(With a small strong push for classification, add a more chapter, and celebrate a little!) ）

It was the Canghai and the Kunlun that came, and the two protective cruisers, after receiving Ding Yuntong's order, sailed at full speed until the early hours of this morning to reach the channel on the Qiongdao side, which is also the fastest route to the southeast coast of China.

Liu Buyun took the binoculars and stood on the bridge of the Kunlun, and found that the other party's frigates were all gunboats of several hundred tons, and he was overjoyed, and at the same time he was completely impressed by the emperor's judgment.

Perhaps the main fleet of the French was blocked, in a hurry, and jihua was not careful. But it shows that they are indeed arrogant and accustomed to subconsciously, and they have always been used to running rampant in Chinese waters, and it is clear that China and France have started a war, and they are stunned that they only arrange some gunboats to escort them, that is, they do not believe that the Chinese may intercept them, and they do not believe that the vast sea can really be encountered.

But now that everything has really happened, Liu Buyun directly ordered: "Rush up and sink all the frigates first!" ”

Moleboyo really regretted his intestines at this time, and the worst and most impossible thing actually happened. The two battleships rushing on the opposite side were obviously cruisers of several thousand tons, and these small gunboats were by no means opponents, but they had no other choice.

He immediately ordered the three transport ships full of soldiers to flee in three ways, and all his gunboats stepped forward to meet them, hoping to drag each other and buy time for the transport ships.

Seeing that the other party did not run away, but caught up with him, Liu Buyun naturally knew in his heart, and he was not polite, and ordered: "Fire!" ”

2 203mm heavy guns and 10 152mm guns, aimed at the French gunboats, "boom", it was a salvo. The subsequent Canghai ships also opened fire.

The distance between the two sides was relatively close, and the French gunboats could not avoid it. The Saber received two shells almost at the same time, one of which was a 203mm heavy gun, and hit the small conning tower on the Saber head-on. With a loud bang, the wall of the ship was blasted open like paper paste, and the people inside were blown up into a blur of flesh and blood, you have me, I have you.

The fierce firepower terrified the remaining three gunboats, and they had to disperse and adopt guerrilla tactics. While maneuvering back and forth, attack the opponent with a 140mm gun.

These gunboats are very similar to the mosquito boats designed by the Englishman Randall, they are all small cannons, like a mosquito carrying a cannon flying around, in the rough sea, the difference in stability can be imagined. Even an occasional hit on a Chinese warship could not inflict fatal damage.

A moment later, the Basval was also sunk, and in the fierce battle, the Dourak rushed over and wanted to ram the Kunlun, but the Kunlun ignored it, and when it approached, a dozen or so 57mm guns on the ship were aimed at a burst of fire, and before the Basval could hit the other party, it had been beaten into a sieve and sank quickly.

Seeing that it was really no longer possible, Morebori commanded the flagship Dilci to flee south.

Liu Buyun ordered to leave it alone, just chase and kill those transport ships. The two ships of Kunlun Canghai respectively locked onto a target in the distance and pursued them at full speed.

More than an hour later, the Canghai caught up with its target, the French transport ship Annan. Captain Lu Han ordered to hang the flag and let the other party stop the ship and surrender, but the Annam refused to answer and still fled, Lu Han ordered the cannon, and after more than ten minutes of pursuit and shelling, it was finally sunk, and the water was full of French soldiers, and Lu Han had to chase another ship, so he had to give up this group of prisoners and let them resign themselves to fate.

At the same time, the Kunlun had also caught up with the transport ship Mei Hagi, blocked the other side's way, and also demanded that the other side surrender.

This time, the Mihagi made a different choice and had no choice but to hang out the white flag to indicate surrender.

Moments later, the French commander, Major Burr, and others were escorted aboard the Kunlun, still holding their heads high, like aggressive roosters. Seeing Liu Buyun, he said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Mr. Captain, although our army has to lay down its arms due to manpower force majeure. But I hope that our officers will retain the noble dignity of the French Republic and retain their own swords, which is an international practice. ”

Liu Buyun smiled and waved his hand, and the guards behind him immediately "banged" and shot this Burr to death. The rest of the French officers in the back were all colorless.

Liu Buyun sneered: "If you want to keep the sword, you will refuse to put down your weapons and resist to the end." Since the fighting continues, then I have the right to kill you all, and this is also an international practice, do you understand? ”

It is a miracle that all the French quickly dropped their swords and understood Chinese in an instant without the need for an interpreter.

Liu Buyun then sent personnel to take over the ship and disarm everyone.

In the afternoon, the Canghai, which finally lost its target, returned to rendezvous. The two ships evacuated to Xuwen Port at the southern tip of the Leizhou Peninsula, which was the ancient port of the original Maritime Silk Road, but has disappeared into obscurity in modern times, and is a very hidden place. The Kunlun and Canghai ships will rest here for a while, waiting for the opportunity to strike again.

That night, the news of the attack on the flotilla shocked the French government. Three troop transports fled back to one, one was sunk and one is missing. Four gunboats were sunk, three were sunk, and one escaped.

The total loss of more than 1,300 men was a huge loss that could not be explained to the French nationals, and it meant that the subsequent landing force had to wait for the return of the Lisby fleet, which required the lone fleet to hold out for a long time, but could they?

The French government felt great fear that the Lone Fleet might be annihilated, and that the consequences were so terrible that they could only hope for diplomatic intrigues.

At noon on the 24th, Ding Yuntong received a telegram from the victory, and jumped up happily, this is the most perfect result, there is no food and grass inside the lonely pull, there are no reinforcements outside, and he is dead!

In the midst of his excitement, the next person reported that Hurd, the General Department of Customs and Excise, wished to meet the Emperor and share his own views on the present Sino-French war.

Ding Yuntong laughed in his heart: "It's finally here, Hurd was like this in his last life, he was instructed by the British government during the war, jumped up and down, and said all the good things for France, but it was not so cheap in this life." ”

A moment later, Hurd came in, bowed to Ding Yuntong, and sat down in the seat next to him. Ding Yuntong just changed the rules, and the minister didn't have to kneel and kowtow when he saw him, just bow, but some ministers insisted on kneeling, and Ding Yuntong was not reluctant, he still adopted the old strategy, did not argue, and subtly went with the flow, new people and new methods, old people and old methods.

Ding Yuntong looked at Hurd and smiled: "Mr. Hurd, are you still in good health?" The habit of drinking the tea leaves you sent last time? ”

Hurd bowed slightly: "Xiexie Emperor Bixia's concern, my body is fine." I am also grateful for the tea of Emperor Bixia, my wife and I love to drink it. "This Hurd has been in China for decades, and he is an authentic Beijing film.

Ding Yuntong nodded: "That's good, that's good, next time I will send someone to send some over." I heard that Mr. Hurd likes to drink wine in his spare time, this wine, drinking too much hurts the body, drinking too much tea can purify the heart and nourish the mind, so I often persuade people to drink more tea and less alcohol, which is better than anything else, and I want me to say that you should replace wine with tea......"

Ding Yuntong was idle there, without the slightest nervousness and uneasiness during the war, which made Hurd not know where to start for a while.

After a while, Hurd brought up the customs issue, and then talked about Hong Kong Customs, and Zuihou said that when he went to Hong Kong on business, he "accidentally" ran into Baohai, the former French minister in China, and chatted with him about the Sino-French dispute.

Seeing that Ding Yuntong lowered his eyelids and couldn't speak, Hurd had no choice but to swallow his saliva and said it himself: "What the French mean is that as long as they compensate for a military expense and withdraw the troops from Vietnam, France is willing to sit down and talk." ”

Ding Yuntong said softly: "Vietnam is a Chinese territory, and since ancient times, there has been no one who ceded land and paid compensation without defeating the war, and I don't have to bear this infamy." ”

Hurd hurriedly answered: "What the emperor said is extremely true, but the emperor also knows that France is a shijie power, if it is really provoked, and the whole country will fight a decisive battle with China, and then the troops will come to this city of Beijing, and it will be difficult to negotiate peace, it is better to take advantage of the fact that the losses on both sides are not big now, and it will end well." ”

Ding Yuntong pretended to be puzzled: "The loss is not big?" Isn't that lone fleet in France already trapped by our army? ”

Hurd explained: "You can't win if you are trapped, as far as I know, French reinforcements are coming in a steady stream, and it's hard to say who will die when the time comes." What's more, the temper of the French is different from that of other countries, and it is better to say that if they are defeated, they will never make peace, and they will definitely fight to the death. Now I think it's the right time to use the lone fleet as a bargaining chip, and maybe France will be able to settle the matter without paying reparations. ”

Ding Yuntong pretended to hear that he didn't want to pay compensation, and he looked a little tempted: "Oh, you really don't need to lose money?" ”

As soon as Hurd saw that there was a play, he immediately struck while the iron was hot: "As long as the emperor is interested, I am willing to come forward to communicate with Baohai, and there will definitely be a satisfactory result." Of course, he will show sincerity, and the emperor can let the defenders in Mawei Harbor temporarily stop the attack on Guba, and with this handle, the French will not dare to make any excessive demands during ......the negotiations. ”

Ding Yuntong secretly shouted in his heart: "The point is here", so he nodded and said: "Okay, I'll let the ponytail slow down first, and the rest will be left to Mr. Hurd." ”

Hurd was overjoyed: "Certainly, definitely, I will go to Hong Kong immediately, have an interview with Baohai, and ask the emperor to wait for good news." However, the Mawei side really has to stop quickly, people can't be resurrected after death, and if the loss of the lone fleet is greater, it will be difficult to talk about it in the future. ”

Ding Yuntong agreed: "I will send a decree immediately, you can go with confidence, talk well, talk slowly, and talk about something delicious and beautiful." ”

Hurd hurriedly went happily.

Ding Yuntong looked at Hurd's back, sneered, turned around and said, "Spread the decree, limit Song Qing and others to three days, and you must win the lonely pull!" ”

Thinking about the fact that the Lisby fleet is definitely going back to escort the ship, it will not be able to block the Taiwan Strait, and it is just the right opportunity to strengthen the defenders of Taiwan. Thinking of this, he immediately ordered the brothers stationed in Shanghai Zhou to transfer half of their troops to Taiwan and obey Liu Mingchuan's command.

And at this time, the lonely pull has reached a desperate situation!