There were a few messy dark clouds floating in the gloomy sky, and looking down from the sky, the originally blue sea had turned dark black, and gusts of wind echoed in the sky with a whistling sound.

On the surface of the sea, which had become somewhat muddy and dark, two battleships were painted gray and sailed in a slightly frenzied wind and waves, and the sun and moon flags on the masts were blown by the wind.

Ning Shuisheng, who was wearing a light blue military uniform, straightened his waist, holding a telescope in his hand and quietly looking at the sea in front of him.

Just a week ago, Ning Shuisheng was transferred from the Qingyuan to the newly launched fifth-class battleship as the first mate, becoming the second officer on the battleship after the captain.

A middle-aged man who was also wearing a light blue military uniform walked up to him and said, "Shui Sheng, you're observing the enemy again, you've been watching for an hour, it's better to rest, if you hurt your eye, you won't be able to draw it." Besides, one of your first mates robbed the lookout of the job, what is this called! ”

The middle-aged man's name was Wei Yuanshang, Liu Xiang's old subordinate, and the captain of the newly launched fifth-class battleship.

Today's Fujian sailors have entered a stage of rapid development, and several shipyards in Fujian have two or three or even five or six new ships launched every month, so that the demand for sailors and crews has also increased.

Liu Xiang and Lu Guangbiao were also happy and painful about this, as the chief and deputy admirals of the Fujian Navy Division, they naturally hoped that the more warships in their hands the better, but the problem now is that the speed of training officers and sailors has not caught up with the speed of the warships being launched.

For this reason, the Fujian Navy Division once again started the work of recruiting sailors, and last month alone, the Fujian Navy Division recruited another 2,000 sailors and promoted a large number of officers, otherwise it would have been a bit reluctant to serve as a gun commander with Ning Shuisheng's military experience of less than two years, and it would have been impossible to serve as the first officer of a battleship.

Ning Shuisheng put down the binoculars, took out a box of cigarettes from his pocket, gave one to Wei Yuanshang, and lit one himself after lighting the fire for him, and the two chatted while smoking.

Wei Yuanshang took a puff of cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke before he said, "Shui Sheng, you should be twenty-three this year, right?" ”

"It's twenty-four!" Ning Shuisheng nodded.

"Have you married a daughter-in-law?"

Ning Shuisheng spit out a long line of smoke, and said helplessly: "Not yet, the family used to be poor, and it was difficult to support the old lady and sister in the family, how could a woman marry a poor ghost like me." ”

"You're not a poor ghost now." Wei Yuanshang grinned and said: "Now you have twenty-five taels of military salaries and one stone of rice as a first mate every month, as long as you are willing, wait until the next time you go home, the matchmaker's guarantee can break through the threshold of your home."

By the way, I have a cousin who is quite handsome and about the same age as you. Why don't I tell you, brother? ”

"Forget it." Ning Shuisheng hurriedly waved his hand: "I already have someone I like, and when this battle is over, I will ask someone to propose to his family." ”

Wei Yuanshang smiled: "Oh...... Which daughter is so blessed that you have taken a fancy to it? ”

Ning Shuisheng said a little embarrassed: "It's not a big girl, her family is fishing, didn't we encounter a storm when we hit Bengang a few days ago, I happened to save their family, and we met after coming and going." ”

"I see." Wei Yuanshang showed a look of regret.

To tell the truth, he is really optimistic about Ning Shuisheng, a young man, who is calm and capable, not to mention that he is also an officer who graduated from the Fujian Sailor Academy, which is recognized as an authentic descendant under Yang Feng.

As long as such a person does not fall on the battlefield, in the future, the existence of the pillars of Fujian sailors, if he can be enveloped through marriage, it will be very beneficial to himself, but it's a pity!

Wei Yuanshang sighed very regretfully, and he was about to say something when an alarm suddenly sounded over his head.

"At thirteen o'clock, two nautical miles away, unidentified ships were found, and the number is unknown!"

As the alarm came, the officer on duty immediately gave the order without thinking.

"Prepare for battle!"

"Knock knock ......"

As the sound fell, the drums of battle, began to beat rapidly.

In less than three minutes, the sailors on the deck had already entered the combat state, and when Wei Yuanshang and Ning Shuisheng came to the cockpit, all the officers and sailors in the cockpit saluted them in unison.

Although this is not the first time he has enjoyed this kind of courtesy, Ning Shuisheng still felt an indescribable thing surging from the bottom of his heart, Ning Shuisheng didn't know how to describe this emotion, but personally, he enjoyed this feeling very much.

The officer on duty saluted Wei Yuanshang and said loudly: "Report to the captain, the target is two nautical miles ahead, and it is heading towards us, and it is expected to enter the range of artillery in a quarter of an hour!" ”

Wei Yuanshang stood still and said, "Pass my order, full sail!" ”

"Understood!"

The two warships sped up and headed towards their target, and soon the news came from the watchtower.

"Lord Qiyu, there are thirteen ships on the other side, and the shape of the other party's ships should be Dutch merchant ships!"

"Merchant ships?"

Wei Yuanshang and Ning Shuishi glanced at each other, and their eyes showed ecstasy.

"These red-haired devils are going to escape!"

"Rush over, stop them, don't let them escape!"

The two shouted in unison, then looked at each other again and laughed at the same time.

At this moment, the merchant ships that were originally sailing towards also discovered these two warships flying the Great Bright Sun and Moon Flag, and these merchant ships immediately turned their bows and ran away almost without thinking.

How could the two warships, which had long regarded them as their belongings, be willing to let them go?

The fifth-class battleship is a kind of cruiser, with a total length of 150 feet, 44 guns, and a displacement of 800 tons, and their mission is to attack merchant ships at sea, cruise in the ocean, and act as a vanguard for the capital ship, so its speed is naturally self-evident.

In less than half an hour, two warships approached less than a nautical mile of these merchant ships.

At this time, these merchant ships were already in chaos, and the merchants looked at the two Ming warships that rushed over like arrows from the string, and their faces showed despair.

"It's over, Daming's battleship is catching up!"

"You bastards, hurry up and fire, aren't there artillery on our ship?"

"Stupid, hurry up and head towards our harbor, let them catch up and die!"

Merchant ships can be described as a variety of life, and businessmen can do anything at this moment.

"Boom...... Boom ......"

At this moment, a barrage of artillery rang out, and several shells fell around them.