Chapter 69: Why Must You Be So Particular About Meeting Each Other?

  Another clear morning, Ye Zhiwei stepped out of the cabin and walked onto the deck of "Dingyuan", stretched his waist, smelled the salty sea breeze, looked at the fleet moving forward slowly, rolling up waves, a group of seagulls passing over the fleet from time to time. At this moment, Ye Zhiwei's heart was so calm, thinking that if there were no wars in this world, it would be great.

  "Up so early from bed, why don't you rest a bit more?" Deng Shichang came over, dressed neatly and in high spirits.

  Ye Zhi Kui turned back and smiled bitterly: "I'm not as good as you, Brother Deng. I don't sleep well on this warship."

  Deng Shichang said with a smile: "That's right, Dingyuan is my second home."

  Ye Zhi's eyes rolled, intentionally or unintentionally suddenly changing the subject, and asked Deng Shichang: "Nowadays, the capital is in a mess due to the reform, Empress Dowager Cixi and the Emperor are using their own methods. I heard that Kang Youwei submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of a Bureau of Institutions, the Emperor was very pleased and has been urging all ministers to agree. The Emperor wants to drain the water from the cauldron, emptying Empress Dowager's power. Deng brother, who do you think is more likely to succeed?"

  Deng Shichang was taken aback, clearly not expecting Ye Zhiqi to suddenly ask such a serious question. After a brief pause, he smiled and replied: "We Northern Navy don't care, whoever can feed us, we'll support them!"

  Yeh's leader also joked: "If that's the case, then my opium-selling money would be enough to support the Beiyang Navy. In that case, wouldn't Big Brother Deng have to switch his support to me?"

  Deng Shichang said with profound meaning: "Who can predict what will happen in the future? If you, Yun, really have this intention, how can I, Deng Shichang, support you?"

  Deng Shichang looked around and said in a low voice, "The current court has already chilled people's hearts. Since Zhong Tang stepped down from his position as the Minister of Beiyang, our naval department's silver has been delayed by the court whenever possible. It has become someone who is not loved by either their mother or uncle. If it weren't for occasionally doing some smuggling business, I really wouldn't know how to get by. Yun, you are another great talent in Beiyang after Zhong Tang. In the future, Beiyang will still look up to you, and I hope you can go further."

  Ye Zhiyuan couldn't help but ask, "Our Beiyang Fleet is after all the strongest naval fleet of the Qing Dynasty. The imperial court wouldn't treat us like this, would it? Are we going to destroy our own Great Wall?"

  Deng Shichang's mouth twitched slightly as he said, "That's because you don't understand the officialdom of the Qing dynasty. Although the imperial court takes out silver every year, it goes through the hands of those princes and high-ranking officials in the capital, and by the time it reaches my hands, it's only enough to pay the military salary. The situation was better before, at least Li Zhongtang valued our Beiyang Fleet and would often ask the imperial court for money and grain. But after Ronglu took office, he doesn't understand anything about naval affairs, and doesn't know that maintaining naval power requires constantly spending silver. He'd rather spend ten taels of silver on the army than one tael on the navy."

  Ye Zhi Kui felt a bit embarrassed, this might be because he had been begging Rong Lu for money every day, which made Rong Lu neglect the navy.

  Deng Shichang continued: "Last time when I petitioned the imperial court to purchase new warships, Rong Lu actually said that the Beiyang Fleet is inferior to those above it and superior to those below it, and in East Asia it can be considered as a hegemon. However, no matter how many more warships we buy, it's impossible to surpass the Western powers, so it's better not to buy them and spend the money on the land army instead. Big brother was so angry at that time, almost quarreling with Rong Lu."

  Ye Zhi's eyes rolled again, and he sighed: "Now the court is in trouble at home and abroad, the people are struggling to survive, and they are losing the hearts of the people. As a governor of Zhili, I am worried. Big brother, you say, if there is a Han person who proposes to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming, do you think that as a Han person, I should be a butcher in the hands of the court or just watch from the sidelines?"

  Deng Shichang smiled slyly and said, "This is something you should ask your own heart, I believe that Zhong Yun will not choose either of these two paths, but has another way."

  Ye Zhihuan burst out laughing and said: "Big brother, you're really good at joking, but I've heard that among the naval soldiers, many are dissatisfied with the imperial court, and some even say things like overthrowing the imperial court. It seems that the one who should be worried is big brother, not me, a loyal general of the country."

  Deng Shichang thought to himself with a wry smile: "If you, Congyun, are truly loyal, then the Qing dynasty would be hard-pressed to find another disloyal person. However, after many years of Manchu rule, it seems that their luck is running out. I, Deng Shichang, only hope to maintain the naval fleet in these chaotic times, and I hope you will take care of yourself."

  Deng Shichang and Ye Zikui each had their own thoughts, and for a moment they were silent, with nothing to say.

  Just as Deng Shichang and Ye Zhiqi were facing each other in silence, a naval officer on the lookout tower of the "Dingyuan" was lazily scanning around with binoculars. Suddenly, three black smoke trails appeared at the edge of the sky in his line of sight. The lookout took a closer look and found that they were three warships, all flying the German flag. Without hesitation, he hastily rang the alarm bell.

  After the alarm sounded, the officers and men on the Dingyuan ship immediately became busy. The pipe major came to report to Deng Shichang in no time. When Deng heard that a German fleet was coming, he exchanged a glance with Ye Zhiqi and said, "Let's go back to the captain's room."

  Ye Zhi followed Deng Shichang into the captain's room, where he saw a flurry of activity, with messengers running back and forth. After entering, Deng ordered the Beiyang Fleet to enter a state of emergency combat readiness.

  The deputy then carefully reported the situation to him, saying: "Admiral, it is three warships of the German Far East Fleet. They are now slowly approaching our Beiyang Fleet. It seems that they have also seen us."

  Deng Shichang, who had been listening to the report with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and said: "Send my order to each ship to prepare for battle, send a signal demanding that the German fleet stop advancing."

  The deputy commander hastily led the order and went away. Before long, the entire fleet formed a V-shaped combat echelon and sailed forward.

  On the German Far East Fleet's flagship "Lützow", Captain Ottmann stood on the bridge, holding a telescope to look at the more than ten warships of the Beiyang Fleet, without a trace of worry or fear on his face. Instead, the first officer beside him was somewhat worried and said: "General, the strength of the Qing Dynasty's Beiyang Fleet is too great, the other side has sent out a signal asking us to stop advancing, should we stop advancing first?"

  "Ah, the whiskers are twitching, aren't they?" said Ultraman, shaking his head. "There hasn't been a declaration of war between Germany and China yet, so our Imperial Fleet can still sail through these waters as long as we don't fire first. I'm sure the Qing Navy won't dare to open fire either. Pass on my orders to all ships: ignore any signals from the Qing people and keep charging forward. Let's show those yellow monkeys a demonstration of Imperial naval prowess!"

  "Yes, General." The deputy commander hastily saluted and responded, the three German ships not only did not slow down, but accelerated their speed and charged forward.

  The captain's room of the 'Dingyuan' ship, Deng Shichang and Ye Zhiqi were looking at the three German fleets coming in a line with serious faces. Neither side had fired or stopped. Even Ye Zhiqi, who was ignorant of naval warfare, could see that if they continued at this normal speed, both sides would collide head-on within ten minutes.

  Whether to let or not, that's the question. If we don't let them pass and they end up colliding with us, who will be responsible? But if we do let them pass, it would be humiliating for our ten plus warships to give way to just three German warships. The news of this would spread like wildfire and the Beiyang Fleet would become a laughing stock in the naval community.

  The orderly was waiting for his order. Deng Shichang gritted his teeth, raised his hand and shouted: "Flagship open fire to warn!"

  Ye Zhi's heart tightened, it wouldn't be a fight already, would it?

  A loud "boom" sound, the Dingyuan's bow main gun spewed out a long trail of flames, the shell landed not far from the "Little Whiskers", stirring up a long trail of water spray.

  "General, Qingguo's Dingyuan has opened fire! What should we do? Are we going to counterattack?" The deputy commander hastily ran over to ask Otoman.

  Ultraman took off his glasses, wiped them gently and said: "Don't be nervous, my little buddy. This is just a warning from the enemy to us. We don't need to pay attention to it or return fire with our cannons. Instead, we will continue to move forward."

  "Yes!" The deputy admiral was very impressed with this old general, who had not shown the slightest concern until now.

  On the "Dingyuan", the signal officer looked at Deng Shichang again, and the German ship was very close. If they didn't let it pass, time would run out. Deng's face was uncertain, but reason finally overcame emotion, and he said in a hateful tone: "Signal all ships to clear a path!"

  As soon as he finished speaking, Deng Shichang seemed to have used up all his strength and fell down, looking at Ye Zhiwei and saying: "From Yun, is this tolerating humiliation or fearing the enemy and not daring to fight?"

  Ye Zhiyuan hastily stepped forward to help him up, comforting him by saying: "Deng brother, your choice is correct. The country's power is weak and small, we can only let the foreign fleets rampage in our waters. Believe me, one day we will drive these robbers away."

  Deng Shichang looked at Ye Zhiwei's determined eyes and tightly grasped his hand: "I believe in you, from the clouds."

  The "Little Whiskers", the "Antelope" and the "William" sailed triumphantly through the middle of the entire fleet, with more than a dozen Qing warships yielding to them. If one stood on deck, they could even see the arrogant gestures of the German sailors and hear their manic laughter. The naval officers and soldiers on each of the Beiyang warships had eyes that were about to spew fire, and everyone clenched their fists.

  Ye Zhi Kui patted Deng Shi Chang's shoulder, his face calm and serious, saying: "Don't worry! Brother Deng, just watch how I avenge you."

  …………

  Brothers, help me out and go to Sanjiang Pavilion to cast a vote. It only takes one minute of your time, and Xiao Chong will be eternally grateful. Thank you, "Mango is very sour" classmate, for the reward, I'm extremely grateful.