"My lord, since Zixiang's battlefleet made contact with the Russians, it has been 3 days since the Russian fleet was discovered." Yang Yonglin said after taking a report to Xu Jie.

"That means that the Russians have fled from our reconnaissance range. That's a good thing. Xu Jie smiled mysteriously.

"How can this be a good thing, after the attack ship disengages, whether it is to continue to attack our lines of communication or to go back, there will be endless troubles." Yang Yonglin said with some tears and laughter.

"You think, if the Russian fleet can escape from our reconnaissance range, then where will they go? It was nothing more than two roads, one was to flee south to Vietnam, and then be disarmed by the French authorities. Either evacuate to the depths of the ocean and then make a detour back to Hokkaido. Either way, the Russian fleet will not be able to put pressure on our sea transport lines, and for the former, it goes without saying much, the Russian warships that fled to Vietnam can only wait until the end of the war, and for the latter, we can completely set up an ambush near the port of Muroran and fight the Russians again. Xu Jie said as he drew a circle near Muroran Port.

"Yes, we can also surround the point and send reinforcements, the Essen fleet will return to sail, Makanov will definitely personally command two battleships to meet it, and we can set up an ambush in the waters near Hokkaido to wipe out the Russian fleet!" Yang Yonglin said with some excitement.

"No, no, no, it can't be like that. We must not give the Japanese a chance to regain Hokkaido, and we must leave the Russian Far East Fleet with enough strength to suppress the Japanese navy. Even if the Essen fleet returned, there would be no way to fight again in a short time. So the Russian fleet can only rely on two battleships, so we can't sink them. Destroy the Essen fleet at most. Couldn't have been more! Xu Jie shook his head and said.

"Also, let Liu Buyun bring the fleet back immediately, we need three battleships to complete the rearmament as soon as possible, and then put them into the siege of Vladivostok. As for the task of dealing with the Russian fleet, it was left to the patrolmen, and by the way, the Japanese armored cruisers. Siege together. Xu Jie continued.

"What is Japan involved for? Without them. The Northern Fleet and the Foreign Fleet were still able to defeat the Russians. Yang Yonglin said quite dissatisfied.

"First of all, we have to give the Japanese fleet something to do! Otherwise, if Akiyama Shinyuki took the opportunity to cover the Japanese army's crossing of the Karumsu Strait, Hokkaido would be in trouble. Don't look at the current Russians' control of Hokkaido, this only suppresses the contradiction, if the Japanese army lands in Hokkaido, the Russian rule in Hokkaido is likely to collapse instantly! Xu Jie said solemnly.

"And that's just one aspect. There is a more important task. That is to deter the Japanese and let Japan see the strength of our Beiyang! To let the Japanese know the Tao, even if Beiyang can fight Japan with one finger, it will never be recovered! We want to make Japan dare not watch our China again! Xu Jie said coldly.

"My lord is far-sighted, admire and admire!" Yang Yonglin said convincingly. Then the subordinates can contact the Japanese Navy and ask them to cooperate with our fleet. "In addition, Lord Liu's battleship formation really doesn't participate in the battle?" Yang Yonglin hesitated and asked.

"No need, anyway, it's not to annihilate the Russian fleet, Admiral Lin and Lord Deng's warships are definitely enough. Let Liu Buyun immediately maintain and replenish completely, we have to prepare to do it to Vladivostok! His 12-inch guns are our most formidable siege weapon. Xu Jie explained.

Soon. A few days later, Akiyama received an order from the Japanese government to lead Japan's only armored cruiser, Kasuga, to join the Beiyang Fleet and participate in the mission of encircling the Russian fleet. Many Japanese officers were very dissatisfied with this order.

"The government is now more like a vassal of Beiyang, and the government will do whatever Beiyang lets do, don't the bigwigs of the government know that our navy needs to cover the army to recover Hokkaido? The Russian fleet is entangled in the Beiyang Fleet, and we only need to cover the landing of a convoy of transport ships in Hokkaido, then the rear of the Russians will be completely in chaos! What a good opportunity, it was wasted like this. A Japanese officer said angrily.

"Of course, the government knows the way, and not only the government knows the way. Even Beiyang knows our plan, and it is precisely because of this plan that Beiyang has to pull us in and destroy our plan to recover Hokkaido! Akiyama said with a sigh.

"We don't need to listen to Beiyang, the Great Japanese Empire and Beiyang are just cooperative relations, we can refuse!" The other officer said with some excitement.

"Theoretically, Prime Minister Katsu Haizhou can refuse Beiyang's request, but in practice, Japan cannot refuse, because of the weakness of the navy, the supplies, food and weapons that the Japanese Empire urgently needs in wartime are entrusted to the Beiyang Fleet to cover the delivery, if we refuse, not only our soldiers will not be able to get weapons, but even the rations of the people cannot be guaranteed, you say, how can we refuse?" Akiyama Shinyuki asked rhetorically.

"Then we don't have any other way?" An officer yelled hoarsely.

"We can't influence the Beiyang Fleet, but after the Beiyang Fleet has inflicted heavy losses on the Russians, we can take advantage of the situation to annihilate the main warships of the Russian Far East Fleet, and we still have ten torpedo boats, all of them, and when the Russians and Beiyang are fighting, use the Kasuga to cover the torpedo boats to launch an attack on the Russian capital ships! Weaken the Russian Far East Fleet as much as possible, as long as the Russian Far East Fleet is gone, there will be no more forces in the entire Sea of Japan that can limit our movements! Speaking of this, Akiyama's eyes showed a hint of decisiveness and ruthlessness!

As a result, in order to "welcome" the Essen fleet returning home, the two sides finally launched the first "joint operation" between the two sides in history. The 7 main armored cruisers of the Beiyang all went to Japan, and the Japanese Kasuga was also like an old hen with a chicken coming out, dragging the 10 torpedo boats behind to join the Beiyang Fleet, a total of 8 armored cruisers plus dozens of auxiliary warships arranged a blockade line in the vast sea area outside Muroran Port, just waiting for the Russians to come to the door!

Such a large-scale transfer naturally can't hide Makanov's eyes, from the analysis of the intelligence received from many aspects, Makanov already knows what happened to the Essen fleet, of course, he still doesn't know about the self-sinking of the Dardo Parada, with 3 cruisers to challenge as many as 8 armored cruisers plus a large number of auxiliary warships, you can know the end of the road with your knees! The Russian fleet at this time no longer had a speed advantage! Once it happens, it's a tragedy!

"How are our two battleships repaired?" Makanov asked.

"It's already time to go to sea to meet General Essen." An adjutant replied respectfully.

"Alright, take all the ships that can go to sea, Essen and the boys must come back!" Makanov said categorically. "Inform Essen and let him tell us the route back with a coded message, and we will pick them up!" (To be continued.) )