After nightfall, the mast port.

Although this harbor is now the home port of the local fleet, it was just a natural deep-water bay for fishing boats to shelter from the wind more than two years ago.

Whenever a typhoon arrives, nearby fishing boats will come here to hide. At a glance, the bay is full of masts.

The name "mast" comes from this.

After more than two years of construction, the infrastructure in the port has begun to take shape, but traces of fishing ports and fishing villages can still be seen everywhere.

Not to mention anything else, most of the villagers who participated in the infrastructure were local villagers, and many of them were fishermen who came ashore.

When the Beihe entered the port, the open-air deck in the middle of the battleship was less than half a meter away from the sea, and the stern of the ship sank below the water.

Conservatively estimated that the water inlet is about 10,000 tons!

The situation on the "Nanjiang" was even worse. The bow of the ship was blown away, and the hull was completely submerged by sea water, and only the superstructure was exposed on the sea surface.

After approaching the berth, the "Nanjiang" immediately sank.

During the return journey, the officers and soldiers of these two warships were actively rescuing themselves, and the accompanying cruisers provided strong support, otherwise they would not be able to return to their home port.

Because there are too many large-size loopholes on the hull that cannot be blocked by ordinary methods, we can only use the method of pumping water to discharge the sea water pouring into the hull.

For this reason, after returning to Mast Harbor, the hull must be repaired first.

Because the damage of the Beihe is relatively lighter, the first thing to do is to repair the Beihe. In fact, it is to try to plug the loopholes in the hull, discharge some seawater, and conduct a simple inspection of the power system to ensure that you can go to the Naval Shipyard in Puzhou by yourself.

Even according to the most optimistic estimate, this warship will stay in the dock for more than half a year.

The situation on the "Nanjiang" is even worse, and it may have to be repaired for one year at the Kuszhou Naval Shipyard.

Regardless, both battlecruisers have returned to their home port.

After the two warships were resettled, the "Lu River" and the "Yue River" entered the Mai Chuan Port and were led by the barge to the deep-water pier.

Bai Zhizhan had packed his personal belongings, and when the "Luhe" approached the dock, he immediately got off the ship.

He did not say goodbye to Gui Boyong and others.

It’s not that he doesn’t talk about feelings, but that he doesn’t know how to say goodbye.

He was the only one who received the transfer order. The other officers and soldiers of the squadron headquarters had to stay on the "Luhe" and faced the upcoming storm. Bai Zhizhan felt that his departure was like escaping. In the eyes of others, he was a deserter!

Although Bai Zhizhan never cared about others' views of himself this way, he didn't want to explain it to himself, let alone there was no way to explain it at all.

Could it be that I told Gui Boyong that the empire will be defeated soon?

Or, He Yongxing values ​​young staff members who are only in their early twenties instead of old subordinates who have been following for many years?

The more you explain these, the less you can explain them.

"Editor Bai, you forgot something!"

Bai Zhizhan was called as soon as he walked onto the dock.

That's right, it's Gui Boyong.

Since he was seen, Bai Zhizhan did not avoid it.

"Commander He asked me about my opinion, I think you are the most suitable." Gui Boyong came over and handed a ship seal of the "Luhe" to Bai Zhizhan. "There is nothing to give to you. Take this with you just as a souvenir. I don't know when the next meeting will be."

"Col. Gui..."

Bai Zhizhan didn't know what to say, and after hearing what Gui Boyong said, he had read the telegram and knew the news that the Tsuman Empire was about to be defeated.

"Do it well." When Bai Zhizhan took over the ship seal, Gui Boyong slapped his shoulder a few more times. "It's not sure, when we follow the fleet again, I have to obey your command. I hope that by that time, we can achieve a more brilliant victory!"

After hugging Bai Zhizhan, Gui Boyong turned around and walked towards the gangway.

Looking at Gui Boyong's departure back, Bai Zhizhan couldn't help but sigh secretly.

Perhaps, Gui Boyong could not become a general like He Yongxing who commanded thousands of troops and could still win every battle, but he must be an excellent adviser.

In the distance, the sound of a whistle came.

Driven by the barge, the "Yuejiang" is slowly approaching.

Outside the dock, a convoy was heading towards this side.

After a while, there will be a crowd of people on the pier.

Bai Zhizhan did not delay any longer and turned around and walked out of the dock.

At this time, the Navy Commander's residence located outside the suburbs of the imperial capital.

The secretary came in and informed that when all the main battleships of the local fleet had returned to their home port, Zhou Kuande had already put on his coat and was sorting out the documents he needed to bring.

Because in the afternoon, the local fleet sent a message that the relevant work had been arranged, Zhou Kuande did not make any additional instructions, but asked the secretary to call He Yongxing to inform him that after making the arrangements, he returned to the Navy Command to report his duties and formally accepted the promotion and appointment.

As for the ending of the Battle of the Watchmen Strait, Zhou Kuande didn't care much.

If this naval battle had happened a year ago, even if the losses suffered were greater, Zhou Kuande would have been overjoyed and regarded it as a decisive victory.

But now, there is no need for this.

In the morning, Zhou Kuande received the news that the intelligence agency had confirmed the news that Wilder II had signed the surrender edict, and the Thuman Empire had been defeated.

As expected, within one month, the Thuman army would surrender to the alliance group.

What can I do in one month?

Not to mention that the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army were already scarred, from the commander to the private, they were exhausted, and they no longer had the ambitions of going to war, even if they had them all, and the rebirth of a "god of war" like Chen Bingxun could not rewrite the ending of destined defeat.

What we need to consider now is how to minimize the impact of the defeat of the Tyman Empire!

Because of the lesson from last year, that is, the defeat of the Ter Empire, the imperial authorities blocked the news. After the news spread, the situation completely lost control, causing a major riot that affected the whole country. Therefore, the cabinet ministers all believed that the news should be released actively and used positive means to guide public opinion.

Of course, it is not just public opinion that is affected by the defeat of the Tsuman Empire.

At the afternoon meeting, the Prime Minister proposed for the first time that the possibility and feasibility of the armistice should be carefully considered and the relevant preparations should be made.

Perhaps he didn't want to put too much pressure on other ministers, and the chief minister used a "arrest" rather than a more straightforward "surrender".

However, what words to describe cannot change the facts.

Whether it is a ceasefire or a surrender, it means that the empire has ended a war without victory for the first time since the Battle of Nanjiangkou for more than 70 years. If it is defeated and surrendered and the treaty is signed, it will become the first surrender treaty in the empire's history that is humiliating!

Those who sign the treaty will definitely be nailed to the pillar of shame and become sinners who have been infatuated for thousands of years.

Who wants to be permanently nailed to the pillar of shame in history?

Who wants to be a sinner of the country and the nation?

Who dares to surrender easily?

Thinking of this, Zhou Kuande hated that he had been born twenty years old. If he was twenty years younger, even if he could not change his country's fortune, he would still be able to go to the battlefield to die for his country.

For an old soldier who devoted his entire life to the Imperial Navy, he would rather die than suffer the humiliation of surrender!
Chapter completed!