Xiao Zhenlei's order of four warships in the United States was a very secret matter, and this matter was still unknown to the outside world until now, until Xiao Zhenlei and his party returned from the United States and brought back two battleships of the Qinhuang-class and two battlecruisers of the Hanhuang-class and appeared in Chinese waters and appeared in the port of Tianjin.

China's sudden addition of two battleships and two battlecruisers had little impact on Western countries, and the Entente led by Britain and France and the Allied powers led by Germany and Austria were only surprised, the distance between the two sides was too far, and a few more Chinese warships would have little effect on them.

But the sudden addition of four warships stimulated the nerves of Tsarist Russia and the Japanese, Tsarist Russia was okay, although Nicholas II was shocked after hearing the news, but there was no too violent reaction, Tsarist Russia no longer has a fleet in the Far East, only one cruiser and some small-tonnage offshore patrol ships in Vladivostok, anyway, now that war has been declared on Japan, these ships are huddled in the port of Vladivostok, and they are not afraid of being attacked by the Chinese fleet.

The Japanese are extremely sensitive to this matter, for no other reason, but because Japan is too close to China, and Japan is a maritime country, and its navy is the first in Asia, close to the third largest in the world.

Now that four large warships have suddenly been added, and there are two of the most advanced battleships and two battlecruisers in the world, plus the six cruisers that were officially put into service after the successful sea trials some time ago, the Chinese Navy is almost incomparable.

And Japan's most advanced warship now is the battlecruiser Kongo, which has only been sailed back from Britain for a short time, but this battle cruiser is a little worse than the Hanhuang-class Hanwu and Liu Xiu in terms of performance and firepower. Although Japan also had several battleships, these battleships have become old-fashioned battleships. The difference in firepower and protection is too far apart, and even the two newly built and launched dreadnoughts of Japan, the Kawachi and the Settsu, have a displacement of only 21,800 tons. The caliber of the main gun is only 305 mm, and the armor is much weaker than the Qinhuang-level Yingzheng and Ying-4. As for the other warships, needless to say, in terms of cruisers, the six cruisers built by China itself are much higher than the cruisers of the current Japanese fleet in terms of performance and combat capability, and are better than the current cruisers of the British.

In terms of ship performance and combat capabilities. The Japanese fleet has lagged behind, and the only thing that the Japanese navy still maintains its superiority in is the size of the navy and the number of ships, which cannot be compared with the Chinese navy.

June 10, Japan, Admiralty, Cabinet of Ministers of the Navy Rokuro Yashiro's Office.

Due to the general resignation of the Yamamoto Gonbei cabinet due to the Siemens incident, Yuzaburo Kato, the successor of the Minister of the Navy, fell out with the planned next Prime Minister Kiyoura Keigo in order to ensure the budget of the Navy's 88th Fleet. Saito had no choice but to nominate Rokuro Yashiro, who had no connection with the center of Japan, as his successor. Hoping to rely on his incorruptibility to tide the navy through the difficulties, Yashiro Rokuro became the Minister of the Navy in Okuma's Shigenobu cabinet.

Rokuro Yashiro appointed Kantaro Suzuki, the former director of the Navy Personnel Bureau, as vice chief of the Navy, and Shinyuki Akiyama as the director of the Military Affairs Bureau. In the hope of restoring his naval authority, he used the personnel powers of the Minister of the Navy, despite the advice of two naval elders, Yoshishin Inoue and Heihachiro Togo. The two generals, Gonbei Yamamoto and Minoru Saito, were put into the reserve. In order to weaken the influence of Lieutenant General Biao of the Ministry of Finance, three major generals, Kuroi Tsujiro, Nomaguchi Kaneo, and Tochiuchi Sojiro, who were old qualifications, were promoted to important posts. He also drove all the admirals who had a close relationship with Yamamoto out of the naval headquarters.

Fifty-five-year-old Rokuro Yashiro, dressed in a crisp navy uniform, took the information handed over by his secretary and read it, and was furious. He slapped the table and stood up and said angrily: "Yaga Yalu, the great cunning of the Chinese people, they actually secretly ordered two battleships and two battlecruisers from the United States behind our back, shameless and hateful!" ”

"Hey!" The secretary saw that Yashiro Rokuro was angry, and he was so frightened that he trembled.

Yashiro Rokuro continued to attack: "Also, why did the people of China order these four battleships from the United States, and everyone held a meeting with the battleships, and we didn't know until now?" What does the naval intelligence department do to eat, it's a bunch of rice buckets, waste, and Yagaya deer! ”

"Hey!" The secretary was so scared that she was about to pee.

Yashiro Rokuro lost his temper, took a breath, lit a cigarette and smoked, stopped to look at the cigarette in his hand, and scolded: "Yaga, the people of China are really bad, and they actually produce this kind of cigarette with excellent taste to make money from our Great Japanese Empire!" ”

The secretary almost couldn't hold back, quickly clamped his legs, and said, "Hi! ”

Yashiro Rokuro wanted to throw away the cigarette in his hand, but he was reluctant, this cigarette was expensive, it was a pity to lose it, think about the hateful person of China, but the cigarette produced is indeed not comparable to domestic cigarettes, after a few more puffs, he waved his hand to the secret and said: "Go and prepare, I want to visit the Prime Minister!" ”

"Hey!" The secretary breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly ran out to solve the physiological needs.

Half an hour later, Rokuro Yashiro met Shigenobu Okuma.

Okuma Shigenobu looked at Yashiro Rokuro and asked, "Yashiro, you are not in the Admiralty to rectify and restore the reputation of the Navy, is there anything you have to do with me?" ”

"Hey!" Yashiro Rokuro knelt in front of Okuma Shigenobu, bowed his head, raised his head and took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over: "Prime Minister, this is a secret telegram sent by the naval intelligence department in China, you see, the people of China quietly purchased four battleships from the United States, including two battleships and two battlecruisers, these are the latest battleships, even the combat performance of those two battlecruisers is better than our best Kongo battlecruiser!" ”

Okuma Shigenobu took the telegram and looked at it with a solemn expression, and asked coldly: "Everyone has bought the battleship back, why did your naval intelligence department only get the news now?" Now let me see if this is still useful? You can't let me go and tell the people of China to scuttle those four warships, can you? ”

Yashiro Rokuro lowered his head in shame when he said this, and Okuma Shigenobu also knew that Hachishiro Rokuro could not be blamed for this matter. After all, he and Yashiro Rokuro have just taken office, and they are both cleaning up the mess left behind by taking office. He thought for a moment and said, "You came to see me today to ask me to approve the funding of the 88 shipbuilding plan, right?" ”

Yashiro Rokuro hurriedly said, "Yes, Prime Minister." You see, now, in terms of the quality of ships, we are far behind, we are only better than the people of China in terms of quantity and scale, if we do not continue the 88 shipbuilding plan, in two years the China Navy will not only be stronger than China in terms of quality, but even surpass China in scale, and then what will we use to balance China? Will the people of China come to us to avenge the First Sino-Japanese Naval War? My lord, we have to guard against it! ”

Okuma Shigenobu frowned when he heard this, because of the Siemens incident. A big scandal has broken out in the navy, and now that the funds for the construction of new ships are approved, wouldn't it be a gunshot hit? However, if it is not approved, it will not work, as Yashiro Rokuro said, if the Japanese Navy stops, it will be fully surpassed by the Shina Navy in another two years, and it will be too late to regret it at that time!

After thinking for a few minutes, Okuma Shigenobu said to Yashiro Rokuro, "I want to discuss this matter with other cabinet members." I'll let you know when the time comes, so go back first! ”

Yashiro Rokuro also knew that this matter was in a hurry, so he could only get up and salute and leave. And after Shigenobu Okuma waited for Rokuro Yashiro to leave, he also went out quickly. He had to report the situation to the Japanese elders such as Aritomo Yamaguchi and follow their instructions.

??????

Huaguo, Jingshi. Presidential palace.

Xiao Zhenlei, who had just returned to China and had not had time to rest, had already entered the state of work again, and it was only a few days before the outbreak of World War I in history. He really doesn't have time to rest, and he still has a lot of work to do. Even his wife Wang Yanan is about to give birth, and he has no time to accompany him.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells??????".

Xiao Zhenlei picked up the phone and said, "Hey? ”

On the phone, there was a call from the secretary Xiao Gao: "President, the Japanese Minister to China Hichiki wants to see you!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei frowned and said, "Sue him, if he has something, go to the diplomatic department!" Can he, a little minister, see me whenever he wants? I'm so worthless as a big president? ”

Xiao Gao was shocked into a cold sweat when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, yes, I'll tell you!" ”

When he got off work, Xiao Zhenlei looked up at the wall clock on the wall, it was dinner time, he had to go back early, and there were still two pregnant women waiting at home.

After ringing the bell on the table, Xiao Gao quickly came over and asked, "President, do you want to go back?" ”

"Well, you go and prepare!" Xiao Zhenlei waved his hand as he cleaned up.

"Yes!" Xiao Gao hurriedly agreed and went out.

After a few minutes, the two of them came down from the upper floor to the first floor under the protection of the guards, when a person came over briskly from the side and shouted: "Your Excellency President, I am Rizhiyi, please give me a little time, I have something very important to talk to you!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei turned his head to look at Xiao Gao: "Why is he still here?" ”

Xiao Gao couldn't help but smile bitterly, "President, I have already informed him to let him go to the diplomatic department, but he just won't leave, I was afraid of disturbing your work, so I didn't tell you!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei waved his hand, took out his pocket watch and looked at it, and said to Ri Zhiyi: "Okay, you have three minutes!" ”

When Hichiki Yi heard this, he immediately straightened up and said: "Your Excellency, on behalf of our government, I would like to express my solemn protest to your country, why did your country secretly buy warships from the United States without knowing our country?" If you do not want to cause a conflict between the two countries, you must immediately apologize to our country, announce the cessation of the future shipbuilding plan, and allow our country to send personnel to your country's major shipyards to supervise! ”

Xiao Zhenlei raised his eyebrows and asked, "Are you finished?" ”

"That's it!"

Xiao Zhenlei said to Xiao Gao: "You will say hello to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tomorrow, and ask them to send a telegram to the embassy in Tokyo, Japan, and ask the minister in Japan to find Shigenobu Okuma, saying that Minister Hizhi Yi is sick and needs treatment, and ask him to send someone to take Mr. Hizhi Yi back and send him to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, he is not lightly ill!" ”

Xiao Gao couldn't help but smile and agreed: "Yes, big president!" (To be continued......) R1292