Chapter 506: A Great Naval Battle at a Critical Juncture that Has the Whole World Watching!

Southwestern waters of Borneo.

A formation of sixteen ironclad ships, with tall chimneys emitting green smoke, cruised at a low speed on the sunny and calm sea.

The three-color vertical flag buzzed on the iron flagpole above the observation room on the island.

Soldiers in white navy uniforms were quietly on duty at various posts such as the deck, gun cabin, and power cabin.

Ship island command room, in front of the glass window.

Zhu Di held up the telescope and observed the sea surface through the completely sealed glass window that could not be opened or closed.

Next to Zhu Di, stood a middle-aged man in peasant uniforms. When he held a telescope to observe the sea surface, his eyes, mixed with emotion, quietly observed Zhu Di.

Yu Jing, the commander of the naval combat staff, held various chart measurement tools and was at a table behind Zhu Di. He measured the marks on the map and discussed in a low voice.

"Yesterday evening, the small reconnaissance steamship we sent reported that the Chen Dynasty navy appeared at our current location..."

"Even if Chen Chao breaks away from the surveillance and tracking of our reconnaissance ships at night, according to the speed of Chen Chao's hybrid ship, the area where they are currently hiding can only be within the circle we have drawn. We will release all steam reconnaissance ships. If Within this circle, logically, Chen Chaojun should have been discovered long ago.”

"Although our small reconnaissance ship is equipped with steam power and is fast enough, its night tracking and surveillance capabilities are still too weak. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so strenuous!"

"What are you complaining about? You are all veterans. It's not like you don't understand the unpredictability of naval battles..."

Yu Jing leaned over and stared at the chart. With one sentence, he ended the staff's complaints.

When Zhu Di heard the sound, he put down his telescope, turned around and said with a smile: "Chen Chao Haijun, is it possible to go north to the Natuna Islands at night?"

Natuna Islands!

He knew the islands all too well.

In the South China Sea, as long as we control the Natuna Islands, it is equivalent to controlling the Malacca Strait in disguise.

The Natuna Islands are also the southernmost strategic point in the entire South China Sea.

Controlling the Natuna Islands means being able to achieve the strategic advantage of shutting down the sea area and turning it into a back garden.

but.

In the past few years, the Chen Dynasty has seized the Natuna Islands.

It was precisely because the Chen Dynasty seized Natuna.

Therefore, in the past few years, Yanhua changed its strategy of low-key development and engaged in tit-for-tat, sending troops to directly occupy Borneo, which both Champa and Srivijaya claimed as their own, and began to migrate people to Borneo on a large scale.

A staff officer interrupted Zhu Di's thoughts, "Your Majesty, is this impossible? Although the Natuna Islands were occupied by the Chen Dynasty first and became its bridgehead into the South China Sea, the Chen Dynasty also arranged some shores on the Natuna Islands. There are defense facilities and a small number of troops are stationed, but this level of defense is simply not enough for us at Yanhua. "

"Chen Chaojun, why are you in this place where we, Yanhua, obviously have no advantage?"

"No!" Yu Jing suddenly stood up, put down his pen, and loudly supported Zhu Di's speculation, "We all believe that the Chen Dynasty navy will not go to the Natuna Islands. Perhaps the Chen Dynasty took advantage of our inertia of thinking that it is impossible. , hidden under our noses!”

The middle-aged farmer standing next to Zhu Di looked at Zhu Di with admiration.

Continue to listen to Yu Jing and analyze according to Zhu Di's ideas.

"Furthermore, we should not ignore the geographical advantages of the Natuna Islands. The islands are spread all over, forming many bays that are convenient for docking and hiding warships. At the same time, the geographical barriers of these bays greatly restrict the active attackers. ”

"Imagine that the Chen Dynasty Navy is hiding in bays that are connected to each other by the Jiuqu ileum. Once we attack the Chen Dynasty squadron in a certain bay, the Chen Dynasty navy hidden in other directions will surround us from all directions. "

…

"Even if we are not aware that the Chen Dynasty Navy is hiding in Natuna and has not taken the initiative to attack Natuna, as long as we are active in the northwest of Borneo, we subconsciously believe that the Chen Dynasty Navy cannot be in Natuna and will definitely relax. Be vigilant, and the Chen Dynasty navy can launch a surprise attack. Once the situation is dangerous, they can disperse and retreat to the Natu Islands, relying on their geographical advantages to defend!"

"We only have sixteen warships. Once the Chen Dynasty navy disperses and evacuates, even if our speed is faster and the artillery is more powerful, we will not be able to severely damage the Chen Dynasty navy."

boom!

Yu Jing smashed his fist on the table and commented with a smile, "The commander of the Chen Dynasty Navy is indeed somewhat capable. This is a typical wolf pack tactic at sea. They try to take advantage of geographical advantages and use wolf pack tactics to continuously weaken us. The naval force will annihilate us in one fell swoop!”

"But this person obviously doesn't understand the power of the steam ironclad ship!"

Don't look at it. He only has sixteen ironclad ships.

There are only more than 400 artillery pieces.

But his sixteen armored ships were divided into three battle fleets!

Five ironclad ships, a battle formation!

Although there are fewer artillery, the artillery is more powerful.

In terms of artillery layout, many new technologies were used.

Not to mention anything else.

Let’s talk about the biggest highlight, the deck gun.

The wooden warship had problems with the strength of the keel, and the powerful artillery could not be placed at both ends of the bow and stern.

The main stress points at both ends are the two ends of the keel.

At this position, once a powerful artillery is deployed, an inclined force will be generated after the artillery is fired.

According to Dongxu's research.

This force can be decomposed into a horizontal force and a vertical force.

The vertical force acts vertically on both ends of the keel, causing great damage to the keel.

Therefore, wooden warships cannot be equipped with powerful artillery at the bow and stern.

But now the ironclad ships, with reinforced keels made of steel bars and iron sheets, can already support the bow and stern and arrange large-caliber and powerful naval guns.

This means that in future naval battles, the Yanhua Navy will have offensive power in both forward and backward movements.

Not only that.

The naval guns installed on both sides of the deck have also added a miniaturized turntable similar to the coastal defense guns that can rotate.

This means.

Even in the forward or backward movement.

The current Yanhua Navy, even if the guns arranged on both sides of the ship in the gun cabin cannot exert their offensive power, the deck guns can be put into battle to the maximum extent.

Thick skin and thick flesh protection, larger gun caliber, stronger power, and high utilization rate of guns in any direction.

Combined with speed.

The Yanhua Navy is fully capable and capable of fighting deep into the narrow Natuna Islands Bay with complex terrain.

And maintain the advantage of weapons!

In fact.

With the emergence of ironclad ships.

The proportion of guns in the gun bay has decreased.

On the contrary, the proportion of deck guns has increased.

The Earl-class ironclad ship has only one gun bay.

Sixteen large-caliber guns are arranged in the gun bay.

And fourteen are arranged on the deck!

According to the analysis of Dongxu and the shipbuilding researchers at the shipyard.

In the future, as the power of steam engines increases several times, gun bay shooting will be cancelled when building all-ironclad ships.

They believe that opening a hole in a complete iron plate to set up a gun muzzle will affect the overall "stress" of the iron plate.

And then affect the overall protection and firmness of the warship.

As for what stress is, he has not figured it out yet.

Therefore, Dongxu and others proposed that in the future, all ironclad ships should arrange all guns completely on the deck.

"We have three battle fleets, and we have mastered the advanced cross-fire artillery technique. We also have the advantage of the thick skin and flesh of the Mongolian iron armor. I think that our battle fleet is enough to counter the Chen Dynasty Navy squadron hidden in a bay."

"Once the battle starts, the Chen Dynasty Navy from other directions will besiege us. Can't our remaining two battle fleets stop it?"

...

"If the Chen Dynasty Navy is really hidden in the Natuna Islands, this battle is the best alchemy furnace to test the power of our new ironclad warships. Is this new warship really gold that is not afraid of fire? This is the best opportunity!"

"If we miss this opportunity, I am afraid that there will be no power on the four seas in the future to test whether the development direction of our navy is correct and to train our navy!"

A group of staff officers.

The commanders of each warship looked at each other.

This is equivalent to adding difficulty to themselves in disguise.

War has always been about seeking ease and ease.

But their commanders deliberately increased the difficulty of naval battles!

You know, if they were on the vast sea, they would not be afraid even if it was 16 against 230.

With the advantage of speed and thick skin, it is impossible to be defeated.

They can't win for a while.

They can quickly leave the battle!

Of course, everyone also understands why the commander deliberately increased the difficulty of the battle.

Once the Chen Dynasty Navy is destroyed.

For a long time.

The Yanhua Navy will have no rivals on the four seas.

Is the development direction of the new warships right?

How to improve and perfect the new technologies applied to the new warships?

The Yanhua Navy conducts actual combat training, improves its quality, verifies new tactics, etc.

All require high-difficulty, high-intensity, and high-intensity battles to achieve these goals.

But in the war, you could have waited for the opportunity and won the war in a more relaxed way.

But they did the opposite and artificially increased the difficulty of the battle.

This crazy behavior clearly violates the principles of war!

I'm afraid that only a madman like the commander, as a soldier, would do such crazy things that violate the principles of war.

What about the prince?

Everyone looked at Zhu Di...

Zhu Di glared and laughed and scolded: "Why are you looking at me? I'm just here to watch the battle. How to fight is something you naval commanders should consider. Otherwise, you are eating the people's fat and blood. Don't you feel ashamed?"

In order not to interfere with the collective decision-making of the Yanhua Navy's top leaders, Zhu Di walked out of the command room.

The middle-aged man dressed as a farmer who had been standing beside Zhu Di, without speaking, silently watching, followed Zhu Di out of the command room.

The iron door closed instantly.

"Come on!"

"Come on!"

This person listened to the enthusiastic support of a group of Yanhua Navy senior commanders who were composed entirely of passionate young and middle-aged people in the command room behind him.

I couldn't help but look at Zhu Di curiously.

Seeing a smile on Zhu Di's lips.

I understood that Zhu Di supported this kind of crazy move that artificially increased the difficulty of the war and violated the principles of war.

Curiously asked: "Your Majesty is not afraid of failure, or even heavy losses. If my estimate is correct, the person in charge of this battle should be Chen Wang's younger brother, Chen Zudan!"

"This man's ability to command naval battles is well-known in the four seas. It is precisely for this reason that in the early years, Chen Zuyi was worried that Chen Zudan would threaten his status as the head of the family, so he kept this man hidden and did not allow him to display it. Even though Chen Zuyi is the eldest son of the Chen family, Chen Zuyi's inheritance advantage was very weak in the Chen family, which started as a pirate. If Chen Zuyi's handling skills were not much better than Chen Zudan, who only had naval warfare talent, the Chen family would not have had the chance to do so. inherit."

Zhu Di nodded.

He has also heard about some of the Chen family's deeds.

Chen Zuyi did not start from scratch and developed into the largest pirate force on the sea.

His father's generation settled in Malacca and was already engaged in piracy.

Chen Zuyi just carried forward the Chen family's business.

Zhu Di came to the bow of the ship and stood next to the two-meter-long bow large-caliber cannon with the muzzle outward. He patted the gun barrel and stared at the ships watching the battle in the distance on the sea. He said: "Yan If the Chinese navy wants to develop into the world's strongest naval force, it cannot just rely on strong ships and powerful guns, but its own professional qualities must also be tempered. "

The Royal Navy is unique in the world and sails across the seven seas.

It is not just advanced technology that brings advanced weapons.

Rather, it was honed step by step by defeating the established maritime overlords.

Yanhua has no such opportunity.

Then artificially increase the difficulty of the war!

The loss is not terrible.

The terrible thing is that the quality of the soldiers themselves has not improved, and they have developed the habit of completely relying on the advantages of equipment and technology.

If such dependence really forms.

Sooner or later, the Yanhua Navy will suffer a big loss and fall hard.

Even unable to recover.

He was thankful.

Yu Jing and his group of young and middle-aged naval senior generals have realized this and started to take action.

After hearing what Zhu Di said, the middle-aged man sighed secretly, "It would be abnormal if Yanhua does not rise."

Zhu Di turned around and looked at the man with a smile, "Does Mr. Chen know the reason why I brought you here?"

This Mr. Chen is Chen Zhong, who was seriously injured during the attack on Peacock Island (Palawan Island) and survived a narrow escape.

Chen Zuyi's confidant general.

His son Chen Jinbei was deeply trusted by Chen Zuyi and his son. He is currently the deputy commander of the imperial guards of the Chen Dynasty. He assists in controlling Chen Shou and commands the largest imperial guard in the Chen Dynasty, with a number of 70,000, the most well-equipped and the most loyal imperial guards.

The only one in the Chen Dynasty with a permanent military-level group.

It has three jurisdictions, one was compiled by the Chen Dynasty and the other was a large town.

It also comes with an independent artillery mark!

The independent artillery mark was the first of its kind in the Chen Dynasty.

There is no independent artillery formation in the Yanhua Army.

He does not have an independent artillery establishment because the current artillery only plays the role of auxiliary infantry in land warfare.

The protagonist of the war is still infantry volley shooting and close combat.

Setting up independent establishments for artillery in auxiliary and subordinate positions is a waste of limited finances and has little effect.

The price/performance ratio is too small.

One day, there will be artillery with a higher rate of fire and greater power, such as rear-loading and barrel-retracting artillery.

Artillery plays an increasingly important role in war.

Even if he is no longer here.

Military development will also prompt Yanhua to set up an independent artillery establishment.

…

Chen Zhong probed: "Does the prince want the common people to persuade Chen Jinbei to join the prince? To counterattack the Chen Dynasty?"

After being rescued by this prince.

He visited Fujian.

When choosing between business and farming, he finally chose farming.

Low-key became the leader of a rural community in a remote rural area under the rule of Yanbei Prefecture, Luzon Province, Yanhua.

In recent years, he has led the villagers and managed the village in an orderly manner.

It wasn't until half a month ago that people from the Military Intelligence Department came to the village and took out a letter written by the prince himself and brought it to Yanjing.

Follow the Yanhua Navy to sea.

But the prince suddenly came to him, and he racked his brains and couldn't figure out what the purpose was.

Zhu Di smiled and shook his head, "I won't do this kind of thing that makes you and your son ungrateful. I asked Mr. Chen to come out because I hope that after the Chen Dynasty is defeated, Mr. Chen will serve as the highest provincial civil affairs officer of Yanhua Zuyi Province. With the help of Chen Mr. Chen’s local influence helped us quickly stabilize Zuyi Province. Moreover, Mr. Chen is familiar with the elites in Zuyi Province, some unstable and untrustworthy elites. I hope that Mr. Chen will come forward to persuade them to leave, or, Mr. Chen will provide me with a list and the Military Intelligence Department will deal with this group of people.”

Chen Zuyi looked at Zhu Di, chatting and laughing happily, and decided the fate of a political elite.

Only emotion remains.

Since ancient times, heroes have been so cold-blooded and ruthless!

In this person, the best proof has been obtained.

I have lived in Luzon Province for so many years.

Been watching from the sidelines for so many years.

If he still doesn't understand why the original elite of Luzon Province has almost completely disappeared, and the prince's purpose of eradicating the elite of Luzon.

Then he is extremely stupid.

When Luzon was first occupied.

This person used his method of seven captures and seven releases to eliminate the original elite layer.

There was obviously a different way of dealing with Chen Chao.

It has to go through the relatively shadowy agency of the Military Intelligence Department.

Or through the civil affairs official system headed by him, it can be purged politically.

This guy just won't let these dirty things dirty the army he built with his own hands.

The ideals and beliefs of the army must not be shaken.

I have to say, this is a very wise man.

Looking through history, he couldn't find a more wise and cunning leader than this one.

Power tactics and politics are originally a mixture of black and white.

The Military Intelligence Department is even more of a dark organization.

It is most appropriate to let these two organizations do the dirty things he wants to do.

"Your Majesty wants to name Malacca after Chen Zuyi?"

This shocked him the most.

Zhu Di smiled and asked back: "Why not?"

Without waiting for Chen Zhong to ask, Zhu Di answered himself: "Chen Zuyi overthrew the original Malacca dynasty. I overthrew Chen Zuyi and named the land of Malacca after Chen Zuyi, which means that I have no contradiction with the original history and ethnic groups of Malacca. At the same time, I am also a Central Plains person who inherited the dynasty founded by another Central Plains person. Yanhua inherited this land, which has legal legitimacy..."

At the same time.

Chen Zuyi has been half-heartedly learning and imitating Yan Fan in recent years, making the people's livelihood in the Chen Dynasty difficult.

Yanhua overthrew the Chen Dynasty with a righteous attitude and fully implemented the perfect Yanhua concept and proposition.

…

"Zuyi Province is a comparison. This province is called this name, which can be compared. Which one is better, Chen Zuyi Chen Dynasty or Yanhua!"

"Always remind the people under the rule of Zuyi Province, so that the centripetal force of the people here can spontaneously and consciously gather around Yanhua."

"Perhaps, this move is a humiliation to Chen Zuyi, but I have no intention of humiliating Chen Zuyi. There is no need. Chen Zuyi is not qualified to let me, let Yanhua do such an inappropriate behavior."

Chen Zhongxin Zhu Di's words.

He was just surprised at Zhu Di's skill.

A province named.

It can play such a big role.

Looking at the land annexed by this person, the annexation and assimilation strategies adopted are very flexible and not rigid.

But in the end, they all point to complete assimilation!

After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Your Highness, can I consider it?"

"Of course!"

Woo woo woo...

As soon as Zhu Di finished speaking, a whistle of varying lengths sounded.

Soon, other ships sounded rhythmic whistles of varying lengths one after another.

After the whistle appeared.

The communication between warships has been changed to be transmitted by the length and rhythm of the whistle.

It is a bit similar to Morse code.

Then.

The formation of sixteen warships, with thick smoke billowing from the chimneys, broke through the water surface and rushed to the Natuna Islands in the north at high speed.

Hino Yoko, accompanied by her brother Hino Azusa, wore a Yanhua women's dress and stood at the bow of a marquis-class armed merchant ship leased by Yan Fan, holding a telescope.

When the armored fleet began to turn in, the first order was, "Quick, follow up!"

"Quick! Follow up!" Not far away, Liang Daoming also quickly ordered.

"Follow up!"

"Don't delay, this is an important basis for observing the combat effectiveness of the Yanhua Navy and determining how we will get along with Yanhua in the future!"

...

On the subcontinent, other small vassal states of the Japanese Kingdom.

People from Champa, Srivijaya, the Southern Dynasty, and the Ava Dynasty all issued similar orders.

Everyone wants to see how combat effectiveness the Yanhua Navy is now? !

...

At the same time.

Northeast of the Natuna Islands, a hundred miles away.

Three Duke-class hybrid warships flying the Ming Dynasty dragon flag broke through the waves and were heading south at a very fast speed.

Yu Tongyuan stood at the bow of the flagship.

He and a group of generals held telescopes to search the sea surface.

"I didn't expect the sea conditions in the South China Sea to be so bad!"

"Isn't it? It's finally calm. But in one voyage, we lost more than a dozen sailors, and more than 50 were injured and seriously ill. I don't know how the Yanhua Navy, which often operates in the South China Sea, overcame such terrible sea conditions?"

...

Yu Jing heard the generals' discussions and looked at them with a lingering fear on his pale face.

His mouth was full of bitterness.

The sea conditions in the South China Sea are dangerous.

Can it be compared with Yu Jing's three-year sailing expedition in the Pacific Ocean on several wooden warships?

In the final analysis, the Ming Navy has too little experience.

The South China Sea is already the limit that the Ming Navy can barely cope with now.

This is the first time to go deep into the entire South China Sea and come to observe.

At this moment, the combat effectiveness of the three Duke-class warships is probably less than 30%.

If someone attacks by surprise, it will be like fish on the sticky board.

So, they are particularly vigilant.

He also wanted the Ming navy to receive more experience.

But...

There is no money!

After the crown prince became regent.

The navy budget seems to be even smaller.

He made several suggestions, but the crown prince suppressed them.

The crown prince did not develop the navy, and it seemed that he had no great hostility towards Yanhua and the King of Yan?

Or maybe he was confusing the King of Yan?

He couldn't figure it out.

Anyway, this time he asked His Majesty to take the fleet commanders to the south to observe the largest naval battle in history between Yanhua and the Chen Dynasty around the Ming Dynasty.

The idle funds of the navy were only enough to dispatch three warships.

He didn't want to mention the funds to His Majesty, so as to avoid His Majesty scolding the crown prince again.

When His Majesty returned to the court, he scolded the crown prince in the imperial study, although no one knew what he said specifically.

But the rumors of scolding had already spread vaguely among the upper echelons of the Ming Dynasty.

"Commander, did we delay this unprecedented naval battle?" A general asked worriedly, interrupting Yu Tongyuan's thoughts.

No naval commander would want to miss such an opportunity.

Yu Tongyuan put down the telescope, turned around, looked at the generals, and said seriously: "Even if we missed it, this voyage experience is enough for us to digest. Don't just think about this great naval battle, think carefully about how to improve the shortcomings exposed by our navy during this voyage!"

"Yes!"

With a sonorous and majestic sound, the three Duke-class warships continued to sail south.

Towards dusk.

When approaching the Natuna Islands.

"Ironclad ship! The prince's ironclad ship!" Suddenly, the lookout on the mast pointed to the sea level in the distance, holding a red sun, and shouted loudly.

Yu Tongyuan and others hurriedly raised their telescopes.

In the telescope, an ironclad fleet with billowing smoke and traveling at high speed appeared in sight.

"Hiss! Is this the ironclad ship?"

"Too fast, the whole body is cold and black, and the momentum alone is more intimidating than our wooden toy ships!"

"I don't know, what is the specific combat effectiveness?"

"Going north, is the naval battle over?"

...

That night.

After the Ming Navy and the Yanhua Navy joined forces.

Fleets from other forces that were watching the battle arrived at the Natuna Islands one after another.

It seemed that the heaven and earth could sense that the situation in this area was heating up.

That night.

The weather suddenly changed.

Heavy rain and howling winds swept across the waters of the Natuna Islands.

For a while, the war had not yet begun. Was the Chen Dynasty Navy fleet really hiding in the complex bay of the Natuna Islands?

The atmosphere over the Natuna Islands was already extremely tense and depressing.

Everyone hid in the narrow cabin with a harsh environment, watching the lanterns shaking violently and emitting faint light.

Holding their breath and waiting nervously for the dawn to come...

In the distance of this sea area.

Yanhua, Ming, Goryeo, Chen Dynasty, Champa...

There are many others who are also waiting for the outcome of this epic naval battle.

All eyes in the world gathered on this sea area at once!

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