In late January, as tensions in Hawaii intensified, China, Britain, France, and the United States all stepped up their concerns about the Hawaiian archipelago country.

After learning that the Chinese Empire had sent troops to Hawaii, they still sent two warships to Hawaii to deal with the situation, even though the civil war at home had just ended, the whole United States was in the process of post-war recovery, and the army was also largely reduced.

Although Britain and France also keep an eye on it, they are different from the Americans, and for them, Hawaii is at most a relatively rich Pacific island country, and it does not have much strategic position.

So France only symbolically transferred a warship from the western Pacific nearby.

Although the British are not more concerned than France, Britain is the world leader, and there are many warships, and two warships arrive at any word.

Thus, in just two months, five British, French, and American warships arrived in Hawaii!

In response, the Imperial Chinese Navy also reinforced, in addition to the two warships that entered Hawaii at the beginning, two more warships.

The ships of the countries mentioned above are only warships, and do not include some armed merchant ships, or logistical support vessels such as coal carriers.

If these ships are added, the Hawaiian task force of the Chinese Empire consisted of four warships, two low-armed transports, and two coal carriers. There were eight ships in total, and interestingly, one of the coal carriers was an American ship.

However, when the American shipowner discovered that the Chinese Navy was showing signs of war with the American Navy. Although he personally wants to make money, he doesn't want to get into any trouble. Immediately said he wanted to leave.

And Guo Yi naturally won't let them go easily, the coal on this ship is a must for the fleet.

Therefore. After some negotiations, the Imperial Pacific Trading Company stepped forward and directly purchased the coal carrier, so that the ship was flown with the Imperial naval flag and painted with the new name of the Pacific Trading Company: 'Oahu'.

In this Hawaiian conflict, the Pacific Trading Company fully demonstrated the advantages of the royal family and its responsibilities.

When the military was in need, they did not hesitate to contribute their strength, and the Yuxiang has been firmly on the side of the military since November last year. In the face of the navy's call-up, he did not complain, and even took the initiative to purchase a large number of supplies and even ships to maintain the military presence of the imperial navy in Hawaii.

If you do the math, the Pacific Trading Company has paid at least more than 200,000 yen because of the situation in Hawaii, and this cost is increasing day by day.

However, they did not have to worry about incurring huge losses, because the Pacific Trading Company's capital would eventually be paid by the Navy.

The requisitioned Yuxiang and the Vahu. The Navy will compensate according to the time of requisition, and the Navy will also bid for the various military supplies purchased by the Pacific Trading Company before.

In this case, the company will not suffer much loss!

As China, Britain, the United States, and France continue to send warships to Hawaii. This has led to further tensions in the region.

Throughout the second half of December and January, Hawaii's homes were like a taut bowstring, which was tense for a long time. Naturally, something unexpected happens.

On January 29, the U.S. wooden steam warship Hunter, anchored outside the harbor of Honolulu, was reduced to a dangerous threshold due to the fresh water and coal on board. Therefore, they wanted to enter the port of Honolulu for resupply.

However, this request was rejected by the current king of Hawaii, Kalahava, who was supported by the Chinese Empire!

You can't refuse this. The Hawaiian task force of the Chinese Empire is now fighting against the warships of Britain, France and the United States, how can it be possible for their warships to be resupplied in the port of Honolulu.

The problem is that Britain, the United States and France do not recognize the legitimacy of the Kalahawa regime, they still believe that Kavahameha V is the rightful king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and they also say that they have obtained the permission of Kalahamiha V!

Immediately afterwards, the American warship wanted to forcibly break into the port, and at this time, the Chinese Imperial Navy naturally would not be indifferent.

Immediately dispatched to intercept the warship!

Of course, under the pretext that the Imperial Navy had received a request from the Kingdom of Hawaii to assist them in protecting their national security, and even a few representatives of the Kingdom of Hawaii were on board the Imperial Navy, well, all of them were close associates of Karahava.

In the afternoon of the same day, when the U.S. warships ignored the warnings of the Imperial Navy and insisted on intruding into the port of Honolulu, the Imperial Minister to the United States and the plenipotentiary representative for Hawaiian affairs, who was in charge of coordinating the overall situation in Hawaii, immediately ordered the Hawaiian task force to carry out a certain degree of fire interception without the slightest reason.

Immediately, Colonel Guo Yi, who received the order, personally commanded the fleet and stopped two American warships outside the harbor that were trying to forcibly break into the harbor, and then the Ningbo fired warning shots at the US warships.

However, in these years, communications were backward, communication between the two sides was seriously lacking and greatly delayed, and the situation was so tense that although the Ningbo was fired as a warning, it was considered by the Americans to be a real shelling.

Immediately, the two warships of the United States also began to fight back!

Of course, because of the small number and small number of artillery, the American warships did not dare to continue to break in, but retreated while firing back!

Colonel Guo Yi looked at the American warship fleeing towards the sea off the port, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but show a sneer: With this bit of strength, I still want to resist my fleet!

This short-lived, firefight, which did not cause any casualties, caused huge waves!

After this exchange of fire, Shi Yezhi, the plenipotentiary of Hawaiian affairs, was not optimistic about the future situation, and he had clearly underestimated the determination of Britain, the United States, and France, especially the Americans.

It is clear that for the sake of Hawaii, the Americans would dare to wage a real war with the Empire!

And this lack of optimism soon became a reality!

February 2, 1866. That is, after a skirmish between the Hawaiian task force and a warship sent to Hawaii by the United States, King Cavhamiha V of Hawaii announced the hiring of mercenaries. It is necessary to destroy the rebellion and restore the rule.

The two U.S. warships immediately announced that they had accepted the employment of Carvahameha V and became mercenaries of the ostensible Kingdom of Hawaii.

At the same time. Britain and France are also a little unable to sit still, and want to further intervene in the situation in Hawaii, but the current situation in Hawaii is a little tense, and the Chinese Empire is obviously willing to fight a war to control this archipelago country, if there is a full-scale colonial conflict with the Chinese Empire because of Hawaii, it is likely to affect the Asian region.

When the time comes, it will annoy the Chinese Empire, and it is estimated that the Chinese Empire will abandon the policy of many years before, and then announce a direct invasion of Hong Kong, or even directly send troops to South Khi, Vietnam, to support Lin Chengting to send troops to Burma again.

Although it is said that Britain and France are not afraid of the challenge of the Chinese Empire at that time. But that's not a good thing.

For the sake of a Hawaii, and Hawaii that it cannot get by itself, a full-scale colonial conflict with the Chinese Empire is more than worth the loss.

So they didn't act directly!

Instead, he tacitly changed the flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and then signed a contract of employment with Kavahameha V, which stipulated that Kavahameha V would contribute some money and hire them to help him suppress the rebellious Kalahava forces.

In the content of the contract, there is no word about the Chinese Empire at all!

Britain, the United States and France changed their faces and became mercenaries, and soon launched a formal operation!

It is worth noting. Although these actions were organized by the Americans, the actual military operations were not the responsibility of the Americans, and in front of the British, the Americans were not yet qualified for this.

Under the command of a British lieutenant colonel. The five small fleets, which had been temporarily flown with the flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii, once again launched an attack on the port, this time not forcing a hard break, but first shelling the batteries on the periphery of the port.

In the face of the attack of the British, French and American fleets. Now Shi Yezhi is already riding a tiger, although he is already a little panicked after hearing the news. But he also knew very well that there was no way back for him.

It is impossible for you to take the initiative to regress no matter what!

He came to Hawaii. was instructed by Lin Zhe in a telegram, that is, no matter how things develop, he must achieve the goal set by Lin Zhe for him and take Hawaii.

In addition to this factor, it is also related to other aspects.

For the sake of the situation in Hawaii, the empire has already paid a lot, the navy alone has sent four warships, more than 500 marines, and in the military operation that lasted for more than three months, the military expenditure has reached hundreds of thousands, and the navy alone has paid more than 150,000 yuan to the Pacific Trading Company for ships and materials.

The huge cost and the risk of diplomatic tensions with Britain, France and the United States laid the foundation for the current situation in Hawaii, if Shi Yezhi temporarily retreated now, he can imagine that the career of this life will be over, and even after returning to China, he may be sent to court for reasons such as fleeing.

Although the Chinese Empire has carried out the industrial revolution in recent years, and a large number of new things have poured into this nascent empire, this empire still maintains a very strong tradition.

Even if Lin Zhe doesn't like it, Western culture still can't invade Chinese tradition!

The empire vigorously develops the navy, for many imperial military and political dignitaries, not to ensure the so-called overseas interests, but for the dignity of the empire, which can be seen from the attitude of the cabinet towards naval construction, although many civilian officials in the cabinet like to compress military spending, but on the other hand, they also think: the empire still needs a strong navy, otherwise it will lose the dignity of the **** country.

Face is more important than profit!

At the same time, the empire takes the territory very seriously!

The whole world is not the king's land, this territory is not the state's, not the officials', but the emperor's!

The emperor's territory must not be given up without authorization, and abandoning the city and fleeing is an absolutely unacceptable behavior in the imperial political arena.

When he signed a treaty with Kalahava and accepted the Kingdom of Hawaii as a vassal state of the Chinese Empire, the Kingdom of Hawaii became an integral part of the Chinese Empire, and the ownership of the Hawaiian Islands had been vested in His Majesty the Emperor, and it was impossible for Shi Yezhi to give it up. (To be continued.) )