter, and they were busy pouring out of their homes, each carrying their own things and running there.

But when they arrived at the place, they found that their boss and even bigger bosses such as Zhan Liuye and others actually came to the newly expanded port early. All kinds of vehicles are densely packed in the parking lot outside the dock, and a large number of black-clad policemen are carrying guns to set up a separation line to block the more and more crowds outside.

"What do you mean? Not to mention that there is work to be done, how can you get these big people? What's wrong? ”

The reactions of the old and young masters in Tianjin were very fast, and they immediately sensed that something was wrong, and hurriedly asked the people who came early.

"I don't know, we're here just listening to the movement. Have you seen it, our master is here, isn't that just asking at the front? ”

"Hey, hey, I heard, didn't foreigners have an awkward relationship with Boss Yang a few days ago? We have no work to do, but I can't keep it all because the words are wrong, and we have to break it in two clicks? ”

"Hey! If that's the case, it's going to be a bad dish! This day has just improved a little, and if you toss it again, don't the old and young masters have to drink the northwest wind? No, you have to ask quickly! ”

"That's it, hurry up, the wives and children at home are waiting for the rice to go to the pot. Don't make that yellow ...... in this cold day. ”

In the midst of gossip. Powerful. Those who are bold and feel a little bit of identity hurriedly squeeze out a few positions and ask the police or someone to get to the bottom of it. But no matter how you ask, the other party is secretive, and there is no clear answer. This made the waiting crowd feel like dozens of rabbits in their hearts, scratching their hearts with hundreds of claws, itching and uncomfortable.

The old and young masters of Tianjin have always been busy and are not afraid of big things. In addition, major events may happen that are closely related to your livelihood, and I can't wait to hear someone who understands something to say something happy. If you can't get it, you won't give up, so the audacity began to stir up in the crowd, and the shouting became louder and louder.

At this moment, a faint cloud of smoke and dust suddenly rose from the mainland in the direction of the Tacheng District and the concession. It didn't take long for countless cars to roar one after another. The small flags fluttering in front of each car are immediately recognizable to discerning people, and this is most likely the origin of the revolutionary military government and troops. Others are more luxurious. The shiny license plate has long been memorized by the old and young masters. It is the car of the local bigwigs.

The eyes of the person standing behind who couldn't squeeze past almost popped out, and exclaimed: "I'm a good girl!" What's wrong with this? The big shots of Tianjin Wei have come out, hey, who is this going to greet? Cixi Lafayette is out of the palace, probably this is the situation, right? ”

"Shhhh Fack Lafayette, since the old ladies came to power, how many days have we ordinary people lived a comfortable life? It's not as good as Yang Ye of the military government who can understand us Zhuang people. But don't you say it, this scene is a bit big today, and it's not so lively a day, right? Last time, or did the new army come back from a victory? ”

"I said, gentlemen, you don't have a door on your mouth, don't you have a few big inner spies hidden in our pile...... It is estimated that he will not dare to come out. ”

"War? I haven't heard of a war anywhere! Isn't the revolutionary army training now? Does the court have the heart or the courage, is it a foreigner? ”

"I don't know, I'll understand it later...... Hey, don't squeeze it, people are out! ”

Rows of cars stopped one after another on the innermost floor, and guards wearing black and white steel helmets lined up on both sides, forming a dense wall of people, which made the crowd suddenly make a commotion!

Under the watchful eye, a large group of military government leaders led by Yang Hao and local celebrities and bigwigs got out of the car one after another, gathered in the parking lot for a while, and immediately walked towards the dock.

Following their march, the crowd rolled forward like a surge of lava, and an explosive message spread rapidly among them at the same time.

"The Beiyang Navy has won a great victory, destroying dozens of large warships of the four foreign devils, and today this is a victorious class!"

"Wow! That's a big move! Hey, I mean, why haven't you heard of it before? Didn't this kind of thing go out in the newspaper first? Why is it the other way around? ”

"yes, that's wrong! Something must have gone wrong in the middle, right? ”

"Hurry up and see!"

…… Fighting a war, fighting a big victory, for the people in the Beijing and Tianjin areas, this is not news. From last year to the present, the imperial army has won and lost repeatedly, and their nerves have been sharpened to be extremely tenacious. Until they won the battle against the Japanese devils, the old and young masters didn't feel too excited - little Japan, how can that figure be compared with our big China?

But this year, when the conflict with foreigners began, the atmosphere was tense. Last time, he killed ten British warships, and many people were worried until now, everyone knows that the foreign devil is doing it, and he will definitely not suffer a loss.

But I never expected that the news that suddenly came today would be so shocking, and if I didn't pay attention, I won the war again? Or a foreigner from Shikoku? The cowhide is blowing up!

Not only the onlookers, but also the celebrities from all walks of life who just got off the bus were not psychologically prepared at all. Yan Fu, who is still the editor-in-chief of "Guowen Daily", walked a few steps, caught up with Yang Hao, who was surrounded by everyone, and said angrily: "Why didn't you say something about such a big thing earlier?" Let our newspaper publicize it first, so that the people of the whole country can be happy? ”

Yang Hao smiled calmly: "I don't want to deliberately hide it, I really don't want the foreigners to be mentally prepared, wouldn't it be better to catch them off guard?" Besides, nowadays, the people are afraid of foreigners, and they create momentum in advance but can't see the truth, and rumors are inevitably flying all over the sky. In fact, I am even more worried about the rise of blind arrogance and conservative forces because of this. ”

Yan Fu's train of thought immediately brought him into the ditch, and nodded solemnly: "That's right!" Our people have been closed for too long, and we need a great destruction to completely destroy the decadent atmosphere that has accumulated for thousands of years. And now it has won again and again. They can't help but mistakenly think that those things that rest on their laurels are right. It is greatly detrimental to our implementation of the New Study and New Deal. …… Ay? Don't get off the hook. What the hell is going on this time? ”

Yang Hao showed a wry smile: "Big victory!" Twenty-one enemy ships were annihilated, eight were captured, and thousands of officers and men under Seymour, the commander-in-chief of the combined navy of the great powers, were captured! ”

"This ......!"

Yan Fuhe and the person next to him who pricked up his ears couldn't help but gasp, this news is amazing!

Everyone thinks that the warships of foreigners are generally stronger, otherwise they can turn half the world to fight the Qing Dynasty and find teeth? Especially the British, who are the world's first superpowers. I can't afford to mess with them.

The last time the ten broken ships were destroyed, everyone has seen the details announced, and it is clear that it is a team of broken ships decades ago, and a single ironclad ship can sweep them away, purely to show the prestige of Britain and exist.

But this time I'm just afraid of a difference, if the British want revenge, why do they have to take some decent big guys out, right?

Many compradors and government dignitaries of foreign banks who had cooperated with foreigners in the past heard foreigners boast about how powerful their warships were. In order to be the only Yang Hao, the alliance of various countries created an atmosphere of rebellion and separation. Deliberately taunting its amazing strength, especially a warship that represents the hegemony of the country's power. Based on this. Yan Fu and the others also know that Britain now has eight super ships with a displacement of 15,000 tons, and one of them has caught up with two ironclad ships.

This is reflected in the thinking of everyone, and it is an indisputable fact that the strength of the British is dozens of times that of the Beiyang Naval Division. They were also worried about Yang Hao before, what should they do if they provoke such an enemy? In the past month, many parties have joined forces to encircle and suppress, making the situation tense and surging, who would have expected such an astonishing turn!

This news was like a thunderbolt, which sounded in the hearts of the big guys, and then word of mouth quickly spread out of the crowd and spread throughout the port and wharf.

When the old and young masters with their necks stretched out by three inches heard this, they were stunned, and then the noisy discussion was as noisy as if it had blown up a hornet's nest!

"Twenty-one battleships destroyed!"

"Eight more! Ranks, since the Qing Dynasty was established, there have been so many battles with foreigners, have there been such big victories? ”

Everyone's head shook like a rattle, don't say they haven't heard it, and those who spread rumors and make up nonsense don't dare to say that! The cowhide is blowing the sky!

There are only a few boats in the entire Beiyang Naval Division, and there are not enough to count, so it is really hard to believe that he can not make this statement. Could it be that the warships of the foreign devils are still those bird-like rags from before?

Many people can only think about this. But looking at the posture in front of them, they didn't dare to be calm, Yang Hao and the big shots of the military government came forward, obviously it's not that simple!

For a while, countless people's hearts were full of anxiety, filled with the desire to see the real situation with their own eyes, but also mixed with a trace of worry about the outcome. When you really make such a big victory, you don't know if it's a blessing or a curse. Foreign devils, can that be easy to deal with?

The noise of the audience was much lower.

Dagukou in December is not far from freezing. In previous years, at this time, the last ships generally gathered to unload, and then most of them stopped in the south of the Yangtze River, and the people in Tianjin also began to enter the winter with little work to do. In the past month's business war, only the ships of the Yang family and the Yanhua Chamber of Commerce have entered and exited, and the foreign countries are basically invisible.

Looking out from the pier, the sea is cold and lonely.

But it didn't take long for a gray smoke to rise, and then the sharp-eyed people noticed that masts were rising from the sea level! After a while, the figures of dozens of warships came from far and near, like dragons rising from the water, showing a majestic posture, majestic momentum, and forcing people to come!

"It's coming, it's coming! It's really a naval warship! ”

"That's a lot, more than the previous sailors. How does that look different? ”

"I don't look right, and you see, there are no young and old people there with white flags, are they really captives?"

"It's weird, I've never seen a foreigner hang a white flag in my life...... It's going to be a changer! ”

Chirping, whispering, buzzing noisy.

After all, I can't see much with the naked eye. The vast majority of people can only guess.

Yan Fu and others are expected to have telescopes available. I hurriedly grabbed it and took a closer look. I saw a sailor cruiser opening the way. Behind is a majestic ship that follows one by one, and it is mighty and mighty, the speed is not slow, and the flag is full of domineering.

But these ships are completely different from the Beiyang sailors in their concept!

Yan Fu knew a lot of things, and asked Yang Hao in surprise: "This is the modified battleship?" It's really different! ”

Not to mention anything else, the low frustration tower and outrageous large mast that had been embedded in every battleship in the past. Now it's the other way around. The obviously much majestic van bridge, the mainmast and chimney that were integrated into it, the change from a low freeboard to a high freeboard, and so on, cannot be said to be unrecognizable, at least reborn.

Yang Hao smiled and nodded: "If it weren't for a major overhaul and an exponential increase in the performance of the equipment, how could we easily defeat the powerful navies of the Western powers?" All victories didn't come easily. ”

Yan Fu was born in the navy after all, and he was immediately interested, so he couldn't help but grab Yang Hao and ask for details.

It will take a long time for the fleet to sail over, and Yang Hao and the others have nothing to do. Just do a rough understanding first. However, he doesn't have to bother about this matter personally, and his own naval officers follow the standard of secrecy. The big men who listened attentively began to explain the details of the warships on both sides.

When he heard that the main guns of his battleship had all been raised to a rate of fire of one shot a minute, Yan Fu couldn't help but stroke his palms and laugh: "Wonderful! Wonderful! This advantage alone is enough to increase the strength of our navy several times! Coupled with the increase in range and accuracy, with the ability of two ironclad ships, it is comparable to the top battleships of the British! There was no fluke in winning this battle! ”

The rate of fire of artillery was an extremely impressive and important indicator in the Sino-Japanese naval battle. If it weren't for Yang's action, the Beiyang Naval Division would have been beaten into a sieve by the Japanese rapid-fire artillery, and it would have been defeated and lost.

Then there is the speed, which is also the key to this victory. Every warship dispatched by the Beiyang Navy has increased its speed to more than 18 knots, which is a very obvious advantage compared with the gap between the lowest 14 knots and the maximum 18 knots of the alliance forces of the great powers. Coupled with the suddenness and initiative of mobility and operations, and the convergence of various factors, it is not difficult to sum up many clues to this victory.

This is also Yang Hao's intention to let the wind outward, so that people of insight across the country can seriously see that the victory of the war has never been blown out by a wise and powerful man who can say two big words. The victories of the Beiyang Naval Division over the past year or so have been based on technological innovation and weapon upgrades, and resting on one's laurels will only lead to a fiasco.

However, he can only do his best, and he can only be cautiously optimistic about the effect.

Not to mention the end of the 19th century, when the news was blocked, but in the 21st century, when the Internet was developed, those people who soaked in the Internet all day long could obviously obtain countless information, but they were still brain-dead to pursue all kinds of fake news concocted by the so-called public elites, and even cult nonsense?

In an era when there are too few access to information, people are easily deceived because of the lack of references. The reason why the evil ways of rebellion in the past dynasties and dynasties were able to survive was mostly because of the control of the literati class on the channels for obtaining cultural knowledge and the ignorance of excessive control over social status.

In the era of too much information, because of the lack of ideological control and education, the people have not cultivated the ability to think rationally and discriminately, and they simply give up their own choice under the impact of flood-like information, and thus become puppets who are at the mercy of others and manipulate without knowing it.

What is even more sad is that the concept of "saints" and "wise men" has been pursued for thousands of years, so that most Chinese habitually attribute certain achievements that were originally the wisdom of the broad masses of the people to one or two leading figures, and even exaggerate their meritorious role unprincipledly, but instead put a shackle on themselves.

This kind of far-reaching thinking has been influential for thousands of years from ancient times to the present, from the pursuit of literati and doctors to assist the "holy monarch" to create a prosperous era, and then a small group has infinitely highlighted its leading role, forming a promiscuity that has spread throughout the nation. Several attempts to break it have failed, and it cannot but be said that it is the sorrow of human civilization.

Yang Hao himself is not that great, but he must strictly follow the standards of creating an era of civilization, progress, openness and wisdom, and pay attention to the impact of his words and deeds. In the past, he was just an unknown bottom of society, so he naturally couldn't realize it. Now, he is a revolutionary leader who is well-known in the world, so he has to be careful not to be praised on the altar of the gods, and he really becomes a mud puppet fooled by the literati class, then it is called a joke!

In the copywriting of the naval officers' speeches, they repeatedly emphasized the tremendous role brought about by technological innovation, and tried to be as objective as possible in the command of combat units, so as not to make people feel like watching "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" lightly. At every turn, a few big figures are far-sighted, strategizing, calling for wind and rain to scatter beans into soldiers, and at once erase the huge gap in strength between the two sides. It's ridiculous.

Despite this, when the technical presentation was completed, everyone present still couldn't help but praise Yang Hao and congratulated Yang Hao.

Yang Hao smiled bitterly, so he had to drag Yan Fu to tell him again and again, and he must implement this concept when the newspaper media promotes it in the future.

The content of their conversations was selectively disseminated in batches to the people who came to watch, and they were suspicious and suspicious in the province. A piece of news similar to a secret story quickly caused a stack of exclamations, and many readers even remembered the information on the number of ships of the Beiyang Navy Division announced last year.

Unconsciously, an hour passed, and the majestic ship group finally drove closer, and when the "Dingyuan" slowly approached the shore dock, the graceful posture of the larger circle snatched everyone's attention!

Yang Hao stepped forward and saluted solemnly with Liu Buyun, who was slowly coming down, then shook hands warmly, and said with a smile: "Hard work!" ”

Liu Buyun couldn't hide his excitement, and said loudly: "Fortunately, I didn't disgrace my life!" (To be continued......)

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