A large room in the Bombay Royal Palace has now been furnished to resemble a chart room. In the center of the room is a huge chart table, on which large charts of the Indian Ocean are laid out.

In the corner of the chart, the Strait of Malacca, Temasek Fort, Malacca Fort, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra Island and other terrain are drawn. There are also small flags placed next to the important strongholds to show where they currently belong.

Outside the exits on the east and west sides of the Strait of Malacca, dozens of small models of ships have been placed at this time, each with the rice flag and the sun and moon flag painted on it. What these ship models represent is obviously the Nanyang Fleet of the Ming Navy and the Grand Fleet of India, which are facing off.

The newcomers, Lord Nelson, Minister of War of the Indian Empire, Admiral Codrington, Commander of the Indian Grand Fleet, and George W. Brown, Commander of the Air Force of the Indian Grand Fleet. Major General Yilu was also standing on the edge of the chart table at this time, frowning and listening to Kaiser Wilhelm.

"The current situation is very obvious, our advantage is in the west of the strait, Daming's advantage is in the east of the strait, and Temasek Fortress and Daming's Batam fortress are like two nails. If we enter the waters of the South China Sea through the Strait of Malacca, then Batam will get stuck in our necks. Anyway, as long as the main force of the Ming fleet enters the western side of the Strait of Malacca, our chance to annihilate them will come.

Therefore, there are only two problems to solve now, one is how to deceive the main force of the Ming Nanyang Fleet through the Strait of Malacca; Second, how to annihilate them? Count, am I right? ”

"My Majesty, you are so wise!" Earl Nelson picked up the only thumb he had, "Your Majesty, do you have any good way to deceive the main force of the Ming Navy's Nanyang Fleet through the Strait of Malacca?" ”

The Indian emperor has been thinking about this problem these days, and now he has an answer, only to see him pick up a wooden stick and point to the Persian Gulf on the chart, "First of all, we must blockade the Persian Gulf, not to seize the Persian Gulf, but to fully confuse the enemy, so that the enemy thinks that our goal is to force away the Ming naval fleet in the Persian Gulf, and let the enemy think that our main force is in the Arabian Sea." What do you think, Earl? ”

"My Majesty, you are truly an outstanding naval commander." The Earl of Nelson praised from the bottom of his heart.

The Indian emperor was a little more confident, and added: "In order to achieve this goal, we must organize a camouflaged main fleet with a certain number of camouflaged main fleets, which should include a certain number of old battleships, cruisers of the first rank, cruisers of the second rank, cruisers of the third rank, and camouflaged cruisers converted from merchant ships." At the initial stage of the mission, it is possible to dispatch even a real main fleet to serve as a cover mission. ”

"Your Majesty," said Earl Nelson, "I fully agree with your plan!" ”

Emperor William's confidence was greatly increased, and he pointed at Temasek Island with a wooden stick: "Secondly, we should pretend to negotiate with the enemy, and use the blockade of the strait as a means of maximum pressure, which will induce the enemy to send the main force of the South Ocean Fleet to approach Temasek Port, and may even provoke a conflict and send the army along the Malay Peninsula to advance towards Temasek. And that's exactly what we're looking forward to.

However, we must pay special attention to the defence of Temasek, and if Temasek is lost, the Straits of Malacca will be opened. Our plan is going to be a losing one! ”

Admiral Codrington said, "Your Majesty, we can send a large number of shallow-water heavy gunboats to Temasek Island to cooperate with the batteries in their blockade missions. ”

Kaiser Wilhelm said: "The Strait of Malacca cannot be locked too tightly, a part of the enemy, the main fleet must be allowed to pass."

Because we will also set up an ambush on the west side of the Straits of Malacca! ”

"Your Majesty, how should we set up an ambush?" Earl Nelson asked.

"We should ......," said Kaiser Wilhelm, who thought for a moment, "and pretend that Temasek is in a hurry and send armored cruisers to escort the fast troop carriers into the Strait of Malacca." If the Ming fleet detected them, they would definitely send some capital ships to intercept them...... Then we can lead them westward! ”

"It's great that as soon as they get to the west of the Strait of Malacca, we'll be able to wipe them all out." Earl Nelson shook his fist heavily, "Your Majesty, your naval talent is beyond doubt...... So you can sit in Mumbai and use the radio station that we just created to command remotely. You don't have to risk it at all! ”

"That's right, the Earl is right, you can command remotely, you don't have to be on the front line."

"yes, the front line is too dangerous, if anything happens ......"

Admiral Codrington and George. Major General Yilu hastened to echo Earl Nelson's words.

Whether this Kaiser Wilhelm was a genius naval commander or not, they could not let him go into battle.

This land battle is defeated, and you can run away quickly. Naval battles are hard to say...... Now the British battleship in this part of the speed is only 21 knots, what if there are 22 knots of battleships on the Ming side?

Now that the British are making progress, the Ming Dynasty must stand still?

Not sure at all!

Kaiser Wilhelm understood the hard work of the few people below, but he still had an uncontrollable ambition.

At this moment, with a voice: "Your Excellency the Chief Minister has arrived." ”

Viscount Amistster, the chief minister of Kaiser Wilhelm, suddenly rushed in with a telegram and shouted as he ran: "Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the King...... Passed away! ”

Is the king dead?

Which king?

"Prime Minister, what the hell is going on?" Kaiser Wilhelm asked.

"The King, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom, he ...... Just passed away! The Duke of Wellington, the First Chancellor, asked you if you were going to return to England at once. ”

"O God!" Kaiser Wilhelm finally realized who died? Hurriedly drew a cross on his chest, "This is too sudden, isn't it?" How could he just? What should I do now? ”

"Rest in peace, O God!" Nelson also looked sad.

It seems that the death of George IV still made Emperor Wilhelm and Earl Nelson and others very sad.

"Your Majesty the Emperor," Earl Nelson immediately proposed, "I am afraid that now is not the right time for the Ming Dynasty to break up, so it is better to ...... Let's postpone the start of the war. ”

"That's right, you'd better get back to England as soon as possible." Viscount Amsterdam and Nelson agreed.

"No, I'm not going back." Emperor William is not stupid, how can he let the good Indian emperor not do it, and go back to be the king of England?

The British don't have much money to take when they are kings!

But he couldn't be the king of England. After all, the British officers and men of the Indian Grand Fleet and the Anglo-Indian forces owe only allegiance to the United Kingdom.

"I, I can't go back now," Kaiser Wilhelm changed slightly, "I should personally command the Indian Grand Fleet, like the Napoleonic Emperor, and wait until the Indian Ocean Defense is completely victorious, and then return to the United Kingdom."

At that time, I will be not only the Emperor of India and the King of the United Kingdom, but also the Lord of the whole world! ”

"Your Majesty, you must not lead by example." Earl Nelson frowned and said, "The current battlefield of naval warfare is too dangerous, and the slightest mistake can cost your life."

So, Your Majesty, you should stay in Bombay and take command. Mumbai has very good communication facilities. ”

Viscount Amsterdam also said, "Yes, as long as you are in India for a long time, the whole Indian people will be greatly inspired. And you can also remotely direct the fleet at the front line by radio station, there is no need to leave at all. ”

(End of chapter)