Chapter 25

As the night deepened, the vast sky stretched high, and a full moon hung obliquely on the eastern horizon, emitting a cold, ethereal glow.

A gentle breeze blew, and the sea waves swayed, continuously lapping against the rocks beside the beach, splashing up white foam that danced in the air. Dalian, the port city by the Bohai Sea, had already entered a sweet slumber. Occasionally, the sound of crabs scuttling over the gravel added a touch of tranquility and peace to the vast night.

An elderly man, nearly sixty, stood on the broad flying bridge of the flagship "Dingyuan," gazing intently into the dark night where the sea and sky met. His expression was solemn, as if lost in thought. Hearing the faint sound of footsteps behind him, his ears twitched slightly, and he asked, "Has Liu Shengxiu's army boarded the ships yet?"

As the footsteps grew clearer, a sturdy middle-aged man with a thick mustache emerged from the darkness. He walked to the old man's side and said, "Four thousand soldiers of the Marked Army have mostly boarded, but the transfer of weapons and supplies is abnormally slow. At this rate, it will not be until after midnight that they are all aboard."

The old man slowly turned around. Under the dim light of the bamboo lamp, his sallow, slightly sunken face was illuminated. He shook his head slightly and said, "No. We have already lingered here for six hours, far exceeding the scheduled time. If this delays the battlefront, the consequences will be dire. Pass the order to Liu Shengxiu to speed up the process and ensure that all soldiers are aboard by midnight."

The middle-aged man responded and turned back into the darkness, leaving only the sound of his boots on the wooden deck to prove he had been there.

This old man was none other than Ding Ruchang, the commander of the Beiyang Fleet, the first fleet of the Far East, and a former army general.

On September 7, 1894, the Japanese army completed their troop assembly and began advancing towards the important city of Pyongyang in Korea. The Beiyang general Ye Zhichao sent an urgent telegram requesting reinforcements of personnel and supplies. In response to this urgent military situation, Li Hongzhang immediately ordered the 4,000 soldiers of the Marked Army under Liu Shengxiu, stationed in Dalian, to gather within five days and board transport ships to land at Dandong Gulf, then proceed by land to reinforce Pyongyang. To avoid a repeat of the tragedy at the Battle of Pungdo, and to ensure the safe and successful large-scale maritime transport of troops, the Beiyang Fleet was ordered to provide escort for the operation.

To avoid drawing attention, on the night of September 14, a small detachment consisting of the cruisers "Chaoyong" and "Yangwei," the coastal defense ironclad "Pingyuan," the torpedo cruiser "Guangbing," and two torpedo boats, "Zhenzhong" and "Zhenbian," left Weihaiwei first. Ding Ruchang then led the main force of the Beiyang Fleet, patrolling the area around Chengshan Head before returning to Dalian on the 15th to rendezvous with the vanguard. However, due to the large amount of supplies, horses, and artillery carried by Liu Shengxiu's Marked Army, the boarding process was abnormally slow. The fleet, originally scheduled to depart at 7 PM, had not completed boarding even by midnight.

Ding Ruchang, a former army general, had led the Huai Army cavalry in numerous battles against the Taiping forces, engaging in hundreds of fierce battles. The importance of time to the army was something this self-made man, who had been promoted to the rank of general (equivalent to a division commander today) at the age of 32, understood all too well. If Ye Zhichao could hold out, the 4,000 soldiers could arrive a few days later without much issue. But if the front line could not hold, and Pyongyang was on the verge of falling, even a half-hour earlier arrival could make a decisive difference in the battle.

He glanced at the pocket watch in his hand; the long and short hands formed a 30-degree angle, pointing directly at 11 o'clock. A cold night breeze blew, and Ding Ruchang tightened his gray overcoat. From a distance, he looked like a statue standing there, the only sign of life being the fluttering of his coat.

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"Brothers of the army, listen up! Commander Ding orders: speed up, and ensure that all weapons and supplies are aboard within half an hour!"

The middle-aged man walked to the stern of the "Dingyuan," took a deep breath, and shouted loudly towards the transport ships moored at the dock. His voice was loud and clear, resonating through the quiet night. After shouting, the middle-aged man felt a release of the long-suppressed frustration and hatred in his heart. He suddenly did not want to return to the admiral's meeting room below the stern deck but wished to take one more look at the magnificent landscape he was about to leave behind.

If it weren't for these damned Japanese, the world under the sun would be so beautiful...

"Hey, I thought it was someone shouting so loudly, isn't that dear Liu?" A voice with a strange accent, clearly different from ordinary Chinese, sounded from behind. Then, the sound of leather shoes clattering on the gangway turned into footsteps on the deck.

The middle-aged man turned to see a familiar foreigner walking towards him. He was tall, with gray hair and blue eyes, and the two small mustaches on his lip added a friendly and kind look. The only flaw was his severe hair loss, which, though not forced by the Qing government, was even more pronounced than the required "Mandarin braid."

The middle-aged man, clearly very familiar with the foreigner, laughed and said, "I've been feeling restless lately and wanted to vent a bit, so I, the captain, took on the role of a messenger. I hope Mr. Hanssen won't laugh at me."

This gray-haired, blue-eyed foreigner was the German Hanssen. He retired from the German army in 1879 and was hired by the Chinese ambassador in Berlin to come to China, serving as a military instructor in Tianjin and Li Hongzhang's adjutant. In 1891, he returned to Germany, and in 1894, he came back to China. His current position in the Qing court was the chief instructor and deputy commander of the Beiyang Fleet, with the rank of general.

Hanssen walked to the middle-aged man's side, his 1.9-meter height towering over everyone on the "Dingyuan." He habitually touched his shiny head and said, "It's autumn now, and the night breeze can cause a cold. Captain Liu, why don't you come to the meeting room with me?"

The middle-aged man, Liu Buzhan, shook his head and smiled, "You go back first. In half an hour, it will be my turn to take the watch. The cold autumn wind is the best清醒剂 for me. Besides..." He raised his left hand and pointed to the huge warship with three main turrets moored on the starboard side of the "Dingyuan," where a neatly dressed figure stood on the deck, "Your compatriot is still on duty. How can I retreat before him?"

Although Hanssen and Claude had never met before, they had become quite familiar with each other over the past month. Hearing Liu Buzhan's reason, Hanssen couldn't help but shake his head, "Dear Liu, I must remind you, what you're doing is meaningless. Claude was a nocturnal creature in the German Empire, staying up until 2 AM every night! Instead of standing here in the cold, why not go back to the warm and comfortable meeting room to discuss military affairs with everyone?"

Liu Buzhan smiled faintly but showed no intention of returning to the cabin. Hanssen rolled his eyes and leaned against the railing to enjoy the night view of Dalian: the vast sky, the hazy mountain shadows. A cold wind blew, and a chill hit his face. Suddenly, Hanssen felt a sharp pain in his knees. He let out a low cry, stumbled, and only managed to avoid falling by grabbing the railing with his right hand in time.

Liu Buzhan said solemnly, "Is your rheumatism still not better?"

Hanssen sighed and smiled bitterly, "Soaking in seawater for four hours has worsened my already severe condition." His face showed a look of hatred and anger, and his tone became harsh, "Those damned Japanese monkeys dared to sink the British merchant ship 'Kowshing.' If I hadn't been a famous swimmer in the army, I would have drowned in the turbulent waters of Pungdo! I won't rest until I have avenged this!"

"The Battle of Pungdo claimed the lives of nearly a thousand Huai Army soldiers, with only 200 survivors. This grudge, I, Liu Zixiang, will never forget," Liu Buzhan's voice was not loud but carried a resolute and determined will, "If we don't encounter the Japanese fleet on this patrol, so be it. But if even a single Japanese sampan dares to enter my sight, I will crush it to dust and scatter its ashes!"

"I have no doubt we have the strength. Moreover, we have the 'Brandenburg'... oh, I mean, the 'Kaiyuan.' We will certainly win the decisive naval battle!" Hanssen looked at the German battleship that had raised the yellow dragon flag on its starboard side, speaking with confidence.

Liu Buzhan smiled and nodded, feeling a deep resonance. A month ago, when the Qing court had just purchased this ship, due to its superior combat effectiveness compared to the "Dingyuan"-class ironclads in the Beiyang Fleet, he and other naval officers, including Ding Ruchang, had discussed for a whole day whether to replace the flagship. However, considering that Liu Buzhan could not leave the "Dingyuan" and that Ding Ruchang, an inexperienced naval commander, could not do without Liu Buzhan's expertise in naval warfare, they ultimately decided not to replace the flagship. Over the past month, except for a few outdated warships, all ships in the Beiyang Fleet had been intensively training to integrate the "Brandenburg." The morale of the Beiyang Navy was high, and everyone, including the senior officers, was eager to engage the Japanese Navy. Historically, the senior officers of the Beiyang Fleet, due to their deep understanding of the fleet, generally lacked confidence in fighting the Japanese.

"Alright, since you're not going in, I'll leave first. I don't want to suffer here." Hanssen made a farewell gesture to Liu Buzhan and turned to walk down the ladder to the deck. Liu Buzhan waved to Hanssen's back and smiled.

Unconsciously, the army's boarding operation was nearing its end.

Once again, I bow in gratitude to nkj8084 for the evaluation ticket. The naval battle is about to begin, please follow and support us.

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