Chapter 281: After The Naval Battle
On February 4th, the five provinces in the Southeast, the entire national apparatus began mobilizing, with warships racing one after another toward the incident area, and a dragnet already cast down.
This Eastern Shu Fleet had already touched the reverse scale of the Xian Han. Three batches of fleets departed from Weihaiwei, Three Areca Ports, and Keelung, blocking the Eastern Shu Fleet, with airships released on a large scale, tightening the circle at sea.
At this time, the original negotiation treaty with Eastern Shu in the Imperial Court also began to be revised anew.
Among the Xian Han populace, the various factions have always been unwilling to negotiate with Eastern Shu’s “Hegemonic Way,” and the closer to the center of the Imperial Court, the more “Imperial Way” factions there are.
“Imperial Way” in twenty-first century terms is “dovish”; the Xian Han Imperial Court “doves” are because they currently cannot wipe out Eastern Shu in one go, and Xian Han in the Southeast still has to deal with Eastern Shu. If they could wipe out Eastern Shu in one bite, the “doves” would quickly bare their claws.
For the Xian Han top echelon, “exterminate Shu” is a long-term national policy. It’s just that the top echelon, when plotting, will not publicize it to the masses.
Since ancient times, when the Han were strong, their external war strategy followed only one principle: for the sake of descendants!
Any external force that had offended them in history would inevitably be a problem that strategists needed to solve from a “century-long perspective” throughout the entire historical period. One hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years! None are considered too distant. The Bohai Kingdom to the east and the Xiongnu to the north have already become historical terms. Eastern Shu will also become history in the future, just like the thylacine on the Dian Continent.
In these past decades, pacifism has already emerged among the Eastern Shu populace, with some Shu people lamenting, “Under Heaven is one family; if Shu people and Han Chinese had no Hatred, how good that would be!”
However, this was sneered at by Xian Han from top to bottom. Because in these past few centuries, what Eastern Shu did was exactly the kind of bad things that made Xian Han feel “I can’t sleep if the enemy opposite doesn’t die.”
“Beside my bed, I can tolerate a kitten, but not a venomous snake!”
The current Eastern Shu, facing death and still wanting to bite with its venomous fangs, is just such a venomous snake; and it even thinks its venomous fangs are a kitten’s claws, not taking seriously the “ill feelings” caused by its own actions, repeatedly playing tricks afterward, hoping to “wrap dumplings and smash.”
Unless it’s a forgetful nation or forgetful people, otherwise upon seeing a venomous snake, they must seize the chance to beat it to death completely to feel at ease.
…populace…
Although news was controlled, in the teahouses and taverns of the Southeast, news of the naval battle became hot marketplace gossip!
No matter the era, the Han men’s favorite topic of discussion is forever war.
Han Man 1: “I heard that the Shu bastards’ fleet has reached the East Sea!”
Han Man 2: “Real or fake, how do you know?”
Han Man 1: “Would I deceive you? I heard it from someone in the maritime service.” (He puts a finger to his lips, as if whispering, but his voice doesn’t drop much.) The morning before last, they fought for five hours at sea. The Shu bastards’ battleship formation suddenly appeared west of the Ryukyus, and our patrol light ships were directly ambushed.
Amid everyone’s astonishment, they then questioned the information.
Then Han Man 1: The damaged ships now are docked at the shipyard in Hang Fu.
At this point, Han Man 3 interrupts: “Don’t hype up others’ prestige here! Our army did have escort ships damaged and return to port, but the fleet they were in used hyena tactics to achieve delay. Our main fleet has already formed an encirclement net at sea, and just now the Shu army’s three big ships have been sunk by us.”
Seeing this gentleman, the crowd of Han men confirmed he had connections in the Navy, and immediately cheered and urged: “Hey, Uncle Sun is here! Sit, take the upper seat, please tell us old man, what’s really going on?”
…100,000 heavenly troops capture the sea demon…
Twenty hours later, the Eastern Shu Fleet was intercepted by the fast formation that sortied from Weihaiwei. Due to the earlier interference from Xuan Chong and other “rabble” disrupting their attack plan, the Eastern Shu Fleet was forced to split into several groups.
The massive steel formation, its wake lines no longer neat, became like threadworms in water, wriggling crookedly on the sea surface.
From a God’s-eye view, the Eastern Shu battleship column had no need to split off a battleship formation midway for rabble like Xian Han escort ships and light cruisers.
But the Shu army was on a long-distance raid, deep into enemy territory, just like a burglar picking locks at three in the morning, startling at the bark of a dog.
Moreover, in recent years, Eastern Shu’s navy development in the arms race had become lopsided, focusing on capital ships while neglecting auxiliary fleets. They tried to win tactical advantage with single-fleet superiority.
That is, in main fleet decisive battles, trading ship-for-ship damage with single ships.
However: The tactical shortcomings envisioned by the Shu army could be compensated by enhancing single ships, but the strategic advantage was gone.
In the endless reports from laymen, the protagonists of naval main force decisive battles are giant ships and cannons. But before fleets clash at sea, ninety percent of fleet task time is handled by destroyers and escorts.
When the Eastern Shu main formation spotted the light warships, realizing they were discovered, they had to consider which fleet was behind the Xian Han patrol and escort warships.
This time, the Eastern Shu Fleet’s decision was just like that: encountering the Sparrow Eye Mantis Shrimp and two escort ships, but unable to confirm what was behind these single ships? So they suddenly became “overcautious.”
Hindsight experts like Zhuge Liang always think, after sneaking thousands of sea miles, why not charge boldly? But commanders of large fleets are always the comprehensive-thinking navy generals, who hold big chips year-round and dare not charge boldly.
Charging boldly isn’t losing a few billion in the stock market, but directly pulling out a bone from the nation.
It can be said that the “single-ship advantage” strategy was dominated by Eastern Shu Navy’s old fogeys; what they came up with was the standard decisive battle, and in the battleship decisive battle envisioned decades ago, having fewer auxiliary fleets was no big deal.
But the navy old generals didn’t know that once new fleets were built, the young hotshots coming to power wanted to get clever in campaigns, playing surprise attacks!
Based on past technology levels, predictions of naval tactics were accurate. But the old fogeys didn’t expect the electromagnetic stealth era to begin. Naval tactics would “advance with the times,” and the battleship duels they were familiar with decades ago became obsolete in the face of “black swan” technology.
Nowadays, Eastern Shu’s raid plans are all odd strategies devised by young staff officers in the rear. And those young Eastern Shu staff officers lack sailing experience. The raid strategies they propose are often based on the ideal state of capital ships facing off at the end. They haven’t seen the complex scouting, information gathering, and analysis processes at sea before battleship cannon engagements.
In big naval battles, under flexible tactics, lacking auxiliary fleets is fatal. —That is, any slip-up midway in the raid plan means the commander of the main fleet must, for “complex situations,” split off part of the main fleet for miscellaneous tasks.
As for main fleet commanders who stubbornly concentrate the big fleet without dispatching ships for scouting! What happens then! —Battle of Tsushima, Battle of Surigao Strait; the losing side charges headlong into the “T” head.
The losing side, before total annihilation, heroically declares, “We will charge forward until total annihilation.” After the losing side is sent off in big naval battles, the winning side loses just a few torpedo boats.
In Xuan Chong’s previous life, military enthusiasts had a common knowledge: carriers must be big, with many carrier aircraft; destroyers must be big, with many bullet holes; nuclear submarines must be big, without humps. Right, the Maozi at the end thought that way, and the American Empire later did the same.
However, in true big naval battles, unassuming escort ships are crucial elements.
For a successful escort ship model, the most important thing is cost-effectiveness. When a certain escort ship model is produced like dumplings, at unit tonnage price, it’s more cost-effective than capital ships; that’s a strategic ship type.
Escort ships, with all basic functions, need to be numerous, best to have just the right one or two in needed sea areas to handle miscellaneous tasks.
This way, the main fleet frees up hands, and has more strategic flourishes.
Xian Han now is wealthy and bold, with light cruisers around three thousand tons exceeding three digits in inventory.
After the Eastern Shu Fleet was discovered by Zhou Xu’s fleet, it successively encountered probes from light cruisers from various directions. Due to the shadow of the earlier ambush by the “Sparrow Eye Mantis Shrimp,” they also had to successively adjust formation, thereby losing critical time.
The Xian Han Weihai Fleet aggressively chased up.
…The baton is passed, the athlete steps off the stage…
The perspective shifts to the North, where five Eastern Shu Cruisers had been chasing Xuan Chong’s ship until sunset.
After nightfall, the entire ship began blackout procedures; under the fixed oil lamp in the cabin, Xuan Chong checked the fleet’s status, determined the distance it could travel at economic speed with the remaining fuel, and began replanning the sea route to Dongying.
Stepping out of the ship, Xuan Chong looked at the North Star in the sky. He exhaled.
Xuan Chong: “Dragon Head Raising day was truly thrilling.”
Two days later, the Sparrow Eye Mantis Shrimp headed north, arriving at the south side of the Tsushima Strait off Dongying, bypassing the bustling Nagasaki, and heading straight into Saga.
On the map, this is a port with a deeply indented coastline, with only a small opening reserved to the south; Nagasaki outside the mouth welcomes passing guests, while Saga is deep within the secluded bay.
If one were to say that textbooks in Xuan Chong’s era always mentioned that Luda and Weihaiwei were key points contested by the great powers; but in reality, Saga’s terrain is even more superior, and in this spacetime, Xian Han maintains an important military base here.
Of course, if his own Light Cruiser arrived at Nagasaki, it would be like a lord arriving, and the sailors could let loose; but upon reaching Saga, the military ranks inside are all higher than his own, and when writing the report upon entering port, he would face trouble!
In the end, Xuan Chong decided to still “write an inspection.” After all, it is wartime now, everything must seek stability; if the enemy gets ruthless and follows right after he goes to Nagasaki, bombarding and retaliating against the free port. In the end, the higher-ups would shift blame, and his original merit from discovering the enemy at sea would be “refuted” by the masters at Nagasaki Port once sent up, and “held without issuance.”
But if he went to Saga, not to mention whether the other side dares to come retaliate, even if they did? If this naval base can’t protect him, the blame can’t be shifted onto his head.
After the ship steadily entered the security zone waters, the local merchant ships along the way all made way.
Xuan Chong, from several hundred meters away, looked at these exceptionally friendly locals waving friendly flags, showed a courteous smile, and thought to himself “little bastards.”
…Entered the north port, began dealing with the inspection…
As expected by Xuan Chong, as a warship under the Xuan Fourth-Rank Fleet, after entering the port, it was “accommodated”; throughout, they asked this and that, acting as if they wanted to investigate thoroughly.
And they collected statements from the sailors, trying to find evidence that Patrol 023 fled in fear of battle, then expose it.
Because this ship belongs to the Southeast Navy system, while this northern naval port is under northern jurisdiction.
Seeing the solemn demeanor of his colleagues in the port, Xuan Chong guessed that Yandu wanted to intervene.
Speaking of this great war against Eastern Shu, though it was national policy, the war’s leadership has always been those from the Jianye faction; for Yandu, they needed a handle. — The Sparrow Eye Mantis Shrimp, suspected of fleeing a naval battle, was a good point to grasp and pinch.
At this time, the situation at sea was still unclear, so the port officers were following orders from above, but a few days later, those strict investigators changed to a friendly face.
…Idle…
In the officers’ rest home, Xuan Chong also saw reports of the “Ryukyu Sea Great War” in the newspaper. The Eastern Shu forces coming from afar faced the Xian Han Eastern Sea Fleet waiting at ease in the Eastern Sea, sinking eight Battleships.
“Exactly how many Eastern Shu ships were sunk?” Xuan Chong did not believe the newspaper now. But glancing at his ship’s number listed along with a series of ship numbers in the newspaper’s merit report, he understood his merit was not small. (Minor merits weren’t enough to share with colleagues)
For the Jianye side, without prior knowledge, letting the enemy break through to such close range was a major intelligence oversight. At this time, they could not reflect on the loopholes; they must turn it into a celebration, vigorously commend the meritorious personnel.
Especially, a three-thousand-ton warship daring to fire on the enemy’s Battleships; the Captain must be commended.
Xuan Chong had already seen “Patrol 023” in the newspaper, knowing this was the southern leaders signaling him. The meaning was “Little Chongzi, we all rolled through the cannon battle together.”
Next, Xuan Chong’s side still had to accept investigation, with the entire fleet interrogated separately.
Clearly, some big shots in the North also did not believe the Jianye side’s naval battle description. But the Southern Fleet was monolithic, and Yandu couldn’t call the shots, so they had Dongying seize the “Patrol 023” warship, trying to find a breakthrough.
And Jianye in the south wasn’t rushing to contact his side, because~ Xuan Chong replied: “My side’s achievements are not falsified.”
Mid-February, the investigation office changed to a new batch of lords. In the courtyard, Xuan Chong was called to the scene.
A round-faced, beardless man with a amiable expression came up representing Yandu, commending him and his subordinate officers for their performance in this encounter battle. — Xuan Chong responded flawlessly, inwardly on high alert.
However, this beardless one quickly changed tone: “General (Xuan Chong is Fourth Rank Martial Guard General), were you somewhat surprised by this sea encounter battle!”
Xuan Chong immediately became vigilant, and promptly denied the “surprise.” — Once admitting the sea battle encounter was a “surprise,” it would admit his superiors’ sea defense had vulnerabilities.
Xuan Chong looked at this obvious manipulator with a Tianjin accent (like a comedian), and righteously stated: “My fleet was on rotation duty according to the system, patrolling the Eastern Sea borders, defending the nation. Once at sea, we are always prepared! During this battle, though afraid, I felt Your Majesty kindly instructing in my ear. The day before the battle started, I heard His Majesty the Elder say: ‘Boy, be careful, don’t lose face!'”
The eunuch hurriedly affirmed, changed the topic: “Yes, General is mighty, your ship suddenly facing such a fleet at sea, wasn’t it, hehe, a bit too risky.”
Xuan Chong: “Sir is mistaken, my ship is a second-line fleet, unable to keep up with the main warships’ tactics, to encounter the enemy in defensive combat and engage, it is, it is, (Xuan Chong thought for a long time, finally blurted out), worth this lifetime.”
This northern eunuch awkwardly ended the topic, unable to extract from the young Liu Haoxing any handle on the “Southeast Navy arrangement oversight.”
Despite these investigators hearing from other sailors in the 032 Fleet complaints like “this ship was strictly on guard, while other ships merely slow-sailed,” but as long as a Captain like Liu Haoxing didn’t yield, it wouldn’t hold weight.
Unfortunately, Xuan Chong now had considerable poise, insisting that the entire fleet was under the Naval Headquarters leadership, loyal to duty.
Yandu’s Son of Heaven had no reason to strike at the southern faction.
The eunuch looked at Xuan Chong, who politely smiled; this palace elder sighed: This eighteen-year-old Captain should have been a dandy, who would have thought his mouth is so tight, impossible to crack.
…Accidentally entering the Imperial Family, persuaded to let go of the sand in hand…
The next day in the palace, the Son of Heaven (Liu Lu) received the full report. Looking at Dongtu Island in the north on the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Directions Map, he nodded: “Good, good.”
Then to the palace attendants: “Don’t make things hard for that child, if you go too far, his higher-ups will not stand by.”
The Son of Heaven then said to the accompanying ministers: “Let Sima handle it himself, rewards and punishments must be fair.”
As early as one hundred fifty years ago, the Son of Heaven had already delegated almost all government affairs to the Imperial Court Three Dukes. So this recent instruction meant “I won’t manage this matter, if you want to find a handle on the south, find another way yourselves.”
After the outer ministers left, Son of Heaven Liu Lu called inner ministers to reprimand: “Bullying the weak and fearing the strong, I sent you to catch the south’s slip-ups, to find things on Dongzhu.”
The Son of Heaven pointed to the internal investigation’s “Southern Region wounded medical supplies expenses greatly increased,” to the inner officials: Such an obvious issue you don’t investigate, but instead pick on that child from the Dongtu family!
Liu Lu was furious, he clearly knew that this situation existed because the southeast was monolithic and impossible to penetrate; the subordinates took the easy way out, picking the “Dongtu jumper” to pressure, just to get by.
Although Dongtu’s previous flip-flopping annoyed Liu Lu; but right now, Dongtu’s family child is “fine” in the naval battle, yet these fools insist on finding fault under their own banner! This is not doing what they are required to do, and damaging their own sacred name.
…One song settles the Heavy Tower…
In the Government Headquarters official residence, it is even more magnificent than the palace, but every office dares not exceed the court standards.
Eight cabinet ministers are communicating here. Sima Lin asked the eunuch: “Did Your Majesty really say that, with no instructions regarding Dongtu?”
Eunuch: “Your Majesty said that military and state affairs require public discussion, and the Imperial Family must also avoid suspicion.”
Clearly in the grand conference room, silence fell. Since they are all in the public eye, the big figures, though having their own private thoughts, do not dare to speak out rashly. Lest in the future they be caught by the censors with the line “the corrupt minister jumped out himself.”
After the eunuch left. Another cabinet minister asked: “Can we only seek another way?”
Minister of War: “What other way is there? We were originally counting on prying open a gap from this yellow-mouthed child. Now we’ve wasted so much time with no result, and still want to turn around and investigate that group in the Southern Region? That group in the Southern Region has long since patched up all their oversights.”
Note: The scholar-officials of Yandu are shrewd too. They know that to investigate the interest group of Southern Region officials, just the cabinet’s official documents won’t pry it open; they still need to borrow the Imperial Family’s reputation to drill through. But the Imperial Family’s reputation isn’t used casually; it can only be used to hear inquiries, occasionally send palace people to grab key points, not send people everywhere, or it would seem like specifically collecting dirt.
Sima Lin holding the “merit report” list sent by the Hang Fu navy commander: “Then tonight, let’s finalize the rewards and punishments on this form.”
