Chapter 128 Victory of the Nation

On May 25, at 10:00 a.m., the native merchant ship "Xitan Maru" sailed out of Shanghai. Unexpectedly, he saw a fleet of six coal carriers sailing towards Shanghai outside the mouth of the Yangtze River. Almost as soon as "Xidan Maru" found the six German transport ships, "Xidan Maru" turned to the top at full speed. Drive to the sea.

"If that's right, this..."

Dozens of minutes later, the officers and soldiers on the customs patrol ship Danqing, which passed head-on with Xidan Maru, also found the six coal transport ships. Captain Qiao Yuanfan, standing on the bridge, looked at the six fleets sailing side by side from the telescope. Looking at the German flag, they understood the origin of these coal carriers.

"It should be a coal transport ship that has been following the Second Pacific Fleet since the Baltic Sea. Maybe it will go to Shanghai to avoid war."

As Qiao Yuanfan guessed, two hours ago, with the consent of Roger Strynski, the flagship Duke of Svorov raised a signal flag of farewell and gratitude. Roger Strinsky and all the officers stood on the flagship bridge to see off the transport ship and were about to fight and deal with these before the battle. Non-combat ships.

"What an idiot!"

Looking at the six coal-lifting ships, Qiao Yuanfan's tone had a smell of hatred.

"It's simply an extreme tactical mistake, Roger Strinsky, the idiot. If he wants to dispose of all the non-combat ships, he should dispose of the transport ships loaded with ammunition and other repair ships. Now he has lost the German coal ship, but he has kept his non-combat ships, and To protect these remaining non-combat ships, we need to separate very precious cruisers to escort them. With such an idiot commander, even God bless, Russia can't win!"

While Qiao Yuanfan was cursing, Yan Qing, the captain of the turbine next to him, stared at the "Xidan Maru" that went away at full speed.

"Now Xidan Maru must have returned the poster letter. In less than two hours, the news of the second Pacific Fleet's presence in the east of Shanghai will spread to the United Fleet. With this alone, it can be said that I will win this battle!"

It seemed that Qiao Yuanfan didn't understand very well. Yan Qing turned his head and explained to him.

"The opening, you and I all know that in order to get the news of the Second Pacific Fleet, it is said that from February this year, I sent Lieutenant General Yu Chongyuan to lead the cruisers such as Kasagi and Chitose to form a "Southern Expedition Fleet" to search the Russian fleet in the Southern Ocean. It was not until I got the exact information of the Russian fleet in Singapore that Returning to Sasebo, this southern dispatch not only obtained the information of the Russian fleet, but more importantly, it provided a basis for Togo Heihachiro's judgment.

In the past, I also built more than 300 watchtowers on all coasts from Taiwan to Hokkaido, and each watchtower was guarded by six people in turn. Of course, now there are no watchtowers in Taiwan, but they have derived more warning ships. Since April, I have divided the sea south of the Tsushima Strait into small squares, and each square is searched by a warning ship.

Yan Qing said solemnly.

"The premise of victory is to keep the intelligence open!"

Qiao Yuanfan nodded and agreed with this.

"And now "Xitan Maru" is returning to Shanghai at full speed. They have not even made this decision for more than ten minutes, and the merchant ship has not undertaken the warning and search task at all, which has at least fully explained the achievements of the Meiji Restoration: the Japanese version has established and improved the national system, and I have already National concept. Although poverty is still the same, I have become a modern citizen. The achievements of the Meiji Restoration are first reflected in the mobilization system of the people.

When it comes to "modern citizens", Yan Qing's face is full of longing.

"From this point of view, even if Japan, as a poor and small country, defeating the big country Russia, is actually not a big miracle, because after stripping off the packaging of modern material civilization, Russia is still a backward and ignorant medieval [***] kingdom, and all military forces are just according to the Tsar and The hobbies of several of his trusted ministers are in operation. The purpose of war has nothing to do with the country, let alone the people. It is just a means for several officers and governors to add officials to the title. Therefore, it is normal for all kinds of unreasonable strange things in the Russian army and navy. Geniuses can use reading talents to reduce the cost of the system to achieve a brilliant victory, but geniuses do not always exist like the rats in the warehouse. The readers are more mediocre, and even the stupid ones waiting for them. Unfortunately, Russia is now stupid, so the failure of the Russians is not surprising. In fact, they are not much better than the Manqing 11 years ago. However, at this time, Japan has been able to mobilize the whole people to carry out a war, so it is better to say that this mobilization ability itself is the key to Japan's victory in the two wars of First Sino-Japanese War and Japan.

Qiao Yuanfan turned his head and looked at it. Yan Qing put down his telescope and looked at the closer and closer coal transport ship. Compared with Qiao Yuanfan, who liked to look at problems from a military perspective, he preferred to look at problems from other aspects.

"So, it is not so much a victory over Russia in the future, it is not so much a military victory as an institutional victory, or a national victory!"

"The victory of the people?"

Qiao Yuanfan was stunned. As a soldier, he obviously couldn't look at the problem like Yan Qing.

"Yes, it is the victory of the people, the victory of the unity of the country and the people!"

Yan Qing nodded, and his expression became more and more serious.

"So, I will say that what China needs most now is not only factories and fleets, but also education. When our national education succeeds, the country will naturally succeed. Otherwise... we are just the second Russian Empire!"

With a long sigh, Yan Qing took out the cigarette from the cigarette box and looked down at the undulating sea.

"That's why... you resigned, didn't you?"

Looking at his captain, Qiao Yuanfan vaguely felt that he understood his choice.

Facing the captain's problem, Yan Qing just quietly pulled out a cigarette, lighted one, and then took a deep breath, and then expressed his opinion with emotion.

"Does China need a captain? Maybe! But everyone can become a qualified chief turbine, but what about teachers? In my opinion, China's current need for teachers far exceeds the need for captains and officers. Maybe you and I have a salary of more than 100 yuan a month, and a teacher can only get a salary of dozens of yuan, but..."

Looking back at the captain, Yan Qing grinned.

"If I were a teacher, maybe I could educate hundreds of officers and captains in this exam, and they would be better than me! At least... at least I will witness the birth of the national spirit in China!"

After saying that, Yan Qing was silent, and Qiao Yuanfan was also silent. The two looked at the sea thoughtfully, as if they saw that in the magnificent East China Sea and the Yellow Sea, armed by the "national spirit", were struggling to search the sea for the victory of Japan.

On May 26, on the sea between Miyako Island and Ishigaki Island, the general small sampan are competing with the waves with all their strength. There has never been a sampan sailing in such a deep sea. On the sampan, a middle-aged man and three young people with white cloth on their heads are rowing the sampan with all their strength.

"Ah...hey..."

Every time they lift the oars and paddle, the Aobang cattle feel that their bodies are getting more and more tired. After eight hours of rowing, although everyone did not make any complaints, the soaked clothes showed their fatigue at this time.

Although he was exhausted, Aobang Niu did not rest. Now is not the time to rest. For the sake of the day, it must be fast... He thought so in his heart that the oars rowed faster, and the other three young people also accelerated the speed. In the sea, this inconspicuous little slamboard will be like a speedboat. , running in the direction of Shiheng Island.

"Be sure to hurry up, be sure to hurry up!"

Obe Niu muttered in his heart that he was just a fisherman on Miyako Island in Okinawa. He used to rent a boat in Naha and run between Okinawa and Nagasaki. Ten hours ago, when he returned home, he saw a lot of warships hanging not the Asahi flag passing by. He immediately remembered the notice above, saying that if he saw a ship that was not a Japanese warship at sea, he only had to report it to the police or the government, because it might be a Russian [***] ship, and he would also report suspicious floating objects, because it might be a mine released by the Russians, so he reported to the police as soon as he entered the dock.

After listening to what Ao Bangniu said, the police basically decided that it was the Russian fleet that paid attention to above. But how to report this matter? There is no radio station on Miyako Island. The nearest radio station to Miyako Island is on Ishigaki Island, 170 kilometers away.

But it's not safe to go to sea now, so Okubangniu led his boat and three other young sailors to find a small slamboard at the dock to rush to Ishigaki Island to report his findings.

"Ah...hey..."

The not turbulent password on the sea continued to echo. At this time, the speed of the sangpan had slowed down a lot. Aobangniu and another young sailor were eating rice balls there. The two, who were almost paralyzed, lay on the small slams, drinking a sip of water and eating a mouthful of rice balls.

"Mr. Okuhama, if we send the news to Ishigaki Island, will the navy be able to defeat the Lu people!"

After eating the rice ball, the young man on the slam board asked Okubang Niu with some longing longing.

"As long as we send the news to Ishigaki Island, we will do our duty!"

Aobangniu did not say whether he could defeat the Lu Guoren, but said something else.

"We have done our duty, so the rest is for the soldiers of the navy to do their duty! All right!"

With a clapping of hands, Aobang Niu said to the young man in front of him.

"You take the time to eat something and take a break. I will continue to row with the village!"

Under the remnants of the sun, the sang board continued to sail on the sea and headed for Ishigaki Island...

(to be continued)