In the early morning at the Port Arthur wharf, a cruise ship of nearly 10,000 tons docked quietly, black primer, gray superstructure and milky white lines dotted in between, if it were not for the familiar scenery around, Xie Baozhang would definitely wonder if he had returned to Portsmouth Port in the United Kingdom.

Step by step, he boarded the cruise ship, which was full of British Victorian style livery and much larger than the two ships in Dingzhen, and he felt a sigh of emotion in his heart, as a symbol of this era, cruise ships have always been the patent of Britain and the United States and other countries, only going back and forth between the busy Atlantic coast. But who would have thought that once upon a time, such a big ship would quietly stop beside it and come to this famous ice-free port in the Far East, which is really embarrassing.

When he was studying in the UK, his mentor once mentioned sea power, but at that time, Xie Baozhang and all the dispatched students felt that sea power was just a few ironclad ships and cannons, but at this moment he suddenly understood that sea power needed more than just sailors and fleets! There is a greater need for these giant ships that can crisscross the seas, and they shuttle back and forth like flowing blood.

Standing on the high deck, Xie Baozhang felt that his eyes suddenly brightened, in addition to this cruise ship, there were also several sea vessels of similar size docked on the other docks, and the crane arm on the side of the dock was busy, and from time to time you could see a cannon and a mountain of boxes.

Farther away, two Russian cruisers and two torpedo ships were being assembled, and the deck was filled with frightened and helpless Russian sailors and men, who, a few days earlier, were flaunting their might and shelling Arthur and the entire Liaodong Bay at will, but a few days later they were lambs under the paws of the Pacific Fleet.

Xie Baozhang doesn't know how to describe how he has felt in the past few days, if he wants to use the shortest sentence to describe it, it is to turn his hands into clouds and rain!

From the arrival of Russian sailors in the winter to avoid the cold, to the trepidation of four more huge ships. From the departure of the Russians, the landing of North Korea and the shelling of Wonsan Port, to the sneak attack on Lushun, only the Beiyang army was almost completely annihilated. From being reduced to a prisoner to the landing of the Pacific Army with the rumbling of artillery, all this can only be described as dazzling!

The only regret to him is that the owner of this land has been ruthlessly abandoned to the side and become a spectator, and Beiyang, which used to be proud of the Far East, has also been reduced to an inaccessible sailor with only a few small boats left in Weihaiwei.

This cruise ship is specially to pick up their Beiyang remnants and their families, Lushun is their third stop, before they have gone to Tianjin Wei and Weihaiwei, pick up a large number of Beiyang family members.

Although those Pacific troops did not have any coercion or coercion, Xie Baozhang still decided to go to Ryukyu to have a look, and he couldn't tell why he made this choice, maybe he heard where Zhenyuan and Jingyuan were, or maybe it was the several giant ships that were being assembled at the mouth of the waterway in the distance.

Beside him, with slow steps, Sa Zhenbing had already stepped onto the deck, and behind him, there were countless officers and soldiers from Beiyang, who walked up quickly, their eyes confused but full of hope.

"They're off again!" Sa Zhenbing walked to his side and looked at the four giant ships with billowing black smoke rising from the mouth of the waterway, his eyes full of envy.

In the bridge of the Antarctic Star, Ji Weishan was lying on the chart, carefully sketching, beside him, several captains were sitting or standing, and their eyebrows were full of joy.

"I said Lao Ji, don't look at it, isn't it just a trivial matter like going to cheer for the marines with a few shots, and then going back to escort the fleet, and you still need to look at the charts?" Liu Haitao held a cigar in his mouth and looked at the 305mm main gun on the foredeck of the Antarctic Star, and stars appeared in his eyes.

I don't know if it's jealousy, or resentment that the staff still tosses them after winning the battle, Liu Haitao continued to be indignant: "I don't know what the staff thinks, but let us all go to cheer, I think this is our chief of staff and Boss Long are facing each other again, deliberately tossing." ”

"Hehe, definitely." Zhou Cheng sat in the corner, squinted and smiled: "This time, our commander asked to wrap up all the captured Russian [***] ships, and it is no wonder that the General Staff is not big." ”

"Wrap the round, wrap the round." Liu Haitao drooled and pointed to Zhou Cheng's Daystar next to him: "If you can pick up those two Russian battleships and let me have a good time, then it will be cool." ”

"Come on, sixth, don't dream in vain, those two broken ships don't even have protective turrets, it's strange that the young master can look at them." Gu Junhuo, the captain of the Fortitude, glanced at Ji Weishan, who was engrossed, and pouted: "So, you will continue to guard your Determination." ”

"I said Gu boy, we are old acquaintances, don't tear down the stage." Liu Haitao smiled and punched: "Don't you want to bring a battleship?" ”

"Yes." Gu Junhuo nodded, but said: "But don't forget, in the selection of warships, the General Staff is not completely in charge, and there are also the two levels of the Government Council and the Young Master." So, I'd better take my Tenacity with peace of mind. ”

Hearing Gu Junhuo's words, Liu Haitao also sighed, the young master's eyes when he looked at the ship could no longer be described as vicious, if it was really according to his requirements, I am afraid that none of the Russian [***] ships would be able to be saved, let alone Lord Li, who was in charge of the money in the Government Council!

Seeing that his battleship dream was shattered again, Liu Haitao glared at Ji Weishan, who was still buried in his head, and shouted: "Old Ji, you have a flexible brain here, you can tell me, how can we keep those warships this time?" ”

"It's simple." Ji Weishan threw down the pen, and his eyes lit up suddenly: "Fight again." ”

"Another fight?" In the bridge, several captains looked at each other, and Liu Haitao even reached out to touch his forehead, but was slapped off by Ji Weishan before he said stupidly: "Old Ji, you're not stupid, right?" Is there still an opponent for this piece now? ”

Ji Weishan waved his hand to dispel the smell of smoke on the bridge, and then said: "Of course there is, don't forget, I am still on the side." ”

"Say? Just rely on those light cruisers? ”

As soon as Liu Haitao laughed contemptuously, Ji Weishan immediately interrupted him: "You forgot the report not long ago, the four warships built in the United States have already been launched, if it is fast, I am afraid that we will be able to leave for and come back next month." ”

"Come back, come back, this has something to do with the few Russian [***] ships we left behind?"

"Absolutely." Ji Weishan suddenly smiled mysteriously: "If you want to keep the warship, the biggest difficulty is not the young master, but the Government Affairs Yuan, as long as Mr. Li feels that our next goal is still very difficult, then there is hope to leave the Russian [***] ship." ”

"So how do you think we're still having a hard time?" Ji Weishan's words aroused the curiosity of several captains, and they came to their side one after another. At this time, he suddenly turned around and stopped his finger at Wonsan Port: "It's very simple, shell Wonsan Port and let Mr. Li see our next opponent." ”

"I said Lao Ji, you won't play with us, right? Wonsan Port is now full of Russian soldiers, what's the use of shelling there? Liu Haitao scratched his head, his face full of puzzlement.

"That was before." Ji Weishan beckoned and received a telegram from the staff officer: "I just received the news that the Japanese army knows that after we defeated the Russian fleet, we are now attacking the port of Wonsan with all our might. ”

"I know, Brother Ji, you are going to shell ...... when the army enters the port." Gu Junhuo was the first to react, but then he shook his head again: "But there is an armistice agreement between us and Yue, will this cause disputes?" ”

"I didn't say to fight myself, I was talking about the shelling of Wonsan Port, where the Russians were stationed!" Ji Weishan deliberately accentuated the Russians, and several captains who understood it suddenly understood, and while clapping their hands and applauding, they couldn't help but shudder in their hearts, saying that I probably wouldn't have dreamed that after the 10,000 army entered the port, what would happen!

"Let's all go back and prepare." Ji Weishan didn't seem to see the looks on everyone's faces, and smiled slightly: "I have already sent a telegram to the General Staff, I believe that in a while, the order to operate will arrive." ”

Seeing the excited backs of the three captains leaving, Ji Weishan took a slight breath, he knew that the battle in the Far East was far from the time to celebrate.

"Heading 060, Target, Wonsan." ――

In the Russian embassy in Yanjing, Cassini was so anxious that his forehead was sweating and his mouth was dry, and if eating people could quench his thirst, he would have already considered arresting the Hawaiian minister and eating it!

During this time, he had tried his best to pass the news of Honolulu's declaration of war to the fleet, but except for North Korea, Vladivostok and the whole of Siberia did not respond, which made him feel very bad!

Back in the day, Honolulu was known for sneak attacks, and if they sneaked up on an unsuspecting fleet after declaring war......! Cassini hardly dared to think about it, could it be that the matter of the Beiyang Naval Division was going to repeat itself to the Russian fleet?

However, he quickly made up his mind, at this moment, Withoeft's Far East Fleet is still in a state of war, and he should not be so careless, besides, whether it is quantity or tonnage, the Imperial Far East Pacific Fleet will surpass the Pacific Fleet in Honolulu, even if it encounters a sneak attack, it can be broken out.

But the question is, it's been many days, why haven't you even seen a warship that broke through ?!

Cassini sat in his office, looking at the busy servants outside the window, and reached out to pinch his forehead, he felt as if he had fallen into a fog, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not break free.

All that can be done now is to wait, damn Witherft, hasn't it been four days since he returned to Vladivostok with the fleet? Why hasn't there been any news until now? Could it be that the telegraph station in Vladivostok is broken? But even if something goes wrong, they can contact them through North Korea!

"Even if you send cavalry by land, it's time to arrive!"

Cassini gritted his teeth with hatred, no matter which governor of the Far East or Witheft, didn't they know how to cooperate?

Just as he was thinking sadly, there was a sudden sound of running outside the door, and the door of the study was quickly opened, and the counselor rushed in, and before Cassini could reprimand him for not being polite, the counselor had already shouted.

"Mr. Ambassador, the Pacific Army has landed from Arthur and Golden State! Our warships stationed here also surrendered to the Pacific Fleet yesterday evening! ”

"What!" Cassini's eyes widened, but the bad news wasn't over yet.

Because the counselor did not seem to think that it was enough, he continued to shout: "Ambassador Webbe of the DPRK has also sent news that Vladivostok was attacked by the Pacific Fleet seven days ago, and all the fortresses and ports were destroyed. ”

"Nope! That's impossible! What about our fleet! A series of blows, Cassini, a well-trained and noble-born hereditary count, could not help but become hysterical.

"No news!" After the counselor finished speaking, he added: "It's like disappearing." ”

"Poof."

Cassini suddenly turned pale and sat down on the ground, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead......

(To be continued)