Chapter 160 Moonless Night

In the vast South China Sea, the waves are undulating, and seabirds pass through the undulating sea from time to time. Suddenly, a bell-like gunfire broke the silence of the South China Sea as if to tearing through the sea.

"...twenty-one, twenty-one..."

With the sound of the main gun, Yang Shuzhuang, who was holding a stopwatch, kept reading the gun shooting time. In the command tower of the battlecruiser Jinghai, everyone held their breath and observed the reef in front of them with binoculars.

It takes more than 30 seconds for the 343mm shell to fly 14.5 kilometers. The gun is ejected, and the rest is waiting and luck. When the captains Tang Tingguang and Yang Shuzhuang in the command tower were waiting for the water column to splash, they wore asbestos fireproof suits in the front and rear three turrets of the battlecruiser Jingyuan. The artillerymen with smoke-proof masks started to move after the first round of volley.

"Dong!"

With a metal crisp sound, the lifting steel barrel up to one meter high rose into the turret. The gunner standing behind the huge tail immediately pushed off the cover of the lifting steel barrel and used the metal steel barrel to protect the shell and the propellant, which was the first of the Chinese Navy, and it was also the difference between Jingyuan and Zhiyuan.

"load!"

While issuing the exit order, the gun captain pressed the button of the pusher, and the hydraulic push rod immediately pushed the bullet into the bore. The whole process was completed in just a dozen seconds. After the lifting steel barrel was lowered, two sailors pushed the bolt up to one meter in diameter and closed it, while the gun captain with headphones waited for further instructions from the fire detection center. .

In the eight-fold Zeiss telescope, when the huge column of water rises, although it is far from the target reef, there is nothing strange in the expression of Tang Tingguang or Yang Shuzhuang. This is the first round of test firing, and the four rounds of shooting will be corrected as a benchmark.

In the next five minutes, the huge column of water rose around the reef from time to time. This is a normal naval tactic. Every time nine columns of water rise, Tang Tingguang in the command tower was not disappointed or happy, and his whole body looked very plain.

Suddenly, after the third round of sipation, three huge flames flashed out in the telescope one after another. Originally, in the deafening sound of gunfire, the seemingly calm conning tower boiled.

"s sir, it's hit!"

He ordered three bullets at a time and shouted excitedly. Yang Shuzhuang looked back at the captain. But I only saw the captain's frown.

"It's too slow!"

"Four rounds of sipation, nearly 12 bullets, seven hits!"

In the sound of the gunner's report, Tang Tingguang turned around and left the command tower and walked to the outside of the command tower. Looking at the sailors, everyone had a smile on their faces, which was already a good result, especially for these novices. But he is still very dissatisfied.

"The rate of fire of the main gun should be 43 seconds per shot, and it takes 1 minute and 7 seconds for each reload. What does this mean?"

Looking back at the following Yang Shuzhuang and looking at the reef still filled with gunpowder smoke, Tang Tingguang asked.

In the face of the officer's problem, Yang Shuzhuang was silent.

"It means that our firepower advantage is completely a waste of human power. The efficiency of 9 guns is only equivalent to 4.5 guns, and one Jingyuan should have been equivalent to three front Zhiyuan ships, but what about now?"

In the face of the officer's dissatisfaction, Yang Shuzhuang said for a long time.

"Sir, after all, they are novices!"

"Novice? If I don't remember, didn't they train on the Zhiyuan ship for a few days? And it seems that I have trained in the turret, so tell them that I'm not satisfied, very dissatisfied! If they are put on the battlefield now, Jingyuan will become a live target because of them!"

"The captain is very unhappy!"

Leaving the fire control center, Zhang Haoran, who smoked on the side of the port, smiled bitterly, and then said to his old classmate Ji Lingyun.

"How can he be satisfied? If he doesn't meet the standard, we can't even go to the battlefield!"

When talking, Ji Lingyun was full of helplessness.

"We have been receiving the ship for less than a month, but the captain thought that we could be like Zhiyuan, although we were all selected from the fleet, but..."

With a sigh, Ji Lingyun turned his eyes to the sea. Although it has now entered the early autumn, the sea breeze in the South China Sea is still obviously a little hot. Under the afterglow, the battlecruiser "Jingyuan" was like a huge whale, moving forward on the sea.

Zhang Haoran looked at the darkening glow in the west, and suddenly had an unsureful feeling of fate. This is a very strange feeling, which makes him feel that the dark sea in front of him seems to make people have an illusion of fate.

"Why don't you go to dinner and have no appetite?"

The voice behind him shocked Zhang Haoran. When he turned around, he saw Yue Pengyuan, the deputy captain of the wheel team, coming with two lunch boxes.

"Even if you are reprimanded, you have to eat. Only when you are full can you have strength and spirit!"

Yue Pengyuan smiled and put the boxed lunch in the hands of Zhang Haoran and Ji Lingyun, and then patted them on the shoulder.

"But, to be honest, since I was selected into the flight, I knew that I had paid attention to my fate for a long time!"

A confusing word came out of his mouth. Seeing that Zhang Haoran seemed to be a little puzzled, he continued to say.

"It's really fighting, I'm..."

The hand is pointing to the bottom of the deck. The engine compartment is at the bottom, and there is also a layer of dome. The whole engine compartment is completely separated by the watertight compartment, and even the cabins are not connected to each other. They must go up to the upper cabin through the gangway.

"So, once there is a fight, if I may not even have a chance to live, this is the fate that has been doomed for a long time!"

Yue Pengyuan's words made Zhang Haoran and Ji Lingyun silent. Among the twelve detachments of Jingyuan, the most dangerous one was the round fleet and the other was the damage management team. However, the warship was severely damaged, and they did not have much chance to escape.

"Yuanzhuo..."

Before Zhang Haoran could speak, Yue Pengyuan laughed.

"However, we should also be grateful for this war that may break out at any time."

"Thank you for this war?"

Both of them looked at Yue Pengyuan with a little puzzlement. Yue Pengyuan was too... "Yes, if it hadn't been for this war, there wouldn't have been a major expansion of the navy now. Without the expansion of the navy, how could we go to Jingyuan? Moreover, in that case, I'm afraid you two are at most a lieutenant officer now. As for me, I may be worse than you, but I should be a lieutenant officer, right?

Leaning against the railing, Yue Pengyuan then cigarette.

"So we need to thank this war, and,"

Take a deep breath of smoke, and then spit out the smoke. Looking at the protective cruiser "Hairong" in the distance, this old cruiser will be completely eliminated sooner or later.

"War needs heroes. In the same way, it will also create heroes. Maybe there are no heroes in the navy. We have always been a whole. Now, we have all been pushed to this crossroads by fate. Why don't we work hard for Jingyuan? Maybe one day, all of China will remember Jingyuan, and even when anyone mentions this warship, they will talk about it with admiration.

Listening to Yue Pengyuan's words, Zhang Haoran first thought deeply, and then suddenly laughed.

"When did you change your philosophy?"

"Academ philosophy?"

Yue Pengyuan suddenly burst into laughter.

"But, to be honest, I hope I can learn philosophy, but,"

The smile disappeared from his face. Looking at the sea in the curtain, Yue Pengyuan's expression seemed serious and helpless.

"I must study political science and war science, so that our descendants can practice mathematics and philosophy on the Ming Dynasty; our descendants must study mathematics, philosophy, geography, natural history, shipbuilding, navigation, business and agronomy, so that their descendants can learn painting, poetry, music and construction on science. Building, carving, embroidery and porcelain art... Therefore, whether it is you or me, our generation has no responsibility to learn philosophy. Now China needs politicians and military strategists, but only philosophers, too many ideas..."

He raised his right hand to the middle finger of the temple and circled it, and Yue Pengyuan added another sentence.

"It will confuse our minds. A confused country can't win war and dignity, so,"

"So, we only need one belief, loyal to the king to serve the country, and to be willing to the ground!"

The three of them spit out a sentence at the same time, and finally all three of them were silent and stood quietly on the side of the port. No one spoke again. The expressions of the three of them seemed extremely solemn.

"Okay, don't talk nonsense. Work hard. Maybe the war will start tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow!"

Putting down the telegram in his hand, Tang Tingguang's expression changed slightly. This telegram was a top-secret telegram sent directly from the Admiralty, requiring warships to prepare for combat.

"According to intelligence analysis, the war may break out at any time, and the Jingyuan ship will enter the combat readiness since receiving the power. ... If you encounter an interception attack by the enemy ship, please be the honor of the Imperial Royal Guards Navy. Be sure to fight until the last shot! No, they are all engaged in military law..."

Picking up the telegram from the chart table, Yang Shuzhuang glanced at it, and his face changed. Looking at the silent captain, his lips trembled slightly and he could hardly believe his eyes.

"Yours, sir, why, why!"

Yang Shuzhuang, who is puzzled, doesn't want to believe that this is true at all. Why didn't the Admiralty Command order Jingyuan to return to the foundation immediately? Why is it like this?

"Why?"

With a bitter smile, Tang Tingguang stood up and even deliberately smoothed the military uniform with his hand. After the bitter smile disappeared, there was only the solemnity of being a soldier in the face of the decision.

"I don't know! However, "

With a solemn tone, Tang Tingguang picked up the ruler and seemed to be calculating something.

"The Chinese navy must never retreat without a war again, so..."

He didn't say anything. He knew that he had no other choice now.

"Convey the command! Inform Hairong to prepare for the war!"

When giving this order, Tang Tingguang glanced at the old "Dingyuan" photo hanging on the wall, and then looked at Yang Shuzhuang in an unusually heavy tone.

"I still owe a life to the Chinese navy! I owe it for ten years. It's time to pay it back!"

"Your officer!"

With a military salute to the officer, Yang Shuzhuang gritted his teeth.

"If you can die with the officer, it is an honor for you!"

Waving his hand, Tang Tingguang didn't say anything. At this time, he needed to calm down.

Tomorrow!

He threw the ruler in his hand fiercely, and said that there was a trace of fierce color on Gao Zhuangzhicheng's face. Tomorrow, he will definitely find Jingyuan in the fourth encounter area. No matter what, he will hit Jingyuan!

Staring at the logo representing the battlecruiser Jingyuan on the chart. The last confirmed location was that the merchant ship found its trace in Dongsha. It was the sound of his gunfire that exposed himself, and the fourth encounter area was the inference made by the possible voyage of Jingyuan.

"Desink Jingyuan!"

Gao Zhuangzhicheng said to himself again in his heart that in his opinion, whether he could sink Jingyuan was directly related to his honor. Thinking of this, his left hand was hard, and the pencil in the palm of his hand was broken into two.

On the eve of the Russian War last year, he, as the commander of the standing fleet at that time, originally thought that the commander of the joint fleet must be himself, but in the end, the navy's principal Yamamoto was replaced and replaced the general, and used Togo Heihachiro, the commander of the Maizuru Zhenshoufu, who was ready to let him retire, as the commander of the joint fleet.

Although Yamamoto Quan Bingwei finally explained that he didn't have to use himself not because he doubted his ability, but because he was afraid of his ability. The war with Russia was a much bigger gamble than the First Sino-Japanese War. Therefore, it is said that the whole country must work together, unify the government and the army, unify the land and the sea, and unify the upper and lower levels, and never allow any mistakes. But he was a fearless guy, so he couldn't guarantee that he would be absolutely consistent with the Ministry of the Navy and the Military Order at the critical moment, so Yamamoto finally chose Higashigo Heihachiro.

Dongxiang!

Reciting the name, Gao Zhuangzhicheng's look became extremely ugly. Perhaps in front of outsiders, he would be able to praise Dongxiang as "Nelson of the original", but behind his back, because Dongxiang took away his honor, he said that every time Gao Zhuangzhicheng thought of the name, he felt only hostility and engraving. With bone hatred, Dongxiang stole his own glory like a thief, and then proudly appeared in front of everyone with the face of "the greatest admiral since Nelson".

Sinking Jingyuan, sinking Jingyuan!

Staring at the blurry photo, Gao Zhuangzhicheng understood that the only way to save the glory was to sink Jingyuan, and then with the help of the power of sinking Jingyuan, he forced Yamamoto Quan Bingwei to appoint himself as the commander of the joint fleet. Then, he could lead the joint fleet and defeat the Chinese fleet. Maybe at that time It is impossible for me to enjoy a world reputation like Dongxiang, but victory can explain everything at that time. At least in Japan, I will become a naval general who is not inferior to Dongxiang Pinghalang, instead of "the incompetent one who was replaced before the war!" in the eyes of many people.

"I will definitely sink Jingyuan!"

"Sir, I intercepted a telegram. It was a telegram from Yamamaru. They found Jingyuan!"

"Move all combustibles!"

In the cabin of Jingyuan, with the order of the sailor, the sailors kept running in the cabin. Hammocks, mattresses, and all combustibles were directly enclosed in the cabin. The sailors with notes in their hands ran through the cabin with the paper they posted, "the corpse room" and "emergency medical room" one by one. Wartime nouns were posted on the hatch.

When the sailors in the cabin are preparing for a war that may come at any time, at the time of the new moon, there is no starlight in the sea and the moon, while the dark deck is a busy scenery. The deck nozzles are constantly spraying seawater on the deck. Although the oak deck cannot be completely soaked in the sea, it is more soaked. A minute of water can also reduce the possibility of burning.

"Qian Mu, hurry up and have another sandbag..."

In Tang Jiannan's shout, a hundreds-kilogram bulletproof sandbag was tied to the edge of the bridge railing of the conning tower, and several layers of bulletproof sandbags were also added to the armored skirt under the turret. After the sandbag was tied and fixed, the damage management soldier dragged the water pipe to spray water on the sandbag.

"Blush through, be sure to soak the sandbags in water!"

Yang Sanlin, who commanded the damage management team, shouted that tying bulletproof sandbags can block shrapnel, but it may not be able to block the ignition effect of Japanese shells using explosives. Water immersion can play a certain role.

"Is it useful?"

Cheng Keran looked at Yang Sanlin, who was commanding his subordinates, and asked.

"Even if the dynamite falls on the sea, it will burn. If it falls on the deck, it will naturally burn more fiercely. What's the use of this?"

"It can always be used a little, at least let them burn less for a while!"

Yang Sanlin said with a smile that he looked very relaxed, but in fact, he had already beat the drum in his heart. Maybe this was the last early morning of his life.

After being finally busy for nearly two hours, after both Jingyuan and Hairong had completed the preparation, the men dragged boxes of meals on the deck. During the preparation period, not everyone had the opportunity to eat in the restaurant.

"Eat, guys, hurry up! Only when you are full can you have the strength to fight!"

With a coax, the tired and panting sailors went to the food box like crazy, grabbed the food directly with the lunch box, and then devoured them. Through the moonlight, they could see that their expression seemed to be a little solemn and even a little uneasy, but they forced themselves to eat.

"Hey, Brother Wang, the sun will come out in two hours!"

Lin Qiang, who forced himself to swallow a few mouthfuls of food, couldn't eat any more. He just held the lunch box and looked at the night sky, but he had already returned to his hometown more than a thousand miles away, thinking about his parents.

"Why, I can't eat it anymore?"

Wang Pu, who continued to fight with rice and big meat, responded.

"Eat quickly, eat more. I don't know when the next meal will be. Let's eat hard now. When it comes to war, we will fight desperately!"

As soon as the voice fell, Wang Pu took another bite of rice.

"Die, we not only have to pull the back of the cushion, but also have to be a full ghost!"

One sentence of death, dozens of sailors surrounded behind the turret skirts stopped. This is what they have never wanted to think about and deliberately avoid, but what about now? But finally someone started. Everyone's expressions darked and he realized that he had said something wrong. Wang Pu casually let go of the lunch box in his hand.

"Cry, cry if you want to cry, wait until everyone finishes crying, and then wipe away the tears, like, like a sailor, go to die together!"

(to be continued)