The Japanese warships suddenly changed direction and charged in all directions.
Seeing this scene, to be honest, Zhang Dingbian really wanted to fight, but he had too few warships. Even if he formed an encirclement, such a thin encirclement would not be able to withstand the desperate attack of the Japanese.
Every warship is very valuable now, and they cannot be discarded casually before the decisive battle.
Zhang Dingbian hesitated for a moment, then ordered the guards around him: "Pass the order, let all warships keep a safe distance, and don't let them be hit by the Japanese ships."
After receiving the order, the flag-bearer quickly waved the flag in his hand.
The Ming Navy warships also became serious after receiving the order.
While they kept firing, they also kept a safe distance from the Japanese warships.
In this case, most of the Japanese warships did have the possibility of breaking out, but those Japanese warships that were most directly carrying the artillery fire suffered a great blow.
Several Japanese warships had approached the Ming navy, but their speed was getting slower and slower. Obviously, after suffering unbearable bombardment, their cabins were finally flooded on a large scale.
Water entering the cabin is a very dangerous thing. If it is not dealt with in time, the entire ship will easily lose power. If there is no rescue, then everyone on the ship may die here.
…
It was unknown how long it had been, but the Japanese fleet's breakout battle was still going on, but the gunboat that Watanabe Zan sent for reconnaissance had already turned back.
The man looked panicked and quickly ran to Watanabe Zan. After whispering a few words, he left.
There was a look of half fear and half disbelief in Watanabe Zan's eyes. He couldn't believe that such a thing could happen.
But he believed that the people who went to scout had already gotten so close that it was obviously impossible for them to be wrong.
Just when Watanabe Zan was thinking about how to report this matter to Yamamoto, Yamamoto's gaze turned to him first: "Watanabe-kun, has our army already gained the advantage?"
"Having all the advantages?" Watanabe Zan didn't know how to answer this question.
But after thinking about it, he decided to tell the truth to Yamamoto Ningji. After all, he couldn't lie at this time. After all, it involved the country's destiny and victory or defeat, so it was no joke.
"Marshal, we have been defeated at the front. According to the report from the people we just sent out, our fifty gunboats have been completely destroyed, and General Kojima's command ship has also been sunk."
"General Kojima, his life or death is unknown."
When Yamamoto Ningji heard this, his eyes widened instantly: "Baga, you are lying."
Watanabe Zan was speechless: "Marshal, what I said is absolutely true. This is the situation on the front line. At this moment, I am afraid that hundreds of soldiers are struggling on the sea. If they are not rescued, they will all be drowned."
"There's no time left, give the order quickly?"
Yamamoto looked at Watanabe Zan coldly and found that his eyes were firm and he didn't look like he was lying, so he could only believe what he said. But what Yamamoto couldn't understand was why Kojima Mitsuru was defeated? And why did those fifty gunboats sink to the bottom of the sea so quickly? This was a very unreasonable thing.
But even if it's irrational, now is not the time to be thinking about those things.
Who cares whether he has martial ethics or face? What matters is saving lives and reducing casualties is good at any cost.
Afterwards, Yamamoto gave Watanabe Zan an order for the entire army to attack, but Yamamoto was not a fool. This attack was only to rescue the remnants of Kojima Mitsuru's fleet, and they must not pursue them towards the deep sea.
Watanabe Zan also wished that Yamamoto would say such words.
Today, Kojima Mitsuru was beaten like this. Watanabe Zan patted his conscience. In matters such as eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, he did have the confidence to crush Kojima Mitsuru, but in commanding ships, he might not have such confidence. After all, both of them had mostly focused their energy on things other than naval affairs in their lives.
…
Some things sound easy, but they are still very slow to do.
Take Watanabe Zan's rescue team for example.
It probably took him half an hour just to convey the order, assemble the fleet, and then have all the warships sail out in a formation at the port.
It took them an hour to find their position on the battlefield.
Watanabe Zan stood on the command ship and looked around. The sea was full of broken wood and floating corpses.
This was the first time he experienced the cruelty of war so directly. It was impossible for him to say that he was not touched at all.
Watanabe Zan already felt a little uneasy.
He didn't understand why those high-ranking officers were always thinking about fighting. Wouldn't it be better if they didn't fight?
Even if there was no war, it wouldn't stop those high-ranking officials in Japan from enjoying themselves, drinking, whoring and gambling, right?
Could it be that those high-ranking leaders have grown tired of the pleasures that ordinary people long for, and that only the excitement of war can cheer them up?
Watanabe Zan was very puzzled, but he couldn't afford to think too much at the moment.
"Pass the order down, the entire fleet will move forward to drive away the Ming warships, but they must not pursue them into the deep sea."
After Watanabe Zan gave the order, all the fleets around him rushed forward.
But in terms of the number of warships, if the dead Kojima Mitsuru had the advantage, then Watanabe Zan had the absolute advantage at this moment.
Seventy or eighty warships swarmed forward.
But to put it bluntly, the number of warships in this wave is equivalent to the entire combat power of the Ming army navy.
Not far away, Zhang Dingbian was also watching all this.
"Give the order, all warships should leave here immediately."
…
Extremely decisive, without any delay.
In Zhang Dingbian's eyes, it was already incredible that he could defeat Kojima Man so easily. If he faced another battle with the overwhelming number of Japanese warships, he would undoubtedly be defeated.
…
In the afternoon of that day, Zhang Dingbian reunited with most of his navy.
When they set out, there were ten ships, and when they came back, there were also ten ships. Under the setting sun, Gong Yu looked at Zhang Dingbian's fleet, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
However, at this moment, another person hugged her tightly.
Gong knew who it was without having to think about it. In this world, apart from Zhang Wuji, there was absolutely no other man who had such courage.
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