The Empire will continue to win

Chapter 109 Chen Zilong is obsessed with ship collisions and can't extricate himself~

Half a minute later.

Adjutant: "Report, the Kowshing has indicated its willingness to obey."

Liu Buchan nodded: "Signal with flags and tell the captain of the Gaosheng: head northwest, speed 10, both ships follow in the same direction, 1 li apart. Aim the 155mm secondary guns on the flanks at the Gaosheng, and if any hostile behavior is detected, open fire immediately without asking for permission."

That's not surprising.

Captain Smith was just arrogant; he wasn't crazy.

Under the cannon fire, the Kowshing obediently became a prisoner.

Looking at the ship full of live prisoners, the officers on the Jiyuan were overjoyed. When they returned to Weihaiwei, they boasted about it extensively, making it seem like a much greater achievement than sinking the ship on the spot.

However, things didn't go as planned.

3 minute later.

In the footage, the East Sangha army, unwilling to be captured, forcibly took more than a dozen British crew members hostage and seized control of the engine and rudder.

"Change course and return to Kobe." The highest-ranking officer on the scene, a major, gave the order. "Tie the foreigners to the ship's side, raise the Union Jack, and the Pan-Han Federal Empire will absolutely not dare to defy the world and bombard our friendly nation."

Mary immediately complied.

On the Jiyuan, everyone looked at Liu Buchan.

Liu Buchan sighed, "Sigh~ Let's fire!"

"fire!"

The order was transmitted to the semi-enclosed turret on the ship's side, and instantly, deafening roars and billowing smoke filled the air.

The Jiyuan fired a total of 5 shells from its secondary guns, 3 of which hit their targets.

The stern rudder of the Kowshing was destroyed, and flames and thick smoke billowed from the deck. However, the East Sang soldiers on board not only refused to surrender, but even lined up on the ship's side and returned fire with rifles.

They also carried a 75mm field gun out of the ship's hold.

A 75mm field gun shell landed about 200 meters from the Jiyuan. Seeing the plume of water it created, Liu Buchan roared in fury: "What are you waiting for? Sink the Gaosheng!"

Half a minute later, the 220mm muzzle-loading smoothbore gun at the stern roared, and the shell hit the deck of the Kowshing.

The brown gunpowder exploded violently, sending blood and flesh flying everywhere, and half of the deck was cleared.

The Kowshing was completely engulfed in flames.

No one cheered.

Because if warships bombard merchant ships, it's like Ma Dong-seok going to a kindergarten to have a boxing match; even if the protagonist just smiles, he feels it's beneath him.

Just now.

The lookout on the mast of the Jiyuan rang the bell again to warn: "At 7 o'clock, there are many smoke columns, 20, 30, perhaps more than 50."

On the highest point of the bridge, Liu Buchan looked southeast across the sea through binoculars. Sure enough, black smoke billowed into the sky. They had encountered Dong Sang's massive escort fleet again.

This is the third time.

Faced with a massive fleet, their harassment tactics were completely ineffective.

"Order: Hard port, full speed, all crew members on high alert."

"Order Chaoyong to use torpedoes to sink Gaosheng."

"Yes."

Ding ding ding~

The sound of bells and shouts echoed throughout the ship.

The sailors scattered large amounts of sand on the deck, the ammunition crew carried shells from the ammunition compartment to the semi-open rotating gun emplacement, the gunners were busy clearing away all irrelevant objects near the gun positions, the medic temporarily occupied the mess hall and used the empty dining table as an operating table, and the laborers threw all the heavy objects into the sea.

The officers each performed their duties; they were the most crucial neurons of the warship.

Of all the warships, the loud-voiced sergeants were the most enthusiastic, each holding a mental energy booster stick, standing outside the hatches, beside the gun emplacements, and on the fore and aft decks, constantly shouting and cursing.

"Faster, faster!"

Seeing an ammunition soldier stumble, a sergeant major was horrified and pointed at him, shouting, "Put down the shell!" The sergeant major personally carried the 220mm shell to the gun emplacement.

Upon returning, he struck the bewildered ammunition soldier with a stick.

"Bastard, bastard, bastard!"

In large-scale naval operations, strict military discipline is essential, and corporal punishment is for everyone's benefit.

The so-called first-level combat readiness is also a form of training.

It is impossible for Liu Buchan to intercept the enemy's escort fleet with a two-ship formation. As Hannagan said, more actual combat exercises and more training will help improve the overall combat effectiveness of the Northern Fleet.

It's too awful; it must be kept secret.

The navy, from top to bottom, must project an image of being aggressive and confident to intimidate the enemy.

Under this operational concept, the lightly armed Jiyuan sped at 24 knots and charged straight at the enemy fleet, much like Zhao Zilong at Changban Slope, single-handedly taking down the enemy with his spear.

He rushed in front of him.

After some investigation.

Fire a few shots.

The main purpose was to boost the soldiers' courage and familiarize them with the actual procedures of naval warfare.

Hey~

When Liu Buchan thought of the battleships in the port that were frequently malfunctioning and the half-gods and half-ghosts of the sailors, he couldn't help but feel sad. How could the once glorious Imperial Navy have become like this?

at the same time.

The wingman of the Jiyuan, the Chaoyong, sailed to a position 300 meters behind and to the side of the tail rudder of the Gaosheng, and after taking a favorable position, took the initiative to launch the first torpedo.

swoosh~

The torpedo entered the water, leaving a beautiful ripple.

It stopped halfway through.

Before everyone's eyes, the torpedo disappeared without a trace. Gunner Fang Boqian and Chief Engineer Chen Zilong were dumbfounded, as were the deer on the Gaosheng who were busy putting out the fire.

"Put it down again."

swoosh~

The second torpedo, leaving a noticeable trail, struck the Kowshing, hitting it near the stern rudder. After a loud bang, it penetrated the hull.

More than ten seconds passed, and the torpedo did not explode.

The Kowshing remains afloat on the sea.

Dud!

Despite this, army soldiers with broken livers and gallbladders continued to jump into the sea.

"Keep putting it in, keep putting it in, keep putting it in."

Fang Boqian, the gunnery officer of the Chaoyong, was red-faced, jumping up and down and cursing, clearly out of control.

swoosh~

The third torpedo got stuck in the hull of the Kowshing's engine room area, and a dozen seconds passed.

"Another dud!"

"Sir, our torpedoes won't fire!" Two torpedo launchers rushed over, carrying the malfunctioning torpedoes, their faces filled with grief and indignation, almost contemplating suicide. How humiliating!

This is like the wedding night, with the beautiful body lying there, yet you are unable to have sex.

The ultimate humiliation~

Fang Boqian pushed through the crowd and rushed into the ammunition magazine. Looking at the rows of torpedoes lined up quietly, the production dates on the shell casings were all the same: the 4th year of Emperor Shenzong's reign.

"I***"

The Chaoyong frigates were all in a frenzy.

The Kowshing became even more agitated, with flames billowing across the entire deck. Despite this, the crew scrambled to put out the fires while simultaneously firing in formation.

"Damn it, is it fun to scare people? If you've got the guts, give the Imperial Warriors a quick death."

The deer assumed that the Chaoyong's failure to detonate its three torpedoes was a deliberate prank before the cat ate the mouse, and that the brown powder had been deliberately removed before the launch.

That's the humor of the world.

For various reasons, it is difficult for us to accurately assess the other party's strength; we either overestimate or underestimate it, or even make a ridiculous assessment.

Coincidentally, the other party was the same.

Know yourself and know your enemy?

too difficult.

far away.

The Jiyuan repeatedly sent flag signals asking: What's going on?

Fang Boqian could already imagine Liu Buchan spewing profanities after they returned to Hong Kong. He immediately threw down his military cap and said, "Zilong, the torpedoes are unreliable. I'll take command of the bow 125mm gun and sink the Gaosheng just the same way."

The Chao Yong was a ram cruiser with torpedo attack capabilities, hence its maximum gun caliber was only 125 mm.

"No, that's too slow," Chen Zilong immediately rejected.

For a normal ship, unless the part below the waterline is torn open, it will not sink immediately after being hit by ten 125 mm shells.

It will sink, but it will take some time.

With the enemy's massive fleet about to arrive at the battlefield, if the Kowshing cannot be quickly and completely sunk to the bottom of the sea, the deer on board may very well be rescued.

"Report, the Jiyuan is inquiring again: why wasn't the Gaosheng sunk? Do the officers of the Gaosheng intend to face a court-martial?"

Chen Zilong's face darkened: "Sink the Gaosheng."

"What?" Fang Boqian was greatly shocked, but then he thought, "Yeah, that's right~ the Chaoyong has a steel ram at the bow, it was born for impact."

It's worth mentioning the era of ironclad warships, which were incredibly diverse and full of ingenious ideas. At that time, navies around the world equipped themselves with ram cruisers, and the whole world started playing with retro naval warfare.

The cockpit of the Chaoyong.

Chen Zilong took control of the rudder, steered the warship backward to create distance, and then suddenly accelerated, rushing towards the side and belly of the Gaosheng.

"All crew, prepare for impact."

The crew members each grabbed whatever railings or ropes they could lean on, trying to stay as far away from the ship's side as possible, in preparation for the shockwave.

The Chaoyong has a shallow draft, a light hull, and a fast acceleration.

"Jump into the sea!"

Some of the deer, filled with grief and indignation, threw down their weapons and jumped into the sea one after another, while others refused to jump, continuing to fire their rifles at the Chaoyong.

Sergeant Hirata Jiro only had time to grab a wooden bucket before he jumped into the sea with a thud. It must be said that the people of Osaka are quick-witted; people from the Kanto region would never have thought of such a thing.

next second.

Duang ~

The steel ram of the Super Brave easily pierced the belly of the Kowshing, then reversed and broke contact, the iron plate shattering with a teeth-grinding creak.

The murky seawater rushed into the Kowshing through the huge hole.

It tilted to the side, sank, and disappeared.

Just 20 seconds later, the Kowshing sank completely, and a huge whirlpool appeared on the sea surface.

"shooting."

Guns roared from the deck of the Chaoyong.

Enraged and even more determined to silence the witnesses, the sailors used 20mm machine guns, rifles, and even revolvers from their sides to slaughter the East Sang soldiers who had fallen into the water.

not only.

The Chao Yong also went back and forth, using its warships and propellers to crush people who had fallen into the water.

In an instant, the sea turned red.

The officers muttered among themselves, "This is fucking shameful. We have to silence them all, we must kill them all."

Naniwa.

"Report: The Jiyuan is 14000 meters away."

"Prepare for battle, turn left 20 degrees, and engage them." Captain Togo Heihachiro lowered his binoculars and gave this order.

"Ha-yi."

Twenty seconds later, the cruiser Naniwa voluntarily left the group.

You, Jiyuan, challenge me alone; I, Langsu, will accompany you to the very end.

But~

The Jiyuan fired a round of shots at a distance of 9500 meters and then made a hard port turn at sea.

Turn around!

Seeing this, the Naniwa did not intend to pursue seriously, because in this Korean Peninsula war, the army was the main force, and the navy's only task was escorting ships, and nothing else mattered.

"This is the third time." Togo frowned, gazing at the Jiyuan speeding away in the distance and the faint plume of smoke. "Akiyama, why?"

"It's hard to say, it's hard to say."

"This isn't the General Staff Headquarters, so feel free to speak."

"There is a 7% probability that the enemy navy is not strong enough or feels that it is not strong enough."

"What about the remaining 3%?"

"They're playing a long game, seemingly waiting for an opportunity? Land warfare? Politics? Diplomacy? Sorry, I can't say for sure," replied Chief of Staff Akiyama Saneyuki of the Naniwa.

20 minute later.

The Naniwa and Akitsushima arrived at the scene of the accident one after the other. The Kowshing was nowhere to be found. Broken corpses, wood, and various kinds of garbage floated on the surrounding sea.

"Save people."

The Naniwa launched all its small boats, while the Akitsushima patrolled nearby on alert.

Looking at the horrific scene, Captain Togo Heihachiro felt both joy and sorrow.

The good news is that this was a serious diplomatic incident, and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the proud British will certainly retaliate.

Sadly, although the Pan-Han Federal Empire was in decline and fragmented, it still retained its arrogant attitude as a superior nation. This people had arrogance ingrained in their bones, and would attack the merchant ships of friendly nations without any regard for the consequences.

"I'd like to revise my assessment; it's now 60%."

Togo Heihachiro glanced at Akiyama Saneyuki, then said nothing more.

The search and rescue operation lasted for half an hour. Two people survived on the ship: Hirata Jiro and Smith.

Looking at the British captain who had made a grave mistake due to his arrogance, Togo Heihachiro resisted the urge to kill him on the spot and said coldly, "Smith, this is a serious act of provocation and a trampling on world civilization. You will be required to appear in court as a witness."

"Yes, yes."

Smith was also deflated, never expecting that Britain's reputation wouldn't work.

After a minor incident.

The massive formation continued its northward journey.

Flagship, Matsushima.

meeting room.

Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Sukeyuki Ito, sat at the head of the long table, his face flushed and grinning widely, as if he had just been sunk.

It wasn't their own ship.

"Gentlemen, the Kowshing incident will be a crucial turning point."

The Pan-Han Federal Empire has always considered itself a superior nation, arrogant and conceited, making enemies everywhere. Upon returning, I will immediately report to headquarters and use this incident to make a significant diplomatic impact internationally.

As the saying goes, those who act justly find many helpers, while those who act unjustly find few. If we can win over the Kingdom of Britain to join the war, the deaths of a mere 1000 soldiers are truly insignificant.

Before he could finish speaking, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Everyone was infected by the commander's joyful mood and burst into laughter, filling the meeting room with a pleasant atmosphere.

Since the start of the war, the Pan-Han Federal Empire has made one blunder after another.

First, after the Lucian Empire's envoy, Putiame, was publicly humiliated in the Wuying Hall, he committed suicide in his residence in resentment. The Tsar certainly wouldn't let it go.

Now, they have sunk a British merchant ship.

The Pan-Han Federal Empire has fewer and fewer friends, while the Empire has more and more.

Russia and Britain, one a land power and the other a sea power, if both of them were to join the war, it would truly be the end of the Pan-Han Federal Empire.

"Commander, are you considering a decisive battle in the future?" Chief of Staff Kozo Tsuboi suddenly asked.

"No, the time is not yet ripe. The Navy's strategy is to preserve the ships and defeat the enemy," Ito Sukeyuki rejected without hesitation. Preserving the ships and defeating the enemy was not only his idea, but also that of Navy Minister Yamamoto Gonnohyōe.

On the point of avoiding war, the treaty faction and the fleet faction had no disagreement.

The combined fleet has grown from nothing to its current massive size, which is no easy feat. We cannot afford to engage in a decisive battle lightly; we must continue to build up ships and troops, relentlessly building until we achieve an overwhelming victory.

"Preserve the ship and defeat the enemy?"

"Yes. At present, the combined fleet does not have the strength to completely defeat the enemy. We still need to continue to purchase European warships and train excellent marines until a suitable opportunity arises."

Everyone nodded silently.

The empire appeared to be a single entity, but its land and sea forces were still separate entities. The navy belonged to the Satsuma Domain, the army to the Choshu Domain, and the empire comprised both the Satsuma and Choshu Domains.

For the sake of the Satsuma Domain, let's make the Choshu Domain suffer a bit.

After all, an island nation may not have a strong army, but it must have a strong navy.

"Before boarding the ship, I heard from a foreign journalist that President Takahashi had purchased four small battleships with a displacement of 8000 tons from Frankish ships? Is this true, Commander?" Togo Heihachiro suddenly asked.

Everyone instantly perked up.

Holy crap, once these four brand-new battleships are incorporated into the Combined Fleet, our chances of winning the Battle of the Yellow Sea will increase by at least 10%.

"Fake."

"Fake?"

Faced with the suspicious crowd, Ito Sukeyuki hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice and saying, "I received information from the Minister of the Navy that European bankers are unwilling to issue war bonds for our country. In order to create public opinion, President Takahashi bribed some Franks to play a little trick. The so-called four battleships are completely fictitious."

Everyone fell silent.

Hey ~

If the country were a little wealthier, the Combined Fleet could realize its dream of a "six-six fleet" (i.e., six battleships and six cruisers, all within six years of age, forming a luxurious main fleet).

Ito Sukeyuki then specifically instructed, "Gentlemen, this is a secret and must not be leaked. Treat the falsehood as truth, and consider it an enhancement of our national prestige."

"Ha-yi."

After the meeting.

The military band played "The Net-Pulling Tune" live.

The East Sang Navy was trained by the British, so their meals consisted mainly of Western food with some Japanese food.

A clean white tablecloth covered the long dining table. The officers politely tied on snow-white napkins, and imported cutlery, cups, and saucers were placed in front of them, while simple work songs played in the background.

Commander Ito Sukeyuki raised his crystal glass filled with red wine: "Gentlemen, to His Majesty the Emperor, cheers!"

"Onboard!"

The officers were in high spirits as they enjoyed tempura, tuna and seaweed sushi, fried pork cutlet, curry beef, radish and matsutake mushroom stew, omelet, apples, and fragrant rice.

Enjoy imported European red wine and sake from Kyoto while listening to music.

The navy eats meat, the army eats grass.

Everyone is fighting for the future of the empire.